Good Cats

I have very good cats. I am home sick with a bad cold. Yesterday, Callie was my little nursemaid-sitting on my lap most of the night, checking in to see I was OK, and sleeping close to me all night. Seneca, meanwhile, is making sure the house is OK. I intended to go to work last night, I even made a sandwich to take for lunch. I didn't go to work, and today I decided to have my sandwich for lunch. However, instead of just eating a cold sandwich, I decided to put the salami and cheese in my George Foreman and grill it. As it was cooking I went to the basement to get some ginger ale. While there I got distracted by the dirty lint catcher for the washing machine and was cleaning that out. I was surprised when I saw Seneca. Now, Callie regularly plays in the basement, but Seneca rarely goes-when she does she usually just hangs out on the top of the plastic storage pantry. Instead, she came out and mewed at me. That's when I realized-she came to get me as my sandwich was done. She followed me right up and I was able to save the sandwich. No burned lunch for me. Yes, I have very good cats.

The Football

The other day I posted about my little cat, Calumet being a footballer. She has a multitude of toys, but lately that soft little football has been her favorite. The other day I went down to the basement and saw it laying at the bottom of the stairs. The next day I saw it on the second floor, in the library. Today, it's on the first floor near my computer-but close to the kitchen...and not far from the basement stairs. Where will it turn up next?

Sick

Last night was my first night back at work after vacation. Things were OK. Then about 4 hours in, I had a sore throat. I was told-you got the gunk-it's been going around. Ugh. I felt fine, other than the throat. But then I had sweats and chills-nothing new, that's the way the heating/cooling system is at work. I went home, did some things and went to bed. I kept waking up and within an hour I knew it was true. I'm sick. I have a tiny fever and a sore throat. But, I'm not feeling too horrible. At least I wasn't sick during my vacation!

Last Few Hours

I'm entering the last few hours before I have to return to work. Sigh. Since I stayed up late-trapped watching The Haunted on Animal Planet (they need to wait that in the daytime, not late at night) it was difficult to get up on this grey morning. When I left the house for the barn it was drizzling-though it had stopped by the time I got Harley tacked up. He was a pain as I was getting him ready-but once we were in the indoor arena and ready to go-he was ready to work. He was a very good boy, walking with purpose, paying attention at the trot, and getting all correct leads at the canter. We worked doing circles at the canter and he did very well, even though we missed a few cones. After cooling down and brushing off he got to go out in the pasture. I came home, fixed lunch and had a glass of wine. Soon it'll be time for a bath, a nap, and then work. Too bad vacations...paid vacations, mind you...couldn't last forever!

Last Day of Vacation

Today was the last day of my vacation. I didn't set my alarm, but managed to wake up at a decent hour. After eating a piece of grape pie (yummmmm) with some grape juice from Hunt Country Vineyard (yummmm) I went shopping. I had some coupons about to expire so I went to the Mall. I rarely go, but the independent Hallmark stores I usually visit have all closed (boo). I got some things there and then went to Yankee Candle-a dangerous place. I've been wanting to get a food processor and found a fantastic deal on one at Macy's. Then a stop at AC Moore to pick up some paper for a project, Mr. Dollar for some inexpensive wrapping paper for my goddaughters. I stocked up at PetSmart (another coupon) and got a great deal on some hoodies for work at JoAnnes. By then I had worked up an appetite and stopped at Taco Bell. Imagine my surprise at about 2 paragraphs into my book I felt a presence. I looked up to see my friend Kim, from the barn. She and her husband had stopped in for a bite before their shopping. We chatted for a while as we ate. I then stopped at the barn to give Harley an appetiser (it was almost his suppertime) and a pet before heading home. Now I'm wrapping presents and relaxing. I sure to hate the thought of going back to work, but tonight I'm going to snack on jalapeno hors d'oeuvres, drink champagne, and enjoy the scent of my Yankee Candle, Cranberry Harvest.

Naples Grape Festival

The Naples Grape Festival is a major event in this neck of the woods, and up until this year, I always missed it. This year I made sure of the date and off I went. I had a grape time! I spent most of the day there, arriving just after 10 AM and leaving just after 3:30 PM. The entire valley was filled with all sorts of booths and by noon it seemed as if half the universe had descended into it! Yet, for all the crowds, things ran absolutely smoothly. For the most part, people were patient and courteous. As much as I loved checking out the craft booths, and I got even more Christmas shopping done!-I was really happy about the wine tent. For a fee you were able to get a glass (yes, another to add to my collection) and sample the wines from 13 NY wineries. I was excited to see several wineries with which I wasn't familiar so I could try their wines. I was also pleased to see wineries I know and love. These wineries served a mob today and I have to give a major hand to all the servers. I also met a lovely fellow from GRROWLS, a NY Golden Retriever Rescue. Oscar is a wonderful dog who loved his pets and wasn't shy about pulling me closer for more! If he hadn't already been adopted he may have come home with me! All in all it was a great day and I'm glad I finally experienced the Naples Grape Fest!

