What I'm Reading (September)

It is the last day of September and time for my monthly (or so I try) book round-up. Mike and I didn't do much traveling this month, so the list isn't as long as it has been previously (all those hours in the air are perfect for reading!).

	Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard Bailey Wingate is the widow of a millionaire, who married her so that she could oversee his children's fortune. Cam Justice is a former Air Force pilot turned private pilot. Cam is flying Bailey to Denver for a trip when the crash in the mountains. Cam and Bailey are forced to rely on each other for survival. Back in Seattle, Bailey's stepchildren are thrilled by her assumed death. Were they somehow involved in the crash? This was a great book! I couldn't put it down.
	Starting Out Sideways by Mary E. Mitchell Roseanna Plow has great life, or so she thinks. When her marriage turns out to be less perfect than she thought, she turns to her zany mother for help... And finds out a family secret. Roseanne travels the road of self-discovery and finds unexpected pleasures. I got this book because it is written by local author Mary E. Mitchell (of West Newton, MA). I really enjoyed it. It made me laugh and cry. I am looking forward to future books by Mary Mitchell.
	Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels This is book 2 in The Sisterhood: Rules of the Game. In this installment the Sisterhood must return to the states to help Supreme Court Justice Pearl Barnes with a dark secret or risk being exposed to the world. This is another light-hearted installment.
	Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos When Margaret Hughes learns that she has a malignant brain tumor, she decides to take a boarder into her Seattle home for some company. Her life, and the lives of those around her, begin to change in unimaginable ways. This book is a journey through the lives of all its characters. It evoked a lot of emotion as I read it, from laughing to crying. I really, really liked it. A lot.
	The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen I posted a blurb about this book earlier in the month. There is also a book trailer that can be viewed online (really cool). I received the book on Monday, September 22, began reading it Tuesday and was done by Thursday. I loved it!!!
	Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris This book was recommended by my father, and I have to say it was a damned good recommendation. Seriously. It is so... Off-kilter, black comedy, that I really can't describe it. The critics love it, Dad loves it, I love it. The website for the book is really cool -- check out the video to get a feel for the book. I wish I could provide a clearer explanation of the book, but... Check out the New York Times Book Review or Metacritic's compilation of reviews for more.

I'm about 60% through I finished Then We Came to an End today. , but wanted to include it now.

Happy Reading!

Productive Weekend

We had a very productive weekend at home. While we missed camp, we got a lot -- lot done.

We spent Saturday installing a dishwasher, kitchen faucet, and toilet in the master bathroom.

We love our new stuff! We ended Saturday with a lovely dinner of Grilled Zucchini "Lasagna" with Italian Sausage, Tomato, and Basil Sauce. It was very yummy and very low carb -- couldn't ask for more!

We also watched What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann, a documentary about Sally Mann, a well-known naturist photographer. Michael and I greatly enjoyed one of Mann's first photography books, Immediate Family. She captured incredible photos of her children as they experienced childhood. Her connection with the subjects and their visible emotions were incredible. After watching the documentary, Mike and I agreed that was her best work (and we don't care so much for her later topics).

I worked on the attic Sunday after Mike left for Washington DC. Things are rearranged and labeled now, allowing me to find what I need quickly. I also put two stainless steel shelving units in to help organize; one of them has wheels allowing easy access to the items on either side.

Thanks for everything, DD :)

For dinner on Sunday I made the Cincinnati Chili that I blogged about last week. Boy, it was yummy!

If you don't like too much kick, I'd recommend cutting the chili powder and chipotle powder by 1/2.

Sorry the pictures are bit fuzzy. My camera was acting up a bit.

Have a happy day!

Fondue for Dinner

Last night Michael took us out to dinner at the Melting Pot. Established in 1975, the Melting Pot has locations around the US. They serve only fondue, and diners cook their own meals at the table. Fun, huh?

We got a surf and turf meal for two, which included a cheese fondue of our choice (to be shared) and a salad. We chose the special fondue of the month, Boston Lager Fondue for the appetizer. She brought the goodies that accompany the appetizer (bread, veggies, apples).


Then she poured in the lager, worcesteshire, tabasco mix

 

added the cheese, and stirred.

 

When it looked all melted, we put a bread on the fondue fork, stuck it in the sauce

 

and voila! beautiful fondue!

