134 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread

  1. Smartypants October 1, 2016 / 9:15 am

    Introducing…Grumpier Cat! πŸ˜€

    Happy weekend, all.

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 10:22 am

      This cat looks like he’s been on a bender.

      • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 8:33 pm

        Puddish does look like the morning after– we need to find one from the night before. πŸ˜€ (Ideally, with a lampshade chapeau.)
        I am glad to read you are out of your brace Murray C. but sorry about Clementine’s vision, eye situation. Thankfully, 16 year-old orange, yelly, flappy mouth just has cataracts. He was chasing his tail this morning in bed—big goofball cracks me up.

        • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 9:22 pm

          Hmm. “Puddish” sounds like a religious rite for a Jewish cat”

          And Clementine, besides glaucoma, has a cataract. She remains bouncy, however.

  2. Haha October 1, 2016 / 9:27 am

    Hmmm…a comment. How creative.

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 9:24 pm

      HAH!

  3. Nancy October 1, 2016 / 9:34 am

    Looks like Disapproving Bunday has crept into Caturday….

    • AJ October 1, 2016 / 10:33 am

      You beat me to it! That is definately a bunny level disapproval stare. Not much planned for this weekend, haircut and relaxing. Play last week, The Adams Family, was hysterical. Only thing I semi-disapproved of is they made Wednesday older, early 20s and having her get married.

      Enjoy everyone!

  4. Gigi the cat lady October 1, 2016 / 9:43 am

    Today we are taking my 96 year old mother in law to lunch at her favourite Chinese buffet, she doesn’t go out much due to her mobility problems, she is also legally blind and gets tired very quickly, so going out to lunch at a restaurant is a big deal for her.

    After that we’ll be running errands for our lords and maters, heaven forbids they should run out of their favourite cat treats! We would get more than just a disapproving look if that ever happened ?

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 10:25 am

      How wonderful that you can do this for your Mother-in-Law! And wonderful that she can enjoy it.

  5. allein ? October 1, 2016 / 10:20 am

    On this day, 39 years ago, the Terrible Twos began…

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 10:24 am

      Happy Birthday, Allein! I hope your day – and the rest of the year – is (are) filled with good things, happiness and joy – and maybe a puppy.

      • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 10:30 am

        I am happy to announce that I am out of my brace and have one physical therapy session under my belt. It hurt like hell, I don’t mind saying. But the aftermath wasn’t bad. This is going to take a long time and I just have to be patient. And the house is so dirty and I can’t wield anything heavier than a dust rag and the therapist told me I shouldn’t really try doing art work because of the stress it causes me to use the fine motor skills in my hands and forearm. Rats.

        Sadly, my little bun Clementine will not regain the sight in her eye – she has glaucoma and will be needing eyedrops for the rest of her days. Also Rats.

        • Gigi the cat lady October 1, 2016 / 10:58 am

          So sorry about Cementine ? As for the house cleaning, that can wait, it’s not important, your recovery is.

        • Phred's Mom October 1, 2016 / 12:17 pm

          Poor Clementine! Are you able to do the drops, or does hubster do the job?
          I just showed MyMike how the new vacuum works, and, bless him, he did
          the downstairs floors. Can hubster do some of this kind of thing? Do some
          tidying? In addition to the physical stress you mentioned, the emotional
          stress of seeing a messy house can be a problem. Maybe I can send MyMike
          down with the Shark to help you out. You’re doing great, Murray, we’re
          proud to know you.

          • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 3:25 pm

            We collaborate on giving Clemmie her meds. He does great on keeping the kitchen tidied after we make dinner. He’s my sous chef, doing most of the cutting, opening of a can or jar, lifting a heavy pot. The bunny area is getting pretty messy – there I just sit on the floor and wipe around me and the bunnies crawl over me and nibble my clothes – Fergus is mostly responsible for that duty. He’s (hubby, not Fergus)been doing the laundry for years now because he needs his rowing clothes and I wasn’t getting them washed in a timely manner. Funny thing is, when he starts taking on a new task he suddenly becomes the expert and it can drive me a bit potty, but I thank my lucky stars he’s doing what he’s doing and keep my mouth shut – for the most part. I have rolled my eyes but not so’s he could SEE!?

          • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 11:59 am

            I meant to ask you – what is your Shark vacuum like? I have a Kenmore canister – I prefer canisters since we have very little carpet – but I’ve seen ads for the Shark and I like their irons pretty well. I know some vacuums have both capabilities – I’m thinking something like that might be lighter in weight.

