Big Brother Cleans Up!

Einstein is a good big brother. He likes to snuggle, play and clean the other kitties-Layla included. He is, of course, crazy, but we love the silly fellow. Here he is with Zoe (who we tend to call Zo-Zo).

Another long and tiring day. Another day of driving over 100 miles. Whew! I was very glad to be home this evening and put the jeep keys in my purse for the night.
There has been a decision at the Y as to who is to replace the AQ Director. They've decided to make two of the senior guards who applied for the job Co-Coordinators. I'm not sure how well this is going to work, but the two guys who will be taking over are well liked and good guys. However, Daughter is now worried about her hours, as she has specific hours she likes to work and has to work for other commitments. I guess we'll see how it goes.
She did teach tonight for MA, as usual. While she taught I headed upstairs for my Zumba class. Unfortunately, the teacher who was to teach wasn't there. She'd had a death in family (for which I offer condolences) and we had that sub that drives me looney as she teaches Zumba Gold. (Geared for the older clientele.) But, I figured out how to work different/harder with her dances and feel like I got a decent workout. She didn't seem to mind, and is a pleasant person, just not right for teaching this night class.
After both the kids and my class we met up with the Out-laws in the parking lot. They didn't want to take the time to drive over to our house, I guess, though I can't blame them as they never know our schedule. They were kind enough to bring me a card and a small gift card to B&N for my Birthday tomorrow (technically today). Now to choose 2 or 3 books from the long list of books I have been wanting. This is going to be HARD. Angie Fox just came out with a new book, but Jayne Castle is getting ready to release a new book and I own all her others....... Gah! HARD!
Anyway, after that we headed home and Chris and I made dinner. I am having a hard time eating chicken right now. I have no idea why, but tried tonight and ended up feeling ill. Since I don't eat a lot of meat anyway, this isn't a huge loss. (Though I like red meat maybe twice a month. Go figure.)

As for reading, well, I tried that book I mentioned last night, but it's just not for me. I should have known, but it why I picked the book from the library instead. So, I picked another from my stack. I've just begun God Save the Queen by Kate Locke. It's a little steam-punk-y, a little alternative universe with some paranormal thrown in. In other words it doesn't fit a regular mold and I'm willing to give it a whirl.

Time to head offline and get some sleep. It's grocery day tomorrow (today). Fun! Not! *g* I hope y'all had a beautiful day. I wish an enjoyable Friday fro y'all. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: Zumba.
Exercise hours: 1hr..

Thankful and Thoughtful.

Today started out badly. However, I am tired of being stressed and sad and am making an effort to be happy this evening. I am starting with the joy I feel when I look at this TBR pile. Well, it's more like a stack (I've always felt a pile would be over ten books.) (I'm almost there.) My library has been very good to me this week. A few Monday, a few today add up to a happy Brandy.

Daughter worked again today. Her former boss has her working every day this week, an anomaly. I think he did it because he trusts her so much to help things run efficiently while the Y looks for a replacement. However, she has the weekend off, something she is planning to enjoy.

Late this afternoon Daughter had a Socrates Cafe/Teen Advisory Committee meeting for the library. She was also supposed to have a writing club meeting, but since attendance is so low (Daughter and only one other girl attend regularly at this branch.) it's been suspended for a couple of months. They'll have SAT prep and college application classes instead. I'm actually happy about the SAT prep class.

After Daughter's class we headed to the MTY so I could take Zumba without having to drive all the way back over to the other Y. It meant I missed my favorite Zumba class, Zumba Sentao, but I didn't have to worry about using so much gas to get there. AND my favorite yoga teacher had a class after the ZumbaTone class, so I stayed for that while Chris picked the kids up on his way home from work and they headed home. I did it. I made it through two back-to-back classes. The yoga class ended up being an intermediate yoga class and I had NO issues with it even after the ZumbaTone class. And I had fun. I truly do enjoy getting out of the house and seeing people (talking to them, well, I do the best I can, but I tend to sound WAY too excited sometimes. Hey, it's hard to not be when you're homeschooling kids and your social interaction is minuscule.)
When I arrived home we figured out something for dinner and watched a bit of tv and then headed upstairs. It's been a long day and tomorrow will be as well. Which is where I end this post. Oh, as for reading? I've begun reading Luscious by Amanda Usen. I don't know anything about this book other than the first two sentences grabbed me and I'll see where it goes.
I hope y'all have lots of lovely books to read. I also hope your day went well. I hope y'all have a thankful Thursday. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: ZumbaTone, Vinyasa Yoga.
Exercise Hours: 1hr., 45min..

Tiny Taki! (Not that he's much bigger now.)

Daughter took this picture with her phone one afternoon. Taki sleeps well. And yes, he was asleep in this photo. He was out like a light, of course it was taken a few weeks ago, too. So, he's a little bigger now, but not too much. He's incredibly sweet and spoiled rotten and likes to sleep ON someone. As in last night he slept on Daughter all night. Cutie pie!

We're getting a tiny bit of Isaac here. Not much, just some clouds and rain. However, toward our beach there has been flooding and wind. I swear that August has been weird weather-wise this year. It's as though June switched with August. Daughter worked again today and afterwards we went by Target where she bought juices for the MA class this evening. Tonight was the AQ Director/MA Director's last class as Sensei and his last day at the Y. He'll be back periodically to visit, but this is it. He's going to be so missed. He's been an awesome Teacher, a fabulous Boss for Daughter and a kind and funny friend to the kids and I. My idea was used (Although Sifu took over the project. It was pointed out, by him, that he has a Graphic Artist degree and could really make it pop.) (It didn't turn out how I would have done it, but it's done.) of a picture of the class and to have the students sign the mat-ing as a keepsake for him. He seemed to like it and Daughter picked up those Ninja cookie cutters for him, too. He's a single dad and professes to love to cook so..... He seemed to really like them, that's good. One of the other students/mothers made cupcakes and her son ended up sick tonight so I ended up handing them out. The students seemed to enjoy themselves and it seemed a fitting end to the class. (And yeah, I missed working out tonight so I could be there for the last class and help out and take pictures.)
Afterwards the kids and I headed home where Chris had dinner cooking as we arrived. It was nice not to have to worry about it. Of course I think he was excited because I said okay to stir fry for dinner. He's missed it. And I? Was VERY burned out on it. But, it's okay-occasionally. As in not every. single. week. Which is what he would do if I let him get away with it.