 

The waitress brought the broth for our main course while we enjoyed our salad.

 

When our salad was done and the broth was heated, she brought the components of our dinner.

 

We put the veggies in the pot first, because they needed to cook the longest.

 

Next, we cooked our lobster and filet

 

It was a fun experience that we both enjoyed. And sooo much food!

Back to the Future Cast -- Where Are They Now?

I popped over to AOL Movies today to see what is new at the theaters. I was immediately distracted by this:

Where Are They Now? 'Back to the Future' Of course this piqued my interest. I did want to know where they are now. The 35 page slideshow is actually very interesting (did you know that Elizabeth Shue is married to the director of The Inconvenient Truth or that Matt Damon's upcoming movie is titled The Informant?). Pop over to AOL and check it out for a stroll down memory lane.

As far as movies opening today, My Best Friend's Girl (which I plan to see with Deb and Helen next week, then again with Mike but has gotten bad reviews), GhostTown (I love Ricky Gervais),  and The Duchess (Keira Knightley in yet another period piece) are among the notables.

Have a great weekend!

Laughing is Good for the Soul

And these did it for me....

more animals


more animals


more animals


more animals


more animals


more animals


more animals

Have a happy day!

Cincinnati Chili

Whole Foods is sponsoring a Budget Recipe Challenge where they:

challenged our favorite food bloggers to develop a budget-conscious (under $4 per serving) weeknight meal recipe that doesn't sacrifice good taste.

They've narrowed the recipes down to 6 finalists that include

• Wonton Noodle Soup
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
• Miso Burger Pilaf with Lemon-Ginger Tofu (the thought tofu makes me want to gag, though)
• Cincinnati Chili
• Farro with Butternut Squash, Hazelnuts, and Swiss Chard
• Chicken Marsala with Brussels Sprouts and Capellini Aglio e Olio 

I am telling you about this for two reasons. One, the Cincinnati Chili recipe is written by the author of Coconut & Lime, a blog I read frequently. The recipe sounds fabulous and I am thinking of making it this weekend for the End of Season Potluck at camp. Two, "by posting a comment on one of these recipes, you'll be entered into a drawing for a $500 Whole Foods Market gift card! (Ten runners-up will receive $25 gift cards.)"

Seems like a no-brainer, hop over to check out the recipes and get a chance at $500. At Whole Foods that'll get you a small load (they are a little pricey, after all!).

Toodles!

Red Sox Clinch Wildcard for AL East -- Yankees Out

What a great game last night! We saw the last two innings and the lengthy celebration that followed (see short clip below).

What a great end to the night! Go Sox!

384 Days of Blogging

Guess what I forgot?! The 1 year mark of this blog! I posted for the first time on September 5, 2007. We weren't sure if blogging would catch on for us... I think that there is no doubt at this point that it has caught on!

Thanks for reading us for so long! We look forward to another year(s) of blogging!

Smiles!

The House Bunny

We have not been to see a movie together at the movie theater for years. Last night, we decided to splurge and go see The House Bunny for a discounted rate of $6/ea (see trailer below).

All I can say is that, 1) It is way stupider than it looks, and 2) I am glad we only paid $6. It was really bad.

C'est la vie! Have a great day!

Save a Gato Poster

I mentioned that I ordered a poster a while back. It arrived a couple of weeks ago & I framed it. I thought you would like to see...

Read Books Online -- for Free

You may have heard that Google Books has been scanning book titles for online viewing (in accordance with copyright laws). I last looked at the titles quite some time ago, and they seemed to be confined to classics.

I saw a post on Lifehacker about embedding Google Books as I went through my reader today. The article pointed to a post by Google detailing how to do it. You are probably less interested in embedding books than you are in reading them. But, that is where the good new lies.

I checked out the current books on Google and was pleasantly surprised to see that books my some of my favorite authors are now available! Here are a few of the authors (this is in no way a comprehensive list of who I read, nor does the list order have anything to do with a personal ranking):

• David Baldacci
• Stuart Woods
• Michael Connelley
• JD Robb
• Nora Roberts
• Debbie Macomber
• Fern Michaels
• Janet Evanovich
• Charlotte Hughes
• Catherine Anderson
• Tess Gerritsen
• Philip R. Craig
• Jeffery Deaver
• Iris Johansen
• Susan Wiggs
• Lisa Kleypas
• Jodi Picoult
• Chris Bohjalian
• John Sandford
• Lisa Gardner
• Anita Shreve

Most of the books are found are "limited preview." which I believe means you can read them online, but not print them. (see red notation at bottom for update) See the example below, of Beverly Hills Dead, by Stuart Woods.

