Hey Ladies!
"The necessary qualities of good toilet paper"
I am a Ultra Strong kind of girl. I want toilet paper I can depend on to handle life's messes! I will not be left on a road trip trusting that the rest stop will have two ply. I bring my own to the pool!
Like any well done daily task I have a system for the usage of toilet paper. Its a three sheet, two sheet system! (Three sheet, repeat with two.) I highly recommend this system for anyone who still finds there usage in this department lacking efficiency. Live is short, buy name brand!
Love you Gals!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Things I have been meaning to share.
Military Mr. Q at a firing range in New Mexico! Don't worry he is shooting at a pumices mound.
Pumices!
Plucky little lizard!These are pictures from a shooting range in NM, we were there about a year ago. I just never got around to posting the pictures.
Now I know I have a picture of me shooting too but I do not seem to have it on this computer. So sad! I did really good that day! Mostly I just hiked around taking hundreds of pictures with Mr. Q's mother. We talked about the kind of father Mr. Q is gonna be someday. It was hot and loud but its one of my happy memoirs shared with Mr. Q.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Pimp this blog!
Alright, Ladies.
Q informs me (after our lengthy conversation on toilet paper and how certain things should not pill) that this blog layout is too boring and we need something more "foresty and mystical."
As I have found no three column blog templates online to suit this need, I shall embark on the mission of creating the layout myself. What I need from the rest of you are suggestions on things you want here and some photos--photo submissions need to be original, meaning you took them yourself. We're looking for something "Tolkien-esque" to use as a background and/or starting point for a new design.
So, what kinds of doodads do you want to see here in the future? What have we done in the past that you have liked/disliked?
Please submit any pictures you have (ones to which you own the rights so Alula doesn't get sued) that feature forests, fog, rivers, mountains, hobbits, or other fairy-tale type thingymajiggers. Design suggestions will be considered, but as this is my first major undertaking in web design, we make no promises.
Thanks,
Alula
Q informs me (after our lengthy conversation on toilet paper and how certain things should not pill) that this blog layout is too boring and we need something more "foresty and mystical."
As I have found no three column blog templates online to suit this need, I shall embark on the mission of creating the layout myself. What I need from the rest of you are suggestions on things you want here and some photos--photo submissions need to be original, meaning you took them yourself. We're looking for something "Tolkien-esque" to use as a background and/or starting point for a new design.
So, what kinds of doodads do you want to see here in the future? What have we done in the past that you have liked/disliked?
Please submit any pictures you have (ones to which you own the rights so Alula doesn't get sued) that feature forests, fog, rivers, mountains, hobbits, or other fairy-tale type thingymajiggers. Design suggestions will be considered, but as this is my first major undertaking in web design, we make no promises.
Thanks,
Alula
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Favorite memories of Clover
We initially got Lexus and Clover because Kate had passed on and we didn't want Emma to be alone. We walked into the store and I knew Clover was going to be a cuddler from the start. Lexus was jumpy and hyperactive, climbing all over me, but Clover just settled into my hand and decided that was her spot. She was so calm I was almost worried there was something wrong with her, but that was just her personality--she liked to cuddle her whole life.
She was always the calm rat. When Lexus was making suicidal leaps of faith out the cage door, Clover would hang back and give her disapproving looks from inside the cage. She discovered at a young age that she could grind her teeth on the bars of her cage and create a noise loud enough to attract attention from anywhere in the house. She would grind her teeth to get food and cuddles, and interrupted many a good movie to get out of the cage for a while. We would let her run around on the couches, an activity she loved, and I think she thought she was a human. When she was done running around, she would like to come over and sit next to me or Mr. B like there was no size difference--just a rat sitting on the couch, usually cleaning her face or hands or something. She liked to curl up under the blankets or pillows and nap, and she liked to hord Cherrios in her corner of the love seat (that corner will always be hers in my mind) and eat them like tiny little donuts.
When she would cuddle in your lap, she liked to have this one spot on the back of her neck rubbed. She would chatter her teeth like crazy when you hit just the right spot, something akin to a cat's purring, and her eyes would go all googly and bobble in and out of her head like she was a cartoon character. When Lexus was still with us, Clover always had a little bald spot right there on her neck. I worried that she was getting aggressively barbered, but when Lexus passed I figured out that it was something Clover enjoyed. She was probably as much to blame for letting Lexus groom that one spot so much. She would groom people's finger nails and hands for them in return. And for a rat that was usually so timid, she was a grabby little thing where treats were concerned--you had to watch your fingers giving food to her, though she never once, not even in the pain of her final ailment, bit anyone unless she mistook them for food.
