I hate cats....

At least for today anyways.  

This is a picture of myself with my current furball.  Wow, it's not the best picture of me but that's okay.  Current Furrballs' name is Kitty.  Real original, I know.  I got him from the Humane Society in Fort Collins eight years ago and he came with the name Bacura.  That just didn't roll off my tongue and he answered to Kitty so it just sort of stuck.  I just want to know, why is it that this cat cannot throw up on the linoleum?  He will throw up usually somewhere in between five feet to five inches of the linoleum but never actually on it!  I am so tired of scraping it off the carpet.  

A little background.  We bought the house we are in now brand new back in August.  We aren't even in this place a week and he has blown chunks on the carpet.  WHY????  Another problem is that my husband really does not like this cat.  It could have something to do with the cat using his stereo speakers for his own personal nail sharpener.  

As you can probably tell from the picture, this cat is a long haired cat.  I feed him special hairball food so that he can pass the hairballs through more efficiently.  I should brush him but I don't.  He doesn't really like it and will bite with very little warning. I have had him shaved a couple of times and that really seems to help with the throwing up.  However, I had him shaved back in October and his fur isn't all the way grown in yet so I don't think it is time for another shave just yet.  

*sigh* Sorry for the ranting just needed to vent as I walked up stairs after lunch and found a nice pile of puke on the carpet.  Not exactly what I wanted to see just after eating.

Best Laid Plans...

This past Sunday I had made in my head a plan to go to the barn and see Rosie even though it was supposed to be cold.  Even though I like to have a change of seasons I am not a big fan of actually getting out and working in the cold anymore, at all.  Part of that could be because since I have had my daughter none of the old pants that I have will allow me to put a pair of long underwear underneath them anymore and I just haven't bought any new pants big enough to put a layer underneath.  Really, I'm just thankful that I can still wear some of my old pants after having a kid.

Anyways.... it was supposed to be in the mid 30's and calm so it sounded like a good day to go to the barn.  Before heading out I was in the kitchen finishing up some dishes when my husband called down saying that my daughter wanted some popcorn that I had left on my computer desk and could she have some?  I said sure since he was right beside her.  About ten minutes later he called down and asked me to come upstairs.  When I got upstairs my husband relayed to me that he thought our daughter may have shoved some popcorn up her nose.  Okay... what makes you think that?  She looked at my husband and said "Daddy, stuck" with her finger nearly up to the second knuckle in her nose.  Alright.  I ran back downstairs, got the flashlight, go back upstairs and looked in her nose.  Sure enough, way up in there is an un-popped popcorn kernel.  *sigh*  There is no way that I can get this thing out myself.  Obviously, I'm not going to make it to the barn today.  Luckily, our doctor's office has walk-in office hours on Saturday and Sunday in the mornings so I didn't have to take her to the emergency room.  Another lucky thing is that the doctor was able to get the kernel out on the first try with some long tweezers.  I don't think she would have given him another shot to get it out.  After the kernel was free of her nose she said "that feels better!"  

Kids, I swear! 

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY February 2, 2009...

Outside my window... the sun is shining

I am thinking... we shouldn't have kept our three year old out so late last night because I am paying for it today

I am thankful for... nap time

From the kitchen... it will be lunch time soon

I am wearing... my new button necklace that I got from BoutiqueByBonnie a brown striped shirt, jeans and my L.L. Bean slippers     

I am creating... still nothing

I am going... stir crazy

I am reading... Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship for the umpteenth time

I am hoping... that things work out

I am hearing... my daughter talking to me

Around the house... there are toys everywhere

One of my favorite things... friends

A few plans for the rest of the week: A few appointments to rearrange, hope to get to work with my horse, clean the house a little

Here is picture thought I am sharing... This is the shell of a Galapagos Turtle that was at a zoo in Phoenix.  The only reason I thought to put this on here was that Chronicles of a Country Girl posted a macro shot she took of a shell and it for some reason reminded me of this picture.

This post is provided by The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Saturday's

Saturday's can be busy around my house or very, very quiet. I suppose it is that way with everyone.

Today I had every intention of going out and playing with my Rosie pony. The weather was supposed to be gorgeous, in the 50's. I wanted to go out in the morning before the wind kicked up and made things uncomfortable. I am kind of a fair weather person. I feel I put in my dues with cold weather growing up in Maine. Things took a little different route however. You see, my husband received a bunch of gift certificates to Men's Wearhouse for Christmas because he wanted to get a new suit and he decided that this was the weekend to go in search of said suit. Plus, he said he would take me out to lunch. For those of you who don't know me, after horses, going out to eat is my second hobby. I love to go out to eat. I think it has something to do with the food magically arriving at the table and then the dishes being whisked away when you are done. As much as I wiggle my nose this just DOES NOT happen at my house. I have even gone so far as to leave the dishes out over night so that fairies can come take care of them but evidently fairies have better things to do with their time. So we trucked on up to Fort Collins for lunch and a suit. Mission accomplished across on both fronts.

After getting home, changing, and putting my daughter down for a nap I was back out the door to see the Rosie Pony. I first made a trip to the feed store to buy some Cowboy Magic Green Spot Remover though. One side of Rosie is getting kind of nasty where she poops in her stall and then lays in it. She gets pasture turnout time during the day but I guess she doesn't want to waste it sleeping. Or maybe she has decided that sleeping on the ground is beneath her and she needs some nice comfy shavings to rest her head in when she getting her REM sleep. Finally, I get to the barn around four and guess what? The wind has kicked up. Not just a little breeze, I mean the tarp on the big hay pile is straight out flapping in the wind. This big hay pile is also on the way to the round pen that I typically use. I really didn't feel like getting killed so I decided that today would be a good day to stay in the barn and put some elbow grease into grooming my little Appy beast.

