A Day Without Maddie

 Today, Madeleine had to spend her entire day at the vet having a glucose curve run.  It's done once a year, and lets the vet check her blood sugar levels.  The good news from today is that her daily doses of insulin can be cut back.  She's been on 7 units, but is going down to 5.  This is great for her health, and good for my checkbook.  ProZinc is expensive.

The "bad" news is that she had a flea.  A flea.  Singular.  But with Tap in and out so often, the wise thing is to start using Frontline on her and Riley.  That good news for my checkbook was immediately swallowed up by this.  Frontline is expensive.

Pretty Much

So, I saw a headless Gelfling and a couple of Doozers.

As one does.

Masks and Monsters

 So, at the Center for Puppetry Arts are two masks from the spectacular musical version of "The Lion King."

Mufasa, and if you look to the left there closely,

Scar.  (You hear Jeremy Irons in your head now, don't you?  Be honest.  Bridget, you get a pass.}

I like lions, of course, and I adore Grover.

Grover was Elmo before Elmo was.

You know it's true.

Full Day

Spent the first half of yesterday with Daughter, second half with Son.  I have photos only of the first half, and will share a few at a time.

Hannah and I went to the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta.  If you're ever in Atlanta, do yourself a favor and go.  We have gone many, many, many times and have always loved it.

There are two distinct parts of the Center --- one for Jim Henson's work, one for puppetry around the world.  The deck is heavily stacked for other exhibits to be My Favorite, but this one blew me away:

A minotaur string puppet.  He is fantastic.

Nearby, though. . .  What can I say?

CROW and SERVO.  We spent a lot of time with them.  We could have become on-the-spot docents.  Ask us anything at all.  Anything.

 The day's second half was watching the Oscars ceremony with Briton.  At the time it happened, I said that the whole thing should have been shut down after the Best Supporting Actor award.  It was the most perfect award acceptance speech, the most perfect set of award moments I've ever seen.  If you missed it, I hope you can find it online somewhere.  Briton and I were both in tears.

Turns out that everything really would have been better if it had stopped there.  I'm looking at you, Will Smith.

A Dealer By Any Other Name

 So, still with the Think About This Name thing: I'm watching a documentary about drugs, and one of the dealers' names is Jeff.  Jeff the drug dealer.  Dealers should have names like Spicer or Boogie or Patdown or Kupo or something. . .

Also, Ricky Gervais' name is "Ricky."  Think about that.  "Ricky."  To me, that doesn't fit.

 

Maddie's still not biting on porch life, while Riley's enjoying it.  Bridget mentioned a "catio" in her comment --- we actually had a screened-in porch that we eventually glassed in.  All the cats we've had since living here have loved being out there.

I am churning out cotton mitered squares.  My poncho must feel supremely neglected.  The poncho is the easier (as in, more mindless) knit of the two, but I've hit a groove with the squares.  The box for the finished ones is edging toward full, but I haven't spread them out to see how big a quilt there actually is.  As long as I'm in this rhythm, I'm going to stick with it.

More Cat News

Trying something.

Are the cats willing to enjoy some fresh air?  Only Riley is up for the adventure.

Supply Chain

Are any other cat owners, trying to buy cat food, finding bare shelves like this?  My major grocery shopping is still done via pick-up, but when I have gone to grocery or pet supply stores, I've found empty shelves.  Tap doesn't eat canned food, so I don't pay attention to that part of the aisle.  I just find this interesting.

Sort of Random Words

Yes, he's quite cute and all, but just stop and think about this.  One of the leaders of the Free World is named Justin. 

I'm reading a book about the Secret Service.  My wish to be an agent would have been squashed by my really, really, really worse than 20/60 (uncorrected) vision, and my inability to swim.  However, I do back up a car in the way agents are trained: not looking out the rear window, but using the side mirrors.  

Another trivia nugget: Secret Service agents never button their coats or jackets, so that they can access their weapons easily and quickly.

Last Finger Update. Promise.

 Some of you have snow, right?  It's just cold here, the cold flying in on crazy winds yesterday.  No complaints from me, though.

When the jelly jar hurt my finger (I assume no responsibility whatsoever), I wondered about knitting.  My left hand does most of the work* when I knit, but it's not too bad.

We have entered the Rainbow phase.

*We do most of our typing with the left hand, too.  This knowledge might come in handy on some Trivia Night.

It Still Hurts, Though

The swelling is down about a third.  The colors have ratcheted WAY up.

I've Seen the Jelly and the Damage Done

Turns out that trying to catch that two-pound jar of grape jelly as it falls out of the refrigerator can pin your finger between it and the refrigerator door.  

Then, the swelling, bruising, and pain can make you think you need to have it looked at.  The pain is a kind you've never had before.  To the ER!  (Hoping the same people from my foot wouldn't be on call.)

First, though, you honestly stand around at home and think for a few minutes about which boots to put on.

(Hey, I was waiting to be seen here.  Lots of time for photos.)

Seeing "62" on your registration bracelet jolts you.  (YUKK.)

The finger's not broken, "just" deeply bruised,  Bone bruised, actually.  You're told to keep it iced for a couple of days, then alternate ice with heat.  Therefore, you go to Andy's when you're released.

Because this counts as keeping it cold.

Different Perspectives

Out walking Tap today, we came upon this tree:

 Coming up on it (from the right as you're looking at the photo), I saw the carving as a cross.  Going farther around (to the left), it became an "X."

Life is all about how you look at things.

Reasonable Explanation

Bridget wonders why headaches last so long.  .  .

I suspect that, in our two cases, the aches find us so fascinating that they can't tear themselves away.

That's possible, right?

I Am

Keeping my haiku-a-day streak alive.

 Working on my DIY physical therapy for my foot.

Currently reading four different books.

Having lots of trouble growing my nails back out.

Wishing This Damn Headache would go away.  Or at least let up a little.

Knitting occasionally.

Wondering where this world is headed.