right case, wrong strat.

meet one of the

happiest people around. Not only does Eric have his first performance scheduled for Friday (playing the Star Spangled Banner for each academic pep rally at the junior high), but he was also accepted into the high school jazz band today. He had to go in and speak with the band director and play something. He chose "Lenny" by Stevie Ray Vaughan.
He's excited to now have to play his guitar for homework.

vote

note to self:

consider relocation of big vase with even bigger twigs.

happy valentines day

I think we might go to La Strada tonight. mmm, tasty.

UPDATE: "mmm, tasty"? umm, not so much. We got a free meal out of it. For a decent steak and grilled chicken, avoid La Strada.

umm...

how normal ISN'T this?

First, not that I've paid much attention to cats, but I thought his resting position was strange. Second, I didn't know cats watched tv. I walked into the living room to find Strat stretched out in this position on the couch watching tv. To make it even more unusual, he stayed there while I got the camera out and took the pictures.

i know these aren't

great but I'm pretty sure these were the last drawings I did. They were just quick drawings from several years ago. The first is Eric watching tv before going to sleep. The other is the following morning before I woke him up for school. (Yeah, I know you're probably not digging his face being scratched out in one but I've never been good with faces.) So why am I posting these? I've been thinking about getting my charcoal out. I don't know, it's just an idea.

he's a little bit country...

not, but he is a little bit rock & roll. All the kitten collars looked so girlie. I couldn't wrap a pink flowered collar around his neck, I just couldn't. So I picked up a bell and headed over to the dog collars where I was sure I could find something more manly. I picked this one up which happens to resemble Eric's belt. Anyway, with a name like Strat, he has to walk the walk.

It was funny once I got it on him. I took the bell off until he can get used to the collar. (He was banging his head on the floor trying to stop the bell from ringing.) So, I took the bell off and then walked across the kitchen to jingle it and call him. He pushed his chin (is it called a chin on a cat?) against the floor and proceeded by pushing himself with his hind legs. I had this kitten coming to me, scraping his head and front paws on the tile as if that would pull the collar off. whatever. It was a sight. I waited for him to fall asleep to get a picture of it. Obviously, he woke up. But look at these pictures I also caught!

another of eric

and his guitar

eric and his most

cherished possession

back in the day

Lauren was quite fond of a little bunny puppet. After twenty years of neglect, it fell victim to a vicious attack.

Guess who won.

I walked out of my room to find the bunny in the death grip of Strat. They were rolling all over the floor. I caught some brutal shots but decided to keep it mild on the blog. There was one blurry one with the kitten's paw outstretched after the bunny had just been kitty-slapped, or Strat-slapped.

superbowl schmuperbowl

Maybe I'll go see a movie today.

at mom's request

I'm posting some pics of Strat.

i wouldn't want it

any other way.

here's one

from yesterday morning.I'm signing off now. Here comes the storm that accompanies our tornado warning.

my dream involved

a toilet. I don't remember exactly what happened but I remember a toilet and an uncomfortable lack of privacy. I saw this and really liked it. I enjoy scenes like this so much more than, say, a few deer out in a field.

had enough of

the rural settings? I have.

Again, this was a detour on my way home from taking Eric to school. Yeah, I take my camera with me every morning. I never know when I'll feel like taking a detour or going for a ride to see what I might find. Today I found these guys. I know it's not uncommon, but there were a lot of deer out today. Maybe they're out enjoying this 70 degree morning before the rain comes.

no, it really hasn't

come to this. You know, me taking pictures of the new kitten every waking moment. I actually go to my room to get away from it (that room is off limits to Strat). But when I see him in positions like this I just can't help myself. Really now, could this be comfortable? I don't see it.

meet Strat

this is strat the cat, in a hat

This is something I never saw coming. Me, living with a cat. I've never liked cats. Eric wanted a dog but the attention a dog needs is something I just don't have the time for. So when Lauren headed out the door for work and this guy was sitting there wanting to play, I agreed to take in a cat. Yeah, the next day it was like, "what on Earth did I agree to???" - so here I am with a kitten. So far he's okay. He knows where his bathroom is...and uses it. Don't get me wrong, I totally prefer dogs but the independence of a cat is more my style.

hey lauren...

There's a story behind this. One night we were out having a good time and I called Lauren and found out she was late for work and talking like a sailor. (Okay, I think I totally wasted my time typing that. I could have easily wrote that I called Lauren. Anyone who knows her already knows she was running late and talking like a sailor. lol) So we hung up. Then I called back (totally Cosme's idea) and told Lauren, "it'll be okay. Jesus loves you." - she hung up on me.

today I saw

some ducks

one for today

few will understand the angle of the next one

will it ever stop?

