This is unauthorized!!!!

Just logged in today and got word that a long time Delphi poster passed away unexpectedly. I didn't know her well but always loved reading her posts. She was such a sweet lady. Goddammit. And yet, somehow, Leon the Loony and his ilk still suck air. RIP Shelly, we love you.

In which Bonnie and Clyde join Casa Zen-Samoa

So I had been having depression issues again, and Mr. Samoa had massive work stress. For this reason, we decided to procure a second pair of zebra finches. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_Finch We had had them before and found them to be very cheering; the current pair is no exception. However, the procurement of same was a trip.

We trooped off to Pet World and asked the smiling clerk for a pair of finches, one male, one female. (They recommend you get them this way, not sure why, but whatever.) Weeeellll. The cage full of finches was not so easily bested. They immediately began flapping ("FLAP YOU!" is the new epithet of choice in Casa Z-S), squawking and fluttering about the cage, in general mayhem. It took a half hour, two clerks, and the efforts of both Mr. Samoa and myself to corner two of the little shits. On the way out the door, I said to Mr. S, "Well, now at least I know what to name them- Bonnie and Clyde!!!" So, Bonnie and Clyde they are. Cheeping away, so I guess we won't turn 'em in for now. :D

Fuck cancer.

Fuck cancer. Fuck it sideways with a rusty chainsaw.

This post is for all of you- Eric, Linda, Uncle Jack, and all the others who are still fighting and those who didn't make it.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/don/don_0.asp?from=hpbox Let's kick its ass. That is all.

I think they doubt me.

So I went to the bathroom this morning, right? The cats apparently do not think I am to be trusted in there by myself. I was followed into the bathroom by 3/5 of total household quixen. (Three of the total five, for you non math types.) They gathered around and purred as I did my thing, then escorted me back out. I don't think they trust me in there.

Ack!

Soooo....I'm headed back to college. For web design this time. So that maybe I can get a job that pays well and doesn't involve people's backsides.

I'm excited and going "AAACKKK!" at the same time. I didn't expect to have the usual nontraditional reaction of "OMG am I too old can I do this ACK!" because I've done college before, but I am. But I can tell you, walking up Court Street after I got out of the registrar's office was the first time I've felt alive in a long while. This will be mostly free, because Mr. Samoa works for Bugpit U, and tuition is therefore free. Back I go! Yay! Ack! Yay! Ack!

Ew.

So I hadn't posted because nothing had really happened, right? Then along came Spiderzilla.

I had just gotten off of IM last night and was going to go put the dogs away when I saw, next to Pumpkin's cage, the biggest fucking spider I have ever seen. This thing was, I kid you not, the size of a dollar coin and jet black. Its legs were gigantic. It wasn't fuzzy or I'd have thought it was a tarantula.

Now, I am NOT afraid of bugs, at all. I am the designated insect killer at work. However, I drew the fucking line at this thing. I hauled Mr. Samoa's ass out of bed. He was sort of like "Whaa....why'd you...can't you... OH MY FUCKING GOD!" [splat] We just about needed a backhoe for the corpse.

So, Mr. Samoa went to bed content, having done his husbandly duty. I, however, am thinking a vat of Raid would be in order.

Agh

I am so sick of hearing about Ted Kennedy I could scream. My sympathies go out to his family, but....

Mary Jo Kopechne is still dead because of him. She was her parents' only child, did anyone know that? He's not a hero, folks. Just a man, like the rest of us. Do I think God can forgive him? Yes. God's mercy is longer than anyone knows, thankfully, or we'd all be screwed. But she's still dead. He's not a saint, people. Any more than the rest of us are. Knock. It. Off.

This sucks

So I got to work today and my boss calls me into the office. "Ah jeez, what did I do now" was of course my first reaction. Not so, actually; she needed to break it to me that a staff I'd worked with for several years had passed away. Also that they were trying to find his next of kin, and did I have any ideas?

This sucks. Tom was a good man. Would. not. freaking. take care of his diabetes, which was what got him in the end, but he didn't deserve to die and not be found for some time, which is what happened. I still remember bringing Mary home from the hospital one time; I was filling him in on what happened and she startled. He told her gently, "It's just me, kitten", picked her up and carried her to bed. I am sorely vexed that this has happened now. Also, anyone got any ideas on finding next of kin? My Google Fu is failing miserably.

Happy August!

I come a bit late because we just got back from Minnesota, where we had the funeral for Mr. Samoa's grandfather. I just barely avoided slaughtering Tagalong, who was busy inflicting emotional trauma on Daisy, but here we are. Here's hoping the rest of August is less fraught.

Agh.

