I'm not a cat person.

My in-laws have a cat.  When my husband and I were dating, I asked him what her name was and he said, "Cat."

I found out, eventually, that the cat's name is actually Mrs. Bigglesworth, though everybody just calls her Cat.

After having lived in my in-laws home for a couple of weeks (perhaps I'll write more on that later), I have also learned that when a cat, this Cat in particular, reaches her arm out to you, slowly, claws bared, it does not actually mean she wants to scratch your face off.  Though one time, she sprung at me like a spider monkey from hell when we were watching a movie downstairs.  This was also during our dating days, and has made me wary of said Cat ever since.

No, the arm out with claws flexed means she wants you to continue petting her, which I probably would have done had I not feared for my face, and my life, due to shows like Mystery Diagnosis which taught me that if cats scratch you, they give you flesh-eating parasites.  So, thanks for that, TV.

I also fell for the whole "cats-smother-babies-in-their-sleep" wives' tale for about a day, until I decided to ask google if that was true.  FYI:  It is not.  So, the girls will be ok in a house with a cat, I suppose.

Also, Bagheera likes to chase cats.  We've had to stop him and now he chooses, instead, to stare at her from inches away while she mews loudly.  I can't help but think he'd be an awfully awkward human.

Just you wait until I tell you about the dynamics between Bagheera, Bert, and now the final member of the canine trifecta at home:  Teke, delightfully grouchy, smallest of the bunch, tiger-striped chi-weiner dog.  Oh, and the dog fights wherein Bagheera basically kicks the crap out of Teke (pronounced tiki, like the torches) for doing things like sniffing Bagheera's dog food, barking too much, or defending his stuff at his own house.

STAY TUNED!

Joo-ly, you're a hot, mean one.

So I rode my orange bike, Orangina, to work again today.  It's so hot out; I almost always arrive sweaty.  I'm sorry for that, whoever's reading. 

I finished This Side of Paradise.  The ending was kind of chaotic and not entirely satisfying, but in a way, it was because it felt a lot like life.  Because not everything is tied up perfectly in real life, so to read a book reflecting that was kind of nice.  And, also, why I sometimes had a problem with Harry Potter, because everything always seems to work out and they have the coolest stuff and REAL LIFE ISN'T LIKE THAT, ROWLING.  Then again, there's the whole 'they're wizards and can fly on broomsticks stuff,' so I guess I should keep that in perspective.  Truthfully, I loved Harry Potter, but that is another story for another time.

I've been going to bed SOOOOooo late that I can't function in mornings at all.  I don't normally stay up too late anymore (I did that 100% of the time in college, and when I began to get more sleep upon graduating and becoming a married person, I remembered what being a rational human being was like).

I'm having a love affair with cottage cheese.

I'm very concerned about my poor posture lately.

I was spray painting some things tonight, and I missed and painted my hand.  Now it looks like I had a terrible accident, because my hand is this obscene, bruise-y, purple color.

I'm having a sale on my photo services... 30% off everything.  You can check it out here:  http://aandgphotography.blogspot.com.  Tell yo friends.

Photo from my Holga taken in San Diego.  San Diego is just so charming.

I went to Walmart after 10 pm and bought a dust buster.  Highlight of my DAY.  I plan on vacuuming my stairs.  It's going to be wonderful.

I'm driving my mother-in-law's minivan right now, and I had an epiphany:  people drive minivans because they're so spacious and wondrous.  Minivans are NOT the devil!  My dogs have three rows of seats to choose from when they want to sit their doggy bum bums down, so much room they can go for an entire walk just while I drive around (it's better than the dog park!  I swear!)  I can have my purchases in there, TOO, and the ARM RESTS!  Oh my goodness.  So great. 

So, that's my Wednesday.  It's a good one.  It's a regular one.  Amen.

Once upon a time,

Bert got shaved.  It was Monday.  It was awesome.  He looks so weird to me.


Before:

 

ANNNNNND after:

I guess he no longer looks homeless, so that's a plus.  (He was, actually, homeless.  He came into the humane society as a stray and then I adopted him all swift-like.)  I kind of like the homeless look--I tend to rock it myself.

Anyway, now he's good-looking and better dressed than me.  So.

OH!  And then, Tuesday morning, I took both dogs out to do their business.  At which time, Bagheera peed on Bert, and I had to bathe him.  BONUS!

I took the dogs on another walk!

And we were by the river, which is overflowing so violently it's kind of creeping me out.

