Mr. Oliver (Mr. K)

So my dad dropped off the kittens on Friday before we went to lunch.
He is going to visit my Brother his wife and kids in Florida for the Holiday and well these two young ones need 24hour attention!
KITTEN POWER- could solve all of our energy needs for sure! WOW...

Anyhoo- When he got there- I had the spare room ready and we put them in there before heading to El Salto for lunch. When we got back- we went in to say farewell- Oliver was there but Olivia was no where to be found! Then that sinking feeling hit me- she must be in the basement- since we had a small hole in the floor- (WHICH I totally forgot about since it is under the bed and well- it is only about 4 or 5 inches wide.) Yep- I went down to the basement and there she was- looking at me from the ceiling. She really put up a fuss about being removed and I got stressed out. Dad had to go back to work and I said I would call him when I got her out. I went back downstairs and popped out a ceiling tile and out she reluctantly came and wow was she dirty! Uuugh. So I put her back in the room after wiping her down and left her in there for an hour. I went back later to check on them and NO KITTENS were in the room!!! It seems that they both pushed away a heavy platter which I had placed over the hole and were both in the ceiling! So down I went and got both of them out- and both of them were dirty! Again I cleaned them and put them in their room. I fixed the hole- from the basement this time! Problem solved...

Lets move ahead to 6:00am. I wake up and go down to check in these little dumplings and when I go in- she is again... missing!

Yes... I started to feel like I was going crazy.

I looked around and found that she had managed to get under the closet door and hide! Granted my house is old and the doors are well- this closet door was cut sometime in the 1970's I guess to take thick carpet! So when I ripped out the carpet it left this rood with a 3 1/2 in gap! SHE STILL managed to get under! Uuugh... I had to take everything out and get her out and put everything back in. I had NO idea that a room which I thought was clean and ready for kittens was in fact NOT READY AT ALL! I thought I kitty proofed? I looked around for any choking hazard and all of that stuff... but didn't realize that these two little dear ones would be so kitten-like! I mean- they are not tiny- they are still under a year but they can move and contorted like the best Vegas performers! Amazing!

So far tonight- she is slow to come out- hiding under the bed mostly- but I have come to the door and peeked in to see her sleeping on top of the dresser. HE on the other hand- Mr. K (Mr. Kitten) as I am referring to him at the moment is a terror! Confident and fearless. A huge Jumper and a talker! Virgil just hangs out and surprisingly does not seem too upset! Poppy- is pretty numb to it- and seems to just watch- but Poor Vespa is JEALOUS! He hates the attention that Mr. K is getting and wow- Mr. K and Vespa look SO MUCH ALIKE! Haaa... Good thing they are slightly different sizes. Haaa...

Anyway- I will get time tomorrow to take photos if I can capture them on film!

In the meantime- wow- they are a lot of work!
More tomorrow
xoxox

Miss Olivia (The Cow Girl!)

I am not going to lie to you...
I am a girl of simple tastes at times. Dare I say- common.
Tonight I made what I am going to call- my secret shame.

Super Big Pigs in blankets...
(@#$%^ Ever since I was at that Halloween party and stepped into the kitchen and watch the lovely hostess pop a tray into the over- as she pulled out a perfectly cooked sheet of glistening goodness- and OH HOW I REFUSED THEM...)
Well I am broken.
I had to make them.
I am weak.

I will not call this dinner.
It is not worthy of the dinners I am accustom too...
BUT I WILL SAY
It was GOOD
I ate three
(And cried tears of joy with eat bite...)

Now I need to do 6 1/2 hours of working out to try to work this off!
Uuuugh
S H A M E!!!
xoxoxox

I am wishing for snow-
Everyone else is getting it and although it is snowing in the western mountains here in Maryland- nothing has hit the ground here. I love snow- It makes me feel festive and I enjoy things so much better- like coffee- which is warmer and tastes better- warms me on the inside. Socks actually do more than cushion my feet- they actually keep me warm. You know! The BED makes sleep more sleepier!

So snow makes me happy...

I went to Target today to buy lights for the outside of our house. I stood there and stared at the strange new variety of lights which they now offer.

I actually thought about getting those white LED lights which look like icy cold white beacons which can CUT through the most dense foggy nights- but knew deep down that those just did not say- Xmas. So I actually called Thomas at work and asked him for his opinion. HE said the very same thing about the LED's- just not Xmas enough. Too Modern and not warm and comforting. So we decided on the clear-colored C7 bulbs! You know- Old school! The same lights that I would spend HOURS watching- blink- from the warmth and safety of my parents bedroom- on nights when I was very young and would wind up having bad dreams- I think I really wanted to just watch those lights shining across the street on the neighbors house- to be honest... Which also reminds me of how the Ice would form on the inside of our windows in our old house! WOW... how things have changed- double fancy insulated windows etc... Ahhh I miss that frost and ice. I used to scratch it off and make a small pile of snow on the window ledge...

Anyway- I bought lights and I also bought this: (See! I did get snow today...)

Indeed- it plays music which makes Virgil kitty FREAK OUT- he will run over to sniff it... and well- that makes me laugh!
OH! I also bought Vespa a Snowman sweater too! OMGoodness too funny- I will take photos tomorrow. I swear he is the Dog I never had!

And one more thing- Target finally threw me a bone and came out with a very sexy bra-panty-garter set! FINALLY! I have been waiting MONTHS for them to get something fancy in again... Ahhhh! So nice!

