What Up?

With me?  Funny you should ask, but big fat nothing, thanks for asking!

Not that I'm complaining; sometimes a lack of news is not a bad thing; it just means that there's no drama going on which makes for a very boring blog but no offense, faithful readers, I'll take it.  I'm dead tired of drama.

SO!  While the entire world was fascinated by Baby Cambridge, I myself was fascinated by another story about another British baby...aka Liam Gallagher's love child.

See, you don't know me like that yet, but I used to love, love LOVE Liam Gallagher.  I mean, he was my hero of Britpop, and not just because we shared the same birthday (Sept 21 in case you're interested in sending gifts) but also because I found him sexy as shit.

Dude did not age well:

But hey, who am I to say, I certainly have not aged as gracefully as I would have wished, but at least I don't have illegitimate children all over the world. And how happy am I now that I didn't accept his proposal of marriage that he made to me...in my mind...

Moving on, not a lot to report, really.  Life is continuing; oh, I did make a long overdue appointment with a gynecologist and let me just say: I do believe your gynecologist is the most important person in your life, because my last appointment (which was, let's say...many years ago) was so traumatic I have avoided the experience ever since.  However, this time, I trusted the judgement of my mother and my sister and went to their recommended doc, and although I would not say that the experience was pleasant, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.  He was congenial, quick, and efficient.

Even though...after the fact both my mother and sister confided in me stories about this man's infidelity with some of his interns; I mean, really?  I could have gone my entire life without having this information; why, for the love of God, why would you tell me that my gynecologist was a philanderer?  Allegedly.

Regardless, he is an excellent doctor and made me feel not at all self conscious and even switched up my meds a little bit when I let him know that the Wellbutrin wasn't quite working for me.  In fact, even though I was no longer crying in the shower before work every day, I found that I was very angry and aggressive.

So, we're back to Zoloft, and I'll keep you posted on how that's going.  So far, so good, but it's early days.  The Nooge and The Rottenator are relieved that I no longer want to kill them...on a daily basis.  It's been downgraded to once a week...tops.

Mood Ring(tone) of the Day...(ick, Liam we are SO over):

Oh Canada!

I have to say I am fascinated by this entire story:

Because, and I do apologize ahead of time to my Canadian readers (Birdie, I'm SO sorry), but seriously: Canadians:  you're kinda like us!

At least, some of your politicians are.

And I think that ours may just have better representation.

You can read the whole ongoing saga here. 

I am not political, but sometimes I have to say, I do get a bit tired of hearing about how America is a cesspool of violence and corruption when it seems that other countries maybe, just maybe, might be experiencing similar issues?

Another case in point from another country that quite frankly, I adore:

This happened in England.  And it is indeed horrific.

Evil is evil.  And it happens everywhere.

Meanwhile, circling back to me.  I think I failed the first half of my stupid "keep your job" test.  Whatever.  I am in a funk right now that I'm desperately trying to climb out of, so it's just another disappointment.

Blah.  To end on a happy note, did you know that "cat bearding" was a thing?  It's so adorable.

 I want to try it out with the Nooge.  Hopefully soon I'll have a successful pic with minimal damage.

In the meantime, my Mood Ring(tone) Of The Day:

The Funk Soul Brother...

Quick post, because work has been particularly draining, depressing, exhausting, and soul sucking this week.

But, the Rottenator has decided that the Nooge has a new name.  Behold:  Fatboy Slim.

I am torn.  Because although I object to the potential self-esteem issues it may cause him by being called "Fatboy" I can't help but admire the fact that the Rottenator, lover of all things rap, has (albeit perhaps unknowingly) happened upon the moniker of one of my favorite Britpop/Techno dj's of all times...

Norman Cook.

I call him Britpop/Techno because, well, I'm probably out of times with current music of the day, but he was one of the members of my favorite bands, the Housemartins:

Don't think that I don't die a little bit inside to realize this was 27 years ago...oh...my...god...

Needless to say, I still love Paul Heaton, who went on to form the Beautiful South and also, Norman Cook, who became Fatboy Slim.