We reached the end, where there was some stagnant water, and I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY MOSQUITOES IN MY LIFE.

I very nearly had a meltdown, because, holy crap.  And just today the receptionist at the vet's office was telling me what in the heck happens when your dog gets heart worm from mosquitoes.  They're not protected!  I thought.  SO I rode away for my life (and theirs).  I don't want them to have all these shots and no exercise for like 6 weeks and blahdy blahdy blah.  Cause that's what happens when mosquitoes plant their wormy larvae into your dog's heart. 

So.  Anyway.  Then we went to the dog park but we were all bored, so we left. 

And now I'm watching Friends, just like I do every day after work. 

BONUS:  today was really hot, and I rode my bike 4.5 miles to work.  In khaki shorts.  Do you know what happens when you wear khaki shorts and you sweat?  Swum.  If you don't know what that means,  I don't think I can help you right now.

(Hint: it rhymes with "fretty plum.")

It was embarrassing.  It's still embarrassing. 

Tonight,

I took my dogs for a bike ride.  Dogs.  Plural.  Previous to this weekend, I'd never done that before--taken both.  And it was interesting, yet not horrible. 

On bike rides, they both run alongside my bike.  I usually have one on each side, so I pretty much block the entire road.  Except I try to be conscientious... I swear I'm not self-absorbed enough to think everyone should yield to me.  Then I figured out how to get them to be good with both on one side, so that was great.

Anyway, as I was watching Bert bop around, getting kind of slow yet still SO MIRACULOUSLY bouncy, I thought:  if he were a girl dog, I'd have named him Stephanie.  He just SEEMS like a Stephanie. (And the fact that the thought just popped into my head was really funny at the moment.  It felt so natural!  But funny all the same!)

I also took them both to the fairgrounds and tossed around a tennis ball while they chased each other.  I had this completely surreal moment of absolute joy:  that was exactly where I'd want to be, given the choice of anywhere in the world, in that moment.  Spending time with my dogs, chucking a ball, the golden sun shining heavy shadows on the lawn the trees.  It was perfect.  But then I felt sorry, because I also thought of all the other things I could/should be doing, and realized how much I need to calm down and let myself be in the present.  It's a work in progress, that's for sure. 

About a block before home, we passed the dog park, and Bert stops to a near-crawl every time.  So I picked him up, and he yelped like I was stabbing him to death--he had shots yesterday, and I must have hurt him in the spot where they poked him.  So I put him down and we kept going.  But THEN he was really just too slow, so I picked him up (carefully), put him in my basket, strapped him down (oh yeah, did I ever tell you about the time he was strapped down in a complicated leash hold in the basket and he STILL JUMPED OUT?  WHILE I WAS MOVING? AND HE DANGLED FROM THE SIDE OF MY BASKET?), so I strapped him down REAL good and finished the ride with Bagsy sprinting beside me.

All this after a guy who saw me with them said, "Looks like you're having fun."  And then as I was turning the corner, "That's the funniest thing I've EVER seen." And he laughed and laughed and laughed.

So, I guess it's kinda funny that I take them both on rides.  But until I find a better way to wear them both out real good, this is my method.

I can ride my bike with no handlebars.

I've recently decided that I should ride my bike everywhere.  Heaven knows I could use the exercise, plus I love my bike, plus paying for gas is the worst.

SOoooo I bike to work and back--which is about 9 miles total--on days I decide to ride.  Which is a lot lately, most days I'd say.  It may not be much to you active and always-on-the-go people, but keep in mind, the most I was doing before was MAYbe 4-ish miles, every so often.  So I guess this is my way of being out and about... and I kind of love it.

I had to ride home in some rain tonight, and honestly, it wasn't too bad, except I'm still cold (about 5 hours later). 

In other news, the neighbors have 2 dogs which cry and whine when they're not home, which is a lot.  Also, I think my dogs are my best friends.  Does that make me a loser?  Check yes or no.

My birthday is coming up.  I am really excited about it because it means I'm getting pretty old.  Actually, I'm excited about it because I have the worst sweet tooth ever and I am truthfully looking forward to having some cake.  Plus birthdays are just SUCH the best.

Lastly, I joined Pinterest a while ago.  I love it.  Do you pin?  Maybe we could be pinning friends. 

                                                                                          Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 Ok seriously this is the last thing: I could use a haircut. Anybody know anybody who's good at that sort of thing and likes to trade services? Ok cool. High five.