WCB #62

I'm a little late for Weekend Cat Blogging, but better late than never? The Gladiolas are in season right now, and I picked these up from the side of the road at a little stand. The colours are spectacular, so bright that Mr. Mao had to close his eyes! Clare and Kiri haven't been seen in a while, so Heather has picked up the ball this week, and Weekend Cat Blogging can be found at Heather's Space Thanks Heather!

In other flower news: My Hostas are also heading into full bloom...
What's the Story Morning Glory?

I planted Morning Glory seeds that I had picked up from the local Opportunity Shop. The seeds were just in a little pill container with no other label on it, so I didn't know what colour the flowers would be.

Lazy Daisy: No so lazy!

The bunnies had eaten the new leaves off of this plant in early June. I am so surprised that they actually bloomed!

On the Homefront...Keep your fingers crossed for me. There might be an offer coming in today!

Fleas Be Gone!

I have a confession to make.
I've got fleas.
Well, I have flea bites. So does Greg. And so do our Weekend Trailer-trash Cats.
You'd think that someone who has had family pets their whole life might consider fleas as the culprit. You might also think that a nurse would clue in, especially since I knew that Mr. Mao had some bites. For some reason, I thought he got stung by a wasp, because he had a big lump under his right arm, and also because I was stung by a wasp. 'Tis the season here in Ontari-ari-o.
About a week ago I started itching and noticed that I had about 10 mysterious non-wasp bites on my back, and one on my belly, and, of course, I kept scratching the belly one. It is now about the size of a tennis ball, and definitely not sexy. It's not sexy when I'm scratching in my scrubs at work, and absolutely not sexy when I'm in my birthday suit. But that's too much information...I know.
Last night, we noticed that our normally very lazy, sleepy, chubby Miss Dutchess was racing around the condo like her tail was on fire. We were quite amused at the 'kitten' in her, and she raced back and forth, back and forth, while we were trying to watch Rock Star Super Nova. Still, we did not clue in.
It was Greg's idea today to get some flea collars for the Fleabags. (too bad they don't come in adult human sizes)
So, I picked them up on my way home from work, as well as some anti-flea mousse, and anti-flea carpet/furniture spray.
We rubbed the mousse into the kitties, and gave them their new collars. Mr. Mao, always the troublemaker, decided to lick the mousse off, which, of course, immediately made him foam at the mouth like Cujo. OMG did he ever have the Spits!
So, thinking that we might have poisoned our little guy, he then got his first bath and a blow-dry in his 7 year life and is now hiding under a table, pissed off. The Dutchess is growly and pissed as well, but she could be conned with food and has now pretty much forgiven us.
Me? Well, I'm still scratching, and am up to my ears in laundry and pesticide stench.

Anyone else itchy now?! ;)

We decided not to go to the trailer this weekend. Turns out that we have BOTH had enough of the Clan.
Greg's estranged sister was in town for a few days, so we all got together with her on Thursday night AND Friday night. She was ok, I'd only met her once before, very briefly. When we were married last November, she did not even acknowledge it. No phone call, no card, even though Greg had tried to contact her and left messages, and I had sent her pictures and a DVD of the ceremony. She's a bit of an odd duck, who I think is embarrassed/angry at the way she was raised. Anyway, meeting up with her was ok. At the end of the night, she gave me a hug, and welcomed me to the family which I thought was very weird, considering that she has not been a part of the family for almost 20 years. I felt like welcoming HER to the family! Oh well, whatever.
We were meant to go to a family reunion of Greg's on Sunday. His grand-parents were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. I was quite happy that Greg decided to ditch this idea on Sunday morning. We had his grandparents for dinner at the trailer last weekend, and will have them again next weekend and make it more special. I made them a beautiful Anniversary card, which is probably the nicest I've ever made.
So, we had a really nice, quiet weekend. We didn't answer the phone, and we just hung out and did our own thing. Saturday, we went for lunch on a patio, drove through Toronto's oldest cemetary which is quite beautiful, mosied on through Canadian Tire, bought expensive wine, came home and watched movies. The Princess Bride, and Almost Famous.
Sunday, we went for a long walk (and fielded phone calls from Greg's mom, who is mad at us for not coming to the reunion.)
All in all, a perfect weekend.

A Joke for Hump-day

This is probably an oldie, but I thought it was cute and worth sharing with all the dog lovers and dieters out there:
I have a dog & I was buying a large bag of Purina at Wal-Mart and was in line to check out. A woman behind me asked if I had a dog. On impulse, I told her that no, I was starting The Purina Diet again, although I probably shouldn't because I'd ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.
I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry & that the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again.
(I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was by now enthralled with my story, particularly a guy who was behind her. ) Horrified, she asked if I'd ended up in the hospital in that condition because I had been poisoned. I told her no, it was because I'd been sitting in the street licking my balls and a car hit me. I thought one guy was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard as he staggered out the door!

What it Boiled Down To...

*6 glorious days of sunshine
*1 Tornado watch that turned into a really frightening thunderstorm
*1 behind-the-knee wasp sting
*500 katrillion flies
*3 litres of Pinot Grigio
*1 bath in the lake, complete with shampoo and conditioner
*1 tortuous teenage break-up, with new bf installed within 15 minutes of said breakup
*2 sun down dips for two in the lake
*a 4 hour drive through little villages sans famille de Hackette
* 1 very pretty covered bridge known locally as 'The Kissing Bridge"
*3 magazines, 1 Reader's Digest, 0 books read
*1 bleach-cleaned fridge
*1 ice-cold shower
*7 dinners made for the Clan (by me)
*1 bushel of tomatoes, 4 lbs of onions, 2 quarts of wild blueberries, 5 loaves of rye bread, a slab of maple pecan fudge, and 6 gladiolas bought from the Mennonite Farmers
*1 cat bit by a raccoon (not mine)
*1 cat bit by a dozen unknown insects (Mao)
*2 welcome visitors on Thursday night, and 1 self-invited BIL weekend guest, who, all-in-all, behaved himself not too badly (although his washroom ettiquette leaves much to be desired) (Good thing I'm a nurse!)
*one PMS peri-menopausal melt-down by Yours Truly on the last night
*1 cat playing hide-and-seek the morning we were all packed and ready to drive home (Dutchie)