I don't think this would be my favorite way to read a book, but it is readily available and does not require a trip to the library.

Have a happy day!

Update: I played with this a bit more and found that "limited preview" means that not all the pages of the book are scanned. For example, in the book Last Man Standing (David Baldacci) -- 656 pages -- page 632 and 633 are missing. Pages seem to be omitted randomly throughout the book. Maybe Google Books isn't really such a hot thing...

American Royal BBQ, Kansas City

From Trip Inspiration:

American Royal BBQ, Kansas City

via Trip Inspiration by Jackie Hewett on 9/8/08

If you can't get enough of that BBQ flavour, or want to pick up some tips on how to cook the best BBQ food this could just be the event for you!

2nd to 5th October 2008 sees the 29th occurrence of the largest BBQ contest in the world with some 500 teams competing. Contestants have to cook 10 pounds of meat (beef, pork or lamb) and are awarded marks out of 10 for their efforts.

Happy Birthday, Helen and Paul!

Friday was the official Happy Birthday for Helen and Paul!  Our Polish twins (from different years and different parents, but never mind that) are officially one year older :)

We found this card that is perfect for Helen (thanks to JaneSays over at Etsy).

We also wanted to help Helen decorate her office at work (she mentioned she need to get more things in there). We asked Annya, also at Etsy, to help us with this by making a custom painting. Check it out:

The black kitty is Annya's signature character. The cow is the background is one of the herd that [Steve and] Helen care for at the Erskine Farm. As you can see, kitty is feeding the cow an apple. I think it is so cute! You just can't go wrong with gifts from Etsy!

Happy Birthday, Paul and Helen!

Have a great day!

September on the Vineyard

We spent a lovely day with Steve and Helen on the Vineyard today. The forecasted high was 69 degrees, so we figured it would be too cold for the beach. We arrived as high tide was finishing up.

 

The beach was little (then) but the weather was beautiful. We laid out our stuff.

 

It ended up being a beautiful day. We got lots of sun and had lots of fun.

Now we're home. I'm tired. Even though I slept on the beach, on the bus, and in the car.

 

And we're both sun burned...

 

Nighty night.

Pellets, Tree, Kids, Oh My!

We had a busy day. We were unloading the last bag of our one ton pellet purchase when Trillium Tree arrived to cut down our poor lightening-struck tree. The cut the branches, took the trunk, then grinded the stump. You'd never know the tree was there (see slideshow below).

Shortly after all that finished Pat, Deirdre, Connor and Fiona came over for a visit. We all played for a bit...

...then went out for pizza at Amici's.

Tonight we are recovering before a day on the Vineyard with Steve and Helen.

Toodles!

Not Much News

Today has been quiet. Mostly because I've been obsessing over changing the blog template again. Really. I have to stop this because it is affecting my marital happiness (again, really). Sigh.

However, I am done tweaking and have found doing my own updates will be much easier. I have combined the layout from two versions ago with the look and feel of the last version. This should be easier to navigate (finding the blog entries and archives was difficult for many) and gives the posting area much more room.

I'll still do changes for Halloween, but it will take me 20 minutes instead of 3+ hours. I am way too nerdy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On to more important matters! A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout-out to Helen and Paul, the Polish twins, separated before the womb (??). A little more birthday hurrah for Helen will come on Monday.

Have a Happy Day!

Martha's Vineyard Film Festival

Today Plumtv reported on the Martha's Vineyard Film Festival 2008 that took place last weekend. The event was well attended and looks like it was very interesting (see below).

One movie looked particularly interesting to me. My Brother is an Only Child, is an Italian film that explores the relationship of two brothers. They grow up to be adults with different political views and a difficult relationship. The movie spans a 10 year period. It is a Cannes Festival Selection and won 5 Donatello awards. It is Italian, subtitled in English (trailer below):

To learn more about the MV Film Festival, visit their website at: http://tmvff.org/.

Have a happy night!

