Critter Haven

Okay, so I'm working on the mural from hell...in a church....and I'm exhausted cuz I also did some design work for another company in the morning. It's 8:30 pm when I finally get home. The boys are so sweet, they brought me some cheddar peppers from Sonic! Probably not supposed to eat those, but they are so good and warm, and it's been really raining out. It's let up, and the weather looks pretty good for awhile. Gracie is psycho because of the rain, and mommy has been gone all day and not available to protect her from the storms.

I settle down on the sofa to relax a bit, been looking forward to this. I see the shadow of a cat at the door. "HEY, Lil' G! Would you let Harriet in?" "Yes, Mommy!" He replies, all 6'1" of him. He flies to the door, lets Ms. H in, and then flies over to the kitchen to have his eighth meal of the day. Harriet, I suppose, saunters into her favorite boy K's room. I hear an "ACK! She's got a mouse!" "Well, K, thank her for the gift! Isn't that sweet?" I reply, forgetting that he just said there was a member of the rodentia world IN MY HOUSE. I jump up and run to K's room. There is Ms. Harriet with a big, fat, mouse in her mouth. It looks dead. "Hon, I think that's a rat." I tell him.
"Mom, it's a RODENT!!"
"Oh, yeah. Looks dead. Isn't that sweet?? She brought it right to you." I am obviously in some big state of denial.
Harriet drops the mouse. It squeaks. It's not dead. It scurries past me to my Danish Deco china cabinet that is inhabited by pre-WWII Japanese dolls. Great.
After corralling 3 cats and a disinterested Labrador, we try to hunt the "mouse" from under the cabinet. "I don't want to empty this thing! It's got glass shelves!"
"Mom, we need to move it." I have already barracaded the one side, K has gloves on and a small plastic bin to scoop the thing up. There is no talk of killing the poor thing. He's so cute. Maybe he is a mouse. He just doesn't have that rat look, his nose is so MOUSE...but he is so BIG!
"MOM!! It doesn't matter if it's a freakin' mouse or rat!!"
After a few pokes with a yard stick and some maneuvering, we proceed to empty the china cabinet and the glass shelves. I move the cabinet, and the mouse starts scurrying around. K finally captures it with the bin. "The lid!! Where's the lid??" Slap that lid down and we're good to go.
I decide to take it down to the creek. I start walking, but one of my cats starts following me like a doggie. She walks with me sometimes, around the block. I call K to come get his cat, whom I have scooped up and am now carrying with a plasic bin of rodent, and a flashlight. I say "scooped" but it would be more like "hauled" because the cat must tip the scales at about 12 pounds. K rounds the corner and I ask him to hurry. That scares the cat, and she claws me and takes off. "Never mind." I say, and luckily she wants to go away from us so as not to be taken home. I head for the creek and find a nice spot to let the "mouse" out, and off he goes. He seems in a hurry. The trees start shedding some of the earlier rain. They are REALLY shedding the raindrops. Hmmm. I start walking back to the house, because I am old and cannot run. It starts pouring down on me. In fact, it is a "torrent," a word that I was just explaining to my little Mexican friend at work today. I'm soaked and K comes around the corner in the car. He rolls down the window and tries valiantly to hide the smile."I'm too wet, but thanks, hon, I'll just walk." I cut across the neighbor's yard, absolutely soaked. What luck. He's standing on his porch.
"Hi." I say, nonchalantly, carrying a flashlight, empty bin, and my glasses completely steamed and speckled with rainwater.
"What are you doing?" He replies.
"Gettin' wet." I say.
"I can see that." He says.(Nothing gets past him).
I open the door, and of course am greeted with a bit of laughter. Yes, it is very funny.
Time for a hot shower. All better, all warmed up, so I make some decaf to settle down with. Did I mention the Heineken during the shower? :-D
I get my coffee cup all full and steamy, and notice the cats are gathered round the china cabinet. "BOYS! I thought you cleaned and sprayed around the cabinet!"
"Yes, mommy, we did."
"You guys rock. Thank you. But that mouse must really have a scent. Look at the cats! Isn't that cute?? They are still hunting him even though he's gone!"
We marvel at the olfactory giftings of the common house cat. It's truly amazing. They are growling and trying to get under the un-kitty-able-to-get-under-cabinet. I notice that K has forgotten one of the Japanese dolls that I left on the enclosed porch, so I go out to get it and glance at the small space behind the cabinet. Oh, I see. They're hunting that snake lying there. SNAKE?!?!? I make an attempt to grab it, then think better of it. It looks like a copperhead, and it's been raining, which can drive them in.

"G!! Is Twix in his cage?"
G replies, "Uh oh!! NO!"
Great. Here we go again. Repeat most of the motions completed above for the mouse hunt. K herds the snake, which is half out and half under the cabinet, into seeking refuge under a blanket, and the rescue is complete. Twix isn't the sweetest snake, not like our other one Ekans, but he is very happy to be caught. After taking the opportunity to clean his cage he is safely deposited back home. One of the clips had broken off. Corn snakes are great escape artists. Duct tape does the job til a replacement can be had.
Okay, it's 10:30 and I can't relax, but I try to watch a little TV. The cats start gathering around the cabinet area again. AGAIN!! I look over the couch and they have corralled one of the biggest spiders I have ever seen. "GUYS! There's a huge spider out here now!" I say, mostly just to get the great news out.
"You know what?? Just leave it."

Off and running....

