Why Cats and I Do Not Get Along

There are many stories behind that title. Many. But I'll just bless you with one story behind the title. One that happened yesterday morning.

Careful! Don't let the cuteness suck you in!!! Read on...

We have a bush in front of our kitchen window that I’ve been in denial that it is dead….oh, let’s just say for the last few years. Hey, there are some green leaves on it every now and then….I just didn’t want to pull the plug!
And, we have kittens which are probably more like teens since they were born early spring.

The said bush is right in front of the kitchen window where we have a kitchen table. Almost each morning, one of the teen cats will climb up the bush, which the limbs lean toward the house, and meow when someone is eating breakfast. Honestly, at first I thought it was cute. But, I usually pull the blind after I see one climbing so it doesn’t try to jump on the screen.

On this particular morning, I hear a noise while in another room. I asked my son what the noise was since he and I are the only ones home. He calmly says it was a kitten (aka teen cat) that jumped on the screen. Yes, this alarmed me. I travel quickly to the kitchen and find the screen ripped/shredded. Oh. Boy. Was. I. Angry.

I am in the process of closing the window when I see another teen cat climb up on the bush, stopping to sharpen its claws mind you, and starts eyeballing the screen again. I, yes, a grown woman, HISS and clap and make all sorts of noise to scare the stupid, yes stupid, thing. At which point my son informs me that the cat I just scared wasn’t the one that jumped on the screen. LIKE. I. CARE. I think they were having a competition on who could ruin my screen more!!!!!

So I do the next logical step. I have my son go down in the basement and get the tool to cut the bush down (some sort of hand tool thing). Let’s just say NO cat/kitten/or anything will be climbing that bush stump anytime soon!! Yup, I pulled the plug finally. I even threw the branches at the cats/kitten that had the nerve to sit there and watch. And then they just came back after I came close to hitting them w/the branches. (no cats/kittens were hurt in the angry tirade) Dumb. Cats. Oh. Man. I’m still mad. We can’t open up that window now since the screen is really quite ripped.

AND I really don’t want to have to tell hubs he needs to fix one more thing. That will win me the coveted wife of the year award. Dumb cats. Dogs are so much smarter…..well, at least at the moment that is my outlook about dogs….until mine does something dumb again!!

Only a House

I know it is only a house. Something material. Something tangible. If that house was no longer there, I would still have my memories but I would be sad. Very sad.

I, along with a few relatives, took a tour of my Grandpa and Grandma's house this weekend. Its third set of owners since my Grandparents sold it, graciously allowed us to traipse through and relive our past. It was fun. No other word but fun. My relatives and I had brought pictures we had of the house both inside and out. The owners were so appreciative to see the pictures and asked questions about how things looked before the previous owners remodeled.

Memories flooded my mind as we walked through the house. This house was like my second home. My family lived basically around the corner from my Grandparents. When I'd go for a bike ride, that is where I'd end up. When I wanted to run away from home, that is where I planned on going. (I was not an adventurous child! ☺) I helped my Grandma with housework, much to the puzzlement of my mom who could never figure out why I could help my Grandma but fought her tooth and nail at home when it came to housework. I also remember my Grandma talking with me about that while we did dishes. She told me she told my mom it was more fun to help someone else, which I totally agreed. But my Grandma also encouraged me to help at home, which I reluctantly did. I made my first "employment" dollar at that house. Mowing lawn. Oh how I hated those deep ditches. My Grandpa took pity on me and mowed the ditches. He also taught me how to mow lawn "properly" (a.k.a. mow the lawn my way or else! ☺).

I also learned more family history this weekend. A story I had never heard before (much to my dads surprise). As I was taking my dad home, I told him our family (his brothers and sister) need to get together just for story telling. I will gladly don the title of note taker so we can write the family stories down for my generation and the next. I became even more convinced how important it is to tell your children stories of your past. What may be inconsequential to you is history to them.

The house is different on the inside and outside. But that is okay. The newest owners are a great family and I am really glad they own the house. I have my memories and touring the house and property was a wonderful experience. It is only a house, but deep inside it is secretly still my Grandparents house.

Overwhelming Tears

I cried twice today.

The first time the tears came was this morning when I read and watched this. And then I was moved when I looked at pictures.

Then, my younger-self came to the surface again by reading this at Ann's site. My heart was torn open again. I was the girl who was hurt and haunted by others who thought they were better and needed to torment me to prove it. It has shaped my life when I really think about it...whether good or bad, it has shaped me.

I may be brave and write a post about it soon. Maybe it is finally time to write about the hurts. The social struggles. The want of feeling like I'm just as "good" as everyone else. But, it will hurt to bring up everything again. I say I've forgiven. But have I really when it still hurts?

Maybe I'll be brave soon.

This & That

Wow, can summer fly any faster?! I would really like to say I'm not complaining...but I am. Why lie.

