Carrying On

I haven't been interested in cooking lately. I've made food, but without interest, and frankly it's been meh. Yesterday afternoon I cooked some Italian sausage and made a sauce from tomatoes and basil from last years garden, along with red pepper flakes. This was a lighter sauce, it simmered only about one hour. I can't say I have my mojo back but it's more than I have done in quite awhile.

We start a warm spell today, it goes all the way into February. It's strange weather, but I suppose we have to accept there is no "normal" anymore. In so many ways.

On a Lighter Note....

An uninvited dinner guest.

He took a look at Mark's overflowing plate and thought the gentlemanly thing would be to share. 

Rerun

I am mushy brained today, I didn't sleep much last night. I was looking through 2010 for something and came upon this post. A breeder and vet, she lost her mind over a young trainer. Her sister had stopped by and said this person was in a mental health care center, completely removed from reality. Her visit prompted the post. 

https://worldsendfarmthisandthat.blogspot.com/2010/06/hot-tin-roof.html

Pretty

Late afternoon I looked up and saw the fading sunlight from the west window adorning the cat perch.

 It has been cold, so there has been sun.

I hope everyone has managed to stay safe and warm during this unpredictable weather across the country.

Still Cold

I found enough ambition yesterday to make a pot of soup and do my usual Monday laundry. Oh, and I vacuumed the kitchen. Am I hearing the angels sing?

It has been below zero for a couple of days and will remain so today until afternoon. The two boy kitties have been spending most of their time in the house, they know warmth when they feel it. Otherwise there's no news fit to print. We are officially boring.

Cat-Man-Do

He is a cat magnet.

 Gatto appreciates the belly Mark got after radiation!

It's cold and sunny today. We will stay below zero today and tomorrow. 

The Life of a House Cat

What weird people do in the middle of the night, like taking a photo of a sleeping cat.

The iPhone has a very good camera, I could see nothing when I held it up, I had to rely on the yellow square telling me it was focused on something. And then, a usable photo. He was not even disturbed.

It's 3 degrees F this morning. We are expecting about three inches of snow today and more tomorrow. Then it gets colder. Which likely means sunshine, the bright spot in it all. No pun intended. 

Yippee Skipee

Look at this, we have SUN!

Of course, it's sunny because it's 7 F out there. The equines don't care, they have hay to bury their noses in. Expensive eating machines.

Yesterday turned out ok. I became less grumpy as the day wore on. I finished Maid and a new book became available at the same time. Serendipity? I finished watching the series Archie Leach on Brit box and found it pretty good. My son called late afternoon and we had a uplifting (ha!) talk about the state of the country. He had Covid and got very sick. He is now recovered. His wife now has it. It's back with force. Mark bought me vegetable beef soup for lunch and a nice bottle of zero alcohol sparkling wine and rotisserie chicken for dinner. All was well.

Mark has CPE (continuing professional education) today. It's remote so he is holed up in his office. What I will do today remains unknown. 

Maybe I Should Bay...Aroooo

Today is my birthday. I'm crabby. I don't think it's related, but......I have my cranky pants on. I think part of it is the book I'm listening to, Maid. The circumstances of the marginalized vs the psychotic wealth so admired by Americans makes me sad. I saw 3M is freezing pensions and yet the current CEO will retire with a 63 million dollar pension. I stay away from discussing these things because I try to shelter my own mental health. It doesn't always work. Anyway....I made it to be crabby one more year. Mark will pick up dinner and a bottle of sparkling zero alcohol wine and all will be well. Sometimes one just must be off and a birthday is as good as any other day for it.

Cats and Other Bits

Frieda gave the drawer a thorough inspection. She gave it her approval.

Too cool for you. But I'll take the comfort.

 

The two outside boys are back to their pre-Keetah days, spending most of their time inside. Eating and sleeping. Eating Frieda's expensive food. So delicious. They both love making bread and have some wicked claws, so that's a problem. I don't clip outside kitties claws, they need those hooks, but....ouch! The four of them will be nine this year. 

My back is starting to settle down into its normal dull ache. It's been about a month. Nursing a back becomes a dull way to live. I'm so grateful for the digital library. I started reading Maid, by Stephanie Land yesterday. I'm already interested. Tina Fey's book, Bossypants, was a very good comedic read. Or I should say, listen. I've been known to be a bossypants myself.

It's been so long since we have seen the sun I almost don't believe there is one. January is usually bright sun and frigid cold. Not so far this year on both counts. I know in winter sunshine and cold are connected, so I'm conflicted. The sun could just play a little peek-a-boo.