Red Radish Salad

Last week, I asked my young SIL to pick me up a bunch of radishes at the Farmer's Market. Imagine my surprise when she came back with a whole grocery bag full of radishes! Turns out, she wasn't quite sure what I meant by 'a bunch.'
So, what to do with all the 'bunches' of radishes? How about a Red Radish Salad? The recipe belongs to Rachel Ray and it is pretty tasty, if I do say so myself! Heading up to the Trailer for a week and we will be having no guests. We've got a few little road trips planned but for the most part, I think we'll be enjoying plenty of R & R.
The Dutchess was a little offended that I said she looked like Jabba the Hutt, so I promised her I'd post one that was much more flattering. Close-ups work well, don't they? And her eyes truly are this beautiful shade of emerald!
Have a great week! 

Hotter Than Hades...

I added a new button to the top right of my blog today, just to change things up a bit. The temperature today is 31C, but with the humidity it feels more like 41C. Which, because I couldn't remember (in American!), is 111F.
Hotter than Hades...
Which THEN got me thinking...What exactly does that phrase mean? I KNOW it means that it is hot outside, but what EXACTLY does it mean? In short, Hades is a the place that Christians politely call hell. The resting place for evil souls.
So, when I googled Hades, I also came across this little piece, that in today's political/religious climate is, I think, food for thought:
HOTTER THAN HADES
The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid-term exam for his graduate students. The answer was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, which is why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.
It had one question:
"Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)? Support your answer with proof "
Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools off when it expands and heats up when it is compressed) or some variant.
One student, however, wrote the following:
First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So, we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the rate they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today.
Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there are more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all people and all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially.
Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand as souls are added. This gives two possibilities.
If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.
Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.
So which is it?
If we accept the postulate given to me by Ms. Laura Turner during my Freshman year, "that it will be a cold night in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then #2 cannot be true.
Therefore, Hell is exothermic.
The student got the only A.

Keep Cool, Bloggies.
From what I've heard, it's freakin' hot everywhere!

WCB #59 continued...

Is it just me, or does the Dutchie look a tiny bit like Jabba in this picture? OK, I know the Dutchie is a lot cuter...but just picture Jabba with some Kitty-ears. Just a thought...a weird one.
I just got home from being called in to work. I was in a dead sleep when I got the call that I was needed. This was the first time that I've ever been called in to go back to work after a nightshift. 4 hours sleep doesn't cut it and I'm hoping that I'll be able to catch a few more Zzzz's before going back in later tonight.

WCB #59

It's that time again for Weekend Cat Blogging! It rained cats and dogs today and Mao and Dutchie were quite busy keeping their baskets warm and watching raindrops.
Don't forget to stop off at Clare's for more kitty pics!  

Some Things New

I'm working nightshift this week, so when I wake up in the afternoon my head feels like its in a jet-lagged fog because my circadian rhythm is all messed up. Three hours and a pot of coffee later, I have been cruising through the Internet and the Blogworld looking for some new and interesting places to poke about.

I've scored 2 free tickets for the Andy Warhol Exhibit at the Ontario Art Gallery through Red Flag Deals for Canadians.

I discovered some new Blogs that I thought were interesting:
Grinsnlaughter ---a single girl's laughter and observations
Human Clock ---a very cool photo clock
Pink is the New Blog ---celebrity gossip at it's best

That's All.

The humidity has been crazy lately...so I'm thinking cool thoughts! 

The Circus Was in Town...

...and what a disaster it was!
OMG.
My brother and The Stoner showed up with not just one teenaged boy, but two. Luckily, they were both very good, well-behaved boys, and they were no problem. That's the good part. Too bad, The Stoner and my brother couldn't be as well behaved.
So, where to start?
I was tired and still feeling the effects of Thursday Night's little phone chat party with Pez. So, after dinner, I went to bed with my latest book, The Kite Runner. And, I was very glad to not be a part of the Circus Act. My brother fell off the wagon (hard) and Stoner was drunk and stoned. They were all over each other to the point where everyone was uncomfortable. At one point, they were in the bathroom going at it, and all that seperated me from them was one very thin, trailer wall. (I put a stop to that pretty quick.) They were still up after everyone went to bed, and I guess that's when my dimwitted brother decided to be truthful and tell Stoner that her best friend reminded him of his Ex. (That revolting relationship ended over 8 years ago.) Stoner got pissed off and I guess that ended the Friday night party.
Saturday morning she gets up, and is still pissed off and she tells me the story, and that their relationship is over, she doesn't need an alcoholic in her life, how can she stay with him knowing that he wants her best friend...blah.blah.blah. I agreed with her, but I also reminded her that we had warned her three weeks ago, and what did she honestly think when we were ALL telling her what he was like when he drinks? Even my brother had warned her. And she chose to find out for herself. Then she says (get this) that she can handle the drinking, but not the fact that he wants her friend. Duh?????? Let me remind you, that this is a woman who claims she is a case worker at an Alcohol and Addiction Rehab Centre!!! WTF???? Honestly, I think that she is a client there, not an employee.
So, she's not talking to him, he can't drive home because he's hung over, but they decide to head on over to the Mennonites with the kids in tow, and her driving. (I'm wondering why the hell she didn't just drive them home, but whatever.) They come back from their outing, she's still pissed off at him and hasn't spoken to him. He's pissed off calling her a crazy bitch and saying it's over to everyone, but her. I'm thinking, ok, well, I guess that they are going home now.
No. Such. Luck.
She's steaming mad, starts pounding wine, and sits there at the campfire with this miserable, sour look on her face.
I talk to my brother and ask him when he's leaving. Soon, he says.
It's dinnertime, I'm feeling bad for the boys, so I figure, ok, let's feed them and then let them get the hell out of here.
But, after dinner, the boys have found out that there is a Teen Dance at the beach, and they want to go. Nobody says they are leaving. She's still sitting sour at the campfire, and my brother is mute beside her. And sober. He's trying to talk to her, and she's ignoring him. And, like dummies, we're all sitting right there in the silence staring into the fire. So, I ask them when they are leaving. Stoner says, the boys are having fun, so we're staying. (Glad you've moved into MY trailer, bitch!!!) I know, I know...I should have taken that opportunity to tell them to leave, but I didn't.
It was an early night, and yes, I had my fair share of wine.
So...this morning, I figure that FOR SURE they are going to get up and leave. She wakes up, I've got coffee on, and right away she starts bitching about my brother and rehashing the conversation we had yesterday. She asks me what I would do. I looked her straight in the eye, and said: I would have left yesterday.
She then tells me that she had promised her son a weekend away (gee...maybe it would have been nice if you'd asked ME?!) And she starts making breakfast.
She's STILL not talking to my brother! I corner him, and I tell him that after breakfast they have got to go.
But after breakfast the boys wanted to go for a swim. And she let them, even though my brother had already packed up their stuff. They came back from the lake, and then THAT's when Stoner and my brother decide to go for a walk and talk things over.
At this point, Greg is pissed off, and starts packing up our car. His sister just arrived with only one of her kids. He cleaned the trailer and was determined to just get the fuck out of there.
The boys are waiting, and waiting and waiting to go home, everyone's wondering where the two of them are. Just as we were about to get into the car and leave (two hours later!) the lovebirds came back.

