Category Archives: Cooking

The Sass is Back

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Most of you know that Roxie and Jean Claude no longer reside with me on a permanent basis. At first when I would visit CCL’s house there were clear signs Roxie, the Japanese bobtail missed me – if I took a nap on CCL’s sofa, she would sleep on top of me. She came to greet me as does Jean Claude, the black Bombay who thinks he a dog, as soon as I opened the door to CCL’s house.  Once situated she  started to come around  after I had been in my daughter’s house for awhile, a low herself to be petted and rubbed and then proceed to prowl and walk around as if she were queen of the manor.  At some point Roxie was not herself  for a couple of days,  she refiused to come downstairs and was tender when picked up,  perhaps a set back following her surgery last fall  but the last few days I went to visit her she seemed to be her old self – Queen of the Manor.

CCL and I recently went to the Sachal Vasandani , – A Chicago-born jazz singer of Indian descent – amazing.   Sachal’s “Eyes Wide Open-Naked As We Came”  truly fits the “Rhythm of Roxie.”

Oh Jean Claude

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Jean Claude on "his" chair

Jean Claude, the black male Bombay, returned home last night after a 24-hour adventure. Still puzzled to how he got out the house, perhaps as I was hanging a Christmas wreath on the back door.  However he got out and what he did during his day-long dissapearance remains a mystery.  CCL and I spent hours yesterday looking for him in the back alley behind my house. As JC is a house cat he doesn’t tend to travel far.  I also expressed angst to any and all who would listen despite assurances from CCL the little bad a@* would return.  I remained unconvinced as I had put food out for the little bugger and it had not been eaten.  Bombays, as cat lovers know, love food.  I decided to go to bed but just before midnight I jumped  out of bed  almost knocking Roxie, the Japanese bobtail, out of her slumber and went downstairs and noticed the spotlight on my garage flickering off and on.  I knew.  I opened the back porch door and let Jean Claude inside and he went straight for his  food bowl and then to his favorite chair for a nap. Typical male.

Truly Blessed

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My house is a mess.  Contractors have repaired the bedroom ceiling and repaired a few other things around the house that were broken.  Dust is everywhere and my bedroom and dining room furniture is piled into other rooms.  Jean Claude and Roxie have enjoyed the adventures the clutter has created.  In an effort to protect my laser printer I covered it with a blanket – now the printer is a resting place for the Japanese bobtail.  Jean Claude likes perching atop my television set – now in the front room by a window.  Soon the work will be completed and while  I still have some cleaning to do, there will be order and my house will look even better    It’s been a pretty rough time for me personally and professionally but I know that just like my house- God is just repairing my soul and that I will have to make the decision to do the clean up and peace will come.     .

Purr-fection

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Roxie Practices Her Balancing Act Atop Jean Claude's Back

I’m watching an old re-run of “Monk,” the detective so wonderfully portrayed by actor Tony Shaloub, who had a keen sense of perfection. We are all in some ways victims of our need to be perfect. Of course nothing is perfect except God. But we have moments so close, Ah so much to live for, experience, enjoy and share. For me it’s those just right summer days, time spent with friends and family, a hug, sharing a joke with a good friend, a summer night outdoor jazz concert, great co-workers, that last bit of a chocolate shake and of course watching Roxie and Jean Claude romp outdoors…those moments so precious…so great -full. Let me your idea of perfecction (sp).

A Drink From A Certain Fountain

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There is an old “Twilight Zone” episode, “A Drink From A Certain Fountain” in which a man wishing to impress his younger wife takes a youth enhancing drug to most interesting consequences. Recently I had the opportunity to visit with friends, there was wine but also afterwards it felt like I had been slipped a mental “Mickey.” Dizzy and a bit disoriented I went to CCL’s house where I took a quick nap. Still, today trying to regain my composure. I guess the lesson is to always be careful from whose cup you drink. Encouragement, mental support and love are served up by friends but not always As humans we sometimes serve up confusion, discouragement, complaint and maybe envy. Always forgivenss is the answer – then it is also up to us to whether we want to take what someone suggests or infers about us with a grain of salt.