It’s a beautiful Caturday and that means it’s time to get out of the house and commune with nature, just like Bertie, whose human Squiddy writes: “I am training the cats to explore the yard (under supervision). They LOVE it. Here is a glamour shot of my sweet boy.”
He prefers to explore the outdoors by climbing it, by chasing it, and by eating it.
Oh my, what a handsome boi. Looks like he’s enjoying himself.
Not much going on here today, probably just running some errands and cleaning.
I’ve been MIA all week. We had final exams, graduation, a suspected Corona infection at school (false alarm) and I’m trying to calculate the rest of my students’ grades. School ends July 10, and then I’ll be moving to Vienna (no job, just a safety net).
The news from the States is getting me down. It looks more and more unlikely that I’ll be able to visit my elderly parents this summer. And I’m angry when I see how reckless people here in Europe and the US are when it comes to safety precautions.
A couple of things that keep me going: my bf has a week of vacation and is spending it with me (he arrives tomorrow); one of my students is going on to study in English at university; and a hedgehog is building a nest in the same flowerbed as the duck earlier this summer. It seems we have an enchanted garden!
In the words of Dr Max (a children’s show host when I was growing up): “take it easy, play it safe, and be careful!”
False alarm!! OMG how scary NFritz!!
It was… we had to enforce high level safety measures (students and teachers wearing masks during the lessons, students were not allowed to leave the classroom during breaks, constant disinfection and airing out of the rooms). I also had to cancel my plans for the weekend (I wanted to go to a concert on Friday with my bf. He postponed his arrival til Sunday, and I couldn’t risk possibly infecting others). Pandemics suck, but I will do anything to keep myself and others safe.
Great attitude! I love that! Thank you! 💕
Lovely Bertie in his harness!
I’m off to Home Depot as soon as they gather up all my stuff. Hopefully that will be early, as I also have to shop for things I couldn’t order online. My linen closet is ready for priming and painting (maybe tomorrow), then I can install the closet unit and put stuff back in it! Hurrah!
Next week, I’m only working Monday and Tuesday so I can really dig in to the stairwell project–that house isn’t going to improve itself! Living in a construction zone is not my favorite thing. Why do I do it so often?
Tonight, I have dinner with two dear friends. We haven’t seen each other since January, even though one of the friends only lives a few miles away. We’ll sit outside at our fave restaurant and catch up, social distancing as much as possible while we eat. Colorado’s COVID situation has not taken a turn for the worse, but none of us are complacent.
N. Fritz, the news from the States is even worse if you’re actually living here. It’s downright infuriating, that our lockdown period was completely wasted at the federal level: no planning at all for dealing with the virus. So sorry your visiting plans may not happen.
A final note: Scorpius does not appreciate the spin scritchie thing Dubravkamcmd (sp?) suggested. He hissed (first time in a long time!) when I tried it. Ah well. He still accepted chin and ear nuzzles.
Oh I’m sorry it didn’t work! Maybe only females?
The problem DebG, is that they didn’t stop testing earlier. Then the numbers wouldn’t be so high. 🤔
Hey All!
Cute Bertie is like my bunny, tasting all the plants!
Not much going on, but going to my sister’s today (weekly thing since pandemic). I need to start my taxes (yeek!) and Wednesday all teachers are required to go to school—unpaid—clean all the kids stuff out of their desks, put in a bag and label for parents to pick up. Not exactly happy about that. We can’t let parents do it cos of covid restrictions and the fact that some parents may overextend their reach, so to speak, in unmonitored rooms.🙄
Everybody stay safe!😊
Happy Saturday! Bertie is exceedingly handsome and I’m afraid I would never be able to refuse those eyes anything!
There was a slight bump in cases after phase 2 opening, so now masks are mandatory when out and about. I was already wearing them most of the time anyway so that’s ok with me. Went into the office this week for a few hours where masks were already required. It was nice to get some real work done, but dang I still hate that commute! I’ve pretty much decided to retire at the end of the year. Life’s too short to waste commuting!
I managed a haircut last weekend, and this week I’ve actually been able to swim!, severely restricted of course, but that’s ok, it keeps out the riff-raff. You have to reserve a lane, one person per lane, in 40 minute time slots. 🤗🤗
Lily is still napping on the job…
Beautiful picture!
Beautiful kitteh!
Lily knows that purple crocheted blankets bring our her highlights!
Jan B. Retire and don’t look back! Best thing I ever did! It did take me 5 years to feel retired! Kept thinking I had to go to work and recurring work dreams.
Thank you, I think I will! I had the same problem after graduating college, I had anxiety attacks for a long time, thinking I had a paper to write or studying to do, until I remembered that, no, I was done with that. Given how well, I’ve adapted to staying home these last few months I may not have the same problem with retirement…. 😁😁
Good morning everyone!
Feeling more up today. Unexpected jump in weight loss, hubby had a job interview yesterday, and so many good things expected in July that I can hardly wait!
So much kitty cuteness!