Two of My Faves

If you've read this blog for more than a couple of weeks, you've probably already discovered that I faithfully follow people, events, and causes that I believe in. Don't we all?! Two people that I follow, Author Tess Gerritsen and Musician Ben(jamin) Taylor, had big releases this week.

Tess Gerritsen's latest book The Keepsake released yesterday. Below is a partial exerpt from her website. Click here (or on the link at the end of the exerpt) to read the full text:

DR. MAURA ISLES could not decide whether to stay or to flee.

She lingered in the shadows of the Pilgrim Hospital parking lot, well beyond the glare of the klieg lights, beyond the circle of TV cameras. She had no wish to be spotted, and most local reporters would recognize the striking woman whose pale face and bluntly cut black hair had earned her the nickname “Queen of the Dead”. As yet no one had noticed Maura’s arrival, and not a single camera was turned in her direction. Instead, the dozen reporters were fully focused on a white van that had just pulled up at the hospital’s lobby entrance to unload its famous passenger. The van’s rear doors swung open and a lightning storm of camera flashes lit up the night as the celebrity patient was gently lifted out of the van and placed onto a hospital gurney. This patient was a media star whose newfound fame far outshone any mere medical examiner’s. Tonight Maura was merely part of the awestruck audience, drawn here for the same reason the reporters had converged like frenzied groupies outside the hospital on a warm Sunday night.

All were eager to catch a glimpse of Madam X.

Maura had faced reporters many times before, but the rabid hunger of this mob alarmed her. She knew that if some new prey wandered into their field of vision, their attention could shift in an instant, and tonight she was already feeling emotionally bruised and vulnerable. She considered escaping the scrum by turning around and climbing back into her car. But all that awaited her at home was a silent house and perhaps a few too many glasses of wine to keep her company on a night when Daniel Brophy could not. Lately there were far too many such nights, but that was the bargain she had struck by falling in love with him. The heart makes its choices without weighing the consequences. It doesn’t look ahead to the lonely nights that follow.

The gurney carrying Madam X rolled into the hospital and the wolf pack of reporters chased after it. Through the glass lobby doors, Maura saw bright lights and excited faces, while outside in the parking lot, she stood alone.  (continue reading here)

Maura Isles is a recurring character in Gerritsen's books. She is a medical examiner with an intriguing past and is understood by few. I enjoy reading this character  -- and others. This book is on my Paperbackswap Wishlist... I am number 1 of 142 people in the queue, so I should receive it soon. You may wonder why I am not purchasing this book if I like the author so much. Well, that is a good question. I've been first on the list for this book since late January. I try to be consciencous about my spending (really, Michael :) ) and good to the environment (less paper use and all that). That said, I do plan to attend on of Tess' book signings on October 8, 2008 @ 7:00 pm (Barnes and Noble, Framingham MA). Chances are very good I'll buy a book directly from that location for her to sign, and will re-circulate the copy I get from PBS. So you see, this is smart thinking on my part. I get the book for free right away, then get an untouched, signed copy for me.

Benjamin Taylor's latest album, The Legend of Kung Folk: Part 1 (The Killing Bite), also released yesterday. I received my copy from Amazon yesterday and am listening to it (over and over, you'd better believe). It is very good. The music is a little different than his previous albums and I love it just as much.  Coincident with the album release was an interview with Taylor on Docutunes.tv (below).

I am anxiously awaiting some more tour dates so I can see him in person.

So that is my book and music plug for the day! Smiles!

Milo, Otis, Connor and Fiona

Milo and Otis was released in 1989. I remember this clearly because my grandmother -- who does not have an affinity for foul language, nudity, or sex in movies -- thought it was the best movie ever! I never saw it.

Recently Deirdre loaned us Milo and Otis because the kitty, Milo, looks just like Mattie. Connor and Fiona were entraced by Milo's antics, especially his swimming escapade. I just started watching it on my iPhone and have to tell you -- I LOVE IT! It is absolutely adorable.

The swimming scene happens in the first 10 minutes (part 1, below). YouTube has the movie broken up in bits, if you are interested. Here goes!

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6


Part 7


Part 8

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

New Look... Again!

If you visit the blog in person (as opposed to using a reader or getting content delivered by email) you will see that we have a new design today. I was feeling Fall in the air and overcome by inspiration.

