Alien Spouse

Happy Pink Cloud.

As I mentioned at the time, we went to Asheville this weekend, and I took a photo of this rather cheering mural. Obviously it was the happy pink cloud that caught my attention initially, but I particularly like the black half-cloud at the top left; it's painted on a bit of masonry that's sticking out slightly so there is a pleasing 3D effect.

It's always been my aim to have a photo up every day, but that has definitely been dropping off recently. The main problem I have with downloading and editing my photos at the moment is purely that I have to use the desktop in the study to do that, and it's a temperamental beastie at the best of times.If you plug in a USB before switching it on, then it crashes and Doc C has to physically take it to bits and re-build it. This sort of thing makes me wary of using it.

Anyway, I had read about memory cards that had built in wi-fi and would just automatically upload all your photos when in range of your home network (or any of the 32 other networks you can give it permission to use). So I bought one, and it's all set up and raring to go. So far I've just taken some test shots of an empty cake stand, but once I've got something better than that I'll post them here.

A Kindle's Journey.

For my birthday Moth gave me some Amazon gift tokens, so I could buy a Kindle! I ordered it on my birthday (along with a olive green leather case, and a book for the Doc) and have been tracking it's progress ever since. Wheeeee!

That's really been the focus of this week for me, so I've found it very hard to write blog posts that weren't just detailing the Kindle's journey from Amazon's mysterious seller facility, the location of which is merely given as "US". The first stop on the trek was Hebron, Kentucky, which gives us a clue as to the seller facility's location because it only took an hour to get to Hebron from there. We can also deduce that Hebron must be delightful, because the Kindle spent 7 hours there. What do you think? Brunch with some of the other parcels, maybe a mini spa day?

Happily refreshed the Kindle spent the next day travelling from Kebron KY to Charlotte NC, where it checked in for the night. Kindle left Charlotte for Alienspouseville at 2 o'clock this morning, and I kept checking the shipment tracker, and when it's arrival was logged I got VERY excited; so I walked to the post office at lunch time.

Did I mention that today has been the first day we've had proper snow? And, naturally, the heaviest flurry was at lunch time, so I walked to and from the post office - in the snow - to get my Kindle and...

...The delivery it was on hadn't been unpacked yet, so I have to go back tomorrow.

It'll probably snow again, and there will be some sort of geological event that will mean I'll have to walk up hill both ways. Actually it was quite a nice walk really, and it wasn't an entirely unfruitful trip, the birthday present I'd ordered for Doc C (and the t-shirt I got at the same time) had arrived, so that was something. Doc's present was an apron in suitably drab colours, the man lives in drab, with the slogan "I (pictogram of a loaf of Bread) Bread"! "I Loaf Bread"! Love it!

Flame Coloured Leaves.

This tree is right next to the main entrance to my building and it's easy not to notice for most of the day, because it's not until the sun moves around behind it in the laste afternoon that you really get the effect of the whole tree being aflame. Then you notice.

Birds and Other Animals.

This is the bird feeder (that's what it was labelled anyway - but I think it makes a better bird bath than a bird feeder, because surely it's just going to fill up with water when it rains?) I bought in Old Salem yesterday, the shell is about the size of a hand and the little metal bird is probably a little bit smaller than life size.  It was only ten bucks! Score!

So far the birds have totally ignored it, but that's hardly surprising as it has nothing in it.

This is right next to our now empty seed holder, which Doc filled up on Thursday and which was then systematically emptied by the cheeky chipmunk that lives under our house. This morning I saw a squirrel hanging on the empty feeder - Sorry Nutkin, too slow! The chipmunk is quick and efficient!

Being animal-loving softies we are secretly rooting for the chipmunk, and so we didn't chase it away or remove the feeder when we saw what it was up to. Of course that doesn't mean we are going to refill that feeder any time soon, the chipmunk has more than enough to last it for quite some time and the birds won't really need our help until it snows.

