Category Archives: Spirituality

Jean Claude and Roxie joined me again outside today. I think Roxie is still debating  whether she is more of a house cat or not. She beat a hasty retreat back into the house at the sound of the neighbor’s dog. Of course not Jean Claude who remained under one of my rose bushes, calmly chewing grass.

With all the warm weather I decided to bring out some outdoor furniture,  naturally Jean Claude followed me into the garage to inspect but he quickly became bored. I had a bright idea  to swap out my two front porch chairs, worn by the harsh winter for two chairs  I kept in the garage. Rather than  carry the new chairs up the stairs and through the house I decided to carry them through the alley to the front of the house.   I shut but DID NOT LOCK  the basement door and LOCKED  the screen door which has security bars.   As I started down the alley with the chairs in hand,  I heard the trash truck fast approaching behind me.    Jean Claude, still outside, began to howl.   I glanced over my shoulder to see him beckoning at the upstairs back door.    “Let him wait,” I thought.   I continued carrying the chairs through the alley to their new resting place.    Giving the four chair layout a try I decided ‘ just two for now.’   I proceeded back down the stairs with the old chairs  through the alley to my backyard.   Where…was Jean Claude??   No more howling but my basement door was now ajar. “Oh my goodness,” I thought, “Someone has broken into my house.   I must have forgotten to lock the screen door.”

I peered inside and to my amazement there standing inside the house behind the screen door was ….Jean Claude.  Evidently not inclined to wait for me to come and let him back in the house he had pushed the bottom screen in a bit,  climbed through the security bars, pushed open the door and let himself in.

Hopefully I won’t soon see  cat toys strategically placed on my house steps.

A beautiful pre-spring day.  Jean Claude and Roxie actually spent a bit of time in the backyard.  I then gave them some wet food- chicken feast.   They tend to be picky eaters.  I think they prefer the dry stuff.   We as humans often have our preferences about food, although  I am always up for a chicken feast myself – preferably fried .  I usually cook it up with flour, paprika, onion powder and deep fry it in peanut oil.

Spent part of the day recuperating after a visit to the dentist and  watching the Food Network Channel ‘s Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten.  Say what you will the woman can cook – she  makes you want to eat and cook.  I own four of her cookbooks and  had the pleasure of meeting her four years ago while in the Hamptons.  She and her husband Jeffrey were buying flowers.  She is  just like she is on television!!  Truly a serene and gifted spirit.

 I tried her fried chicken recipe but it involves buttermilk – probably the ONLY recipe she  has created  that I don’t like.  That said I’ve  joined my neighbors Paul and Isaiah in our annual “no meat” for Lent sacrifice except on Sundays.  Think I’ll make some fried chicken this Sunday.  In the meantime please enjoy Paul’s recipe for quick soup(with V-8 juice).

Saute in three T olive oil:

Half medium onion sliced

2 cloves minded garlic

Grind:

Cumin teaspoon

Fennel seed ½ t

Red pepper flakes ¼ t

Add to sauté and cook for another 3 min.

Add 1 ½ shredded cabbage [not too fine] and cook with other ingredients.

Add small can [12 oz] of V-8 and about three cans of water

Bring to boil, then simmer.

Add two carrots chopped

1 t salt

1/3 of a red bell pepper chopped

1 small zucchini chopped

1/3 can of garbanzo beans

¼ cup elbow mac

So there is a way to indulge Roxie and Jean Claude in their favorite forms of play at  the same time.  Roxie prefers the laser toy,   Jean Claude the loopy feather duster.   If I bend down low I can indulge Roxie with my left hand and Jean Claude with my right.  If only dealing with life’s other activities was so simple.  I must go now.  Roxie is waiting for me to resume play.