Tidbits

This squirrel has been bold lately. He was in the front tree, teasing both cats, the other day, and this week he was on our wall, just yards away. Cats were going nuts!

I saw an unbeatable sale on a combo vacuum/mop robot. Plus, I had birthday money I'd been holding onto for just the right time. 

The cats were intrigued/frightened at first, as shown here. Like everything, though, they got used to it pretty quick.

You're encouraged to name your robot vacuums - I named mine Sidney, after Sid the Sloth from Ice Age. Because getting a robot to vacuum means I'm getting lazy... but can I admit that so far, I love it!? I can just set it up in a room, move the big things out of the way, and minutes later the floors are clean!

Stace is away for work this week - more on that later. But knowing he was gone anyway, when JT invited me to go to a concert at a church with her, I immediately said yes. Didn't know the artist, didn't matter; we don't get to see each other enough!

We were in a very Asian area in the San Gabriel Valley, so I picked up Chinese food and we ate out of the back of her car. How very English! It was a nice night out.

Earlier on Tuesday, I took Seb to the vet for a weight check, and he hasn't lost more weight, so we are happy that we don't need to worry about anything serious right now, beyond his urinary crystals and stage 2 kidney disease. Because he throws up more than he should, the vet prescribed a different food - one that is for digestive issues, PLUS urinary crystals. Cha-ching! 

I saw a post from an animal trainer in the entertainment industry looking for grey and white cats for a cat litter print ad. Why not, I thought? Winston might have the outgoing nature for it. So, I met the lady at the pet store to see how he'd react to a new situation. He didn't do too badly! She submitted him to the company but they ended up choosing other "talent." 

(Maybe he didn't come across as professional enough...)

OK, this is a funny story. Remember Stripes? Click here if you don't...

The day before Easter, Stace and I left for church around 6 pm and closed the garage door, which had been open several hours. Later, around 9, I went into the garage to get cat food, and felt something brush my leg. Stunned, I turned around, and there was Stripes! Rubbing my leg, flopping on the rug. "Ummm, sir! How long have you been stuck in our garage??"

I opened the door, and Vi and I walked him down the paseo, praying he'd find his way safely home.

Well, this week, I went into the garage Thursday morning, and found this deceased young gopher in front of the laundry! On Wednesday, there was an hour or two that I'd left the garage open. I can't say for sure, but I think Stripes might have brought me a gift. Our cats aren't outside to hunt, and this is right where I've found Stripes (twice) in our garage, near the extra cat food, and the laundry. Hmm.

 

This is what happens when you leave your dough to rise, eat dinner, go to Quigley to take a walk, and forget you were supposed to be baking bread!

Thankfully, it still baked well and wasn't too airy to slice. (I'm sure there's a proper word for that?? The opposite of dense...)

Violet wants to make a coat for her upcoming trip to Alaska. She has a specific style/pattern in mind. We found a fabric shop not far from where Stace works, in an industrial unit. It felt like an old-fashioned shop, where the proprietor knows every square inch of her offerings, and is full of advice and knowledge. 

Quigley (and tidbits)

One of Violet's most-requested things to do these days is a walk at Quigley Canyon...because of these guys. 

They are so cute! And they seem friendly. Violet fed them some grasses, like the ones they're eating in their field. Everything is so green right now - we've had more rain lately.

We don't see streams in Quigley often, but this time, we did.

A good day to use the log bridge!

The girls were off Monday for President's Day, but it was a rainy, stay-in kind of day. Violet and I made sourdough brownies (very fudgy, with sourdough acting as the rising agent). I also made oatmeal cake and prepped sourdough loaves.

Stace took half a day off for team-building bowling - see what they entered as his name? Lord Howard!

On Saturday, we took Vi to the archery range while Cora went sliding. 

Cora had fun. Also this week, she had callbacks for the college spring musical, Once Upon A Mattress. She was happy to be cast as a Lady in Waiting, in the ensemble, and understudy to the lead princess. 

Cats, Bread and Candles

Ever feel like someone is watching you?

(I was reading my devo with my coffee in bed, and SOMEONE wanted me to put water in the sink for him to drink.)

This week, I helped out Melanie and Nick a couple of times. They're moving! They're leaving their apartment in Glendale for greener pastures in Montrose, and I couldn't be happier. It's a great apartment, plus it's 15 minutes closer to us! 

I also milled flour and made sourdough and regular wheat sandwich bread. I also made oatmeal cake and sourdough blueberry muffins. Baking machine here!

