Jenn & Chad Buy a 1952 House

I Made This!

2012-01-31T00:28:00.003-06:00

Friday I took a super-fun furniture upholstery class at Spruce here in Austin. The result is this lovely bench. I got the fabric at Fanny's Fabrics on South Lamar on sale for a steal! The bench will spend its days in Chad's fancy new office.

Lenten Vegan & the Circle of Judgement

2012-01-24T22:51:00.005-06:00

I'm a vegetarian. I love cuddly critters. It's hard for me to look at animals and draw a line between "let's be friends" and "you are food".

What a person chooses to put into or onto their body is a very personal decision. I don't presume to preach to anyone that they should be a vegetarian based on my personal beliefs. However, I've been on the receiving end of many tirades about how I should not eat eggs (not even free-range, organic eggs) or dairy products (not even ethically raised, humanely harvested, organic milk or cheese). I've also read reports about reduction of honeybee populations and mysterious honey shortages.

Lent starts with Ash Wednesday on February 22 this year. For forty days through Easter on April 8, I will go vegan. Vegans abstain from using or consuming products that contain animals or animal byproducts. Personally, the hardest part for me will be avoiding honey and beeswax. I'll have to give up honey in my tea and my favorite beeswax lip balms. Luckily, most of my bath and cosmetic products are already vegan. I'll miss cheese and milk, but will experiment with nut cheeses, soy cheeses, almond milk and coconut milk. (I already know I loathe soy milk. Ick.)

Living in Austin, vegan options at restaurants, bakeries, ice cream shops, grocery stores and cosmetic sections abound. I'll enjoy exploring the plethora of products. If I have to travel during Lent, it may be tough to find vegan food, but I'll plan ahead.

I'm not throwing out my wool, cashmere or leather that I already own. I stopped buying leather a few years ago, reasoning that the pigs and cows die for that leather. However, I still have leather shoes, bags and belts purchased many years ago. Little baby lambs die to make shearling, so none of that in my possession! I still buy cashmere and wool, because the sheep and goats are shaved, not killed. Admittedly I should do more research on whether the woolly-beasts enjoy good living conditions. I won't purchase any new animal byproducts during Lent. If you stumble upon a cashmere sale of epic proportions, I do NOT want to know!

Will I remain a vegan after Lent? Maybe... but I'll likely go back to being lazy vegetarian who enjoys dairy products and cashmere socks. Don't judge, please.

Chad is going vegetarian for Lent this year. I'm proud of him, and ready to support him. I'll also reserve judgement when Lent ends.

Self Promotion

2012-01-22T20:02:00.004-06:00

Yeah, yeah. I don't pay to watch you work, but some of you have actually asked me about upcoming public shows. Here's your chance to catch me at work.

Wednesday, January 25 at 8:00 PM

Fronterafest Short Fringe at Hyde Park Theatre

The Requirements by Max Langert

Tickets available at Hyde Park Theatre's website.

Fronterafest Short Fringe runs like a round robin tournament. If the judges, audience and/or technical theatre crew like us, you may be able to catch the show again.

Monday, February 6 at 7:00 PM

Murder Mystery Players at Maggiano's in the Domain

Death Plays the Market: It doesn't pay to be the accountant to a wealthy couple on October 29, 1929. Fabulous vintage costumes make this show extra fun!

Call 512-501-7870 for reservations!

Retail (can be) Hell

2012-01-15T17:14:00.003-06:00

In the course of my varied and spotty work history, I've held many retail positions.

1. Mervyn's somewhere in Plano, TX one summer in high school: I worked in the home goods section. I didn't know the merchandise very well, but I could balance a cash register quickly & correctly, helped customers pretty well and compulsively cleaned & tidied.

One day a fellow male employee of high-school age followed me to the stock room where he cornered me, begging me to let him touch my butt. I literally ran from him, but didn't report him. I missed that very special episode of 90210 that dealt with sexual harassment in the workplace. On the plus side, I still have a pretty beach towel that I bought with my employee discount.

2. Margo's at Collin Creek Mall during high school and college holidays: Margo's sold inexpensive, but not disposable, women's clothes, shoes and accessories. I worked there longer than any other employee, training most of my managers along the way, and outlasting their tenure. I knew the inventory like the back of my hand.

Once, a sweet, cross-dressing man wanted to try on the ladies' clothes in the ladies-only fitting room. I let him. None of the women shopping at Margo's that day were bothered by him. He was very polite, though I did question some of his color choices. Moss-green with his coloring? Eww.

One year around Christmas, a frazzled middle-aged man entered the store waving a Victoria's Secret catalogue in the air. "Oh great." I said to myself, pondering how to best eschew this probable pervert. When I tried to direct him to the Victoria's Secret store, he sighed with exasperation. "My wife wants clothes, not lingerie, from this Victoria's Secret Catalogue, but I waited too long. The clothes are sold out. I need to find clothes that are like these she picked." Ooooohhh.

3. Breed & Company on 29th Street during summer and fall of my senior year of college: I was relegated to the cashier corral where I stood behind a cash register for hours on end. For the most part, I really liked working at Breed's. Except for that one time a very wealthy old man argued with me about the sales tax on his receipt for ten minutes while the line behind him grew longer and longer. Then a few of the customers who witnessed the exchange decided that they should also treat me as if I were mentally incompetent, and fuss at me. You know, since I made them wait so long in that line while I let that rich old man fuss at me.

4. Toy Joy during spring of my senior year of college: Toy Joy continues to be that hipster paradise for all things cheap, plastic, glow-in-the-dark and/or Sanrio. Kids of all ages flock to this place conveniently located near the University of Texas.

The other employees during my short employment at Toy Joy hated me. I didn't have enough of an alternative lifestyle, enough piercings or enough tattoos for their liking. They tried to get me fired, and very nearly succeeded until one of the owners worked a shift with me. At the end of the shift Owner-Lady told me I was a great employee, and apologized for nearly firing me based on punk-rock hearsay. I blew that popsicle stand shortly before graduation, because life is too short to deal with surly co-workers.

5. That store that shall not be named. I'm scared to write much about this place lest one of the litigious-happy owners accuse me of defamation. Let's just say I still have nightmares about this store and one of the owners. My toes still bear scars from ten hour days spent in high heels on concrete floors. But, dang, I made a ton of money there!

6. Old Navy one holiday season: Again with the concrete floors, but this time in sneakers for not much money. This Old Navy, now closed, was right by my apartment on the sketchy side of town. Homeless people would wander in and talk my ear off, because I was a captive and polite audience.

I used the employee discount to treat everyone to clothes from Old Navy that Christmas. I liked my coworkers, but couldn't deal with the low pay after the holiday season.

7. J. Crew for two years post-college in that dying mall: Working in an upscale store in a dying mall was too weird. People did, and left, some crazy things in the J. Crew fitting rooms.

An old lady with too much makeup and lots of obvious plastic surgery urinated in the big fitting room one day. I still see her at my gym. Just gross.

Lots of dirty diapers festered in the fitting rooms, despite our store's location next door to the public restrooms that had diaper changing stations. Cups of urine from potty-training gone wrong also made frequent appearances in the fitting rooms.

A flasher showed his junk to a sweet, unsuspecting female employee in those fitting rooms.

A customer yelled at me and berated me in the fitting rooms one day for not folding her pants cuff correctly. She then told me, "save the drama for your mama." Back at you, Lady Bossypants.

I found a tiny, plastic baggie of a powdered substance in the fitting room one busy Saturday. One of the younger employees informed me that I likely had an eight-ball of cocaine in my hand. Another employee who studied at UT Law School told me I should call the police and turn in the substance to the authorities. I did. A week later, I called the police with my case number to make sure I hadn't found a baggie of anthrax. Good news it wasn't anthrax. But, yep, it was low-quality cocaine cut with sugar.

Lots of people attempted to shoplift by putting on layers of clothes under their street clothes, or stuffing clothes into bags, backpacks or purses in the fitting rooms. J. Crew had tiny anti-theft devices sewn into the more expensive items that would set off the alarms as would-be shoplifters tried to exit. Employees were not allowed to accuse anyone of shoplifting or call mall security or the police, but we were allowed to suggest that people return to the fitting room. *Wink-wink.* Most would-be shoplifters were so embarrassed that they made up weird excuses about dental work or mobile phones setting off the alarm as they skulked back to the fitting rooms to dump the merchandise they were trying to steal.

Of course, I also found many of the anti-theft tags removed from clothes and stuffed behind the tiny space between the wall and fitting room mirrors, or tacked to the underside of the small stools in the fitting rooms, or stacked meticulously on top off the skinny wall frames separating the fitting rooms.

__________________________________

I'm writing cover letters to apply for some retail jobs this week. Upon reflection, one could correctly call into question my sanity. I need something to keep me out of gangs (like the Junior League) and off of drugs (like martinis during the daytime). I also need to make more money than my weekly acting gigs can pay if I'm to keep up with my fashion aspirations. *Sigh.* I have great taste and a limited budget. (I'm looking at you, Nanette Lepore!)

Babysitting

2012-01-03T23:32:00.003-06:00

Chad agreed to hosting more kittens at the 1952 House for a few days while their regular foster-mom travels for work. Meet Minnie, Melia and Matthew! They are shy wee beasties, but very playful.

2012 Resolutions

2012-01-01T01:46:00.002-06:00

1. Drink more! (water.)

2. Defy gravity! (with regular trips to the gym.)

3. Continue to volunteer! (because the pay is amazing.)

4. Visit a foreign country I haven't been to yet. (Front runner is Ireland.)

5. Celebrate my 30th birthday in style! (and not admit my real age unless under oath.)

Last Saturday

2011-12-24T02:32:00.003-06:00

I spent part of last Saturday volunteering at Austin Pets Alive Tarrytown. It's a tough job, snuggling puppies and kitties. Oh yeah, and greeting the human visitors.

This puppy is Jett. He's a Catahoula-mix. I love him, but explained to him about the overcrowding sitch at the 1952 House. He's gonna find a great home... with someone else.

Weekend Guests!

2011-12-12T00:26:00.003-06:00

Chad and I hosted the BEST weekend guests ever at the 1952 House Saturday night and part of Sunday: kittens! We babysat the little fuzzy sugarplums while their foster-mom partook in some holiday cheer. Honestly, the kittens were holiday cheer for me.

At 25 days old, the babies eat every three hours during the day and can go up to six hours overnight between feedings. Totally worth the slightly out-of-ordinary schedule: Mouse, Moonpie and Magee were great little eaters.

Kenji and Sonic (resident cranky cats at the 1952 House) didn't like the kittens much, but Marigold (old lady Persian cat) and Janie (just the best dog ever) expressed respectful fascination with the babies. Let the squee-ing begin!

Our guests fit into a tiny hamster cage!

Moonpie lounging with his tiny Teddy-bear.

Done!

2011-12-03T02:33:00.002-06:00

Learning a new script for a role/show I haven't done before is stressful. I try to pretend it isn't. Pretending doesn't work. Procrastinating also doesn't work.

Tonight I did a new show in San Antonio for a private party. All week I worked on the character and memorized lines. I assembled my costume including lots of accessories and a borrowed wig. I researched our client and the historic hotel which hosted our show, so I could throw in references to personalize the script.

I drove in Friday afternoon traffic for over two-and-a-half hours on rain-soaked roads with fellow actors who don't know the meaning of "use your indoor voice". Yes, white-knuckled the whole way.

The show itself was so much fun to perform. The audience thoroughly enjoyed it, and participated enthusiastically where they should. Several people approached me after the show to offer compliments -- always a welcome bonus to the paycheck!

Despite my ringing ears and headache from being trapped in a car with my fellow actors for over four hours today, I guess it was worth it. (And, yes, we made much better time on the return trip.)

Now that I have this "first" of playing a new role under my belt, I can sleep easier, breathe a sigh of relief and start reading a new book. *sigh* Now where is my favorite bookmark? You know, the one shaped like a kitten?

Out, damned moth!

2011-11-21T00:58:00.005-06:00

Chad walked inside the front door of the 1952 House with Janie's faux-fur couch blanket, fresh from the dryer, draped over one shoulder. While still holding the security door ajar, he started doing a crazy dance and announcing in a panicked voice, "Oww! Moth!" Janie-dog and I gazed on in confused concern and no small amount of fear. Chad commanded, "Get the tweezers!" as he ran towards the bathroom, dropping Janie's blanket on a chair.

"What?!" I'm sure at this point it seemed to Chad as if I moved at a glacial pace, unwilling to render aid. I had yet to register what happened, or why I needed tweezers. "A moth flew into my ear," Chad fussed.

"Oh!...Oh, no!" I fussed.

Then I heard the awful noise of tiny wings beating rapidly inside Chad's ear canal. I couldn't see anything in Chad's ear, but I could hear it. "Oww! Get it out!" I tentatively put the tweezers near Chad's ear canal, but still unable to see the moth, decided not to poke the tweezers beyond where I could see. Chad told me to get a flashlight, which didn't help. Chad and I can't remember who decided we should put the moth out of its frantic misery with Swim-Ear drops, but we did. The poor moth died, but quit flapping its wings against Chad's eardrum, and quit traveling deeper into Chad's ear.

Let's pause for a brief public service announcement. As Chad and I learned from an Internet search conducted after the moth died, but while it was still lodged against his eardrum, if a bug flies or crawls into your ear, do not panic. (Much more easily advised than done.) Do not put tweezers or a cotton swab into the ear canal, as it may cause injury, and will likely push the bug deeper into the ear. One should seek medical treatment to remove the foreign object from one's ear.

However, if you feel ridiculous seeking treatment for a moth in your ear, you can try putting olive oil or baby oil into your ear to flush out the interloper. We tried olive oil with no luck. We also tried a warm water wash delivered via a nasal flush bottle from all sorts of different angles with no luck. Again, at Chad's urging, I tried (very gingerly) to tweeze the now-dead moth out of Chad's ear with no luck. Chad brought a different, brighter flashlight to try and help me see the moth with no luck.