I was inpsired enough to create this design from the ground up. Nearly all of this was done by me. To ease my learning curve, I did use the layout (and some of the text colors) from a blog over at BlogSkins, the Celebrate skin by Dancing Sheep. For the graphics, I hopped over to Shabby Princess, a digital scrapbooking site. I picked the graphics, made the shapes, arranged items, and got a font (from DaFont.com) for the final product. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to get it all done.

My plan is to make a Christmas template next, with my own layout (so it won't be a substitution of style from Dancing Sheep) and Shabby Princess -- or other -- graphics. Wish me luck.

Another change is the addition of a tagbox. This is a slight twist on standard commenting because the posts are site related instead of post related. Since I have only gotten a few comments, I figured this would be an interesting change.

Smiles!

Under Our Skin Trailer (got it!)

Found this great tool, Snagfilms, that let me include the trailer. More on it this week.

Under Our Skin

Sorry about being so slow on posting today...

This just came across my reader, courtesy of PlumTV (sorry, couldn't embed it because their link didn't work right). I instantly thought of a friend of ours, Fran, who had Lyme Disease go undiagnosed for 18 years (I think that is right). Then I thought of my stepfather Brian, who had Lyme a couple of years ago. Then of a co-workers dog that got it.

After watching the spot from PlumTV, I went to the website UnderOurSkin.com and watched the trailer for the movie. I was overpowered by sadness (for the victims) and fear (for everyone). There are also YouTube videos available for viewing.

The movie has received honors at the Tribeca Film Festival, Berkshire International Film Festival, and Rhode Island International Film Festival. There are screenings throughout the country, including one in Boston tomorrow night. I assume that it will be available on DVD at some point.

The United Nations of Baseball

Check out this cool map (click map to enlarge)! James Fee GIS Blog featured the updated map today (created by someone else, as much is in this electronic world). It is interesting to see how Red Sox Nation compares (in reach) to the other teams... I think it is cool no matter where it came from!

James also pointed to the MLB Fan Areas map, which is interactive (click to go to the site)

Sweet!!!

O'Connors: Authentic and Delicious Irish Fare

Michael is a 4th generation Irish American (can't you tell by his cute face?). Both of his parents are of Irish descent, so Irish food is something the whole family enjoys together. Our favorite restaurant is O'Connors Restaurant and Bar in Worcester, MA. My family has been indoctrinated into the fine cuisine at O'Connors and they are always excited to go there when visiting us.

O'Connors was opened in 1989 by Brendan and Claire O'Connor. The restaurant is decked out with fun Irish decor -- more signs that you could believe -- that lend to a fun pub atmosphere. But most important, the food is to die for. It is prepared with the best ingredients, time, and attention. I've never had a bad meal there.



Michaels mom, Pat, generously offered to take us to O'Connors for dinner Tuesday night. There was no way we could say no! We all started with the potato pizza appetizers. They are so good, and the sauce - mmmmmm!

We've all been so many times, one would think that we've tried everything on the menu. While we have tried a lot, we have our special favorites that we tend to order every time. It is always a struggle for Michael, Pat, and I to choose between the Shepherd's Pie and the Guiness Pie. Michael and I went for the Guiness this time (below), while Pat chose the Shepherd's (sorry, no photo of that one).

In addition to the food being fantastic, the portions are HUGE!!! I always get a doggie box, because the meal is a two-for-one (for me)... Michael somehow manages to clean his plate...

Thank you, Pat, for taking us out!!! We had a lovely time chatting and eating! We love you :)

Have a happy day!

What do you do with...

My mind was wandering, as it often does, and I thought, "I know what I do, but what about everyone else?" So, here are some thoughts...

What do you do with...

• Bills: pay each as it comes in or save them up to do as a pile? I get paid once a month, so my bills wait and get paid all at once.
• Laundry: fold straight out of the dryer, or let it sit in the basket until you get to it? As hard as I try to do it right away, it almost always sits for a couple of days.
• Email: answer it right away, or wait a few days? I answer right away.
• Decisions: go with your gut or labor over the right thing to do? Of course, it depends on the decision, but I try to think the ones through that are emotionally loaded.
• Desert: eat it or watch your waistline? I am a pig, I eat.
• Bad days: hash them out when you get home or put them out of your mind? I usually try to minimize the hashing when I get home (Mike would say I do not).
• Sleeping on the weekends: sleep in or get up and enjoy the day? Get real, I sleep in!