            • Phred's Mom October 2, 2016 / 1:28 pm

              We just got (through NTMTOM’s Amazon, of course), a Shark
              cordless upright. I hate the floppy cord on vacs, it always is in
              the way. It’s the Navigator freestyle, not expensive, and works
              nicely on our few rugs and on the bare floors. It’s lightweight
              and has no bags, just an easily dumped cup. It’s been only a
              couple of weeks, but so far, so good. A much easier schlep
              from room to room and up the stairs. I do have a small
              portable canister for the above the floor cleaning, but I
              tend to follow the Amish and do most of that manually. Never
              have been big on hauling out equipment if a lightweight
              method works. Don’t think the Shark would do for the bun
              territory, though, stick with a canister.

            • 6rabbits October 2, 2016 / 2:44 pm

              I have a Shark. Highly recommend. It handles my bun territory just fine, as long as there’s not a lot of hay. I usually pick up hay first, especially longer, thick pieces. Fine hay it manages okay. Just have to make sure I’ve not gone beyond the “maximim fill” line–fills up pretty quickly!

              • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 3:27 pm

                What kind/type? What can it do?

        • 6rabbits October 2, 2016 / 12:09 am

          So sorry to hear about Clementine! It sounds like you mentioned this before and I missed it.☹️ How old is she? I hope she is a bun that doesn’t fight her meds. Kisses to her leetle bun head–if she allows such liberties from a stranger!

          • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 11:43 am

            She’s about 5. She’d be happy for kisses. She’s actually good about her meds – what she hates is being wrangled into her litter pan for transport all of a few feet to the kitchen. She’s not a cuddler – doesn’t like being held – but loves being stroked and fussed over. My little guy, the dutch dwarf, is good about being held – I doubt he loves it, but he doesn’t get all huffy about it. He’s so cute! Very mischievous, which is why his full name is “Mr. Fergus ‘Spats’ MacFurry”. I see him in a Derby – he has the spats already – with a loud bowtie and his furtive little movements like a petty criminal. I’m feeling very guilty about Clemmie’s eye business – I feel like I didn’t notice something ’til it was too late.

            • Faye October 2, 2016 / 11:55 am

              I’ve been there with pets. Just move forward and fuss over her a bit more than she expects.

            • 6rabbits October 2, 2016 / 2:41 pm

              I always feel bad when I miss stuff with my buns. But they are just so darn good at hiding distress! Trying to get meds in the mouth or eye of a struggling rabbit is very stressful, so I’m glad she deals well with it. I’ve had many buns who weren’t pick-up cuddlers, but all have enjoyed ear massages and head skritches as long as all 4 feet are on the ground! Do you have pics to share?

              • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 3:28 pm

                I do – I did have one that Mike put up as his post for the day – Clemmie had an ear in each of two bowls. I’ll try to find some more that display their cuteness to best effect.

                • 6rabbits October 2, 2016 / 8:02 pm

                  I must have missed that one☹️. Will try and find it!

                  • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 8:14 pm

                    It was a long time ago now. I’ll look for some more. Sweet of you to ask.

                • 6rabbits October 2, 2016 / 8:18 pm

                  I found it! I DO remember Clementine because she reminded me of my Holland Lop, Molly, in her coloring and broken pattern. (I once named a dwarf hamster Clementine because when she curled up she looked like the tiny orange!)

                  • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 9:33 pm

                    We called her Clementine because her first bonded partner was Winston and Churchill’s wife’s name was Clementine. Also, she fits the bill because her back footsies are
                    Eee-normous (get it? TripleE? HAH) and remind me of the lyrics “Wearing boxes without topses, Sandals were for Clementine”.

                • fkaWaldenPond October 2, 2016 / 8:56 pm

                  Oh my goodness! The ear in two bowls was Clemmie! Yes, I remember that one. πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 10:31 am

      Forgot to say how adorable the picture of you is.

      • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 10:41 am

        Thanks. Found it in an album a few years ago and had my dad scan it for me.

        Glad you are out of your brace. Housework can wait…

        Sorry about Clementine’s eye. πŸ™

        • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 11:07 am

          It’s Jimmy Carter’s birthday, too.

          • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 11:10 am

            And Julie Andrews.

    • jerzowa October 1, 2016 / 10:56 am

      Happy Birthday, Allein! ??