Can you fuckin' believe that?!?????

And here I was worried about having to listen to Southern Rock all weekend.
If only...
So, that was my weekend. How was yours?!

I woke up with a headache at 4am courtesy of all the wine I drank last night. Ow. Serves me right! What was I thinking drinking so much on a school night? It seemed like a good idea at the time. And, now I KNOW it was a bad idea...
But I'm showered, made-up and dressed ready for work. Now I just have to get through the next 8 hours.
My brother, the Stoner and her Kid are coming up to the trailer this weekend. I am ecstatic about it. (Not!) After I finish this little blog blurb, I am going to quickly go through my CD's and bring them along this weekend so I don't have to listen to Southern Rock for the next 72 hours.
And I will try very hard not to get stressed out.
Did I mention that Greg's sister and her Brood will also be up this weekend? And Greg's brother? Hopefully they will stay at Two Four's.
I will try very hard not to get stressed out!

We decided to put our monthly book club on hold for the summer...and likely indefinitely, although a few of the members don't know this yet (namely the mother/daughter duo.) I really thought that I would like being in a book club, and for the most part, I did...I just didn't feel like I 'jelled' well with the duo. And, it turned out that a few others felt the same way.
So, the spin-off is Movie Night to take place of our regularly scheduled Third-Wednesday-of-Every-Month book club. There's just three of us, and so far the New Club is a success.
Tonight we went to see The Devil Wears Prada which I thoroughly enjoyed, and would definitely recommend. It was very entertaining, with a great soundtrack. Meryl Streep was perfect as a very believable Hell-Boss. Even though I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a Fashionista, I thought that the clothes, shoes, purses, hats, EVERYTHING was absolutely amazing eye-candy.

Go see it...it's fun!

The Beige-ness of it All...

Here is a pic of my "Not My Kitchen Anymore"

You can be honest...which do you prefer?

Couldn't you just cry when your computer gets a virus, and you have to send it out to get fixed? That's what happened earlier this week. It's quite the pain, and made me realize just how much I rely on this little box.
We (mostly Greg) decided that it had come to the point where we should paint our RED kitchen just in case it was scaring off potential condo-buyers. I reluctantly went with him to Home Depot and picked out a boring neutral beige. Either I am one Giant Hormone, or, I truly am emotionally attached to my RED kitchen because I stood there overwhelmed and crying while the boring beige was being mixed. I would be terribly on that show Take This House and Sell It!
When we decided to paint the walls and ceilings red, I remember that it was a great weekend project that we did together. We had only just met, and we had such a fun day. We drank wine, listened to music, and laughed all day as we were still getting to know each other. We really bonded over that red paint. Sounds silly doesn't it? But to me, that kitchen always made me feel happy.
And now, in all it's beigness, it just doesn't feel like my kitchen any more.
I really hope that some Beige Person falls in love with it.
Really Soon.
Because I don't want to look at it too much longer.

Wednesday Night Date

Whoo-hoo! It's been a romantic sort of week. First a movie, and then a concert.
Yesterday, after work, we made the two hour trek to Casino Rama to see Sheryl Crow and she was absolutely awesome! Our seats were excellent, and it was so much fun! It was totally worth the drive.
I have big plans today. Well, maybe not so big, but I've got plans!
1)Run to the mall and buy some shorts. Mine have all shrunk since last summer. Sigh.
2)Make quiche. Anybody have a good recipe? I have it in my head to make some today to bring to Greg's Grandmothers place tomorrow. She is having an 85th birthday party, but we've arranged to go over there early before anyone arrives to spend some time with her (and leave when the other guests start arriving!) I think I might have offended MIL2 yesterday when I told her that we would not be staying for the party. First of all, we saw ALL of these people last week, and second of all, I don't do well in crowds of people I don't know very well. I told her that I get uncomfortable, and then she felt bad that I get uncomfortable, and then when I was attempting to tell her that it was my quirk, not that I didn't like their friends, I made the mistake of calling her Denise (which is Two-Four's name.) Uh-oh. And that after she got us the free Sheryl Crow tickets. (Ramona hangs head in embarrassment.)
So, I will attempt to make it up to them tomorrow by making a quiche.
3)And a homemade card.
4)And I'm sending Greg out to the religious store to buy her a gift. I'm thinking a Jesus nightlight. (Her bedroom is a shrine!)
5)Clean condo for yet another Open House this weekend
6) Finish reading the Da Vinci Code. (it's so good!)
7) Go to work at midnight. The fun has got to stop somewhere!
I finally recieved some pics of my friend Sal's wedding so I'll leave you with one:

Well, the weekend was...interesting.
My brother has started dating this woman and wanted to bring her up to the trailer for the long weekend. OK...
She was nice enough...very polite, helpful, friendly. But...well...let's just say, that as much as I love my brother, any woman who would be interested in him, I'd have to wonder what planet she was from.
She has a job. Which is good. She is a social worker/case worker at a Centre for Addiction. Sounds good, doesn't it? Uh-huh. She is the biggest pot-head/boozer I've met in a long time, and brought up about thirteen thousand Southern Rock CD's that she insisted on playing from the crack of dawn to the wee hours of the morning. To give my brother credit, he has been clean and sober for the last month that they have been dating. (She has yet to meet Rocky Crazy Eyes) I'm just quietly shaking my head, (OK, albeit, rolling my eyes) trying to be supportive.
Now, my brother hasn't had a girlfriend in about 10 years, so I'm not used to seeing him around a woman. Oh! My! God!
He has instantly turned into a 16 yr old boy with googlie-eyes (and I'm sure a massive HO) They were All Over Each Other. It was very, very, very , very strange. Indeed.
And. That's all I'm going to say about that. Because it can't last...can it? I mean, I don't begrudge him a bit of romance, but jeeeeeeezus! (Wait till she meets my mom.)
On the flipside, we did do a little road trip to Mennonite Country, which was very nice. I was enjoying the countryside, and trying to tune out Two-Four, who thought it important to let us know at every house we passed that if didn't have curtains but DID have the requisite-sized windows, that Mennonites lived there. (gee, thanks...I'm sure they heard you as you were SCREAMING in my ear!!!)
Anyway, turns out the Mennonites were all at church, and we came upon hundreds of horses and buggies waiting for their passengers (I should ahve gotten out of the car so you'd see how many there really were, but I didn't want to seem intrusive)

Sunday night, I had a minor melt-down when I thought that Greg's sister was coming with her brood.
Surprisingly, Greg's little sister, Addy, came to my rescue. For some reason, she saw my face, my distress, and I can not even begin to tell you how much a 16 year old girl (with her own anxiety issues) suddenly turns into Dr. Phil. Turns out that we both feel the same way, and we decided that from now on, we would stick together, and have L. and her kids know that they'd have to clean up after themselves. We made a pact. There is a whole lot more to this story that I've got to think about a little more before I put it down in words. But let's just say, that Addy and I are Kindred Spirits.

Monday was a holiday here, Greg and I got up, cleaned up, and left my brother and the Stoner in bed.
We got home and decided to go to see Superman.

You've Got To Go See Superman.
He looks so good in his tights.
It's a GREAT movie.
He looks so good in his tights.
It's entertaining, romantic, and holds true to what Superman is all about.
He looks so good in his tights.
Kevin Spacey is an excellent Lex Luther!
Superman looks SO good in his tights!
Kitty looks like Greg's sister, L. (Well, Parker Posey does)
He looks REALLY good in his tights.

It's out in 3D. I think I'm going to see it again.
Did I mention Superman looks really good in his tights?!

Having had spent a number of years living in Saudi Arabia, it never ceases to amaze me how, at times, the rules can be twisted to please the men. Pre-marital sex is so fiercely banned, that unmarried women who become impregnated through acts of rape have been stoned to death. I distinctly recall newspaper acounts where such atrocities occurred.
Yesterday, I came upon this:
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia's vice president said he saw nothing wrong with Arab men paying local women to marry and then divorcing them days later, and he suggested the practice — dismissed by critics as legalized prostitution — could boost tourism.
WTF?! This is THE VICE PRESIDENT of Indonesia making this remark! I suppose he thinks he is protecting the modesty and lives of the women of his country?
Sounds to me like he needs a good stoning.

A very good thing about living in Canada, is that once American Idol ends, the new season of Canadian Idol starts! We are a few weeks into the new season now, and it's looking like there is going to be a really great competition. The men (boys!) are exceptionally talented so far.
This clip has been going around the Email circuit this week. The poor girl was very nervous during her Idol audition: Canadian Idol Fart
Wouldn't you just die a million deaths if this were you?!

LOL! So, I'm thinking that it's probably a very good thing that Greg does NOT sport facial hair! He looks a little scary, eh?!

We had a nice weekend at the trailer, and Greg got busy and finally put up our new awning that we bought second hand last summer. At the start of this season, he put the old one up again, just because it was easier, but it really wasn't very effective. The material was all saggy and collected rainwater. In fact, a few weeks ago, after a rainstorm, TwoFour realized that there was a lot of water and tried to push up the awning to run the water off the edge. She touched the fabric, and Voila! Instant rip and rainwater soaking! (Tee-hee...I would have loved to have seen that!) Luckily, she has a very good sense of humour, and can laugh about it now.
One thing about TwoFour that kind of bugs me, is that she has no faith in her kids that they can do anything. According to her, all her kids have panic/anxiety disorders or disabilities of some sort and therefore are unable to do anything without direction. So, Greg decided that he would put up this new awning. TwoFour immediately says that she will go and get Bill, Dave or Dan to come and help because 'they know what they are doing.' Greg says he doesn't need their help. TwoFour then pulls me aside and tells me not to let Greg do this on his own, he doesn't know what he's doing. I said "TwoFour, let him do it. I have faith, and if he has problems, then he'll ask for help." She then tells me, I'm Crazy, he's going to fuck-up a perfectly good awning.
Well, the new awning is up, it looks great, and TwoFour can eat crow.
Then, at dinner, Greg's 16 yr old sister asked me if she could help make salads. There is a salad that I like to make that has cucumbers, green apple, sweet onion and dill in it, and that is the one she wanted to make. She did a great job. At dinner, TwoFour says to me "you'll have to give me the recipe, so I can make it for Addy." It gave me great pleasure to say, "Well, Addy made this one, so maybe she can make it for you!" It'll go well with the Roasted Crow.