 

Sadly, there is a down-side to being animal loving softies.  Apparently when you rescue a mouse from certain death at the jaws of your cat and release it from the front door, what the ungrateful wretch then does is run round to the back of the house and climb back in through the tumble dryer duct. I know this because I saw a mouse sitting in the middle of the downstairs bathroom when I got up this morning, and I am pretty damn certain it was the same mouse from last night.

I called Edith, who naturally ignored me completely, but when I got her and carried her into the bathroom she pretty soon figured out what I was trying, in my moronic human way, to tell her. The mouse slipped away under the washing machine, and Edith so has been on high alert ever since. She has been patrolling downstairs and checking all the likely places a mouse might hide, including a very close examination of under the sofa. She is very thorough.
If I were this mouse I would get the hell out of here, but, seeing as it came right back to where it was caught last night and then just sat in the open where even a dopey human could see it, I'm assuming it's Pinky and not The Brain.

Autumn Morning.

There are some mornings when both of your precious darling cats have thrown up in various places, and, whilst you clean that up, the kitchen fills with smoke because your breakfast bagel has burnt in the toaster.

It is particularly important on those mornings to take a deep breath, and also to appreciate a moment of unexpected beauty when you walk around a corner to see misty sunlight shining on autumn leaves.

Trees Within Trees.

Over the weekend we went for a walk, and Doc C spotted a large tree which has two fir tree saplings growing out of the fork. It's a beautiful adoptive tree family!

Kitty Pride.

I read recently (on Wikipedia) that the reason Sanrio don't usually give Hello Kitty a mouth is because "without the mouth, it is easier for the person looking at Hello Kitty to project their feelings onto the character" and that "the person can be happy or sad together with Hello Kitty." I've just never pictured Hello Kitty as being a great solace during times of difficulty myself, but maybe she is to somebody.

I think the addition of the glasses make Hello Kitty look more scholarly, but also as if she will not take any nonsense. A fine role-model for any professional woman I'm sure you'll agree.

Today I am wearing jeans and a t-shirt (that both fit!) topped off by a waistcoat with a Nerd Hello Kitty badge on it. I happened to be wearing almost exactly the same thing when I was in a slightly awkward situation a week or two ago and I must say that I felt equal to the challenge because I had Nerd Hello Kitty in my corner (not to mention I was better dressed - Which I hesitate to note because it sounds a bit self-congratulatory, possibly outright bitchy, but, none the less, that was my honest opinion).

Turning Colours.

Autumn! Woot! Woot!

Nero Greenback Visits Appalachia.

When we were walking yesterday I was taking photos of tree roots, and I notices a fuzzy white caterpillar. I think this is a picture of it's head, but I'm not really positive of that.

Anyway, I think it's Baron Greenback's evil pet, Nero, or at least a close relative. Could someone in London pop a note in Danger Mouse's letter box please, or perhaps e-mail Penfold?

(By the way I made none of these jokes at the time because Doc C has never seen "Danger Mouse". I know! Can you imagine?)

Asheville Feeds Me.

I always book my next haircut with Naomi on my way out of the salon (Ananda - Who are lovely by the way), that way we have our next trip to Asheville set up before we've even left town, and when I booked my haircut last month I happened to choose the weekend that the Americana Burlesque and Sideshow Festival was in town. That sounded like our idea of a good time, so the Doc booked a hotel and I threw an evening dress and two bags of make-up into an overnight case. However, we couldn't find out if there would definitely be seating at the main show at The Orange Peel on Saturday night. I know that sounds a bit needy, but really I don't want to be standing for three hours at the best of times and it would really kill Doc C's back. We really did try to find out, we scoured the website for clues, and asked at the box office on the day, but no-body seemed to know and we didn't want to plonk down $25 apiece on the off-chance we'd be able to snag a chair.

So we got dressed up anyway and went for a curry at Mela. There was considerably less nudity on display, but the Malai Kofta (Ground almonds, cashews and paneer cheese formed into balls and cooked in a rich almond spice sauce) with a Mumbai Mojito was so delicious I barely noticed that. I am a girl who liked her food, it makes me very happy to eat a really nice meal.

