{Not} Living Vicariously

Sunny days are here again

After a very rainy couple of weeks, we finally had a sunny day on Sunday. I had not realized how in the doldrums I was about the rain until I found myself singing and dancing my way through the living room while getting ready for church that morning. We took play clothes with us and after church we headed out to an apple orchard to pick our own before taking backroads home to the ‘boro enjoying every last bit of sunshine. We then took the pooch out for a lovely long walk where she went crazy trying to track down every new smell possible after all the days of rain (and short walks). In addition to the sun, the temperature has also cooled down making for lovely evenings without a bunch of bugs. I know this won’t last, after all this is Tennessee, but let me enjoy it while I can.

Daddy's Girls

When Frog Prince and I met we each had a four legged fur baby. Mine is canine, his feline. I completely understand why the cat is a daddy's girl. For years she has lived with him and was not ever socialized. However the dog has also become a daddy's girl and I'm feeling a bit abandoned? deserted? betrayed?

Take for example if I go to bed first. What does she do? Sleep in whatever room "Daddy" is doing something. However if he goes to bed first? Oh she is right there sleeping in her bed (or on the bed in my spot if she thinks she can get away with it.) And if I get up first in the morning? She looks at me drowsily and stays in bed unless she needs to go out. Then she'll let me take her out, but once she is done she goes back to bed. On the days he gets up first, she wants to be out with him doing whatever she can do to help.

Saturday morning was an exception. I got up and Lindy did come out in the living room with me. I read my book while she watched for squirrels. And here is a picture of Daddy's girls sharing the wildlife watching opportunities outside our front window.

Pardon the mess, we were gathering up all our recyclables <grin>.

Locavorism

Behind the times as usual, I started reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle while on the flight back from CA (it was published in 2007). The story of a family vowing to eat only food of which they know the providence for a year, they explore gardening/farming, local farmer's markets and butchers, and educating themselves in such matters as making their own cheese.
We have been trying to be more cognizant ourselves of eating local and eating healthy. The CSA was one of our first steps, our garden with homegrown tomatoes and peppers was the second. Reading this book has me curious about increasing my own level of being a locavore.
Now if we could just find a little bit of land to buy and plant on . . .

Target Practice

We worked hard and played hard over the holiday weekend. One of the ways we played was by going to the local indoor shooting range and renting a couple of pistols for target practice. I had my first experience with a revolver -- shooting both .38 and .357 caliber. I also got to shoot a 1911 .45 ACP. They were both fun: I liked shooting the 1911 more, however I found the revolver much easier to load. Now I just want to play with a shotgun.

Nice kitty?

The cat who owns the house I live in is a fairly unsociable creature. It is not her fault completely, but she is mean. Normally she hates me AND my dog. [She will actually lie in wait to ambush the dog as Lindy tries to go out for her morning constitution.] I am rarely acknowledged, let alone allowed to interact with the cat.
Or at least that was the story up until a few days ago. I generally am the first human up in the house, even on weekends. We've been extremely busy lately so we wanted to be somewhat lazy over the long weekend. I was still up first, albeit later than usual, and stumbled out to the couch Saturday morning where I sat back in order to contemplate the day. Imagine my surprise when Stoli came over and had me pet her and scratch her ears.I did so for a few minutes, then stopped. She demanded more. Not only didI get to pet her Saturday morning -- we had repeats Sunday and Monday mornings.
Maybe, just maybe, I'm starting to be accepted?

Month of August

I should have done as friend Nicole and pretended to be European and on vacation for the month. All of  my contacts suffered due to a variety of things going on in my life. However the most exciting one was that my house sold!
Towards the end of July we told the realtor that she had 3 more weeks to sell the house or we were taking it off the market as we'd been approached by two different people interested in renting the place. Less than a week later we had our first offer. In the space of three short weeks following that we went through some counters -- had an inspection -- made some repairs -- and closed. Technically it actually closed while we were out of state. Yay for emails and the internet!
Other things I survived this month were 1. a sales conference at work, 2. a whirlwind trip to CA for a long weekend, and 3. two fur babies still not getting along (and that has been interesting but for another time.)
Hopefully now that we are down to one house, life will allow for more regular updating.

Be good!