Rest in peace, my little friend!
Alula
She was always the calm rat. When Lexus was making suicidal leaps of faith out the cage door, Clover would hang back and give her disapproving looks from inside the cage. She discovered at a young age that she could grind her teeth on the bars of her cage and create a noise loud enough to attract attention from anywhere in the house. She would grind her teeth to get food and cuddles, and interrupted many a good movie to get out of the cage for a while. We would let her run around on the couches, an activity she loved, and I think she thought she was a human. When she was done running around, she would like to come over and sit next to me or Mr. B like there was no size difference--just a rat sitting on the couch, usually cleaning her face or hands or something. She liked to curl up under the blankets or pillows and nap, and she liked to hord Cherrios in her corner of the love seat (that corner will always be hers in my mind) and eat them like tiny little donuts.
When she would cuddle in your lap, she liked to have this one spot on the back of her neck rubbed. She would chatter her teeth like crazy when you hit just the right spot, something akin to a cat's purring, and her eyes would go all googly and bobble in and out of her head like she was a cartoon character. When Lexus was still with us, Clover always had a little bald spot right there on her neck. I worried that she was getting aggressively barbered, but when Lexus passed I figured out that it was something Clover enjoyed. She was probably as much to blame for letting Lexus groom that one spot so much. She would groom people's finger nails and hands for them in return. And for a rat that was usually so timid, she was a grabby little thing where treats were concerned--you had to watch your fingers giving food to her, though she never once, not even in the pain of her final ailment, bit anyone unless she mistook them for food.
Rest in peace, my little friend!
Alula
whats new
first I don't know any chicken recipes that are actually good just bleh. Sorry about your rat Alula and congrats on the new car Q hopefully its good for you. Well lets see for me whats new I really want to quit my job because it is horrible but I need to stick with it for a little longer just a couple more bills to pay off then I can quit and Mr Man said he would pay my insurance and all the bills because that's still cheaper than paying for a babysitter. And bills paid or not I will have to quit come hunting season because Mr man has trips planned for California, Idaho, Nevada and a few other places this fall. Next month he will be going to Florida to go deep sea fishing with some buddies, shark meat is supposed to be really good. My mom is planning to come up for that week to be my babysitter because her daycare kid is gone for the summer and Bug will be at camp, plus it gives her an excuse to make Bugs dad act like a dad for a while. I'm still hoping I can find an online job that I can do to earn a little money but most of the ones I find look like scams. Little man is doing great decidedly a little boy loves being outside though it has rained for the last 3 days giving this child cabin fever. Yesterday was a little nice so we all went out on the ATVs with Mr mans little brother. Of course as newtons law requires it started to rain and hail on us at the top of the trail we were on. So just because I felt like it I called in sick today actually I called in my kid is sick though he is doing fine. My schedule had me off for two days work one day and off another two days well I don't like that idea so I called in. OK little man is demanding attention so I have to cut this off now.
fuzzy
fuzzy
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Sad news
Hi Ladies,
Thursday I made a hard decision at the vet by hoping the antibiotics and painkillers would at least stave off infection to a reasonable point. They didn't.
By yesterday afternoon the tumor had turned necrotic to the extent that we could see dead tissue pushing at Clover's skin, and I immediately called the vet. She was in no pain thanks to the numerous painkillers, but once an infection gets that bad there's nothing else to do. Mr. B and I took our happy, high on drugs rat to the vet's office where we had to have her put down. The doctor administered the barbiturate and handed her back to me so I could hold her until she passed (not more than 15 seconds). They let us take her little body with us when we left so she could be buried next to Lexus, which we did this evening.
It was really hard. I haven't really stopped crying for the last 3 days, because it was everything I never wanted to do. The infection was terrible--if we had let it go even another few hours, there's no doubt in my mind it would have actually broken through her skin. Putting her down was the right thing to do, but she was so pain free when we had to do it she was acting like her old self. She wasn't acting sick at all, and it sucked. I mean, I'm happy she wasn't in pain when she died, but it really sucked having to watch her bounce around the exam counter like nothing was wrong, and then I kissed her goodbye and handed over the bouncy rat to the vet. She was so bouncy he had trouble getting a good grip on her to stick the needle in, and then she was subdued when she came back to me, and then she was gone. I sobbed hysterically and Mr. B almost vomited. (I'd like to note her that our vet is a wondeful guy. He answered all my questions, and he totally agrees with me that intracardiac euthanasia is inhumane. He injected the barbiturate into the body cavity, and anathesia wasn't needed because she was already hopped on the rodent version of morphine, but he said he would anathestize her I was more comfortable with it free of charge.)