I finally offered to take Chad to either the Emergency Room or the minor emergency clinic if we could find one that was open on a Sunday night. After a bit of hemming and hawing, more Internet searching, Chad finally said he would drive himself to the urgent care clinic. "You are not driving yourself! What if that moth wakes up?" I nagged.

Luckily, we were the only customers in the urgent care clinic. The receptionist didn't bat an eye when Chad announced his reason for visiting. The nurse and doctor delivered two warm water flushes before they could see the moth with their medical-grade ear-looking-tool. "I can see it!" announced the nurse with equal parts victory and revulsion. One more warm water flush brought the moth close enough to the ear opening for the doctor to grab the carcass with an intimidatingly long pair of snub-nose, tweezers.

Chad, the nurse, the doctor and I all gazed at the enormous, wet moth body on the medical tray. Gross and fascinating! The doctor smiled and told us that the cover of the urgent care textbook featured an illustration of a person with a bug in their ear, but that this was her first case of bug in the ear. After the nurse flushed Chad's ear once more to get out the moth dust, the doctor brought the textbook into the exam room for a humorous viewing of the cover. Chad's case, while highly unusual, was literally textbook cover material.

It didn't end well for the moth, but Chad feels much better now. He learned a valuable lesson not to dilly-dally near porch lights lest an unwelcome bug fly into one's ear.

Dream House To-Do List

2011-11-15T10:12:00.003-06:00

I'm watching Curb Appeal on HGTV as I fold laundry and iron this morning. Big mistake! It's giving me too many ideas for the 1952 House.

Outside:

Replace parking pad with interlocking paver stones to match driveway.

Extend the covered carport so my car and Chad's new car can both be covered.

Replace carport columns.

Reorient carport steps to run parallel to living room wall with new railing.

Replace steps to front door with safer tread, evenly spaced steps.

Inside:

New bathtub: Current tub isn't draining well despite interventions, plus the new glaze painstakingly applied four years ago is chipping and peeling.

New under-cabinet lights in kitchen.

Although, if we had enough money to do all this stuff, it might be better to just move into a house closer to downtown that already has more of our wish-list items such as a fireplace, indoor laundry room, automatic dishwasher and second bathroom. Off to buy a lotto ticket and look for a holiday job!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T03:02:00.003-06:00

Give you one guess which one is mine and which is Chad's.

I Like Puzzles

2011-10-31T02:54:00.003-06:00

Further proof of my semi-reclusive tendencies as evidenced by photos of puzzles Chad and I completed over the past few months. Both 1000 pieces each, thank you very much! Illustrations go much faster than photos.

Taking the 1929 Show on the Road

2011-10-21T23:52:00.005-06:00

The Austin chapter of Murder Mystery Players takes the show on the road next Saturday, October 29 as we perform Death Plays the Market at the San Antonio Dave & Buster's. I love this show, partly because I get to wear a vintage, floor-length, jewel-encrusted evening gown complete with a tiara and fan. The mystery begins with the great stock market crash of October 29, 1929 and a scoundrel of an accountant.

This show is open to the public if you want to make a little road trip to San Antonio, or if you happen to be a reader from San Antonio. Dave & Busters San Antonio sits at the crossroads of I-10 and Loop 410 at 440 Crossroads Boulevard in 78201. Their phone number is 210-515-1515 if you'd like to call for reservations to next Saturday night's show. As soon as I have more details, I'll post them here.

We're also performing Death Plays the Market in Steiner Ranch next Thursday for a private party. Hooray, paychecks! I'll be able to afford a chandelier I've got my eye on for the dining room.

Hopes, Fears and Dreams

2011-10-20T20:23:00.003-06:00

Chad and I employ a few idiosyncratic (your SAT word for the day) conversation starters in our weird little lexicon (bonus SAT word for the day). In the past I blogged about "Do you like... stuff?", a quote from The Simpsons which aims to check one's general well-being and current interests. One of our other conversation starters, "Tell me your hopes, fears and dreams." dates back to our early dating days when I tried to make a semi-nonverbal, teenage male (Chad) talk about subjects outside of classwork.

A few days ago while walking our sweet, silly Janie-belle, Chad prompted me for my hopes, fears and dreams.

I replied, "Kittens."

"That's it. Just kittens?" he asked.

"Yes. I miss feeding the kittens at the bottle baby nursery, but the last time I went there were too many kittens. I got really overwhelmed when it took seven hours to feed 56 kittens. I know there are less kittens now. I might go back and volunteer again next week."

"We could foster some kittens if you want," offered my hero of a husband, Chad.

"Maybe after our fall family trip."

Should anyone ever accuse me of being a bad person for not feeling terribly maternal towards people-babies, please remember that I love kittens and puppies. I'll gladly awaken every two or three hours to bottle-feed kittens and puppies, to help them go potty, and to re-heat their warming disks or reset their heating pads. Helpless, furry orphans pull at me like nothing else. To each their own, right?

Donate to a Great Non-profit

2011-10-14T23:38:00.005-06:00

Our sweet, silly dog, Janie Lulabelle-May, or Janie-belle for short, or Janie for even shorter, suffered some kind of injury while living on the streets. Janie limped on one of her back legs and her left eye rolled in its socket with icky discharge. She may have jumped from something high and landed badly, been glanced by a car or been abused. We don't know what caused the injuries, but we do know that the wonderful people at Animal Trustees of Austin gave Janie a Femoral Head Ostectomy surgery to help her hip heal and eye surgery to help her see better before we adopted her from Blue Dog Rescue. Thanks to Animal Trustees of Austin, Janie now walks two miles a day with no discomfort and has better use of her left eye. Thanks to Animal Trustees of Austin, Janie became an adoptable dog rather than a sad statistic of another dog euthanized at the shelter because her care would have been too expensive.

Click on the link below to join my fundraising efforts for Animal Trustees of Austin to help them provide low cost and free veterinary care. I'll also put a widget in my blog's sidebar so you can track progress towards my goal of raising $250 for Animal Trustees of Austin before November 13.

Thanks from me, Chad & Janie Lulabelle-May

*Click to Donate*

Thank You!

2011-10-13T00:28:00.001-06:00

Dear Birthday Bunny &/or Mother Nature,

Best. Gift. Ever.

Thanks so much for making it rain most of the day on my birthday! It was gorgeous and much-needed! I loved it.

Your pal,

Jenn

Dear Birthday Bunny,

2011-10-06T11:31:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the late notice, but in roughly 48 hours, it will be my birthday. You knew that, right? Had it marked on your calendar with a big heart drawn in pink highlighter, I'm sure. It feels like my most recent birthday was just last month. Time flies when you're getting old!

Can you have a sit-down with Mother Nature and ask her to make it rain on or near my birthday? I'd love some rain, please! I'll also direct you to my fancy Wist gadget parading up the side of this open letter. Perhaps you noticed that I removed the cars from the list. I'm set for a car. Chad even got my current ride detailed so it shines like sparkle gel. I don't mind if rain gets on my clean car though!

The usual suspects appear on my plea for charitable donations: Austin Pets Alive, Capital Area Food Bank and Emancipet. This year, I'm adding a new charity to my list in your honor: House Rabbit Resource Network.

Thanks, Birthday Bunny.

Hoppy Trails!

Jenn

No BYOP Here

2011-09-29T08:59:00.004-06:00

After exhaustive, dizzying discussions which Chad politely endured, I've decided not to host a BYOP (Bring Your Own Pumpkin) Party this year. The reasons for not hosting the party are many and varied. At the risk of sounding like "The Grinch Who Stole Halloween", I'll list my top three reasons.

1. Overall, less people carve a pumpkin each year at the BYOP party. Last year guests mostly stood around the kitchen or sat in the living room drinking and chatting. Which is fine, but kind of frustrating when I put so much time, thought, effort and money into throwing a pumpkin-carving party.

2. The record-breaking drought this summer left our yard with huge cracks, craters and exposed rocks, many opportunities to twist an ankle, or to trip and fall on one's face. I'd hate for a candy-fueled child to get hurt running amok in our yard. Plus the backyard isn't a pleasant place to congregate currently, unless you like the dust bowl aesthetic.

3. I just don't have the energy this year. I'm tired.

My curmudgeonly ways do not affect your ability to carve a pumpkin at your house. Have fun. Be safe. Send photos.

Car Chat

2011-09-24T17:40:00.005-06:00

My first Saturday free from working in many months was spent test-driving cars with Chad. The day started with a slightly used 2011 white BMW 128i with 15K miles. I was bored. It drove like my current BMW. It had a backseat, but should not have. I'd rather make a few minor repairs to my current car than drop the major coin to drive a smaller version of my current car in a boring color. Plus the older man trying to sell me the car called me "young lady" which brought all negotiations to a screeching halt. You're not my (dearly departed) dad, and I'm not in trouble. Don't dare call me "young lady", unless I may call you "old man jerkface".

Next we popped up the block to the Mini Cooper dealership and drove the Mini Cooper S-coupe, or I should say Chad drove the six-speed manual. What a fun, gorgeous, FUN ride! I need more practice before I confidently drive a stick shift, but I'm in LOVE! No pretense, no fuss and no backseat, because who are they kidding?

Fed, caffeinated and properly medicated for allergies, Chad and I both had the energy to continue the test-drives at Volkswagen. I drove the 2012 Beetle. Charming exterior with glimpses of old-school Porsche made me drool just a bit. Unfortunately, the ride was bumpy with a bit too much road noise. Like the BMW 128i, the new Beetle has a nearly useless backseat, but for much cheaper than a BMW.

Chad test-drove a new GTI. (Full disclosure, Chad drove a GTI a couple of years in the past, and I loathed that car.) In a nutshell, I think we both found this newer GTI quick-footed, but claustrophobia-inducing with a rattly ride.

Verdict: I want to make a few minor repairs to my current BMW and leave well enough alone. I love the color of my current car, the handling, the safety features, the non-dead leatherette interior with a semi-comfortable backseat.

I want Chad to sell his car to buy a new Mini Cooper S-coupe with all the custom bells and whistles. He works so hard, and deserves to have a car that is both safer and much more fun than his current ride. Plus, I get to ride in the fabulous new Mini Cooper and learn to drive a manual transmission.

Seasonal Affective Disorder and the To-Do List

2011-09-13T21:42:00.003-06:00

Here it is. That point in the summer when I'm so sick of relentless drought and record-breaking high temperatures that I wilt like the dead plants around my yard. I'm very tempted to hammer a "For Sale by Owner" sign into the front yard. Seattle sounds like a nice place to live. The plants there get plenty of rain! I enjoy clouds and cool temperatures!

To-Do List:

• Rip out all the dead plants from yard and planters.

• Rake and bag dead, dry leaves.

• Remove the dead baby tree from front yard, dead tree from back yard and dead bush from back yard.

• Replace the melted automatic timer for the landscape lighting.

• Be thankful our house was not affected by recent wildfires.

• Pray that some motorist or pedestrian does not toss a smoldering cigarette butt into our parched yard.

• Buy gravel and cacti for that huge patch of dry sand around our house.

• Buy "For Sale by Owner" sign at hardware store?

• Buy condo in Seattle?

But we are...

2011-09-04T22:43:00.002-06:00

When Chad feels stress in his jobs over the years, he often says, "We're not saving lives here," as a way of putting the situations into perspective. When I worked as a professional pet-sitter with The Furry Godmothers for a few years, I couldn't say that. The pets depended on Jody, Merry and I for food, water, medications and bathroom breaks / tolerable litter box conditions: life functions at or near the base of Maslow's Hierarchy. In my current position at the Tarrytown location of Austin Pets Alive!, I also can't borrow Chad's comforting phrase. If Shorey, Erin and I complete ten adoptions in a week to good and lasting homes, we've saved some lives. If I have a slow weekend like this past Labor Day weekend in which I don't complete a single adoption, I feel as though I'm failing to save lives, when I very much should be saving lives.

My terribly honest admission to you, gentle readers: in my next job, I don't want lives to hang in the balance. I just want to make things pretty in my next job.

Trunk Show!!!

2011-08-26T10:21:00.002-06:00

Visit me Saturday at Austin Pets Alive Tarrytown from noon - 4:00 PM for a pet accessories trunk show! Saturday just happens to be the last day of Austin Fashion Week, and your fur-friend needs a new collar for the catwalk... or the dog walk. Speaking of dog walks, Lizziebees makes adjustable length leashes that match her fabulous collars! Feeling snoozy after all the social scene making? Greenpoints hooks you up with beautiful pet beds for catnaps and doggy dreams! Don't have a fur-friend? We can help you with that too. Cats, kittens and puppies will be on site and ready for adoption! Feeling peckish? Veggie Heaven donated catering, yum!

This Saturday 8/27 noon - 4:00 PM

Austin Pets Alive! Tarrytown

3108 Windsor Road

50% of all trunk show sales benefit APA!

Lady Gray Got Adopted!!!

2011-08-22T21:10:00.004-06:00

Lady Gray got adopted today! I'm so happy for her and her new human! I got a little misty-eyed right after she left with her new human. I kept it together through her adoption process.

Congratulations, gorgeous! I'll miss you, but know this is the best thing for you.

Black Tie and Tails

2011-08-18T00:03:00.002-06:00

Visit me at Tarrytown Austin Pets Alive! at 3108 Windsor Road this Saturday from noon - 5:00 PM. I'll give you a great deal on a sophisticated, stylish, sweet, mostly black fur-friend. Black is the new black. It matches everything.

Thai Food, Irish Book

2011-08-10T23:19:00.003-06:00

I crave books like some people crave food. Lately I'm hungry for the new Maeve Binchy book. With the hotter-than-the-Devil's-crotch weather in Austin, I need to read about verdant Irish landscapes where it rains and people congregate in dark pubs.

However, my stomach wants Thai food, not Irish food. I think I can fill both the Thai and Irish bills if I get a meal at Titaya's and then cross the parking lot to Half-Price Books. Mmmm... yummy.

They Grow Up So Fast...

