Musings

It’s a crazy world out there and sometimes we need to escape our own reality for someone else’s. Here’s hoping you enjoy the rambling mind of a woman with all sorts of opinions and thoughts.

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Talking Katy!

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2/3/09

We had a near miss last night, when Shelby dog pushed open the screen door in my bedroom, allowing the formerly stray-feral kitten, Noir, to exit her new home. Yikes!

I shouted for my sister who quickly helped me locate the cat, lurking outside in the fenced in area off the master bedroom. I ran outside and blocked the small exit created so my other cat, Mayo, can come and go freely. Thankfully, Noir got a bit scared and hauled ass back into the bedroom. Whew!!

The kitten is not ready to resume a life outdoors. She’s still quite nervous around the dogs but grows more confident day by day. Eventually, I might consider letting her be an indoor-outdoor cat. But for now, she’s cloistered and safe.

An update on the pantry diving. I’ve been eating leftover Super Bowl chili for lunch and dinner (yes, it’s good, but I know I’ll soon tire of the flavors), and this trend has kept me from creating a lot of new dishes from my supplies.

However, the chili alone did put some pantry items to good use. I had cans of beans and chili peppers that went into the jumbo pot. I did need to buy some ingredients, which told me the pantry isn’t as deep as I previously thought.

Tonight I hope to cobble some stuffed cabbage leaves with faux sausage and potatoes. If I eat many more beans I’ll float away. Ahem.

1/28/09

Parsonage house is due to move Feb. 14

January is steaming along so fast I think I’ll miss it. I got word from neighbors that the church across the street, Immanuel Lutheran, is finally ready to move the already-hoisted parsonage house to its new location. The huge, historic building will move on Feb. 14. It should be a fun show, even if we are without power for a period of time.

My photo is out of date, so I’ll have to capture a new one soon. The house now sits on massive steel beams on top of a chassis on wheels. It all looks a bit sad and tilted, with some of the windows gone and the interior exposed to our freaky winter weather (some rain, lots of wind, heat, etc.).

Noir takes a sniff ... and Shelby's not fooled

The family scene at home continues in merry chaos. Noir the kitten is recovering quickly from her spay surgery. She’s fearless and spastic, hissing and spitting, back arched with all her fur standing straight up whenever the dogs get too close. I think the dogs now find this “game” quite amusing. I can practically see the conversations flow silently between Katy and Shelby:

“Hey, Shelby, watch this. If I pounce just a little, right here by the bed, this maniacal black toy comes spewing out. Cool!”

Shelby lurks for the sake of leftover cat food. Her intentions are so clear even Noir has figured out she has no interest (anymore) in snapping her neck.

1/25/09

Wow, I haven’t been in here in a long time. Time flies when you’re up to your eyeballs in holidays and all the fun that goes with them.

It seems like just a few days ago my parents were here, and a Christmas tree filled the house with eau d’ pine. Now, all that remains of that are memories, my fabulous gifts, and a big stain of funky Christmas-tree water by the front door. Still working on that one …

Winter has yet to find purchase in our folk-song weather. It was near 90 just a few days ago. Now it’s cooler and there’s rain heavy in the clouds. It feels like spring though. I watched the dogs stand still in the breeze with their snouts raised. The air did smell incredible, clean and smooth.

11/27/08

A short update on the stray cats, Coco and Noir. The kitten, Noir, is letting me pet his back now. I have to move really slowly and usually this works while the cat is eating. But the good news is he’s learning to trust me. Noir and Coco are quite regular now, but Noir shows up for breakfast; he’s hopeful at lunchtime, and he’s always there when the sun goes down.

Quite often I find him lounging on the wall, lunging at the shrubs below or pawing at moths in flight. This gave me an idea to try and play with him. Using a long, spindly stick with a leaf stuck on the end, I lure him closer and closer. Success! We play a couple times a day now.

11/19/08

I’m home today after working during the fiery weekend here in Orange County. The day got off to a lazy start, with me and the critters enjoying the sunshine. The kitten, Noir, joined us for breakfast, lounging peacefully on the wall while watching the dogs play. He didn’t seem in any hurry to leave us, which is a positive sign he’s warming up to us. We’ll see …

11/17/08

The air stinks like the inside of a Weber grill. The skies near my house have cleared, somewhat, but a pall of orange hangs in the northern horizon. As the winds have faded, firefighters in Orange County have gotten a grip on wildfires at the county line. This is good.