He also played at the London Olympics, which, yay, still relevant!

Anyway...the katten...he will always be Sir Nigel Wentworth Noogington, Esq. to me...despite what the Rottenator says....btw, every time I look at the Nooge, the first thought in my mind is "poe-faced".  Even though I've always heard that expression, I never completely knew what it meant.  But upon reading this definition:

British

: having an assumed solemn, serious, or earnest expression or manner : piously or hypocritically solemn 

 

I see that it totally fits.

In other news, we have another beach trip planned for this weekend, which I am beyond looking forward to. And maybe a side-trip to Charleston.  If you're not familiar with Charleston, SC, it's like Savannah GA, except without the nastiness.  And if you're not familiar with Savannah...don't worry, you don't need to be...

It's Chicken, Mate

Incidentally, do you know how difficult it is to post anything with 20 lbs of solid cat wallowing all over you?  Actually...some of you probably do...

Moving on...

Look at this fine slop of mess we have right here!

Okay, so we took a welcomed break from our current Hamburger Helper/Sloppy Joe/Rice and Beans diet to splurge a little on one our favorite meals.

Behold...Alice Springs Chicken...copy cat version!

This is in no way healthy, or low in calories, or in any way good for you, but ehrmagerd, it is sooo good!

It's a homemade version of the excellent Outback dish, and bonus, it will allow you to order a steak or the prime rib at Outback without wasting your money on a chicken dish...at a steakhouse.  That is ridiculous in itself.

So, there are many versions of this recipe online, and I have combined a few to make my favorite...well, that's a lie.  It's not really my favorite, because my favorite entails homemade honey mustard dressing, but this one is quick and easy, and thus, it has become my new favorite, especially during the week, when I am exhausted and time is of the essence.

Okay, that's also a lie, because you do kinda have to start this recipe the night before, but not too much prep, I promise.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. Worcestershire sauce
8 oz button mushrooms (or any mushrooms, really), sliced
8 slices of bacon
1 bottle honey-mustard dressing (I used Ken's, 16 oz)
8 oz Monterrey jack cheese
non-stick cooking spray
1 T. butter

The night before, place chicken breasts in a plastic Ziploc bag and pound the hell out of them until they're about 1" thick.  Pour in Worcestershire sauce, and let the chicken marinate overnight.

The next day:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Get a 9x11 baking dish (glass or metal, whatever).  Spray that bad boy down with the cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a non-stick pan, melt butter and saute mushrooms until nice and soft, about 5 min.  Set aside.

In same pan, fry 8 slices of bacon until crisp, set aside.  When it's cooled down, crumble up into bacon-bit sized pieces.  Let it remain...aside.

Next, pour off excess marinade from chicken and brown in same skillet where you just fried the bacon (told ya it wasn't healthy), 3-4 min each side.

Place chicken breasts in baking dish.

Pour honey mustard dressing over each breast.  Next, add sauteed mushrooms. Next, add bacon. Next, cover with cheese.

Cover with tin-foil and bake about 25 min.

Ta-day!  Deliciousness! Enjoy; we certainly did.

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

God, how I love Angel...I mean Booth...I mean, David Boreanaz...well, not so much the last one.

Incidentally, this is "our" song; I'm talking about me and the Rottenator...although, he's probably not as sentimental about it as I am.  I've been a bit irritated with him lately; I'd like to say it was because he was being an asshole, but it's more likely that I've just been in a bitchy mood.

Afraid To Admit I'm Bovvered...

One of the most annoying things I find about life is that the very second you have that thought of "hmmm...I'm feeling a bit bored right now", it  doesn't hit you with a "Hey! You just won the lottery!" Or even, "Hey! You just won a $150 free grocery card!" or even, "Hey! You just won a vacation package to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (if only)!"

Life is more likely to reward you with a "Hey! You're being audited by the IRS!" Or, "Hey! You're getting fired from  your job!" Or even, "Hey! You have a tumor!"

So I will refrain from saying that I'm rather bored with my daily routine right now for fear of some astronomical catastrophe befalling me, but I would like to say...I'm bovvered.