A few weekends ago, I planted all my pretty annual flowers. There is not one petal left, thanks to the wild bunnies that have decided my flowers are the tastiest. They've eaten my impatiens, and have started on my morning glories and the Black-eyed Susan leaves. I was advised that Cayenne Pepper sprinkled on the ground will deter wild animals. Well, I think that this will work. Poor little curious cross-eyed Mao traipsed through the garden and I guess stopped to smell what was left of the flowers. Instant Crocodile Tears! He's ok, but I really did not intend to use him as a guinea-pig (or bunny...) Does anyone have a better idea for a bunny deterrent?

Weekend Cat Blogging

Things have been uneventful. Not particularly bad or anything, but just...uneventful.
So...time to make some fun!
First of all...Weekend Cat Blogging. I missed last week, and have to admit, I missed it! Here is The Dutchess, camping:

Here is Mr. Mao, in front of my very favourite flowers (peonies):

And, a little bit of facial style about what has been going on this week: (Don't ask how I got Greg to pose for these!) But let's just say, that when you brush a hairy cat, and end up with quite a bit of hair in the brush and you start goofing around...this is what you end up with!

It's Gay Pride Week in Toronto!

It's the World Cup in Soccar! Germany Will Win!

And last, but not least, HOCKEY SEASON IS OVER!!!!!!!!!! (is this a bad picture of Greg, or what?!)
For more Weekend Cat Blogging...don't forget to head on over to visit Clare and Kiri!

Have you at all wondered if I was EVER going to blog again?!
Well, it's been a busy week. In between working a bunch of nightshifts, it was my friend, Sal's, wedding on Saturday so I was busy doing my Matron of Honour duties.
The wedding was absolutely beautiful, and Sal was a gorgeous bride. She and her groom were married outside in the garden of an estate home by her father, who is a minister. It was very touching. The flowers, the jazz band, the reception and lunch were wonderful. The only thing I found surprising, was that there were a few guests, who, I'm pretty sure, could play The Dueling Banjos . (The Baked Bean teeth, suspenders, running shoes and fanny pack were a bit of a giveaway!)
KD was in town from Montreal, it was VERY good to see her again. KD, Sal and I met in Saudi Arabia 15 years ago, and I think it's great that we still manage to see each other a few times every year.
Other stuff: the condo is STILL on the market!!! I can't believe it. I thought for sure it would sell quickly, that someone would love it as much as I do, and scoop it up. I'm trying not to get my knickers in a twist about it, and in the meantime we have been enjoying the rooftop, but I'd kind of like to move forward and start house-hunting. That's the frustrating part.
We bought a second car the other day for $200. It's an old car, but in excellent shape, and the deal was too good to pass up. WHEN we get a house, it'll come in handy for Greg. In the meantime, we are going to keep it off the road as we only have parking for one car here at the condo.
Not the most exciting post, I know, but hey...it's all I've got right now!

Garden Gnomes

Ahhhh...it was a nice, quiet weekend! Just us and the garden gnomes. I have no complaints of which to speak of.
Friday night I fell asleep at 7pm. Rocky IV had just started (that's the one with Brigitte Nielsen when she's still HOT) and I woke up during Bloodwork with Clint (He's still HOT!) and then fell asleep again during 4 Wedding and a Funeral (Hugh Grant...really, not so Hot.)
Saturday we went to town, stopped by a few places and then picked up TwoFour. She was a peach this weekend. In the afternoon, Greg and I washed 6 years worth of moss off the one side of the trailer where the cedars had leaned up against it, then washed screens and windows. Sounds crazy, but it was fun, and there was a real sense of accomplishment about it.
Sunday I read magazines and finished my book: Julie and Julia. Visit Julie's old Blog here . 524 recipes in 365 days. It was a book I had been wanting to read, and serendipitously came upon it at the Veteran's Library at the hospital where I work. I can't really imagine a veteran wanting to read it, but...whatever!
We extended the weekend to Monday, but came home early. I gave Greg and I pedicures and we watched Star Wars, Episode 3. I have to admit, I'd now like to watch Star Wars! Can you believe that I've never seen it? I've seen the one with Jaba the Hut, but truthfully, I never really understood the story line. Now, after 25 years, I think I get it!
Back to work tonight, but I am definitely refreshed, with a new outlook on things.
I am back to being me.
 

41 and 1/365th

It was birthday number 41 yesterday and I opted for a quiet celebration with just my mom, brother, Greg's dad and step-mom, and us. It was a very nice day and evening actually, until my mom pissed me off by saying in front of everyone that she didn't like my hair and that I'd better lose weight, or I'd be sorry. Sigh. Thanks again.
Oh well, some people never change, and the sooner I realize that, the better off I'll be. I really should let stupid comments like that roll off my shoulders.
I did get an adorable little garden gnome from the kitties, and my romantic husband bought me a garden hose, and the largest bunch of flowers! The garden hose made me laugh as much as the frying pans that Greg got on his birthday made him laugh! The hose was definitely something I needed, and very thoughtful, indeed.
Well, we are now heading away for a much needed, quiet weekend. I plan to rejuvenate my mind, and come back a much more positive person.
Hope you have a great, relaxing weekend, too.