Ok, just some unimportant, random thoughts!

Have a happy day!

World Trade Center: 7 Years Later

Docutunes.tv released their latest video documentary yesterday. It features siblings Livingston and Kate Taylor at a 9/11 siblings commemoration concert on September 11, 2005. September 11 holds a lot of meaning for me (as it does for many) not only because of the tragic loss of life on that day, but also because it is inseperable with the passing of Michael's brother Brett. While the incidents occurred weeks apart, the time was very emotional for us all and the events of 9/11 are a large part of that time, for me. Seeing the video (below) moved me strongly, both by the event and by the words of the song.

Though Brett was not my brother, I miss him very much.

My thoughts and prayers are with our family and with all the 9/11 victims' families on this tragic anniversary.

Where There's a Will, There's a Way

There are two truths that I knew before last night, but was painfully reminded of this morning. At 3:30 am.
1. Mattie hates being relocated to the bathroom
2. The bathroom door does not latch well

So, you know where this is heading. On night 4 in his new room, the cat figured out he could get the door open. Apparently he woke Mike after his first escape, Mike chased him down, then Mike put him back away. Blessedly, I slept through the whole thing. I awoke at 3:32 am when Mike started kicking his leg in his sleep and I opened my eyes to see Mattie. I took him back to his room, but he was out again in less than two minutes. For some stupid reason, the cat went back to Mike in bed for a third time. Apparently he is not smart enough to know he could have quietly laid by me and gotten away with his prison-break.

Mike groggily told me that we had to do something and to put Mattie back in the bedroom upstairs. I did. Unfortunately, I could not go back to sleep and ended up on the couch where I slept for maybe 10 minutes.

As to the door, I don't think the hole in the jamb is deep enough, but the dip-wit who lived here before us cut clean through the jamb from the edge and made the hole too big around. I hope Mike can fix the latch tonight.

I'm sleepy...

Hilarious Jonathan Papelbon Videos

Ok, you all know how I love the Red Sox. If you didn't know, I also adore Jonathan Papelbon. Not only is he a formidable pitcher, but he is a riot off the mound. If you watched the ALCS games or the World Series, you saw him do his Irish jig. As an aside, he is a great player from a serious baseball family. His twin brothers (Joshua and Jeremy) are also a pitchers, and his father runs the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame down in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Tonight was the Mohegan Sun Sport's Tonight on Comcast Sports. Looks like Pap's mom provided Dustin Pedroia with a High School Video of Pap. A little editing was done, and voila!

Comcast Sports is not offering the option to embed, so you have to go directly to their website. Even if you are not a baseball fan, you should watch the first video. I recommend them all -- they are HILARIOUS! See them at http://newengland.comcastsportsnet.com/wickedgoodsports/red-sox/jonathan-papelbon-the-high-school-years/

Have a great night!

Cat Saved by Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation

This is my second post today (I am anticipating a third, too, which should be even MORE FUN).

From: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/09/firefighter_sav.html

Firefighter saves cat with CPR?

September 10, 2008 03:02 PM

By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A New Bedford firefighter apparently took the bit about rescuing cats from trees a few steps further. The Standard-Times reported today that firefighter Al Machado rushed into a burning building on Summer Street Monday and performed "mouth to mouth resuscitation" on a cat that had been trapped in a second-floor apartment.

Really. And there's video.

Machado could not be reached today to confirm the story. (A dispatcher said he was busy fighting a fire on Front Street.) Can mouth to mouth resuscitation really be given to a cat?
"If a pet's involved in a fire, it can be relatively common," said Brian Adams, a spokesman for Angell Medical Center, which is run by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
In fact, the MSPCA kicked off a fund-raiser last week in Springfield to buy oxygen masks for cats and dogs for each of the city's 18 fire engines. The goal is to raise $5,400 for the 36 masks and another $2,000 for a dog and cat CPR manikin. ("Ruff to the Rescue" is selling white stuffed animal dogs wearing red fire helmets for $20.)

"This is a pilot program that we are hoping will catch on," Adams said.

Performing CPR on a cat or a dog requires training. In many ways, it is the opposite of what rescuers do for humans, which typically involves pinching the nose closed and covering the person's mouth with one's own lips to create a seal.

