A Disruption in the Space-Time Continuum

So I was working in the kitchen the other day and found a nicely dried out wishbone. I called Snickers over and he carefully studied it and chose a side.

"Wait, wait! I need to think of a wish!"

So I waited. Then he went on to complain about how he never won these things. Ever.

So I made my wish and we pulled.

And then ...

Kerblam!

      Kerpow!

The thing exploded!

There were bits of bone scattered across the floor, tinking into the sink, plinking onto the window, scuttling across the counters and stove and over our exposed skin. It was a like chicken-bone bomb!

The dust settled and we checked to see if by any chance one of us had won. But of course not, there was nothing left but bone dust and a couple of spikey nubs.

So, we cleaned up the bone bits that the cat was trying to eat and thought it through. What happened? What did we do wrong? 

Then we figured it out. The universe did not want to grant Snicker's wish. But my wish was that Snickers win this time. So there was no other possible outcome. We upset the space-time continuum and the bone had no other chose but to explode under the pressure.


Quack!

Secret Love of Coffee Mugs

Secretly, deep down inside, I think my new-found love of coffee these last few years may be due in part to a love of coffee mugs. They're so colorful, arty, ceramic-ey, cute and fun. It's hard not to pick up new ones when I see so many cool ones out there. Here are a few of my favorites:

Quack!

Subliminal Messages

I should have been a jingle-writer. When the kids were little I often came up with little songs - sometimes for fun, sometimes to also try to influence them. One of the best involves a plush broccoli. (doesn't everyone have one of those?) I would bounce Mr. Broccoli in tune to the music:

(send)

I'm Charles Broccoli and I'm here to sing a song,
Vegetables are good for you the whole day long.

Carrots and squash are good for you
And peas and green beans too.
You can eat them by themselves
or put them in a stew.

In order to get your vitamins, you should eat some everyday.
Vegetables are really great, that's all I have to say.

(me)

Unfortunately, the message didn't work too well. Only one of the three ducklings will come within five feet of a vegetable.

(chocolate)

Maybe it was because I sang it off-key.

Quack!

Eeek! A Mouse!

So you know we have three gerbils now, right? I'm sure you're sick of hearing about them already. but there's more to be said...

Like how they all have their own unique personalities. Dusty is the quick, tiny, adventurer - always on the move, sniffing and wiggling and looking to escape. Toast is the timid, reserved one - friendly but not willing to venture too far. And finally, Chippy - the sturdy girl who seems to rule the cage, keeping watch and making sure everyone else is safe. She's also the most prone to nibbling and is the biggest. I think she eats most of what I put in the cage. While leads me to another thing...

Like how I can never tell if they have any food in their cage. As soon as I give them some, there's a flurry of activity and they swarm over the chow. Is it because they are starving? Or just trying to keep the cage neat? Do they eat it all as soon as I put it in there? Or are they storing it away under their flower pot and in their chips? I suspect they are storing some away since they don't seem to be losing weight. I suppose I could lift up the pot and rustle through the chips to see, but that leads to another thing...

Like how every time I reach into their cage to do anything, they swarm all over me as if to chew my fingers to death for daring to mess up their neatly arranged chips. They don't bite. Nothing more than an occasional nibble, but I still get nervous. It's not like I'm one of those people who stand on a chair and yell 'Eek!' when I see a mouse. But still, the thought of those huge rodent teeth always sets me on edge. I mean, what if they were to escape? ...

Like how on their first day home when Dusty escaped. We found her under the bookcase. Thank heavens I didn't squish her when I moved it. It took quite a while to get her rounded up and back in the cage, but between Hubby and Snickers it was accomplished. And then, 5 minutes later, she was out again! So we put her back yet again and watched her squeeze her furry little butt out between the bars. (She's very small, even for a gerbil). Oh! the nerve! So, I went to the pet store and got a glass aquarium with a cover. She's been in there since - and hasn't escaped yet. But they now have a ramp of chips built up in one corner. I think they are planning an escape.

It's a good thing the cat is standing guard to keep them in line.

Quack!

Yogurt Slices

I've been making my own homemade yogurt. It's quite a bit cheaper than buying it pre-made, I like to think it's healthier and I get to make it as thick as I want. I make it with a gallon of whole milk at a time and it makes enough yogurt to get me through about 2 weeks, eating about a 1/2 cup a day mixed in with some homemade granola, some lemon juice and a bit of homemade lemon curd for tart sweetness. Yum!

I've always like my yogurt a bit on the thick side, so when I first discovered Greek yogurt I was very happy. Now that I make it myself I let it drain for as long as I want until it's nice and thick. I sometimes let it drain too long. Is yogurt supposed to be sliced? But it's perfect!

Quack!

Collapsing on Stage to Laughter

I am not meant to perform in public. It's just not me. I prefer to remain in the background, well-hidden if at all possible.

But a few weeks back Snickers, Hubby and I got our black belts! As part of the Black Belt Graduation ceremony we had to participate in a demonstration. And not just any demonstration, but a demonstration in front of about 100 people.

In a public place.

On a stage.

With spotlights.

About as far out of my comfort zone as I could be. (In face, I was having flashbacks to my botched kindergarten play where I ended up in tears on stage in front of a laughing audience - scarred for life! But in truth, I don't actually remember that experience, but I've heard the stories. I think I must have walled that unpleasantness off in some far corner of my mind where it would never surface again.)

But in any case, back to the topic at hand. We performed as part of a group and solo. Snickers and the Hubby were fine - relaxed even. And while I wasn't too nervous, I did manage to mess up in just about every possible way (just minor things thank heavens!). But the good news is, I managed to fake my way through it without being too obvious, without falling off the stage and without collapsing in tears on the stage (I have a history of that as I mentioned above). But as Sweet Pea so nicely pointed out, in all the group demonstrations I was about 1/2 step behind everyone else. Oops. Maybe I secretly like to be noticed.

But it's over and done with and as long as I never see any recordings of it I'll continue to think I did just fine.

Just fine.

Quack!