Things I should be doing...

I should be running the sweeper, dusting, laundry or any number of things I don't get done through the week. The Hubby got a call early today from his hunting buddy to come over and help him. They lost power to part of the house and he can't track down the problem. So I have the house to myself for a time. Instead of getting stuff done around the house, here I am playing on the Internet and watching Gustav's progress. I uploaded new pics of grandkids to add to the 'Kafe' slide show, did up the dishes and started the tea syrup. So that's something! I also took some pics of our indoor cats:

Here's Samhein (Sami), the queen of the house. She was indoors first so I guess that's appropriate. Yesterday was her birthday but we didn't get her until almost Halloween, hence the name. Samhein Festival is what Halloween evolved from. I can't remember how old she is (bad mommy) but she's the youngest indoors. I think she's 5 today but it could be 6. She keeps trying to walk across my keyboard so she's looking for attention....again. When we want her to come to us she won't unless it's something she wants to do.

Next up is Natasha or we call her Momma. When I was leaving for work one day I heard a truck coming up the road and as it cleared the tree line I see this cat jump out from underneath it and roll in the road! I holler for it but it takes off into the corn field. A couple days later Hubby calls me outside and asks "Is that the cat you saw?" and there she is coming across the yard. I put out food and water and she makes herself at home. I tried a coupe times to find that truck parked at a house down the road but never did. I have no idea how long she road under the truck until it slowed down for the culvert. I wasn't long before she had 5 kittens and we got her fixed. A few years back a dog (the neighbors but we couldn't prove it) got a hold of her and practically ripped her left front leg off and we had to have it amputated and she became an indoor cat. It doesn't slow her down and she got the nickname Tripod. Not sure how old she was when she arrived on our doorstep but she's been here about 12 years.

Meet Nadia, she is one of Momma's kittens and stayed outside. In fact she loved it outdoors. Then a few years ago we had coyotes move into the area and animals were disappearing so we brought her in. Now she will look outside and snubs her nose at it. She knows where the easy life is. Yes, in this picture, she is laying on my kitchen table. Cats rule in this house or suffer the consequences. She is 10 years old now. She likes to sleep on Hubby's feet. Doesn't matter where he is, wherever he sits down that's where she goes.

This is the newest addition to the household and the easiest to take care of. My second puppet, Pearl Sock. She loves kids and loves to talk. I've yet to get her some arms made but the kids love her and the cats are afraid of her! LOL

Well, I've got the roast started while blogging and the tea finished up. Talked to my best friend, Linda, (Hi Linda and Jim!!) to let her know 'her' Jimmie is racing tonight in the Nationwide series race. Hubby is back home and the power trouble was the fault of the Electric Company. Seems they had a ground wire break off so it was an easy fix. As I said, lots to do today. We have a birthday party tomorrow for my Dad, 72, so the whole family will be together again. Have a fun weekend everyone and safe holiday! Until next post.....

Current news, peacock and kittens

I have most of my work done so figured I'd check in here. Of course, there's only 2 hours of work left and it will be an hour at least until I get the daily invoices to sort and mail. Looking out the window, it looks like we have a storm coming in.
I work on the south side of Muncie but my house is close to the North-eastern county line. I can hear the rumble but the larger radar in motion shows the line of storms reaching from Muncie to Detroit. We are just getting the tip of the tail of it. Doesn't look like it will last long.
I was to cover for one of the women here at work but she decided not to take it off so, I asked if I could have Friday off to help with the family rummage sale and it's a go! Yea!! (Doing anything is better than working!)
Not a very interesting Today in History. Only thing that grabbed my attention was that Paris is celebrating it's 2057th birthday so here's some headlines from today with clickable links:

Magnitude 6 quake startles southern Peru

AREQUIPA, Peru, July 8, 2008 (Reuters) — A magnitude 6.0 earthquake rattled southern Peru early on Tuesday, startling residents in the Andean country's second-largest city, Arequipa, who ran out of their homes into the streets.

The epicenter of the quake was located 33 miles north-northwest of Arequipa, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was recorded at a depth of 46 miles.

Peru's police and civil defense agency said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, but magnitude 6 quakes are capable of causing severe damage.

Bertha strengthens, no threat to Gulf of Mexico

NEW YORK, July 7, 2008 (Reuters) — Hurricane Bertha strengthened over the central Atlantic Ocean Monday morning and could reach Category 2 strength later in the day, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

Colorado fire threatens historic Indian sites

DENVER, June 12, 2008 (Reuters) — A lightning-sparked wildfire has blackened 20,000 acres in southeastern Colorado, and was threatening archaeological sites in a national forest, officials said on Thursday.

Indonesian firm denies drilling caused mud volcano

JAKARTA, June 12, 2008 (Reuters) — A volcano that started spewing hot mud in Indonesia two years ago displacing more than 50,000 people was triggered by tectonic activity, experts working for the energy firm blamed by some for the disaster said on Thursday.

Drilling caused Indonesian mud volcano

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2008 (Reuters) — Drilling of a gas exploration well, and not an earthquake, set off a volcano that has been spewing boiling mud for two years and has displaced more than 50,000 people on the Indonesian island of Java, experts said on Monday.

I feel like I'm cheating on a test with so little to blogged about today lol. The peacock is still loosing feathers. We have gathered up about 18 or so. Abby, one of Amanda's friends from high school who is going to art school, said if we get any she would be glad to make something out of them for us. She is very good and very creative. Will be interesting to see what she does with them. I know so little about peacocks. I didn't know they shed their tail feathers. Yikes! Maybe they aren't suppose to? I'd better do some googling tonight! My luck it's the kittens stressing him out LOL That's all we need! A peacock with issues!
Last evening I saw all 3 momma cats lying on the back porch. There were kittens all over the porch steps and a bush we have next to the steps. The bush we had trimmed back so it looks a bit like an over-grown Bonsai tree. There were kittens climbing up from the branches and poking their heads out the top. Other kittens on the porch grabbing their heads as they popped up. It was just hilarious! And the whole time the Mommas just laid there, their tails tapping a slow beat, keeping an eye on the little ones. I still have no clue if it was all the kittens. I know the original 6 from 'old momma' were playing. There were a couple more that were just a little smaller that I think were either from 'Sissy momma' or 'Tiger momma' but I know Tiger momma has another tiger baby and I didn't see that one. There are just sooo many black ones it's hard to tell them apart!
Later, after the kittens had wore themselves out, the old momma laid down and let them nurse but there was 1 black one that had to check out the peacock. To our surprise, the peacock somehow laid down on it's side, kind of, and was trying to play with the kitten, who decided it was time for a dirt bath.
Last weekend, Saturday I think, the old momma came walking up the middle of the horseshoe drive being followed by a doe. Wish I'd had my camera ready. Seriously, the deer followed her through the yard to the woodshed and then got spooked.
See, I just learned something new. I went and googled peacock feathers and found out that the feathers without 'eyes' are called swords.

I didn't see any pricing on that page but I did see an ad for 10 Cut eye feathers for $7.95, doesn't sound like we'll be rich anytime soon. Ok, I gotta get busy and finish up work. Take care....until next blog.....