As for reading? I picked up and read one of the books I had gotten from the library, Cat Girl's Day Off by Kimberly Pauley. I'm not sure how to classify it, though it was a YA. There were supernatural talents and cats (which is why I picked it up *g*) and a girl who felt inferior to her family of super-smart super-talented parents and siblings. And who also ended up saving people in the end. AND ending up with the guy she had a crush on. A happy ending! Yay! I know I've been reading a lot of YA's lately, but I get tired of the graphic scenes in some books and the list of contemporary books released is shrinking. But, never fear. I have books, actual books, written for adults, too. *g* Now I just need to pick one. I have two. Eeny-meenie-miney-moe......

No more from me. Time for bed I hope y'all had a satisfying day. I wish a wonderful Wednesday for y'all. Goodnight and Hugs, B.

Exercise: 0.
Exercise Hours: 0. I feel bad about it, but it was for a good cause.

Wresting Time!

Buddy loves playing with Taki. He will pin him down and make Taki wiggle until he squeals. He plays a little rough sometimes, so they're never left alone when they play, though he's never hurt Taki, either. And Taki? Loves it. He hopps all over to play with Buddy.

I am almost done in, I am SO tired. It's been a long day. Daughter worked today and afterwords we ran by Target for some cat food and then home. The kids did schoolwork and we then headed to the library late this afternoon for one of Son's tween events. Today's event, XBox games! Guess how many kids showed up? One. Mine. Seems no one else is in the after school events groove yet. Son, Daughter, a friend of Daughter's who happened to be there and the Tween/Teen advisor were the only ones there who played the games. Most played? Rockband. Daughter kicks fanny on drums and Son sang vocals. *g*
Afterwards we headed home where we met up with Chris and he and I headed to the Y. Yoga was great. I wish Chris would give it a try, but he's still too chicken. I am glad he's making an effort to work out again, though I wish it were more than two times a week.
He and I then headed home where I made dinner and we watched a little tv before I decided to make almond cookies for the kids and banana bread for breakfast tomorrow. I want to make sure that Daughter had healthy choices. I then grabbed a shower and am looking forward to getting some sleep.

As for reading? I finished the Sarah Strohmeyer YA book. It was a very good read. I liked reading about the teens who seemed to find their own way, being their own person's, but at the same time trying to stand out just a little. That they also happened to be uber smart? Well, that didn't hurt a bit. Next up? I'm not sure yet. I have books, but will have to tell y'all about them later. I can say the library has had good service lately. I am just too darned tired to type much more.

That said, it's time for me to head offline. I hope y'all had a lively and pleasant Monday. I wish a happy and smile-filled Tuesday for y'all. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: Yoga.
Exercise hours: 1hr..

Me and My Shadow!

I thought this picture was cute. Oreo is looking out the door in the kitchen and Taki is her little shadow. The size discrepancy between the two tickled me and he seemed so fascinated with her sitting there. Such sweeties!

Sorry I forgot to post Friday. I was so busy and then it was so late and I fell asleep before I could think about it. It's been a busy weekend here. About Friday. I took Daughter to the main branch of the library and the woman that I was supposed to talk to wasn't there. However, I did talk to another supervisor. She said that the $105 was a default cost. She said it wasn't the ACTUAL cost. Which was a huge relief. She said she'd call the library the material came from and would let us know. She called us about an hour later and said we would only owe $20. Whew! Huge relief for Daughter. She's already paid the fine Friday afternoon at our branch of the library and her account has been unblocked. They did say that it didn't matter at this point WHO lost it, but that since it was still her account she had to pay it. But, it's all been taken care of.
Saturday we spent cleaning. Chris vacuumed out the vehicles and shampooed the seats. I swept, mopped, vacuumed, did laundry, polished the furniture, cleaned the kitchen cabinets with Murphy's soap and cleared up some extra counter space. I jacked up an old sub-woofer from one of computers with a set of old computer speakers and plugged my iPhone in and we had a blast listening to music all day. Last night we watched One for the Money. It took forever for the library to get it in, but it was an okay movie. I actually liked the movie better than I did the first book! Which is weird because I liked all the books after the first, just not the first. Ever have that happen? Like the second book and those thereafter better than the first book in a series?
Today was spent cleaning a little more, this time I detailed the vehicles while Chris fixed his jeeps driver's door lock. I also mowed the lawn and sprayed for bugs. Not fun, but had to be done. Tonight we watched the old The Philadelphia  Experiment movie. I recently watched the remake on the SyFy channel. (It'll always be the SciFi channel to me.) The remake was....... awkward. But, it made me want to see the original. Thank goodness for the library! *g* It was funny, I told Son it was an old movie. He asked me if it was in black and white. (He doesn't like those.) And when I said no, he said it was okay to watch it. *g* Silly boy. (BTW, Michael Parre was quite a cutie back then!)

As for reading? I read one book Friday night, but don't have it in front of me and can't remember the title. It was a YA, but a cute read. Now I'm reading Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer, also a YA. I'm not very far into it, but can see that I'm going to enjoy it.

I hope y'all have had an enjoyable weekend. One filled with laughter and smiles. I wish a delightful Monday for y'all. Goodnight and Blessings, B.

Exercise: Hmm, does cleaning like a maniac and yard work count?
Exercise Hours: I spent four hours cleaning on Saturday and an hour and a half on yard work tonight.

Gearing Up for a Tussle!