Speaking of which, we went to Table for brunch this morning. You know when I say it like that it sounds easy, but we weren't at all certain they would be able to fit us in because we didn't have a reservation. To be sure of a tasty breakfast we got there half an hour before they opened and made sure we were the first people through the door. They hadn't even printed off the day's menus, that's how ahead of the game we were this morning!

Doc had a breaded pork loin with a fried egg and avocado, which was delicious; at least that's what he tells me, personally I was too focussed on my bagel with lox, goat's cheese and a hard-boiled egg to really pay any attention to anything else. So delicious. I'd already eaten half of the bagel, all of my salad and a good number of smashed-then-fried potatoes before I thought to take a photo.

So delicious.

happy sigh.

Soft-Shells.

OH MY GOD!

The neighbours across the pond from us, the people who are only here for a couple of months over the summer, were just shooting air rifles and fireworks at the ducks and geese. Apparently they've been doing this every summer for several years, to try and scare the birds away permanently but it just hasn't worked.

Why would anyone do that?

I mean quite apart from the fact that it's really noisy, scares the hell out of our cats and our next-door-neighbour's dog, AND they were aiming the fireworks in the general direction of our house; why do they get to evict the wildlife from a perfectly nice pond? Why live next to a bloody pond if you don't like wild fowl being on it? What is the point? And who the hell made them king of the world?

Aaaahhhh! People are just horrible sometimes.

Naturally, being British, I just went outside and stared at them with my hands on my hips until they went back into their house again, but I'm sure that being given a disapproving look won't do much long term difference to their attitude.

Does anyone know of a good goose or duck translation of "The Foxbusters"? I think we could do with some of the Ransome, Simms and Jeffries spirit around here.

A Visit from My Mother-in-Law.

After the Power of the Pumps walk we met up with Alison (Doc's Mum) and her friend Mike, who had detoured on their drive back to Massachussets after wintering in Florida. They had arrived in town just before the walk, so they saw The Wedges before going to get some lunch whilst the actual walk was in progress.

The last time they visited we were still living in our old house, so we were excited about showing off our current home because it is a much prettier house and neighbourhood. They were staying over-night (after Doc guilt-tripped them), so we went out for dinner and an evening tour of the town, before getting frozen custard. We know how to show visitors the very best of our small town. It was actually a really good evening for them to visit, with the town being neither in the full-on tourist mode of summer or the full-on student mode of the start of a semester (it's exam week - The students should all be revising...) and the weather being actually quite pleasant instead of miserably cold and damp.

This morning Doc dropped me off at work before going to meet them for breakfast, and then they will continue on their way back to New England.

Repetitively Beautiful.

I'm aware that I've been taking fewer pictures than usual, but it's that age old complaint: It's been snowing since the dawn of time & everything looks the same every bloody day.

With that in mind, please forgive a second photo of the Stick Cockerel in the snow. This one is different though, because there is a bit less snow so Mr Stick himself isn't frosted and you can see bird tracks around him. Plus there is a pinkish tinge from the setting sun.

Did I mention the snow?

Tree Buds and Video Games.

We went out for brunch this morning, and then went for a walk to work it off again.

I noticed there were several trees in bud, which is really shortsighted on the part of the trees because we are expecting another bad cold snap next week. I was taking photos of the buds when Doc C pointed out a really tiny nest. We couldn't work out if it was a bird nest or an insect nest, but it's pretty impressive that it's so well built that it has survived the whole winter so far.

Then we came home and I had a lovely nap with Edith in the loft.  Then Doc C napped with both cats whilst I played "Little Big Planet 2", and it is SO cool. There is an whole level made of cake, Batternburg Cake, where you can grab and throw blobs of jam. Plus there is another great soundtrack, which includes the disco classic "A Fifth of Beethoven" which is so damn funky.

It has been a fun Saturday.

Winter Sunset.