The pets at home go outside and return with ash speckling their fur. It’s a fascinating time, and easier for those of us who didn’t lose homes.

11/04/08

What a day, what a week. I’ve been in two countries, two time zones, eaten fried crickets, and watched a black man elected president. Hooray!

I grew up in the South, where the joke spoken around town was, “the war ain’t over.” As a young person raised with a foreign mother and a military dad, this didn’t make a lot of sense. But I grew to understand that racial divides lingered … and hate simmered just below the surface … for no good reason.

So, perhaps we can finally begin a new refrain for my generation. The color of your skin is just a color, nothing more, nothing less. Let’s hope our new president can set the nation on a path to new rewards. It’s leadership and brains that matter, not the pigment in our skin.

Back on Pine Street, the zoo continues its crazy dance. My sister has dubbed our stray cat’s lone kitten, Noir. He’s a funny looking black cat with big ears and huge yellow eyes. He’s terrified of us, mostly, but still showing up for chow on a regular basis. He’s clearly Coco’s kin because she doesn’t disturb him when he lingers at her hip or dares to snatch food from her pile of kibble.

Strangely enough, my crotchety old cat, Mayo, doesn’t seem to mind the kitten. Perhaps it’s Noir’s small stature, or purely his bold moves for food.

For now, I’m happy to watch the critters learn to live together. I still have a plan to snatch Coco from the wall and throw her into the house. She’s this close to joining the family.

10/18/08

Spent a lazy morning … barely cleaned house … made French toast and shared with dogs Shelby & Katy, my official sous chefs … Read the Internet backward, then forward.

I’m a little surprised the marathon session last night playing Rock Band at Melissa’s house didn’t knock me for a loop. I have to say, that’s a crazy-fun game. I’ll have to explore this further …

Rock Band

I did retain my voice, despite trying to lose it singing rock songs at the top of my lungs. I pretty much suck on the instruments, but I can follow the melody, sorta. Hooray …

I’ve got six days until my friends and I depart for Mexico. We meet tonight for dinner to discuss our travel agenda. I’m getting excited. I finally got around to spending gift cards I got for my notorious 4-0 birthday. It does take the edge off my cheapskate soul.

I do have to preserve funds for my journey through Mexico. I hope to find some local artwork to add to my collection of South American textile art. The pieces I have were collected by my grandparents as they traveled through the region when they were stationed at the base in Panama in the late 60s. I’m lucky to have some wonderful things in fabric and carved wood from 40 years ago.
10/15/08

The kitten came back.

For whatever reason, I think it’s a boy. He looks like a mini version of my own black cat, Mayo. Only this guy’s ears are taller and quite pointy. Mayo is a bit more rounded in the face.

We’ll see if we can perhaps coax this guy to like dogs. Not sure about that one. Katy is huge and not the friendliest to newcomers.

The tiny guy spent much of last night roaming by the front door, snagging bites of food and licks of water at his leisure. Katy was quite offended to see a new creature broach her perimeter wall. She spent several hours lurking by the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

We’ll see if I can manage a photograph tonight without spooking him. And maybe, just maybe, Katy will pipe down.

10/14/08

All kinds of news today, and most of it good.

My good friend, Iris, messaged me with news that her father finally got a new kidney, after EIGHT years on a transplant list. Our collective fingers are crossed that his recovery is quick and relatively painless.

Day by day: treats for a beloved pooch.

Doggie joy

My father sent along this amusing photo and it comforts me to know I’m not the only pet-crazed animal lover out there. While they’re off in Italy enjoying the high life, Mom and Dad made sure to lay out treats for their fabulous pooch, Sparky.

For those of us who own dogs, it’s pretty spectacular to watch their big eyes light up at the mention of “treat.”

My sister and I use the word “cookie” or “treat” and our dogs, Shelby and Katy, go still for a brief second. You can see the wheels turning in their cute, pointy heads, as they wonder, “did she REALLY, TRULY say ‘cookie?’” It’s only for a second, then the moment passes … and the gyrations of joyful anticipation set in.

Ah, the adoration of a dog!

I spy … a creature!