Below is another bee picture from the Out-laws garden.
It's been yet another hectic day. I feel like I was behind the wheel and stressed out for most of it. Oh, wait. I was! My jeep is acting weird, that thing I alluded to yesterday. Today it behaved, but is stressing me out with worry. I can only pray it holds for a while.
Anyway, those on Facebook already know of today's big stressor. The library is fining Daughter $105 for an inter library loan that I know she turned in. As a matter of fact a librarian that was there says she thinks she remembers Daughter turning it in. See, we as a family have a policy. Any inter library loan needs to be returned by hand to the library and given by hand to a librarian. We don't put them in the slots. We don't leave them on the front desk. We hand them off to a librarian. We've done this for years now. But, the branch director just blows us off and says "why don't you look around at home?". Un, yeah. Did that already. Moved my refrigerator looking for it. And the couch. CD's don't go upstairs because Daughter doesn't have a stereo anymore. She hooks her phone to a set of speakers instead. All I know is, the fee is excessive. She turned it in and shouldn't have to pay it and they've locked down her account where she can't check anything out. Tomorrow I plan to speak with the circulation director. I don't want to say I'm going to confront her, but I'm not letting the library punish my child for something she didn't do. If I can help it.
Add in stress for other things and I am in need of sleep for, say, a week straight. I was able to escape for a few hours tonight into Rebels and Lovers by Linnea Sinclair. Some of her books are my go-to keepers. Do you have an author you automatically reach for when you need a lift/escape?
Time to head offline. I hope y'all had a good Thursday. I wish a Friday filled with smiles and laughter. Goodnight, B.

Exercise: Zumba.
Exercise hours: 1hr..

Quick and Harried!

I'm going to have to post later. Chris was kind and spent yet more time tonight re-adding my bookmarks and they're still not all in place. Something happened today that may mean another setback for us so I'm a ball of stress, too. It has nothing to do with the family, just another thing that decided to misbehave. If I could I would crawl in bed, pull the blanket over my head and cry, but instead I'm trying to deal. I know y'all are sick of my asking for prayers, but if it's no trouble, please?
As for reading? I grabbed a Linnea Sinclair off my keeper shelves.
Anyway, that's all I have time for. I hope y'all had an excellent day. I wish a glorious Thursday for y'all. Goodnight, B.

Exercise: Zumba Sentao
Exercise hours: 1hr..
Oh, and the picture is of Chris and Taki sharing a nap the other evening.

Short and Sweet!

It's been a long, long day and an even longer night. Chris installed Apples newest OS on my computer (which had been crashing safari for two days and restarting occasionally- on it's own for about a week) tonight. Unfortunately when he did so he signed in via iCloud. It installed all his links/favorites on my computer as if it were his. He spent almost two hours trying to figure out how to reinstall mine. Turns out there's no magic cure. He patiently spent over an hour hand inputting each link. Granted, I have a lot of links and he's only half done. But, it's times like these that he does something like this and just proves better than flowers just how much he loves me.
But, it also means I'm up way too late and am exhausted. So, this is it from me tonight. I hope y'all had a terrific Tuesday. I wish a slightly wacky and wonderful Wednesday for y'all. Goodnight and sweet dreams, B.

Exercise: Zumba
Exercise hours: 1hr..

p.s. This picture was taken at the Out-laws on Saturday. The bumblebees love her yard.

Too Cute Not To Cuddle!

This is Aka. I thought this picture was a lot cuter than a couple of the others I've posted. He's felt a lot better for almost a week now and I am so grateful for the support of prayers and good thoughts y'all provided. There's hardly anything scarier than watching and waiting to see if a tiny life will recover from being so ill. I just wanted to thank y'all.

Not a lot to talk about today. I took Daughter to the Doctor this afternoon and he agreed that her blood sugar must have suddenly dropped. The word hypoglycemia weren't uttered, but he did say the next time something like this happened to try and get her in to have her blood checked as soon as the event happens. Um, yeah. She works in a town on one side of our town and their Doc is two towns over in another direction. It would take almost an hour to get her there if it happened at work again. He also suggested borrowing a blood sugar checker from someone to check her blood sugar if we couldn't get there. Um, yeah. No. We don't know anyone with diabetes, how would that work? I told him as such, too. However, he reiterated what I've been telling Daughter all along. She needs to eat breakfast, especially if she works that morning. I've bought her fruit, granola bars, yogurt, cereal, muffins.... She says she's not hungry. I reminded her today I've also bought protein drink mix. She said she'd try that. *sigh* Teenagers are a pain in the fanny. If Son doesn't feel hungry he drinks the protein drink. Or a fruit/veggie drink. (LOVE v8 and all their new flavors, it makes it easy to get some veggies into the boy.) Hopefully, she'll be better about it now. We'll see.
After that we ran by WW to return the detergent that is upsetting my skin by making me itch like mad. I was going to try Cheer instead of Tide, but ended up picking up an eco-friendly type. It's plant based and doesn't have a lot of the chemicals that others have. We had looked at this one at Sam's, but the Lavender citrus scent was toxic. This one I picked up today is un-scented. It smells like kids bubbles. *g* I wonder if my castille soap can be used as a detergent. Hmmm, will have to look that up.

After that we headed home for a late lunch and took care of a few things around here and then ran back out to the library. The movie One for the Money finally came in for me! I put this movie on hold the week before it was released into DVD and was afraid I wouldn't get to see it until November, but my turn finally came around. I also had a book come in. It'll be a reread for me, but I'm glad it's in nonetheless. Diary of a Radical Mermaid by Deborah Smith is a fun read and I look forward to reading the book I first read about eight years ago.

Then home again to meet up with Chris who decided he was going to the Y with me this evening. He worked out while I went to Yoga. The big lug is a chicken when it comes to my yoga class. One of these years maybe he'll take one with me. *g*

We finally headed home and had dinner and watched the Season Finale of Bunheads. Yes, my guy will watch it with me. It's such a good show, very realistic when it comes to relationships between people and yet, it's just fun to watch the situations that occur each episode. The lead character is witty and funny and yet a total screw-up and you end up rooting for her. Tonights show made me cry, though. But, I do know that the show was recently picked up for another eight(?) (or was it 5?) episodes. Whatever the amount, I'm glad.

Well, that's our day. Not a long going on and yet it was full and I feel like I accomplished most of what I set out to do. (I didn't mention the cleaning and laundry done today. That gets boring.) I hope y'all had  a pleasant day. I wish a sensational Tuesday for y'all. Goodnight and xoxo, B.

Exercise: Yoga. Not my favorite teacher tonight, but not my least favorite, either. Mostly strength based instead of flow, so I know I'll be feeling this class tomorrow.
Exercise Hours: 1hr..

A Happy Oreo is a Weird Oreo!