On the way home some enormous fluffy snowflakes landed on the windscreen and you could see the pattern of the ice crystals really clearly.  I tried to take a photo, but it was really difficult to focus on it so the white spec that I actually captured in the shot turned out to be the moon.

I still had my camera out when we hit the stretch of road that faces the sunset in the evening.  So I snapped some pictures of the gorgeous orangey pink horizon instead.  It's definitely one thing that North Carolina does really very well, and I particularly like the colours against the monotones of the telegraph wires, the mountains and the snow.

Yes, if it wasn't for that bloody Hot Tub sign on the right I'd be really quite chuffed with this photo.

A Blow to the Christmas Spirit.

Today Doc C and I were on somewhat of a mission, we made a list of everything we needed to buy, loaded all the recycling and rubbish into the car and then we went to town.  The list was mainly things that we might need whilst snowed in, which there is not a sign of so far I have to say, and included such necessities as whiskey, apples and draught excluding stuff.

We completed our mission within the alloted time frame and then came home to put up the lights on the veranda before the hotly anticipated arrival of snow.  

Whilst helping Doc to wire the lights through the kitchen window, I managed to hit myself in the head.  If this were a sit-com it would have been something seasonally appropriate, but in real life it was actually a very large wok which I knocked off it's hook and onto my head.  Doc came running in, and made me sit down then he checked me for any signs of concussion, but I think I'm ok.  Bit of a headache, but that's about it.  Edith kissed it better, well, really she just likes the taste of my hair product I think so it was more an affectionate grooming.

We were planning to go to a friend's party this evening, but the wok to the head took the party mood right out of me, so we stayed at home instead.  I put up some of the draught excluders, but I've left the rest to do in the morning.  Oddly putting up insulation is far less fun then putting up decorations, weird that eh?

Friday Night - Before the Predicted Snow Storm.

We're going to my Department's Christmas Party this evening, which should be quite fun actually.  It's a very good thing that it's this evening, because this weekend we have been promised a blizzard.  In fact the University has already re-scheduled the exams that were supposed to take place on Monday to Wednesday, I'm assured that this is completely without precedent so this is clearly going to be some serious snow.

I'm already planning the supplies we'll need to buy tomorrow morning to survive the predicted long snow-pocalypse weekend - Mostly this involves having all the ingredients required to bake mince-pies and gingerbread houses, but I also have my eye on some draught excluding caulking cord for the window frames.  I am determined to stay warm this year, and I've been reading this blog post about things you can do to keep heat in when you live in a rented home with an eye to making that a reality.  Of course my top tips to staying warm over the winter is plenty of tea and a cat or two scattered about the place.

How Tuesdays Should Always Be.

If there is anything better than coming home early from work, it's coming home early from work, having a nap with your loving pets and being woken by the smell of banana bread baking in the kitchen.

Also, in other news, it snowed a bit.

When life Gives You Snow, Make Hot Chocolate.

I stayed at home today, thanks to the combination of a bad headache and a heaping helping of snow.

Doc had a meeting so he still drove into campus, but the Mini is front wheel drive so he actually had a bit of a challenge just getting up the incline of the driveway and onto the main road.  It took him three tries, but he took a good run up and made it eventually.

I made myself some porridge and went back to bed with the cats.  They mostly slept, whilst I knitted and read "Freakonomics".

Doc came home at 12, and said he was really glad that I hadn't gone in today because the roads were awful already.  He'd brought home a lot of work to do, so he disappeared into the study.  

I felt much better this afternoon so I took the opportunity to whip up a batch of heart-shaped butter cookies and some hot chocolate; because if this isn't the perfect weather to snuggle up with a warm snack and a good book, then I really don't know when is.

The Cat in Winter.

Doc C took Edith outside for a few minutes yesterday morning, naturally he got bored well before she did. For one thing because she's admirably prepared for such weather with a luxurious fur coat which keeps her toasty warm, and for another she's very vain and knows how gorgeous she looks against white.  