So every night, if my old cat Mayo is not curled up on my bed, I go checking for him. He has a couple favorite spots outside. And call him crazy, he loves a windy night spent outdoors. The Santa Ana winds blew through town this week, and sure enough, Mayo was lounging late-night on the patio, oblivious to the gusting air that strew debris everywhere.

Rather than disturb him by opening the front door and hollering his name, I broke out the flashlight and pointed it toward his favorite patio chair, looking for the tell-tale tail peeking over the teak seat.

Instead of spotting my old-man kitty, the flashlight found a tiny black form huddled on the bench that sits behind Mayo’s favorite chair.

It was a tiny version of Mayo, all black and very small. I wondered if this itty-bitty kitty knew he was sitting within a fishy breath of a fairly territorial old cat. Maybe, maybe not.

My heart went out to this obviously stray creature. I’ve seen him running across our front lawns in past days. I wondered if he might be spawn of Coco Puffy Kitty. A few nights ago, while feeding Coco, this small guy wandered up the wall, then pushed the larger cat off so he could grab a bite to eat. Her lack of concern to his presence told me she probably knows this kitten well.

So, last night I fell for yet another lonely animal. I grabbed the container of cat kibble from the kitchen and stole outside quietly to fill a bowl. Mayo hopped down from his chair to investigate the food before coming inside with me. We spent the next 20 minutes sitting in the dark living room, watching the kitten through a window as he wolfed down 1/2 cup of cat food, all the while furtively watching for intruders.

I wonder if he’ll be back … Stay tuned.

Blog milestone

My blathering, personal weblog has topped 5,000 hits. I’m thrilled, and it’s really quite silly. But hey, I’m an attention hog, so bring it on. For a reality check, I acknowledge the crazy success of peers here at work (thousands and thousands of hits EVERY day) … and favorite blogs out there in cyberspace:

• http://mudflats.wordpress.com/
• http://www.laobserved.com/
• http://fastfood.freedomblogging.com/
• http://southbaysoliloquy.blogspot.com/
• http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/

10/02/08

It’s been two days since dinner beat nasty retreat from my body. I’ve discovered that you don’t need a lot of food to get through a day. I’ve been overindulging FOR YEARS.

The corpus cleanus wanted nothing to do with food in the first 20 hours or so. Then my stomach started to remind me that food was actually a good thing (mostly), so I made a small bowl of instant mashed potatoes.

Don’t laugh! Instant mash is a hearty, stomach-soothing treat that takes less than 5 minutes to make. I made sure to use a bit more salt than usual (my taste buds were still a bit numb), and some butter to goo it up. All in all, it was perfect … mostly because it stayed down. I felt no guilt whatsoever, considering I’d lost a $75 dinner (and tons of calories) the night before.

My boss took a big risk today when she took me and a colleague to an Indian restaurant for lunch. My stomach retreated at the first whiff of curry, but I bellied up to the buffet (scary!) and found the jasmine rice and naan bread.

So far, so good.

Tonight I’m settling for some homemade soup, plain and simple. Maybe I can keep the calorie monster from rearing its ugly head. Being sick always offers an opportunity to tune back the appetite in general.

All I need to do is dial up the VP debate, and that love of food will dissipate in seconds.

9/23/08

Happy Birthday to me!

Perhaps it’s important to note my 40 years of life here, just briefly. I’ve done enough self analysis elsewhere to wear everyone out. Enough already, right?

But just a little more, then it’s all history … I promise!

Friends will help me celebrate the day one last time tonight over dinner. We’re heading to a favorite spot in Irvine called Il Fornaio, an Italian restaurant that actually cooks “real” Italian food and boasts a lively crowd, too.

We’ve got plenty of wine leftover from my surprise party on Saturday. Hopefully we can duck the corkage fee and indulge a bit over pasta.

On the homefront, all goes well. I’m keeping a close eye on the feral cat, Coco Puff Kitty, who might or might not be pregnant. Either I’m feeding her too well and she’s filling out, or she’s got some little ones growing in there. Her belly just seems bigger to me now. Because she wanders by to eat at dusk, it’s hard to get a good look. I really hope she doesn’t have kittens brewing in there. That makes life on the block a bit complicated.