With dogs or cats, a rescuer holds the animal's mouth shut and puts their mouth around the snout.
"It's almost like a kiss," Adams said. "You pucker up your lips and put it over the cat's nose and breathe through the nostrils while doing chest compressions."

"For a dog, it would be similar."

Cool, huh?!

The "Baked" Brownie, Spiced Up -- via Smitten Kitchen

As you may have guessed, I am subscribed to several cooking blogs. One is called Smitten Kitchen.

Last Friday they featured a modified recipe from the book published by Brooklyn bakery Baked. The recipe looked yummy. Out of curiosity, I went to Baked's website. They sell these spiced up brownies for a mere $72 for 24 brownies (the same quantity that the recipe makes).

Ok, I was shocked. But the brownies still looked awfully good. I asked Mike to take me to the supermarket on the way home from work, where we got most of the ingredients. I had to visit another store on Saturday to get the rest. $30 later, I had everything I needed, including some expensive spices that I would only need a teeny bit of. Mike teased me that is why they charge $72...

I made the brownies Saturday afternoon. The flavor is interesting. I omitted the cardamom when I made them (mostly because it was $11.95 for a bottle, when only 1/4 teaspoon was needed). They have a bite, but a good bite, and are nice and moist. I would definitely use the recipe again, but I think I would omit the spices...

Check out Smitten Kitchens post at: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/the-baked-brownie-spiced-up/.

Happy Munching!

A Leaky Roof

We stayed home last weekend because the forecast was for rain from tropical storm Hanna. The weather ended up being much nicer than predicted, but it was still a good thing we were home. The barn roof had a leak we didn't know about until Saturday.

Steve and Helen were over and Steve said he had a ladder that would reach the roof. He came over Sunday and applied some roof concrete to stop the leak (thanks again, Steve!).

I don't like heights, so climbing that ladder was out of the question for me. Its a good thing brave boys are around!

Have a great day!

StormPulse: Cool Hurricane Tracker

StormPulse was just featured on LifeHacker as one of the best storm tracking web applications. I totally agree. Check it out:

You can see the track of past storms, forecasted models, and wind probabilities. This site is a keeper!

Mattie: A Tail of Two Kitties

...And Both of Them are Spoiled

We are coming up on two years with Mattie. I love him to bits. And, he makes me crazy. Read on to find out why.

GOOD kitty

Mattie is by far the sweetest kitty I've ever had. He loves to cuddle and snuggle. He will let people hold him any way they want. He is great with kids, even Connor and Fiona when they were little. He does not have a mean bone in his body; he has never growled, hissed, swiped, or scratched. He is sensitive to our feelings, smart as a whip, and faithful as a dog.


BAD kitty

For all of his good traits, he has some bad traits... He gets on meowing kicks that last 30 minutes to 1 hour. The meows are loud (liken them to nails on a chalkboard or whatever poison you choose) and seem to have no clear reason behind them. He always has food, water, a clean litter box, and access to the outside when the meowing jaunts occur. He'll even sit outside of an open window outside and keep meowing... And he is, frankly, messy. Since last September our guest room has been transformed into "Mattie's room." Yesterday I decided that I would move him to the upstairs bathroom. He has plenty of space and light.


So, I said he is messy. If you look at the photo above on the right, you'll see what I mean. When he gets mad, he becomes passive-aggressive cat and "eliminates" (err... that is, pees) on things. In the past it has been Mike's clothes, socks, and work bag. He is lucky to still be in our house. Recently, he has eliminated in our heretofore nice guest room. Now you are getting the picture for why he has been moved to the bathroom.

I spent a very long time cleaning the guest room last night. I laundered every piece of fabric (and threw away a comforter and shams that I deemed beyond saving) in the room, to the tune of 5 loads of laundry. The rug will be next -- I have to look for a good cleaner today. We are nearly ready for guests again.

But where will Mattie stay when we have guests? After all, they need to potty in the middle of the night and won't be amused by his high pitched meowing that starts around 3 am... He'll be relegated to the largest dog cage made. It is the one he lived in for a month last summer after he was hit by a car. Staying in it for a night or two won't kill him.

That's my story... I love the little guy, but he certainly is not perfect. I guess we all have our little issues :)

Have a happy day!