For more Weekend Cat Blogging, head on over to Clare's for WCB #53

Trashed Trailer

I have not been the best blogger lately. For some reason, sitting down and writing about all the things that have been upsetting me lately, has just seemed too daunting.
For the past two weekends, Greg's sister, her fiance, and their kids (and kid's friends) have come up to spend the weekend at the campsite. I really like Greg's sister, but I think that she is thoughtless, she let's her kids run wild, she stays in my trailer and does not clean up after herself, or her kids, she lets me do all the cooking and cleaning while she sits and does jigsaw puzzles and puts her cigarette butts out on my patio. Her kids will walk right past me in the morning without even a hello, and when I say good morning to them, they don't even acknowledge me. The kids will lie backwards on the couch with their feet up against the window, and don't lift a finger to clean up after themselves. I was stupid enough to do their lunch dishes because I couldn't look at them anymore. (They are 13) She provides food, but that's it. I have spent the past two weekends pissed off. This past weekend, I did not know that they were coming up, it was kind of thrown at me at the last minute. It has taken me DAYS to calm down, and decide how I was going to approach Greg about it. Basically, I told him that if they were going to continue to come up, a) I needed to know about it in advance, b) that his sister was to clean up after herself and her kids on an ongoing basis, and not just at the end of the weekend, c) that they were to respect our belongings, d) that I am not going to entertain, or babysit her kids. I absolutely LOVE going to the trailer, but I have had some serious thoughts lately about setting it on fire. His mom is up there every weekend, she has her own place. As it is, she never leaves us alone. She is ALWAYS at our site. I love his mom, but honestly! Give me a break! Let's just say, that Greg and I never have a romantic moment on weekends. At dinner time, his grandparents always seem to know when the supper bell is ringing. I don't want to sound like a bitch, and I realize that when you marry someone, you marry their family, but how can I be diplomatic about this and keep my sanity???? Greg seems to be understanding about how I feel, but I really think that HE needs to say something to them. Am I wrong?
Anyway, I thought I had calmed down about this, but my blood has started boiling again.
I will take any, and all, suggestions. 

Happy Anniversary!

Weekend Cat Blogging is celebrating it's One Year Anniversary! Thanks Clare for making this so much fun. I would have loved to include an audio clip of Mao because he is such a chatty cat, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. In the meantime, I'll leave you with pics of Mao and his favourite game. He'll jump sky-high to catch his toy, and if we throw it across the room, he'll play fetch. I can't tell you how many times I've woken up with this ball on a string wrapped around my neck. And, if I'm honest, it doesn't smell all that great, because when he's not playing with it, it is usually in his food dish, soaking up the aromas!
Thanks again Clare, and don't forget to check out the fellow Cat Bloggers! 

The 5's Meme

Kristi has tagged me, which is probably a very good thing since I've been blog-dumb lately.
5 Items in my Fridge
*dill (it's summer, I can always use it in potato salad!)
*parsley (winter or summer, it's in everything I eat)
*cheese (it's how I get my calcium)
*eggs
*spanish onion
*(and, quite possibly, a little cat hair)
5 Items in my Closet
*a variety of size 12 and 14 clothes, most of which don't fit
*a make-shift cat bed on a cardboard box
*a box filled with pictures that still need to go in to an album (including wedding photos!)
*a his/hers toiletry box filled with shit that usually surrounds our his/her sinks. (We tidy our sink areas every morning for showings while we're trying to sell the condo)
*cat hair
5 Items in my Car
*a pass to get into the parking lot at work
*lip gloss, nailfile
*a variety of sunglasses (dependant on my mood) (I should be wearing the rose-coloured glasses to perk me up some!)
*keys to the trailer
*cat hair
5 Items in my Purse
*gum
*lipstick, lip gloss
*pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, loonies and toonies
*cell phone
*crumpled receipts
*(and cat hair!)
People tagged:
Pez ,At Panda, Marching On ...and anyone else who wants to play!

I've been having some difficulty these past few weeks with coming up with thoughts to write about in this blog. Things have been...moody lately.
I don't know if it is because I am on the brink of turning 41 (which, btw, seems SO MUCH OLDER than 40) or, if it's because there are some financial issues going on right now that are eating me up, or because I keep on thinking that my job is not really where my heart is, or that my condo is not selling as quickly as I thought it would, or that while my close friend is pregnant and I'm truly happy for her, I think the reason that I'm not is because maybe I'm just not that good with kids, and the powers that BE think I am not worthy.
Anyway, there is some negetive Karma in the air here at Chez Ramona and that is why I can't seem to find anything blog-worthy to put into words.
So, if for the next little while you find yourself coming here and all I'm talking about is my cats...
...well, it's because I'm still dealing with a few things and sorting stuff out.
Bear with me.
Please! I know it will pass.

ubi

JUST A BIT OF UBI (USELESS BITS OF INFORMATION)
SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?

*A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

*A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

*A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.

*A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.

*A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

*A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

*A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

*A snail can sleep for three years.

*Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

*Almonds are a member of the peach family.

*An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

*Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

*Butterflies taste with their feet.

*Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds. Dogs only have about 10.

*"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

*February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.

*In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

*It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

*Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.

*No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

*Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

*Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite ..

*Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

*"Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand and "lollipop" with your right.

*The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.

*The cruise liner, QE2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

*The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

*The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet.

*The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.

*The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).

*There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

*There are more chickens than people in the world.

*There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous

*There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

*There's no Betty Rubble in the Flintstones Chewable Vitamins.

*Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

*TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

*Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

*Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

*Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks; otherwise it will digest itself.

..............

Now you know everything!

WCB #51

Mr. Mao is the kind of cat that ALWAYS has something hanging off his nose. It is a combination of having an extraordinarily big schnoz for a cat, and also being incredibly nosy in general. For more weekend cat blogging, head on over to visit The Guest Kitty (A Lovely Red Abyssinian!)at Clare's .
Next weekend also marks the One Year Anniversary of Catblogging. So, make sure join in on the fun! It promises to be quite the par-tay! 

Would you ever have believed that Canada looks so tropical? The Bleeding Hearts are in full bloom. Aren't they pretty? 

Yay Taylor!

Glad Taylor won!
Highlight of the show was Meatloaf and Kat. (Cause I AM A HUGE MEATLOAF FAN!!!)
no kidding.
If I were on a deserted island...I would want to be there with Meatloaf's Bat Outta Hell.
I swear, it's my all-time fav album.
(The advil cold and sinus has kicked in..........it's working!)

