A Case of the Herp, and Why Everyone Should Own a Pet Carrier

What started with a slightly panicked phone call ultimately resulted in a pretty sick kitty and a shitty night (literally...but we'll get to that).

I was sitting at my desk this afternoon, going through paperwork and preparing for a meeting tomorrow, when my phone rang, and Boyfriend's picture popped up.

"Something's wrong with Bentley."

"What do you mean? What's wrong with him? Is he okay?"

"Well, his left eye is watering, and he just doesn't seem like himself."

"Is he okay right now, or do you think I should call the vet?"

This banter continued a few minutes more until I promptly decided to schedule an appointment with my extra grande cat's favorite vet tomorrow afternoon. If it had been anything serious, surely Boyfriend would have urged me to leave work and immediately head to the vet, right?

I counted the last few hours and impatiently waited to get home to my kitty. He was just as cuddly as ever when I walked in the door, so I assumed tomorrow's appointment would be fine. Bentley nuzzled against the back of my legs as I made stuffed-baked potatoes and swayed to the musical stylings of Michael Buble radio (my favorite Pandora station!). After two hours of baking, I sat down with my kitty in my lap to catch up on the rest of Grey's season two, when I noticed that my extra grande cat was not only sneezing, but now his breathing was short, shallow, and quick. Not wiling to take any chances (he is my baby, after all!), I scooped my kitty up in his favorite blanket (a green & holly print chenille blanket I bought the day before I adopted my kitty!) and drove the 30+ minutes to the 24 hour emergency pet hospital.

Tears streamed down my face as I sped through speed traps and traffic circles assuming the worst. My last trip to the 24 hour emergency pet hospital resulted in bringing a kitty in, and coming home empty handed (RIP Dexter), so clearly, I was wishing for every other outcome. Once inside, my fears were a bit calmed when the vet techs explained that Bentley's breathing seemed normal, but to hang tight and the doctor would be in. Soon, my sister arrived to keep me sane throughout the three hour visit, and we waited...and waited.

When the doctor finally saw us, she surprised my poor Bentley with a rectal probe and a herpes diagnosis. Go ahead, re-read that. My.cat.has.herpes. But it's not what you think. Herpes in felines affects the respiratory system, and presents the same symptoms as colds in humans, so there's no need for major concern (except the fact that he's a 15lb kitty and should ideally weigh 12lbs. That doesn't seem like much, but losing 3lbs when that's 1/5 of your total weight is quite a bit!).

My heart rate slowed significantly when I was told I could bring Bentley home with me right away and would just need to monitor him. I loaded Bentley and his blankie into my car and headed home. No less than five minutes into the ride, my lap got extremely hot, and suddenly all I could smell was ammonia. IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING? Apparently, three hours in the confines of a sterile vet's office led Bentley to evacuate his bladder all over my lap as I still had at least 30 minutes to drive home. Things couldn't get any worse. And yet, they did.

Not only was I covered in my cat's ammonia-laced urine, but now Bentley decided to release his bowels, too (no doubt payback for the rectal thermometer). Not only does my cat have the herp, but now I've become a human litter box. Just as impatiently as I counted down the hours to get home to my sick kitty, I'm now counting down the hours until Pet Smart opens so I can purchase a Pet Carrier should the need to transport Bentley arise again in the future (shit on me once, shame on you. Shit on me twice-and you're going back to the shelter!! {of course, I don't mean that, but you know!})

No-Waste November: FAIL

While I have managed not to eat out once yet in the month of November, I couldn't resist the gravitational pull of Barnes & Noble tonight. Initially, I told myself I'd just go in and peruse the magazines like I used to do every Sunday and make a quick break. That was before I realized all of the holiday issues were gracing the newsstand!

Though I've never read an issue of O Magazine before, I had to pick up the December issue (I love, love Ellen and watched, all year, as she made it her personal goal to be on the cover of O with Oprah!), if only for the cover. Next up came Women's Day, a monthly favorite of mine as an eager 8 year-old who'd tear into my mom's subscriptions the minutes the mail man delivered them to our mailbox. I doubt I've picked up a Women's Day in almost 20 years, but something about the holiday issue hypnotized me into adding it to my must-buy pile.

And who can resist Rachael Ray (ok, other than Boyfriend. I'll have to hide this one or check for it in the trash if Boyfriend finds it!)? The majority of my go-to recipes have all been tested out and perfected with inspiration from 30 Minute Meals and The Rachael Ray Show.

