Monthly Archives: May 2007

Crazyness!

Posted on May 14, 2007
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My life is such a whirlwind at the moment – and to top it all off, I don’t ever remember feeling this good about living.

Candace came over to spend the weekend with me – but that didn’t start my weekend off. Friday night I was picked up by my dad (my car is still, sadly, limping along on a spare tire) to go watch my brother sing at his senior night at the high school.

Saturday..man, I got so much stuff done on Saturday – between chores, errands, favors and spending some quality time with Candace.

Sunday I spent with my mom. We talked while I kept her company at her open house, went to eat at Steak and Shake and went and saw a movie.

This week is just as crazy – lessons are taking off, I’m starting up water aerobics (tonight! whee), the art gallery is opening up and I’ll be playing piano from about 4-10pm (with breaks of course), and even had my name in the paper!

I picked up my new business cards yesterday and they look GREAT.

So- yeah, everything is crazy and wonderful. And Sergei says hi. =)

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Some Exciting Updates

Posted on May 11, 2007
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  • Sergei is doing fine. Last night he spent the evening learning that solid walls, tables, sofa and the bar cannot be walked through – but as of lunchtime today he’s back to his old, loveable self… with the appetite and purring to prove it.
  • I spent some time at the Town Gallery last night testing out the new (used) piano that they just moved in. Aside from being a bit out of tune it will do nicely for what we want it to. Already in works are some plans for me to play ragtime music during one night of the Second Street Market and for a small recital to be given in the fall to help raise some money for music books for kids.
  • My sister, Candace, is going to be auditioning for Peoria Players performance of High School Musical this summer. If she gets it or not, it’ll be a great experience for her.
  • I’ve signed up a few more students. This makes both me and my wallet happy!
  • This summer is going to be a fun one. A new pool has opened up here and my youngest brothers are looking forward to spending time with me, and I with them.
It seems like so little written down, but for my simple life, those things are causing a whirlwind of activity for me! Life is so very, very amazing.
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"Sorry… we treated him kind of bad … "

Posted on May 10, 2007
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Sergei’s surgery had to be rescheduled to Wednesday night this week due to a conflict I ended up having on Tuesday.

That said, I stuffed my poor, unsuspecting cat into the carrier last night and headed on over to Tri-County Animal Clinic.

I will not forgive myself for doing this for quite some time. I understand that cats need to be spayed or neutered, really, I do – but mishandling during the process is something I don’t understand.

I do understand that as an emergency clinic, things can get a little crazy – but waiting until 5:30a.m. in the morning to put my cat under and perform surgery on him when I am required to pick him up by 8am (the other choice is leave him there with no one to tend to him all day and a $25 charge) is something I cannot understand.

So I called this morning at 7am on my way to go pick him up and asked how he was. Please keep in mind – I have NEVER ever seen my cat angry. Give him a bath in the tub – no problem, he purrs. Accidentally step on his tail? No problem, he meows to remind you he’s there… then purrs. Drop him off at the animal clinic and see him the next morning? He hisses and spits like there is no tomorrow when you go to pick him up.

I was actually scared of him.

So the anesthesia was and is still wearing off of him this morning. He walks crooked and falls down, he’s vomited twice, he’s angry and showing it and to top it all off, when they neuter the male cats they don’t even stitch them up! Just leave it open for it to heal.

I feel like a horrible person this morning.

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My Weekend in Bulletpoints

Posted on May 7, 2007
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I had quite the interesting, yet oddly relaxing, weekend. In summary:

  • Serg’s litterbox is too small. I got him the biggest size I could find and he still has to fold himelf up – and more often than not, he ends up overshooting the box. Disgusting, yes. Problematic, yes. Suggestions?
  • I found a new blog to read – check out The Angry Pharmacist. Definitely an interesting look into the lives of those people behind the counter answering disgusting questions day in and day out.
  • I got approved for a car loan all by myself. This is huge! Before I had to have a co-signer (thanks stupid student loan program), but now my credit repairing is actually working well! I don’t plan on getting a new car for a bit yet, but now I know it is something I can do when the time comes.
  • I’ve been watching a series entitled Upstairs, Downstairs via Netflix over the last several weeks. I’m just starting the final season this week and have really come to thoroughly enjoy this series. It’s a bit choppy, and doesn’t flow from episode to episode, but the characters – in particular the cook and Mr. Hudson have totally endeared themselves to me.
  • I spring-cleaned my kitchen cupboards. Very difficult to do with a large, oversized cat crawling up ones back.
  • An ex-boyfriend of mine is sniffing around. This is cause for my eyebrows to raise much and I’m curiously feeling as if the advances are not quite as un-welcome as I thought they’d be. (No, it’s not “he who shall not be named”. He hurt me quite enough the second time around).
  • My next cruise (this time with the majority of my family) has been booked for October 28, 2007. We’ll be going on Disney Cruise Line this time and doing the 4 night cruise. Am I excited? Oh yeah!!
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Ragtime, Anyone?

