The land where summer almost never ended

The heat this summer was especially hard on me and my hair care regimen. My dark hair attracts sunlight, so I can work up a sweat just walking down the street. Add that to my fitness classes, where I sweat from my scalp like a drip system three times a week and I start feeling like a dirty grease ball. Because I can't wash my hair too often (it takes forever and tears to tame it after each wash), it's been tough trying to look fresh during the week. There were definitely times when I thought it would stay hot forever. I began imagining my new life as this: 90 degree weather every week until eternity and me just melting down the road like I'm part of a Salvador Dali painting.

That said, I am so pleased with this fall weather. Fall forever, thank you. I celebrated at Target with a pumpkin spice latte.

I think we're almost ready for Halloween at the Teeni house. We have Ira's costume made (he's a Jawa), the pumpkin carved (Minecraft!), candy bought (includes Kit Kats, sorry babe, or you're welcome?) and our couples costume is ready to go. I talked Leon into being Wayne and Garth with me, mostly so I could get another use out of my David Bowie in Labyrinth wig. I'm so glad Garth does not wear crazy eye make up because the face I had to put on for the Goblin King was so tedious. I am not great at doing make up where it has to look like you're wearing it. I can do no-make up, make up like a champ. We even watched the movie again and it holds up! Party on, Wayne! Party on Garth!

I'm here.

Sorry, I was lost. I was delayed, I was waylaid. Stop me if you think you've heard this one before. Har.


I've been getting frustrated with social media lately and the blog is seeming way more appealing. How's that for vagueness? But I think we all have these frustrations when it comes to communicating, don't we? Aren't we all misheard and misunderstood at some point? It's part of modern life and I can totally deal with it...but maybe it's time my one-sided conversation resumes.

Phoning it in series

Phone pictures from the not too distant past and the timely present. Letting the future happen every day.


^^Autumn leaf jumping.


^^Playing with Kittens.


^^Hiking to waterfalls.


^^Asked for the Macklemore, got the Macklemore.


^^Eating french onion soup with extra cheese and extra bread.


^^This begging face.


^^Christmas gingerbread disaster.


^^Christmas break travels to SF.


^^Jungle in the Conservatory of Flowers.


^^Sleeping innnnnnnnn.


^^Reading with dad.


^^New Year times.


^^Good news. It's not a tumah.


^^Mawwidge.


^^Photo booth fun.


^^Sisters.


^^Friends.

I think that about catches us up.

There was a thief

Last night we found out what we feared to be true. An animal that is not ours has been sneaking into our laundry room through the pet door and eating the cats' dry food. We first thought it was the neighbor's cat Frankles, who is a pretty charming cat, so handsome, friendly and would absolutely never, ever pee in a toaster. I couldn’t even get that mad about old Frankles skimming off our stash, but then we started finding the dry food bin tipped over and sometimes open. Our cats have been spoiled by wet food lately, so breaking into the dry food would be so passé for them. "Dry food. Really?" They’d say. "Sprinkle on some brewer's yeast and maybe we'll talk."

I started to worry that a raccoon or an opossum was coming in. Nah! I've got dogs. The dogs would let me know if a wild critter got into the house. Wrong, wrong, so very wrong. I forget I have Boston Terriers, the most un-terrier-like of all the terriers. They are so unlike their fellow Rat, Jack Russell, West Highland and Bull terriers, that the American Kennel Association puts Bostons not in the Terrier Group for classification purposes, but in vast catch-all group of Non-Sporting. As in, don’t get these dogs if you want a sporty pup. They’re bred as companion dogs, sleep on the couch dogs, burrow into the foot of your bed dogs. They get winded on long runs, they fetch a ball back to you up to ten times before collapsing in a fit of snorts in the grass. They’re the best dogs ever, but they will not solve your vermin problem. I should know this. The only things my dogs catch are fleas and foul cases of flatulence.

So last night while we were watching TV, some vermin came in and ate all of the cat food in the bowls, drank all of the cats’ water, then drunk on their spoils, tipped the dry cat food bin and made a hasty retreat. After assessing the scene, I went out back to see if Frankles the neighbor cat was anywhere in sight. I didn’t see him but I heard something scampering up our neighbor’s tree. Then Leon spotted a huge raccoon in that tree looking back at us with glowing green eyes. It was horrifying! Grab the airsoft gun! Get a flashlight! I was ready for battle, but we had no arms and no batteries. So I had to just sit and stare it down until it left. We secured the pet door and I washed the cats’ bowls in soap and hot water. The worst part is that some of the wash water splashed into my eyes, so now I’m probably dying of rabies. Thanks raccoon. If I catch that beast in my house it’s getting Wustoffed.