Friday Food-For-Thought... Guest Post Style

So I read the most excellent post the other day.

And in my usual bootleg manner, I hijacked it.

With permission, of course.

So in my imagination, I am calling this a "guest post". She wrote it for ME. Yes indeed.

Because she touched on some of the feelings in my heart that I can't really express on paper. 

It is by one of my favorite bloggers Blu Jewel, and it is titled simply "Random".


It’s been a while since I’ve done a decent post and while I have much I’ll eventually post, I’m currently feeling like a boat adrift.  My thoughts are erratic at best and I’m finding myself less and less satisfied with things/people around me and in life as a whole. I’m not one for wallowing.  Nor am I one whose a part of a situation instead of the solution; however, right now, I think I just need to be.  I’m not falling into a temporary dark state; instead I am allowing whatever this “feeling” is to exist and then run its course.  All too often, we strive to “try to figure it out”; spend too much time trying “to get to the root of it”; and/or look for the needle in the proverbial haystack.  I believe I’m in a “let go and let God” state of being.  I prayed this morning for peace in my spirit; to keep my heart open in order to give; and to be moved in a direction that is wholesome to my overall well-being.  I refused the distraction of the radio and prayed in silence as I drove to work and allowed myself to revel in the sound of my thoughts as they occupied my mind.

I rarely think of my time as being wasted when I do nothing because just being still is often more of an accomplishment than constant motion.  We’ve been adversely conditioned into thinking we have to always do something, which, in my opinion is a jagged pill I refuse to swallow.  Why?  Because stillness is important.  Correction, it’s a necessity.  Why you might ask once again?  Because if we’re constantly doing something, when do we actually get to appreciate who we are, what we have, and whom we have it with?  I don’t mean casually; in passing because we’re interacting on a social level, I mean, actually exclude noise, distractions and just be.  Think of the last time you sat with your children, spouse/partner/significant other/friend and just chilled and enjoyed the moment; no electronic device, no thoughts of work, or any other interference and fully appreciated it?  Think of the last time you looked up from your device and said hello how are you to someone and actually meant it and it wasn’t said out of casual tone or in passing?  Think of the last time you let a chore pass without feeling guilty?  Be honest here; I sure am!  So many of us refuse to allow stillness to be a part of our being.  So many don’t really notice the change in colours, a flower that bloomed, the person at the bus stop they may pass each day while driving to work or actually strike up a conversation with a fellow commuter.  These things make me sad, but they also make me appreciate my moments like this.  I know we only have a limited time on this earth and we’re all trying to make the most of it; but again, how many consider that stillness is a part of our time?

Not checking Facebook, Instagram, Email, playing an electronic game isn’t making the most of our time; it’s often squandering it.  I bet if we calculated the time spent not interacting we’d be astonished with the results.  That same time could be spent taking advantage of the beauty around us; the people around us; being a part of something greater or even better than ourselves.  I think; no, I know that’s where I am right now.  I’m cherishing the moments where I don’t have to or want to do something because a social or even personal choice dictates.  I recognize that I’m feeling the weight of living alone as I have done for the past two years, Lil Lady is grown up now. She’s chosen to have a place of her own with her fiance and dog and that’s a good thing because it’ll be how she learns and how she’ll be able to balance her budget, her time, and her life as an adult.  Living alone is good for me because I’m territorial and I enjoy my time, my space, and my things to be where I left them without interference from another party; however, I know it’s time to change that part of my life.  Truth be told, I’m both ready and reluctant for this occurrence because, as I said, I’m territorial. I’m also rather neat and like things in order.  I want messes cleaned’ I want things put away, and I want these things done without having to prompt another party to do them.  I can handle change, but this one will truly take getting used once it occurs.  Pray for me okay! ;-)