    • Gigi the cat lady October 1, 2016 / 11:00 am

      Happy birthday Allein, hope you have a wonderful day! ??
      P.S. I would have loved to pinch those chubby cheeks of yours. ?

      • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 11:10 am

        Ha!

        • Faye October 1, 2016 / 12:46 pm

          Happy Birthday Alleen. ?

        • Smartypants October 1, 2016 / 5:53 pm

          Happy birthday Allein!

    • murkle46 October 1, 2016 / 11:19 am

      party ideas

      generic birthday greetings,recipient !!!

      • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 11:30 am

        That’s great! Reminds me of the generic holiday store window I saw a few years ago..

      • Faye October 1, 2016 / 12:48 pm

        I love this. Someone should sell it (handmade as it is) as a package deal.

        • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 1:02 pm

          These are wonderfully hilarious! And, yes, they could make money by selling a kit. And it has the added benefit that it needn’t be personalized.

    • dubravkamcvmd October 1, 2016 / 3:25 pm

      Happy Birthday! As I recall, the early 40’s are a good time.

      • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 3:54 pm

        Let’s hope so!

    • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 6:01 pm

      Happy Birthday Allein! That is an amazing bad-ass, beat boy stance you are working there in that photo. You have only gotten cooler! πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚

      • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 6:46 pm

        Thanks!

        The jacket says “junior varsity” …. probably the closest I’ve ever been to being “athletic.” πŸ˜›

    • 6rabbits October 1, 2016 / 6:41 pm

      Happy Birthday, Allein! Adorable picture!???

    • Jan October 1, 2016 / 7:14 pm

      Happy birthday!

  6. Duckie ? October 1, 2016 / 11:00 am

    Strange night. Good sleep, but odd dreams.
    What is going on with Grumpier Cat’s left front paw? Is he counting things he disapproves of, or is he preparing to finger us?
    Hedgehogs don’t have privacy tailios.
    Going to Superstore this morning to stock up on turkeys (good price) and then coming home so I can do homework and hubby can make quince jelly.
    Have a great day, all.

  7. Elaine C Williamson October 1, 2016 / 11:31 am

    That cat puts me in mind of Henri, no doubt he would find the day tedious and empty.

    • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 11:50 am

      It’s gray and dreary here. No doubt he would approve.

      • Phred's Mom October 1, 2016 / 12:20 pm

        Never mind grey and dreary, Allein, enjoy your birthday!
        Cake! Ice cream! Happy, happy!

        • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 1:04 pm

          And desperately needed rain – what’s not to love?????????

          • Phred's Mom October 1, 2016 / 2:05 pm

            Phils beating the Mets would be nice.

            • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 2:14 pm

              Anybody beating the Mets is always nice. πŸ˜›

              • Faye October 1, 2016 / 9:52 pm

                Ha!

              • Phred's Mom October 2, 2016 / 1:31 pm

                yes yes yes yes!

    • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 12:00 pm

      LOVE Henri!

  8. SoccerSue October 1, 2016 / 12:39 pm

    Just relaxing and getting some errands done today after a drama-filled day in our little town yesterday.

    We have several piebald deer (do a Google image search if you’ve never seen one- they’re beautiful creatures) and a large buck that hang out in a field next to the high school. They’ve been there for two years and they’ve sort of become town mascots. Yesterday morning the police and game warden arrested someone for hunting them, and the first report we heard was that one or two deer had been killed, so we were all just devastated. Last night someone posted that the guy was after the big buck but didn’t actually kill any of the deer. So they got him for trespassing, and hunting in city limits (next to a high school and across the street from a middle school, good grief!). Hopefully he was using a gun rather than bow and arrow because it’s not currently legal to hunt them with a gun- bow and arrow only through yesterday.

    Side note- I’ve learned more about hunting in the last two days than I have in my previous 47 years on the planet. πŸ˜›

    • SoccerSue October 1, 2016 / 1:52 pm

      Here’s a pic someone else took of one of them. I’ve seen them many times but never gotten close enough to take a decent picture.

      • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 3:15 pm

        Ooh, a deer in a onesie!?

      • Smartypants October 1, 2016 / 4:46 pm

        He ran out of ink!

        So glad they were able to nab the guy before he succeeded. Maybe they can add ‘reckless endangerment’ for hunting near schools?

        • 6rabbits October 1, 2016 / 6:47 pm

          Ooooo! That’s a good idea, Smartypants!??

      • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 9:02 pm

        What a magical looking deer! πŸ™‚

  9. Faye October 1, 2016 / 1:01 pm

    It’s gray and cloudy here. And I’m hot. And tired. Slept until 11 but I feel like I need more sleep. I don’t like when I opt for a second cup of coffee and I remain sleepy. So I’m in the ac and will nod off again.

    I’m off from babysitting for three days in a row. So my goals are:

    Helping a friend with a logo design.
    Fine tuning website mobile version.

    I’m actually at the point where I’m ready to begin learning the blog part. A bit intimidating. Actually putting out my personal thoughts is a bit more personal than posting my art and summaries. I want to have a supply of posts and images all ready to go before the blog goes live.

    Speaking of blogging: the more I study the details the more appreciative I am of NOMTOM and all he does here at CUTEtropolis. Thank you Mike.

    • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 2:16 pm

      You’re in the AC and I just turned on the heat!

      The cats were having an argument earlier. I often hear Stars hiss at Stripes, but she growled! I don’t know what he did to her but she wanted nothing to do with him and every time he so much as passed by she hissed and ran away. Things seem to have settled down now…I think she’s hiding in the bedroom.

  10. Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 1:08 pm

    I love designing logos – I hope you have fun with it. And YAY Mike for being a wonderful guide thru the Land of the Cute.

  11. Patty October 1, 2016 / 1:09 pm

    It’s fall here. I think the day might have to be spent digging out blankets and fall clothes that have been in storage all summer. I haven’t anything planned for today, but my brother needs groceries, and he will keep calling and texting until I just go take him to the store. My SIL has to take their cats to the mobile vet clinic for rabies shots, because he and my daughter are fostering my great nephew and DCF says they have to be current. I may have to take a cat carrier to them, if the little fatties won’t fit in their small carrier together. Since my week is usually full of doing stuff for other people, I try to keep weekends for me, but something always leaks over into Saturday. Sunday is mine, even though it will likely be spent crocheting on the baby blanket I still have not finished.

    Fall is my favorite time of year, although Oct. is expensive for me since all the birthdays are this month. My grandsons’ birthdays: Oct 4 and 11, husband’s best friend: Oct 11, my other brother (not the disabled one I help): Oct 19, SIL: Oct 28, Husband: Oct 30.

    • Faye October 1, 2016 / 9:56 pm

      Wow Patty. That is a bunched up birthday schedule. Enjoy your Sunday.

    • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 12:08 pm

      I know a lot of people born in October, too – and even more born late Oct. into Nov. I’m a Scorpio (I give no credence to that, just as a point of reference), born Oct. 25. That’s the date I know it’s time to think abut Christmas.
      I’m probably losing it because I may have told this story before – about a friend’s father who was head of Philadelphia’s Prison System, with offices at Holmesburg Prison where all the really deeply disturbed people were housed. He was working with a student to see if they could identify a common denominator among all of these folks. At the time, you had to buy computer time, and after feeding all the data into the study, they had a bit of time left over and decided, as a lark, to put in astrological signs. That ended up being the one thing that come up as a unifying feature – well over what could be expected statistically – I think over 60% – were Scorpios!?

      • allein ? October 2, 2016 / 12:27 pm

        My nephewish (my best friend’s son) will be 2 on October 25th!

        I’m the 1st, my cousin’s daughter’s the 4th, another cousin’s daughter’s the 7th, my mom’s the 14th, one of my college friends is the 23rd, and my nephewish (who is also my godson) and a family friend are both the 25th.

        Thankfully I am not expected to buy gifts for all of these people (just my mom and my godson).

        • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 12:48 pm

          My brother’s birthday is today and I have a cousin born the 6th and a bunch of friends born around the 23, 24. There was a woman in my water class that not only was born the same day and year, we were born in the same hospital! Lots o’ Hanky Panky goin’ on in those days post holiday!?

          • allein ? October 2, 2016 / 12:55 pm

            I have dinner with a former boss once in a while, and last time his wife was telling me how their kids were born in the same hospital she was born in. So because she’d been there before, she kept the same patient number from her first “visit.” When her older son was born, the nurse thought there was some mistake because her number was three-thousand-something, while her son’s was three-million-something.

            • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 1:00 pm

              Whoa! Amazing.

