Labor Day Breakfast
2 weeks ago
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Save your wine bottles!
Ok... so I have found yet another craft project! Hollie (our neighbor) had a really cool wine bottle that had lights in it and glass beads glued onto the front in the shape of a bunch of grapes. Turns out her aunt makes them. She brought us one when she went to visit her aunt last weekend! Anyway... after fully inspecting the bottle and doing a little research online (on drilling holes through glass) I decided I could make them. One $10 drill bit, and a $2 strand of lights later... I was on a roll! I already had all of the other supplies at home! Here is the finished project... keep in mind, this is only my first one (and it is going to be a gift for a co-worker) and I am sure my skills will get better. But, needless to say... if any of you are wine drinkers and come across a cool bottle... save it for me! A little tip if you try your hand at making one of these... hot glue didn't keep the glass beads on. I had to resort to some heavy duty super glue. If you don't include the cost of the bottle or the drill bit, I think that I can make these for around $4!! not too shabby!
Mike and Evan with their "boom booms"
Mike would probably hate me for posting these...but I think that they are cute! Hollie and Cleve's son, Evan, loves anything that has to do with yard maintenance. So, as soon as Mike got the lawn mower (aka... "boom boom") out, Evan got his boom boom out of the garage and came rushing over to help with our yard. This is an improvement for Mike... he usually has to hold Evan while he cuts the grass (which makes me a nervous wreck b/c of our hill) or let Evan "push" our lawnmower for a couple of swipes. Evan will be two in July... hopefully he will still love to cut grass in a few years when the arthritis in Mike's knees really starts to act up!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
No Pun Intended...
These are from an email that my Grandpa Eschmeyer sent me...
ALL PUNS INTENDED:
1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.
2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, 'I'll serve you, but don't start anything.'
3. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.
4. A dyslexic man walks into a bra.
5. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm, and says: 'A beer please, and one for the road.'
6. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: 'Does this taste funny to you?'
7. 'Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.' 'That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome.' 'Is it common?' Well, 'It's Not Unusual.'
8. Two cows are standing next to each other in a field. Daisy says to Dolly, 'I was artificially inseminated this morning.' 'I don't believe you,' says Dolly. 'It's true; no bull!' exclaims Daisy.
9. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.
10. Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before. (I'll be using this one!)
11. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn't find any.
12. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him. (Oh, man, this is so bad, it's good) .... A super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
13. I went to a seafood disco last week..and pulled a mussel.
14. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.
15. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says, 'Dam!'
16. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office, and asked them to disperse. 'But why,' they asked, as they moved off. 'Because,' he said, 'I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer.'
17. A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt, and is named 'Ahmal.' The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him 'Juan.' Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, 'They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal.'
18. And finally, there was the person who sent eighteen different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least ten of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.
ALL PUNS INTENDED:
1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.
2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, 'I'll serve you, but don't start anything.'
3. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.
4. A dyslexic man walks into a bra.
5. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm, and says: 'A beer please, and one for the road.'
6. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: 'Does this taste funny to you?'
7. 'Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.' 'That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome.' 'Is it common?' Well, 'It's Not Unusual.'
8. Two cows are standing next to each other in a field. Daisy says to Dolly, 'I was artificially inseminated this morning.' 'I don't believe you,' says Dolly. 'It's true; no bull!' exclaims Daisy.
9. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.
10. Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before. (I'll be using this one!)
11. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn't find any.
12. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him. (Oh, man, this is so bad, it's good) .... A super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
13. I went to a seafood disco last week..and pulled a mussel.
14. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.
15. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says, 'Dam!'
16. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office, and asked them to disperse. 'But why,' they asked, as they moved off. 'Because,' he said, 'I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer.'
17. A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt, and is named 'Ahmal.' The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him 'Juan.' Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, 'They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal.'