So now Oprah is getting her own network. OWN, Oprah Winfrey Network...seriously...did you think she'd call it anything else? I've so had enough of this woman. I just wish she'd retire and go away or at least spare me and for pete's sake - PUT SOMEBODY ELSE ON THAT STUPID MAGAZINE COVER. I hate seeing that woman's ugly face everytime I'm in line at the grocery store. Hasn't she had enough of herself already? Oprah just needs to go away...when she does, I hope she takes the monsters she's created with her (Dr. Phil-your opinions are worthless, Rachael Ray-I admit some of your ideas are handy but you are so annoying, Obama-no comment).

just because

I've been sick and haven't done anything.

a couple of shots from

our stops at Missions San Jose and Concepcion.

on the way to segovia

we stopped in San Antonio. Here's one of the pictures from Mission San Jose. There are a few more but I hear my bed calling me (along with a big cup of soup).

as a wise tot once said,

"Patience Jackass". Yes, the tot was me and no, I'm not practicing what I preached. I suggested we let Eric open one present this evening. Then I thought it would be better if we each opened one. One turned to two. Eric went first. We played a joke on him and gave him a hint that his new guitar was an updated Squier.

Boy, was he surprised to open the Squier box and find a sunburst Stratocaster with gold hardware.

Cosme's turn...

"Sweet!" Cosme opened his GPS and golf clubs. The funny thing about the clubs is he saw the package and thought it was a fountain for the flower bed. (He thought that sounded like something my mother and I would scheme up after the whole "doesn't he need a bench for his birthday?") Yeah, I got a picture of his expression as he opened the clubs but his eyes were shut - I figure after posting the karaoke shot I'd go easy on him.

my turn...

I opened my photo printer (which might have come in handy during the Christmas card dilemma...see post below) and a digital frame. Score!

signed, sealed,

not delivered. I didn't get my Christmas cards out. I waited until the last minute to get a picture made. Since we couldn't agree on a picture, nobody has a card. So here's the alternative...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(Hey, that's faster than the USPS could deliver anyway!)

Yes, there's a story behind the cards not being sent out (make note of this entry). Anyway, I won't get into all that. This picture wasn't nominated for the card but it will go into a frame somewhere in this house. If you'd like to see the other pictures, check out the Flickr link.

party like it's...

well, last weekend. Cosme's office's Christmas party was last weekend. (Yeah, my hair's red but the glow of the ribbons on the tree are making it red to the extreme.) We stayed at the party a while and then headed to Wild West. Yes, you read correctly. This duo headed to a c&w bar. The crazier part of that story is we were dancing to hip-hop as well as c&w. By the way, Cosme did the Cotton-Eyed-Joe for the first time. (I couldn't believe he hadn't learned it in elementary school. I learned it in p.e. - and that was in the city!) Anyway, a few hours later (as well as a few drinks later) Cosme braved the crowd and told me to pick a song for his moment in the spotlight...yeah, karaoke. I gave him three choices: Elvis, The Cult or Johnny Cash. Needless to say, he chose The Cult. So, a little "She Sells Sanctuary" it was. He was told there were people in the back making the typical headbanger hand gestures while bobbing their heads. It was a total rockstar moment. Yeah, yeah, I admit that I was hollering and clapping. The next day he was saying he couldn't believe he got up and did it. Guess what, he can believe it now because one of his co-workers got a lovely shot of it.

Exhibit A:

and why

does it matter what Oprah thinks? Oh, that's right, it doesn't! I don't know what's more pathetic...that people need to take advice from a rags-to-riches talkshow host on everything from books to politicians OR that those people (such as Oprah) believe us people without celebrity status cannot think for ourselves. Seriously, what makes Oprah's opinion of who the next Presdient should be any different from Melanie's...nothing. If I could say one thing to Ms. Winfrey, it would be this, "please shut up and go away. your ramblings on don't mean squat in life outside Harpo." So, Oprah, Barbra, Sean Penn, Ben Affleck, etc...believe it or not, the majority of Americans have minds of their own and don't need your input...thanks anyway.

I would get started on Brad Pitt and his quest to save the world with our help, but I'm so sick of it all I can't bring myself to ruin a perfectly good morning.

UPDATE: at Mom's request, the picture of Oprah Winfrey was removed because "it doesn't deserve to be posted".

biscotti

I made it today for the first time. It was so easy and pretty tasty. (It's topped with almond bark.) I'm ready to try out all sorts of variations now!

and from out of nowhere

came the zombies...pitchfork-wielding farm zombies. No, not really.

This was on my way home from taking Eric to school. The fog was really bad for a couple of days. I thought this land on 521 would offer an eerie picture. Breakfast was being served on the other side of the highway.