It's cold here in Texas. And our young kitten named Ramsay (after Gordon Ramsay the famous chef!) who is rather rambunctious, intelligent, and mischievous decided to cuddle up to our 80 pound Labrador/Border Collie Mix who just about jumped out of his skin when he felt his prescence. I took a few photos of them both because they looked so cute together. And they reminded me of the Lion and the Lamb. The Lion, of course, being my grey furball of a cat, and the Lamb being our lovable, oversized dog. I'll need to post them on here soon. Either way, all was well in the world for the time they slumbered. I love those moments when you can think ahhhh....this is what it's all about.

The Horse Next Door

Okay....I was in the living room minding my own business (while nursing a cold ) when all of a sudden I see a huge shadow in my window. It was a horse, and I had to do a double take just to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating. Yes, the horse had escaped from the neighbor's yard a few houses down from us. So I rang my sister to let her know. Apparently, the runaway horse has been enjoying his new found freedom since yesterday. Being fenced in isn't any fun regardless of whether you are an animal or a human. We all need to have fun and frolic in the pasture before life passes us by.

Resolutions and Soup

Beginnings can be exciting, scary, and even daunting at times (depending on the situation!) Yet, we all go through beginnings of some sort by choice or by circumstance. And now we find ourselves at the beginning of 2011 with so many possibilities. As with each year, I made a list that I believe outdoes Santa's. Now my choice is to either tackle each one or break each single one and carry it on to next year's list. I choose to tackle them...not all of them, but most of them.
The ones that are fun anyway. So here goes.

Resolution #1 is to write in a journal/blog. Thus, here's my entry. Yes, it's late, but I've been somewhat good in writing and saving my thoughts in Microsoft Word. It's a start if anything. Yet, I think blogs are much more flashier and audacious than the white screen of Word staring at me.

The first week of the year greeted us with joy and a floral surprise. I received the much anticipated cookbooks that my husband bought for me. He tried looking for them all over the place but we finally had to order them online. So now I'm the proud owner of Martha Stewart's Cooking School, Trisha Yearwood's second cooking book (I can't see the title from here), and One Big Table by Molly O'Neill. To avoid me going crazy and driving the entire household and immediate family bananas, I am tackling one cookbook at a time.

First one up: Martha Stewart. I successfully made the white stock and Tortilla Soup. And my husband loved it...despite the fact that he secretly dislikes M.S. but I think that will change as I delve deeper into the book. Making the stock was easy enough, but the aroma wafting into every room of the house was intoxicating. I felt like I was at my Mom's or my grandma's house. It was the scent of comfort food with a side dish of nostalgia of watching Mom and grandma at the kitchen table talking and laughing while we were kids and didn't realize that these memories would be oh-so-precious to us one day.

As for M.S., I think she is a sheer genius. She is onto something when she says that stock is the basis for good cooking. And being a meat and potatoes kind of gal who know loves and appreciates soup and stock...well, that's M.S. magic.

Last Week of Freedom

Monday: I worked in my classroom for the entire day ( my sis Linda helped me...thanks!!!!) For lunch, we ate at the sandwich shoppe with my sis Sylvia and my niece Amy. Then we headed back to the classroom to work some more. Unfortunately, we lost track of time so we rushed to the university for belly dance practice when we realized how late it was!

TUESDAY: I met my personal trainer for my workout session. Afterwards, I exercised for another hour. Then I visited Mom for awhile before heading back to the school to work some more on my classroom.

WEDNESDAY: I made the morning workout (late but I got there before the class began!!!) I visited Mom, and I went a tad off when I found her squished in her chair despite the fact that I had applied yards and yards of tape on the rungs of the chair. I got the chair adjusted for Mom before she headed to therapy. Then I voiced my disgust with the social worker, a janitor, and the CNA. Basically, I told them that I was going to apply more tape to the chair's legs and if anyone surpassed the rungs on the adjustment to make my Mom's legs stiff, I was going to buy two rolls of Duct tape and then that would be the end of their ignorance. The social worker felt awful about the CNA's incompetence and printed out a few signs to stop this occurence from happening again. I just wish that the staff at this place would provide the residents at this facility proper care and attention that they need. :(

It was a stressful day to say the least and I was crying like a lunatic in Mom's bathroom because I want her back home, where I know that she'll be safe and comfortable. I just wish that I had the means to do so.