18. And finally, there was the person who sent eighteen different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least ten of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Kitty Update
Ok... just a quick update for all my avid fans (hee hee). Emmy is officially our baby now! I paid the adoption fee this weekend. She is such a little ball of energy and is fitting in well with all of the cats. Gilbert loves to play with her...it only took him a couple of days to get adjusted to her, which is a new record. Now, he talks to her NON-STOP! he wants to play all the time with her! Stachie is starting to have other ideas of what he wants to do with her!! similar to how he likes to "play" with Tipsy!! I am constantly yelling at him to get off of Emmy. Poor little thing... I don't think either of them have a clue what is going on. I don't think Stachie really knows what he is doing. He just bites her neck and pins her down... and just holds her there, kind of with a "now what" look on his face. We really haven't had this problem with Milo or Gilbert... Don't know why Stachie has these "urges"... we even got him fixed early. Oh well... Can't be as bad as our childhood dog, Yorkie, who was used as a stud before we adopted him. He tried doing "it" with any and everything. Ahhh...the good old days.
Alright... I am regressing horribly. Anyway, as for Tipsy. We are going to keep her. I don't think she would handle the move well. Plus, since she would live in the barn and be fed at the house... I really cant see her wanting to leave the barn. She doesn't venture far away from safety...she never really has. She has always been one to stay close to a good hiding spot or a place where she felt safe. So... Mike and I are going to continue working with her to rehabilitate her into the semi-social kitty she once was. Wish us luck!
Alright... I am regressing horribly. Anyway, as for Tipsy. We are going to keep her. I don't think she would handle the move well. Plus, since she would live in the barn and be fed at the house... I really cant see her wanting to leave the barn. She doesn't venture far away from safety...she never really has. She has always been one to stay close to a good hiding spot or a place where she felt safe. So... Mike and I are going to continue working with her to rehabilitate her into the semi-social kitty she once was. Wish us luck!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Tipsy Update...
Ok... I am starting to have an anxiety attack over all of this. I am very obsessive when it comes to the cats and their care (they are my children), so it is hard for me to give up control. the whole idea of trying to find a farm for her was a pretty new one (less than a week)...and it is turning out to be very hard on me... I didn't expect to find a taker with the first email I sent out. The lady is concerned about the "wide open" and the possibility of not being able to catch her if she need to. That is what started my panic attack. Maybe I should sit on the idea for a little bit, it is good to know that there is a good farm home out there should I chose that be the right course for her. Ugghhh... being such an animal lover can really be hard sometimes, and trying to figure out what is best for a "special needs" animal is difficult.
I just need to pray really hard that God will give me the guidance I need to make the best decision for Tipsy. There was a reason why she showed up on our doorstep. We got her healthy... now I need to know what to do next...
I just need to pray really hard that God will give me the guidance I need to make the best decision for Tipsy. There was a reason why she showed up on our doorstep. We got her healthy... now I need to know what to do next...
Some exciting (although bitter sweet) news....
I may have found a new home for Miss Tipsy! I hate the fact that she could potentially spend the rest of her life in a cage and she seems to get increasingly more distant from Mike and I. Anyway... when I was talking to the people from the rescue group where we got Emmy, I was telling them about Tipsy and they seemed to think that cats like Tipsy do really well as barn cats. Being as she is semi-feral, she would have plenty of nooks and crannies to hide in and more animal contact than people contact. The lady who may take her is the county agent that we are dealing with about our sewer. She is really nice and lives on a farm north of town. She has two barns close to her house and a couple more on the other side of the property. She has 6 cats right now and said that as long as Tipsy would be comfortable eating out the same food bowl...she would consider taking her home! Part of me is really excited and part of me is sad. I don't want to feel like I am giving up on her... I want to do what is best for her. And, I think that having space to move around and other animals to interact with would be better than spending the rest of your life in a 2 ft by 3ft by 4 ft cage. (Also... If would be nice to not have a cage in our living room.) I think that this would be a good thing for her! don't you agree???
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
What is your favorite animal??
Hi All... Just a little random bit of info for you on my favorite animal--the pink fairy armadillo. Yup, that actually is an animal!! When I was in grad school, my advisor had some volumes of books called "Mammals of the World" ...such cool books. Anyway, my labmate, Meredith, and I would flip through the books during lunch and I decided that my favorite animal was the pink fairy armadillo... what a cool name! and it is pink!!
The Pink Fairy Armadillos (Chlamyphorus truncatus and C. retusus) or Pichiciego are species of armadillo (small mammals of the family Dasypodidae, mostly known for having a bony armor shell). The Pink Fairy Armadillos are an endangered species and the smallest of the armadillos (about 3-1/2" to 4-1/2" long excluding the tail) and pale rose or pink in color. They are found in central Argentina where they inhabit dry grasslands and sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti.