And well that is more or less- it. Minus me working on jewelry in the morning and then heading to Joanne's and the grocery store to get my errands done.

*I a frustrated that I didn't get to see the Leonids... again. I went out again to night to try and see something and sadly- it was too cold and the moon was really bright... needless to say- the 30 degree air won this time! There will always be the Geminids on December 13th!
xoxox

I was just not sure- what to do with this little taxidermy sparrow- so I made a little copper box.
It would take a sensitive and very strong willed person to  wear something like this... I would think.

I know- it means a lot to me.

I will put it on ETSY.
Okay- I better get moving- more work tomorrow.
xxooxx

I know I have not been updating here as much as usual.
I am torn between places and it has left me not saying much of anything instead of saying a lot.

So I guess I should bring you up to date a bit...

I think it has been something like 66 days since I quite my day job. Things seem to be going fine. Teaching in Canada was great and helped to keep my savings in tack.

I like working in the studio each day. I treat it like it is an actual job and keep an eye on the clock still- to make sure I am really putting in a full days worth of work. I have discovered that I sometimes have a hard time concentrating with the cats and the squirrels outside and other natural distracting "home" things. For instance- I went downstairs to swap the laundry and notice one very naughty kitty took the time to piddle in the empty laundry basket! Good think I looked first! But I had to stop and go clean it. That takes an extra 15 minutes out of my day. You know- things like that are distracting.

As I mentioned a while ago- I was having a hard time turning this off. I still do. However- I am looking at it- like trying to hold onto a wet fish. Just stop worrying about something which I can't completely control- creativity comes when it comes. I am happy to not have a block at the moment!

I do have a BUNCH of new things which I am working on for Xmas. I will add a few to my ETSY shop on Sunday. It is pretty empty there. I also will be getting ready for MERRY MART in December:

After this- I am going to start work on a new book. I have an idea- and I hope that I can make it a good one. I am optimistic about it. At the very least- I will come away from the process with a lot of new ideas and work...

As for me in general? I am doing okay. I feel like things are slowly returning to normal. My hair has taken a beating- from that stupid medicine. The amount of loss- is has slowed- but not stopped completely. I am sure it will. Talk about my hair- OH MY- my natural color is coming in. I have not touched in since the summer. I am officially "Oatmeal"... or maybe just dark beige. I like "oatmeal" better I think... It is certainly dark. All of the highlights are mostly gone. Secretly I am THRILLED to have a clean slate! It has been so long since I had natural hair. I am sort of content to just let it get back to healthy. Dare I say this in writing-! The next thing you know- I will change my mind! haaa... As for me otherwise... Good. I have been using my little trampoline to help with stress! I get my heart rate up for about 5-10 minutes and I feel better! Not to mention that my weight has not gone up since the summer. (Which means it has not gone down... which I guess is okay for now- as winter is coming and I am happy to not have gained)

Thomas however had a nasty Kidney stone which I think must have passed... Goodness those are NOT fun. He was home for 2 days on meds which made him COMPLETELY weird, sleepy and fuzzy... But today he went to work- cautiously of course. We have plans for dinner tonight- with the Eaton's- which I am looking forward too- so I hope he feels up to it... fingers crossed.

What more?
Well that is about it for right now- I will pop in later and update some more.
I am waiting for my Dad to come over for our lunch. It is Friday and we have been having lunches together.
It is one of the nicest things I do during my week- I truly look forward to it.
Talk again soon-
xoxox

He won!

Over-joyed!

I said it to Thomas back in 2004- after seeing this: He is going to be president one day!

xoxoxox

Lisa was inspired to make these amazing cupcakes!
I actually was speechless when I saw them-
Makes me want to change careers and consider playing with food too!
SHE is one TALENTED Sassy Gal!

EDIT: LINK to Video!
I just heard about Tama today on CNN and I am completely smitten!!!
Getty Images by AFP/Getty Images

FromTama (たま, Tama^? born April 29, 1999) is a calico cat who is the station master at Kishi Station in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
In April 2006 the Wakayama Electric Railway converted all stations on the Kishigawa Line
from manned to unmanned in an effort to cut costs. Station masters were
selected from employees of local businesses near each station. For
Kinokawa railway station, Toshiko Koyama, the neighborhood grocer, was
selected as station master. Koyama had adopted Tama and other stray
cats, and he fed them at the station.

In January 2007, railway officials decided to officially name Tama the station master.^[1]
As station master her primary duty is to greet passengers. The position
comes with a stationmaster's hat; in lieu of a salary, the railway
provides Tama with free cat food.

The publicity from Tama's appointment led to an increase in ridership
by 17% for that month as compared to January 2006; ridership statistics
for March 2007 showed a 10% increase over the previous financial year.
It's been estimated that the publicity surrounding Tama's has
contributed 1.1 billion Yen to the local economy.^[2]
In January 2008, Tama was promoted to "super station master" in a
ceremony attended by the president of the company and the mayor; as a
result of her promotion, she is "the only female in a managerial
position" in the company.^[3] Her new position has an "office" — a converted ticket booth containing a litter box.

Her staff consists of two feline assistant stationmasters, Chibi (ちび, Chibi^? born May 12, 2000) and an orange tabby cat(ßüコ, Miiko^? born October 3, 1998). Tama is set to appear in a documentary about cats by Italian filmmaker Myriam Tonelotto.^[4]named Miiko

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tama_(cat)}

More photos later...
xxooxx