2011-08-05T08:44:00.003-06:00

After only two days of going to work with me at Austin Pets Alive! Tarrytown, my sweet babies, Rowena and Raleigh, got adopted by a great family! I'm so happy for R&R and their new family, but I was hoping to keep the crazy-cute-kittens at the 1952 House for a little longer. *sigh*

The fabulous family also adopted APA! Tarrytown's resident loverboy, Shanti. Eight year old Shanti had a rough life as an outdoor cat before getting dropped off at the shelter. He has a funny bottom lip, a missing piece on one ear and some scars from past scrapes. Yet, he is the sweetest, melt-in-your-arms, affectionate, lanky boy cat I've ever met. And I've met a lot of cats.

Best wishes, fur-friends, to you and your new forever family! *sniffle*

Foster Kittens!

2011-07-31T20:01:00.005-06:00

A few months ago, when I still had the time and energy to volunteer for the Austin Pets Alive! Bottle Baby Nursery, I got to name a litter of tiny kittens that just arrived from the city shelter. The names all had to start with the letter R, because of the way we track kittens in the program. There was a fat little boy kitten with no tail who I dubbed Rounder, a gorgeous girl kitten with a nub of a bunny tail who looked like a Rowena to me, and finally a torbie boy kitten with a long tail, huge ears and a certain noble spirit who struck me as Raleigh. I fed the babies and filled out their charts. Whenever I returned to the nursery over the next week, I checked on "my" R kittens first thing.

The next week, the kittens went into a great foster home. Though I knew they were in good hands, I missed Rounder, Rowena & Raleigh. I got to see them when they were seven weeks old, because their foster mom scheduled a meeting with a potential adopter at Tarrytown Austin Pets Alive! A month passed, and all three were still up for adoption. How people could turn down these gorgeous, exotic-looking kittens, I have no clue!

Finally, sweet Rounder got adopted and went to his forever home last week. Raleigh and Rowena went on the waiting list to enter the Tarrytown cat adoption center, but their foster mom needs to start traveling for work soon. Rowena and Raleigh, now twelve weeks old, needed a temporary foster home. (I promise I asked Chad before I consented.) Two of "my" R kittens now live in the dressing room of the 1952 House! Temporarily, of course. They are so stinking cute!

Self-Assured Raleigh

Look at that fluffy tail!

Busy Rowena half-hops / half-runs. Must be that bunny tail!

Rowena says play, play, play!

Do You Have Treats?

2011-07-30T00:50:00.003-06:00

Our Persian and our Pittie-Lab-mix: both princesses!

Hijinks of Lady Gray

2011-07-26T23:27:00.004-06:00

Lady Gray can open the sliding glass door to her cat enclosure. It takes time and determination, but she's opened the door once when Erin and I were working at Austin Pets Alive! Tarrytown, and once after hours.

When Erin arrived Monday to open the store / cattery, Oreo (one of Lady Gray's roommates in the "Ladies' Lounge" cat enclosure) met Erin at the front door. Oreo looked pretty pleased to be roaming free. According to Erin, "they had a grand old time with all of the little plushies" after raiding a basket of cat toys we sell at the store. Erin added, "I found the plush toys everywhere! Just when I thought I got them all, nope, there was another one. You could just tell the cats were having an absolute blast being bad."

That's Lady Gray for you. She's all purrs and adoring looks when you sit with her. However, Lady Gray also possesses a willful nature. I admit that's a quality I like in a cat. It keeps one guessing and laughing at the hijinks.

Sweet Lady Gray really wants some space to roam and a lap to call her own. I know it would be irresponsible of me to adopt her and add her to an already crowded house. I hope she finds a good home soon!

Save Me from Myself

2011-07-24T00:39:00.003-06:00

I want to adopt Lady Gray. She currently resides in the Tarrytown Austin Pets Alive! cattery where I work. I love her so much. She wants nothing more than a good lap to lounge upon and a place where she can run around a bit. She could use some exercise. Some might call her fat, but I think of her as a sweet chunky monkey.

I get a little misty-eyed each time I put Lady Gray back into her enclosure. She loves running around the store and napping on a lap as we work on the computer. Lady Gray also likes to curl up on the retail shelves, and nearly got to spend the night outside her enclosure one night. We were closing up, and forgot she was out, because she was so quietly contented.

With all the cat & kitten adoptions discounted to $25 tomorrow at Austin Pets Alive, I'm SO tempted to bring home Lady Gray (a.k.a. cat #4/pet #5 for the 1952 House).

She has a cute way of drinking water too.

Day Off? Um...

2011-07-22T00:33:00.003-06:00

Between auditions, my work with Austin Pets Alive!, dinner theater and volunteering with Austin Pets Alive!, it's been a while since I had an entire day off from work. However, the schedule page looks clear next week for some me-time! Hooray! I'm going to use that free time to eat some food -- seriously, my skinny jeans are baggy. I'll go to the gym. Maybe even start reading a new book. Yeah... that's how I roll.

However, before that glorious time off, I get to see LOTS of adoptions happen this weekend at Austin Pets Alive! Tarrytown! Visit me noon - 5:00 this Saturday & Sunday at 3108 Windsor Road. Special reduced rate of $25 adoptions for all cats and kittens plus all dogs over 35 pounds. Many thanks to our awesome sponsors at Frost Bank.

No Time to Eat

2011-07-09T17:33:00.003-06:00

My schedule has been nuttier than a fruitcake. I hate fruitcake.

However, my schedule should start to look more like chocolate chip cookies without nuts soon. Mmm... chocolate chip cookies without nuts.

My clothes are fitting more loosely lately, but I'm holding onto those bigger sized clothes for when I have some time to eat again.

I'm hungry.

I Tried to be Reasonable

2011-06-30T23:57:00.004-06:00

I tried to be reasonable and set my sites on an affordable car, but I just don't like affordable cars. I've come to accept this about myself. No Fiat or Mini Cooper in my future. Like a moth to a very expensive, well designed, shiny flame, I want another BMW.

My one concession: I'll downgrade to the 1 series this time with the 135i coupe. Now then, that's quite reasonable of me! And, vegetarian that I struggle to be, I'll opt for the vegan leatherette interior.

Off to buy a lotto ticket...

Dorothy Rocks!

2011-06-19T18:15:00.003-06:00

Dorothy is a ten-year-old volunteer who works with me almost daily at Austin Pets Alive! Tarrytown. She cleans the cat boxes, does dishes, sweeps, washes windows, fills bowls and snuggles the cats that are up for adoption. She also inspires me to be a better person. Below is an email she sent to everyone she knows.

Hi everyone!

I am a volunteer at the new Austin Pets Alive in Tarrytown next to Texenza Coffee on Windsor Road.

Next Thursday, June 23, 7:30 - 9:30 a.m., Austin Pets Alive will host a free "Cats and Coffee" get-together to introduce the neighborhood to the great kittens and cats of all kinds that need homes. I will be out of town next week, but really hope you will stop by and meet the animals and the women I work with -- Jenn and Lexa, the store managers.

If you are not ready to adopt a new furry friend, you can support APA by purchasing a cool T-shirt or other fun gift items (good for camp care packages!). Please say hi to all the cats for me!

Your Friend,
Dorothy

Almost Summer

2011-06-06T15:55:00.004-06:00

Janie's summer wardrobe

fruits of summer

summer landscape

Give it to a Busy Person

2011-06-03T00:09:00.002-06:00

Chad likes to quote his friend Steve, who is probably quoting some other person with this: if you want something to get done, give it to a busy person.

I'm experiencing a very different lifestyle since I traded volunteering many varied hours each week for getting paid to work mostly set hours each week. I sleep on a regular schedule now. I'm still a night owl, but I go to bed at 2:00 AM most nights, instead of 8:00 AM some days and 3:00 AM other nights. I shoehorn chores and trips to the gym into my schedule; rather than laying on the floor and fretting about stuff I should be doing whilst suffering serious sleep deprivation. I'm eating healthier, and dropped six previously stubborn pounds like magic.

I'm generally happier even though I complain about any grumps that visit my workplace. Yeah, former fellow volunteer, It's real easy to come in and criticize the paint job once it's all done. Where were you for the five weeks when I volunteered with only a few other people planning, cleaning, scraping and painting? Butthead.

Yesterday at work a teenage lady visited some of the cats we have up for adoption. She cuddled a nine-week old kitten on her lap while also petting a twelve-year old cat curled up at her side. The lady said to the cats, "I'm having the best day." I wanted to cry sappy tears of joy, but held it together.

Our (Totally Imaginary) Housekeeper

2011-05-28T22:39:00.003-06:00

Good help is hard to find. In the past our (totally imaginary) housekeeper made the bed most days, vacuumed twice a week, kept framed items on the walls hanging straight, dusted religiously, usually stayed on top of the laundry and ironing, and emptied the trash receptacles most days. My only ongoing complaints centered around kitchen duties: the kitchen cupboards and refrigerator tended to be a bit bare coupled with a general lack of interest in planning meals.

There's been very little evidence of our (totally imaginary) housekeeper's work lately, which leads me to believe that she may have quit without even giving notice. The nerve! Leaving Chad to tend to all of her chores last weekend and many evenings this week. If only I could remember her name, I'd call her and give her a piece of my mind... not that I can spare a piece.

Light up my Life

2011-05-26T21:29:00.003-06:00

This is the light I will buy for the dressing room with my next paycheck:

You Are Cordially Invited

2011-05-18T23:17:00.002-06:00

I've been painting, cleaning, planning, sourcing vendors and assembling IKEA furniture over the past month along with several other volunteers to prepare for the new Tarrytown Austin Pets Alive location to open tomorrow! You are invited to nibble some vegetarian appetizers, sip some bubbly (champagne or soda), shop some cute pet-related merch, meet some kitties that are up for adoption and bid on silent auction goodies at the grand opening celebration from 7:00 - 9:00 PM this Thursday, May 19. The festivities and new cattery are at 3108 Windsor Road in the heart of Tarrytown.

Here's the official link, and oh, lookit, you can donate some money while you're on that webpage!

This lovely cat adoption site and fun shop is also my employer as of Friday at noon. I'm breaking a couple of my own job rules by working retail for a non-profit, but I'm pretty excited and a bit nervous to be co-managing the adopt/shop. My co-manager and I have so much freedom and responsibility to run the shop and plan great adoption events for sweet pets. In addition to short-term resident cats up for adoption, we'll also have dogs for adoption at the Tarrytown location on most weekends! The shop sells dog bowls and beautiful locally made dog collars in addition to cute locally made cat collars, cat toys, pet beds, pet-themed jewelry, art and even pet-themed night lights that are locally made by a great glass artisan.

Drop by to say hi! I may be able to introduce you to your future furry friend and/or outfit your current fur-baby with a fab collar and bedazzle you with a pretty necklace.

Save the Kitties!

2011-05-17T17:04:00.003-06:00

The kitten nursery at Austin Pets Alive is full beyond capacity with over 50 kittens and a few expecting mama cats. Please consider being a temporary foster family to a few kittens or to a pregnant mama cat who just needs a safe, clean place to have her babies. Mama cats do all the work as long as you keep them stocked with a blanket, fresh food, fresh water and a clean litter box. You can have some cuteness without the lifelong commitment by providing care for kittens and/or mamas until they get adopted to forever homes, or until they can move into one of the many adoption catteries around Austin.

Here's a link to the application to be a foster: click here.

Here's a link for more information: click here.

Here's a sweet blog about the kitten nursery if you'd like to help there: click here.

Purr...

Schedule Huggermugger Sans Big Payday

2011-05-05T00:37:00.004-06:00

Between studying lines for dinner mystery shows, performing dinner mystery shows (or having them cancel due to lack of reservations at the last moment), pulling four to six hour shifts overnight at the bottle baby nursery, painting the new Tarrytown cat adoption center and lining up local retailers for the shop component on the new Tarrytown cat adoption center, I feel like I have a "real" job for the past few weeks. Except I don't get paid much in money, but instead earn feelings of accomplishment, kitten gratitude and self-confidence.

That said, I'm ready to start sleeping more like a normal person. I crave yoga classes to work out all the kinks in my shoulders, neck, right arm and back from many hours painting my own kitchen & the adoption center, and stomping around ballrooms in four-inch heels for dinner shows. And dare I admit my shallow want to earn some money beyond the very occasional dinner mystery paychecks and even more rare "use of image" checks that come in the mail from my agent? Yep. I dare.

I want a job that pays me some money. I do not want to fall back into old patterns of taking retail positions, professional marketing jobs or working for nonprofits. I want a job at a for-profit place that doesn't make me feel as if I'm selling my soul or selling out my ideals. I earned a bachelor's degree in Speech Communication, but I'm much more engaged when working with my hands and my brain; rather than dissecting rhetoric or writing speeches. I feel great accomplishment assembling items, organizing spaces, making things pretty and caring for animals. My top three dream jobs are set dresser, decorative production: such as upholstery or jewelry assembly, and retail display production (not interacting with customers; just making pretty displays).

Paging Dr. Freud...

2011-04-28T03:38:00.003-06:00

I don't personally endorse taking your mom to a murder mystery brunch for Mother's Day. It sends a strange message. However, I will be performing in a murder mystery brunch on Mother's Day. See the show and enjoy a yummy brunch. Maybe send Mom some flowers and don't bring her to the show, unless she just loves a good, silly mystery.

Click the poster below to make it bigger so you can get all the details.

Kitten Season = Volunteer Season

2011-04-25T17:15:00.003-06:00

There are about eleventy hundred kittens being born at this moment. Some of them will end up at the kitten nursery where I and other volunteers will care for them until they can get into foster homes and/or get their precious selves adopted. Forgive my lack of blog updates. I'm either bottle-feeding or dishing up gruel for little scratchy puffballs of cuteness and neediness. Or maybe sleeping.

Puppy Love Update

2011-04-15T23:59:00.005-06:00

The Austin Pets Alive puppies that we fostered for several days in January grew up to be teenage doggies. They both turned out gorgeous! Both were adopted.