By this point in time, I already had it in my head that I'll be making many of my Christmas gifts this year, so of course I couldn't pass up the gorgeous cover that was practically jumping into my already full hands of Real Simple Magazine. My original intention was to sit down and read through the magazines at the B&N cafe, but all I could think about was getting home to finish season two of Grey's Anatomy (I'm officially hooked!). So, off to the checkout I headed...

As usual, I didn't quite make it to the cash out as immediately as I had hoped, as I took a detour to the music section to pick up Michael Buble's Holiday CD. How can I be expected to read all of my new holiday magazines if I don't have a little mood music (after seeing Michael Buble on The Rachael Ray show last week, I have officially been swooned!)? Besides, I scoped out the CD at Target first (where I proudly walked out empty-handed!), and not only was the disc $2 cheaper at B&N, but I also saved an additional $.80 with my Member Discount (thus justification for adding the CD to my purchase pile, and the reasoning I used to convince myself that No-Waste November isn't a complete fail)!

Suitcase of Memories

*This post is LONG overdue, seeing as how Boyfriend and I arrived home nearly a month ago, but better late than never!*

Armed with a tall Caramel Apple Cider and an Elizabeth Noble novel, I couldn't wait to take off on my first vacation away with Boyfriend after what seemed like two years of planning! While flying isn't something I particularly enjoy doing (the only redeeming quality is the ability to peruse Sky Mall uninterrupted!), I successfully avoided a Mile-High Meltdown...

...until we reached Baltimore and had a near miss for our connecting flight. As usual, Boyfriend was laid back and told me I was worrying too much and that I should just calm down and relax; but I just couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. We sprinted to our connecting flight's gate (as instructed by the flight attendants and the reader board in the terminal) with barely enough time to line up with our boarding group. Ever the worry wart, I looked wide-eyed at Boyfriend and said, "I don't think this is our gate."

"It is, Babe. Stop worrying."

Luckily for me (or maybe not, depending on how you look at it), I find it nearly impossible to relax, and I couldn't resist asking the man next to us where he was flying to. "Norfolk" was his prompt response, to which Boyfriend and I grabbed our carry-ons and dashed, Home Alone style, to the appropriate gate. I had no intention of jetting off to Florida via a stop off in Virginia! Once I knew we were seated on the proper flight, and only 90 minutes away from sunny Florida, I started to settle in a bit, especially when the flight attendants made the announcement, "Welcome to Southwest. There are plenty of seats in the back so come to the back where the hot tub is hotter, the beer is colder and the flight attendants are older. We allow smoking out on the wings where our motto is, if you can light it, you can smoke it." The sassy attendants on this flight (complete with fake teeth and a Gator Chomp thanks to my Gators gear) eased my stress and allowed me to think about one thing: TIM TEBOW!

We were almost in the clear until we snatched our luggage from baggage claim and waited in the humid line for a rental car. Apparently, no one in the state of Florida wanted to rent me a car! Never mind the fact that I had the money available in my checking account to pay for the car, or that my driving history is squeaky (ok, maybe not squeaky!) clean, but because I made a few mistakes paying for a wedding that wasn't nearly 7 years ago, my credit wasn't good enough to rent me a car. What does my credit report have to do with driving a car!?! By the second rejection, I was severely deflated and convinced that Boyfriend and I would have to start walking right away from Jacksonville to Gainesville if we ever wanted to make it in time for the Gators Game. But alas, the man with the thick accent felt a twinge of compassion, and called in a favor to a friend who ran a rental counter a few miles away from the airport. Apparently, King Rental Car doesn't care about your credit (or your age like other rental agents) and they'll rent to anyone!

As expected, the game was incredible. You haven't experience a college football game until you're in the throes of The Swamp with 83,000 people cheering and hi-fiving you after every big play (and in the last seconds when the Gators pulled through to score a field goal for the win!).

Perhaps my favorite part of our Gator Getaway wasn't the game itself, but the time away with Boyfriend (particularly on the flight when I looked over at Boyfriend and realized, "this is our life together," with an elated smile) just the two of us. Willie, the homeless veteran who we met down at Jacksonville Landing, solidified my thoughts when he saw us walking hand-in-hand and yelled, "Now that, that's romance! Like Bill Cosby and Felicia Rashad. That's true love and you need to hold onto that."

You know what Willie? I think I will hold on. Tight.