Ok, so that is my favorite animal! What is yours???
p.s. anyone looking to give me a random gift... I would love to get a set of Mammals of the World books! (hee hee)
The Pink Fairy Armadillos (Chlamyphorus truncatus and C. retusus) or Pichiciego are species of armadillo (small mammals of the family Dasypodidae, mostly known for having a bony armor shell). The Pink Fairy Armadillos are an endangered species and the smallest of the armadillos (about 3-1/2" to 4-1/2" long excluding the tail) and pale rose or pink in color. They are found in central Argentina where they inhabit dry grasslands and sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti.
Ok, so that is my favorite animal! What is yours???
p.s. anyone looking to give me a random gift... I would love to get a set of Mammals of the World books! (hee hee)
Spring has Sprung!!
Here are some pictures of the flowers blooming in our yard right now. This is the first year for the big tall iris'! I got the bulbs from my Uncle Bob and Aunt Mary Jo... aren't the flowers just beautiful! It is fun to come home from work and see what has bloomed while I was away! The small 3-petal while flowers are spiderwarts that I dug up from Mr. Davenport's yard (shh...don't tell) and the little yellow flowers are english primroses from the mountains of rural Virginia (they are from Mike's great-grandmother's house).
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Crochet Catnip Creatures and.....
Here are a few pictures of the catnip toys that I am making for Cats Cradle (the rescue group that we fostered Grandam Dorothy for). I took them some toys on Saturday and they LOVED them... so I am making a bunch more. They work up so quickly...in about a half an hour. The group will be able to either give them away with adopted cats, or use them as an incentive to donate money (free toy with every $5 or greater donation!).
Ok mom... now don't have a heart attack on me... but I didn't come home empty handed! You have a new grand-kitty!!!
This is little Miss Emmy. She is almost 5 months old... she is a very petite wild woman!! The pictures actually make her look bigger than she really is. Stachie is way over twice her size. I went to petsmart on Saturday to meet a dilute calico kitten that wouldn't be ready for adoption for another couple of weeks. I have actually been talking to the group for a few weeks now about two other kitties they had up for adoption Monkey Man and Callie. Mike really liked Callie. but the lady who had Callie refused to separate her from her sister. Monkey Man had some possible health issues, and with all we went through with the girls, we decided it was best that I not meet him. The dilute calico kitten was very very cute...but was just so tiny and very passive (they say she was almost dead when they rescued her, she is half the size of her very active sibling). While she was very adorable... I was concerned about her health and not being able to judge her personality. Anyway... While I was there, I also met "Clementine." She was so sweet and playful.... and I brought her home on a trial! I started calling her Clemmy until I realized that if you say "Clemmy and Lydia" quickly...it sounds like you are talking about an STD... so I decided to shorten it to Emmy. She has got one watery eye...but that typically clears up with time. I think she must have some sort of oriental type breed in her family tree... (b/c of her ears and her coat).
As for the rest of the gang... Milo and Stachie are being wonderful big brothers, and Lydia is being a great big sister. Gilbert...is, well, Gilbert. He is always grouchy for about 2 weeks and then he loves them (once he sees how much fun everyone else is having with the new kitty).
Ok mom... now don't have a heart attack on me... but I didn't come home empty handed! You have a new grand-kitty!!!
This is little Miss Emmy. She is almost 5 months old... she is a very petite wild woman!! The pictures actually make her look bigger than she really is. Stachie is way over twice her size. I went to petsmart on Saturday to meet a dilute calico kitten that wouldn't be ready for adoption for another couple of weeks. I have actually been talking to the group for a few weeks now about two other kitties they had up for adoption Monkey Man and Callie. Mike really liked Callie. but the lady who had Callie refused to separate her from her sister. Monkey Man had some possible health issues, and with all we went through with the girls, we decided it was best that I not meet him. The dilute calico kitten was very very cute...but was just so tiny and very passive (they say she was almost dead when they rescued her, she is half the size of her very active sibling). While she was very adorable... I was concerned about her health and not being able to judge her personality. Anyway... While I was there, I also met "Clementine." She was so sweet and playful.... and I brought her home on a trial! I started calling her Clemmy until I realized that if you say "Clemmy and Lydia" quickly...it sounds like you are talking about an STD... so I decided to shorten it to Emmy. She has got one watery eye...but that typically clears up with time. I think she must have some sort of oriental type breed in her family tree... (b/c of her ears and her coat).