Wendell found his forever family with his next foster home. His new mom volunteers with me in the Bottle Baby Nursery at APA. Wendell's new family kept the name I gave him, which honestly warms my heart.

Winnie, now known as Talulah, an equally cute and old-fashioned name, was adopted by a family in Lockhart. Look at those lovely blue eyes!

Goodbye Martian, Hello High Noon

2011-04-12T11:49:00.005-06:00

Ever since the Martian (that's the name) paint went on our kitchen walls over four and a half years ago, I've thought it was too bright and garish. The wall color glowed and cast an acid green color onto other surfaces in the kitchen and hallway. The paint didn't match anything else in our house. While the Martian paint earned comments for uniqueness and bright saturation, I loathed it. I honestly think that paint made my skin look green whenever I entered the kitchen.

Chad and I finally repainted the walls High Noon blue this weekend. I love results of this repaint. It's bright yet calming. This color picks up the cool blue and gray flecks in the counter top and the cool tones in the kitchen tiles. This blue perfectly pairs with the aqua details in our long hallway rug and on the living room chair. *happy sigh* As an added bonus, when we pulled out the refrigerator, oven and hutch to paint the walls, we also scrubbed all the surfaces. Now we have an impeccably clean kitchen.

You're Here to What?

2011-04-04T00:02:00.002-06:00

This weekend I spent some time volunteering at Austin Pets Alive for a special adoption event. I greeted people as they entered the cat building, which also houses the veterinary clinic for cats and dogs. Many people came to visit cats for possible adoptions. Some people brought foster dogs and cats to see the veterinary staff at the clinic. A few people arrived to pick up new foster pets to bring home with them for a while.

As another volunteer and I were standing at the main entrance looking over some paperwork, a cute young lady walked into the building. We all smiled at each other. I said, "Hi. Can we help you?" She replied, "I'm here to get busy." The other volunteer and I exchanged a glance that telepathically communicated, um, she's here to what? Then my brain kicked into gear and I realized that the cute young lady was here to get Busy, with a capital B. Recovering quickly from the awkward millisecond, I said, "Is Busy in the clinic right now?" Turns out, Busy was indeed a dog in the clinic, ready to head to a loving foster home. Busy... what a cute name!

Famous!

2011-03-30T16:21:00.005-06:00

No, not me, Silly, but the quilt that I'm making out of some of Chad's old shirts with some new fabrics was featured in the Stitch Lab newsletter this week. I'm so proud that Leslie deemed my quilt worthy of the fabulous newsletter! I love the classes I've taken at Stitch Lab. I'll share more photos of the quilt when it is completed.

Our fierce little lap-kitty, Kenji, posed for this photo featured on our veterinarian's website! Choosing Kenji as a model was a bold choice for our awesome vet, because Kenji bites and growls like a poorly-socialized junkyard guard dog when she feels distress. Thank goodness, she smiled real pretty for her close-up!

Biopsy is a Scary Word

2011-03-23T23:52:00.004-06:00

Our sweet old lady cat, Marigold (a.k.a. Miss Mare, Mare-bear, Mei-mei, Old-Lady-Baby and Baby-Granny), had a growth removed from her cheek last week. Due to her senior-citizen status and the suspiciously fast appearance of the growth, the vet (a.k.a. my hero) advised that we should have the growth biopsied to rule out cancer.

A little history: Chad and I dated for nearly five years before we got married. As Chad and I got more serious and started planning for the long-term, he told me he was allergic to cats. Fine, I figured we'd have dogs, because I knew I wanted pets. Eight months before we got married I tried to break-up with Chad for reasons which make absolutely no sense to me now, but which seemed earth-shattering at the time. Chad refused to be part of the break-up, and showed up at my apartment daily much to my annoyance and confusion. I, being absolutely certain of the break-up and its permanence, got a cat. Not just any cat, a gorgeous blond and auburn Persian kitten. I figured that getting a cat would be like Chad-repellent, since he was deathly allergic to cats, or so we believed... Upon telephoning me (I didn't have caller-ID) and learning of my new cat, Chad came over almost immediately to meet her. She didn't even have a name yet. He was so enamored with the tiny puff-ball kitten, that he snuggled and cuddled her, and started thinking up names for her. I nearly named her Pumpkin, but Chad came up with the brilliant name Marigold. Long story short, Chad wasn't actually allergic to cats. He took so many photos of Marigold when she was little, and asked in seriousness if we should make a baby-book for her. As you know, Chad and I did get back together, and he even tricked me into marrying him. What I thought would drive Chad away, namely Marigold, ended up bringing us closer together.

This cat is such a part of our family, that I was devastated to think there was even a possibility that she might have cancer. I got weak in the knees and felt faint when I saw the seven (!) sutures on Marigold's pitiful shaved cheek where the growth had been removed. I kept it together in the vet's office and on the drive home, but started sobbing as soon as Marigold exited her kitty carrier at home. I worried and waited for five days to get the biopsy results. The vet called me himself with results, which I initially thought might mean the news was bad, but he quickly stated that the test results yielded good news. Marigold had a benign cyst, not cancer! I'm so thankful and happy that we'll have our sweet, funny Marigold with us longer, and that her quality of life is still great.

Houston Travelogue X 2, Unenthusiastically X 1

2011-03-18T00:11:00.006-06:00

Chad and I went to Houston last May to get away from our everyday responsibilities and chores for a weekend. We stayed at the lovely and comfortable Magnolia Hotel. Magnolia Hotel offers a free breakfast buffet with hot and cold items each morning, a happy hour each evening with discounted soft drinks and libations, and complimentary cookies with milk every evening from 8:00 - 10:00 PM. Our hotel room was cozy, quiet and well-appointed. A coffeemaker with complimentary coffee and hot tea were provided in each guest room.

During this 2010 visit to Houston, we watched the wacky annual Art Car Parade from along the route within walking distance of the hotel. We had great seats for a Houston Astros game, which was within just a few blocks' walk from the Magnolia Hotel. Overall, the weekend was fun, comfortable and relaxing.

Fast forward ten months: Chad and I hoped to stay at The Crossings - a lovely, serene spa resort on the edge of Austin in the hill country for a much-needed getaway. Unfortunately, when I went to The Crossings website to book our stay, a message appeared that The Crossings was closed, and that only previously booked reservations would be honored. No information on the website as to future plans for the now defunct spa. Google searches yielded no more information either. Ugh.

Lacking other ideas, and having no desire to endure air-travel, we settled for another trip to Houston last weekend for our getaway. This time we stayed at the posh Hotel Zaza in the museum district. Our pool-view villa was huge and wonderfully decorated, but our hotel villa door faced out towards a noisy road rather than in towards the hotel hallway as the vast majority of the hotel's guest rooms do. All night and all day we listened to the metro rail make frequent stops three floors down from our room. Our do-not-disturb doortag blew away several times as a result of the winds whipping at our hotel room door. Saturday night a loud dance party with a professional DJ boomed noisily from a ballroom up through our floor until midnight. Apparently the DJ favors Usher and The Black Eyed Peas. The hotel lobby and restaurant displayed signs warning that proper stylish attire was required. Room service breakfast the first morning of our stay was incredibly expensive for what we thought would be a healthy egg white omelet with fresh basil and tomatoes, but which ended up being an egg white omelet drenched in oily pesto with a few tomatoes and lots of mozzarella cheese. Access to the butler's pantry, touted as a feature, was nothing more than help-yourself coffee and hot tea set out near the elevators each day from 6:00 AM - 10:00 AM only - no coffee or tea provided in the guest room. Twelve ounce sodas from the mini-bar were $4.00 each. Want an evening treat? A cupcake from room service costs $8.00 plus a 21% service charge plus a $3.00 delivery fee, tip not included. While the decor of the Hotel Zaza was gorgeous, stylish and modern, the actual welcoming and comfort of guests seems to be an expensive afterthought.

If we return to Houston in the future, we'll be staying at the much more gracious, less noisy and slightly more modest Magnolia Hotel.

Last weekend, our ventures outside the hotel included a quick lap through the Museum of Fine Art Houston, where we saw the Impressionist special exhibit. We experienced our first Blue Man Group show, which was delightfully silly and fun. The best meal we had all weekend was the Sunday brunch buffet at the super-charming Baba Yega restaurant.

While it was nice to get away from our daily obligations and routines, and have time together, I so much wanted to get away to a quiet place in a natural setting rather than another busy, loud city. Days after returning home to Austin during its annual SXSW madness, I received an email promotion for Travaasa - a brand new spa resort in Austin set among rolling hills on the former site of The Crossings. Um, this would have been incredibly helpful information to have before we unenthusiastically went to Houston again. Had we known that a new spa resort would open within a month at the former site of The Crossings, we would have been among the very first bookings. Maybe this summer...

Motorin'

2011-02-27T19:20:00.003-06:00

The car I drive now is great when it works right. When something wears out or breaks, it is very expensive to fix. At eight plus years old, my car teeters with two wheels over the white-elephant precipice. I'm jonesing for a new ride, something fun and a little sassy, unassuming and eye-catching, zippy without being cop-bait. Oh yeah, and priced under $25K.

My less expensive option, Fiat opens a dealership in Austin in just a few days. Io amo Fiat.

My more expensive option, Mini Cooper opened a dealership here in Austin this year.

Now who wants to join me for test-drives?

Lions and Tigers and a Bear, Oh My!

2011-02-22T13:19:00.005-06:00

Saturday I toured the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation grounds in Kendalia, Texas with some of my fellow Bottle Baby Nursery volunteers. We saw all sorts of animals ranging from primates to raccoons to exotic birds to lions to domestic cats. The only animals we touched were a friendly young vulture with an injured wing and a young dove who waddled after us seeking attention.

Some of the animals at the facility will be returned to their natural habitats if possible. These animals do not get names. Human interaction is kept to a minimum. However, many of the animals are too tame, disabled or dependent to be set loose on their own, but also too large or aggressive to be pets, and will be permanent residents of the facility. To see animals treated and tended with care and respect at this sanctuary restored some of my faith in humanity.

This Fennec Fox was once a pet. While this animal is achingly cute and playful, there are plenty of cats and dogs in need of homes without breeding wild animals in captivity and selling them as pets. The fox was surrendered by its owner, probably because it behaved like a wild animal forced to live in a house. Just because an animal looks cuddly doesn't mean we should put a collar on it, drag it inside our house and name it. This little guy has a happy ending, living in a huge natural enclosure with meals and a heated bed provided.

We also met lions that were formerly pets. The previous owner's family made him surrender the lions when it became too expensive to feed them properly. The lions came to the rescue group emaciated and sickly, but are now thriving.

Cutest animal of the day award went to a Marmoset (tiny primate the size of a squirrel) who ran up a tree limb to greet us through the fence. He waved a carrot slice in the air at us, then settled in to watch us and nibble his carrot, almost as if we were his entertainment. Again, as cute and endearing as he looks, he is a wild animal and should not be kept as a pet. He has thumbs and sharp teeth. He is aggressive, easily bored and smart. (Actually, that sounds like a lot of people I know, but you get the idea. Right?)

In my opinion, some people purchase exotic pets as status symbols and/or to make themselves seem more interesting. I find this behavior short-sighted and shallow. It's one thing to care for an injured wild animal in need of help, but I find it deplorable to buy a wild animal and expect it to act like a domesticated dog, cat or hamster. You want an exotic pet? There's a bunny rescue group in the Austin area. That's kind of different.

I'm Mad at Amazon.com

2011-02-17T21:24:00.003-06:00

Perhaps you've heard/read the news that Borders bookstores filed for bankruptcy, that half of the stores will close, after putting many locally owned bookstores out of business over the years. I love books, and hate to see bookstores go out of business. I normally check Book People and my neighborhood Half Price Books before ordering books or DVDs from Amazon.com, because I want to support the local economy. I acknowledge that Amazon.com is much cheaper than Book People, and usually even cheaper than Half Price Books. I find the items I want from Amazon.com in stock 95% of the time. I take advantage of the free shipping from Amazon.com that automatically comes with $25 purchase.

BUT, Amazon.com doesn't charge sales taxes in Texas, despite the fact that they have a processing facility in Irving, Texas, and by law should charge sales tax in the state of Texas. The state of Texas sent Amazon.com a bill for $269 million dollars in back sales taxes that Amazon.com should have been charging customers, and paying to the state of Texas since 2006. Amazon.com's response: basically act like a big bully. Deny the bill. Deny any wrongdoing. Close the Irving processing center and eliminate 119 jobs in a terrible economy. Click *here* to read a comprehensive article on the whole debacle.

As much as I've loved Amazon.com in the past, I think we have to break-up now. The corporation is acting like a big-old-butthead. Amazon.com and their amoral lawyers act with no regard for the law, rules or ethics. I don't want Amazon.com to have such a monopoly over book sales that even more local book and media stores close. Just as Borders is now declaring bankruptcy and closing stores, after forcing others out of business in their wake, so could Amazon.com someday go belly-up and leave us with the sad, very limited offerings on the book aisle at Target.

Next time you need a book or magazine, go support your local bookstore. Or at least support a chain bookstore that pays local and state sales taxes.

Goodbye, Amazon.com. It was great while it lasted, but I've outgrown you and your petty ways. You're like the girl with the curl. When you're good, you're very good, but when you're bad, you're horrid.

Light Bright

2011-02-14T13:05:00.005-06:00

Chad and I inherited boring white ceiling fans in the three "bedrooms" in the 1952 house. (We use the rooms as an office, a dressing room and one actual bedroom.) I know we will live in the 1952 house for a good many more years. With total disregard for resale value, I've decided I'm not in love with these ceiling fans.

As with every usable piece of hardware we've pulled out of the 1952 house, I'll donate these white ceiling fans to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, because someone will like them more than I do.

Chad and I looked at new ceiling fans at Lowe's, and quickly agreed on the style for the master bedroom and office. With Austin's hot temperatures and the road noise from that big street along one side of the 1952 house, we acknowledge the need to keep ceiling fans in the rooms where we spend most of our time.