So, here I am, three months shy of my 47th year of life.  I’m beginning to think this “feeling” is a product of that last quarter phase out of my 46th year.  I’m contemplative.  I’m slightly indecisive.  I’m evaluating.  I’m restructuring.  I’m growing. I’m reflecting.  I’m planning. I’m preparing.  I’m many, many adjectives rolled into the multi facets of being Blu Jewel.  I’m okay with it all because….I know the struggle because I’ve lived through many and overcome.  I know the preciousness of life because mine has been threatened and challenged.  I wore the weight of my pain/shame and appreciate the lightness of being for having rose above it.  There are many positives to my former negatives and the best part of it all is that I have some of the greatest life lessons for it all.  I’m now a healer; a teacher; a mentor; a mother; a friend; a lover; and one day a wife (again); none of the aforementioned come in any particular order, but that is my then and now.  I’m not naive to think that this closeout period will be silver lined, sprinkled with rainbows, and full of sunshine, but what I do know for sure is that trust has been earned and loyalty has been shown, and love has been given from those I’ve needed it the most from.  Those are the ones I cherish.  Those are the ones I stop what I’m doing; or sometimes not doing for.  In those people, I include myself because I am an important part of the equation and in this tapestry of life I am woven together with love, peace, joy, and the occasional appearance of pain, tears, and discontent; however, it does not taint my picture; it merely adds a beautiful hue to which keeps me grounded.

What started out as a random post has now formed into something purposed and meaningful of which I couldn’t be more proud.  I, without initially fully recognizing it, turned nothing into something and proven that even when we think we not doing something; we’re always doing something. I’m thankful and grateful for this moment of “nothingness” :-)

Enjoy your lives my friends!




LadyLee Thoughts

Now you know I have to get my two cents in.

I like Blu. As was said in the film The Color Purple... "She scratches out my head when I was ailing."

What I mean by that is that is that I had a bad mammogram last year, and I remembered her having overcome breast cancer, and she took time out to talk to me. That was a 32 minute phone call, but shoot...  she said a lot, and she was very clear in her instructions of how to approach the matter. That meant the world to me.

I place Blu on a pedestal on the moon. I worship the ground she spits upon. That is all. 

And over the years, she's written some posts that have really helped me put my thoughts and feelings in order.  And this particular posts does just that.

You know I love how pure this post is. I don't know if pure is the best word.

I love how organic this post is... stripped down, honest, raw, and introspective.

That's how Blu is. She has always been able to express herself well on paper.  So I too am thankful and grateful for this moment of "nothingness".

I think it touched a cord with me because in the last few years, I've begun to understand feelings to be what they simply are: moments in our hearts that alert us to when it is time for a little reflection. And these feelings are usually changing.

I heard something some 15 years ago from a minister in my old New Orleans church. He said that (and the ladies should understand this)- feelings are like a hairdo.  They don't last forever.

I will always remember that.

And this also made me think of what my happiest moments are. They are times when I am quiet and I am prayer and contemplating. I sometimes do this while in traffic. Yes, there's lots of noise all around me, but my windows are rolled up and it's my time of being still.

And like Blu said in her post, stillness is important.

And also like in the post, that is a time when one understands and truly appreciates what needs correction and change. It's also a time when we appreciate the intangibles of our lives.

So thanks Blu for this "guest post" that I snatched from your blog on the bootleg. You sitting down at the computer to write a few randoms turned out to be something quite lovely.  I could hear you reading it in your wonderful british dialect, what you call your "proper english" speaking voice.

So that's it for me.

I need to attach a Song of the Week... "Keep your Head up"

Served up two ways.





Have a good weekend.

And take time to be still... on purpose.

Word Play 3... LadyLee style

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

I'm gonna run these word play posts straight into the ground.

And I'm just LOVING it.

Why? It helps me cognitively. There's a cognitive element to my chronic illness and for some reason this keeps my brain sparking at the right level. And that's a GOOD thing.

Anyway, I have to put on my "Dr. LadyLee hat."

In other words, this is a geeky nerdy post.

The word of the day, boys and girls is:

Chlorantraniliprole

Chlorantraniliprole

chlora.ntranilip.role

*crickets*

Oh my.... that's a huge word.  I remember thinking "That sounds... dangerous."

I can't pronounce it, let alone break down the latin form of it. Oh well. That's what the internet is for.