  12. Phred's Mom October 1, 2016 / 2:15 pm

    Doll show and sale tomorrow at New Hope Pa. I’m on the lookout for dollhouse
    furniture to fill gaps in my stuff. My father built me a dollhouse when I was about
    three years old, and it was furnished with wooden Strombecker items. Many have
    vanished over the years with me, my daughter, and granddaughter and all our friends
    playing with it. There may some available. Etsy is a good source for this kind of
    thing too. Then late lunch at the local tavern to see the Phillies’ Ryan Howard’s last
    game. End of an era with his leaving. We have no tv, so the tavern it is. Big bowl
    of chili and a Guinness will round out the afternoon. Not bad.

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 2:30 pm

      Sounds fun. Have you ever gone to the Miniaturia Show in Cherry Hill? It’s a huge dollhouse and every thing you could ever possibly want for a dollhouse show – I think it’s the first weekend in Nov. I don’t have a dollhouse but I love miniature things so I go every year just to gawk and talk to the artisans. I have to admit, it’s for “enthusiasts”, not as much for those who play with their dollhouses. But it’s so much fun to see what people do – lighting fixtures, hand thrown pottery, hand knit/crocheted/tatted and woven to scale textiles, clothing, incredible hand built furniture of all styles, nature scapes, paintings. There was a guy one year who had a tiny working forge and an old-fashioned tripod camera (a la Matthew Brady) that took pictures. Tiny food, tiny toys – even extremely tiny dollhouses for the people in the dollhouses. So much fun.

      • benvolio October 1, 2016 / 3:49 pm

        I just discovered Tiny Cooking videos on YouTube!







        How cool would it be if dollhouses had working ovens??

        • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 4:55 pm

          Omigosh, that’s so funny! It could be a new “Slow Food/Diet” movement. I did love the little cast iron skillet.

      • Phred's Mom October 1, 2016 / 3:54 pm

        Sounds like fun, Murray. I’m trying to keep this dollhouse pretty much
        the way it started, back in 1944. I will make wee curtains, pillows, etc.
        to replace what is long gone. Still have the original rugs. My dad had
        set up little Christmas lights for the interior lighting, I won’t replace that
        but will re-paint and clean it up. I’m not into going overboard. Not me
        in most endeavours. (See what I did there?). A nice winter job.

        • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 4:52 pm

          I don’t suggest buying anything at this event, just going for the entertainment value. I think dollhouses should be played with, that things can be out of scale with one another. I did have one of those tin dollhouses but that wasn’t the same as a wooden one, especially a handmade wooden one. I have lots of bits and pieces – I should send them to you. We’ll talk!

          • Duckie ? October 1, 2016 / 6:13 pm

            Can I join this doll house conversation? I’m trying to do a 1:24 scale dollhouse.

            • 6rabbits October 1, 2016 / 7:02 pm

              Making anything at that scale will drive you bonkers!
              I have a dollhouse my step-grandpa made for me in 1973 at 1″:1′ scale. My mom and I worked on it for a couple decades “improving” it. We made a lot of things cos we couldn’t afford them otherwise. Doll house is 4 feet tall (2 stories and an attic) so it’s been at my parents for years since I haven’t the space for it. Never could find the right kind of people I wanted–Victorian–that I could afford, anyway. My sister has a much smaller doll house which she decorated for mice–her “Mouse House”.

            • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 7:09 pm

              Of course, Duckie! That’s a difficult challenge to undertake. I know nothing about building dollhouses – there must be a lot online. I do know that a lot of people are now doing 1/4″ scale for which they use laser cutters. I saw a knife and fork in a little plastic case that were 1/4″ scale and I said to the vendor that next we were going to look at an empty case because things were getting ridiculously small. A lot of artisans bemoan things getting quite so small. But 1/2″scale is doable – I think there are some famous houses are in that scale (Queen Mary’s?) it’s tricky to find resources – woodgrains, threads, that are in scale – if that’s an issue for you. There are kits, of course. One of the reason I love these shows is because you can get all sorts of stuff- building materials, furniture kits, laces, rugs, wallpapers, all in scale. How are you going about your building?

              • Duckie ? October 1, 2016 / 9:31 pm

                First I’m trying to get the dolls. No point in going further if I can’t get them.
                I may have to settle for 1:18 scale.
                I’ll have to buy a dollhouse, but I want to do everything else myself.
                I think I’ll be waiting for a bit, until our finances heal. But I LOVE looking at the catalogues and websites.
                And planning.

                • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 9:37 pm

                  That’s the best part. And you could always do a shadow box instead of a whole house. Some of the ones I’ve seen have been amazing, from old time general store to French bordello!?

                  • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 9:54 pm

                    Do you have a theme?

                    • Duckie ? October 2, 2016 / 12:17 am

                      I have no official plans now, except for something Victorian, maybe.
                      I would love to have a Christmas scene set up for this year in miniature, with all the richness that I have no money, time, energy or room for.

          • Phred's Mom October 2, 2016 / 1:42 pm

            Slept too late and felt yucky when I got up, so didn’t make the doll
            show. Just as well, I was not likely to find anything anyway.
            Better now, and looking forward to the chili and Guinness.
            My dollhouse is an older scale, 3/4″:1′, so only the older
            Strombecker wooden items and the Renwal plastics from the
            late forties/early fifties fit best. If you want to divest yourself
            of some of your goodies, let me know what works for you.
            Good idea.

            • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 3:53 pm

              Glad you’re feeling better. I would love some of my little things to go to a good home, so I’d be happy to send them to you – or meet up with you! It would require going through old trunks and all that – I’m not sure if anything I have is in a particular scale, that might be a problem for you. I can’t say that I’d heard about 3/4″ scale! But I would love to give them to someone who would appreciate them.

              • Phred's Mom October 2, 2016 / 5:22 pm

                Once you are up and feeling something approaching normal, we’ll work out how this can happen. Havertown and
                Doylestown are not worlds apart, after all, and we could
                fetch up against each other at some place fun, say,
                the Reading Terminal Market? Where the sorta elite meet?
                My treat for lunch! When you feel better, for sure. This
                project of mine is certainly not urgent. It would be a treat.
                I’m chuffed. Did I use that right????
                i

                • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 7:50 pm

                  Chuffed it is! Sounds great. I drove for the first time today. Tricky to get the key in the ignition – had to rely on my left hand. I was bemoaning the fact that I have few clothes to wear except my men’s shirts – gardening shirts – because they button down the front. I have a couple more that are reasonable looking (even if they are 30+ years old) but most of these things are light cotton and its getting cold. So we went to our local Kohls today and got me a couple of things that will do for the cooler weather. The thought of trying to shift summer for winter clothes is more than I can stand at the moment. I’m in more pain than I realized I would be as a result of the PT. BUT IT’S OK! I will prevail. I think I might actually get to sleep in a bed tonight. Big whoop! ?

                  • Phred's Mom October 3, 2016 / 10:55 am

                    We’ll work out what works, Murray, my sweet.
                    I’m so glad you’re progressing to a real bed for
                    sleep! My right hip hurt so much for a couple of
                    weeks there, I could only be pain-free flat on my
                    back, which is not the best for sleep. Being in a
                    real bed will make a huge difference to you beyond
                    the physical; just being in one’s own comfy bed
                    is soothing to the soul. Keep up the good work.
                    You will look back on this period and feel a huge
                    sense of accomplishment. Chuffed, even.

                    • Murray C. October 3, 2016 / 11:55 am

                      Thanks so much for the good words. Unfortunately the bed experiment failed miserably and at 2:30 I was dragging pillows downstairs (actually kicking them – that was kinda fun) and it was back to the Rented Recliner. Sigh. Lot o’ pain last night for what reason I do not know. Anyway, back to PT today and we’ll see what new torture he manages to inflict! Cheerie ‘Bye!

  13. AJ October 1, 2016 / 3:31 pm

    Wow, sounds like everyone’s having pretty good weekends. Shout outs to Murray, congrats on getting out of the contraption and starting the healing process; Allein, happy birthday and we’ll have to disagree about the baseball game, I’m hoping for the opposite result. Go Mets !(diehard fan since the early 80s). Back from the salon with a spiffy new do, hubby still at gun show so I think I’m just going sit and read some magazines I picked up at the library on the way home. I was going to clean and do some laundry but today ended up hotter then I expected so it’s all waiting til tomorrow.

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 3:34 pm

      I love that you said “spiffy” – one of my favorite words. Along with “natty”.

      • Smartypants October 1, 2016 / 4:49 pm

        Oh, and how about ‘dashing’? I like that one.

        • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 5:00 pm

          And “tickety-poo”

          • 6rabbits October 1, 2016 / 7:03 pm

            ❓❓❓

            • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 9:18 pm

              A Britishism meaning things are ticking along swimmingly, thank you very much. Everything is in its appropriate place.?