I'd like to put a chandelier in the dressing room. There is an ottoman in the center of the dressing room, so no worries about walking under the chandelier and bonking one's head. I'm considering the following options:

While we're at it, I'm loving this light fixture for the bathroom.

I'm loving this fixture to replace the cheap pendant lights over the dining table.

I know, I know... I'm getting a bit ahead of myself and quite a bit beyond the budget with the bathroom light and dining table light. I'm just saying these lights look oh-so-lovely.

Always Love

2011-02-14T12:43:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I see V-day as an opportunity to appreciate the loves in our life: be they friends; relatives; significant others; furry, feathered or scaly pets; or even hobbies/causes.

In my opinion, one of the greatest gifts to give and receive is time. What better way to show someone (pets included) that you care?

I'd like to echo the sentiment from a song by my favorite band, Nada Surf. Here are the lyrics to "Always Love":

To make a mountain of your life
Is just a choice
But I never learned enough
To listen to the voice that told me
Always love, Hate will get you every time
Always love, Don't wait til the finish line

Slow demands come 'round
Squeeze the air and keep the rest out
It helps to write it down
Even when you then cross it out

But Always Love, Hate will get you every time
Always Love even when you want to fight

Self-directed lives
I want to know what it'd be like to
Aim so high above
Any card that has been dealt you

Always Love
Hate will get you every time
Always love
Hate will get you

I've been held back by something
Yeah. You said to me quietly on the stairs,
I've been held back by something
Yeah. You said to me quietly on the stairs.
You said
Hey, you good ones.
Hey, you good ones.

To make a mountain of your life
Is just a choice
But I never learned enough
To listen to the voice that told me
Always love, Hate will get you every time
Always love, Don't wait til the finish line

More Puppy Love

2011-02-02T01:14:00.003-06:00

As promised, I passed Winnie and Wendell on to their next foster parent on Monday. I kinda miss our temporary puppies, but I'm kinda glad to catch up on my sleep and pay attention to our permanent pet residents at the 1952 house. Here are a few more photos of the fatties.

Wendell's legs aren't long enough or strong enough to carry his fat puppy tummy just yet.

Dragging oneself around the heating pad can be oh-so-tiring.

Winnie wants to hold her bottle like a big girl, but her little legs are too short.

Foster Puppies & Sleep Deprivation

2011-01-29T16:50:00.004-06:00

When people ask me if I have any children, I usually smile and respond, "I have eight nieces and nephews, three cats and a dog. Yes, I have children in my life, but I didn't give birth to them." This weekend I need to amend that statement. I have eight nieces and nephews, three cats, one dog and two tiny puppies.

The puppies arrived Thursday afternoon, and will move on to their next foster home Monday. These one-week-old pups were taken away from their aloof doggie-mom at the Town Lake Animal Center. The doggie-mom didn't know what to do with her puppies. She wasn't caring for them properly and, unfortunately, smothered one of her puppies. The caring staff at TLAC noticed the situation, and decided to get the surviving two pups out to a rescue group. One of the awesome foster coordinators with Austin Pets Alive sent an email plea out for these puppies on Thursday morning. Immediately, a foster came forward, but this person couldn't take the puppies until Monday. After some instant-messaging with Chad, we decided to take the pups for the weekend. Since then, we've been feeding Wendell (originally dubbed Wheezer due to some respiratory congestion) and Winnie (originally dubbed Whiner because she would not hush her puppy cries) puppy formula mixed with goat's milk from a tiny baby bottle every two or three hours. Yes, even overnight. We're also giving them medicine for their respiratory issues and misting saline solution into their crate/tent/fort with a nebulizer (similar to a humidifier) a few times a day.

Winnie and Wendell are sweet, grunty, fat potatoes. Their bellies grow before our eyes. Their little legs are too short for walking, so they drag themselves around a big heating pad in the crate. Their eyes are still closed, but they know when the bottle is ready. They reach their little front legs out and latch onto the bottle. They wiggle their ears and grunt softly as they eat. Wendell even wags his tail. They have round little rumps that are too cute for words!

I love watching Chad baby-talk to the pups, swaddle them and feed them. He is the best husband/friend/human being to help me with these puppies.

Of course, we have lots of photos. Here are just a few:

The puppy love totally outweighs sleep deprivation this weekend.

Happy Belated Dress Up Your Pet Day

2011-01-20T13:49:00.003-06:00

Dress up your pet day is officially celebrated on January 14 each year. Janie did dress for the day, but I am late showing off her darling new sweater. She also has a pink puffer jacket, but it makes a weird swishy-noise when she walks, so she doesn't like it as well.

Also, sweet Janie got into the Christmas spirit last month as she supervised gift-opening. This photo proves that she is the sweetest, most patient and perhaps silliest dog that I know.

Bringing Huggermugger Back

2011-01-13T23:36:00.003-06:00

Chad and I play Boggle several times a week. (No, that's not code for anything. I mean the game with the lettered dice. Minds out of the gutters, please.) In the course of finding words, we often consult the dictionary for correct spellings and definitions. One of the many advantages of using an actual printed dictionary versus an online/iPhone dictionary is that one stumbles across the silliest, most charming words in the course of flipping pages. Tonight's delightful find was the word huggermugger which is defined as muddled disorder. Doesn't huggermugger sound much more fun and lyrical than saying "hot mess" or "snafu"? Let's all try to use huggermugger in a sentence this week. Here's an example to get you started: That clearance sale was a huggermugger.

Also of note, Chad said if I ever find the word huggermugger on the boggle board (without using any letter twice) that he'll buy an Infiniti vehicle of my choice for me. Blog readers, you are my witnesses!

Want

2011-01-11T22:11:00.006-06:00

I want to adopt this dog:

Update: Cooper got adopted! (Not by me and Chad.) I'm so very happy for him! Sweet Cooper escaped from the dog run at Austin Pets Alive. Luckily, he was found and returned within thirty minutes. He wants a forever-home so, so badly.

I want to buy these boots:

I can wear these awesome boots rain, snow or chilly shine to walk Janie and Cooper.

Do I need another pet? Hmm... Do I need another pair of shoes? Umm...

Prepare for the intervention. Someone send out an Evite. I'm free Thursday night this week.

Interesting

2011-01-10T14:21:00.002-06:00

Looking over our mortgage receipt for 2010, it occurs to me that little of the money actually went to paying the principal on our home loan. Over half of this year's payments went to mortgage interest. Thankfully, we have a low fixed-rate loan; as opposed to one of those predatory loans that doesn't pay off any principal ever. Just over a quarter of this year's mortgage payments went to paying property taxes. There is no state income tax in Texas, so property taxes are pretty high compared to most other states. Ouch.

I love our cozy house. I love that is so close to downtown Austin and all the places we like to go. I love that we don't share any walls, ceilings or floors with other residents. I love that we can have three cats and a dog without a landlord fussing at us, and demanding outrageous pet deposits or pet rent. I love that we've made this house our own with the new driveway, deck, fence, air conditioning system, tankless water heater and decor. I love that this house is small enough to maintain cleanliness, but has plenty of room for us to be comfortable.

Do I love the financial reality of mortgage payments and the cost of upkeep on a house? Nope.

2011!

2011-01-01T02:18:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! Looking forward, I send wishes for health, happiness, peace and prosperity. My goals for 2011: take a conversational Spanish class in hopes that I can stop mixing up German idioms and Italian cognates with my middle school Spanish classes; take another dance class, perhaps Salsa; keep my weight steady at the weight listed on my acting résumé; drive the speed limit or slower; volunteer for another kitten season at Austin Pets Alive.

Looking back, 2010 was mercifully less dramatic than the past few years. Thank you, 2010. The best thing that I experienced in 2010 was volunteering for Austin Pets Alive. I love kittens and doggies! The worst thing I experienced in 2010 was four weeks of head-to-toe itchy hives caused by an allergic reaction to nine doses of Cipro. I'm thinking of getting "no Cipro for life" tattooed on my wrist as a permanent medic-alert bracelet. Some stars beside the script should make it look classy, right?

No Room at the Inn

2010-12-23T22:36:00.015-06:00

Merry Christmas!

With three funny cats and one perfect dog (vacillating between forty-nine and fifty-five pounds depending on the pecan crop) there's no more room to responsibly house more pets here at the 1952 house. We have a pet hiring freeze. However, I fall in love with different cats and dogs almost every time I go to Austin Pets Alive to volunteer.

Here are my top pet-crushes, just in case you have room at your house to adopt a new friend. Click on the orange names to view their Austin Pets Alive biography and get the email address for adoption information!

Cats:

Vada - Update: Vada and her brother, Vivaldi, have both been adopted! I cared for this lovely long-haired lady at the bottle baby nursery. I love her so much because she purrs and snuggles with people, giving lovey-looks. She also plays with other kittens like a mischievous monkey meets the cutest ninja ever. Hiiiiiiya! Gotcha!

Xylia - Another bottle baby nursery alum, this sweet girl was a singleton (no litter-mates) with an eye infection. She wasn't eating, and seemed lonely and sad. One night I had a little extra time and decided to give her some extra attention. I sat her on my lap and scratched her back and pet her. It took a few minutes, but she started purring. The next day I saw her, I got her out to cuddle before her meal and she started purring instantly. She was so sweet and clearly so appreciative of the attention. The more I and the other volunteers cuddled her, the more she ate, and the healthier she got.

Ernestina - When this tiny muffin arrived at the bottle baby nursery, she only weighed 100 grams, the runt of seven kittens in her litter. She was so small, she looked like a mouse, not a cat. Honestly, I didn't think she'd live. She proved me wrong. This feisty little lady surpassed one of her sisters in weight at five weeks old. She loves to jump from high tables and crates, always landing on her feet with ease and grace. She has giant eyes. She purrs when you love on her. She loves to play with other kittens, especially to chase their tails and pounce on them.

Dogs:

Skittles - Update: Skittles has been adopted! A shy, sweet black and white Pomeranian. I love this gorgeous girl! I grew up with an orange Pomeranian, so I have a soft spot in my heart for these yappie puff-balls.

Update: Cooper has a forever-home! I'm so happy for him and his new people! Cooper - We walked this lovable (love-a-bull) Pittie this evening as part of our Christmas volunteering. He is gorgeous, strong and so, so sweet! His coat is super-soft, and he melts when you pet him. I love his black and white markings. Maybe we could make room for him...

Lulu - Update: Lulu has been adopted! This exotic looking pup is learning to love again after she was abused. Ugh, my heartstrings are being pulled.

I Won't Be There, But You Should

2010-12-22T12:17:00.003-06:00

I'm taking the night off this New Year's Eve to celebrate with some non-theatre friends. You should celebrate with your friends (and some of my theatre friends) at a dinner mystery show and DJ dance party.

MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE! FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2010
Dave & Buster's at 9333 Research Blvd, Austin
Appetizers at 7:00, Dinner & Show at 8:00, DJ & Dancing at 10:00
Balloon Drop, Champagne Toast & Dessert Buffet at Midnight
ONLY $70.00! (Price does not include tax or gratuity.)
Reservations and Information (512)346-8015

Can you Say Murder?

On New Year’s Eve, all of the top children’s show television celebrities, Helen Nice, Hubert Quackenbush, Louise Moppet and Richard Hodges, have been assembled to see who will win top honors as the best kids’ show host according to the Parents’ Watchdog Association for Children’s Television Programming. Pirate Pete, whose only reputation is that of teaching kids how to rob their parents blind, is very sure he’s winning that award. To ensure that he walks away with the prize, Pete counts on blackmail to keep each of his fellow hosts from taking home the award. When the pirate gets deep-sixed by a suspected heart attack at the winner’s podium, Detective Safety takes on the challenge to see if Pete’s death was child’s play or foul play.

Dear Santa

2010-12-14T11:57:00.004-06:00

Dear Santa,

As you may have observed already, I'm stuck at home today with a suspected cold. I take this couch-bound opportunity to write to you.

I've mostly been a good girl this year: volunteering for Austin Pets Alive, not scratching too much when I had those awfully itchy hives, going to the gym, taking care of the house and pets, learning my lines for different dinner mystery shows, going on lots of auditions, being nice despite the looooooooong hours on that commercial shoot, making the trek to visit my family twice in one year and generally doing unto others as I would have them do unto me.

Yes, I confess, I got two warnings for driving too fast this year. I was very polite to the officers who pulled me over, and did NOT trot out the fake tears, even though we all know I could have. I resolve to watch my speed in the future, even when all the other cars barreling past me are speeding even worse than I am. I also confess I made the occasional smart-aleck remark when I should have held my tongue, but as I told my mom countless times, better to be a smart-aleck than a dumb-aleck!

This year for Christmas, I have the usual charitable giving requests:
Capital Area Food Bank - they do great work feeding hungry folks in the Austin area.
Emancipet - controlling the pet population with low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, and offering other affordable vet care.
Save the Children and Unicef - to help all the world's children, not just relatives.
Austin Pets Alive - they have a fun Christmas tree set up at 2807 Manchaca Road where you can choose a pet to sponsor.

For my own selfish wants (because we both know I have all that I need), I'd like to request cashmere-blend socks, and I'd like to direct you to my amazon universal wish list. Just in case you won the lottery this year, remember to err on the side of extra horsepower and torque; instead of carat-size.

As Chad and I are fond of saying, stank you smelly much, Santa. Be safe as you travel. If you get pulled over for speeding in the sleigh, be polite and apologetic. Don't pout or cry, but then, you knew that already, didn't you?