As for the rest of the gang... Milo and Stachie are being wonderful big brothers, and Lydia is being a great big sister. Gilbert...is, well, Gilbert. He is always grouchy for about 2 weeks and then he loves them (once he sees how much fun everyone else is having with the new kitty).
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Hello all my faithful blog readers (aka ...Heidi and Mom!)
As I am sure you can tell from yesterdays blog... it was a difficult day for Mike and I. We made it through though...The other cats seem to know when we need a laugh.
Stachie is always doing something silly. His latest favorite thing to do is lay upside down on his back, with his big belly flopping to the side. I can't believe how huge he has gotten...and he isn't even a year old yet. He still cries when he doesn't know where we are or is wanting some love. I still have to get back in bed after I shower so he can lay on my chest and suck on my hand as if he is trying to nurse. If I don't get back into bed quick enough he just stands on the bed and screams and screams.
Lydia is still our princess diva kitty who thinks that any motion that you make means she should get a treat... luckily she has a silent meow...or she would drive us crazy. she is just so darn cute... it is hard to turn down her pleas for treats.
Gilbert has been extra cuddly the last few days...which is nice. Except if you try to move... he doesn't like that and will start to reposition himself so you can't get up! It is amazing the positions that cat can sleep in....
And Milo... My gentleman. He is such a serious cat, but loving cat... You can see his serious side when he thinks things over. He tends to cock his head to one side when he is trying to figure something out. He is the most reserved of all our cats... the watch from a distance type... until he decides it is safe and he will slowly work his way into the action.
and Tipsy... well, she is ... Tipsy. I consider her my little autistic cat. Lost--but completely content--in her own little world. She gets mad if you disturb her. She is still not adjusted to the rearranged living room and really hates to be brought out of her little apartment. She has yet to sit even semi-contently with me on the couch. I will keep trying though...
alright... you guys are probably tired of reading about my babies...
happy wednesday!
Stachie is always doing something silly. His latest favorite thing to do is lay upside down on his back, with his big belly flopping to the side. I can't believe how huge he has gotten...and he isn't even a year old yet. He still cries when he doesn't know where we are or is wanting some love. I still have to get back in bed after I shower so he can lay on my chest and suck on my hand as if he is trying to nurse. If I don't get back into bed quick enough he just stands on the bed and screams and screams.
Lydia is still our princess diva kitty who thinks that any motion that you make means she should get a treat... luckily she has a silent meow...or she would drive us crazy. she is just so darn cute... it is hard to turn down her pleas for treats.
Gilbert has been extra cuddly the last few days...which is nice. Except if you try to move... he doesn't like that and will start to reposition himself so you can't get up! It is amazing the positions that cat can sleep in....
And Milo... My gentleman. He is such a serious cat, but loving cat... You can see his serious side when he thinks things over. He tends to cock his head to one side when he is trying to figure something out. He is the most reserved of all our cats... the watch from a distance type... until he decides it is safe and he will slowly work his way into the action.
and Tipsy... well, she is ... Tipsy. I consider her my little autistic cat. Lost--but completely content--in her own little world. She gets mad if you disturb her. She is still not adjusted to the rearranged living room and really hates to be brought out of her little apartment. She has yet to sit even semi-contently with me on the couch. I will keep trying though...
alright... you guys are probably tired of reading about my babies...
happy wednesday!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Happy 6th Birthday My Dearest Angel Kitty... Wheezie
Happy Birthday Wheezie! Your mommy and daddy miss you so very much. I don't think we will ever find another kitty that will cackle when we call her name, sit and talk to the walls, or want to find out exactly what is behind every closed door. The hallway is quiet at night now that you are gone... the feather toy sits in the basket waiting for you to come back and carry it all around the house...crying the whole way. I hope that you and Lexi are happy in heaven... to always have a spot of sun to lay in or a warm fire to curl up in front of, what more could The Wheeze ask for! I hear that Grandma Dorothy is up there too... I hope that you and Lexi have welcomed her nicely and are sharing your toys with her.
