BiddiesInMyBrain

Swiped From Cute Overload

because I simply cannot believe my eyes.

Picspam

Here are some random pictures to round out the day... it's gorgeous here, by the way.

Looking a bit windblown, but better than I have in weeks.



The infamous rosemary bush that will not stop thriving! LOL It grew ALL WINTER and threatens to take over the driveway.


The front of the house. To the left is where the ground was all dug up for the sewer and the fresh water piping... and in the foreground is the redbud from my grandma's that is *finally* growing after only 8 years in the ground (long story) ... I miss the crepe myrtle at the left side of the house, but it had to come down - it was right on top of the sewer AND gas lines. Hello.


Tugboat and Boots through the open window. Such happy kitties.

Awwww, CUTE!

It's obviously a little cooler in our house than usual, and Hobbes (orange) and Boots (black) are trying to make their own heat wave by snuggling in together. So cute!

Seamlessness

My days have gone quite easily from carefree to structured - I *love* this 'school' thing with the routine and the tasks ahead of me. Come to think of it, I have always loved school, even when I have battled extreme fatigue as a part of it. The exhaustion is something my body throws in the way... but I love everything else about working toward a degree. It'll be something else to be on the outside looking in again in a few years. But, the more I think about it, the more I want to work in an academic setting... I love the freedom to research and write... and the teaching - ahhh, the teaching - it's wonderful. So maybe the transition from PhD candidate to Dr. Perry won't be so bad.

Jenny's been driving me out of my mind the past several days, what with wanting out eight times a day and all. I think she's bored, because once she gets outside she does the requisite business and then wanders. Comes in all bouncy. She herself, but acting... well... bored. Wish I knew how to alleviate it. I know some of it is because I have been gone much of the time lately, and she is attached to Mama. Right now she is up front pining for Papa, too. Silly dog. As soon as he comes home tonight she'll bounce for a little bit then settle in for the night. Oh, and she has taken to hating my alarm clock, too. Despises it - and lets both of us know first thing when it goes off. Nothing like having an alarm clock AND a canine siren.

Tomorrow's a short day - just office hours and then class and home again - no biggie. Good thing, too, since I have to get through seven books in the next 10 days, two of them before next Thursday. Ooof. But, so far the reading is *very* enjoyable and I am just engrossed as could be. It's just the mental (and a little bit the physical) image of this huge pile of books that is intimidating me. However, the good news is that if I *do* manage to make it through all seven in the time period, I will be done with a major chunk of one of my courses already - the main bibliographic essay - and will be able from then on in that class to just do the major readings and short papers. Nothing else huge for that class. YAY. The two I have to have ready by next Thursday? That's just the tip of the iceburg, I'm afraid.

The GIS class is going to be almost entirely in-class projects with minimal work outside of class - and I will be able to do *that* after class on Tuesdays / Thursdays without dinging up my schedule too badly. Actually, it works out quite well. ::grin::

Well, I need to skedaddle. Much too much to do tonight, and I don't have a rant for tonight, either. Take care, y'all.

Cold Front

The cold front came through and brought with it a lot of sound and fury... and delightful sleeping weather; I curled up for about an hour and a half and just dozed through the worst of the storm. It was delightfully scary and dark, and despite the heavy, heavy rain, I slept beautifully. Perhaps because of it.

Now? It's 54 degrees on its way down to 39. Schizophrenic weather.

Having a wonderful evening. I am really, really thrilled that Jon Stewart is back on tv these days, though I must admit that last night was a little heavy-handed about the Lollipop Guild... er, Writer's Guild strike. It's not that I don't sympathize with the issues at hand... I just think there are other ways of resolving the problems, and I am annoyed rather than in sympathy. Sorry, writers.

Guess where Boots is! ::chuckle:: Yup. I have left shoulder syndrome. ::snuggling her::

Tomorrow is a gentle day - short meeting in the morning, then lunch with a friend, then home again. I can deal with that. Thursday? Lunch with another dear friend :::waving at A:::

I'll miss these easy-going days come this time next week... but I am craving routine again, too. It's time.

Reading? What's That?

I was going to curl up and read last night, but I got lazy and snuggled under the covers with my book... and promptly fell asleep. It was *wonderful* - but I still want to curl up and read today - lots.

We also want to get out and work in the yard - today is the last day of nice weather while Crash is on break and the backyard needs attention. It is 46 degrees - much warmer than it has been - and heading toward 50 (or so they say - want to hear my rant on weather forecasters again? LOL)

Boots is curled up, yet again, on my left shoulder. It's her place when she is not curled up on Crash's chair - or on Crash himself. It's kind of funny... when Felix (our first cat) was alive, Boots was very, very offish... she would barely let me touch her. But once Felix was no longer in the pecking order, Boots became very affectionate (dare I say pushy?) and talkative. Every night when *she's* decided it's time to go to bed, she sits on her haunches and stretches her front paws high, high into the air above her... and yawns. Multiple times, until we get the message. Boots is also the one who goes around to the other cats and *demands* to be licked by shoving herself under their faces and plopping down. And, when Crash signs off AOL and hears the "goodbye" (or whenever I sign off these days, too - she's an equal opportunity pill) she runs back and forth to the bathroom or bedroom thinking it is time for quality time for HER - and she doesn't want us to forget it! She's just a funny little thing.

The Ellington / Strayhorn Suites CD arrived yesterday - the Nutcracker / Peer Gynt / Suite Thursday - and I am in love... I am not a fan of hard core jazz - acid and some fusion jazz - but this stuff? This combination of classical themes and traditional 30's and 40's big band-type jazz? I *love* it... It's on my iPod and I have been rotating it through my shuffle on iTunes while typing. No wonder I haven't gotten any reading in! LOL

Well, I think I am going to go see what Crash is up to and try and decide what path my day will take. Wish I could get over the sinus crap Crash has given me, but that's neither here nor there, and won't affect going out and trimming roses back. It needs to be done. Oh, and there's that reading-for-fun thing, too. ::grin::