Saturday-9:30am

Good Morning!

A vast assortment of pictures today--including some baby pics of Miss Karma.  Karma was almost three months old when she picked me at the local pet shop on the edge of town.  I had looked at the humane society and other pet shops but none of the cats and kittens felt "right".  It had to be a cat that would get along with birds because I had Miss Gracie at home.  I've had many cats and birds together and trust that I will just feel it and know when it's the right cat.  I haven't been misled so far.

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Karma didn't vie for attention.  In fact, I had to go to her--the unwanted, gangly, too-old kitten--who purred and purred in my arms.  She was the last kitten I picked up, but I knew she was the right one.  An odd ball of regal attitude, fear, and love.

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But Karma was one sick kitty.  The vet said she probably was born with the parasites and bacterial infection.  She ate and ate like she was starving (and she was) but remained a bag of bones.  Does that forlorn, blank expression look familiar?  I just saw her looking like that again recently, as you know. 

But with lots of medication and tender loving care Karma got well...

...and started to fill out.

Swallows built a nest on top of the light out on our balcony...  

...and Karma spent most of her days either glued to the screen door... 

...or sitting in the bedroom window entranced by all the bird activity.  See the parent swallow sitting on the railing?  Karma was more interested in those babies crying for food--LOL!

But she never did the I-want-to-sink-my-teeth-into-that-feathery-morsel teeth-chattering thing that many of my cats have done (even some of the ones who knew not to touch "family" birds in the house would yearn for a taste of outside birds).  Karma always had a calm fascination--almost an adoration--for birds.

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And--speaking of--here's Miss Gracie.  This is the best picture I have of her. 

I have very few.  She was so difficult to photograph because she was one of those emotionally disturbed birds that pace endlessly and when you came close to her she, more times than not, threatened to bite you.

Here Gracie is on top of her mansion.  You might be able to see the sheet of clear plastic I hung off that lamp so she couldn't jump over onto the bookcase.  (Gracie was also a notorious chewer.)   

After Gracie left...these were cleaned and put in the garage.  She had that playpen (on the right) in my bedroom because Gracie truly loved her alone time.  I haven't been able to get rid of them all these years because it would be like saying I'll never have a bird again...and I'm just not sure.  Even though right now I'd have no room to put one anymore--LOL!

Just like my bike in the garage.  Even though it hurts too much for me to ride it I can't get rid of it.  It's like saying I will never get any better.  I know it's dumb--but the bike and bird cage will still stay in the garage for now.  ;)

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Miss Karma today.  She definitely grew into that long tail and those big ears--LOL! 

That's the nostalgia photos for the day...but there's more!  LOL!  I noticed an orange tag on this car in the parking lot that hasn't moved an inch almost all winter.  I had wondered why the office never had it towed away.  Looked like maybe they were finally going to remove it.

I thought I'd show you how I dry my roses with hangers and clothespins.  Here's one dozen...  

...and the other dozen. 

Over on the left on my desk hutch... 

...you can see a bouquet of dried Mother's Day flowers from years ago.  They're still beautiful!  I think this is two years worth.    

 When I was over at Dagan and Leah's I asked Leah if she had a vase she didn't need for these roses when they are dried.  She sent me home this orange vase--and I stuck the greenery fill in there for now.  

But the tiny lavender pieces are falling everywhere.  I think I am going to put them in a plastic bag and strip them of all those teeny flowers--to save for paper making.  ;)

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Leah also sent some experimental sample lotion bars home with me. 

Just used some silicone muffin tin liners for now. 

I didn't even know there was such a thing as a lotion bar!  Cool!  I'm thrilled to be a guinea pig!  Leah's thinking about maybe making some of these for when we start the etsy shop up again.

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After I noticed that orange tag on that SVX car in the parking lot, I saw a woman stop in the morning to read the notice.  She stood there a very long time.  She did not look happy.  She looked angry and worried.

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Later on I noticed this young man reading the notice and opening and shutting several of the doors with a key...but he did nothing, removed nothing...and walked away.  He seemed baffled.

Then in the misty afternoon rain it looked like the woman (in the long dress) was maybe the mother of that young fellow.  There was a man, too--maybe the father?  They walked around the car.  Stood by the car.  Finally pushed the car out into the middle of the parking lot and did a lot more of what you see here...standing and looking puzzled. 

They opened the hood and hooked the SVX car up to what looked like a portable charger right in the middle of the parking lot...for about five minutes.  But then they unhooked it...and stood around looking perplexed again.

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Finally they pushed the car back and forth (barely missing two separate cars) until they got it headed out...

...and off they went... 

...around the corner of the garages. 

Next thing one of them came with a different car and drove it into the empty spot that the SVX car had held all winter and spring.  I have no doubt they had a tricky time pushing that dead car into a garage somewhere over there. 

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On rare occasions I have seen cars towed out of here.  (A few have been obvious repossessions.)  But I have to admit it was interesting to see three people dealing with this crisis who seemed to know even less about cars than I do--LOL!  They were successful at removing the car in the end, though.  Kudos to them.  ;)

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The warmer weather has brought out the noisy young male car jockey gang.  I counted a dozen yesterday.

Me.  I've been working on sewing together the journals since I saw you last--and they are DONE!! 

TaDa!!! 

I finished the final one last night.  It feels so good to have made my own.  Very happy!! 

But Karma was even happier.  She was absolutely thrilled that I was done tormenting her.  There I sat endlessly whipping thread around--over and over again--taunting her--and she was not allowed to so much as touch it.  She got yelled at and even swatted once because she just had to see if I was really serious.  Absolute torturous hell in a handbasket, if you ask Karma.  She was pouting off and on for two days.  ;)

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The temperature finally dropped into the 70s when the clouds and drizzle rolled in yesterday.  We had a grande old thunderstorm last night around 4am.  (We need rain!)  Today is dark, cool, damp, and there's drizzle if we're lucky--same as yesterday.  The dampness has me aching all over (arthritis) from jaws to toes, but I am loving this 70 degree weather!!

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I know you can't get as much of a kick out of seeing baby Karma as I do, but I hope you enjoyed it some.  I was brand new to a digital camera and this was my new home in 2005.  Sometimes it seems like just yesterday.  Well, hope you are enjoying your weekend, too!  :) :)

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"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."

Frederick Keonig