              • Faye October 1, 2016 / 10:01 pm

                Nothing about me is in an appropriate place and my room is cluttered too.

              • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 10:12 pm

                Tickety-boo? πŸ™‚

                • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 10:20 pm

                  I may borrow your tickety-poo when things are not going swimmingly and need to be flushed. πŸ˜€

                  • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 10:54 pm

                    ? I never saw it, only heard it and obviously mis-heard it – hee, hee.

                    • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 11:07 pm

                      I think Tickety-poo is brilliant- seriously, I am going to start using it when the situation has gone to complete needed flushing mode. πŸ˜€ πŸ˜€

              • 6rabbits October 1, 2016 / 11:57 pm

                Ok, that’s one I’ve missed, and I’m quite the anglophile! ?

    • Phred's Mom October 1, 2016 / 3:59 pm

      Looks like the Mutts, er, Mets will do it again. For some reason
      the Phils simply are intimidated by the Mets, unable to even
      break even with them. *sigh* Don’t even feel optimistic enough
      to say, “wait till next year”. But . . .what the hey, wait till next year!

  14. Laura October 1, 2016 / 3:42 pm

    Happy birthday, Allein! Hope you have a happy day!

    And hang in there with the therapy, Murray. It’ll be worth it in the end, promise. I’ve been through painful therapy several times, so I know whereof I speak. Just do your exercises, don’t worry about the house — if it gets bad enough, hire someone to do the heavy cleaning for a couple hours! — and just take care of yourself.

    I had a busy, busy week with tons of campaign speeches to be done, each one wanted sooner than the last, so I’m very glad to have a quiet weekend. Melody also had a busy week as a Therapy Dog. She and hubs finally got their official tour at the VA Hospital to learn the ropes — and which wards provide biscuits, hey, what’s important? — although 3 hours was too much for her. Then the next day at the state Veterans Home the resident house panther came face to face with her — she’s fine with cats so she didn’t react — but oh boy did kitty not approve of this interloper on HER territory! She followed them around the rest of their time there, over an hour! Then today was the monthly Therapy Dog group visit to the troubled kids’ home. She was so tired after that that she wouldn’t even get up to get a t-r-e-a-t! But she’s not done; tomorrow she has a nursing home. And then next week a read-to-the-dog program at a local school. She’s getting more and more in demand! But she’s still young and new enough at this Therapy Dog biz that hubs is going to keep her to 2 hours max. At least he can go to the VA hospital any time he wants; the other stuff is all on a regular schedule. She’s got a busier schedule than I do these days, I think!

    Sebastian and I stay home and relax while she’s out working. And then he gets to go on walks to see all his neighborhood friends. Melody has her Special Friend in the 3-year-old girl next door; Sebastian’s Special Friend is a 2-year-old boy from down the block. Everyone walks their dogs at the same time in the evening so it turns into a group activity, so all the dogs and kids and grownups get to know each other. There are constant funny things happening, too. The Cavalier King Charles puppy next door is getting longer-legged, enough that he climbs over Sebastian’s rotund little middle — but not long enough to make it all the way, so he gets stuck! I definitely need to get a picture of that. Dogs are so funny! There’s a couple of neighborhood cats, too, that go out for their evening constitutional with their human — they stay in their yard but enjoy the fresh air — and all the dogs leave them well alone, so that’s good. We should all get along so well, right?

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 4:37 pm

      Good on ya, Laura – good work, glad you have some decompression time. And I love hearing about Melody and Sebastian. It must best gratifying for your husband to be doing the therapy dog thing – I love that having dogs and other critters visiting people, be read to, has become so popular, that the therapeutic value of animals has been given the attention it deserves. I have such a wonderful picture of your entire neighborhood, animals and all, out for their pre-prandial airing, nodding and waving to each other, stopping for a chat while the critters play around their feet. Sweet

      • AJ October 1, 2016 / 6:58 pm

        I love that image too of the evening walk. In the UK, it’s called the evening constitutional and my favorite, Italians call it the passeggiata. It used to be the only way respectable girls and boys could meet each other.