I suspect this is how she was given the distinctly snowy name of Mrs Zhivago, because if any cat would look good snuggled up to Julie Christie in a horse drawn sleigh it would be our Edith.

A Purgative of Mental Objects.

Edith woke me up at 5 this morning by miaowing pitifully, which she never does, so I went downstairs to check she was ok (she was totally fine, I don't know what that was about at all) and then back up to bed; but I couldn't fall back to sleep.  I just did that dozing thing, where you have your eyes closed but your brain is churning away.

Mainly I was thinking about life, the universe, and, you know, everything.  A recurring theme was blogging and what exactly I'm trying to do in this little bit of of the internet.  I read a lot of blogs, web comics and cyber-zines so I've observed there are as many approaches to maintaining an internet site as there are people on-line.  I've never wanted to stick to a particular theme, because my blog was more about keeping an open diary.

When I wrote about going to the hospital with Doc C on Wednseday evening he wasn't very pleased that I'd done that, but it was in defending those 2 posts that I came to the conclusion that I haven't been writing about the things I've been actually thinking about.  I don't really know why I'm censoring myself so heavily because all it means is that when I open the compose screen I'm stuck with a very limited selections of topics to write about, and it sort of feels like I'm making endless small talk.  Which is exhausting.

So I think it's time for a cathartic blurt of my current recurring thoughts:

• Doc C and I are going to try and get me pregnant in 2011.  This is a very weird thought.
• I haven't been home in over three years and I just have a small but constant lump of homesickness in my throat that I have to try and ignore or I'll just wallow in it.
• I've been on anti-depressants for 18 months mainly to cope with the homesickness, and that certainly helps, but it's still there.
• I don't like living in a small town, because I really miss being in a big city.  The job market means we are unlikely to move anywhere soon, so I'm trying to make the best of it all but it's not my ideal lifestyle.
• Only one person seems to be talking to me from my last office here on campus, and that makes me really paranoid.  Did I do something awful or are they just cross because I changed offices?  No one's actually mentioned anything to me, but it's a hard feeling to shake.
• I like my current job but I always planned to have got somewhere in an actual career by this stage in my life, and I'm getting a little bit panicky that I'm in my mid-thirties without any idea what the hell I'm going to do next. Part of the problem is that the only career option that seems viable in a small university town is becoming a university lecturer.
• I'd need to complete at least an MA, which would involve taking classes, researching and writing essays and doing student teaching whilst working a full time job.  I need a nap and a large gin just thinking about that. 
• I would like to start a small business but I'm not sure what I should try to do.  I'm always being told I should sell my Amigurumis or other stuff I make, but I'm just not sure if that's really what I want to do full-time.
• I'm not a very good house keeper, because I honestly don't notice that stuff until it becomes clear that it really needs to be done.
• I don't like my wardrobe.  The only place I ever seem to buy clothes here is Old Navy, which is fine for jeans and casual tops; but all of their skirts are too short.  I'll never be cool and that's fine, I just want to look smart and sensible, but also a bit funky or at least interesting.  
• I can't find time to exercise regularly.  Going to the University gym is free, but it opens at 7 so I can only fit in 20 to 30 minutes in the morning before I have to get ready to start work at 8; the gym then closes at 3 and I finish work at 5.  I can't run because my plataar fascitiis flares up again.  I want to take Pilates, but one studio just won't get back to me and the other isn't offering classes until next year now.
• I'm a natural blonde and, as is natural, my hair is getting darker.  I occaisonally think that I'd like to dye it a fun colour, but I've never bleached or dyed my hair and I'm not sure I could really be bothered with the necessary upkeep to keep it looking good.  Plus that sounds expensive.
• We will be in Boston for Christmas, which means we will be seeing the Doc's family and he hasn't even begun thinking what we could do for presents for all of them.  Actually when I mentioned it this morning he said he would tell them not to give us any, so we shouldn't need to get anything for them.  This strategy never bloody works, and I find it mortifying to be given gifts when I don't have anything to give in return.
• Edith keeps pooping on the bathroom floor, I'm trying not to get angry with her because I know she's just trying to tell me something, but I don't know what she wants now. This makes me feel like a bad cat owner.