I brushed and brushed until my arms felt like noodles but there was still dirt coming off of her. Not much I can do about it until it warms up enough for a bath, which is probably going to be awhile. Rosie was good, she stood there like a gem. Usually if it is windy and she hasn't been worked she is antsy. Maybe she was good because I tied her up outside of her buddy, Jett's stall and they were able to converse a little. I remembered to bring in the Cowboy Magic bottle but I forgot about the rags until after I had already tied Rosie up and there was no one in the barn to keep an eye on her while I ran back out to my truck. She probably would have been fine but I didn't really want to take the chance of something spooking her and her pulling back. At the previous place where I kept her I used to tie her up and wander all around so that she would know I didn't need to babysit her but that was also at a private persons house and there really wasn't anyone around for her to hurt if she flipped out. Here there are always other boarders around or kids taking lessons and I just don't want to get anyone hurt. So I just brushed the crusty area really well. It is still stained but is not all stiff anymore. I also picked up and cleaned out all four feet, brushed her head and played with her ears a little. All in all a pretty good grooming session.

As a side note, Rosie has a new little sister! She was born in Texas two days ago in an ice storm. She is also solid! Both of her parents are Appy's and have had five babies previous to this one and none have been solid. I just got pictures of her today and boy is she a cutey even though she is solid. If anyone out there is looking, these babies have really good minds. I can't tell you the number of stupid things I have done with Rosie and gone thank God she is as good minded as she is or I would be a pancake right now.

Camp St. Malo

Thank you to all those who posted comments on my procrastination post. It's nice to know that I am not alone. My hopes for a cure, however, have dwindled!

I had a question about the picture that I posted along with my Simple Woman's Daybook entry. The picture is of the Chapel on the Rocks at Camp St. Malo. Camp St. Malo is a Catholic Retreat, Conference and Spiritual Center according to it's website which can be found here Camp St. Malo The Chapel is still in use. In fact the day that we were there and I took those pictures there was a mens choir practicing inside and you could hear them outside. The doors are unlocked and you can go inside for a look around but they do ask that you please close the door as they have had problems in the past with animals entering the chapel. It is a very lovely chapel and has been well kept up. My pictures may have made it look harsh or deserted because I was taking them at about 11:00 in the morning which is not the best light. I also do not have Photoshop or any photoediting software so those shots are straight out of the camera.


I would highly recommend stopping here and looking around if you are tooling around the scenic back roads of Colorado. Camp St. Malo is located on Hwy. 7 also known as the Peak to Peak highway. It is about 4 miles north of Allenspark and you can't miss it, the chapel sits very close to the road. It is easier to see if you are coming from the south. Coming from the north I think the driveway is right next to some trees so you might miss it and have to turn around to actually pull in and park.

We made a day of going up there and went onto Estes Park for lunch and a look around the Stanley Hotel. The Stanley Hotel was the inspiration for Stephen King's book "The Shining." I was a Stephen King fan during my teen years, what with us both being from Maine and all, but I have gotten to be a scardey cat in my older years and just can't read his books anymore. One other notable thing is that F.O. Stanley, the man who built the Stanley Hotel (he was also the creator of the Stanley Steamer. The car not the cleaning service.) is that he was also from Maine. I believe he had contracted TB and had moved to Colorado for the dry air. Here is the link for the Stanley, they have much better pictures than what I took. The Stanley Hotel

Is there an AA for procrastinators?

If there is, I need to start attending immediately! Or maybe I will just catch the next meeting, because it is really cold and snowy out there and I hadn't planned on going anywhere today.... Is this sounding familiar to anyone out there?

A prime example of my procrastination. Today, I intended on making one last batch of peanut butter cookies with some dough I had in the fridge. I pulled it out and thought, gee, when did I make this? I realized it has been in the refrigerator for a week today. I smelled it. It smells kind of sour. I don't think this is how peanut butter cookie dough is supposed to smell. In the trash it goes.

Another example. I made an Irish Chain lap quilt for my daughter for her first birthday. Correction, I finished the top part of the quilt and gave it to her fully intending on getting it put together and quilted in the near future. She turned THREE last week and where do you think that quilt is? It is in a box waiting to be sent off to be finished.


My first memory of my procrastination causing an issue was when I was in the fourth grade. We had been assigned to make a model of the human digestive system. We were given plenty of time to complete this assignment. When do you think I started mine? Ding, ding, ding! The night before! You are correct! I remember my mother searching our house for bits and pieces of yarn or foam of any sort that could be assembled into a reasonable looking model of the human gut while I sat tearily hating Mr. Cooper for assigning us this stupid project.

Right now I am using this blog post to procrastinate on folding laundry. When does it end?

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 26, 2009
Outside my window... it is dark and cold
I am thinking... I had a nice time while my mom was here.
I am thankful for... a nice warm house
From the kitchen... only leftovers for dinner
I am wearing... my blue Campobello Island sweatshirt, old black sweatpants and my L.L. Bean slippers
I am going... to try and get everything on my to do list done this week
I am reading... horse magazines
I am hoping... that it warms up a little this week
I am hearing... a too loud movie that my husband is watching
Around the house... everything is a disaster
One of my favorite things... is Bailey's and hot chocolate
A few plans for the rest of the week: Just to make it through the week
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
This is a picture that I took a week ago on a drive to the mountains. I believe it is called the Chapel on the Rocks at Camp St. Malo.


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