But it still sucked. I cried all of last night and woke up cryng this morning. I went out shopping with my mom and sister to try and get on with life and my mom bought me some books from the ARC but I made her drive me home when my sister wanted to go to a retail clothing place (somehow these trips always end with me in a tiny room trying on a stack of jeans taller than I am, and I just wasn't in the mood). I walked up to my door and waited until they drove off and then got in my car (actually my dad's car bc mine was still broken) and went looking for something to eat to distract myself. I didn't want to be in the house alone (Mr. B was out with my dad)--like really alone, with no rats to be all happy and greet me when I came in. Just a big, empty cage that I hadn't taken down to the basement yet. So I went around but none of the lunch places were open. So I bought junk food at the grocery store and crashed Q's place. Q, I hope you don't mind. I just couldn't be alone in my house with that empty cage.
Wetpaw came in and found me crying on the couch surrounded by hotwings and energy drinks, watching some television show about people with too many kids and they were running around Disney world with mouse ears on, and asked me why I was there, and then decided to leave me alone I think. Then he left again.
I eventually made it to my parent's house, crashed there with Mr. B for a while. Then we went and buried Clover, and then we ate dinner, and then we came home together. The big, empty cage is still here, just like Clover left it, not knowing it was the last time. I really don't think I've ever been this upset over the loss of a pet before--this is the first one not to die of natural causes. I truly hope none of you ever have to put an animal down, because this one experience has caused more angst in my life than losing relatives or friends. I had to decide this--it wasn't death by health issue or a car accident or something else beyond my control--I decided to end that life. It was the humane thing to do, but this is truly hard to deal with. I handed her over, I watched the lethal injection, and I held her when she died. Right now, it doesn't feel like I will ever really get over it. I'm still bursting into tears at random junctures.
I don't want more rats. I think I love them too much, and they don't live very long, and the treatments for their ailments aren't very advanced or effective. You just fall in love with them and watch them suffer, and they fall in love with you and act like nothing's wrong because they're so happy all the time. What I really want is my old rats back--all of them--and I want them to live forever without disease. It's days like these that make me want to deperately believe in a heaven or any sort of afterlife where I will be able to see them again. I do believe in an afterlife, and reicarnation of a sort.
I'm sorry to punish you all with my lengthy cathartic post about a depressing subject. I'm just having trouble coping with this. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better, and I'll post some happy memories about Clover away from this post that contains all of my emotional garbage.
She had a good life, and a painless passing.
Alula
Thursday I made a hard decision at the vet by hoping the antibiotics and painkillers would at least stave off infection to a reasonable point. They didn't.
By yesterday afternoon the tumor had turned necrotic to the extent that we could see dead tissue pushing at Clover's skin, and I immediately called the vet. She was in no pain thanks to the numerous painkillers, but once an infection gets that bad there's nothing else to do. Mr. B and I took our happy, high on drugs rat to the vet's office where we had to have her put down. The doctor administered the barbiturate and handed her back to me so I could hold her until she passed (not more than 15 seconds). They let us take her little body with us when we left so she could be buried next to Lexus, which we did this evening.
It was really hard. I haven't really stopped crying for the last 3 days, because it was everything I never wanted to do. The infection was terrible--if we had let it go even another few hours, there's no doubt in my mind it would have actually broken through her skin. Putting her down was the right thing to do, but she was so pain free when we had to do it she was acting like her old self. She wasn't acting sick at all, and it sucked. I mean, I'm happy she wasn't in pain when she died, but it really sucked having to watch her bounce around the exam counter like nothing was wrong, and then I kissed her goodbye and handed over the bouncy rat to the vet. She was so bouncy he had trouble getting a good grip on her to stick the needle in, and then she was subdued when she came back to me, and then she was gone. I sobbed hysterically and Mr. B almost vomited. (I'd like to note her that our vet is a wondeful guy. He answered all my questions, and he totally agrees with me that intracardiac euthanasia is inhumane. He injected the barbiturate into the body cavity, and anathesia wasn't needed because she was already hopped on the rodent version of morphine, but he said he would anathestize her I was more comfortable with it free of charge.)