Photo Phriday - The Mansion

This is just a detail of a mansion I've always admired in Buffalo, NY. It was recently sold and they were having an estate sale today. The line was too long though, so I didn't go in.

Footballer

I was at the computer earlier when I heard quite a ruckus. It was coming from the hallway to the basement. BAM! THUD! BAM, BAM THUD! It sounded like a herd of elephants running up and down the basement stairs. BAM BAM! I peeked into the kitchen to see Callie, my smallest cat, emerging from the basement throwing her toy football ahead of her. Yes, my littlest girl is a football player! And this dainty 10 pound girl sounds like an entire offensive line!

I'm Approved

I got the paperwork today. I've been approved for the refinancing of my house. I just have to sign a few papers, write a letter explaining my name on my parents' house, get some info about my window loan and send it all in. I'm just thrilled that I'll be able to pay off my home in 15 years!

Winery Animals

One of the things I love about visiting wineries is meeting the winery animals. So many of these places have pets that enjoy meeting the visitors...or at least tolerate them. There are winery dogs, winery cats, some wineries have dogs and cats, Swedish Hill even has a donkey! After a few years of meeting them, I decided to start taking their pictures. Hmmm. That would make a great book. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that someone beat me to the punch. Sure enough there's a book-Winery Dogs of New York. They don't cover all of the wineries, or even all of the dogs...and there needs to be a Winery Cats of New York. Heck, Marjim Manor has 7 all on its own! At any rate, on the Keuka trail yesterday I met 4 winery dogs, Xena from Barrington Cellars, Max from McGregor Vineyard, Poncho from Yates Cellars, and Hedy at Hunt Country Vineyards. Max and Hedy vanished before I could get photos-but I was able to grab a shot of Poncho and Xena. Max is the only one of the bunch that is in the book. Hunt Country does have a spread, but Hedy isn't pictured. Sadly, Gus, one of the dogs mentioned crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Like Gus, Heddy is a Bernese Mountain Dog and is the official greeter. Aside from the fact that I enjoy their wines, I also love the fact that they support many animal causes. Hedy was adopted from a local rescue, there is an annual walk among the grapes to benefit the Yates County Humane Society, and they also donate a portion of proceeds of their wine Sweet Gus to the Shelter of Hope of the Humane Society of Yates County. So, when you go for that wine tasting, don't forget to keep an eye out for your furry hosts!  

Keuka Lake Wineries

I discovered more wineries today as I participated in the Keuka Lake Wine Trail's Harvest of Food and Wine Event. There are only 8 wineries that participate in the Wine Trail-but there are several others around the lake. Trying to keep to my schedule, I only visited 1 non trail winery, although I had visited another in the past. I had a good time and enjoyed some great food. I'll detail more of my adventure tomorrow.

Always Different

There's always something different every time you ride a horse...even the same horse. Three rides ago we were lousy at the trot-great cantering. The next time, I decided to work on our trot. This time the trot was great, yet I was flopping around like a fish at the canter. Harley, however, was wonderful, knowing what I wanted and doing it, even while I was messing up. Then there was today. It started when Harley started messing around at the mounting block. Oh, it's going to be one of those days. I got on and we started to walk...as if we were in a funeral, it's going to be one of those days. We went outside and started to trot. Harley decided to have a coughing fit, mayhaps just trying to get me off balance. We continued to trot-he continued to goof around. I could hear him flapping his lip, he'd break for no reason, generally be a pain. We had been at it for about 10 minutes when I said, out loud, "Forget it-canter!" He immediately stepped into the correct lead and cantered beautifully. From then on, he listened perfectly. We cantered courses, changing leads-he got the correct one every time. He wasn't breaking either...til I started getting tired and my heels started coming up. He, however, was wonderful. So...I started out wanting to clobber him, but he redeemed himself and I again had a most wonderful horse.

Photo Phriday - Callie Ready To Play

A Year

Today got off to a pretty good start. Although it took a while to get out of bed on this gloomy morning, I got up and went straight to the barn. Harley and I rode inside as it had just started to pour rain. He actually wanted to work today and we had a good time of it. I really have a wonderful horse. I was a mess at the canter-flopping around like a fish. But Harley just did his job-and helped me out, knowing what I wanted to do. He got lots of treats afterward! A bit later I took Aleister to the vet for his annuals. (Aleister got a good checkup. He has these weird polyps in his ears, but they don't bother him and they'd be painful to remove and come right back. Doc suggested trying some hydrocortisone ointment, so I'll pick some up.) While we were waiting I realized the date. Today is September 16. One year ago today I took Barrett to the vet and helped him cross the Rainbow Bridge. The tears started then and continue now. Barrett was a wonderful dog and I still miss him.