Blogger has not been my friend over the past few days. I haven't been able to see my comments, although I think I fixed that problem. I can't edit posts, so I've stopped trying, because it's just frustrating me more.
My head still feels like it's stuffed with cotton, and I'm coughing and sneezing like crazy. Greg says I sound like his 80 yr old grandmother.
All in all though, I think I'm a little better. Not better enough though to go back to work tonight. Somehow, being up all night with the chills doesn't appeal to me. And, really, what patient wants a nurse with a drippy nose standing over them? I never did understand this concept of work ethic.
Before SARS, nurses used to come to work all the time with a cold. We were encouraged to come, because otherwise it would mean your colleagues had to work short. Eventually, the whole staff, visitors, and likely, patients would be sick. Smart work ethic, huh?
Anyway, I must admit, I am a bit of a baby when I'm not feeling 100%. It really doesn't happen very often, but I do like it when someone else gets to play nurse, and I get to be the whiney patient!
Recommended Product of the Week: Kleenex with Lotion.

...In bed!

It was freakin' frickin' freezin' this weekend.
It was overcast, and raining, and just SO not summerlike at all.
I didn't shower for three days, was so stinky I resorted to bathing with baby-wipes, had the chills, and now have a chest cold. (cough!)
(Aahh-choo!)
So, to turn this around and make something positive out of the past few days, I will try to think of all the good things that happened this weekend:
I read a book: the curious incident of the dog in the night-time by mark haddon. I liked it, it was an easy, enjoyable read. It was an interesting perspective about what goes on in the mind of an autistic boy during a turbulant time in his life.

I kicked ass in poker. And Monopoly. (Even though I am not competitive by nature.) (But...it did feel good to win!)

I re-discovered gin and tonic (G&T) and, so did Two-Four. Gin and Tonic or... my recipe is this: generous splash of gin, top up with tonic and throw in a lemon wedge. Bottoms Up. (When you run out of tonic, ginger ale will do.)
I found some wild catnip and transplanted it in our garden for Mao. He had a very good weekend.

It's lilac season, so I found some wild bushes and cut a few sprigs. They smell Soooo goooood!
My wedding dress sold at the consignment shop for $325. I am happy that my dress will make someone else happy.

We got home this evening and neither of us was interested in cooking, so we ordered Chinese food. And, neither of us really likes Chinese food but we were desperate...Long Weekend and all, there are not a lot of places open. So Ho-Lee Chow!!! came to our door, and, it was as mediocre as we had expected. The best part was our fortune cookies, because you know what you have to add on to the end of each fortune!
1. Others will take notice of your positive attitude...IN BED!
2. A sweet surprise awaits you...IN BED!
3. It is better to get something done late better than never...IN BED!

And, now...I'm going to go to bed. (Ah-choo!)

WCB #50

It's the first long weekend of the summer!!!

OK, so it's still a little early to officially call it summer, but it's nice enough to be outside and sit in front of a cozy fire. Mao and Dutchie LOVE it! Have a safe and happy long weekend, and for more kitty pics, don't forget to visit Kiri at Clare's You might also want to congratulate Clare, as she just recently became engaged. She has the prettiest blue sapphire ring that matches Mao's eyes perfectly!

Another Pity Party a la Ramona

It's been an emotional week. Greg and I had our first serious blowup that took a few days to sort out. At first, we touched upon the problem, apologies were made, but I felt like we were pussyfooting around the main issue. We spent last weekend quietly together, once in a while broaching the subject but no real progress being made as to how to solve the problem.
Then, the other night, the volcano erupted. It wasn't really SO bad, but it was our biggest clash to date. I was proud of myself that I didn't back down, I had made up my mind to just say what I had to say, and be an adult about it. There are lifestyle changes that need to be made, and responsibilities to acknowledge. Thankfully, Greg was in total agreement and we were finally able to discuss and make plans for the remedies to these problems.On
another note, I think I've had a harder time with being infertile than I thought. One of my best friends has recently found out that she is pregnant (and she's 42!!!) I'm so very happy for her, but again, it reminds me of what I'll never have. I think I've been somewhat depressed and haven't dealt with that very well. I've been drinking a lot of wine this year, which I realize, is not the best solution for sadness.
Last night, at book club, in the middle of someone's (very boring, to me) monologue about all the ultrasounds she'd had with her last child trying to determine the sex, I was sitting there politely, but in my head I was thinking 'why doesn't she just shut the fuck up?! I don't want to hear this!!!' Before I knew what I was doing, I just stood up, and said I had to go (in the middle of her soliloque) I guess that I am a little sensitive. But, I wanted to join a book club to talk about books, not talk about other people's kids. I don't care if there's a funny story that someone wants to tell, but honestly, I'm the only member of this club who doesn't have kids, or isn't pregnant. Maybe I have to find a group that has pets that make up their family circle.
Because when all is said and done, my cats are all I have to make me feel like I've got something little and cute to take care of. Sounds pathetic, doesn't it?
Like I said, it hasn't been the greatest week.

After last week, I swore I would never watch another episode of American Idol. I was pissed off that Chris was voted off.
Of course, I watched it this week. And, (I never thought I would say this!)
VOTE FOR TAYLOR!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. Things have been a little rough this week. Call it 6 month marital jitters. When I have my act together again I'll post less fluff.

Happy Mother's Day

I have a very thoughtful, nice Mother-in-Law. How sweet is this?!