But it still sucked. I cried all of last night and woke up cryng this morning. I went out shopping with my mom and sister to try and get on with life and my mom bought me some books from the ARC but I made her drive me home when my sister wanted to go to a retail clothing place (somehow these trips always end with me in a tiny room trying on a stack of jeans taller than I am, and I just wasn't in the mood). I walked up to my door and waited until they drove off and then got in my car (actually my dad's car bc mine was still broken) and went looking for something to eat to distract myself. I didn't want to be in the house alone (Mr. B was out with my dad)--like really alone, with no rats to be all happy and greet me when I came in. Just a big, empty cage that I hadn't taken down to the basement yet. So I went around but none of the lunch places were open. So I bought junk food at the grocery store and crashed Q's place. Q, I hope you don't mind. I just couldn't be alone in my house with that empty cage.
Wetpaw came in and found me crying on the couch surrounded by hotwings and energy drinks, watching some television show about people with too many kids and they were running around Disney world with mouse ears on, and asked me why I was there, and then decided to leave me alone I think. Then he left again.
I eventually made it to my parent's house, crashed there with Mr. B for a while. Then we went and buried Clover, and then we ate dinner, and then we came home together. The big, empty cage is still here, just like Clover left it, not knowing it was the last time. I really don't think I've ever been this upset over the loss of a pet before--this is the first one not to die of natural causes. I truly hope none of you ever have to put an animal down, because this one experience has caused more angst in my life than losing relatives or friends. I had to decide this--it wasn't death by health issue or a car accident or something else beyond my control--I decided to end that life. It was the humane thing to do, but this is truly hard to deal with. I handed her over, I watched the lethal injection, and I held her when she died. Right now, it doesn't feel like I will ever really get over it. I'm still bursting into tears at random junctures.
I don't want more rats. I think I love them too much, and they don't live very long, and the treatments for their ailments aren't very advanced or effective. You just fall in love with them and watch them suffer, and they fall in love with you and act like nothing's wrong because they're so happy all the time. What I really want is my old rats back--all of them--and I want them to live forever without disease. It's days like these that make me want to deperately believe in a heaven or any sort of afterlife where I will be able to see them again. I do believe in an afterlife, and reicarnation of a sort.
I'm sorry to punish you all with my lengthy cathartic post about a depressing subject. I'm just having trouble coping with this. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better, and I'll post some happy memories about Clover away from this post that contains all of my emotional garbage.
She had a good life, and a painless passing.
Alula
Friday, May 22, 2009
Frontiers of Fortune
Ladies,
As you may know, I have been praying very hard for "real" jobs for all of us. Congratulations Alula on your "real" job.
Also I would like to congratulate Mr. Munchkin on his being hired into a Graphic Designer position at the largest vinyl printing company in the country. He will be making $14/hr + benefits. Now I can get off his back about getting a "real" job. I am so proud of him.
Finally... I would like to congratulate myself on getting hired on at the same company as my husband. I'll be making $12.50/hr + benefits. I am so excited at the idea of having some stability in our life finally. I am so fortunate for all the things that are happening in my life at the moment. I hope that Mr. Munchkin and I take that fortune along with us to Las Vegas, because we leave Sunday for our honeymoon.
Q, I know that you will soon have a job as well. One that will not make you miserable, and that will help give you and Mr. Q the stability you both need when he is back from the military.
I send my love to you all, and I'll see you in a week or so.
~Munchkin
As you may know, I have been praying very hard for "real" jobs for all of us. Congratulations Alula on your "real" job.
Also I would like to congratulate Mr. Munchkin on his being hired into a Graphic Designer position at the largest vinyl printing company in the country. He will be making $14/hr + benefits. Now I can get off his back about getting a "real" job. I am so proud of him.
Finally... I would like to congratulate myself on getting hired on at the same company as my husband. I'll be making $12.50/hr + benefits. I am so excited at the idea of having some stability in our life finally. I am so fortunate for all the things that are happening in my life at the moment. I hope that Mr. Munchkin and I take that fortune along with us to Las Vegas, because we leave Sunday for our honeymoon.
Q, I know that you will soon have a job as well. One that will not make you miserable, and that will help give you and Mr. Q the stability you both need when he is back from the military.
I send my love to you all, and I'll see you in a week or so.
~Munchkin
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