Life on Pine Street has gotten back to normal. The A/C was fixed and the house is comfortable, just in time for fall weather! I had a slight glitch with the cable, which was fixed with the help of a signal booster. We’ll see … the signal still isn’t perfect, but that’s mostly my fault for splitting it five ways. Gulp …

I’m also in official countdown mode to Mexico. Pal Iris and I depart on Oct. 24 for Mexico City, then Oaxaca. We’ll need the vacation desperately by then, as work ramps up to Election Day.

8/26/08

My gut tells me it will be days before my air conditioner is fixed at home. The property manager has tracked down the original installer with high hopes the warranty still applies. This sounds ominous to me. The new unit was installed in 2003, in the summer, which puts the warranty at 5 years old. That’s on the brink of expiring, in the world of limited warranties.

I fear the “experts” will spend days trying to figure this out, before something new is ordered.

There is the slightest chance of rain here by Wednesday or Thursday. I hope this means cooler days, not hotter, humid ones.

8/24/08

It’s Sunday and I’m on Day 10 without the air conditioner. It’s not so bad on work days because I go to work in a chilly newsroom. But the weekend has been sizzlin’ here on Pine Street. I’ve kept the house as dark as possible, but the interior temps crept up to 87 today. NOT good.

The dogs retreated to the bathrooms, where they could find some cool floors. The cat went outside and disappeared under a bench. I suppose the concrete felt cool on his old bones.

I’m hopeful the AC will be fixed this week, before the long holiday weekend. Fingers crossed!!

In the meantime, I spent part of today cobbling a video of a mini-adventure inside Yellowstone. It’s processing now, courtesy of YouTube. I hope to have it on my home page and tucked inside a Yellowstone page soon. Yay!

8/21/08

I have a headache . . .

I did not get enough sleep after a marathon session writing about Yellowstone last night. It’s catching up to me.

The repair guy came today to investigate my faulty AC system. As my neighbor Marty suspected, the compressor is dead. This is bad. Bad for me because I will likely spend the weekend in a very hot house … and bad because the unit was only three years old, maybe.

I hope my property manager gets the OK to replace the machine soon. It’s been in the 90s here the past few days. I’m OK because I work in a refrigerator, also known as a newsroom. The thermostat is set around 65. Sweaters are required for a lot of us (women).

Katy the Giant Black Dog is the one who suffers the most. I’ve noticed that she’s spending the hottest part of the day sprawled in the master bathroom, on the linoleum tiles I love to hate. She leaves behind a mess of tangled floor mats and a lot of loose black fur. As long as she finds some relief . . .

But the good news is it’s almost Friday. The week went by in a blur. There’s plenty of work waiting for me at home, too.

Coco’s still hanging around

The feral cat I call Coco Puffy Kitty is a regular now. I pray the summertime coyotes never find her scrawny black butt out on our street. I’ve heard from neighbors that we’ve had some afternoon sightings. This is not good.

Daytime visits from coyotes mean they’re REALLY hungry. The lack of rain has meant less food to eat in the hills that surround us. The animals use a nearby creek bed, now dry, to access the suburbs’ lazy, domestic cats.

I make sure my own cat, Mayo, is behind the gate and safe. But I always worry, what if.

As for Coco, she seems street savvy and determined to stay close to my house for her nighttime meals. Cats are so easy …

8/14/08

The effects of my day of driving – Yellowstone to Orange, Calif. – are sinking in. My attention span is about 10 seconds, so I know it’s about time to call it a day. I heard from a few friends today, via email and Facebook. It’s amazing to me how the Internet is keeping us all connected.

A friend from WAY back, Garland, found me via Facebook. It was fantastic to see his face and read his words. Those seven degrees of separation have never been more accurate. He brought me up to date on a few former peers from years ago. Fabulous!

My thoughts will stay with my good friend, John, whose father has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. I can’t imagine what that’s like, so I’ll keep him in my prayers. I long for the day we unlock the misery of cancer and wipe it off the planet.

8/04/08

A sad footnote to our weekend on Pine Street. My neighbors, Marty and Jennifer, had to say a final goodbye to their feisty feline, Aunry (Henri?), who fell ill. It breaks my heart to know a pet has been lost by any of my friends. My heart goes out to them. I offer my own critters to you, Jenn, should you feel the need for some friendly fur.

