CafeChatNoir

First, I am definitely NOT the woman this article wants me to be today. No dried pineapple rings here. It’s Halloween for heaven’s sake.

The little ones walk away on a contact sugar high just from what I dump in their pumpkins.  :-D  I always make a point of having GOOD candy.  All chocolate if at all possible.  (Some years there are PayDay bars – not chocolate, but nice and gooey and sweet, so it works.)

And once again I am sure I have WAY more candy than we’ll need – living at the bottom of two hills, not all the kids come to the bottom of the hill before they turn around.  The sugar laden offerings this year include:

- M&Ms:  Plain, Peanut & Peanut Butter
- All the Reese’s: Peanut Butter Cups, Pieces, Sticks, and Fast Breaks (don’t know what they are but they have nougat in them, so it can’t be all bad.)
- Twix bars
- Snickers bars
- KitKats
- Heath bars
- Mr Goodbars

Oh yes, there will be happy kids in my neighborhood tonight.

As you can see, the kittens are terribly intimidated by the dog.

More after the jump, including zombie kittens!

Continue Reading “All three together!”

I suppose it’s better than 0-7, but not by much.  I’ve been a Redskins fan through the good years, the bad years, the injury-plagued years, and the countless rebuilding years.  This year it’s just downright painful.  Once again, turnovers killed us last night, and it seems that Zorn’s new duties are calling timeouts.

We need a new GM, a new coach, new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback.  And while we’re at it, the entire offensive line needs a boot up their collective asses.

However, I see no way to attract any talent because, really – who in their right mind would want to work for Daniel Snyder?

Danny boy, it’s time to sell the team to someone else that will be able to bring in real talent both on and off the field.  I realize you bought the team to get back at the kids who wouldn’t play with you in elementary school and the girls that wouldn’t date you in high school – but it’s not working.  Just get some therapy for that and sell the team.

In other football news, Braylon Edwards has been charged with misdemeanor assault.  My first thought should have been, “What the hell is wrong with people?”  Instead it was, “What does this mean for my fantasy football team?”

Fairfax County is having it’s H1N1 flu vaccination clinic today.  Wait times were as high as an hour and a half, and the parking lot for the government center was completely full for a while.  (And it’s a damn big parking lot.)  I have to wonder if there were a few folks there that weren’t in the target grounp of 3-36 month olds and pregnant women.

I’ve never bothered with a flu vaccine.  I’m not in a risk group, nor am I around those in a risk group, so I have to wonder what the point is of getting the vaccine when getting the flu isn’t going to kill me.  And I have to wonder what repeated vaccines do to your ability to deal with a different strain of the flu virus in those years that the scientists pick the wrong strains to put in the vaccine.

…

Monday night, Skins vs. the Eagles.  Let’s see…  We have a coach that won’t be calling plays, a quarterback who is broken, and an owner that is a moron.  This should be a fun evening.  Are there any other winless teams out there that we need to play this season?  We’re really great at helping out those teams that really need a win.

…

The kittens have 3 modes:
- Cute, sleepy and snuggly, where I am a  great portable space heater for sleeping on.
- Cute and playful, where I am soundly ignored as they bounce about.
- Psycho-killers, where I am a large moving target.

…

Dear Democrats: Stop whining that Fox News is being mean to the White House.
Dear Republicans: Stop whining that the White House is picking on Fox News.
Dear Pundits on all sides: Shut up until you can say something that is actually productive.
Dear Congress: Here’s an idea: Put country before party and re-election and actually do your jobs for a change.  (Please note, your job is NOT to get re-elected.)

…

I really need to run a couple errands this afternoon.  The bucketloads of rain coming down are not helping with my motivation.

Either the craptaculous weather is really getting to me, or I’m getting my annual fall cold. The past two days I’ve been walking around in a complete fog and my favorite activities have been sleeping and eating. (Even more so than normal.)

Normally when I am feeling like this, I simply go to ground until it passes. Mainly because when I feel like I am rocking an IQ of 80, if I run into anyone I perceive to be stupider than I am, I get incredibly annoyed. Especially since today is a Saturday, so the likelihood of running into stupid people is higher.