Savoring Sunday: A Smorgasbord

There is nothing better on a perfect Autum Sunday, complete with a cloudless azure sky and 64 degrees of crisp breezes than...

Waking up to the smell of fresh baked blueberry muffins. The aroma of blueberries still lingers in the apartment, and reminds me why I love baking so much!

Grey's Anatomy has taken over my life! Up until yesterday, I'd never seen an episode so Boyfriend's sister and I started from the beginning and stayed up until 3:30 am watching all of season one. We've got season two and a bottle of wine to get through today. I'm officially hooked.

Faith Train Depot at my church. I bypassed regular service this morning to help out in the children's ministry for the second week in a row, and it couldn't be more rewarding. My inner teacher comes out, even if only for an hour a week.

Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole:
1 lb chicken breast
1 package of flour tortillas
1 can of red kidney beans
1 jar of HOT green salsa (Mrs. Renfro's is perfect for this recipe)
Dusting of Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cube chicken and season to taste (I prefer the smokey sweetness of Paprika and Tabasco sauce) and saute until almost cooked all the way through. Set aside.

Cut the flour tortillas into 1 inch strips (hint: use a pizza cutter or kitchen scissors). Add olive oil to a saute pan and place the 1 inch tortilla strips into the pan (about 60 seconds on each side until crisp). Remove the tortilla strips and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

In a casserole dish (or in a pinch, a large, oven-safe pot), layer tortilla strips, chicken, kidney beans, green salsa, and a sprinkle of cheese (add to taste). Continue to layer until you fill the casserole dish. Cover the top layer with a sprinkle of cheese.

Bake for 20-30 minutes (until cheese turns a golden brown). Serve with tortilla chips.

What are you savoring this Sunday?

No-Waste November

Every year, the month of November sweeps in full of chaos, and usually leaves me wondering, what just happened? Between Thanksgiving, end-of-the-year madness at work, volunteering, and preparing for the rush of the upcoming holidays, the month of November seems to whiz by in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it haze.

This year, I've taken on the November rush with a systematic plan, and the motto, No-Waste November. Similar to Kyla's proclamation of goals for the upcoming month, I have decided that this month, I will...

Not eat out once. Boyfriend and I have gotten so used to the convenience of grabbing something to eat after work (who wants to cook after a long, stressful day?) that it started to seem like there was never any food in our apartment, and that we were eating out for every meal (or grabbing take-out to eat at home). I put together meal plans, made a grocery list, and tackled the grocery store last weekend with a fervor usually reserved for ordering chips & salsa from Chilis. It's only been a week, and already I adore having home cooked meals (and leftovers!), and spending more time at home.

Devote more time to the things I love and spend less time on activities that aren't satisfying and fulfilling. I've been a bit, wound-up, if you will lately and I feel like it's taken its toll on my health and on my relationships. I need to stop stressing about things I have no control over and stop letting the little things get to me.

Send paper Christmas Cards (thanks for the inspiration, Kyla!). I used to love sending and receiving Christmas Cards, and I feel like this tradition has fallen by the wayside these last few years. This is the perfect opportunity to slow down and enjoy the spirit of the holidays without letting it just whiz by. I can't think of anything more relaxing than opening a box of whimsical Christmas Cards with a glass of eggnog and Michael Buble's Christmas CD swooning in the background.

Create a holiday budget and stick to it. I tend to go a bit overboard on the holidays because, clearly, I've got a bit of Buddy The Elf Syndrome. This will be the most difficult goal to achieve unless I make a list of gift ideas ahead of time and stay on course (every year, I devise a plan but always seem to find one more present that would be perfect! and before I know it, one more present turns into 20...).

What are your plans this month?

Restraint in a Time of Recession

Regardless of the state of our economy, Boyfriend and I are in the midst of our own Recession (though on a happy note - Boyfriend found a new job!! He started Monday and he is so much happier than he was at his old job. I knew losing the other job was a blessing in disguise, even if he couldn't see it at the time).

Living on one income for the better part of a month has been difficult, but we've managed (actually, quite comfortably, after we returned from Florida. Florida? That was another story!!). That's not to say there haven't been times that I desperately wanted to stop off at Barnes & Noble or Target after work (anyone who has ever been to either store knows that it's impossible to leave without spending a minimum of $50), but I knew that we had to scale back in order to stay afloat.