I’m thankful for everyday I have my own, lone feline, Mayo. He’s The Man of all Kitties. At whatever teenage year he’s at (we have no real clue on his age), he continues to surprise me. He’s very vocal these days, calling for me, demanding treats and head rubs, all while keeping a fierce face whenever our stray, Coco Puff Kitty, appears on the wall. He really likes scaring her off. Who knew he could be such a meany?

7/23/08

She likes me! She likes me!

Well, the food I feed Coco Puff Kitty every night surely had something to do with that. But I suspected that, like so many homeless creatures, she was lonely. She proved me right just the other night. I was washing dishes, sometime around midnight, when I heard her start calling to me through the kitchen window.

I went outside and sat on my teak patio chair. Coco thought about that for a minute, then jumped from her safe perch atop the wall to join me at the chair. She went straight for my hand, arching up for head rubs and back pats. She surprised me even more when she started doing figure 8’s between my legs. Well, OK now.

That lasted a few minutes until the affection got her all fired up. She started her growly thing again, and I knew she was over stimulated. Enough petting for now!

This has become a routine now. I try to spend a few minutes with her every night, letting her rub and play at my feet. This is progress!!

7/17/08

I got the feral cat, Coco Puff Kitty, to play with me last night. She started growling after finishing her food, and I couldn’t figure out what pissed her off. Then I realized she was happy and didn’t know how to express it. So, I found a long piece of wicker from a destroyed chair and played a jousting game with her atop the wall. She liked it. She swatted at me and grabbed the stick in her mouth, then carried it around, head held up proudly.

We’ve made substantial progress. She’ll eat in the presence of my dog, Katy, and other people. She’s still very fearful of my cat. I’m betting they’ve met on ground level, and it didn’t go well. We’ll work on that. Coco’s letting me pet her regularly, arching her back and lifting her head into my palm. I’m still somewhat wary she’ll take a bite outta me. Again, only time will tell.

7/09/08

Katy plays ostrich

Happy birthday, Mom!! She’s a beautiful 62 today. I called her at home and sang for her. My half of the newsroom got to listen to me belt out Happy Birthday in two languages. That’s amore!!

Here’s a random photo of my silly dog playing ostrich … She’s taken to sticking her head under the bed. I don’t think she knows the rest of her body doesn’t fit. I suppose in that limited doggy brain, those details don’t really matter.

She makes me laugh.

7/08/08

Awwww … I came home to the usual ordeal: crazy huge dog leaping with joy … and no cat. Mayo usually takes his time with the post-work greeting. He can’t compete with all that hysterical dog flesh writhing at warp speed through two rooms. This evening, though, he was a no-show.

It took a few minutes for the noise to make sense, but sure enough, I could hear his yowling cries in the distance.

Mayo was stuck in my closet … all day.

I’m pretty sure he leaked on Shelby’s spare teddy bear. But I’m not entirely sure. It could just be the residual scent of panic-stricken old cat. I think I’m kidding myself.

Pissy pussy cat. Meow.

7/03/08

It’s the run up to a three-day weekend, and it’s crazy here at work. We need to clear five editions (mostly) before the end of the day, so we’re hustling. We do this so not everyone has to work on a holiday. I used to sit in the Holiday Hot Seat, but lately I’ve been spared. It always comes back around, so my time will come, again.

Here are some pictures that follow on the heels of Mayo’s video on my home page. He’s such a cutie and he finally let me take some photos!

7/02/08

A brief update on Coco Puff Kitty

Our dinner meetings at the wall are a regular event. She’s there nightly and arriving earlier with the recent loss of my neighbor’s big dog, Sequoia (read below). It still saddens me to see the old gal’s dog house and know she’s gone forever.

Last night, Coco was brave. She stayed on the wall even as Katy walked past. She didn’t like being there, with a giant dog so close by, but her need for food and trust of me kept her in place.

And big news: I got a brief pat on her back before reeling in my arm. I’m not stupid enough to get swiped by her claws. But now might be the time to introduce her to the joy of a back rub. I’ve rarely met a cat who didn’t like that.

6/28/08

Ouch … the kid killed my battery. It was 5 years old, and it was due to go, but dang, what a day! I got my good neighbor Marty to help me jump-start the dead car, then I drove to the Saab dealership. I figured, let them deal with it and they did. Mike and company squeezed me on a busy day. I got the new battery and I’m a bit poorer for it. Talk about an expensive car wash. Ha!