It's a chemical. It is one word, but I put the periods in it so it won't come up in a google search.  That is a pretty distinctive word.

Let me really have you looking......... O_o.

Here's the chemical structure: 

Wow.

Anytime I see a chemical structure, I start breaking it down in my head. I look at that, and I figure I can make that in about 10 steps from raw starting materials.

I could, but I won't. No need to. I can order it if I need it in the lab. Might be expensive though.

*lee looking up price*

25 milligrams for $80!

Why, that's more expensive than CRACK. (At least in my hood, where they have a 2 for $5 special from what I hear. I am sure that's not, uh... high quality ish).

That is a pes.ticide I have been seeing off and on.  The word looked a bit strange, and when I had some time, I thought I'd go look it up and pontificate as only I can pontificate.

It is a larvacide, as it disrupts the calcium pathways in pests, particularly at the larval stage. That made me go read a little more about the calcium pathway in humans. There's a receptor that facilitates all that in the human body.

Interestingly, a disease I had as a toddler was mentioned: myastenia gravis. Somehow it relates to the disruption of calcium pathways causing some muscle issues.

Hmmm... Calcium in not only important for strong bones, but it is also important for this pathway business, i.e., muscle movement and related energies, etc. It was a thought provoking read, but it was too much for me to understand.

I didn't care for biochemistry in grad school and doggonit, I don't care for it now. Too much going on. I did what I could to pass with a B and left class and didn't look back.

Who knew calcium was so important?

I grew out of the myastenia gravis. I don't remember much about it. I remember being in an oxygen bubble tent in the hospital sometimes, and I remember sleeping with my mother. She said that was because she needed to keep a watch on me to make sure I was breathing. That is a scary thought.

But it turns out that it is related to lupus. And both diseases have been known to coexist.  I need to look more into that.  I am wondering if it was some dormant thing I had as a toddler that expressed itself later in life. I don't know.

Okay, I am thinking too much. But I will go dig up a book on it, with my scientific self.

Amazing what I come across while reading. 

Anyway, back to the word of the day. How many words can I create from it in 30 minutes??

Let us find out:

chloran.tranilip.role

rant, chop, hop, pro, leap, cheap, root, rite, narc, crap, rap cap, lap, nap, lop, pole, coal, collar, rent, lent, pent, cent, core, crop, nap, nape, nope, pone, pan, pace, pacer, racer, race, reach, teach, each, peach, leach, panic, plant, plan, planter, canter, role, proctor, preach, clip, lip, rip, pill, pillar, rail, nail, roach, poach, chant, nice, rice, ice, elliptical, elliptic, polar, colon, pine, prance, hope, rope, ant, ante, tan, cat, chat, ore, pinch, inch, errant, ranch, tap, hole, roll, poll, pal, planar, placate, peal, linear, coplanar, tell, cell, pallor, calorie, cool, too, tool, pool, tarp, part, chore, trance, partner, cart, carter, rectal, ill, corporate, incorporate, repair, liner, cooler, rape, recipe, recite, trap, tracer, trace, train, rain, crane, trainer, clone, plane, plain, lane, relic, clan, hot, cot, pot, lot, not, not, poet, poetic, oracle, learn, prone, porn, reproach, east, least, cheat, ellicit, roller

I found 143 words!

GLORY.

Halfway through, I was a little afraid that I wouldn't find any more words.

And look at those words in green. Big words. Finding some bigger words now.  I am improving.

So that's my word play word for the week.

And you know I will have more coming up.

Good Good Doughnuts

People know they love themselves some good sweets.

I am not a big sweets person. I prefer fruit. That's sweet enough. I bake cookies sometimes because I want ONE good cookie. I tend to give the rest away.

And I am like that about any sweets. Like when I want a doughnut, I want a REALLY good doughnut. There is no need to get a generic one.

And there's a place in town where I get FABULOUS doughnuts: Sublime Doughnuts.

How did I find out about the place? It kept popping up on all the "Best of" Lists for the city. And I kept thinking "Who is this Kamal dude they keep talking about?" It was beating out Krispy Kreme. I asked a coworker about the place, and he was swooning about it. Since it's close to the job, I stopped by. And the rest is history.