I've had enough drama in my life to not wish any more upon myself, but I'm really...bovvered by my job; by the most exciting decision I have to make is to choose which all you can eat buffet I want to patronize; by which of the three articles of clothing that actually fit I decide to wear today.

And if you mention anything about Kathleen having "first world problems" I will stab you in the face with an icepick.

Did I happen to mention I may be a wee bit hormonal, and if this period doesn't hurry the fuck up,  there is going to be a bloodbath...no pun intended.  All Rottenators and Nooges better heed this warning.

My Mood Ring(tone) Of The Day:

Caught in the act...

Asshole! This is why we can't have nice things!

Ass Cat!

If the couch has a permanent indentation of your ass, you may have a weight problem.

Though who am I to judge; the same could be said for the recliner that I am currently residing in.

Incidentally, I need to post that little turd's picture on http://shameyourpet.com/ because in the brief hour that the Rottenator and I were out today, he managed to somehow swipe down one of the Moroccan lamps I have on the mantle, and now it sits there all wonky and fractured. but I can't bear to throw it away because I love symmetry.

 And now looking at that photo, I realize that I need another framed picture on the right side of my mantle because the symmetry is totally off...and the photo is crooked.  God!

Meanwhile, have you been following the Masters coverage?  No?  Me either, which is a shame because it is happening 15 minutes away but I can't bring myself to care because let's face it, golf is not high on my list of fascinating things to watch.

That being said, the Rottenator bought a Tiger Woods XBox Golf Game today.  You know what's more boring than golf?  Watching someone play a golf video game...badly.

Is it college football season yet?

My Mood Ring(tone) Of The Day:

And Now I Feel Guilty...Like I Need More Of This In My Life....

So the Nooge has an equally annoying and sweet habit of "making biscuits" on any part of my soft and cushy body that he can.

It's very sweet, because it means that he was probably weened too soon, and that he recognizes me as his "mama", so that part is comforting.

The other part is...it hurts like hell because his claws are sharp as fuck, as he is wont to keep them.

Well, tonight he was a little too enthusiastic about his contentment and when he dug in particularly hard, my natural reflex was to smack him away and yell...as one would an annoying and unexpected insect that was causing extreme pain.

And his little face at that reaction when he leapt from my lap and turned back to stare at me with big Puss'n Boots eyes.

And of course I burst into hysterical tears.  Because I am PMS-ing, (I think, maybe, who knows), and because I'm equally annoyed with everything in my life.

My job, where every time you turn around, there's another vaguely threatening email about how you will get fired if you step out of line in anyway; my home life, where I have no energy to clean, so my Virgo side is freaking the fuck out about the dustbunnies and floors that need vacuuming, and the eating of craptacular food because we're saving up for another car.

Incidentally, the Rottenator and I did go to PF Changs the other day, which has been our "go-to-mid-range-not-exactly-authentic-but-always-delicious-Asian-restaurant" and they had updated their menu...which included no-more Wok-Seared lamb, which devastated the Rottenator, and they'd added "Shaking Beef"...which made me violently nauseous at least three times during "Jurassic Park 3-D in Imax".  Highly disappointing for our one and only date-night in quite a few months.

Just another thing to mark on the list of things that are irritating the fuck out of me in my life.

My Mood(ring) Tones of the Day:

Incidentally, did you know that the Violent Femmes did a cover of this song?  Me either!

Which brings me to this:

Flames...

Seriously, how do you guys with kids do it? Because I can barely spend a day with the Nooge without wanting him to die in a violent "accident".

Oh, yeah, sure, he looks innocent, but trust me, he is not.  He is 20 lbs of furry evil. I don't think it's a coincidence that his birthday is April 20th.

You know who else was born on April 20th?

I'm just sayin'...we have not had a good weekend together.

Also, the pollen is out of control down here.  Have you ever seen pollen underneath a microscope?

This is why I can't breathe and my eyes are red and burny.  And yes, I feel sympathy for those of you who are still experiencing an ass-load of snow when it's supposed to be spring, but our very mild winter means that the pollen is out of control.