**Update: the kid has stalled my car. He didn’t know how to start the manual transmission (in reverse), so now we’re letting the Saab sit and recover from the abuse … sigh …

I’m off to a slow start today. It’s Saturday and I slept in … yay. **My neighbor Carlos is testing out a new kid on car-wash detail, so I hauled my butt out of bed to get the Saab on the curb. If all goes well, I’ll have a shiny, clean car with Armor-All’d tires and a clean interior for $15. Not too shabby for service right here at home. If all the neighbors line up their cars (we average 10 to 12 cars plus three motorcycles), this kid could make some nice dough today.

Hey, that’s HUGE

I’m left to ponder what I will do with this massive zucchini my sister brought me. I believe her boyfriend’s dad, Bob Sr., grew it … and grew it some more. Once all the giant seeds are scraped off, I will probably divide the meat up and make some zucchini-nut muffins (with chocolate chips) and save the rest for my famous zucchini cakes. These are like fritters, only in pancake form, with green onions and fresh corn. I don’t use a recipe, I just throw the ingredients in a bowl and hope for the best. I’ve yet to be disappointed. If you have spare zucchini or any squash for that matter, here’s how it goes:

• Grate 2 cups of fresh zucchini in a bowl;
• Add one egg and 1/2 cup of flour or corn meal, if you have it;
• Add chopped green onions (to taste) and 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh corn (drained from a can works, too);
• Use milk to moisten the batter if the zucchini aren’t moist enough (they will continue to sweat, so consider yourself warned)
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Fry at medium heat in about 1/2 inch of canola oil.
• Serve hot and if you’re really feeling chef-like, add your own remoulade.

This is a basic pancake with a lot of zucchini and corn mixed in. If the mixture doesn’t look stable enough, add more flour or corn meal. I usually keep a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix in the cupboard, and this is perfect to use as the base. For a low-cal version, you can cook on an electric skillet with no oil, but the taste isn’t the same. I recommend go for broke and cook ‘em in the oil and have a nice, big green salad.

6/26/08

Dinnertime with Coco results in a new photo. She’s as feisty as ever, this cat, but she’s too hungry to care about a camera with flash. Mangia!!

6/21/08

RIP Sequoia

My neighbors, Peter and Angie, shared some sad news with me today. Their dog, Sequoia, was put down Friday after her health took a turn for the worse. True to her name, she was a big girl – a Lab-Rottweiler mix. She lived 14 good years. Sequoia would send up alarms whenever someone foreign invaded our collective turf. I loved listening to her howl with the fire department’s sirens. It was like she was singing along.

She will be missed.

6/18/08

Some days I’m reminded to take another look at surroundings I take for granted, simply because they go so often unchanged. We have two seasons here: sublime and hot-but-still-sublime. That said, it takes extra thought to acknowledge the natural beauty that lives here every day of the year.

It was a small thing, but today I stopped for a minute and took in the incredible vibrancy of the bougainvillea that embraces my front porch. Mom helped me plant this thorny shrub seven years ago. The climate and my casual maintenance have encouraged it to grow … and grow some more.

Last year I decided it was time to take its upwardly mobile limbs and shove them through the framework of my patio. The exposed beams there made a perfect avenue for the plant to weave its way to the heavens. And so it does … Today, I remembered to really look at it, blossoming in an explosion of ruby red. What a fabulous canopy.

6/16/08

Good news on a Monday, I like that. My dad is in San Diego on business, and Carolina advanced in the NCAA College World Series (of baseball, people). This keeps the Gowen Tar Heels happy. I hope Dad will have some time to share a meal before he jets home; we’ll see. He’s not here long and there is that pesky business to attend to.

Parsonage house update*

We’re still waiting to witness the house move on our block. Neighbors seem to think it will happen soon. My neighbor to the north, Jennifer, had a few details:

• The house did sell for $1, despite efforts by the church to sell the property to help finance their school expansion.
• The house is being moved north of Chapman Avenue to Cleveland Street. *A friend confirmed a dig site on a property that has a small house on the back side of the lot. The “new” house will take the front.
• The move itself should be soon, as the house is now detached from the foundation and all conduits of power and water and gas.
• Peter, my neighbor to the south, mused that perhaps the city and movers would take advantage of the summer solstice and move the house on the longest day of the year (Saturday).
• I dug up the web site of the moving company: Younger Brothers House Moving in Riverside.