Oreo looks rather comfy in the box, doesn't she? I'm not quite sure how she squeezed herself into it, but she was content to nap there for an hour or so. Kitties and their boxes.......

I know I didn't post yesterday, sorry about that, but I've decided to take Saturdays off from blogging. I hardly have time to get near my computer those days and am usually too tired at the end of the night to post. However, Saturday was not uneventful. We were called at home an hour before Daughter's shift was over at work to be told she was shaky and light-headed. The same thing that happened about two months ago. I immediately suspected what it was- low blood sugar. I even looked it up as Chris drove to pick her up. I suspect Hypoglycemia, but will contact the Doctor on Monday to get her in for an appointment. She's fine, btw. They gave her pie while waiting for Chris to pick her up. *g* Her boss even called to check on her later. (The same one that is leaving. We couldn't have asked for a better boss for her, we're going to miss him.)
The Out-laws had asked that Chris come over to help trim a bush. We left the kids at home with Son in charge ( kind of)(Daughter was better by then.). The bush is way bigger than I would let get (over 8ft)., but MIL's garden is a mix of everything you could imagine and some of it's a bit out of control. FIL, on the other hand, wouldn't complain if the bush were gone. *g* (Can't say I blame him, while it can be pretty when it blooms, little white flowers, it attracts wasps, hornets and bees like crazy. And FIL is allergic to those.) While Chris did his best to clip it, I chatted with FIL and afterwards helped gather all the limps as well as some others on the property onto a tarp and put on the back of their truck to be hauled off. We visited with them a bit and then headed home.

Today was good. While the day wasn't busy, it was full. I had Zumba class this afternoon and afterwards we headed to Target. Daughter bought the Hunger Games movie and Chris and I picked up some cat food and tootsie rolls. I have chocolate! *g* Since we arrived home before dark I mowed the lawn (it's been growing fast this summer) and edged/weed-eated and weeded. My yard looks so neat and clean it just makes me happy. *g* Because I took care of the yard Chris made dinner.

As for reading? No time again today. Which is okay, because I have a couple of free ebooks to read. I just need to find the time to do so ! Hopefully the library will get in some of my holds soon.

Anyway, time to head offline. I hope y'all had a Blessed Sunday. I wish a pleasant and stress-free Monday for y'all. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: Zumba, Yard Work.
Exercise Hours: 2hr., 20min..

Spoiled Rotten!

This is a better picture of Taki. He's a cutie and a total lap baby. He's also the instigator when it comes to him and his brother and was the first to climb the stairs. He's a purring ball of fluff who feels like he swallowed a ping pong ball. (In other words he likes to eat.) *g*

Sorry to dump on here last night. While things haven't, and won't, change for next month I have to let it go and trust that God will somehow see us through. Thank you all for the kind words and prayers. And I just wanted to thank y'all for being there when Aka was sick, too. He's recovered nicely and has gained his weight back (he hasn't met a cat food he doesn't like in the past few days). He looks healthier and his energy levels are back to where they were. As a matter of fact, Son and I cackled with laughter tonight as we watched Aka and Taki play 'King of the Mountain' with two couch pillows placed in tent shape. They had the most fun jumping down upon one another and running between the space and it was a lot of fun to watch.

Today was simple. Daughter worked and while she was at work Son and I were home. I swept and mopped this afternoon and used a new scent in that soap we were fortunate to find. (I can't remember the name, I want to call it Dr. Bonner's. I know that's not right.)(Ah, looked it up. I was close. Dr. Bronner's.) This time we went with the almond scent and Son and I love it. The Peppermint was nice and smelled clean, but depending on what you were cleaning (like the carpets) it would take on an odd smell while using. (But, always, always smells clean after the fragrance dissipates.) We use this soap for almost every bit of cleaning. I've used it on the couch, the carpets, the linoleum in the kitchen, the tile in the bathroom, the walls, the bathroom fixtures and sinks and commodes and tubs. I also use it on the counters and stove and cabinets. And funniest thing- it helps when it comes to cleaning the grill. I have NOT, however, tried it for personal use in the shower. With my skin allergies I'm scared to do that. Ah, about skin allergies. Please explain to me why when switching to a "clean and clear" version of laundry detergent (Tide), rather than using the regular version, my skin decided to break out a little where the bands on my clothes rub my skin. WTHeck? Is that not weird, or what?

As for reading? I haven't had a chance today. But, I'm hopeful the library will get something in for me soon and in the meantime there are my keeper shelves and free reads for kindle. I've read a couple of free reads that I've liked, I'm sure there are others out there.

Tomorrow promises to be interesting. We have our produce stand shopping and Daughter works in the morning and we also will be visiting the Out-laws.
I hope your Friday went well. I wish a relaxing and amusing Saturday for y'all. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: Does grocery shopping count?
Exercise Hours: 0. *sigh*

A needed smile!

I needed something silly to look at tonight and there's nothing sillier or sweeter than looking at Buddy playing with one of the kitties mousie's. (Yes, that is a real word. I just happened to invent it, that's all. *g*) Buddy is such a sweet boy. He loves to play rough with his brothers and sisters (all the kitties), but lets Son carry him around like a baby and will reach his paws up to me to let me know he wants attention.

There's not much to talk about today. It was rather uneventful- again. However, on the other hand it was very hard. After talking with Chris we have found that next month is going to be disastrous financially for us.I'm not asking y'all for anything. Not. One. Thing. However, I wouldn't say no to prayers and good thoughts.  I just needed somewhere I could vent and try and relieve the pressure I feel building inside me.

Hmm, lets talk less depressing subjects. Ah, the good news/sad news I was talking about last night? Daughter's boss has accepted a new job working with the Boy Scouts of America. He gave his two week notice to the Y yesterday and we are all going to miss him very much. He's been very kind to our family and saw potential in Daughter both as a lifeguard and as an MA instructor. He's the one who also over-see's the MA department and losing him there is going to be scary. He's talking about asking one of two different people to take over for him and one is very hands' off. Which in this case is a good thing. Or, the other person who is very in your face and has no MA background whatsoever. We're trusting that he makes the right decision for the MA program. Oh, as for Daughter, she'll still teach on Thursdays.

