Here we have the latest unknown cat to walk through our backyard. I saw it yesterday and it was bold as brass. I talked to him through the screen of the porch and he stood his ground. I tried carefully opening the door so I could get a non-screen picture but he wasn't comfortable with that and headed slowly and with dignity to the gate. I'm calling it a he because he just looked so muscular and chonky but females can be that way too. He talked to me some, probably asking for treats. I don't think he's a feral or a stray because he looks very well fed. He was probably just cruising the neighborhood, checking things out as cats sometimes do. They are curious, as we all know. Actually, in both senses of the word.
Yesterday I was so cheerful and bouncy, relatively pleased with life in general and mine in particular. Of course that meant I'd have a rather dreary outlook on life and be tired and grumpy today and that proved to be true.
The main thing I did today was to buy memberships for each of my kids' households to the Tallahassee Museum of History and Science or as we old-timers call it, the Junior Museum or even just The Junior. I've spoken about the place many times before. It's a terrific place to take children as there are large animal enclosures integrated into the woods with boardwalks over them so people can look down and see the critters without disturbing them too much. A lot of the animals who live there were rehabilitated after being injured but who, due to the extent of the injuries, are not able to be reintroduced to their wild habitats. There are all kinds of things to do and see there and it's a nice place to go and stroll around and see things and for some of us, to recall memories from what now seem lifetimes ago and actually, for my kids ARE from a lifetime ago because they've been going there since they could walk.
So back to my story about buying the memberships online and every year when I do this I get frustrated and it takes me three times longer to do it than it should. For one thing, even though the website has a "add to my cart" feature, you can only buy one membership at a time so what's the point of a cart? Back to the main menu you have to return after successfully ordering one membership, and go through all the hoops again.
I am a little bitchy about this.
But finally, I think I got everything squared away and that's a nice Christmas present for everyone.
I had it in mind to go to town and get some more Christmas stuff done and had even made lists with names and gifts and the places I needed to go and I went to town but for some reason I was ridiculous and asked Lily, whom I was taking some fish to, if she wanted to go to lunch and she did and then we invited Jessie and next thing you know, we're at Chow Time.
And all that shrimp! And it's good shrimp, not nasty shrimp and I'm a Florida girl who knows her shrimp. Now if I stopped after the soup and shrimp, all would be well but you know that's not what happens. I really tried today to concentrate heavily on the green vegetables which I did, and which I love but you know why they taste so good? Probably a whole lot of fake butter and maybe some MSG which does not bother me in the least. The MSG doesn't, at least. The fake butter makes me ashamed. And I just have to have one bite of this and one bite of that and next thing I know I'm SO full.
I've got to stop going there.
And now I'm home and exhausted after doing absolutely the least that a human with no real mobility issues can do. Mr. Moon is still not home from the work project over at Moon Plaza. He is getting it done. He hired Owen for awhile this afternoon to help him and Chip. I'm going to heat up the gumbo and make some cornbread for our supper. That'll be decent. Last night when I was making dinner, Glen came in and watched me for a minute and said, "You should write about your cooking."
"I do," I said. "And do you know how many millions of people write about cooking on the internet and do TikToks about cooking, and so on and so forth?"
He was downcast, faced with this reality. I did make a good supper last night though. It was a NYT's recipe for pork chops with onion gravy and my favorite part of it was the instruction to, "...add an enormous number of sliced onions..."
The cat looks exactly like he's just passing through. Yummy Chow Time, I could go for some of that right now. And, Larry seems a good name for a lizard and his brothers and cousins.
ReplyDeleteGlen introduced the name and we have yet to meet a lizard on that porch who does not look like a Larry.
DeleteThat cat sure looks like a male. If his tail were up it would be a sure bet. However, he is "chonky", as you say, and has those big cheeks of outdoor cats.
ReplyDeleteI bet he'd be good at rat patrol.
DeleteI think that cat is just cruisin'. Nothing special, just strolling about because he can.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think you are right.
DeleteWhat will Maurice think of that cat strolling through her garden? Watch out kitty.
ReplyDeleteChow Time never disappoints.
When that cat was talking to me I said, "Are you asking for food? Huh? Well, be careful you don't run into Maurice because she'll be having you sing a different song." He looked at me like I was crazy.
DeleteCan you get Glen a gift voucher for Bass Pro so he can choose for himself what to buy there? I like the museum memberships idea.
ReplyDeleteOh, I could, but he already buys anything he wants there so if I get him a shirt, it's sort of just a token of my love.
DeleteLarry made me think of The Bob Newhart Show. Aren’t all the other lizards supposed to be named Darryl? I don’t get those websites that are doing something a million other websites have already done and, instead of doing what works, try to reinvent the wheel. Still what a great gift for your family. That’s a beautiful cat!