I came to work and stayed for two hours before we were told that they were going to close the school grounds two hours earlier. NOT A GOOD THING WHEN I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO but I wouldn't change the amount of time I spent with Mom today.

THURSDAY: I attended morning gym class, visited Mom, and went to school to get some more cleaning done.

FRIDAY: I was not a happy camper today since I knew that it was my last day of FREEDOM. I cleaned the bathroom in the morning and then headed to the cinema. I watched "The Time Traveler's Wife", which was as wonderful as the novel! I cried my heart out though---emotional film it is! I then went to visit Mom and spent time with her before it was dinnertime. Then I helped her with her dinner before I drove back home. Once I arrived home, Leigh and I decided to go out for dinner.

SATURDAY: Nothing special to note (other than going out for dinner today.)

SUNDAY: Nothing special done today (as I am in a down mood since I don't want to go back to work tomorrow.)

Saturday and Sunday

On Saturday, Leigh took me shopping for school clothes, but first we went shopping at his favorite hardware store. He bought an entire assortment of tools, and then we went to my fave Italian restaurant. Next, it was time to go shopping at the mall. Afterwards, we headed back home. On the way back, a car located in front of us stalled at the stop sign, and all of the other vehicles were just passing them despite the 'handicapped' license plate. Leigh got off the car, and he helped the family move their car off of the main road. Then he used the tools he had purchased earlier that day to help fix the car's battery. The family consisted of a woman named Diana, her two young children, and her elderly parents (one of whom had an oxygen tank). Fortunately, Leigh got the car off and running, and the family was genuinely thankful for the help. They did get a kick out of Leigh using the items that he had purchased earlier that day at the tool shoppe.
We made one more stop before heading back home. We stopped at Leigh's fave restaurant for dessert (his reward for being patient while I tried on a million outfits at the mall...lol!)
Finally we arrived home and got to bed. Whew!

Today, Leigh woke up feeling ill, and he spent most of the day asleep trying to nurse his cold. I, on the other hand, spent the day watching a marathon of "Ghost Hunters" episodes. I did manage to debunk the television set turning on in my classroom last week thanks to Steve (one of the Ghost Hunters members). He experienced the same event while setting up for a case investigation. And it turns out that the walkie talkies that they used were acting like a remote for the television due to the signal it was broadcasting. (This just so happens that our janitors at the school were using walkie talkies when we experienced the tv turn on last week.) So, thank you Ghost Hunters! :)

Friday

I started off on a late note this morning. I felt as though I had run a marathon yesterday. My body was sore and achy, so I relaxed this a.m.with a few episodes of "Ghost Hunters" before heading off to town.
I got my application submitted this morning in town, and then headed out to meet Leigh for lunch. Unfortunately, they were going to be busy until 5:00 p.m. so I decided to occupy my time on his p.c. (and then I headed down to the Teacher Supply Store, which had a smorgasbord of items that I could not resist buying! GAH!)
Leigh and I had dinner together at 6ish, and he came back home while I went to the home to visit Mom, who was doing well. I am happy to say that because she looked so comfortable and content this evening!

Tiring Day

My sis Linda helped me work on my classroom today. It was a bit hectic since I was moving from my CLEAN room to a filthy one that had seen better days (years ago I suppose!) Anyway, a few strange occurrences took place while we were getting adjusted in this area. One being that the television turned on by itself. Don't know how it did this but it did. Either way--it was a tad spooky.
After cleaning, we went out for a late lunch, and we happened to run into my aunt and uncle. We caught up on life's events, which is a rarity since I don't particularly see much of the family even if some of us do live in the same town.
The classroom cleaning was tackled once again, and at 10 till 5:00, we had to leave. I dashed home, got the fishing gear, and headed to meet the wheelchair shop owner at the nursing home. He brought Mom's chair, which is pink and comfy-looking. I hope this chair proves to be better for her safety.
Leigh is fishing at the moment while I opted to come back home to shower and relax. The day had been tough since we did a lot at school today. I'm thankful now for the time to just relax. :)