Hmm, as for reading? I finished the Susan Mallery book. I did like how the heroine was physically capable, but emotionally she was close to stunted. I just wish there were more books with capable and emotionally stable female characters BEFORE the male character is introduced. Next up is..... another free kindle book. The library doesn't have in any of my other holds right now and there was nothing on the shelves I really wanted to read when we stopped in there this afternoon so Daughter could talk to the Teen Director about the Writing Workshop later this month.

Anyway, that's it. Sorry to lay bare our issues for the next month. Like I stated, I just needed to vent somewhere. I hope y'all had a thankful and thoughtful Thursday. I wish a fun and enjoyable Friday for y'all. Goodnight, B.

Exercise: Zumba. New instructor tonight. She was very good and I look forward to more classes from her.
Exercise Hours: 1hr..

Layla!

It's been a while since I've posted a recent picture of Layla. Here she is enjoying on of the boxes we keep around the house for the cats. This one sits in the kitchen next to the patio door. I'm guessing the box becomes quite toasty warm during the day with the sun streaming upon it. Isn't my girl pretty? She makes me smile to see her every day. And is it just me or does she remind you of The Brain from Pinky and The Brain?

So. Thankfully not much happened today. Oh, we did find out some news that affects the MA program as well as Daughter's Lifeguard job, but I can't share for the very tiny possibility that someone from around here reads here. It's doubtful, but we promised not to say anything until everything has been disclosed. I will say it's good news for the person involved, but is sad news for us.
In the good news department so far Aka seems to be feeling more and more like himself. He's even eating like before with a bit more gusto! He may get that round little belly back after all! Taki seems well, too. He hasn't been sick again, but we're still keeping an eye on him. So, we're keeping our fingers crossed.
As for reading? The library finally had one of my holds come in. I now have All Summer Long Susan Mallery. The premise containing a female firefighter caught my attention. I love it when an author gives a female a strong job.Why aren't there books with female contractors or something similar? Yes, they have kick-butt FBI or secret agent books. But, notice how the make always ends up rescuing her? What is going on with that? Anyway, I'm hoping this book is a decent read.

That's all from me. Time to head off-line yet again. I hope y'all had a simple Wednesday. I wish a light-hearted Thursday for y'all. Goodnight and Blessings, B.

Exercise: Zumba. (It was supposed to be Zumba Sentao, but the teacher was sick. While I wish her good health, I am disappointed we didn't have a fun class.)
Exercise: 1hr..

Fun for the Heck of It!

We had to run by Target to pick up some cat food and walked around "window shopping" a bit. I saw these and instantly knew I would have to try and buy them later, sometime. They are so cool and the kids thought so, too. (Ninja? Kids in MA? See why we thought they were awesome?) Not to mention that they would make the most fun gingerbread/sugar cookie's at Christmas! I think the shock value alone when my MIL saw them would be fun. *g*

Aka has been good today. He's been eating well and playing and staying awake for longer periods. Tonight Taki became sick, though, so I don't know what's going on. However, we are already prepared and the Vet thought maybe this might happen as they are siblings, so when she gave me the meds for Aka, she made sure to give me enough in case Taki became ill, too. We'll see how it goes, but thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers for Aka. If you wouldn't mind, please, saying them for Taki now, too?

Chris is working weird hours this week, his department has to be flexible with it's schedule sometimes, for training, to cover those who work earlier hours. Therefore he has to be at work very early this morning. However, that meant he got off from work earlier than usual as well. He arrived home in time to accompany the kids and I to the Y for their MA class. At first the plan was that he'd work out, but he decided to watch the kids in class instead. (He developed a small headache and also never gets to see the kids in class, so decided to watch them and rest.) I, as usual, went to Zumba. Afterwards we all headed out.

As for reading? I've had a few free e-books on my Kindle for a while now and decided to try a couple of them. One was so overwrought with prose that I kept wondering if it would ever get to the actual plot and the heroine, a mother, was such a twit I wanted to shake her. So, no go on that one. Another seems promising, but I haven't been able to get very far as my interest just isn't in it right now. I'm hoping maybe one of my keeper books can grab my interest instead. What do you do when nothing new catches your interest? Then again, with e-books you can only read a short description and usually it's just not enough. I've tried a few with sample chapters and that was the mistake with the one I didn't like, it seemed like it might be leading up to something, but by a third of the book- hadn't.

Anyway, time for me to head offline. Tomorrow (Today, again, trouble sleeping. Gotta love stress.) should be bright and hot. I hope y'all had a joyful Tuesday. I wish a resplendent Wednesday for y'all. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: Zumba.
Exercise: 1hr..

Brothers Sleeping

I forgot to post! As those who may not have seen my Facebook post- Aka became ill again this afternoon. I spent the rest of the day stressing/worrying about him. I gave him his meds again and electrolyte solution. So far he's okay. We'll see whether he needs to go back to the Vet. I hate to ask again, but please keep those healing thoughts and prayers coming.
As for the rest of the day? Daughter worked this afternoon and after picking her up this afternoon we headed home. I left her in charge when I went to yoga. I needed yoga tonight. I was making myself sick worrying about Aka. I felt ready to tackle the evening ahead afterwards. A quick trip by the library on the way home to drop off some books and such and finally had the librarian report the book that I'd been asking for as lost so I can request it through inter-library loan. As for Chris? When I said I left Daughter in charge, I meant until Chris arrived home. BUT that she would stay in charge of the kittens. I love the man and his heart is just as soft as mine, but his attention span and attentiveness to detail isn't quite on par with mine and strangely enough (when it comes to the kitties)- Daughter.
Time to head offline for a couple more hours of sleep. I hope y'all had a stress-free Monday. I wish a terrific Tuesday for y'all. Goodnight, B.

Exercise: yoga
Exercise hours: 1hr..