Tonight was no different. Boyfriend and I were lucky enough to get tickets to this year's Ski and Snowboard Expo (free of charge thanks to a friend of mine from work who also happened to recommend Boyfriend for his new position!), so we made it into a fun date night. As we walked through racks of snow jackets and pants, Ugg boots, and vendors from every ski-able mountain within a 4 hour driving radius, I could hear the budget voice inside my head in a not so subtle whisper warning, "you just paid the rent! And you took a month deferment on your student loans so you could afford to eat while you were in Florida. Now you owe TWO months by next week. STEP AWAY FROM THE SNOWBUNNY OUTFIT."

It didn't help matters that the salespeople were pushy, and the price was slashed by $100! (impossible to find at the start of the season unless you attend these expos!), or that Boyfriend told me just how adorable the jacket looked. I started to think, I've been wearing the same jacket to snowboard for the past 9 years since I first started. I could use an upgrade. But as quickly as my mind imagined riding the lift to the top of Jiminy Peak in my soon-to-be new ensemble, those thoughts vanished when I thought about how expensive our winter hobby is. As much as I'd love an upgrade, I don't need one. I'd hardly get enough use out of it this year to justify buying an entirely new snow ensemble (the price of lift tickets continues to skyrocket along with the price of gas to drive to the mountains). While Boyfriend will surely find the time (and money through any means necessary) to ski regularly this season, I'd be happy only strapping my snowboard on two or three times. Besides, my 2-sizes too big Columbia jacket, and 1-size too small Columbia snow pants keep me just as warm and dry as any new outfit could.

Though I didn't snag my dream snowboarding outfit, Boyfriend and I didn't walk out empty handed. One vendor promoted gift ideas/stocking stuffers from their Adirondack website, and of course we couldn't pass up their homemade fudge!! Chocolate-Raspberry Swirl, Praline Crunch, and Cookies & Cream Fudge all found their way into our shopping bag (for under $10!). Ever the jokester, Boyfriend had been looking to find a face mask that he could pull down when he wanted to talk (instead of the full mask that he has to keep his face warm now), and stumbled upon this gem:



From one level of vendors above where I was standing, Boyfriend tried this on and said, "Babe, what do you think!?"

"It's ridiculous," was my obvious response, to which Boyfriend replied, "Good. I'm getting it."

As hideously hilarious as it is, I think it'll be twice as funny when I meet Boyfriend at the top of the mountain with the face mask I plan on purchasing. I'm pretty sure the Hulk Hogan Face Mask on me would trump Boyfriend's Grill Face Mask any day!

Total Cost of our Friday Date Night: $20 and more laughs than either of us could count!

I Want To Be A Part of It - New York, New York

Peace has finally been restored to our apartment now that (in the words of John Sterling) Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!!

{Image via ESPN}

This postseason has been a roller coaster of emotions, as Boyfriend tends to take every game (who am I kidding? every pitch) personally. Cut fastball inside to end the inning (with the Yankees batting) and suddenly Boyfriend "can't watch this anymore!" Three outs, and an A-Bomb, from A-Rod! later, and Boyfriend's faith in the Yankees is rejuvenated to the excitement of a little kid on Christmas morning. That's the beauty of baseball (and Boyfriend!) - no matter how deflated you may feel, there's always hope for another batter or another pitch (or another season - sorry, Phillies) to step up to the plate and become a hero.

Let the count down to Spring Training begin!!

What Ever Happened to The Good Old Days of Mike Sever and Boner Stabone?

As I watched my niece light up and nearly maul my laptop the second I told her "Elmo's inside!" (sesamestreet.org evokes a reaction similar to what Boyfriend's reaction will be if the Yankees pull through and win the Series tonight*fingers crossed*), I couldn't help but think about classically great TV from my own childhood, and how TV these days just doesn't seem to compare.

Evident by my niece's reaction, one show that seems to transcend time is, of course, Sesame Street. But aside from Sesame Street, what does my niece (and a whole generation of children born in the Hannah Montana era) have to look forward to?

Certainly not the likes of Romper Room and Zoobilee Zoo, that's for sure. The only show I can think of that is somewhat similar, yet still pales in comparison, is the seizure inducing color splash known as Yo, Gabba Gabba! I shudder to think about a whole generation of kids that will never know the likes of Mike Sever and Boner Stabone (oh, how I commiserated with Carol Sever - she was every Judy Blume character I related to embodied into the perfect on-screen companion - right down to the tormenting older brother!).

What ever happened to the glory days of:

Romper Room. I adored Do-Bee the bumble bee!!