Now those are some good looking doughnuts.That's the caramel iced, honey twist, strawberries and cream, and the orange dream star. Not sure what else is in that box.

They are made by Kamal Grant, owner of Sublime. 

(I want one of those hats). 

He went to culinary school. Uh... let's just say there is a BIG difference between Kamal making a doughnut and Keisha making a doughnut down at the local Krispy Kreme. Huge. And he has 27 different flavors.

And uh.... I woiuldn't even think of taking these donuts to work. I know folks do, because the day I was in there, folks were getting 2 and 3 dozen at a time (at $17 a dozen, that adds up). I reckon they work somewhere swanky. I don't.  If I took them to work, jokers would have to pay me for them. Gourmet doughnuts are a treat. And I'm not treating folks on the job. There is a fund for Krispy Kreme doughnuts at work, and a few dozen show up in the breakroom every couple of months or so. Leave it at that.

I remember being in the shop a couple of years ago and a man wanted an oreo doughnut and they'd run out. And the man started straight tripping out.  (This seems to be a popular flavor). I was looking at him like "Really dude?"

I told my best friend LadyTee about this. She said she understood. "I understand the disappointment. I went once and they were out of the strawberry and cream doughnut. And you know I love that one."

"What time did you go?" I asked.

"In the afternoon."

"Oh no. You can't do that," I said. "They open at 6, and for that one, you need to get there early in the morning."

That strawberries and cream doughnut is insane. A doughnut packed with fresh sliced strawberries. *eyes glaze over*

I only go up there once a quarter, if that. I looked at the date stamp on the picture of doughnuts above, and it is from July of LAST year, so that's the last time I went. But I bought some back for couple of my coworkers. I am pretty much staying away from processed stuff, but he has a honey wheat cinnamon twist doughnut with no glaze or icing that I love, and I got a couple of those for myself.

And not many folk seem to want the relatively lower calorie cinnamon twist doughnut. They have never been out of those when I go in there. 

I was in a line of 5 people around 9 in the morning. By the time I left, the line was snaking around the inside of the store and out the door. So I got there just at the right time. (And I don't mind standing in line. He plays that Jill Scott and other neo-soul over the system. You know how much I like that).

Kamal has an interesting story about how he began his career:






And this is a funny film.



He really loves doughnuts.  I read somewhere once an article where he said "Doughnuts are the gangster of the pastry world."

O_o.

If you say so, sir.  All I know you must know what you're talking about, because yours are GREAT.

Good Monday Evening

Good Monday Afternoon...

[No (now) Good Monday Evening. Forgot to hit publish. Humph]

I figure I better do a post while I sit here and eat a VERY late lunch. I am not sure why I am eating at 3 in the afternoon. I suppose it's because I would rather be eating some chittlins, Instead, I am eatingg on this seemingly bottomless salad of baby lettuce, arugula, shredded carrots, blueberries, zuchinni, yellow squash, sliced radishes, and sliced apples.

(Such a strange combination. I'm not sure what I was thinking. Especially after the spinach, pineapple, strawberry, peach and supergreens smoothie this morning)

You know, I think I just threw the fridge open this morning and said "What I gotta eat before it go bad?"

LOL.

Anyway, I had a good weekend. Good for me means sane and quiet. No drama.

Now, I did go to church on Sunday. This is odd for me. I am surprised the music from the omen didn't start playing when I walked in. I may start going on Sundays now that it's not so crowded. There are quite a few satellite locations on the outskirts of town, so people can go there instead of driving over 20 miles in. So the crowd has decreased by some 20%, looks like. So they may see more of me. At any rate, there is a Saturday night service (my Friday evening service has been canceled), so I may start going to that one.

The sermon, by a guest speaker, was very good. Basically, in order to change your life, you have to change your thought life. And you know that "thought life" subject matter is right up my alley.

Otherwise, it was a quiet weekend at home. Lots and lots of chores going on. I have been PMSing so I have been just wiped out all week after work, so this was officially a catch-up weekend.