Hope

Y'all are probably tired of me posting about Aka, but I just wanted to let y'all know that he's eaten well today and is off the anti-nausea meds. He's still sleeping more than his brother, but I am hopeful he'll recover given time. While taking care of Aka I have worriedly been watching Taki for signs of illness. *knockonwood* he seems fine, but we'll remain vigilant and, yeah, slightly paranoid.
As for today, well, it's been long. Chris drove Daughter to work today and stayed to work out. He made it home in time to watch Son and the kittens while I went to Zumba. After my class I headed to the other Y to pick up Daughter and since she wasn't off yet I got in another workout. When she was done we headed home and I decided to do some yard work. I shaped the bushes and trimmed the trees in the front yard. Then I had to rake it all up. Let me tell y'all something. We have a few bushes that are red in tone in the summer and they have thorns. Picking those up was not fun! Nor were the multiple mosquito bites I ended up with. Ick!
As for reading? I'm reading a book and I'm not sure if I mentioned it or not. I can say it's not the Hooper book. I can also say I think the author lost her ever-loving mind. I don't want to spoil it, but in very general terms she has a heroine who seems rather..... nuts, but is a Doctor who is falling for someone she knows is inappropriate in many criminal ways and yet can't help rhapsodizing over his body even as she's thinking how evil he is. Um, hi? WTHeck? There's also ghosts, serial killers and an FBI team. When you're main reaction to the heroine begins to be one of disbelief and even disgust it's time to put it down. Bear in mind i haven't finished the book. Nor do I think I will. These are all my own opinions, but needed to share my thoughts. Sorry!
Yikes! Time to get some sleep. I hope y'all had a Blessed Sunday. I wish a pleasant Monday for y'all. Goodnight, B.

Exercise: Zumba, bike, weights, yard work.
Exercise hours: 3hrs., 40 min..

Curiosity in a cute furry package!

This is Taki (Takishido- which means tuxedo in Japanese). I posted this picture on facebook, but decided to share it here, too. Especially since I haven't had a lot of time to take pictures of the kitties this week. I've been too busy taking care of Aka and since Taki is a baby, too, I've had to help him eat as well. He's a snuggle-bug. He loves to sit on someone's chest, near their neck, and sleep. He loves to also sleep in the chair in my bedroom- no idea why. He's an explorer, he was the first to figure out how to work the stairs. (And why the doors upstairs are kept shut when we're not up there. *g*) I had a hard time getting a decent picture of him because he's either constantly in motion or snuggled up with you and his face is so dark it makes finding his eyes in his face hard for the camera.

As for Aka, he's doing a bit better today, crossing fingers. He's eaten a bit and has seemed to play a little more. I'm still having to give him the electrolyte solution since he's not drinking enough on his own to stay sufficiently hydrated, but he hasn't been sick- thank God. It will be a long while before he regains any of the weight he's lost and he's not close to 100% yet, but I have hope he'll make a full recovery. Though I must confess I'm still watching him closely. I know it seems that he's okay now, but I am not about to relax. Yet. I want a full recovery before I can. Please keep those good thoughts in the forefront.

As for our day? Daughter worked this afternoon and while she was at work I worked in the yard. I mowed and edged and weed-eated and swept up the clippings. I still need to trim my trees and bushes again. We have one bush in a line with three others that is clearly dying and I have no idea what to do with it. We have no idea why it's not surviving while the others are thriving. Eventually I'm going to have to dig it up, but I keep hoping it will turn around. I spent so much time on the yard I was almost late in picking up Daughter. She wanted to go by B&N again this evening because as a summer writing project for the library's writing club they were to read different types of books outside their normal reading sphere and then review them. However, each book suggested was tried and disliked by Daughter, so instead she's been given the chance to turn in a collected work of her poems and short stories to be kept at the library for others to read. She's okay with it and searched for the "perfect" notebook to write them all out in at B&N. Then she had to look around. Do you know it's torture to take someone into a B&N and not be able to purchase a book? I was kind of miserable, but was smart and didn't really look at any books because I knew that would make it worse. We were there over an hour. *sigh*
After that we headed home and met up with Chris. He'd arrived home from work and was watching the kittens for me. It seems they are now on different sleeping schedules now, too. One will be up and playing and then sleep and while he's sleeping the other will be up and playing. Every now and then they'll be awake at the same time, but not as often as it was before.

This week is kicking my fanny. I need to get some sleep, so am headed offline. I hope y'all had an enjoyable day. I wish a delightful and relaxing Saturday for y'all. Goodnight and Hugs, B.

Exercise: Yard Work.
Exercise Hours: 2hr..

Worried

I'm not sure if y'all mind me posting so much about Aka, but he's on my mind so much right now that I can't seem to not post about him. Today he woke full of energy and practically bounded out of their pen. I was so happy to see him more like his regular self. He even demanded to eat! However, just a few hours later and he had become ill again. I called the Vet and they said to keep giving the meds and electrolyte solution and to let them know tomorrow. He's been tired today and slept quite a lot, but he has also played and walked around, just not with his usual vigor. He even voluntarily ate a few bites of dry food early this evening. But, I'll admit to being very scared.. He's so young and so little. I just want him to be well and I feel helpless. Please still be thinking good thoughts for this little boy. He's a joy to watch play and cuddle with and listen to him purr.
Other than running to the Vets office for more electrolyte powder and taking Daughter to the Y to teach MA class tonight (and therefore my Zumba class), we haven't done much else. Oh, there was a quick stop by the library to pick up some holds. One was mine, the newest Karen Robards book.
As for reading- I finished the old Linda Howard book and am trying to get back into the Kay Hooper book. I may give up, though. The tone is very dark and twisted and right now with all the stress and worry I have going on I need something lighter. I'm kind of on the mood to read a Jennifer Crusie. I need a book with wit and humor, but that will take my mind off of everything else.
And that's all from me. Time to get a few hours rest. I hope y'all had a delightful day. I wish an enjoyable Friday for y'all. Please keep thinking good thought for Aka. Goodnight and sweet dreams, B.

Exercise: Zumba
Exercise Hours: 1hr..

Meet Aka

This is Aka. I stayed up all night giving him electrolyte solution because he kept getting sick. At his worst he was wobbly (more than usual) and while he had the heart to play, physically he couldn't. He (and his brother) are about six weeks old now. We've been caring for them for over two weeks. Their mom left them in the bushes and ignored them while going around them to get to the food we put out. We held out for almost two days, but when we could tell their health was starting to be corrupted we brought them inside. We've been bottle feeding them and they've been to the vet who had to clear up an eye issue that Aka had. He went to the vet this morning where she gave us anti-nausea meds and suggested keeping up with the electrolyte solution. He ate for her, just a bit- the stinker, but later this afternoon became sick again and had to be given his meds. This afternoon he was still wobbly and lethargic, but tonight seemed to be feeling better and willingly ate. Cross your fingers he keeps it down and is recovering, please. Oh, and Aka means red in Japanese. It seemed fitting for a ginger. The kids picked the kittens names- they are big manga fans as well as their MA style being Japanese karate. (Shotokan) I am scared for him, but cautiously optimistic that he's going to be okay.

