12.04.2012

Earl Grey





In our apartment building there is a nice common area with big windows, couches, wifi, and a self serve coffee/tea bar. One day Lorelei wanted some tea so we headed over with our Starbucks mugs to get some earl grey. On the counter was a bag. At first glance I thought it was a gym bag that someone had left and someone else set it out for them to find. 

Then I looked harder. There was a note tucked inside the front pocket reading, "Hi! Read me! -Tiel". As I grabbed the note to read it (whether it was for someone specific or not was lost on me, I'm awfully curious) I realized the bag was a canvas and mesh pet carrier and there was a fluffy, beautiful grey kitty huddled against one side, terrified, in there.

I expected the note to read of regrets of moving or allergies, some reason for this poor cat to be sitting on a counter in a bag for any weirdo to take. The note was jolly, and went on about the cat's personality and needs. As I read the note I cried (that's something I do pretty easily, but this was different), out of sadness and empathy for this cat who had no idea what was going on, and out of anger that people can do that sort of thing (and do all the time). 

I called and texted David until I could get him to meet me there to see (he does maintenance in the building we live in). David's first reaction: "So do you want to take him?". He knew I did, and I don't think it bothered him much, he's kind of a crazy cat lady. 

Anyways, I brought him home and David informed the management. They found out through video footage who left him and that he had been there for an hour and a half.

Yesterday marked one week of Earl (something we always wanted to name a grey, male pet. And yeah, we talk about pet names on occasion) living with us. The first two days he didn't come out from under the crib at all so we fed and gave him water under there. Poor guy was in shock and feeling rather displaced. On the third day I took him into the bathroom and shut the door so that he could use the bathroom without feeling threatened by our toddler or two other pets. He then took up behind the toilet as his hiding spot. Eventually he moved into our walk-in closet. Finally, night before last he came out exploring the whole apartment. And howling. That boy is a talker, and he only wants to talk after everyone else is in bed. And he's loud. We've lost some sleep over it, but we're trying to learn to overlook the little quirk. He is a sweet heart.

The hardest part aside from the lost sleep is that he's not hitting it off with anyone but me and David. Our other cat, Roxy, is very interested and follows him around, but if she gets too close Earl grumbles and hisses. Then our mini schnauzer, Edith, is a very excitable little thing, and loves cats, but she is also pretty authoritative and when someone does something she doesn't like she gets persnickety. It's good when cats try to scratch on the couch and she chases them away, or when Earl is being loud and she herds him back into the closet. But she also wants to keep him from getting any attention or coming onto the bed with us. And then, Lorelei, she absolutely adores animals, all of them, and she's very gentle, but none of them want anything to do with her. Probably because she moves quickly and she's loud.

So yeah, we now have a toddler and 3 pets in our one bedroom apartment and once everyone can get along we'll be happy little clams.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of pets do you have, and what do they do to drive you crazy?

12.03.2012

Just Another Manic Monday!

Among the posts I have building up to edit for, draft, and publish, this is the only one I have the stamina for today. For some reason last night Lorelei decided she didn't want to sleep. In fact, she was up for 13.5 hours straight, into the wee hours of the morning. When I finally got her into her crib at 2:30, our new cat decided that it was time to come out of the "shell" he's been in since we brought him home. He ran around the apartment yodeling at the top of his lungs like a female cat in heat (if you don't know what that is like you are lucky, and I would never wish it on anyone!). He knocked my dishsoap and countertop spray into the sink, toppled a box off of the bar, and tried to climb into the Christmas tree. I hate to say it, but he's a pest... I finally brought him into submission with catnip and put him in the closet (with the doors open y'all, I'm not completely evil) and he stayed quietly until Lorelei woke up again sometime between 5 and 6. 

I don't know if I've said it here, but my child isn't a good sleeper. She's the opposite of that. We've struggled with her sleeping habits since we moved her out of full time co-sleeping when she was 6 months old. Today she is 22 months old, and no closer to sleeping more than a 5 hour stretch at a time or having regular naps or bedtimes. It's mostly my fault, I'm terrible with routine and structure and I'll be the first to admit it. Right now she's sitting on my lap as I try to get this posted. It's been a long, and exhausting almost 2 years, but gosh do I love her! 

1. Refuses to eat a whole meal in the highchair. 2. Baked potato with chopped Field Roast, sautéed spinach, and red wine shoyu redux. 3. Doin man things. 4. Homemade crust and marinara, Daiya mozzarella shreds, Tofurky pepperoni, unstuffed green olives, and sautéed portobello. 5. Sriracha Thyme pasta with spinach. 6. Ginger wheat shortbread cookie with matcha ginger glaze. 7. Driving us bonkers. 8. Mac Daddy 9. Everyday  

1. Earl Grey, out of hiding. 2. Head start on our container garden. 3. Breakfast. 4. Klimt, Sea Serpent finally hung. 5. IS II. 6. Free garbage shelves. 7. Matcha almond milk latte. 8. My favorite monkey, giving me ovarian twitches. 9. Shy boy. 

12.02.2012

Thanks 2,000!


This week I am excited that MaeLiveFree hit over 2,000 views, and had my most views on one post yet! I wanted to say thank you to those of you that follow and/or regularly read here, and also a very big thank you to Reddit vegans! It seems that the direction I've started taking here is paying off in many ways. For one, I'm more inspired than ever: to get out of my cooking rut, to create (recipes that is), to write more, and to share my life here. If it weren't for those of you who take any interest, for whatever reason, I would have given up on blogging a long time ago! I'm also very excited for the more active role my husband is taking in making this blog what I want it to be. He has always been supportive, and by default takes more pictures than me (therefore it's always been mostly his images here), but now nearly all of the images seen here will be his photographic work. I think it will be fun to document his evolution in photography skills in this space. So anyways, big, BIG, thank you to all of you. I hope this holiday season is looking merry and bright. Cheers!
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