        • Phred's Mom October 2, 2016 / 1:50 pm

          The passegiata is still a deal in Italy. That’s when MyMike and I would
          go out, before dinner, and pretend we lived there whenever on a trip
          to Italy. My two favorite towns for this: Frascati and Orvieto. Especially
          Orvieto. If you ever want to stay in a super place run by a super person,
          look up Ripa Medici in Orvieto, Sabrina runs a nifty b&b with home-made superb breakfasts in her apartment. She makes you feel truly at home.
          Can’t wait to go back.

          • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 7:54 pm

            Oh, the idea of spending time in Italy to enjoy real life instead of being on a tour. The idea of renting a villa with a bunch of friends – I know someone who did that and they were all professional chefs. They took turns cooking – going into the town for fresh food and cooking a lovely meal and sitting around drinking wine and talking and eating in a beautiful environment. Sigh. Life at its best.? (How do you say
            “ohh, la la” in Italian??)

      • Laura October 1, 2016 / 7:47 pm

        That’s exactly what it’s like, Murray! There’s one bunch who all have small kids who all go out together — my husband calls it the Evening Parade — and Melody and Sebastian love greeting them all and being greeted. Melody actually gets excited when we just say the name of our 3-year-old neighbor, and if she sees her out the window, she gets all excited and starts jumping around the house! It’s very cute. It’s a very ethnically and religiously and age-wise mixed neighborhood, too, which I like. And the kids all play out front together, even the little ones with parents watching, so everyone gets to know everyone. This will be a nice play to stay till the kids drag me off to The Home, which was the goal when we moved here!

        • Phred's Mom October 2, 2016 / 1:52 pm

          How lucky are you in such a great neighborhood! This is how
          it should be. Amen.

  15. Jan October 1, 2016 / 7:25 pm

    Quiet weekend of alternating yard work and resting my knees from the aforementioned yard work. I’m preparing to have the siding on my house replaced and have to get everything cleared away. The garage door will also be replaced as well as all the gutters and downspouts. Quite the makeover! (And quite the $$$, ugh.)

    But Lily doesn’t care… behold the fluffy tummy!

    • Smartypants October 1, 2016 / 8:39 pm

      Love those curled-up hind feet – she’s out like a light! What a pampered girl.

    • Murray C. October 1, 2016 / 9:28 pm

      Behold and weep that I can’t be there to scritch the aforementioned tummy.

      • Jan October 1, 2016 / 9:33 pm

        *best Admiral Ackbar voice* It’s a trap!

        …and it suckers me in every time! Β―\_(ツ)_/Β―

        • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 10:11 pm

          πŸ˜€

        • 6rabbits October 1, 2016 / 11:59 pm

          ?

    • Faye October 1, 2016 / 10:06 pm

      Ooo the underlily. Lovely all over.

      • Jan October 1, 2016 / 10:12 pm

        The ‘underlily’ – thanks, that really made me laugh out loud. I shall have to use that!

        • Faye October 2, 2016 / 6:59 am

          ☺️

  16. Carlotta October 1, 2016 / 10:04 pm

    Is it time for a vote stoat? There is still time to resister, cute, sane people!!!

    Carlotta

    • Smartypants October 2, 2016 / 7:39 am

      Oh, good idea!

  17. allein ? October 1, 2016 / 11:23 pm

    One more before bed
    Wish I could still sleep like this
    Only 2 days old

    • fkaWaldenPond October 1, 2016 / 11:42 pm

      Awwwww and look at the locks!

      • allein ? October 1, 2016 / 11:59 pm

        It’s funny…I was born with dark hair that lightened up (still brown, though), while my brother was born with white-blond hair that darkened to a dirty blond/light brown by middle school or so, and my dad had blond hair as a baby that as an adult was as dark as mine was when I was born. (Now he says he’s not going white, he’s going back to the blond he was as a child.)

  18. Phred's Mom October 2, 2016 / 5:30 pm

    The Phils are ahead, I had a dynamite late lunch, and now am feeling very dozy.
    Life is good. Ryan Howard is up for his last-ever at bat as a Phillie. Ugh, just
    popped up. Oh, well. Life is still good. Happy and productive Monday, all.

  19. Jan October 2, 2016 / 8:02 pm

    And to end the weekend on a cute note, here’s Lily playing with her mouse on the stairs this afternoon:




    Hope everyone has a great week!

    • Murray C. October 2, 2016 / 8:11 pm

      She is so cute – I hadn’t realized how dark her tail is! She sometimes looks like a slinky going down the steps! Oh, to have so much energy.

      • Jan October 2, 2016 / 8:13 pm

        I know, she sure runs me ragged!

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