Today? Was exhausting. I stayed up all night with the kitten and only had about an hours sleep (not consecutive) before the vet opened this morning. Afterwards we came home and I rested for another hour before we had to leave and pick up Daughter from work. After a short stop at B&N for Daughter to pick up the new and last Maximum Ride book we have been home all day. I took a nap this afternoon while Daughter and Son watched over Aka (and his brother) and tried to gather the energy to go work out tonight, but just didn't have it. I feel guilty about not going, but am glad to have been here in case the kitten needed me as well as just being too darned tired. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. (Well, today actually.)
I haven't had much time to read today, but did get a little further into the Howard book. I'm wondering why it was on my keeper shelf because the heroine seems rather spineless and the hero? Is, pardon my language, an ass. I take that back. He's a bully AND an ass. I feel disappointed in the book now. On the other hand, I still have Dream Man, Mr. Perfect and Open Season on my keeper shelves and have no issue with them. Have you ever gone back and read a keeper book and wondered why the heck you thought it should be kept? Probably just me.

That's it from my tired and shredded mind tonight. I hope y'all had a happier and enthusiastic day. I wish a thankful and thoughtful Thursday for y'all. (I am thankful the kitten seems to be improving! *knockonwood*) Goodnight and Blessings, B.

Exercise: none today.
Exercise Hours: you need energy for that and I am out of energy.

Prayers please!

One of our kitties is sick. He's been 'getting sick' all evening. Please say a prayer that he's okay. I'm up late now and am going to get him into the Vets as soon as they open. Please, please say a prayer that he'll be okay.
Goodnight and best wishes for a nice Tuesday, B.

Proud!

This is Daughter getting her certificate for her third stripe on her brown belt. I wish I had a better picture, but I only had my cell phone to take the picture because if I had taken the camera she would have known something was up. I'm good at being a little sneaky that way. *g* Next step for Daughter is Black Belt. (Probably some time next year.)

Chris has taken today and Tuesday off from work. They've been so busy that he needed a day or two just to relax. He was very sweet today, though. He took Daughter to work for me this morning. And he even took her to her end of Summer event at the library. I went to yoga. The plan was Chris would work out at the Y while I was in class after picking up Daughter. What happened was he decided he'd work out tomorrow. *g* I'm starting to think he has a mental block over the gym! *g* He had his gym bag packed all last week, but forgot to take it, had a night he couldn't work out, then remembered to take the bag but forgot his tennis shoes. *g* I want him healthier, he needs to get his fanny to the gym!

As for reading? I'm currently reading Haven by Kay Hooper. It's hard to immerse myself in the dark tone of the book, but I have been eagerly anticipating this book for over a year. I'll admit, I didn't read the last two Bishop books, but am really hoping to enjoy this one.

Anyway, that's all from me. It's been a slow day, though a rainy one. I hope y'all have had a pleasant and happy Monday. I wish an outstanding Tuesday for y'all. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: Yoga.
Exercise Hours: 1hr..

Taking Time!

I've done the one thing I never thought I'd do. I've taken the weekend off from blogging. Yesterday was full of errands with Chris and the last Summer library event for Son. Today I played hookie from zumba and instead I cleaned my house from top to bottom. I also watched Son practice with his shurikans and bow and arrows. Daughter worked this afternoon. I can say there is nothing funnier than watching your ten year old Son try and put the nozzle on the hose without turning off the water first. *G*
That's about it. Sorry for no picture tonight, but I'm posting from my phone because I didn't feel like pulling out my computer from its case. Drainage is making me miserable with pressure and a headache, so I'm headed off. I hope y'all had a simple and peaceful Sunday. I wish y'all a pleasant Monday. Goodnight and Blessings, B.

Exercise: 0. I cleaned like a mad woman instead.
Exercise Hours: 0. I worked until I was tired and sweaty. That counts for something, right?

P.S. Changed my mind about a picture. Enjoy Oreo relaxing!

Ack! Can't take the CUTE!

Miss Harley sure knows how to look cute while attacking the rope on the kitty condo. (I may have posted this before, if so- sorry.) We've yet to have one of them swing from the rope like Wicket did once, but I wouldn't put it past them to do it when we're safely tucked away upstairs. *g*

Not much to share about the day. I decided that although I should have gone grocery shopping today, to just stay home and take a day to do nothing. I'm not very good at it, so laundry was done and such. But, I also read a bit and took a nap. Not a normal day for me, but I figured with the week I've had maybe I should take the time.

As for reading? I've started Gini Kock's first book in a newest series, The Night Beat. It still has her irreverent humor and kick-butt female heroine, but this one is darker than her Alien series and yet retains that "voice" I so enjoy.

The hubs has discovered the video game Portal. He's been glued to the gaming system since just after the news tonight. I should round him up, but have been enjoying the quiet time. *g* I'm glad the library has these games because that way I don't have to spend the money on them and eventually they GO BACK. *g*

Enough from me. Especially since there wasn't much to share, anyway. I hope y'all had an enjoyable Friday. I wish an amusing and relaxing Saturday for y'all. Goodnight and Hugs, B.

Exercise: 0.
Exercise Hours: 0.

Everyone Has One!

I want this sign. I spotted it at Hobby Lobby when we were there last weekend and thought that it was perfect in it's simplicity. I've of the opinion that everyone deserves an opinion. Whether or not I agree with that opinion? Well, that's for me to know and not tell. (Unless it's Chris, and then trust me, I tell him! *g*)

I did not want to wake up today. It was a struggle to open my eyes and keep them open. I think I may just take time on Saturday to do the one thing I seem to be lacking lately- time to rest and just read and sleep. My family may not understand why Mom/Wife is just sitting around, but they'll have to fend for themselves for a change.