Tiffany, Melissa and I have gotten back into walking together in the mornings, at least once or twice a week. We met up once this week at Honu, for the last time. Saturday was their closing day.

After we finished our coffee, we went to Barn and Charm to get a hostess gift for our friend Liz, who had us over for a party Saturday night.

Stace had to work Saturday morning, but only for a couple of hours. I met him at the Porsche dealer for their monthly car show, and dropped Violet off to him. Later, we went together to Acton to DeBellis farm, where they had a vendor selling barbecue, along with the the other farm shop goods. 

Liz had us all over later in the day for a candle-making party. It was great! We got to catch up, smell nice smells, and create a custom candle. Here, I'm stirring my chosen scents - lemongrass and eucalyptus - into the hot wax.

Liz knows how to throw a great party. She loves Valentine's Day and was happy to decorate for it.

Week in Review

I don't know what Winston has against Father Christmas, other than that he was taking up too much room on the mantel.

Stace and I met up at lunch on Monday and shared a coffee and one doughnut hole.

We went to Cora's old high school to watch the theatre improv team perform. Cora ended up working on the tech side. We tried to get Handels ice cream after, but they were closed, so we went across the parking lot to Chilis to share a cookie with ice cream.

Cora helped me with cleaning up the leaves - we nearly filled the bin! 

Later, Vi and I went to see our optometrist for our annual exams. 

I fed my sourdough starter a little too much! But I ended up making two decent loaves this week. I also processed two more pumpkins, and the girls made chocolate crinkle cookie dough. 

Stace and I joined my parents to look at Christmas lights. We hadn't walked Wakefield for a few years, so it was nice to see our Candycane Lane again. 

Violet had a Christmas activity as well, with her youth group's annual progressive dinner/scavenger hunt party Wednesday night.

Stace and I went out for dinner Friday at a nice sushi place.

Everything was amazing - light, fresh and flavorful.

Week in Review

 On Sunday, we went out with Colleen, Rigo and Liana to a new pizza place in town, where Lucas is now working. 

Later, Stace and I went to help our friend Christina at her nonprofit, which helps young adults who were part of the foster care system. And then, we went to see a Christmas play at a church with my other friend named Christina. 

It's December, and the girls (even the young adult) are happy to still have their Advent calendar chocolates to count down the days until Christmas.

Cora's also celebrating the end of her college English class this week. She didn't enjoy it, or the teacher, so it's good that it's over. She had kinder words to share about her other two online classes, and her fall semester theatre experience.

Violet has another week of school left, but she did attend a Christmas party with her online school ASB (student government).

We bought a tree this year through a Catholic charitable group that donates proceeds to Christina's nonprofit and Cora's old school. After buying more string lights, we decorated it after Stace played soccer on Friday. 

Evie helped...

...as did Winston. 

(Despite the funny cat videos we've seen, our cats don't mess with the tree. Winston will occasionally bat an ornament, but rarely.)

Violet and I went to Castaic for one of our evening walks. 

It was fun to see the deer prints in the mud.

I checked on these cuties once this week while my parents were both out all day.

I also went to watch Christina's daughter Melanie in a theatre production of Alice in Wonderland. She's second from the left, playing the Queen of Hearts. Off with his head!

Finally, I made sourdough bread for the first time, after getting starter and tips from my friend Lydia when we went out to breakfast this week.

There's room for improvement, but not bad!

Week in Review

Stace finished off and baked the sourdough that Michelle hooked us up with, and look how gorgeous!

It was as tasty as it looked.

Melanie, Nick and Ellie came over to play in the pool Sunday. Ellie loved her first pool experience!

At least, she seemed to. She was very chill and relaxed.

Big news! Cora was able to return to karate!

Squares are drawn on the dojo floor with tape, masks are worn, hand sanitizer, no physical contact...but at least they can be sarcastic with each other, in person.

We went to Placerita Canyon, where we were pleasantly surprised to still find a tiny bit of water.

This sign struck me as funny: the picnic table is reserved for "No one at this time - no picnicking or social gathering right now until further notice. Thank you for understanding."
I'll withhold my sarcasm - wait, no, I won't. I'm sure that me and the girls sitting with a water and crackers and a banana will spread the virus?

Violet showed Cora her little favorite spot.

The bathrooms were open, but the nature center building shut.

We made a big step toward normalcy this week, with Violet going to a friend's house Wednesday, and Cora having a girlfriend over the same day. It was wonderful, and both my girls were so happy.

Also this week, we finished this amazing puzzle of Paris that was a quarantine gift from Sue and Gord. Oh, just a year ago, we were going to the UK and Paris! What a big difference a year makes.