Spent time with my mother (and my sister, , and nephew brother the last couple of days) . Yesterday mom and I went to Target where we tried on hats. Mom bought a sassy one like one she bought on a Paris trip a couple of years ago. That Paris trip was memorable in that we met several mother-daughter couples. Still my mom and I got on each others nerves – a lot. At La Follit Restaurant on the Champs de Lysee, I was seated next to a lovely woman about my age who later told me she was Japanese. I noticed as she looked heavenward in exasperation during a discussion with her mother who was seated next to my mom facing us. Our moms were dressed alike in chic jersey knit black pants and draped black jackets. We chatted. Our mothers sat and faced us smiling demurly as the younger woman and I talked about our frustrations and how sweet they looked. Later my mom and I boarded a bus near the Eifel Tower. There seated across from us was a mother-daughter couple. I chucked quietly when I saw the daugheter reach out and give her mother’s knee a quick spank in exasperation. The daughter told me they were from Spain and sheand I were the same age. We disccused the U.S. Later that evening my mother and I took and Illumination tour – a night tour of Paris landmarks. Our driver stopped by hotel …joining us was a mother-daughter couple from Nashville. he daughter just finished graduate school and had bright hair. Their joy was infectious and they both laughed readily. Travel, the daugher noted, is best done, with your mom, You can be annoyed, fight and be honest and then laugh. So true.
Affection
My co-workers dog has a sports injury. Yep a wrong catch of the frisbee. Right now the dog, a Labrador, is enjoying Matt’s attention as it requires him putting a pack of ice on the injury and laying down next to him. We both laughed about it as we know the dog, clearly a sports enthusiast, will become bored.
Roxie is like that about the laser toy.
Divas Need Love Too – and Their Laser Toys
Roxie likes to cuddle at night. She sometimes requires constant petting and wants her tummy rubbed continually. Her big thing is her laser toy. CCL purchased the kind that can change it beam to a smiley face or a flying saucer. Roxie doesn’t care, she could play with the beam all night long. Often if I awake during the night I find her awake too and she meows her instructions that I get the toy out and spray the beam against the wall for her enjoyment.
She also meows for me to get the toy out when I’m sitting at my desk in my home office – except when she’s listening to church online or music from my computer.
The Male Species
Jean Claude just came back in -again . I let him out in the back yard this morning. He was visiting my neighbor’s yard but my other neighbor let her dog out and he and Jean Claude are not so chummy these days. I tend to leave Jean Claude outside and close the door. He’s a pretty large cat and he can take care of himself. Roxie, a female Japanese bobtail, is so tiny I encourage her to come in when I do as she really seems to lack a sense of direction and has been known to run off and stay out all night. Jean Claude – I know eventually he’ll knock to let me know he wants to come back in the house or he’ll cry out. Bombays, I’ve read, think they are dogs. Jean Claude certainly fits the mode. For sure he knows he’s a “male.” Last night I came in pretty late , around 11, and he just breezed right past me when I opened the door and escaped into the night. I just let him go hang. I wasn’t chasing him. Around 2 am I heard him at the front door and came down and let him in the house. Typical.
Preparation
Spent little time working my garden this weekend. Still too cold at night to plant annuals. My rosebushes seem to be staving off black spot for now. I have some salvia that is starting to flower a bit so I’ll let the rain and the sun do their work. Hopefully next weekend will be good for planting.
It’s been a week since I’ve had the pleasure of daily life with Jean Claude and Roxie. They’ve spent time enjoying their other residence with their mom CCL. Roxie did go missing for a brief spell. She was located behind the washing machine, a favorite hiding place.
This evening I started putting out some of their toys in preparation for their return this week. Later I’ll put out their water bowl(filtered of course) and their dry food dishes. It’s interesting how easy life is when we prepare for the good – not just the bad stuff . Busy week this week, so I made mac and cheese with three cheeses…decided to leave bacon and tomatoes out. Also made Mexican pork chops – The recipe follows:
Mexican Pork Chops
Ingredients
Three or four Pork chops (m’ais oui)
One yellow onion
One small can of tomato paste
One cup of water
One can of whole kernel corn
One can of red beans (drained and washed)
Olives(the big kind)
One cup Rice ( I prefer brown rice)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Slice the onion into rounds and cut them in half
Season the chops with season salt and chilli pepper
Brown the onions and the chops in a pan or a skillet ( I prefer cast iron)
Remove the chops from the pan and set aside, leave the onions in the pan
Add to the pan or skillet the uncooked rice, water, tomato paste, corn(undrained), beans(drained) – Stir, season mixture to taste and then place the chops on top
Garnish with olives(LOTS) and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
Cats & All That ™ 