Daughter received her third stripe on her belt this afternoon. That means she is now Brown Belt third degree and that this is the last stage before Black Belt. It means she may receive her Black Belt by her 18th Birthday next year. Son was, of course, a bit upset that he isn't getting a stripe for his belt right now. But, I spoke to him and explained that he just needed to work a little harder and that even his Sifu thinks he's close, just not quite ready. He made me proud. He wanted to cry, but he didn't. (Not that it would have been bad if he had, just that he handled himself well.) He's decided to practice at home more. Now, if he actually follows through will be the true test.

I watched the class where Daughter received her belt and afterwards we took time to cool down in the break/snack area and then Son and I went swimming for a while. Afterwards they went to class where Daughter taught and I went to Zumba. This one was held upstairs in the aerobic room with the fans (like Tuesdays class) and I was fine. I don't know the difference between yesterday and today as far as my blood sugar is concerned as I had eaten the same lunch. The only difference I can "see" is the heat and humidity from the gym and major sweating. Ah, well. I guess I'll find out next week.

I finished the latest Jill Shalvis. I keep sounding like a broken record (ooh, showing my age with that old idiom!), but I really enjoyed reading her book. There were funny moments (the Dog stole the book, trust me) and cute moments. HOT moments and sweet moments. There was a little of everything and yet it was all cohesive and read as though the characters were real and relatable. And again, the the Dog stole the book! *g*

Enough from me. I tend to jabber on. I must annoy the snot out of a LOT of people. I hope y'all had a delightful Thursday. I wish a fun and enjoyable Friday for y'all. Goodnight, B.

Exercise: Swimming, Zumba.
Exercise Hours: 1hr., 35min..

Yummy and Fun!

Care to guess what and where this might be? I took this picture  the weekend before last because the kids begged for stop by there. Give up? This is one part of the Krispy Kreme system for making doughnuts. In this machine they rise as they travel through it and go from there to the fryer and from there to the glazier. I can not tell you how heavenly the store smells. Oh, and FYI? I was good and only had one glazed. Let me tell you, it was HARD not to eat a second.

I wish I had good news to share with y'all today, but it's been a trying day. Daughter worked this afternoon and while she was at work it was discovered that she had used over a 150 text messages in one day. ONE DAY. We checked and most were to a friend of hers, I'm sure she was complaining about how awful we are to her to ground her. She's been warned to slow down on the texts. Do teenagers not actually use the phone part of their cell phone? I don't get it. Granted, I'll text Chris at work rather than call him, but that's because he's usually teaching a class and I don't want to bother him. He knows if I CALL him- it's important.
They moved my class to the gym. It was so hot in there as there is no air circulation or fans and when you have two classes back to back in there with over 40 people in each class it gets humid. I made it through, but then felt really unwell. Teary and shaky. Ugh. My hands even shook for a good half hour afterwards. Between the heat and probably low blood sugar I freaked out the teacher (who insisted on walking me to the snack area to sit down), the Fitness Director and a couple of the people that work there that I'm friendly with. I felt so embarrassed and stupid. Ugh. After about half an hour I felt well enough to drive home. Chris had to work late tonight, too, so we had take-out for dinner. No worries, I had something healthy.

As for reading? I finished the Blair book and enjoyed it immensely. I can't wait for the next book in that series. Now I'm reading the Shalvis book. I love her books, I enjoy the camaraderie the characters seem to have as well as the comic situations she puts them in. Her characters seem real, as though they could be real people- someone you know.

Anyway, time for me to head offline. The stress of the past few days (I have had a couple of other Daughter issues, but don't want to bore y'all with them. Suffice to say she's still grounded.) has started to take it's toll and while I was tired, I'm now exhausted. I hope y'all had a wonderful Wednesday. I wish a thankful and thoughtful Thursday for y'all. Goodnight and Sweet Dreams, B.

Exercise: Zumba Sentao.
Exercise Hours: 1hr..

Affection knows no bounds!

I know this isn't the best picture, but I thought it was too cute not to share. Einstein loves Layla. He will curl up right next to her when she's sleeping. Most of the time she puts up with it and you can almost hear the sigh as she realizes he's not going anywhere. But, this time she curled her face into his chest and he draped his paw over her and it just looked so cozy I had to take a picture. My sweet baby's.
It's been a long day. At least, it feels that way to me. I'd love to just sleep for ten hours straight. Unfortunately I don't have that ability and am not sure I could, anyway. Daughter worked this afternoon and after dropping her off Son and I headed home and I later took a nap.
It didn't hurt that it's been gloriously rainy and cool and gray all day. I loved it. It was a nice break from the heat and humidity.
We met back up with Daughter late this afternoon as the kids had MA and I had my Zumba class. I was informed that Daughter will rank up in Thursday's class earning herself a third stripe for her brown belt. It's the last step before Black Belt. She doesn't know and I haven't said anything. Son will not be ranking up right now. The teacher feels he's regressing a little bit. I say no wonder when he switched them to Kung Fu and the kids didn't like it and now Son is mixed up in styles a bit. He and Daughter want to stick with their Shotokan and so far their teacher has agreed. I explained to Son that their teacher wants him to work on a few key things. His feelings were hurt, but he is trying to understand.

After the Y we headed home with a stop by Target. On my last grocery shopping excursion almost two weeks ago I had no choice but to pick up a different dryer sheet than I usually buy and while it's by the same company it's a different scent. I've had to use it for two days now and it's making me ill. I had to buy a box of our regular scent from Target or I would not have been doing laundry and that would grind the house to a halt! *g* I also splurged, when I shouldn't have, and picked up the newest Jill Shalvis book, Forever and a Day. I love her books and was feeling a little depressed after yesterdays occurrence. (Daughter only cursorily apologized and I don't feel she meant it. And Chris isn't happy with her actions, either. However, she feels it's all passed and we should all be happy she has a boyfriend. Um, no.) See the reason for the book purchase? Yeah. Anyway, I hope to start it as soon as I finish the Blair book.

All that said, I need to get some rest. I hope y'all had an excellent Tuesday. I wish a wonderful Wednesday for y'all. Goodnight, B.

Exercise: zumba
Exercise Hours: 1hr..