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6/11/08

Today I am just plain beat. The week has been hectic and fun, but I’ve hit the wall. I’ve lost the will to move much or type, but here are some updates:

Pouilly-Fuisse tasting: Fine but I’ll got back at it with food. I have a small glass last night before heading off to a Fullerton tapas restaurant (more on that soon).

Coco Puff Kitty is finding her way back to the wall at night for kibble. She’s quite vocal, and I really wish she would stay. I worry about her meeting traffic, head-on. Fingers are crossed that she’ll keep a low profile.

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6/10/08

I found a bottle of wine at Fresh & Easy that reminded me of a varietal I’ve had with my sister. So, I’ll uncork it tonight and see how it goes. I’m trying to up my average buy for cheap, dinner wine to $10 (from my usual $6.99). I hope this $10 bottle is worth it. Cheers! This is a chardonney made in the Pouilly-Fuisse appellation, 2006.

I dug in a bit on the Internet today to find out where this bottle came from. While I found a chablis with the same vintner, “Paul Delane,” I couldn’t track down the Pouilly-Fuisse. I think that Fresh & Easy has brought this in from France where “appellation” wine is made. I found a site “The Society of Vintners,” which is a national wine buying group in the UK. The name Paul Delane is their own label. I wonder if it’s a bottom of the barrel deal.

6/8/08

I can’t believe the weekend is already over. Way too short, as usual. I did a little damage shopping for warm-weather clothes. Of course, it’s all casual, so I can’t even sling it on for work tomorrow. Ay … that means I have to iron or do some laundry.

Hopefully Mom and Dad will be on a place tomorrow, finally, and heading home. The only gnarly part of taking a free flight is waiting in line.

I’ve lost sight of Coco Puff Kitty, as my neighbors have gently booted her from under their house. I hope she’ll keep coming over for food, at least, until I can convince her we’re really nice people (and dog). I think she’s moved under another neighbor’s home. We’ll see if she comes by tonight for her kibble. Fingers crossed!

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6/7/08

It’s a quiet Saturday here in Orange. I’m busy scanning old photos of my parents and watching the dogs snooze. Sister and Bobby are in London, seeing more old buildings, while Mom and Dad hopefully are boarding a Navy plane bound for the East Coast.

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6/5/08

It’s Thursday and I can practically smell Friday. At last … This week has felt terminal.

My sister has updated her blog from Italy. She’s back in Santa Marinella from Cinque Terre and probably ready to get back stateside. Check her out at http://prissychrissy.wordpress.com/.

More progress with the stray cat, Coco. She ate last night with me standing nearby. It’s a small thing, but I’m hoping she’ll eventually come up for a pat. Today for breakfast, she hopped up on the wall at my beckoning. She just can’t resist the kibble, and I’m taking full advantage of that. Once Shelby goes home to Christine, I’ll be able to work with Katy on saying hello, nicely.

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6/3/08

I’ve made some small progress with the stray cat next door. She’s now talking to me regularly and waiting for food without fail (duh). If I can get her to come up on top of the wall while I stare at her, even better. I think I’ll have to keep Katy the Giant far, far away for now. I hope that someday soon this cat I’ve dubbed Coco will be brave enough to live with dog. We’ll see.

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6/2/08

Monday, blah. I could use another day to bask in our marvelous weather. The bright spot in the day was an early morning call from Italy. My sister and her boyfriend, Bob, had arrived in Cinque Terre, a gorgeous spot on the northwestern coast of Italy. They had an amusing tale of searching for a room in one of the quaint villages there. The barest of details: upon visiting a potential room to rent, a man opened the door in his tighty-whities. Um, no grazie, they said, and went on their way.

Happily, they found a pensione where everyone wore clothing.

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Favorites of the week (5/30/08):

1. Cake’s Guitar Man
2. Grilled tuna
3. Rice pudding
4. Dog snoring into the cat’s back
5. My jeans fit a little better today
6. Dancing with friends, not a care in the world: awesome
7. Chocolate port, who knew?
8. I still haven’t watched “Lost” finale, and that’s OK
9. 500-thread count white sateen sheets … for $39
10. I still have Sunday