The following videos express what we're experiencing down here; just imagine billions of those little fuckers invading your sinus cavities and clinging on for dear life.

So, due to unforeseen complications such as not being able to breathe, and PMS-overload, I'm taking a day off from work to sit.  Not that I haven't just spent a weekend of sitting, but I think one more day might do me...so I don't end up like this...

My  Mood Ring(tone) Of The Day:

By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea...

Back from Easter vacation at Edisto Beach, SC, and am very sad to be back, I must say.  I love the beach.  The relaxation, the wind, the waves, the smells, the food...oh, yes the food...

There is no more appropriate place than the beach to enjoy a uniquely southern dish known as "Shrimp and Grits".  And oh my God, if you've never had it, then you are missing out:

I decided to indulge this weekend, and had a taste test between two local restaurants (not that there are a lot to choose from on this humble island) and tried out the shrimp and grits at the Sea Cow and the Waterfront...which doesn't have a website, which is so stupid, because they are awesome.  And they won this taste test.

Though both were amazeballs.  You know what else is amazeballs?  Pimento Cheese burgers.  Those were enjoyed courtesy of McConkey's Jungle Shack.

So, tomorrow, the diet and the dreaded workweek start again, but in the meantime, I will share with you the best recipes I have ever found for Pimento Cheese and Shrimp and Grits and just a few pics of my lovely holiday weekend.

Pimento Cheese:

6 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup Vermont extra sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
4 ounces pimientos (in a jar), chopped
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 dash hot sauce (or more!)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1 Using a hand held mixer, beat cream cheese until soft.
2 Add the remaining ingredients and beat until creamy and combined.
3 Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Ta-da! Then smother it on everything: burgers, fries, celery, crackers, your face, the possibilities are endless!

Shrimp and Grits:

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 6 slices bacon, chopped

• 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

Bring chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat; stir in grits. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in salt and next 3 ingredients. Set aside, and keep warm.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon from pan.
Cook shrimp in same pan over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until almost pink, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and next 4 ingredients, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in bacon.
Spoon grits onto individual plates or into shallow bowls; top with shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.

Trust me, you'll love them both. And if you ever happen to find yourself at Edisto Beach, if you find a shark's tooth while walking the shore at low tide, I hope you'll think of me...because I didn't find one this time around, dammit.  I'm usually a pro at that sort of thing.

Happy Easter everyone! And despite whatever anyone else says, it IS all about the bunny...

And the Godiva truffles...thank you,Rottenator!

Meanwhile, the Nooge survived his first overnight alone. Although he did greet us like this at the door...

Obviously, he has very short term memory and forgot who we were for a few minutes.  Oh, he was not happy with us being gone, and greeted us with fluffy tail and mohawk.  The Rottenator says it's because it was he was prepared to protect the house against strangers.  My thoughts are that he was so fucking pissed that he'd been abandoned he was ready to rip our throats out.

Nevertheless,all was forgiven. Never...leave...again...

They both had a hard weekend

I like this pic because it's kinda abstract

This let's you know that you've really arrived; famous decorated Edisto "tree"

This pic does not accurately show how fucking cold it was

 2nd place winner in the Scrimp & Grits contest

Awesome pimento cheese burgers

Oak trees, wisteria and spanish moss...telltale signs you're hitting the low country

Improved service and awesome food...preview of my Tripadvisor review...

One way in...one way out..."THE" bridge onto the island

My Mood(ring) Tone of the Day:

Just to add, the main purpose of the trip was to put together furniture for my mom's beach house.  Whilst the Rottenator excelled at this task...

He put together two of these bad boys, plus two other chairs lickety-split, whilst I was not so fortunate.  My mother ordered a microwave cabinet that was supposed to look like this...

And I gave her an end product that looked like this....

Needless to say, JC may have been a carpenter, but Kathleen definitely is not.

Genetics

This is my daddy...

This is my niece...

We always debated over where Victoria got her spectacular blue eyes from, and that unique impish expression, and finally have photographic proof.

Genetics are a hell of a thing.  I miss my dad; it's been nearly 20  years since he passed away of "the cancer" (always said in a whisper) and I still think about him constantly.  How things would be different.  And how he would love his grandchildren, especially that little supastah up there.