Love, your friend and fan, Jenn

Top ten things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving:

2010-11-25T02:12:00.004-06:00

Chad
my sweet, funny pets
good friends
living in Austin
our cozy 1952 house
online shopping (No doorbuster madness for me, thanks.)
KITTENS!
my fellow volunteers at the kitten nursery for Austin Pets Alive
The Paramount Theatre
the DVR, so I can watch the Macy's Parade in under 30 minutes on fast forward

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Season's Eatings

2010-11-25T01:53:00.003-06:00

Typical Thanksgiving food does not tempt my tastebuds or my tummy. Turkey? It had a face. I'm not eating that. Tofurkey? How about NOfurkey - gross. Stuffing? Dry and eww. Yams and/or sweet potatoes? Gag. Pecan pie? Not my fave and oh-so-fatty. Green bean casserole? I wonder why anyone would defile vegetables in that manner. Brussels sprouts? Meh. Pumpkin pie? Maybe a few bites. Mashed potatoes? Hold the gravy.

I'm super-thankful that The Alamo Drafthouse opens its doors on Thanksgiving. After Chad and I do the Turkey Trot fun run to benefit Caritas, and after our nap, we're headed to the only place where Chad can get a traditional turkey dinner while I dine on salad and veggie pizza as we watch the latest box office hit. Hooray!

Sharing Morning Sunny Spot

2010-11-15T13:03:00.002-06:00

Kenji and Janie like each other, but they LOVE a warm, sunny spot.

Chad sent this photo to me last week. (I was still asleep when it was taken.) It made my day.

Volunteering: Good for your Mood

2010-11-09T18:24:00.003-06:00

I have the post-Halloween blues. Halloween is my favorite major holiday. (All of you who prefer other holidays, go ahead and freak out. To each their own.) Now that I've carved pumpkins, dressed up in a costume, eaten more candy than I should have and watched lots of fun, scary movies, I'm left feeling a little blah, like my aura has turned dingy-beige. Perhaps this is a prolonged post-sugar-rush crash, perhaps a touch of pre-seasonal affective disorder, but I feel less than shiny-happy-sparkly.

The thoughts that put a pep in my step involve the kittens that I and other volunteers care for at Austin Pets Alive. Feeding these little fuzzballs, snuggling these miniature purr-monsters and even cleaning up after these mobilized happiness-spreaders makes me feel better. I can't hold a pudgy, purring kitten and be unhappy at the same time. These states are mutually exclusive.

More than any other volunteer activity I've ever done, caring for kittens warms my soul.

Find a volunteer activity you love. The pay is amazing!

What About this Saturday?

2010-11-08T13:51:00.002-06:00

Play with the Murder Mystery Players! All of our public murder mystery shows include delicious dinners, fun prizes and a heaping helping of murder mystery and laughter!

Saturday, November 13, 2010 starts promptly at 8 PM

ONLY $36.95 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Plenty of free parking! You won't get that downtown!

Dave and Buster's Austin
9333 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759
512-346-8015 ext. 12106 for reservations. Reservations required.

Can You Say Murder?

Top children's television celebrities assemble to see who will win best kids' show according to the Parent's Watchdog Association for Children's Television Programming. Nominees are: Helen Nice for Stomper Room; Richard Hodges for Mr. Hodges; Dr. Louise Moppet for The Moppets; Hubert X. Quackenbush for Bob the Clown; Pirate Pete (his real name?) for Pirate Pete. Last year's winner Clarice Dixon for Detective Safety presents the award, and conducts the investigation when things go awry. (I play Detective Safety, or Detective Thafety, as I like to call her.)

*This show is not for the kiddies as the show hosts flaunt their true personalities.*

Plans for Saturday?

2010-10-28T12:24:00.002-06:00

Play with the Murder Mystery Players! All of our public murder mystery shows include delicious dinners, fun prizes and a heaping helping of murder mystery and laughter!

Saturday, October 30, 2010 8 PM

Wear a costume! Prizes for best individual and best couples costume.

ONLY $36.95 per person!
(Does not including tax or gratuity.)

Dave and Buster's Austin
9333 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759
512-346-8015 for reservations. Reservations required.

Can You Say Murder?

Top children's television celebrities assemble to see who will win best kids' show according to the Parent's Watchdog Association for Children's Television Programming. Nominees are: Helen Nice for Stomper Room; Richard Hodges for Mr. Hodges; Dr. Louise Moppet for The Moppets; Hubert X. Quackenbush for Bob the Clown; Pirate Pete (his real name?) for Pirate Pete. Last year's winner Clarice Dixon for Detective Safety presents the award, and conducts the investigation when things go awry.
*This show is not for the kiddies as the show hosts flaunt their true personalities.*

BYOP 2010

2010-10-26T00:55:00.007-06:00

There were a lot of kids at this year's BYOP party. Our friends have been a (re)productive bunch. The kids weren't that jazzed about doing anything to their pumpkins, but they sure loved loading up on too much candy and running all over the place. (Sorry, parents.) The grown-ups produced some lovely punkins this year. (Yes, their children and their jack-o-lanterns.)

The highlight of the party: the candy table.

Smile!

Hissy-cat is mine and Darth Vader is Chad's

Who says pumpkins are the only gourds one can carve? Not Ryann!

Pumpkin meets Mr. PotatoHead accessories.

Classic!

I love the orange and black outfit as much as the very meta pumpkin carved into a pumpkin.

Waaaaahhhh! It's a baby pumpkin. (Get it? It's little and crying.)

I Love Kittens

2010-09-30T23:04:00.004-06:00

Volunteering at the Bottle Baby Nursery for Austin Pets Alive poses challenges for sure: avoiding getting ringworm while making sure the kittens affected get plenty of food and love; suffering through the very few kittens who just don't make it; washing dirty bottles and dishes by hand - just like at home; finding occasional fleas; finding occasional worms (shudder); kittens with the equivalent of diaper rash; and sometimes the sheer volume of hungry kittens EEEEEEEEE-ing at me to be fed right now!

The rewards of caring for these helpless feline orphans far outweigh any challenging situations. I love: the twitch of kitten ears as they suckle happily from a bottle of Kitten Milk Replacement; hearing tiny purrs; watching strong kittens romp and play with each other; seeing fat kitten bellies; watching kittens who recover from various maladies at the nursery flourish into beautiful, healthy, adoptable kitties; squee-ing over all the cuteness; petting soft baby fur; burping kittens after their bottle; and the most rewarding of all, knowing that I help to save kittens from being killed at the shelter simply because they are too small for round-the-clock care at the understaffed, limited resources, city-run shelter.

While I do love kittens very, very much, please spay and neuter your pets to prevent pet overpopulation and the subsequent killing of pets. Encourage your friends and family to spay and neuter their pets. Adopt your next pet from a shelter or rescue group. Say no to disreputable breeders.

Hopeless Kitchen

2010-09-23T10:44:00.002-06:00

I met with our favorite handyman this morning to consult on the possibility of installing an automatic dishwasher in the 1952 House. Sure. We can have a dishwasher. Installing the dishwasher will involve completely ripping out the kitchen cabinets - upper and lower, removing the counter top and backsplash, rewiring all the electrical work in the kitchen, installing a kitchen disposal, and possibly replacing two windows and moving the back door. Did I mention that our charming 1952 House features layers of lead paint and has asbestos shingles on the exterior which will require special hazardous materials allowances?

Um... no thanks. I don't have an extra $20,000 (or more) sitting around to do that just now. I also don't want to deal with the three-month (if we're lucky) dustbowl of a complete kitchen remodel at this juncture.

I'll just get the oven fixed for now. (Assuming that the oven can be fixed - fingers crossed!) That will be plenty fancy. When I'm feeling super-ambitious, I'll repaint the walls in the kitchen. Super-fancy!

Irrational Rash

2010-09-19T22:20:00.002-06:00

These hives flair and recede at will. I have new bumps on my wrists and the front of my hands. The bumps on my arms come and go with no discernible rhyme or reason. The backs of my knees and my earlobes still itch from invisible, phantom hives.

Overall, the hives are less itchy and less prevalent than they were at the peak of my allergic reaction to nine doses of Cipro. I am still drained of energy after the gradual step-down dosing of steroids. There is a scared, hysterical, irrational part of me that feels like I will never be normal again. My rational inner voice tries to reassure that drugs can stay in one's system for weeks, and that this too shall pass.

Meanwhile, I haven't been to the gym for three weeks. (Gasp!) I did lots of volunteer work while on the steroids - close to twenty hours in one week. Post-steroids, I logged only four hours volunteering this week. I did a dinner theatre show where my old-lady romance writer costume mercifully covered most of my bumpy, irritated skin. Post-show, I slept for nearly twelve hours.

This is not fun. I'm ready to be healthy again, please.

Crash

2010-09-13T14:20:00.002-06:00

I took my last steroid pill yesterday morning. I'm still a bit itchy, but the hives are slowly leaving.

Just say no to drugs, kids! Especially if you're allergic to them.

I'm now experiencing the post-steroid crash. I've been sleeping and then sleeping some more. I've been having strange dreams too. I'm a bit achy all over as if I have the flu, but it's a tired ache; not an exertion ache.

The past three weeks have not been fun between the original bacterial infection, the allergic reaction to the medication, the steroid rush, and now, the post-steroid crash.

I look forward to being healthy and presentable (hive-free) soon!

Steroids!

2010-09-09T22:27:00.003-06:00

I'm on steroids, and wow!, am I getting a lot done! The house is sparkling clean!

Don't report me to the authorities. I have a prescription. My hives are slowly shrinking and getting less itchy in response to these wonderful steroids. The only downsides are that I feel like my head is vibrating, it's hard to sleep and I have a little heartburn. Small prices to pay to be free from the hideous hives and their relentless itchiness!

Ugh.

2010-09-06T23:05:00.002-06:00

Raspberry, the kitten, and one of her siblings, Rigatoni, have moved on to Kitty Heaven. I'm sad that they fought to breathe for many days, but ultimately didn't make it. I take a tiny comfort in knowing that they aren't in pain or distress anymore. Their other four siblings are gaining weight and nursing from their mama-cat now. I hope the other four kittens grow up to be healthy cats in fantastic forever-homes. Their sweet mom, Emma, also deserves a great home. She's been so nice to all of us at the Bottle Baby Trailer as we handle her babies and shuffle her in and out of the saline-mist-tent.

On the bright side, I got to feed lots of adorable, healthy kittens at the Bottle Baby Trailer this afternoon. Purr...

My rash (from taking nine doses of a medication to which I'm apparently very allergic) continues to worsen. There are hives all over me: on my legs, on my arms, on my tummy, on my back, on my posterior, in my ears, on my scalp, in my nostrils and possibly in my throat judging from a suspicious tickle and mild cough. Hopefully when I see the doctor tomorrow, he can give me something to make this better. Come on, Cortisone shot!

Say a Prayer

2010-09-04T02:00:00.002-06:00

Tonight at the Bottle Baby Trailer, little Raspberry struggles to breathe. Weighing just 180 grams, this tiny kitten has a respiratory infection. The fine volunteers for Austin Pets Alive (myself included) are doing all we can to help this little fuzzy soul: using a baby aspirator to suck goo out of her nostrils, putting her in a tent with a nebulizer of saline solution, feeding her Kitten Milk Replacement with a dropper. I had the midnight to 2:00 AM shift, and hated to leave for fear that she'll stop breathing; not that I could do anything more than I did to help her. I hope that the volunteer going in at 8:00 AM finds Raspberry breathing and well-rested, along with her other five siblings and her mom, Emma.

Itchy

2010-09-01T14:36:00.003-06:00

Last week I went to fill a prescription for Cipro to treat a suspected bacterial infection. The pharmacist, who was sporting a mesmerizing, sparkly, orange manicure, asked if I knew if I had any drug allergies. Nope. Got my Cipro and started taking it as directed Thursday evening.

Friday morning I awoke to find a few itchy bumps on my elbow. Fearful that I might have contracted ringworm (despite taking many precautions) from feeding tiny baby kittens at the Bottle Baby Trailer for Austin Pets Alive, I had Chad inspect the bumps. Chad has no medical training, but has seen people who have ringworm. Nurse Chad said that the bumps appeared to be little bug bites.

Saturday morning I found a few bumps on my knee.

Sunday morning I found a bump on my wrist.

Monday I spent three hours on the road to and from San Antonio for a commercial shoot that lasted fifteen hours. As Monday progressed into the wee hours of Tuesday, I felt itchier and itchier, with bumps multiplying seemingly exponentially. When I finally arrived home at 3:00 AM Tuesday, I took my Cipro with a tragically unhealthy dinner of a giant cinnamon roll and a glass of milk. I also decided that maybe I should read the three page warning document that came with my Cipro prescription. Guess what? Some people have severe allergic reactions to Cipro expressed in many forms including rash and hives.

Tuesday morning, while I got some much-needed shut-eye, Nurse Chad scheduled my doctor's appointment. He drove me to the doctor where we confirmed that I am very likely allergic to Cipro and that I do not have ringworm.

Now I'm drinking lots of water in attempts and flush out the Cipro. I'm taking oatmeal baths, swallowing the maximum recommended doses of Benadryl and trying to sleep so I can heal.

I'm also trying really, really hard not to scratch.

No Cupcakes for You!

2010-08-29T10:55:00.003-06:00

Our temporary solution to the broken oven is to refrain from all baking/broiling activities.

I found the manual for the oven which dates back to 1999. It advises owners to contact a designated repair person to fix the oven. It also advises DIYers that improper repairs or improper attempts at repairs can result in explosion with possible injury or death. The foolhardy readers among you are now wagging your index finger at the screen, scoffing at me that the manuals just say that for liability reasons, and that you know just how to fix our gas oven that refuses to ignite. Thanks for your well-intended cheerleading, but we'll leave this one to the professionals.

Maybe I'll think about calling a repair person after Labor Day. Between the pest control guy, the nice arborist and tree trimmers, the excellent water heater plumbers and the over-scheduled city water heater installation inspector, Chad and I have been tethered to the 1952 house many days between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM lately. We have things to do and places to go other than our own home: such as running to the bakery for stuff from their ovens.

Crud.

2010-08-26T07:51:00.002-06:00

I broke the kitchen last night. I preheated the oven to make corn muffins to accompany vegetable plates. The oven did not get hot, but did stink-up the house something awful with the smell of natural gas. All pets evacuated to the backyard with me, but not before the front of the utensil drawer came off in my hand... again.