ReplyDeleteOh my god, you are right. Larry, Darryl, Darryl, and Darryl. I think we shall call all the lizards NOT on the screen by those names.
DeleteTo be honest about the museum's website- it is better than it used to be. At least I got the memberships ordered this time even though it took so long I could driven to the museum and bought them there.
That is a good looking cat. He has me curious.
I checked out that museums website and it sure is a fabulous place to explore! What a nice gift!
ReplyDeleteYou don't sound tired and grumpy at all and you had a fun lunch with your girls so that's a great day!
Isn't it a great place? I love, love, love the old farm. I feel so at home there.
DeleteI had the same thought as Moving with Mitchell. Hi. I'm Larry and this is my brother Larry and my other brother Larry. Hi Larry, Larry and Larry!
ReplyDeleteHilarious!
Patricia
There are lots of Larrys about.
DeleteThat cat looks very much like one with a good home.
ReplyDeleteTo live in a place with ready access to fresh seafood and fish!
He looks like he's not missing many meals, doesn't he?
DeleteThe shrimp at that place is so good that I worry about how they're getting it. It can't be wild caught. There's just too much of it. Whatever it is, it's a lovely, firm shrimp and they boil or steam it perfectly.
I think that's the first picture you've published of Chow Time, or at least that I remember seeing. I didn't realize it was a million steam tables. I suppose it's all you can eat for the same price. no wonder. Minnie was barking at something in the growth behind the buddha yesterday. it was Handsome Boy from across the street. every year about this time I am happily not rushing around trying to think of and buy presents.
ReplyDeleteYep. I do believe that was the first picture I've posted at Chow Time. They lead you to your table, put the silverware on it, take your drink order and then the rest is up to you. Go get a plate and fill it up!
DeleteNice to get a visit from Handsome Boy.
Woman, I almost had a complete meltdown due to shopping today. Not all of it Christmas shopping either.
Have you ever watched the PBS series “Death in Paradise “? They have a resident lizard called Harry. Museum membership is a fabulous gift!
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Barbara
I think we DID watch a few episodes of that show. Is it still on? It wasn't bad. I'd forgotten all about it.
DeleteMuseum membership is a much better idea than useless crap.
ReplyDeleteI agree with River, can you just get Glen a gift certificate?
I had a terrible day yesterday but today I've had enough sleep and can deal with katie again. She needs bloodwork done, so that's what we're doing. The temp is dropping, so we'll get it done before it gets too cold today. I was even able to make an appointment, for today. That's unusual and the walk in wait times are awful.
Hope today was better for you:)
I could get Glen a gift certificate but there's really no need. He can buy whatever he wants to there. I just wanted to get him something a tiny bit more personal.
DeleteSorry to hear about Katie. I hope they got the blood drawn and can figure out what's going on.
Mary, if you did a YouTube channel I would watch you cook/talk every single day!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah? Seems like I'd run out of things to do and say pretty soon but who knows? Maybe I could get Levon to be my camera person. Gibson could be director, Maggie could be costume and make-up manager, August could be producer. And Owen doesn't have time for that mess. He has video games to play, advanced classes to take, and a job!
DeleteSo many people just vlog their day to day life and I'm fascinated!
Deletea museum membership is a wonderful gift.....annoying as it was to procure them! That cat is (IMO) most likely a male.....perhaps even (hopefully) a neutered one....he is gorgeous and yes..... passing through just because he can. And yes.....you DO write about your cooking (no video required) and I always enjoy hearing of what you are cooking.....and *how*.
ReplyDeleteSusan M
I think a museum membership is just about the best gift you can give. It could be used every week if you wanted to.
DeleteIn this blogpost you seemed pretty chipper. I don't know if you use that term in south eastern USA but here in the maternity unit of The English Language it means 'cheerful and lively'. More commonly used in the north of England than the south. Those "eat all you want" places can be nightmarish with their many temptations.
ReplyDeleteYes. We say "chipper." I think my mother used that term or perhaps her husband so it's one of those words I avoid. For some reason, whenever I hear it, I imagine the person it's being used to describe is just faking it and really ready to go jump off a bridge. I am not quite sure where I got that association. (Mother or her husband?) I just realized we can be prejudiced against individual words. Weird.
DeleteThat is very strange about the museum memberships and how you can't buy them all at once. They need to fix that.
ReplyDeleteI have unknown cats wandering through my garden too, as you've seen on my wildlife cam. There are at least three of them and I'm not thrilled about it, for the birds' sake. But there's nothing I can do.