So, weekends in July:

4th: Party, then cookout.

11th: Tagalong's wedding.

18th: Friend A moves.

25th: Friend B moves.

31st: En route to Minnesota.


AAAAGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

That is all.

happy July

For the first time in quite a while, I am looking forward to a weekend. Saturday, Fourth of July get together, and Sunday, cookout. Yay!

Yay!

So our old mailman looked like Jerry Garcia and was afraid of dogs, right? Weeelllll....

At least on weekends, we can haz new mailman. We can haz HOT new mailman. :)~ Yay!

Happy June!

Well, made it to June in one piece, yay! So far Mr. Samoa's grandpa is still among the living, fingers crossed. I've been drowning my sorrows in baking.

F My Life

In the past week:

*B's grandpa died. Support B, hit visitation, etc.

* Mr. Samoa's grandpa is in the process of dying, which means we miss our anniversary trip. Too bad so sad on the trip, but I could live without the death.

* I have a cold. So who knows if I'll be able to get on the plane when Mr. Samoa's grandpa does pass.

F MY LIFE!!!!!

The Great Hair Project

For the first time since 1997, I found myself wishing for hair that is not of a color normally found in nature. So, I decided to set about getting it.


With the help of trusty Mr. Samoa, I procured some Punky Colour (they still make the same shade I used in 1997, God help us!) and set to work. The results can be found here : http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/skycat_98/Hair%20Project/

It's also worth noting that can't nobody plastic-wrap hair like Mr. Samoa can. :D

May Flowers

I found double petunias! I haven't seen those since I was a kid. So now I get to plant them- yay!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, y'all!

I am the mad jeweler

So I decided I wanted a choker, a black lace one. Etsy had one, but it was 1)$16 2) had to be imported from Israel. Nothx.

Such being the case, Mr. Samoa and I hit up Jo-Ann's. As it turns out, a cameo button is scarcer to find than hens' teeth, but we persevered. I got the findings and lace, and made my very own black lace choker with cameo. And it didn't have to be imported from Israel even! If you have my Facebook (if you don't, hit me up- I can use more friends!) there's pictures on there. Just call me the mad jeweler.

Happy April!

Not dead, just ouchful. How's things out there in ZenLand?

Help some brothers out

As you know, Zen is a hardcore metal fan. That's why I want to help these guys out.

http://tinyurl.com/amsgy5

(sorry, the bolding won't go away) Murderers don't need to be going anywhere. Check out our metal brothers' petition and keep this creep locked up where he belongs.

Happy March!

And happy birthday Tricia! That is all. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Late, but hope everyone had a good one. I am getting a tattoo to celebrate. :)

Bad bad Zen

OK, so there's no hope of catching up, so not even going to try. Just wishing everyone a Happy February, and going to try to get back on track from here!

Today

Still home, foot still hurts. Hoping this will improve. :P Go me!

Wednesday

Foot still hurt so it was off to Urgent Care. There, I learned that it was a sprained foot. Got wheelchaired around Wal-Mart. Scored two days off of work, whee.

Tuesday

Sprained foot, apparently. The dogs and I were out walking when a car came flying by and we had to dive out of the way. I didn't realize I had hurt myself until a full shift of walking around Wal-Mart. Ow. :P

Monday

More shopping for Shady Acres. Whee carrying $300 worth of groceries!

Sunday 1/18

Dinner guest arrived. Same turned out to be afraid of dogs- thank Ceiling Cat for crates! A good time was had by all in spite of the dogs' best efforts. :P

Saturday 1/17

Cleaned house, did laundry. Prepared for Sunday dinner guests. Lost mind.

Friday 1/16

Same thing, apparently. I believe I was suffering from Mongolian Death Cramps and then running around the house.

Wow, catch-up time

So, beginning with last Thursday. I actually don't remember that far back. I am guessing we were pretty busy, though, hence the weeklong outage!

Buster goes to jail

Or the Casa Zen-Samoa equivalent thereof, anyway.

You see, he ate the couch. Literally. As in, gouged a giant hole in a couch cushion and has spent the past week busily tearing chunks of foam out of it when we're not looking. So, now we have to replace the couch. As we are not paying for a new couch if he's just going to destroy it, we headed over to Puppy Mill World and got a second crate. So now both he and Pumpkin get to go to jail every time we leave the house. Such is the fate of couch eaters!

So we've got a food thief

At work. That's right, you heard it here first people, someone is stealing food from developmentally disabled people. Just exactly how hungry do you have to be to DO such a thing?! Have they never heard of food pantries? Hell, shoplift rather than do THAT. The store at least has means of defending itself!