So I ask again (mostly rhetorically), why did we buy a house?

To Do Lists

2010-08-23T13:04:00.004-06:00

Today:

• Vacuum
• Iron clothes from massive laundry attack this weekend
• Wash and chop veggies for dinner salad
• Moonlight kayak
• Walk Janie
• Water the wilting, sunburned plants

This week:

• Contact handyman about patching drywall in water heater closet
• Buy charcoal-grey paint for lower kitchen cabinets
• Paint kitchen walls and cabinets
• Go to IKEA. Be brave. Buy kitchen lights.
Seriously, do not get overwhelmed and leave IKEA without the kitchen lights.
• Maybe skip IKEA
• Paint water heater closet
• Install shelves in new linen closet/old water heater closet
• Read and recycle at least one magazine from growing stack of magazines

Someday:

• Get the one wonky pier and the one wonky beam under house repaired
• Have carport parking pad concrete either repaired or replaced with interlocking pavers
• When it's not 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, weed the planting beds & remove dead plants
• When it's not 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, dig out bad soil from planter and replace with excellent Ladybug soil
• When it's not 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, plant some fall stuff
• When it's not 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, clean out gravel/debris from the rain barrel

Idle Hands?

2010-08-20T13:33:00.006-06:00

I'm back from five days visiting the five nieces and nephews on my side of the family, plus Mom and my sister and her husband. I'm just a wee bit tired after rollerskating, bowling, letting my seven-year-old niece drive me around the family farm in the Gator (she's an excellent driver, but the terrain was bumpy), back to homeschool supply shopping and general visiting.

While it was great to see my relatives, I'm happy to be back in Austin. I'm getting back into my daily routine of watering the plants, walking Janie, loving on the kitties, going to the gym, etc...

I'm getting back to volunteer activities with Austin Pets Alive: bottle-feeding tiny kittens and writing blog articles for cats available for adoption. I got an email last week that Austin Pets Alive finally has a building for a more permanent home; versus the series of trailers and pop-up tents that previously housed the veterinary clinic and some adoption facilities. The building needs lots of work including painting. I like to paint.

Do I paint my own kitchen this weekend? I have the supplies and it's been on my to-do list for a while. I can rest in the comfort of my own digs between coats of primer and paint. Or, do I volunteer to go paint the APA building where I can meet some new people and socialize a bit while painting? Hmmm...

Or, do I spurn my inner Puritan work ethic and take it easy and not paint anything this weekend? (Gasp!) There are lots of magazines in the living room that aren't going to read themselves between doing loads of laundry.

I'll ponder this further as I give Janie a bath. I love her, but she is super-stinky.

Good News!

2010-08-10T15:14:00.002-06:00

We did pay a pretty many pennies for a new tankless water heater. The bill was the only bad news, but it could have been worse.

The good news:

We do not need new pipes. Hooray! (New pipes would have doubled today's bill.) We have good, sturdy, copper pipes.

Since the new tankless heater is mounted outside of the house, we have space for a linen closet where the old water heater tank lived. Add "patch drywall holes" and "build shelves" to the project list.

We will now have plenty of hot water, even when I want to take a bath in the winter. No more boiling water on the stove and toting it to the tub in a manner reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie. (No offense, Laura Ingalls.)

While the plumbing guys were here, they fixed the toilet. For the record, the plumber said my fix-it job a few months ago was done correctly, but that a different part was also worn out. I guess this trouble-shooting ability is one of the many reasons plumbers get a license instead of just watch youtube videos to learn how to do plumbing.

We are eligible for a federal tax credit for upgrading to a more energy-efficient water heater. The amount will be equal to about 40% of today's bill.

While the budget won't allow for any kitchen upgrades past new paint, at least the hot water will last longer as we wash dishes by hand. Maybe we can have a long weekend away this fall if it doesn't involve paying airfare.

Why Did We Buy a House?

2010-08-06T23:29:00.003-06:00

We do indeed need a new water heater. We may also need a new pipes throughout the house, or maybe the plumber service guy just has a sales quota to meet. Since Chad and I are not licensed plumbers, we will not be attempting to install our own water heater. It's one thing to fix the toilet (only to have a different part of the toilet break months later), but an entirely different thing to deal with gas lines and water lines running into the same thingy-ma-bob that could go kaboom!

In light of the very necessary new water heater and possibly necessary total re-pipe job on the 1952 house, there will be no kitchen remodel. There will be no automatic dishwasher. I hope for the sake of our budget that there won't be any new kitchen appliances anytime soon. There will also likely be no fall vacation.

Prepare yourself for dizzying logic (and lack thereof) as I try to figure out what we were thinking when we bought a house.

Anyone who tells you that owning a home is cheaper than renting is a real estate agent and/or sorely misinformed. When I add the interest we pay on our mortgage, and how much larger our monthly mortgage payment is than any of our previous rent rates (two to three times more, seriously, and in one case for less square footage), and our ever-rising property taxes, and the amount of money and time we spend maintaining the house inside and outside, and the fact that now we pay all our own utility and cable bills (whereas rental properties usually covered some or all of those bills), my head hurts.

Chad feels renting is an unsettled and unsure way to live, because your rent rate can go up at the end of your lease, or the property owner can decide not to renew your lease. I never agreed with him until we were bribed out of our two-year lease at the posh condo after only thirteen months by a new owner. The location of the posh rental condo proved a deal-breaker when we had the opportunity to buy it - nestled on a freakishly steep hillside of one of Austin's most notoriously dangerous and busy roads. We also gained a bit too much insight into the condo mismanagement when the condo's property management company (allegedly) embezzled the entire reserves fund from the condo association and then declared bankruptcy. Phew! Dodged a bullet there!

As mortgage-payers (I can't honestly say homeowners for another twenty-some years), we can decorate, upgrade and paint knowing that we keep the fruits of our labor, for better or worse. (When I say worse, I'm thinking of the radioactive green paint in our kitchen. Its days are numbered.)

We get federal tax breaks which are pretty much wiped out or usurped by the property taxes. Of course, property taxes pay for local services, but most of those local services are also enjoyed by renters. So I guess that logic makes for some moot financials. Especially when I admit that mortgage payments and home maintenance costs are much higher than rent rates.

We can have more fur-children in our own home than if we were renting or living in a condo.

We have more room for parties. We should throw another party soon...

We have a washer and dryer here that only we use. No more trips down to an overcrowded laundry room or to the dodgy laundromat. Although the washer and dryer are in the carport and get dirty out there. Also, I have to put on clothes to go out there. No streaking to the laundry room for a fresh towel right out of the dryer.

We have a big yard that falls into both the pro and con list.

We're paying a premium for a few freedoms and benefits.

If there's any wisdom I can impart here, it's this: don't buy a house or condo until you are ready. Don't let anyone pressure you into buying a home with the argument that it's cheaper in the long run than renting, because it isn't. Have lots and lots more money saved than you think you'll need. And as my dearly departed dad liked to quip, "you can live in a car, but you can't drive a house."

Hot Water Heater Erupts

2010-08-03T23:39:00.002-06:00

The ancient hot water heater at the 1952 House has erupted. Authorities are unable to pinpoint the actual eruption time, but estimate the occurrence sometime during the past week. Casualties include a Swiffer broom and several floor boards in the hot water heater closet. Residents thought the hot water heater was dormant. They were stunned to discover the soggy mess today. A leading professional in the field of hot water heater research will soon investigate the matter.

After existing peacefully with the hot water heater for several years, residents were lulled into a sense of complacency about the hot water heater, but now fear for the safety of their budget after this eruption. One resident said, "I'm sorry you had to discover that mess today. I'm not excited about spending the money, but if the service guy says we need a new hot water heater, then we'll get one." Stay tuned as this exciting story unfolds.

Blech

2010-07-28T00:56:00.002-06:00

That's the sound I made often today. Blech. Stomach bug or food poisoning? Who knows? So far, Chad doesn't have any symptoms. Hopefully he'll be spared from whatever it was.

The misery started at 7:00 AM, and was mostly over by 10:00 PM when I requested a Diet Coke with a slice of lime and five Melba Toast pieces. Despite earlier attempts to rehydrate and refuel, the DC and Melbas were the first things to stay down.

A pattern is emerging that I have a cranky wreck day immediately before exhibiting unmistakable illness signs of the stomach variety. It's like my body is saying, "What? I tried to warn you. You should have bought some Saltines yesterday."

Bad Day Meet Haunted Toilet

2010-07-27T00:01:00.002-06:00

In my reckless, overachieving youth, I did not sleep much. I had too much to do! Too much studying, too much socializing, too many chores, too many work hours and too many school-sanctioned extracurricular activities left little time for mere biological imperatives such as sleep. I am now paying the piper, or maybe the sandman, for all that missed sleep. In my middle-age, if I don't get at least seven hours of quality shut-eye, I'm a cranky wreck the next day.

Today was one of those cranky wreck days. Every little minor chore and annoyance magnified to colossal proportions in my sleep-deprived psyche. I won't bore you with all the gory details. The main made-me-want-to-cry moments involved the toilet (yes, the toilet I thought I fixed months ago, the ONLY toilet in our 1952 house) hissing repeatedly and loudly as air pressure met water somewhere in the tank. When I removed the toilet tank lid to investigate, I watched to floater ball bouncing up and down rhythmically as the water in the toilet tank did its best impression of a wave pool.

Clearly the toilet is haunted. I'm not sure whether to call a plumber or an exorcist.

I eventually got the toilet to hush by adjusting the floater ball a bit and turning off the water supply to the toilet until it calmed down. Later I turned the water supply back on for the tank. We'll see how long that little tweak keeps to toilet tank ghost at bay.

Incidentally, my next house will be brand-spanking-new with two bathrooms and other modern conveniences!

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

2010-07-22T02:06:00.003-06:00

Our neighbors' house is for sale. The sign went up in their front yard yesterday. They have been cool neighbors, so we're sad to see them go. We hope more cool people buy the house and move into it. If you ever thought you'd like to live next door to us, here's your chance!

We're hoping that the future owner of the house next door occupies the house. We aren't terribly keen on the idea of the house being a rental or of the house being leveled for an oversized duplex to be built in its place. Wish us luck!

How Much Longer 'Til We Get There?

2010-07-14T23:26:00.006-06:00

When Chad and I moved into the 1952 house a little over four years ago, we thought we would be here for five to ten years. We wanted to make the house livable according to our standards and taste. We vowed not to do anything with resale value in mind, but instead to think of what we wanted and/or needed to be comfortable here.

Since Chad left his fancy-pants job to start his own business, our budget became a bit more restricted. We won't be "movin' on up (movin' on up) to a DEE-luxe apartment in the sky-hy-hy-hy" anytime in the near future, and definitely not next year. No Brown Building or Nokonah loft for us just yet. We will be very comfortably housed here.

Okay, comfortable in many ways except for kitchen activities. We have no automatic dishwasher. We wash and dry our dishes the old-fashioned way: by hand. The cabinets and countertop in the kitchen are not tall enough to fit a standard dishwasher. There's no plumbing or electrical work for a dishwasher. Though some previous owner of the 1952 house put in new tiles and countertop, the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen are original to the 1952 house. These cabinets and drawers have a certain charm, until you realize that each time you open or close a drawer, sawdust rains down on everything in the cabinet below. Tonight, as Chad washed and I dried dishes, I opened a drawer to put away some clean kitchen gadgets, and the drawer-face came off in my hand. We nailed the drawer-face back into place after I quit laughing semi-hysterically. I need to get the construction adhesive out of the shed tomorrow and cement the drawer-face back into place since the nails will only hold it for one or two more openings. The appliances in our kitchen date back to 1989. Sure, they all work. They are all white, thus matching in color, but no two appliances matching in brand or vintage. The microwave has a big crack in the doorframe, which Chad insists is fine, because the inner seal on the microwave door is intact. Nonetheless, I try not to stand anywhere near the microwave when it's running. Safety first!

We'll be living here a good while longer than we originally thought we would. I would really, really, really love to have a dishwasher, along with newer, safer, more energy efficient appliances all around. Accommodating a dishwasher would mean new cabinets and drawers, new countertop and backsplash too. In this case, it's necessary to throw the proverbial baby out with the proverbial bathwater, because you don't want to wash dishes in dirty bathwater.

If I had a crystal ball, and I could know for certain how much longer we will live in this sweet, old 1952 house, it would help me determine whether or not I want to invest the time, energy, inconvenience and money into remodeling and modernizing the kitchen here. Any closeted psychics out there, feel free to speak up!

I peruse the home project websites often, and came across this lovely kitchen designed by Erinn Valencich on the DIY Network's website. The tile backsplash matches the tiles in our bathroom too. I want to go to there.

Honk! Who Goes There?

2010-07-12T16:00:00.004-06:00

Friend or foe? Or stranger? Or someone with a mild case of road rage? There are lots of motorists honking at, or near, the 1952 house, sometimes at the oddest hours.

Sometimes a brief "honk-honk" can be heard from the busy street adjacent to the 1952 house. Chad and I wonder if it might be friends giving a greeting to us or a neighbor. Sometimes a long "haaaaaawwwwwwnnnnkkkk" can be heard, likely expressing disapproval at a fellow motorist on the busy street, or perhaps to say, "woooo... it's 2:15 AM. I should NOT be driving!"

Sometimes when I'm out watering the plants at night, a motorist gives a short, sharp "honk!" Usually there are no other cars around when this happens. So I wonder if the motorist just wants to startle me as they barrel by me in the dark, breaking the speed limit, in a vehicle that outweighs me ten to twenty times over. Is it their way of saying, "I could run over you right now if I wanted to! Hahaha."?

Please feel free to wave at us as you drive by the house. Turn onto our street and say hello if you see us out in the yard, and you have a few minutes to chat. If you must honk at us or our house, we politely request that you give the approved brief "honk-honk" between the hours of 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM Central Standard Time. Failure to comply with these requests may result in a rotten tomato being lobbed at your vehicle or a one-fingered wave. (Obviously I'm kidding. I save the rotten tomatoes for the composter. Plus, I don't have the best pitching arm.)