Zoobilee Zoo. Magic and wonder are waaaaiting for youuuu.

Growing Pains. As long as we've got each other, we've got the world spinning right in our hands. Baby you and me, we gotta be, the luckiest dreamers who've ever been dreaming.

Reading Rainbow. Butterfly in the skyyyy. I can go twice as hiiiiiiiigh!

Salute Your Shorts. Camp Anawana. We hold you in our hearts. And when we think about you - it makes me wanna fart! - It's I hope we never part, now get it right, or pay the price!

Legends of the Hidden Temple. Just once, I wanted to trek through Olmec's temple!!

{Image via Wikipedia}

After school on the Disney Channel. When it was a paid network - I used to live for the "Free Preview Weeks", featuring Kids Incorporated followed closely by MMC (The Mickey Mouse Club - the Britney, Justin, Ryan, and Christina years...) I still remember sprinting home from Mrs. Nutting's 4th grade classroom, purple & grey bunny TrapperKeeper in hand, racing to the living room so I wouldn't miss a second of the afternoon line up.

What were your favorite shows growing up?

Author Adoration {Elizabeth Noble}

As a self-professed bookworm, I struggle to find the time to read all of the books that have slowly been piling up on my Goodreads "to-read" list. I find that my "to-read" list is growing exponentially opposite in comparison to the amount of free time I have.

With so little time to devote to my favorite hobby, I have to be really invested in every book I read. Though I hate not finishing a book I've started, if I can't get into a novel within the first chapter, I tend to abandon it faster than Paris Hilton abandons her latest chihuahua (Bunco Babes is the latest casualty - which is a shame, as it was a free book thanks to Goodreads Giveaways!). Much the same way I abandon an author I can't get into, I tend to devour everything I can get my hands on from the authors I adore. Most recently, Elizabeth Noble ranks on my radar as an author obsession!

The first Elizabeth Noble book I picked up was The Reading Group, on an impulse trip to Barnes & Noble. I started this book on the plane ride to Florida (subsequently continued on the flight home), and devoured the last few chapters almost as soon as we stepped off the plane! The character development was intense and meaningful, and I really cared about what happened to the characters (the last book that touched me like this was After You by Julie Buxbaum). If I don't care about the characters as they develop, then what's the point of reading about them?

True to form, the second Elizabeth Noble book I chose (and am currently reading), Things I Want My Daughters To Know, is just as enticing as the first I read. While I am only about halfway through this novel, I am deeply invested into the lives of the characters, and can't wait to finish (though I am usually disappointed when I finish a book I love because I don't want it to end!). Based on these two novels, I can say with conviction that Elizabeth Noble has joined the ranks of some of my other favorite authors (Julie Buxbaum, Allison Winn Scotch, Jen Lancaster, Louisa May Alcott, Anna McPartlin, Jennifer Weiner, Emily Giffin - oh, how I love chick lit!).

How do you choose your next "to-read" selection?

November Nourishment {Dream Kitchen}

I tend to be desperately domestic when it comes to the holiday season. As soon as November rolls around, my mind starts whirling with thoughts of baked goods, list-making, rearranged furniture, and hours spent perusing the Williams-Sonoma catelogue. Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit quite like a comforting kitchen filled with the aroma of home-cooked deliciousness!

If I had unlimited funds (and unlimited time), my kitchen and dining room would resemble the interior of the latest Williams-Sonoma catalogue with each changing season. However, if I had only one season to choose from, I would carefully select pieces from the Thanksgiving Collection every year. There is nothing more satisfying than a slow roasted chili (served in pumpkin and acorn bowls atop a maple leaf plate) followed by the perfect pumpkin pie (adorned with various pie crust cut-outs in the shape of my favorite fall foliage).

This year's collection is as inspiring as any I've seen over the last few years. Individual pocket pies in the shapes of apples and pumpkins? Perfection! My goal this November is to fill our apartment with the warm feeling that jumps off the pages of the Williams-Sonoma (and Pottery Barn for decorative accents) catelogues on a budget.

Sure, I may not own the uber expensive (and drool-inducing) filled pancake maker, but I can whip a batch of Bisquick into an equally delectible creation for less than half the price (chalk it up to my obsession with the Food Network, and hours spent watching Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee). Not to mention the ridiculously reasonably priced decor found at The Christmas Tree Shops and I'm on par for a very budget friendly nourishing November. (Recipes and Fabulous Food Finds to follow!)