The worst part is, this isn't the first time we've had a food thief, and it's not likely to be the last. So, this has happened more than once! Be afraid, be very afraid.

This is bizarre

My butt has hurt. Yes, I said my gluteus maximus. All weekend. No, I didn't do anything to make it do that. This has happened before with the fibro, and it will again. Just... the butt? No comprendo!

Oldkeh still joyous

She is happily drinking away and seems particularly fond of her new food dish for some reason. :D In other pet news, my aunt is apparently going to have to come down here for her rabbit supplies. Puppy Mill World closed in Cakeville, and they're the only place that had her bunny-destinker spray. Guess she'll get to see our house after all!

Joyous Oldkeh

So we decided we were tired of dealing with Oldkeh's water slopping into her food and not being able to carry the dish to fill it. Our original plan was to get her two separate bowls. Voldemart didn't have anything satisfactory, so we went over to Pet Mill to check out what they had. We wound up with an automatic waterer and a pink bowl for her. (I'm batting around the idea of getting the pink self-feeder, but we shall see.)

Anyways, I had forgotten that she had an automatic water thing when she lived with Caroline's mom. I remembered this when I set it up and Oldkeh went sprinting over and went "IT'S MY WATERER!!!" and started slurping away happily. Joyous old kitty. :D

Stillllll coughing

It's getting better, though. I think this is a case of letting it heal and waiting it out. Yay. :P

Whee

Just sitting here, typing away. The annual Feds inspection for Shady Acres is nearly upon us. NOT looking forward to that! :P

It's cold

And everywhere hurts. The heels of my hands freaking hurt. Is it July yet?

This makes no sense

Or, there are some really dumb chicks out there.

My friend Bob got dumped recently. Now, know the following about Bob:

* Is a Computer Guy, so will shortly be making big $$

* Bakes

*Cooks

*Cleans

*Likes cats

*Plays Diablo II

*Likes metal

Now, what kind of a dingbat chick dumps someone who bakes and cleans???!!! If you're smarter than she is, Bob is on the market. Probably better if you are tall. And smart enough not to cut off your lifetime supply of cookies and cakes.

Dog stew, anyone?

Yeah. So we gave Pumpkin a bath, then we gave Buster a bath. Pumpkin, apparently irate at having his fur trimmed and being scrubbed, snuck into our bedroom while we were washing Buster and pissed on our bed. Right on Mr. Samoa's side of the bed. Which was not discovered until Mr. Samoa was making the bed for the night. (GAG CHOKE RETCH)So here I am, at 12:45 AM, washing bedclothes. Good thing I wasn't particularly tired in the first place! For Round 2, Pumpkin decided to dig in the garbage while we were changing the sheets. Did I mention who's going to be spending the night in his crate? :P If not the stewpot.

We do not have the brightest snake.

Herbie, the ball python (or, the "Burmese python" of "pet-eating" fame, see Mother :P) is not the smartest of snakes, I don't think.

He has been having trouble shedding for some time now. This can be solved by soaking in water. Which he has; a large dish is provided to him daily. But do you think it occurs to him to GET IN IT AND SOAK? Noooo. Not Herbie! When we cleaned his tank today, I actually had to stick him in the water, which he fought all the way down. He then, and only then, realized he felt better, and had a nice long soak.

Yeah, not the brightest snake. :P

MOTHERRRRR!!!!!

I'm trying to find a buyer for Mother again. :P Apparently, now my cousin's daughter is faking having celiac, according to Mom. Because, you know, Mom didn't hear that she had been diagnosed officially. Because there's n0 way a great-niece could have gone to the doctor without Mom knowing or anything. And certainly my cousin also having celiac disease isn't relevant. Oh, and starting the celiac diet and feeling instantly better means nothing. Nothing, Mom tellz ya!

The real problem is that Mother dislikes the cousin and all her family. Why, you ask? Because Cousin was nasty to her sister when they were growing up. Which she was. THIRTY YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE KIDS!!!! Everyone else, including the purported injured party, is over it. Everyone except Mom, that is. And did I mention that none of Cousin's kids were born or thought of when all this was going on? So there's absolutely no reason to have it in for them too. Unless, of course, you're a flaming nutbar. (MOTHER!!!!!!) Le sigh.

Yeah, so...

I see how long THAT resolution lasted. :P But anyways...

Happy New Year, everyone!

Yeah, so I really dropped behind the 8-ball in blogging this last month. :P I think my New Year's resolution will be to blog every day, as I intended to when I first got this blog started. And to work on overcoming my cheese habit. :P Here's to 2009- may it at least suck smaller donkey balls than 2008 did!