Brunch for a Great Cause

2010-07-07T15:38:00.002-06:00

Recently I signed up to volunteer for Austin Pets Alive! as a "bottle baby" feeder (feeding tiny kittens and monitoring their health). I have to attend some training before I get to cuddle and coddle the tiny kittens, but I'm so happy to be part of this nonprofit. Austin Pets Alive! does lots of fundraisers and materials donation drives. Here's a fun event you can attend this weekend. Who's with me?

Plain Ivey Jane and Sagra Fashion Brunch
The chic brunch menu will be served along with $1 mimosas and bellinis while models use the restaurant as a catwalk to showcase Plain Ivey Jane’s top picks for summer. Each guest can choose one of Chef Pellegrini’s mouth-watering brunch creations from Mushroom Risotto to Shrimp Marsala along with fresh fruit and homemade scones and muffins. The brunch will benefit Austin Pets Alive! Bring one item from the APA! Wish List (food, towels, bowls) to receive one free mimosa or bellini. The cost for the brunch is $20 a person plus drinks. Call Sagra at 512-535-5988 for reservations.

Wise Beyond Her (Almost Eight) Years

2010-07-05T00:28:00.003-06:00

Saturday morning, I was in the children's section of Half Price Books trying to track down some out of print titles for my nephew's homeschool lesson plans. Fairly deep in concentration between the emailed list of books on my Blackberry and the not exactly alphabetized by author bookshelves, a little girl's face peered up at me and said, "hello," breaking into my vision and attention.

"Hi," I replied.

"Tomorrow is my birthday," she said.

"Oh, cool. Happy Birthday. How old will you be?"

"I'll be eight," she said with a certain amount of pride.

"Are you going to see fireworks tomorrow night?" I asked.

"No. We're going to the bowling alley for two hours with my sister and one of my friends."

"That sounds fun. Have a good time." She kept staring at me. I figured I should say something else. "One of my grownup friends has a birthday on the fourth of July too. When she was a little girl, she thought the fireworks were for her birthday. You know, before she learned about Independence Day on the fourth of July."

The little girl was unimpressed with this tidbit. "Do you have any children?" she asked.

"I have eight nieces and nephews, but I don't have any children of my own. I'm looking for some books for one of my nephews right now."

"Nephew... is that a boy or a girl?" she asked.

"A boy," I said.

"I go to Brentwood Elementary School. I had to change schools because I got into trouble, and the old school wasn't nice to my parents."

"Oh. I had to change schools a few times when I was a kid because my family moved to different places," I said.

"Did you like that?" she asked.

Honestly, I hated it every single time, but I fibbed a little in my response. "Sometimes I was excited to move to a new school and start over, but sometimes I didn't like it."

She thought for a second and said, "That must have been hard for you to make friends and then have to leave. Maybe sad."

Oh, little one, it made me so sad each and every time. I nodded at her. Then she reached down to a low bookshelf and plucked out a prize. "I have this book. I like it. Maybe your nephew would like it." She smiled up at me as she displayed the cover for Walter the Farting Dog.

I smiled, and fought the urge to pet the little girl's head.

Love List for Summer 2010

2010-06-23T00:02:00.002-06:00

Chad and I had two friends in college who were cousins to each other, but who had shared verbal oddities and strange, secret rituals like many twin siblings do. These cousins were from the New Orleans area and introduced us to the lovely tradition of king cake parties during the pre-Lenten season. They taught us the official king cake song which sounded very silly and involved holding up your index fingers from closed fists on both hands and bending those index fingers up and down in time to the song. We later found out that the cousins made up the song and hand movements.

They also taught us how to play Mystery Card which was a nonsensical card game that involved holding up your index finger from a closed fist and saying the words "mystery card" in a high-pitched, sing-song voice before drawing a card. Each player took turns drawing cards until the deck was depleted. There were no winners or losers in Mystery Card.

My favorite thing that the cousins made up and taught to us was "love lists". Make a list of 25 things you love and 10 things you hate. Share it with the people present at the time. Seal the list in an envelope, writing the date on the outside of the envelope, and put the envelope away in a safe place. Open the envelope at some future date and bask in the memories.

Chad and I made love lists pretty regularly over the nearly seventeen years we've known each other, but have neglected to do so lately. I'm making a love list and sharing it here rather than sealing it in an envelope.

Love: (in no particular order)

1. Our 1952 house

2. Chad - and that he spends more time in Austin now with me

3. Janie - just about the best dog we could ever hope to find

4. Sonic - fourteen pounds of feline Mama's boy

5. Kenji - cuddle now, dangit!

6. Marigold - sweet old lady baby

7. Austin

8. Casey's New Orleans Snowballs on a hot day

9. June tomato crops from our yard

10. Basil from our yard

11. Mint from our yard

12. Mojitos! made from the mint from our yard

13. Our lovely planted areas outside

14. The lush, green not-exactly-grass that surrounds our house right now

15. Affordable Lawn Maintenance that mows and edges our yard every 2 weeks so Chad & I don't have to!

16. That Chad is going to let me repaint the kitchen! Bye-bye radioactive green walls!

17. Time with old friends and new acquaintances -- so great to see people last Friday at Lustre Pearl!

18. Paramount Summer Classic Film Series

19. Reading: magazines, classic literature, silly best-sellers, chick-lit, cereal boxes, blogs, etc...

20. Swimming at Deep Eddy Pool

21. Kayaking at Lady Bird Lake

22. Tacos del Jardin from Chango's

23. Cinnamon Rolls from Upper Crust Bakery

24. British mysteries on Masterpiece Mystery on PBS

25. Kittens

I'm too happy right now to dwell on thinking up ten things to hate, so no list. Maybe on a hot day in late August, I'll readily come up with those things, which will likely all center on the weather.

Where I'm From

2010-06-14T22:54:00.003-06:00

The June issue of Texas Monthly features essays by people who consider themselves to be from Texas, even if they weren't born in Texas or don't currently reside in Texas. The special issue's cover heralds the line "Where I'm From".

Where are you from?

I was born in Louisiana and lived there until age five. My mother proclaimed Louisiana to be the armpit of the south. She says we don't have to tell people we ever lived there. In recent years, I find myself fascinated with the rich culture of Cajun people and Creole people. I appreciate the French influence on art, music and architecture that abounds in Louisiana. While I'm no foodie, who doesn't love beignets from Cafe du Monde? I don't consider myself to be from either Shreveport or Alexandria - the two cities in which I lived. I do not feel a desire to live in Louisiana again, but I wish everyone there the best, especially those people still struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina.

My kindergarten through sixth grade years were spent in Birmingham, Alabama. Our house was Mountain Brook adjacent. (Mountain Brook was, probably still is, THE most desirable real estate area in Birmingham.) My school bus went past all the mansions with their professionally manicured, sweeping southern landscapes. Even at a young age, I knew money and good taste when I saw it combined in such abundance. I thought I wanted that: the country club connections, the Ralph Lauren wardrobe, the refined (as I now see it, restrained) lifestyle. As an adult, I no longer wish for those trappings. It's not me. I have no desire to return to Birmingham. Again, I wish residents of Birmingham well.

Seventh and eighth grade were spent in Cross Lanes, West Virginia near the state's capital city of Charleston. Upon moving to West Virginia, everyone in my family had pretty lousy attitudes about the place, largely due to the Union Carbide plant that was a mere ten miles from our house. This was shortly after the Bhopal, India industrial tragedy at the Union Carbide plant that killed thousands of people, and left nearly half a million people with health problems. We also harbored prejudices about the quality of education and society out in Appalachia. We weren't prepared for the natural beauty of West Virginia or for the warm-hearted people, but we soon came to appreciate both immensely. We lived in the prettiest house in Cross Lanes which everyone in town called "The Castle". A local man designed and built the large Tudor style home on a high hill that backed up to nature preserve parkland. We enjoyed four distinct seasons there. I ranked first in my class. The day I won the student council election to be the president of my class for the next school year, and the same week I secured a spot on the cheerleading squad, my dad dropped the news that we would be moving to Dallas, Texas. WHAT?! We finally like it here and we're moving away... moving again? Just before my parents were set to fly to Dallas to look at houses, my dad suffered the first of many heart attacks. He was only thirty-eight-years-old. He had to be shocked back to life several times during the episode. We thought we'd stay put after that, but Dad, ever the stubborn over-achiever, was on a plane three weeks after his heart attack to start his new job in Texas. It was a charmed life while it lasted, despite the bumpy start. I loved living in West Virginia. It will always hold a special place in my soul.

Next stop: Plano, Texas. We were rewarded for the move to Texas with a pool in the backyard, but our house didn't have the luster of "The Castle". I worked my tail off to stay in the top ten percent of my graduating class of 2,000+ students in the highly competitive school system. I was not popular, but did have a few good friends along the way. I didn't dare run for student council or try out for cheerleading; instead finding my place among the drama geeks and the debate dorks. The material excesses and apparent lack of good taste evident in the parking lots and housing developments were not to my liking. While I was in high school, Plano was infamously dubbed the teen-suicide capital of America. One of the guys I ate lunch with everyday started a chain-reaction of suicides among some of my peers just before graduation. For those people who consider Plano to be home, I wish you well. I'm not from Plano. My family moved around to four, or was it five, different cities since I graduated from high school. I have no ties there.

I'm from Austin, Texas. I knew it the first time I visited. I'm not leaving. I've lived here far longer than I've lived anywhere else, over half my life now. I love this place.

Mid-Year Resolutions

2010-06-03T00:22:00.002-06:00

Marching to the beat of a different drummer, I've decided to make my mid-year resolutions.

1. Spend more time sewing and doing crafty activities. Specifically, take another quilting class so I can finally finish the king-size quilt made from Chad's old shirts.

2. Read more. I think four books a month is reasonable.

3. Take a dance class. I start Bollywood Bhangra dance lessons June 16. I can't wait!

4. Expand my cooking repertoire. I'm more of a baker of sweet things than I am a cook. I'd like to bring more healthy meals into my cooking rotation.

5. Re-lose those six pounds (of thirty-two pounds previously lost) that have found their way back to my bootie.

Wish me luck!

Things I Must Stop Buying/Bringing Home

2010-05-24T00:08:00.002-06:00

Chad has been watching the television show Hoarders lately. Like a hypochondriac with a medical handbook, I've decided that maybe I'm an extremely well organized, highly functional, hoarder. Well, okay, maybe not a hoarder exactly, but I have hoarder potential for sure! Especially in regards to the following items:

Scented Candles - I love scented candles. I have eleventy-hundred scented candles of all shapes, sizes and, uh, scents in a cabinet in the dining room. I keep buying them. People keep giving them to me. I can't burn them fast enough. Stop the (lovely-scented) madness!

Board Games - After our Xbox 360 and video games were stolen during the infamous house robbery of October 2009, we chose not to replace them. I bought several new board games to fill the void. I have not hosted a game night since.

Books - I have approximately thirty books in my possession right now that I have not read yet. In a good week I'll read two books. However, some weeks I am memorizing scripts, and can't read for pleasure. Other weeks, I simply don't have the attention span to look at a magazine, much less read a book. I must stop buying books from amazon.com, Target, HEB, Book People, Half-Price Books, etc... Books seem to be everywhere! I have great ambition when it comes to reading, but must acknowledge my limitations.

Clothes - After losing weight, I had to more-or-less replace my wardrobe. Done. I have lots of clothes for just about any occasion. In fact, friends need to start inviting me out more so I will actually have a reason to dress in something other than gym clothes or my jeans & t-shirt uniform.

Fashion Accessories - During the infamous house robbery of October 2009, I lost some of my favorite cheap jewelry. I wonder how the robbers felt when the pawn shop informed them that they didn't have any jewelry worth pawning? I love me some cheap, cute jewelry! Also, as an actress, I need costume jewelry for the dinner theater shows -- the gaudier, the better. Done. Got plenty of jewelry (none worth pawning). Restocked what was stolen and then some. Not to mention that I have many thoughtfully curated pairs of shoes and many bags, purses, clutches & totes.

Pets - Currently we have a pet hiring-freeze at the 1952 House with three cats and one forty-nine-pound dog. I love, love, love cats and dogs. I must respect the delicate balance of four pets and two people sharing the limited space here. Even if I would love to adopt all of the pitiful babies at the shelter...

Perhaps I should limit all near-future purchases/acquisitions to grocery items. I don't want anyone to find me buried under a small mountain of clutter in this house, or feeling that they need to stage an intervention, or submitting me to Clean House - though I do love that television show.

Yeah, I'm Thinking of Getting My Plumber's License

2010-05-13T14:23:00.002-06:00

In a DIY-fit this week, I decided to fix our toilet. We only have one, so it's vital to keep it in good working order. The water in the toilet kept running after flushing despite lots of handle-jiggling, and despite cleaning the tank flapper. I watched an extremely helpful youtube video. I bought a new ballcock and new tank float ball at Lowe's. Ninety minutes and eleven dollars later, our toilet works! No more wasted water, no more annoying glug-glug drippy noises and no expensive plumber visit. I feel so empowered! Even if I did get a bit light-headed from hanging upside down under the toilet tank trouble-shooting the water line leak. (The trick was not to screw the water line into the tank too tightly.)

Spring-a-ding-ding!

2010-05-13T14:09:00.005-06:00

Spring in Austin is joyfully colorful and aromatic. Mmm... lavender (middle right). I was delighted to discover silver ponyfoot (lower right corner) at the nursery this spring. I hope it will spread out.

Bumper crop of mint survived the winter freezes. Mojito time!

Tomatoes on the way!

Sonic chatters at the birds and squirrels to protect the crops.

Kenji is about to spring into bug-chasing action... any second now...

Janie models her new spring wardrobe while keeping an eye on her kitty-friends.

In August when I'm crying and proclaiming that it's hotter than Hades here, remind me of spring lest I put a "for sale" in the front yard and hightail to Seattle.