Posted on May 4, 2007
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I am so excited! I am also a dork for being this excited – but seriously, how much fun is this. Apparently every year Peoria hosts a competition known as the Wold Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest that features adult and junior players as well as composition of new rag-time piano pieces.

As a former Scott Joplin player, my insides jumped and my fingers tingled at the thought of going to see this! Did I mention I’m excited?! I’m hoping I can rope Dad into going to this with me. Seriously, so so cool.

P.S. My piano teacher, Ed Kaizer, will be performing this Sunday with his wife at Bradley U. Really looking forward to checking that out as well!

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Tuesday = Dooms Day

Posted on May 3, 2007
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I’ve done it. Serg’s surgery is scheduled for Tuesday evening. He cannot eat or drink from 8am on that day so he doesn’t get horribly sick on the anesthesia.

It’s still a few days away but I’m already fretting about it – and freaking out about being alone in the apartment that night. I’ve come to depend on my little mouser being around! Not to mention, I’ve gotten used to talking to him when I get home from work – now I’ll feel even more the freak since I’ll be talking to myself for a whole evening!

I do know this much – Wednesday the little bugger is going to milk this for all he’s got. So I better be prepared with the treats.

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Of Mice and….Cats

Posted on May 2, 2007
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For the majority of the evening, this is the image I saw as I did my spring cleaning of my closet, storage and dresser/desk drawers. Aside from a flick of the tail every now and then, Sergei was on a mission. To catch yet another baby mouse.

And eventually, catch him he did. Unfortunately I do not have pictures to prove this event as the instant I saw him running past me with Baby Mouse dangling from his mouth by the tail (man, that was a horrifying image) I began screaming and called my dad immediately. What an instinct this is. I man, c’mon, Dad is 25+ miles away from me, there’s not a whole lot he can do about this.

So as my cat played toss the mouse, bat the mouse, hide and seek with the mouse, ring around the rosie with the mouse, musical chairs …. well you get the picture, I had to think of a way to handle this situation all on my own. These are the times I think the independence of being single is a fair trade to having the comfort of a guy around to dispose of rodents, bats, bugs and smelly litter.

So my solution was to run next door and see if my neighbor could come help. He was kind enough to agree – but wouldn’t you know it, Sergei greeted us at the door with a big grin (yes, my cat grins – I tried to get a picture of it, but he’s camera shy – go figure), and tongue lolling while he panted from the SHEER EXHAUSTION playing games with a mouse will do to you.

And no mouse was in sight. Great.

My neighbor was kind enough to peek under my bed for me, at which point my cat thought that my neighbors bald head WAS A MOUSE and proceeded to wrap himself around it. Can we say Davey Crockett?

Thoroughly embarrassed, and now holding a squirming cat the size of a miniature tiger, I bid farewell to my kind neighbor, Mr. Crockett and prepared for bed.

On the subject of the size of my cat – he’s now almost 13 pounds, 6 months old, still a cuddle bucket and I tried to take a picture to kind of show perspective on how big he is getting. The other picture here is him next to a box fan.

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Happy May Day!

Posted on May 1, 2007
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May Day is full of all sorts of memories for me, particularly ones that remind me of my grandma. Grandma passed away several years ago, but still, quite often, I am reminded of her and long for access to talk to her and laugh with her and enjoy her companionship. I was so busy the last few years of her life working and playing I didn’t spend the time that, in hindsight, I wish I had with her.

But I do hold some memories very close to my heart. May Day baskets when we would visit in May, tea parties year round at our visits, painting flowers on wooden items, cross-stitching, and then seeing our cross-stitches framed and on her walls. Sugared tea, jello, cottage cheese pie, grandma’s casserole and her infamous ribs – the smell of which would notify my cousins that their uncle and his family were coming to visit.

And with the memories of my grandma come those of my grandpa – the blinking railroad light at the base of the stairs, the smell of tobacco, a comfy laugh, his foot pounding the floor three times to call us up for dinner or a scolding. How he could be all prickly on the outside and so soft and loving when receiving a hug. I remember seeing him and my grandma out on the swing together, and laughing when little grandma would scold the great bear of a man that grandpa was. They always called each other “mom” and “dad” too. How normal that sounded coming from them, even though if I were to hear my own parents addressing each other that way I think it’d be a little wierd. =)

Grandparents are precious things. May Day has always been, and will always be, my own little reminder to keep the memories fresh because they both live on in my heart and my thoughts.

So – in accordance with my May Day memories, I’d like to wish you all a Happy May Day!

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