And that meant more time observing Oscar-Tyrone and Callie Jo.

This photo surprised me... They were sleeping on the ottoman together. This is odd, because Callie likes to play-fight, and Oscar is an old man, i.e, he just does not want to be bothered.

And look at the green ball of yarn behind Callie Jo. She left it alone. She is, uh, learning: do NOT mess with my yarn. That is a huge no-no. I don't care what your cat nature may tell you. Leave it alone!

This quiet nap together made me wonder... Are these two getting along?

They must have heard my thoughts...

Because their eyes seem to open at the thought of it.

Then some mess popped off. I didn't catch it, because I was watching television. I just heard Oscar growl. And I turned to see the irritation on his face.

Callie Jo was moving too much. Then she apparently got smacked a couple of times.

Sista Callie looks like she's praying. Please don't let dude hit me again. Amen.

"Be nice, Oscar," I said. "Be nice."

Oscar had that look that said "Both you and the good sista Callie Jo can go to hell."

LOL

Oscar confuses me. I think he likes the whole playfighting thing. Callie is getting big... She actually flipped him over on his back yesterday. That was a sight to see. I think it shocked her.

And she has a routine in the mornings, where she goes in her cage for the day. She eats her food and then she goes to sleep. I caught Oscar sitting outside of her cage staring hard at her. This irritated her something awful, as she reached her little arms through the cage rails, trying her best to swipe him.

Of course Oscar was sitting just out of her reach... staring hard.

I wonder what was going through his mind?

Hmm. 

All this play fighting. And I know it's bad on his arthritis. Especially for Callie to flip him over like she did. 

Don't let that chick dog you, man! Show her who's in control!

Song of the week. For some odd reason, I've been listening to this song a bit much.



A bit TOO much.

But how can you go wrong with Chaka Khan? It's definitely not one of her most popular song.

But I like it!

That's it for me.

There will be more interesting posts this week, I hope. I kind of like the two-a-day posts! We will see how that goes.

Have a good week. On purpose.

Quotable Quotes

I, as usual, have little quotes scribbled everywhere on scrap pieces of papers around the house. This quote was in the notebook that I use for my "To Do" list for my chores:

"The proof that you are over the past is that you don't live in it."

"If a person doesn't respect your time, then he or she doesn't respect your wisdom either."

"Sacrifice is giving up something good to get something better."

And I really like this one:

"Not only surround yourself with dreamers and thinkers, surround yourself with people who see the greatness in you, even if you don't see it in yourself."

You got that right.

Really though.

Not going to give my opinion on those. I am sure we can all look back over our lives and fully understand what each means. 

Minnie in Pink

There's a baby shower today at work for one of the young ladies in another building. I don't really ever remember meeting her, but I was sitting in one of the Administrator's offices, catching up on things, when the young lady walked it... big and swole with child.

"When are you due?" I asked.

"On the 9th," she replied.

My eyes went wide. It was June 6th. "You're due in 3 days!?!?"

"No," she said. "I'm due on July 9th."

"Oh okay," I said.

So today is her baby shower. I wish I would've known she was pregnant, as I would've made a blanket. She is having a girl.

And one of my coworkers made the most WONDERFUL gift for her.

And it was befitting of the theme of the party... Minnie Mouse.

Isn't that special?

And look at Minnie's bassinet... sitting on 20s, as another coworker said.

LOL

I think that is wonderful. I am always amazed at the creativity of my coworkers.

Not everything is science, honey. No it's not.

We are also creative.

Yes we are.

Word Play 2... LadyLee Style

I am reading a book right now that is using some big or strange words out of this world.

Words like parenthetically... largesse... existentially... concretization... loquacious.

It is really wearing me out.

But that's a good thing, I suppose, for my grammar is lacking, and I tend to be more ebonically inclined, you see. New words never hurtt.

So today's word is SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT.

That's a big hyphenated word.

Sure I've heard of self love, self esteem, self worth, self hate, and the like.

But not that big word.

So what's the definition?