My nephew turned 11 years old yesterday, and my mom and I travelled to my sister's house to celebrate this momentous occasion.

This is the birthday boy:

Yet I remember him when he was like this:

And even younger.  Man, I'm old.

This kid is awesome, btw. All of my sister's kids are.  Thank God she had some to carry on the family line because I sure as hell wasn't going to.

I can barely handle a Nooge and a Rottenator.

Such is life.

My sister, btw, is a cupcake genius.  Check out these badboys:

And they were delish. The Rottenator and I are on a budget to save up for a second car so currently I am no longer concocting delicious dishes (unless you count Hamburger Helper or Beans and Rice as delish, and why would you) so I am living vicariously through the sis's creativity.

And am massively impressed.

Meanwhile, it's St. Paddy's (not Patty's) Day and to honor my forefathers, here are my Mood Ring(tones) Of The Day:  (and oh yes, there are more than a few...)

And who could forget...

I Should Not Be Allowed To Have Free Time

'Nuff said.

Lazy...so lazy...

So, I have stuffis to do but I am not feeling up to it.

I have to get my nails did, these claws are out of control; I have to clean my bathroom, I have to make dinner, but fuck it...I don't feel like it.

Sad, old ass hand

What I feel like doing is watching old (old meaning 80s and 90s) movies on Netflix and sitting here like a blob.  So I shall.

Even God rested on the 7th day, right?

The Rottenator and the Nooge are both asleep, so I am going to sit on my ass and enjoy the relative peace and quiet...until work tomorrow.  *sigh*

I just want to say that although I an grateful for the opportunity and the paycheck, I am just about over this job.

I was not meant for payroll and they have just restructured my department so now instead of just reporting to one manager, I have to answer to five.  Seriously, five.  No more hiding under the radar for me.  It's fine, I'm going to put in my time and maybe move onto something more rewarding.

First world problems, right? I know. I get it.  But still, I can't help wondering if I was meant for something better in this world.

I need to find my purpose.

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

An Ode To Two Assholes

And for once I am not talking about the Rottenator.

1. My tulip tree.

But, let me clarify, and I just found this out!  What we call "tulip trees" in the south are actually these:

Saucier Magnolias.  It makes sense, southern, magnolia, etc.  But this paragraph in particular struck me:


Saucer Magnolias flower here in early March, and flowers appear before the leaves. I call these trees "frost trees" as they always seem to flower and bring on a killing freeze. This habit is their primary disadvantage, as the flowers are blitzed by freezes in one out of every four to five years.  

Yes they god damn do.  The day after this stupid fucking tree bloomed, we were hit by 20 degree weather and the damn blossoms turned brown and fell off.  I didn't even have the heart to take a picture of it, I was so depressed.

This is what it is supposed to look like in full bloom.

But mine never does.  It is the bane of my existence, because I fucking love this tree, it is my favorite type of tree of all times, and it never fails to disappoint.

Maybe because it is delicate and fragile...like me.

Anyway, one hard freeze later, and the damn thing is dead.  I'm super pissed.  That's why this tree is an asshole.

Asshole # 2:

This is only a minor example of the damage the Nooge has inflicted on Bella Cucina in the two days that the Rottenator has started training on his new schedule at his new job.  Which means that he is not here during the day and there is a slight disruption in the Nooge's routine and he has not reacted favorably.

This picture does not include opened cabinets, bottles of spices overturned, cans of diet coke spilled.

Really, cat?  Two days of being left alone and this is how you react?  Aren't you supposed to sleep during the day anyway?

Well, the Rottenator returns to an overnight shift Sunday night so maybe the Nooge will stop acting out and destroying my house which I am too tired to clean at the moment.

He is currently in quarantine because he has overturned our lamp and busted a light bulb for the umpteenth time and has attacked me every time I dared to move.

I think my friend Birdie had the right idea when she suggested crating.  It can't just work for dogs, can it?