Daddy and I are starting a new tradition, every year on your birthday (and on Lexi's birthday too), we will plant a new flower for you. I have some lovely Hyacinths to plant for you this year.
I love you and miss you more than you will probably ever know. You brought us so much joy in the 4 short years that we got to spend together. Give Lexi a hug and a kiss for me.
Much Love,
your mommy....
Friday, April 11, 2008
Funny Home Depot Ad...
I hope that this doesn't happen to any of my single friends out there!! A co-worker of mine sent this to me...
**best with sound and high speed internet (dial up may be too slow for this clip).
**best with sound and high speed internet (dial up may be too slow for this clip).
New Art...
Here are some pictures of what we just made (with the help of Uppercase Living) for above our bed. ... and yes, it is true that Mike came up with this saying!
random thought
ok... so I have been meaning to post this random thought for a little while now... but I keep forgetting about it while I am here at work and typically remember it when I am walking to my car after work.
Is it just me... or are girls/women getting taller?? I always used to consider myself to be on the tall side... well, walking around campus lately... I feel SHORT! Then I wonder what my "short" friends would think... poor Allison is like 5 foot nothing, if that. Then, I try to justify my feeling short b/c I don't where as big of shoes as I used to... I really don't think that is it, I seriously think that the girls walking around on this campus must be about 5' 10" to 6' tall.
I don't like being short... and who would have ever thought that 5'8" would be short??? Maybe I need to start wearing big shoes again!
Is it just me... or are girls/women getting taller?? I always used to consider myself to be on the tall side... well, walking around campus lately... I feel SHORT! Then I wonder what my "short" friends would think... poor Allison is like 5 foot nothing, if that. Then, I try to justify my feeling short b/c I don't where as big of shoes as I used to... I really don't think that is it, I seriously think that the girls walking around on this campus must be about 5' 10" to 6' tall.
I don't like being short... and who would have ever thought that 5'8" would be short??? Maybe I need to start wearing big shoes again!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Lily
a red merle australian shepard with the brightest blue eyes. They are
such a light blue, that they are almost creepy. She is a very sweet
puppy though (when she isn't peeing and pooping on their carpets!
note to self... no puppies.
Our Red Dogwood
years... but it finally has blooms.
We re-arranged our living room....
We re-arranged our living room this weekend! The loveseat is now
where the tv used to be. The tv is now in where Tipsy used to be. Tipsy is now in the corner that used to be between the loveseat and the couch (a subwoofer and end table used to reside there). Mike had
to drill some holes in the floor and re-run the tv lines. But, we
think it fits soooo much better in the new space. the whole room
feels much bigger and more light will be able to get in, since the
loveseat is no longer in front of the windows! oh yeah... the cat
tree doesn't quite fit in the room anymore. It is in the foyer right
now... as you can tell by Lydia's picture...they enjoy it no matter where it is! Oh yeah...The whole ordeal completely pissed Tipsy off. So... we are back to square one with her ....again. It makes me wonder if she will ever be able to transition to life out of her cage. She is likes having her nice confined space and... she doesn't like it messed with. She hissed, growled, swatted and bit at me when I tried to pet her inside her condo after we got everything re-arranged and things had settled down some. Hopefully by this afternoon she will have forgotten yesterday even happened!
where the tv used to be. The tv is now in where Tipsy used to be. Tipsy is now in the corner that used to be between the loveseat and the couch (a subwoofer and end table used to reside there). Mike had
to drill some holes in the floor and re-run the tv lines. But, we
think it fits soooo much better in the new space. the whole room
feels much bigger and more light will be able to get in, since the
loveseat is no longer in front of the windows! oh yeah... the cat
tree doesn't quite fit in the room anymore. It is in the foyer right
now... as you can tell by Lydia's picture...they enjoy it no matter where it is! Oh yeah...The whole ordeal completely pissed Tipsy off. So... we are back to square one with her ....again. It makes me wonder if she will ever be able to transition to life out of her cage. She is likes having her nice confined space and... she doesn't like it messed with. She hissed, growled, swatted and bit at me when I tried to pet her inside her condo after we got everything re-arranged and things had settled down some. Hopefully by this afternoon she will have forgotten yesterday even happened!
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