Self-aggrandizement - the act of increasing one's own power, wealth, and importance in a ruthless and aggressive manner.

That sounds a bit horrid.That feels like the big cousin to "throwing people under the bus". For your own gain, of course.

But we see that all the time, don't we? And it's a shame. All I know is that I really don't want to operate in that manner. 

But I thought it was a mighty fine word to use in my Word Play exercise for the week. How many words can I make from it in 30 minutes?

SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT

frag, size, grand, meant, men, gin, gent, sent, sag, grant, man, lag, left, elf, rise, flag, flagrant, mag, fine, fin, lent, leg, fig, dig, main, lane, sane, insane, train, fain, faint, flint, lint, tend, tender, drain, drag, rag, strand, dime, dimer, rant, rain, and, flies, liar, flier, fled, flied, fried, tried, flesh, flash, flasher, gas, glad, lad, mad, tad, tag, dagger, stride, glide, maid, miser, meet, greet, sleet, meeter, grander, nagger, nag, flan, meager, eager, eagle, regal, ferment, grain, graze, raze, azide, feet, seat, feat, median, age, diner, ragged, raged, meant, glee, sale, ail, fail, rail, trail, mail, mailer, male, read, seed, trailer, neem, gleam, dream, zeal, lease, measel, miner, sage, rind, risen, fig, self, grid, steam, team, steamer, stream, deem, damn, dam, dame, dram, margin, marginal, reagent, late, later, mater, sate, mar, star, remnant, relent, darn, fled, led, sled, sleet, steel, teal, meal, steal, seal, dream, mast, fast, last, fart, mart

162 words.

Not bad for 30 minutes. Not bad at all. 

Hello there... Kitty!

So I was driving from somewhere on Saturday. I can't remember from where...

But I saw this while at a stop light in my neighborhood.

A Hello Kitty Car!

Check out the rim!

Here's a closer look...

I was just mesmerized by that rim. 

I wonder if you can buy a rim like that? Or did the lady driving the car get down on her knees with some paint and work that out?  

I don't know much of anything about rims. I imagine the possibility are endless. When I come up on extra unexpected cash, I always imagine blowing it on some rims that spin and spit fire and holler my name. 


Not sure why anyone would have a Hello Kitty car. I mean, i see the different potato chip and candy cars around. It's advertisement, but most likely free. 


But imagine if the lady driving this car had a 3-year-old little girl. She would be the most popular child in daycare. 


To each his own. There are some car clubs around ATL that have such decoration themes. 


I wonder if I could do this with Lucy Jr?


I think not.

Olive Love

Cowgirl Cre and I were talking about olives the other day.

Why?

Because the local Whole Foods has an olive bar...

...and we NEVER see anyone there.

It's not like the hot bar, where everyone's milling around perusing and making choices, taking big and small scoops of this or that.

No. There's NEVER anyone at the olive bar.

"People like olives, though," I said.

Yes they do. But there's never anyone there.

So I decided to go over there and peer a little closer and see if there was anything that I liked.

Not only did they have olives, they had a ton of other stuff. Like whole pickled cucumbers.

And up in upper right hand corner, there are peppadews. They even had two types - red and orange. Those are sweet with a hot bite to them, but not enough to set one's head on fire (I like hot food, but not that hot).  I have bought those before, but they are cheaper at my local white people's kroger (yes they have an olive/greek bar there. But not at the black peoples' kroger).

In the lower right hand corner, there is an olive tapenade.  I have had that before at a restaurant. But I don't see myself paying for a container of it.

All and all, I don't like olives or pickles. Not enough to sit around eating them alone. And for me, they overpower my food. I definitely don't like that.

And I was telling Cowgirl Cre that the candied pecans sitting above the olive bar are the real shocker... those are $10 to $12 per container. I like candied nuts, but not THAT bad. You see how small that container is?

You see me with that, you know I've been doing some... shoplifting.

Un-hunh.

I don't think I will be hanging out at the olive bar anytime soon. I will leave that up to ya'll.

Sister Callie Jo... An Update

Callie Jo...