And speaking of, the Rottenator desperately wants one. I am more hesitant.  Mostly, because I am not a dog person.  And they smell.  And I cannot even fathom the amount of damage that will be inflicted upon my house should we disrupt the Nooge's routine even more by introducing a sibling.

He is definitely the ruler of all he surveys and don't you forget it.

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

God, I will never not love Britpop.  It will always speak to my soul.

 

The gubment do take a bite, don't she?

Remember how I complained recently about being bored?  I take it all back!

My goals for this year included trying to make amends for mistakes I had made in my past.  To continue on a path of being a better person, make amends, become an upstanding member of society, yada yada yada, and then boom!  Your past mistakes catch up with you with a vengeance and despite all of the effort and progress you've made, you're back to square one.  Or, actually, back to square minus 1.

Or, minus every cent in your bank account.

Without going into too much detail, due to past indiscretions, I had managed to rack up a substantial amount of back taxes due to the world-famous IRS.  This was the time to make up for that; the Rottenator and I both have stable incomes, stable jobs, and it was time to repay my debt to society.

I did not realize that society would be so swift and vengeful.  Oh, yes, people complain about how lax and ineffective the US government is, how they take forever to get anything accomplished, but obviously that does not include the swiftness and efficiency they display when it comes to getting paid.

And oh yes, did they ever get paid.

Not two days after filing this year's taxes and contacting an agent to discuss payment arrangements regarding past due taxes, the IRS swooped swept(?) in and summarily wiped out our bank account.

Every...fucking...cent.

So as I sit here, helpless wondering how we're going to pay our bills, make our way to our jobs, keep our car and our house and even the Nooge, I find myself wondering...why bother?

Why bother trying to be a better person?  To right past wrongs?  To make up for past mistakes? To even have hopeful expectations that this life is anything other than a constant struggle to barely manage to keep your head above water to barely survive?

It would be fantabulous if I were a stronger person, if I could withstand the constant obstacles that life throws at you and still move forward cheerfully, with the faith and knowledge that everything will be just fine.  But I am not.

I can't decide if I am weak, or if I'm just over it.  Like, "been here, done that, finished with the struggling already, please give me a fucking break".

I blame myself. I know that I have dug this hole for myself, but seriously, can't I have two second of being bored without the higher powers stepping in and saying, "Oh, you're bored?  You're not happy with your life?  Well, deal with this then, heifer!"

Doesn't God realize that sometimes you're PMS-ing and you just need to vent, and he doesn't need to go around mucking things up just to make life more "interesting"?

Not that I blame him; I'm too Catholic and too fearful of his wrath to do that, but seriously...I take it back. I take it all back.

Much like the IRS.

My Mood Ring(tone) Of The Day:

Sidebar: did you know that this was the theme song to M.A.S.H.?  That was one of my Dad's favorite shows. For some melodramatic reason that just makes me more sad and depressed.

I've Got A Feeling It Doesn't Matter

I really need to get back to that thing I was doing for a while where I would just keep myself so busy all day every day that I would fall asleep into bed utterly exhausted, too spent to even allow my brain to wander.

Because my brain wanders into dark and dangerous places when I get too bored and have too much time on my hands, my friends.

The Rottenator got a new job, thanks in large part to moi.  He was miserable at his old job and they were starting to cut back on his hours and working him harder and harder and therefore, not only he was suffering, but we all were.  So, I got to looking, filling out applications, fancied up his resume, and boom, new job and he starts in a couple of weeks.

It will take a lot of stress off of him (I hope) and will mean more income and benefits (actual health insurance and 401k, say WHAT?!?!) so it is definitely a good thing.

My job is finally calming down as well.  The end of the year is nightmare in the tax/payroll area of expertise, but I managed to claw my way through it, and the job is settling back into a comfortable routine.  I take my final test, my "pass or get fired" exam later this month or early next one, but I'm not very worried about it.  And it comes with a 5% raise, so woo hoo.  Things are looking up.

So why am I bored and lonely and letting my mind wander into the Land of Gloom and Doom?  I do not know. I have long ago given up trying to figure out my dark and twisty mind.