I haven't had much time to blog, and more importantly, to read your blogs. I've been scanning and reading. I'm devoid right now of anything clever to say~~and you all have so much to say.
I'm wearing out....the 1000 sq ft mural is turing into 3000 sq ft because I have to go over what I've painted to get it to cover properly. The paint isn't the best quality. They now have decided that they'd like me to do several more jobs for them. Vitamin time....
My hubby and I have been trying to get out more socially. We have Sunday dog park, we met with a widow for dinner in a friend's wine bar on Main Street, we attended an artist's reception for a young man who went to the church we used to go to...and all our old "peeps" were there. It was a veritable reunion and very sweet to see everyone. I email and call these folks from time to time, but nothing is like a real HUG and physical togetherness, and I couldn't help but wish you all were sitting around that table!
My son went to Boston to literally meet his girlfriend for the first time. They have had a long distance relationship after meeting online! This blows me away, until I realize that a good deal of my good friends are also online people. His dad and I decided (after much sleuthing by yours truly) that it would be safe to send him up there when he was invited to visit...I called her mom and got to know her and let her know he wasn't an ax murderer. Dad and I decided that we should find out if they were legitimately meant for each other at this time, and sent him up. I figured that the chemistry was a fantasy thing and that once together, they might not be so attracted to each other and that would be that.
They adore each other...and her parents really liked him, and so now they are committed to pursue the long-distance relationship and see where it goes. I'm happy he's happy, and she really is a great young woman....perfect for him, sweet and very, very smart.
I'm saying all of this because, even though it's hard for my almost 50 brain to comprehend, it still blows me away that we here on our blogs are REALLY friends! If we all met up, maybe we'd make each other crazy... but probably not. I know more about you guys than I do my own neighbors, I think. I Skype call Dave and Kriss in Scotland, and we've talked like we've known each other for years. We grab our webcams and give each other a tour of our environment! That's so cool.....we all are showing each other our lives. It just amazes me.
So, even though we're not in a coffee shop together, sitting around a table and catching up on stuff, consider yourselves hugged!

Interesting....

I didn't make any comments on my "DNA" but it was fun to do!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Oldest son is in Boston visiting girlfriend. Robert graduates basic training tomorrow! On to AIT. Baby Michael, wife, parents, and sister have all gone to SC to celebrate. It's only 2 days, so we stayed back to let Robert and wife and baby have space. He is planning on calling me tomorrow, so cell phone will be at the ready---after tomorrow he can call anytime in the evenings he wants. Hubby and youngest are on "vacation" this week (Spring break) and I hardly see them--holed up playing video games, sleeping and goofing off. Hubby did clean out the garage. I'm jealous....having to work...I have bitten off one big hunk o' mural to do for a church. Oy. About 1000 square ft of mural. I'm blocking stuff in right now, and can't wait to get to the "fun" parts...the details and colors. That's it.....thankfully, things are quiet, albeit lonely without lots of family around!
Boring post? Yeah. And I'm really glad about that!

Friday humor

Resume Mistakes:
"Here are my qualifications for you to overlook."
"Education: College, August 1880-May 1984."
"Work Experience: Dealing with customers' conflicts that arouse."
"Develop and recommend an annual operating expense fudget."
"I'm a rabid typist."
"Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain operation."

Reasons for Leaving your Previous Job:
"Responsibility makes me nervous."
"They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Couldn't work under those conditions."
"Note: Please don't misconstrue my 14 jobs as 'job-hopping'. I have never quit a job."
"Was met with a string of broken promises and lies, as well as cockroaches."
"I was working for my mom until she decided to move."
"The company made me a scapegoat - just like my three previous employers."

Personal Qualities:
"I'm married with 9 children. I don't require prescription drugs."
"I am extremely loyal to my present firm, so please don't let them know of my immediate availability."
"Number of dependents: 40."
"Marital Status: Often. Children: Various."
"I was proud to win the Gregg Typting Award."

Special Requests
"Please call me after 5:30 because I am self-employed and my employer does not know I am looking for another job."

Got Skype?

My hubby loaded Skype on my 'puter and I'm up and runnin'. I was messin' around with it, and dialed up Dave in Scotland! Much to my surprise, he answered! What fun! So cool to talk to him! Email me for my Skype address if you want to talk. Love to chat!

Tombs and such....

I missed the documentary, but I thought this Washington Post article was interesting. I like the non-believers who are not believing James Cameron's "show," so lookie here.

amazing grace...

Well, God just works all over. We count our blessings, if we're wise. I'm going to my regular doctor to discuss a few things. I have a factor in my blood that can cause clotting and such. It has never caused any problems before, so just wanting to make sure all my ducks (and platelets!) are in a row.
Here's the amazing stuff:
If I hadn't had this eye thing happen, I'd never have gone to my opthamologist.
He would never have taken blood to check for Vitamin D deficiency (and I'm anemic again.)
I would never have started Vit. D supplementation under supervision.
My pain level has decreased by 50%...at least. My flexibility and mobility are INCREASED. My labrador, who usually stands firm by the side of the bed in the a.m. so I can lean on her to get up, is flabbergasted. I get up with little to no stiffness.
So, now, I can tell those of you with inflammatory diseases and arthritis to make sure you're getting enough of Vit. D3.....you can get it in Omega 3 (good ones) capsules, salmon....and maybe you will improve as well. Research this. Apparently, people with inflammatory diseases are notoriously low in Vit. D.
Then, I am working with a church on two murals. For some reason, I click with all of these people. For some reason I am led to tell them about my eye, and my lupus. I don't mention any health issues to clients. It turns out one of the pastors AND his wife have lupus....they are both suffering terribly with it. I can't help but think the Holy Spirit brought all of this together for mutual encouragement. What are the chances?