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Friday, October 26, 2007

Friday Stuff

I Misjudged the Furball

For the passed several days, I have noticed Alex sitting in the position of the Sphinx, gazing intensely at the small space (perhaps an inch?) between the edge of the kitchen cabinet and the stove. He was doing the sphinx bit again yesterday morning and I pointed it out to Tasha, my housekeeper. We both agreed that Alex must believe that there is something in that space, but that the space is so small only some insect could squeeze into it.

I think we were wrong. Last night after dinner I took one of my many cat naps. When I retired, I left Alex again imitating the Sphinx in front of the stove. When I awoke, Alex demanded a snack and then to go outside. After letting him out, I headed for the bathroom to answer Nature’s call and noticed something on the floor just inside the bathroom door.

What I saw was a very small, very bloody, and very dead mouse. No photos of the carcass, thank you; I immediately disposed of it. When Alex came back inside, he went straight to the bathroom and stood over the spot where the mouse’s body had been. Then he looked around, as if searching for something. I tried to explain to him that I had removed his trophy from the house; I am not sure that he understood.

There is more to the aftermath of this tale of Alex and the mouse that he exterminated that I shall share tomorrow.


Update on Carmen San Diego

This morning Mike, Carmen’s husband, posted this on her blog:

Carmen had a good day today. This is the first time I've thought this, so maybe things are starting to turn around!

You may read the rest of his post HERE.


UDATE FROM MIKE, 10/26/2007:

… Carmen is still "unstably stable" which means every time she takes 2 steps forward, she'll then take 1.5 steps back… If you are praying, or have a prayer group, the following is what I request. Carmen to again be deemed to be a transplant candidate (taken off temporarily for infection), be transported to the ICU at University of California San Diego, and be given a transplant. In a perfect world she would wake up again with new lungs and be able to breathe again.

Thanks again for all your support.

My House Hunt

I have not received any new information for the young man who purchased my foreclosed home about my continuing to live here as his tenant. I have continued the search for another domicile. (Such big words I am using to describe an agonizing situation; perhaps subconsciously this is to assure the scared kid within me that the adult me is handling things).

Anyway, I have narrowed the available apartments down to four, all of which meet the criteria I have set for a new home. Here are the two best floor plans that I have found thus far:

What do you think of them?






My Library Thing

This Library Thing I encountered on someone’s (I can’t remember who) blog. When I checked it out I learned that (for free) I can enter my entire library on it and thus have a record of its contents, as well as my ratings of books and other notes I want to make. It also allows one to display, as I have on Nick’s Bytes sidebar to the right, random books from my library. Not only is it cool, but I am finding it quite useful as my housekeeper, Tasha, and I box up my library for a probable move.

Below is the “embedded” version of that sidebar thingy:



17 comments:

  1. Today's economy makes me afraid to rent anything more expensive than my little room. (It's so tiny, it has the added bonus of deterring me from buying anymore books...there's no place to put them!)

    The place with the balcony seems like it'd be great for you. Cat's like high places...he'll feel like a king. And you can grow tomatoes there.

    love,
    cat

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  2. I like the floor plan on the bottom, just because I'd like to have a little hallway between the front door and and living room.

    Will Alex be able to roam free, or will he be a housecat after the move? (I lived in an apartment when I got my Alice, and she's always been a housecat. I was afraid of the parking lot.)

    I liked the website for LibraryThing, even though I'm not likely to sign up: "If the buzz page doesn't convince you, you cannot be convinced. Go away." :D

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  3. Oh, I like the floor plan with the balcony/patio, the second one. Alex would like that one, too, I just know it.

    That's one thing I don't have to worry about anymore. Dead offerings under my bed...thank goodness, because some of them were not so dead but very lively and hell to catch!

    Good luck with everything Nick, and stay calm.

    Cheers!

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  4. Alex is a hunter! He probably thinks of himself as a jaguar or lion.

    I will ask our local pastors to add Carmen to the prayer lists of our churches.

    I, too, prefer the second apartment. With your problems walking, will you select a patio rather than a balcony?

    The library thing looks interesting. Do you plan to list ALL your books? How many years will that take?

    Blessings and shalom (your words), Rev Saint.

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  5. oooooooo alex killed a little mousey

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  6. That's neat, your own library.

    You also have yor own mouse chaser. Alex seems like a neat cat.

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  7. i like the second floor plan as it seems to have more character - little nooks and crannies, purrfect for alex to hide and polt his next move.

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  8. Hi Nick ~~ You covered a lot in this post. I hope Carmen continues to improve and that she gets that lung
    transplant soon. So Alex caught a mouse, they only need a small space ti get in. The house hunt is very
    interesting and both floor plans are good. I would consider, are there any steps (or many)? No good having a balcony if there are too many steps.I liked the large rooms in first plan. How handy are they to your doctors, shops etc. Try
    not to get too stressed over it all
    but hope it is soon decided so you can relax Take care, Regards, Merle.

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  9. Hurray for Alex!

    I like your library thingie.

    Both floor plans look good.

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  10. I like the second floor plan better. You have more room in that laundry area and that kitchen has what looks to be a large pantry. Storage space is always good! I am also in favor of the split plan where the two bedrooms are not close to each other.

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  11. The bottom one was my first choice...

    Like your Library Thing - very neat feature!

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  12. Of course Alex caught a mouse, I’ll bet he’s caught other critters, too.

    I also go with the second floor plan.

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  13. Quite the hunter, that Alex! =)

    Glad to hear Carmen's condition is looking up!

    I like the bottom floor plan, I think... patio/balconies are always so nice to have!

    Cool library thing... I have something similar to that on my sidebar from anobii.com

    Happy Packing!

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  14. And I'll bet you don't feel guilty in the slightest at taking Alex' quarry away, do you?

    I lean towards the second floor plan, too. It would really bug me that the pantry door would obscure the fridge when open, but I like the layout of the dining area/living area in the second better, and that the laundry isn't in the kitchen. It also looks like both bedrooms half walk-in closets.

    By the way, on Library Thing you can list 200 books for free, then I think it's a 25.00 lifetime fee to list more (as many as you have). But I love it, too.

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  15. I, too, like the second one, Nick. I like the open space. Of course, we can't see what the neighborhoods are like, and that's important, too. All the best to you, my friend.

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  16. Yay!!! Alex killed the mouse!!! :D

    And, did you see library thing on my blog?? I'm gonna request you as my friend:)

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  17. alex the annihilator- i am impressed!!!
    i have library thing too- signed up for their free service about a month ago! i had great fun going through my bookshelves, i might sign up for the full service sometime as i couldn't list all mine.
    i'm going to throw a spanner in the works and say i like the first floor plan...
    though i am pleased you no longer have to move!

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