Have a fantastic weekend!
High five Duckie!! 👍🎉👏
I am hoping that July brings wonderful news for you all.
I may have mentioned that the battery in my only watch died a few weeks ago. This morning I ventured into town and was delighted to find a watch repair shop open. Success! Alas, so great was my delight I forgot that that the strap was getting badly worn near the buckle.
You may already have guessed what happened next…yes, less than half an hour after leaving the shop I checked the time and realised that my wrist was watch-free. It was only a cheap watch but I bitterly resented paying for a new battery!
Argggg. Life can be so frustrating!
Looks like you made the first step by getting Bertie to tolerate his handsome vest! I trained mine by keeping the vest and leash next to his food bowl for a couple of weeks before trying it. He doesn’t love it, but he has assessed that it’s worth it since he gets to go outside. AND my wild birds get to live another day. AND cats are so very handsome in their vests!
Happy Caturday, everyone. I too am feeling rather disheartened these days, despite the fact that my state is apparently doing better than it was (still #3 in cases with a slight rise since yesterday, however, according to https://ncov2019.live/data; my county is #8 in the state, says https://covid19.nj.gov/.) I try not to watch too much news. Some days it’s hard not to give in to my already-present depressive tendencies. And being here so much just reminds me how much I really need to clean my house, and it’s all just so overwhelming. So I’m sitting on my couch drinking cocoa and watching Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj videos on YouTube.
I went into the office on Monday, though not until about 10:00 (did some work from home first). They were cleaning out some cubicles and my department had a bunch of stuff in one my boss wanted me to go through. Most of it wasn’t even ours (like customer service stuff from 2012…which is about when customer service stopped working out of our building, and stuff from my old boss, but before he was ever my boss, some regarding processes we don’t do anymore and a freight company that no longer exists); I found stuff going back to 2003, before I even worked in the building! I pulled out all the binder clips and paper clips and then it all went into the recycling bin. Then I just stayed and did the rest of my work from my desk, since there weren’t a lot of people around. Left a little early because I had logged in early at home and didn’t take lunch. Stopped at Target (first Target run since early March) and Wegmans on my way home. Then I worked Tuesday and have been “on vacation” since Wednesday. It’s now Saturday and Monday feels like a really long time ago.
This weekend’s free show is The Sound of Music Live from 2013, with Carrie Underwood. Wasn’t terrible but frankly I think she should stick to singing.
And I got a message from that forum I mentioned last week, officially offering me a moderator position on a trial basis. It’s a 12 week trial/training period, starting July 6. I have to give them an answer by tomorrow. Part of me worries that I’ll just spend even more time on my computer, and part of me thinks I’ll be online anyway and at least it’ll give me something more concrete to focus on than aimlessly surfing. Trying to think of any questions I should ask before I decide…what would you ask?
Hey good for you Allein! Something new and different! 👍 Can’t hurt to do the trial.
Millie and I are having a good Saturday.
I have made progress in the art room, getting it ready for AC install Monday! The handyman will also be putting up metal boards that I can use to display artwork and use for photography of my art. He will also assemble my desk chair. Then I have two weeks to organize/discard as much stuff as possible before my housemate’s daughter adds in her desk.
The daughter spent a week with her father in Pennsylvania. She comes back Sunday night. She has to self quarantine for to weeks and her mother cannot work out of house for two weeks. I have to also wear masks and gloves outside of my room. AND they are talking about not opening schools until February partly due to lack of funds for all the extra sanitizing stuff and cleaning. No federal money offered.
Best thing: I climbed up on my bed on my hands and knees to smooth bedspread and heard/felt a snap in my back! My pain diminished about 75% and my range of motion improved too! I told my primary care doctor and he said I autochiropracticed myself!
Does anyone use a chiropractor and have you had good results?
This time next week I expect to be drawing in the studio! Will take picks of my view.
I am afraid of chiropractors. I understand totally that it is an overreaction to the death of a young girl in my hometown years ago. She suffered a massive stroke while getting a neck adjustment and the controversy surrounding it turned me off chiropractors. I have also known people to perish at the hands of an incompetent physicians but I am (generally!!) not afraid of doctors. Go figure.
I tend to be leery of chiropractors. Some of what they claim borders on pseudoscience, I think. That said, my mom saw one for neck problems when I was a kid and she says she had better results with Ben-Gay. (And her pillow has smelled perpetually of mint for almost as long as I can remember.) She also had surgery when I was 9, but I don’t remember if that was before or after the chiropractic treatment; it was not necessitated by anything the chiro did. She was initially injured by an unfortunate hug from a friend.
Yikes! I will triple check.
Here in Austria, many doctors have some osteopathic training, and I have had a couple of adjustments that were really helpful. In the states I once went to an MD to avoid a DO – the MD turned out to be a certifiable quack, so it all depends on credentials and skill.
I’m being referred by a doctor I trust. so I will let you all know.
That’s an excellent idea Faye!
Bertie is so handsome. And I just love that glossy look that some cats possess!