However, I had to go out today, because out is where the food is. But, my quest was straightforward enough – Safeway for some of their ready-made soups* and some gooshyfood and crack for the little psychotic things living in my room, and a trip to Wendy’s for a large chili. (The chili had been on my mind since I woke up this morning. Sometimes your body knows exactly what it needs.)

So, I zipped up my hoodie (lord, I need about 10 more of these) and steeled myself for nasty weather and *shudder* people.

First there was the minivan behind me at the gas station that didn’t believe that I needed to backup in order to clear the car in front of me to exit – and that do to so, she needed to backup as well. Considered backing right up into her grill to make the point, but didn’t. Point for me.

Safeway was fine up until I discovered they don’t carry kitten canned food.
Seriously??
On to the checkouts, all of which are at least 3 people deep. OK, it is Saturday.
*deep breathing*
Then I watch one checkout clerk shut down and leave. Ah yes, Safeway’s shift management at it’s finest.
*Start making mental notes about how it will be so much better when I run the world*
Then when I finally get to the front of the line, the call goes out: “All checkout clerks to the front.”
REALLY? YOU COULDN’T HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE NOW???
Meanwhile, the tape on the coupon dispenser is empty at my checkout and it’s letting off this incessant beeping to alert all to the problem, and is being soundly ignored by all employees. I suggested to the woman in front of me that perhaps a sledgehammer would solve the problem nicely. She agreed.

Left Safeway feeling quite pleased with myself that I had not chucked a brick at someone’s head.  This might also be why they don’t sell bricks.

On to the Giant in between Safeway and Wendy’s. Walked in to discover they have a new gadget where you take a scanner and scan and bag all your stuff as you go along and then just give the scanner to the checkout clerk and pay. Looks pretty nifty, but given my state of stupid, I had a bad feeling I’d manage to take down their entire network somehow and passed. Got the last two cans of kitten food. Apparently they don’t restock those as regularly as I would have thought. (And this type of thing might be why I keep hearing persistent rumors that Giant is headed for extinction.) Tried to get some Rye Triscuits**, but that location doesn’t carry them. *sigh* Fortunately I had a very nice and non-stupid checkout clerk.

Feeling a bit buoyed by that, despite my lack of Rye Triscuits, I walked out and realized there was a Starbucks next door. Starbucks will not fail me! I don’t hate Starbucks. I think it’s a little crazy that they’re *everywhere* but they sell liquid crack, and it’s nice to have a dealer anywhere I need one.

And fail me they did not. Despite a half dozen customers in the shop, there was no line, and I got my whole milk venti latte in short order thanks to two young men who seemed to genuinely enjoy their barista duties. (Really what is it with the guy baristas that they’re all so nice? The women all just seem to be pissed off that their degree in 17th century French Lit isn’t working out the way they thought it would.)

And Wendy’s. Thank you Wendy’s. Despite the fact that I couldn’t understand a word through the speaker, you got my order right.

So, thank you world for doing your best to make up for the massive stupid that is a Safeway on a Saturday afternoon.

* The lazy git factor aside, they’re pretty tasty, and come in more manageable amounts than when I make a batch of soup myself.
** They are SO good with sharp cheddar cheese. SO GOOD.

But hey, I haven’t had cats in over a year, much less KITTENS!

Lily’s e-collar is off, and she’s spent the past 24 hours grooming all the spots she couldn’t reach before.  Last night when I went upstairs to see them, I said, “Awww, look at the naked Lily!” and I swear, Carmen gave me this look of, “How about some praise for those of us that didn’t need protective headgear in the first place?”

Though they’re still confined to the bathroom when they’re alone, their world has expanded to the bedroom now.  I go up and kick back and read and they run around and explore and help me with kitten proofing.  It goes something like this:

- Not a cat toy.
- Not a cat toy.
- OK, technically not a cat toy but you won’t hurt yourself playing with it.
- Hey, that’s my underwear!