Weekend Cat Blogging #49

Dutchie always has to find the biggest bug to play with!
For more weekend cat blogging, head on DownUnder to see Kiri,at Eatstuff  

Nurses Week

It is National Nurses Week!
In 1985, the second week of May was proclaimed National Nurses' Week in Canada to coincide with Florence Nightingale's birthday on the 12th. The International Council of Nurses also designated May 12th to be International Nurses' Day.
So...I little UBI about Flo:
*In 1820, in honor of the city of her birth and in keeping with the tradition started by her parents, a little girl was named Florence. An unusual thing to do in a conservative time.
*In an age where the smell of a hospital would induce nausea and nurses were typically whores and drunks she aspired to be one (a nurse, not a drunken whore!) Her mother and sister fainted and were thrown into hysterics and near insanity by her ambitions, after all, a cultured, educated woman did not enter into hospital work. She continued on, as she felt this was God's plan for her. She became the one and only expert on the subject of nursing and hospitals in all of Europe by the age of 30.
*In 1853 the Crimean War started and she and her small troop of nurses were assigned to one of the hospitals in Crimea to care for the wounded British soldiers. The hospital was infested with rats and vermin and bedsheets were not washed, even when one man died and the bed was used for the next wounded soldier. Initially, the doctors did not want the nurses to care for the men, they were only allowed to clean. But the men were dying from diseases that they were catching in the hospitals. Florence was the one who realized this and reformed hospital sanitation methods.
*She plotted the incidences of preventable deaths in the military hospital in her invention of the Pie Chart! Not only was she a nurse, but she was also a statistician (who'da known?)
*After the war, she returned to England to start up nursing schools and she also pioneered and promoted hospitals as sanitary places through her statistical proof.
*And to the idle and disrespected women of her time, she brought forth a sense of professionalism that provided work, respect and independence.
She was a woman before her time.
And she lived to the ripe old age of 90.

Happy Nurses Week to all the nurses out there!

Wildflowers

Since having the trailer, I have appreciated new things in life. When I first met Greg, and he told me about his mom's trailer, in my mind I just imagined it to be some red-necked, dirty, trashy kind of place. I was guilty of stereo-typing. The day we went up there, I was so pleasantly surprised, and remember thinking that I could get used to hanging out in the trailer-park. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would end up with my very own trailer!
Before meeting Greg, I led a very different life. I worked for tax-free dollars in Saudi Arabia, and was allowed two months per year to travel wherever I wanted. And I had the financial means to do so. I stayed in 5 Star hotels pretty much wherever I went, which was very comfortable. At the time, I was (and I know I was!) very fortunate.
But there is something about my way of thinking that I think has changed. Not necessarily because I met Greg and chose to plan the rest of life with him, because I think the metamorphosis started before then. What I've realized, is that it is the simpler things in life that make me happier. Travelling the world is fascinating, there is no doubt about that. But I honestly think that staying in 5 Star hotels seperates you, and disallows you to really appreciate a culture. My fondest travels have been with a backpack and a guidebook, talking to locals and other travellers, and being immersed into that culture, still as a foreigner, but without the pretention that goes along with being a 5 Star traveller.
Our trailer needs a lot of work. Our roof is leaky, we have no hot water, our toilet bowl needs to be chased with a pitcher of water every time we use it. But every time I go up there, I find something new that sparks wonder in me.
This past week, the wildflowers were blooming.
And I was impressed with the beauty just outside my door. 

Weekend Cat Blogging #48

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous these past few days. We are both working this weekend and had a few days off during the week so we thought we would head up to the trailer and enjoy the sunshine. I have been gardening (my thumb is getting a little greener each year) and Greg has been growing grass. He is determined to grow a lawn this summer, which I think is kind of cute.
Thursday it hit a high of 25 C (77F) and we took a great walk around the park and down to the lake. The park is not yet officially open, so we pretty much had the whole park to ourselves. It was heavenly! Here is what May 4th looks like in Canada! (ignore the pink bra...I got dressed in a hurry!)
Greg's mom (TwoFour) joined us around the campfire on Thursday night. She was in PURE party mode, complete with talking into her beer bottle like it was a microphone! She was upset that she only brought 9 beers with her and had left her 2-4 at home. She was having a good time and didn't want the pre-season party to end.
Mao and Dutchie had fabulous sunbaths and Mao exhausted himself playing with bugs. He thinks he is a Great Hunter. While they never snuggle up together at the condo, up North they like to be close. Makes for great photo opportunities!


For more kitty-pics, visit Kiri, at Clare's in the Land DownUnder. Feel free to join in the fun! 

Witty Wednesday

I was sent this in an email this morning and thought it was cute. This is to honour my single friends, or those who wish they were. (Not me!)

The Shortest Fairytale
Once upon a time, a girl asked a guy "will you marry me?" The guy said "No."
And the girl lived happily ever after and went shopping, dancing, drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook, stayed skinny and farted whenever she wanted.
The end.

Four years ago (almost to the day), while in Alicante, Spain, I had my purse stolen which had my passport, tickets, and money inside. I assumed it was stolen by a gypsy, since I had seen many poor people hanging around the train and bus stations begging for money.
Anyway, to make long story short, within a few hours I was lucky enough to find that my purse had been turned in at the local police station and everything was returned except for my money and credit card (oh, and my favourite MAC lipstick and a pair of socks with cats on them!) I was relieved...very relieved. But I never lost my nut, my head was screwed on straight, I didn't cry, I was just making plans on how to get to Madrid to get a new passport and then hook up with my friends again. I called my mom later that same day and told her what had happend. Rather than being relieved, she yelled at me "HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID?!?!?!?"

Today, my mom called me in hysterics. She is in Berlin, and her wallet was stolen. She was mostly worried about her credit card. "Don't worry" I say, "I'll call and cancel it. Do you have enough money? What else can I do?" I never once yelled, and certainly never called her stupid. These things happen, right? So, I cancelled her VISA card, called her back and told her that she should probably go to the police station and report her wallet missing. Maybe some nice person turned her wallet in. (After all, I was lucky, right?)

I then called my brother, and guess what the first words out of his mouth were? "SHE HAD HER WALLET STOLEN?! HOW COULD SHE BE SO STUPID?!?!?" Ahhh...what comes around, goes around. But of course, I say "It's not her fault, it's not like she asked for it to be stolen!"

I hang up and there is a message waiting. I listen to the message and it's my mom. She has never quite grasped the concept that with the Call Answer feature on the phone, people can't hear you while you are actually on the phone with someone else. This was the message :"Ramona! Ramona! (HUGE sigh) For god's sake why don't you pick up the phone!!!!!"

I call her back. Turns out that her wallet wasn't stolen afterall. She had found it in the side pocket of her stupid Silver purse, and that's not where she usually puts it.

So, in the end, it was the Stupid Silver Purse's fault.