Writer Daughter is now a full time cosmetology student...for a three full days now. She. Loves. It. There is a ton of memory work but hopefully as she does things over and over again, it will cement into her brain. She is a very visual learner so she struggles at times on the memorization...so if you ever feel like praying for her, you are more than welcome. Also, prayers would be great for traveling safety/mercies. She travels 50 minutes each way...we live in an area which witnesses both fog and snow. Yeah. And one thing she was afraid of and it looks like it might be coming true...no time for writing. That was her biggest fear. We made a schedule and between her full time school schedule and her job to pay for said school...No. Time. I keep telling her it is only one year...one packed full year. She'll get through it.

Our friend, Shannon, is on a Compassion International trip to Colombia. On her blog, she is writing a daily post about her time there. It is worth your time to read her postings. It will change your outlook. (scroll down to her Aug 12th post and read "up" from there) I've been thinking a lot about what she has written so far this week.

Dancer Daughter has some more pictures up on her blog. I think she is doing a fine job...but leave some comments over there for her if you see anything you like...which I know you will see lots of pictures you will like!! ☺ And if you are on facebook, consider "liking" her "business" page.

I'm about to make a confession. Full. On. Jealous. Yup, I'm full on jealous of this room.

These picture were respectfully stolen  borrowed from Ann Voskamp over at Holy Experience. Seriously, if you have never visited her blog, RUN--don't walk--over there right now. It is peaceful. I'm not sure I really want a room designated for teaching at home anymore since our children are getting older, but I'd love this look in any room of our house. It just looks so homey to me. Maybe it is the colors, wood and lighting. Whatever it is, it looks inviting. Am I right? sigh. Oh, and another confession? I would love, love, love to sit down with Ann. (if I read her blog almost every day, that gives me the right to be on a first name basis with her, right?!). I really think we could be friends.

Anyone out there needing a gift for a baby or toddler? Or maybe you have your own baby/toddler you'd like to look even cuter than they already are. My friend is a great seamstress and is in the business of cute kid clothes, bibs, burp cloths, crayon rolls, etc. Go here and show Laurie some love.

Need a good laugh, or two, or three? Go visit author Jenny B Jones blog. She is someone else I would love, love, love to meet. Not that I would expect everything that comes out of her mouth to be funny...only every other word. No pressure, Jenny. No pressure.

Well, I need to get out of blogland and into the real world....sigh. Have a great week everyone...no pressure.

Strolling Down Memory Lane

I went to a reunion this past weekend. Have I mentioned my hatred of such events? I think I get it from my dad...yeah, let's blame him. I just don't like the awkwardness of small talk. And this reunion would be huge if everyone came. It was a reunion which included my Grandpa's brothers and sisters (about 8 or so total) and their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Eeek! However, this reunion was different.

My 2nd or 3rd cousin (not good at that either...there's once removed, twice removed, hair removal...oops, that's another post!) contacted me and another one of those cousins removed via facebook to see if we'd be our family's representative. She must have asked on a good day because I said yes. However, I did inform her I had a graduation coming up and other things to do to get Writer Daughter ready for cosmetology school. She was totally cool with that.

I was dreading the day. I picked up my dad, who was also dreading it, and traveled about 4 miles from his house to the reunion location. I felt a little awkward at first but soon it became fun to see people I haven't seen since I was in Jr High and was forced to go to things like said reunion.

Relatives were told tables would be available for heirlooms to display. I thought, "Yeah, big deal." But really, it was a big deal. It was so interesting to see some of the material things collected from our past. Way, cool.

After eating a potluck of all the yummy things from the past and present, we had a time of story telling. There is only a brother and a sister of my Grandpas left. It was fun hearing the stories of my Great Grandpa and Grandma and even a little about my Great-great Grandpa. I think the story time was my favorite part of the afternoon. I learned so much. Like there are 10 sets of twins (My dad and aunt and a set of first cousins are part of that number! THAT is why I asked at the ultrasound how many were in there, people!!) in the family. And how a younger cousin of my dad's had a near death experience when he was a little boy and vividly told us what he saw and felt.

Lesson learned? Keep an open mind and a closed mouth about family reunions....I just might learn something! ☺

Lemon, Lemon, Lemon

This is so embarrassingly simple yet scrumptious! If you like lemon, this is for you. The person I begged asked to share the recipe didn't know the proper title so she made one up on the spot. Lemon Desert. But, it looks like a Lemon Fluff to me. Let's go with that one, shall we?

Lemon Fluff

1 small box lemon Jell-o
1 small box lemon instant pudding
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple (do NOT drain)
1 8 oz container sour cream
1 8 oz container Cool Whip

Pour sour cream and pineapple into a large bowl. Add the Jell-o and pudding DRY; mix very well. Fold Cool Whip into the mixture. Place in desired bowl and refrigerate.

The picture is a doubled recipe. Enjoy!