Then we get into a bit of information overload and they start trying to beat the snot out of each other, so it’s treat & nap time.  (I suspect this is a bit like crackers, juice & nap time with toddlers.)  I am getting a lot more reading in this way, but I’ll be happy when they’re big enough to come downstairs and watch the hockey games with me.

The continued introductions with Moxley have gone swimmingly.  He is definitely not used to cats that actively approach him, but he’s coping quite well.  This morning after Moxley decided he was ready to go back downstairs, both kittens followed him to the door.  So cute!

I’m not sure the sides of the box spring on my bed will survive kittenhood.  Though we’ve showed them the easy way to the bed, via the cedar chest at the foot of the bed, it’s so much more fun to climb up the side of the bed.  Lily has discovered the fun of burrowing under the blankets on the bed.  This is usually followed by Carmen flying in out of nowhere and landing on top of the kitten lump on the bed.  (Oh, I fear for my toes once they’re sleeping in the bedroom.  Perhaps it’s time to start wearing socks to bed.)

If I catch them at the right time and they’re not quite awake yet, they just want to crawl in my lap and keep snoozing.  If that doesn’t melt you a little bit, not much will.

I am SO glad these two picked me out at the shelter. :-D

Damn they move fast.  And the lighting in my room sucks to boot.  But I got 2 pics today!

They are so sweet.  Their personalities are definitely starting to emerge – Lily stops for attention before going off to conquer the universe and if Carmen is getting cuddled, she’s right there going, “What about ME?!”  She’s a leg climber and does a lovely impression of a parrot on my shoulder.  The minute she hears me coming in the room she’s off the top of the carrier and right there waiting when the door opens.  Carmen has already established her “waking up from a nap” routine.  There’s some rolling around on top of the carrier, then she slides off it, works on her nails on the little mat, then comes sauntering out to see what’s going on.  She’s figured out that the big wide world isn’t going anywhere, so she can take her time.

The minute I pick up either one, they start to purr.  Their incisions are really starting to heal nicely, thank you Dr. Alt, Clavamox and hydrogen peroxide.  This is a good thing because they’re getting more active every day and keeping them in check is getting very, very difficult.

Cat TV is awesome, they found yesterday’s episodes to be particularly compelling because of the wind – lots of leaves blowing around and the trees were moving.  Since I’ve shown them the windows, at night they look at them and look at me with this “Turn it back ON!” look.

Moxley is happy they are here, but doesn’t quite know what to make of them.  This morning Lily marched right up to him and headbutted him and then laid down right next to him.  I thought his head was going to explode.  But he stayed perfectly still, and didn’t even flinch when Lily went after his tail.  He did definitely want to go ahead and return to his station down on the couch after that.  Carmen will walk up to him and give him a, “Hey dog.” look but then goes on to patrol the master closet.  (She finds it quite interesting despite there being nothing she can get into in there.)

And on to the pics!  (Nope, didn’t make my bed this morning.)

I’m making brownies today.  Hit the store to grab a box of brownie mix, and as usual there are at least a dozen different variations on the theme.

At least 3/4 of those were “family size”, ie a 9×13 pan.

WTF?

Since when has an 8×8 pan of brownies not been enough for a family?

And just in time to drop off their medical history at the vets office for their Monday appointment.

I have no new pics because the autofocus on my camera can’t keep up and I can’t get them to stay still.

The dilute tortie formerly known as San Diego is now: Carmen Sandiego.

AKA, Carmen, Carm, Carmela, Karmann Ghia, Carmelita Mamacita, Big Sis, and Dumbass.

The harlequin tortie formerly known as Sylvia is now: Lily Tomlin.

AKA, Lily, LilyCat, LilyLilyLily, Gila Monster, Little Sis, and Dingbat.

Mox had quite the adventure with them this morning, with Carmen deciding to take a swing at him (no contact, she had been batting at my hair and thought he looked fun) and then Lily doing that “kitten jump” thing straight at him, scaring the crap out of him.  (Target & Snoopy tolerated him very well, but didn’t actively approach him very often, so this is very new for him.)