Bits and Pieces

Read Speaking In Bones yesterday, and then started a new J A Jance mystery.  Roxie slept with me the night before last, but Finney has never gotten in bed with me - until this morning.  I had to answer a call of nature at 4 a.m., and when I returned, Finney was asleep in my spot, with her head on my pillow.  She went totally limp when I attempted to move her, and I finally had to "scoop" her off the bed and onto the floor.  Before I could get my butt down on the side of the bed, she was back up, in my space again.  I finally got her to settle at my feet, and we had another good sleep until my alarm went off.
   Victor and Xena's folks are back from their 12 days of travel, and I need to transcribe my appointments for next year on the new calendar, today or tomorrow.  Saturday morning I'll meet with a couple about walking their 5 dogs while they are out of town in February.  They have a a lady who will be the live-in care-taker while they're gone, but she recently injured her back, and the dogs pull, so I'll have walking duties.
  I gave a friend a Surfer Dude calendar for 2016 as a Christmas gift, and she cried when she opened it...  Didn't mean to make her cry, just wanted to give her something SD oriented.  She loved that stallion.  Guess I'd better get a copy of the book about him for her birthday present.
   Taking the Christmas tree down today.  Will carefully pack the ornaments and lights, and take our welcome Santa down from the front door.  They are coming by tomorrow to pick up trees to make into fresh mulch - so ours will go onto the pile.  Both Beatrice and I get checks tomorrow, so we'll also grab cat food, squirrel food and bird food tomorrow.   Not doing anything special for New Years Eve.  But I'll watch the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade without commercial interruption on the Home and Garden television channel on Friday, and I think the Gators play in a Bowl Game that afternoon.  We'll probably have black-eyed peas, pork chops, collard greens, apple sauce and corn bread for supper - not making Hoppin' John this year.
  Please enjoy the rest of the year 2015!

Sleeping With Dogs

We had two to three inches of snow fall yesterday in Boulder; but I know they had a foot or so fall higher up, in the ski areas...  The streets are clear of snow, but there is a lot of ice on the roads. I'm at Finn's until 2 this afternoon, then I'll take a cab home (I think).  The last time I called for a cab, I was told the wait was 90 to 120 minutes, so I ended up walking.  If the wait is that long today, I'll take the bus, which will take me over an hour, but doesn't cost anything.  
   It's supposed to be in the mid-40s (F) today, but breezy, and sunny tomorrow.  But then we've got more snow coming in Tuesday, with a high less than freezing.  I'll be at Rosie's starting Tuesday, and her owners have offered to pick me up if the weather is really nasty.  So I'll have a car through the weekend, and can finish my Christmas shopping.  I also need to move the furniture around in the living room/dining room area - need to put the boot tray next to the door, which means moving the small cabinet that stands there now.  But I have to be certain there's still enough room for Beatrice to set up her massage table in the same area...
   It'l be nice to spend two nights with my kitties before heading over to Rosie's.  Sleeping with a large dog is a very different experience than sleeping with two rather small cats each night.  I had to leave the bed for a quick bathroom visit this morning, and then had to wake Finn up and get him off the bed entirely, just so I could get back in, under the covers...  It's amazing how a 60 pound dog can spread across a queen size bed.  Rosie usually just spreads across the bottom, and I can manage to lie diagonally across the bed - Finn just sprawls everywhere.
   I need to send out a few Christmas cards, and three small packages, and then I'm finished with the Christmas crazies.  And I have decided to be foolish and have my first decorated tree in 19 years.  I saw several tiny trees in a lot near the apartment, so I hope to get one either this morning or Tuesday.  I have a few small ornaments, and we'll probably make a small ring garland, and possibly a popcorn string....  I'll make something to go on top, too.

Beware the Holidays' Toxic Plants!

During Yuletide - or Christmas and New Year's - most people decorate their homes with ribbons and bows, ornaments and plants, and the Christmas tree.  We love to see bright colors; particularly reds and greens. As good parents, grandparents, and pet owners, however, we need to do some double-checking of our decorating.

These warnings apply to small children, cats, dogs, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits.  
Also remember that the smaller the imbiber, or eater, the faster these toxins work into, and through, their biological systems.
 1. We all know that small ornaments can and will be either eaten, sucked on, or licked.  Glass ornaments and ornaments with small pieces need to be hung out of a small child's reach.  Metallic tinsel can be deadly if a pet eats it.  If you have small children or pets that will either bump into your tree and knock items off, or if you have a tree-climbing cat (like me), you know that breakable and small ornaments are not allowed.
 2.  The Christmas tree itself - if you have a live tree, then the tree, in and of itself, is mildly toxic. Evergreens, pines, and firs produce produce an oil that irritates the mouth and stomach, and can cause drooling and vomiting.  If you have a tree with extremely stiff needles, the main concern is with them perforating the stomach wall or intestinal lining.  The infections caused by the perforations are usually deadly.
 3.  Poinsettias have been getting a bad reputation since 1919.  Yes, the sap in the leaves and stalks is mildly toxic and can cause skin irritation - but an adult person would need to eat an entire, large, bushy poinsettia plant in its entirety to die from it.  Because it is so pretty, a lot of children want to taste it - I remember believing that it must taste like peppermint, as a child.  Unless you have a specific allergy to poinsettias, ingesting them will make you sick (and maybe wish you were dead), but they won't kill you.  But just think how it would make a child or pet feel...
 4.  Mistletoe:  all parts of this plant are severely toxic to any animal, two or four-legged.
 5.  Holly:  all parts of this plant are severely toxic to any animal, two or four-legged.
 6.  Yew:  all parts of this plant are severely toxic to any animal, two or four-legged.
 7. Lilies, amaryllis, narcissus, cyclamen and daffodils:  the bulbs and leaves are severely toxic to children, cats, dogs, and other household pets.  All parts, including the flowers, of the cyclamen are poisonous to children and pets.  All of these beautiful bulbs are seen in "forced" growing for the holiday season.  They are pretty, but deadly.
 8.  The Jerusalem cherry is extremely appealing - it has bright green leaves, and a red fruit that looks (and tastes) like a cherry tomato.  It is a member of the nightshade family.  It is severely toxic.
 9. In flower arrangements from the store, the Jequirity bean (aka the Indian prayer bean and/or the Rosary pea) is big during the holiday season.  In appearance, it is a dried bean of scarlet hue, with black tips.  It's very pretty - which can lead to problems with children.  The bean is also severely toxic.

The Holidays should be a time of joyfulness and cheer - please make sure that your home is a safe place for all small children and for all household pets.    Enjoy!

Waiting for Christmas...

The Christmas tree is decorated and snow-dusted...

 

Cloudy is getting impatient...

 

The mountain lion is looking forward to turkey or ham...

 

Shady has decided that lying in bed and looking out the window might hurry things up a bit...