Family Christmas 2011

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath to see the world's cutest grandnephew and niece tear into the latest parental offerings. Well, you'll have to go here.

Happy New Year.

Cat story

This is NOT how my cat clan began.

The story is here.

Only Tim(id) and PuddyTat remain. Today they are looking out on the world from heated blankets.

Open but closed

This is a church. It has no windows. Well, it has windows in the Sunday School part. When I saw it I wondered if the lack of windows signifies their unwillingness to allow any outside opinions to corrupt their beliefs. Probably totally carpeted and padded with lots of electronics and closed minds? It looks very unwelcoming.

RIP Tommie

This was battered, very male Tommie in better days. Lately he has had a respiratory problem that got steadily worse and noisier. Unfortunately he had never been handled. Tho he always wanted my attention since he has been sick, he wouldn't allow me to pick him up. Today I came home to find him on the ground under the cathouse, still warm but lifeless. I'm so glad his suffering is over! I'm glad he was home so I know what happened to him. I'm not good at grieving but I am a little tearful. Weird. Surprising. RIP old man.

A box, a cat

PuddyTat found the box that Jellico once occupied. LittleOne looked on while I took the photo. I need to replace the box the raccoons demolished last winter. Or maybe not. There are plenty of others plus the barn for warmer retreats when the weather gets cold. The heating pads are already in the boxes above but they only get plugged in when the temp is below 25F and there is a cat in the box to enjoy the warmth.

An adult Thanksgiving 2011

My nephew

His wife did most of the cooking

My bro and sil

The gorgeous canine in the family

My bro needed a little extra help

My sil and nephew began Christmas decorating

My bro and me

My sil and me

It was a long wonderful day

A Saturday

Tommie on top with Jellico and PuddyTat below were waiting for breakfast.

A beautiful weather day followed. There were many fishermen in boats dotting the lake. A little unusual for November. Yes, one or two people are fishing almost every day possible but this many boats is odd. I counted a dozen on our end tho they aren't all in the photo.

How to embarrass a brother

He was introduced in Dallas for his keynote address at an Angel conference as the true rock star angel. Angels fund business startups. He blows sax but not guitar. This photoshop is hilarious. And they included a bow tie which he always wears.

More clouds 11.8.11

In the second photo there is a rainbow. I wish you could see it. The clouds this year have been fascinating. Well, frankly, the weather this year has been, um, interesting. So far we have escaped most of the nasty stuff. So far.

A person I know doesn't like my use of "interesting". Her problem. I assign it to anything worth thinking about beyond the surface. 

Friday cat blogging on Tuesday

This is what happens when I open my kitchen window. Tim, Tommie, Jellico and LittleOne. PuddyTat never gets involved in this sort of closeness.

Sometimes the weather is just too tempting

to sit inside in another meeting. 

Cell phones were aimed skyward tonight

These photos were taken outside Panera in Cranberry tonight - Tuesday, 18 October 2011 around 6:30 pm. A whole bunch of people were taking photos with their phones. The camera can't quite portray the clouds accurately. It was definitely unique and spectacular.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The perils of being Senior Warden...

Neither in nor out

I have the utmost admiration for those who are willing to possibly newly expose their true selves on this "Coming Out Day"!

If I were to have the person who currently holds my interest return my affection, I would probably startle many friends but, luckily, not my family. That isn't going to happen however. And I have neither aspirations nor expectations, just the hope that I can continue this aspect of my life as long as possible. Not that I would reject an improvement...

Cat trap

Maria posted a photo of cats in boxes entitled "Cat traps" on my Facebook page. So I put a couple of boxes out to see what would happen. Tommie immediately climbed in. PuddyTat sat outside. Later LittleOne and Jellico were in the boxes but left as soon as I opened the door to take a photo. Ineffective traps.

Saturday cat blogging

See. I told you they are always there.

Friday cat blogging

The boys have been in these positions all day. Jellico on top and LittleOne below. Actually they are usually there most of the time from breakfast on. Lazy like me.

4 and 20 thousand blackbirds...

And these were only about half I was seeing... Photos taken thru the windshield.

Making grape pies - updated slightly

The weather is miserable for North East, PA's 2011 Wine Festival. Pouring rain all day today. Ugh. Nevertheless the ambitious folks at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross gathered to make 200 grape pies. Unfortunately I didn't think to take photos during the very hectic first day so some of the folks who helped aren't shown. These are from the second baking day and the first of the festival. Also should have gone to the booth in Gibson Park to take a photo of the brave souls who endured many hours of wet and cold with few rewards.

This is where the recipe, sans crust, resides - on the lid of a jar. Gold Medal flour and Butter flavored Crisco were used for the crusts. The filling was obtained from a New York State winery.

On Tuesday we filled the fridge with the bags of crust mix.

On Wednesday, the first batch of filling was prepared so we were ready to go.

On Thursday, there were four people rolling out crusts. Fewer today.

There were others to fit and trim the top crusts, flute the edges (at which we learned I'm a failure) and cut a design in the top. Baking took an hour or so. They baked 100 on Thursday while I folded and labeled boxes. Today they did 50 pies including a dozen sugar free.

The vicar is responsible for this pile of scraps which she judiciously preserved for who knows what. Holy Cross doesn't waste. She took them home and came back with pecan tarts and iced cinnamon pinwheel things. The latter never made it to the sale. Yum.

In the background the boxes I folded await pies like those in the front.

Each box has a special message.

Meanwhile the vicar takes time out to make a folder to include with the pies. One thing to sell pies. Another to invite people to worship with those who make them. This blogger enthusiastically recommends this parish!

Back tomorrow. Prayers for better weather! And happy Holy Cross doesn't have an entry in the bed race tho they tried to get it together and it might have been fun.

Update: The weather brightened on Saturday. More pies were made and many sold. On Sunday the gals used the last of the ingredients to make even more pies before the liturgy. I understand everything was sold. Way to go, Holy Cross!

Critter sitting

Keenan is one of the largest dogs I've ever known. He is also a real sweetie. I let him out and he finds an appropriate grass patch then pees like a horse. He doesn't lift his leg. After that he goes to the door to be let back in. He didn't eat much this morning for some reason. He's drinking plenty of water tho.

Miss Poops-a-Lot really does. She is not very friendly.

Mr Thumper is usually friendly but not today. Hope to get a real photo eventually. He's a cutie.

More Keenan photos. 

And Mr Thumper finally came out to say Hi.