The cat is driving me bat shit crazy, I know that.  I don't know if the Nooge is going through a growth spurt or catapause, but he will never let up.  He just...won't...quit.

He is clawy and bitey, and will not settle down.  I have a little side table beside my chair on which I put my drink and remote controls while typing away on my laptop and he is determined to tip it over and push it across the room, and knock shit off of it.  Currently he is running laps around the living room, trying to jump up onto the fireplace mantle, and springboarding himself off of what little bit of my lap isn't supporting my computer and I want to kill him.  God help me and I hate to admit it but only because admitting it probably makes me look like a horrible person, but I am not enjoying him one bit right now.  The only thing that saves his life on a daily basis is the fact that he is not a bad natured kitty and I know that he loves me.  That, and the fact that I couldn't live with myself if I did one day become so enraged that I threw him out to fend for himself then saw a little orange flurry splatter on the road as I drove to work the next day.

That would be devastating, so I will deal with him and his current unpleasantness.

Ah, well.  Tomorrow I will cook chicken alfredo in my oven that doesn't work right half the time and I will refrain from killing the cat who now has turned his attention to our lamp and will no doubt knock it over for the umpteenth time and shatter yet another lightbulb.

My Mood(Ring) Tone(s) of the Day:

A Face Only a Mother Could Love

One of the reasons I'm not writing too much tonight:

In my lap, asleep, mouth hanging open, snoring. 

He takes after his father.

I'm also very tired; work is draining.  Lots of over time, cannot wait for tax season to be over.

And what does this have to do with my trip to see Harry Potter in September?

Absolutely nothing.

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

But only because I saw this first:

Down the Rabbit Hole

Damn.  I really thought I was going to pass through this cold and flu system untouched, but I'm beginning to fear not.

Hopefully it's because my period is about to start, and possibly because I had to slice up a particularly strong-smelling onion for dinner, but I am sniffly, my eyes are burning, and I feel feverish.  And I've been dizzy all day which, as my mama always said, could be fluid in my head.  From the ick.

I have been downing Airborne and Zicam like a mofo but I think these pussy-assed homeopathic remedies have failed me.

Tonight I'm going hardcore: Nyquil, Advil night, Mucinex, gin, tonics, you name it, I'm downing it, and hoping to spend tomorrow in a coma drooling on myself in my comfy bed.  Hopefully alone.

No news to report, oh, other than almost losing the Nooge to the bowels of the house.  We were cleaning out the airfilters the other day, and we live in an older house, so the vents are basically just holes in the walls or floors covered by grates onto which thin filters are fitted, supposedly to keep out dust and other toxins, but I scarcely believe it because the three of us still walk around sneezing our heads off constantly.  Probably due to the lead pipes or asbestos, god knows.

Anyway, so the Rottenator and I had left our dining room for a split second, me to grab the dustbuster because I have become fanatical in my cleaning, and the Rottenator to...god knows, just wander off because God forbid he was having to do something that didn't involve the couch or video games, and when I returned to the dining room I was met by the vision of two orange furry feet and a big ass tail poking out of the hole.

That's right.  A headless cat.  A headless half-cat.  I did as any good mother would do when her baby was in danger: froze, panicked, and starting screaming hysterically for the Rottenator.

"He's in the floor!  Our baby is crawling underneath the house!"

The Rottenator responded as any good father would: "Well, get him!".  Actually, he was quite effective during this CATastrophe (ha!  yeah, I know, but I had to go there).  He bounded into the room, and in one quick scoop, grabbed two feet and a tail, and pulled the baby free.

The only thing I could have done to be a worse mother would have been to stop and take pictures, but that I did not do (again, not so quick with the action or the thinking in a time of crisis am I), so these images are as close I could find that would accurately describe the scene.

You get the idea.

But, crisis averted, and the Nooge is okay...for now...until he pisses me off.

My mood is not much better; tried to watch a movie with the Rottenator and he just "didn't get it".  Never does.  But he's trying.  Which makes me feel worse.

Definitely time for bed.

My Mood Ring(tone) of the Day:

I chose the video with the lyrics.  I find them quite apropos.