She's so sweet..

Look at her... She looks like a little baby sleeping there.

Such a sweet girl...

Sweet Sister Callie Jo, with her baby soft kitten hair. Such a sweet little girl.

That is, until she wakes up...

And BAM... it's on. She is turned up, going from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds.

She is a ball of energy.

"I don't know where you get all that energy from," I say as she runs back and forth. "But can I have a little of it?"

She's getting bigger and bigger. Look at my hand in comparison...

I'll take another picture like that in a few weeks just to see how big she gets.

All I know she is LONG. And she stands tall and strong!

I miss the little sweet girl she was, unable to jump up on stuff and unable to get down from anything.

Because now she is a straight up cat gymnast.

Lo and behold, to my complete horror, she has discovered the beams above the living room.

I happened to be upstairs and she was hanging by her paws off the ledge just beneath the upstairs railing. I had to lean over and snatch her to safety. I wouldn't haven't even noticed if she was screeching "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!"

I guess that is catspeak for "Help me Oldgirl! I'm bout to fall!"

She seems to know what she's doing now. At least I hope she does. I am not building any contraptions or putting up any gates to keep her from going upstairs. Nerp.

Oscar-Tyrone doesn't like her. She does a strange flying squirrel routine whenever he walks into the room, and lands square on his back. She attempts a choke hold and bites his neck.  He's already surly. Dude gets HOT over that. I wish I could catch it on video, but it all happens so fast. Once Oscar pins her to the floor and slaps her a few times, she leaves him alone.

Oscar is 17 years old. He's an old man. He likes calm activity like napping.

That's the only time he deals with her. And as you can see, he has his back to her. (And as you can also see, she is still on alert status).

Now, what's interesting is that she passed a tapeworm back in early June. This did not frighten me. I only pulled it off her butt and threw it in the garbage. And Oscar and Jeremy had tapeworms some 15 years ago.  That happened Thursday before last, and luckily she had a vet appointment already scheduled for that Saturday morning. I hadn't taken her sooner because I talked to them prior to get an idea of when she could get her shots, and it had to be at 8 weeks of age. She was only 5 weeks when I got her. No way I'm double paying for doctor's visits.

The main thing was to make sure she was feline HIV and leukemia free. That can be an issue with strays. The second thing was to take care of the tapeworm problem. That comes from ingesting fleas. So I also had to take care of her flea issue. Granted, I only had seen one flea on her at the time. But she still needed a treatment.

She HATES riding in the car. She screams the whole time. This is a might bit irritating.

Once we got there, she was still crying. But once she saw some dogs, she shut up. It's funny because it is so immediate.

And then she was all over the place.

It took a lot to get her attention. She even fell head first into the trash, which scared her something awful.

She kept diving in the sink.

And then she was trying to eat the cotton patches.

"Sister Callie," I hollered in a loud whisper. "Cut all that out! You're not suppose to do that. Stop it!"

She is like a dog. She likes to pick up random things at home and carry them around. Yesterday she was running with a Wal-Mart bag. O_o.

The vet visit was good. She is a very healthy kitten. No feline HIV. No leukemia. She received her first shots and will go back in a couple of weeks for boosters. I saw the tapeworm that one time, and haven't seen any since then. (I have been lifting Oscar-Tyrone's tail to check his butt, and he has this look that screams "NOW JUST WAIT A MINUTE NOW!" LOL)

Overall, she is a good kitten. She understands "NO!" very well and will immediately stop any of her shenanigans when I speak it, even softly. She is just now starting to respond to her name, but that is still a bit haphazard. For some bizarre reason she responds to:

"Yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-yip-yip!!!!"

I am not sure what that's about. It will jump her from her little hiding places. And I have a bell around her neck so I can keep up with her. She's in a cage all day, but I let her stay out all night. And on Sunday, she was out for an extended time during the day when I wasn't around, and she did well with that.

I wake up some mornings and find her cuddled in my armpit or around my neck which is deeply disturbing.  Deeply.

But overall, she is a very good kitty. She is quite healthy. And that's all I ask for.