Ummm... Yeah, there's other stuff too I'm sure, but that'll do for now!

Roller Derby Demo Bout.

Our local roller derby team had a demo bout this afternoon, which sounded like my idea of a well spent Sunday.  I thought I'd left my camera at home, so I don't have any photos - Not even of when one of the Black Team's Jammers slid off the track right into our trackside chairs.

It was very entertaining, and we already have a few favourite skaters (our favourites were chosen based on a combination of skating, style and a clever name or number); so I'm really looking forward to seeing them play an actual match against another team!

Don't worry though Mum, much though I enjoyed watching, I can't imagine I'll ever get out on the track itself.  For one thing, as Doc C said, I just don't have enough of a killer instinct for it.

Countdown to Halloween: Twenty One Days

This mechanical pony ride sits outside Kmart, next to a kid size Bat-Mobile.  I took this photo on the way in, and made some comment to Doc C about how spooked the horse looked.  This isn't the first time I've noticed this particular toy, and I have always thought that it looked uninviting, because that horse looks evil and/or insane and I wouldn't want to put a child on it.  Look at the expression on it's face!  That is not a well balanced horse!   

On our way out after our shopping there was a little girl riding the Pony of Darkness, and I recognised her as the child who had been systematically destroying an animatronic witch inside the shop. Maybe she was playing a rousing game of the Spanish Inquisition,.. or maybe she's just out of control.   Either way, I can see why the horse looks like that now, clearly even devil spawn children demand pony rides occasionally.

Countdown to Halloween: Twenty Three Days

We happen to live in a place that's famously beautiful at this time of year, so much so that we actually get tourists who are referred to as "Leaf Lookers".  This being a particularly nice day I was taking some photos of the late afternoon sun shining through the autumn leaves.

Then I spotted the newly spun spiders web catching the light, and looking very much like my beaded cardigan from yesterday.  When you see a new web they look so delicate and pretty it seems ironic they are so intrinsically linked with haunted houses.

However, when I moved to try and get a better shot, I then saw the main web.

 
Oh right, well now that you mention it, that is really creepy.

Cat in the Rain.

Taking the cats out for a walk is definitely more fun for them then it is for me, because they don't really do very much apart from eat grass and sniff things; but they move just fast enough and just far enough away to stop me from reading a book or something.

Last night I tried walking both cats at the same time, and, of course, they each wanted to go in the opposite direction to the other.  It was not fun for any of us, so I brought them back in and Edith threw a tantrum.  I'm not kidding!  She miaowed, she clawed at the door, she threw herself on the floor, she tried to push the screen off the window and finally tried to climb up the window frame.  It was quite a display.  Doc asked if I really thought taking her outside was such a good idea after all.

But I still do, because for one thing I know that Doc wants to be able to let the cats out by themselves when we live somewhere suitable with a private garden or something.  When that does eventually become a possibility I will just feel a lot more comfortable if I've been able to see them outside on the lead first, and be 100% certain they know how to get home before I'll trust them out there by themselves.

Anyway, this evening it was raining and had been all day - So I thought Edith wouldn't want to be out there for very long, because she hates water.  And that assumption would be wrong.  Apparently Edith hates water unless it's rain, and that's a very important distinction clearly.  Good thing I'd put on my new raincoat and wellies, because we were out there for a while.  The thing's I'll do for these cats.

By the way, I edited this picture in Picnik and added in the watery texture that way, which is a new effect that I love.  That's pretty much what it looked like for me anyway, I'm just pleased none got on the camera lens itself.

Hair Cut in Asheville

Today we went to Asheville, mainly so I could get my hair cut.  This seems an awfully long way to go for a salon, but I just can't find anyone here to cut my hair short enough and to understand when I say I want some "volume and texture" I do not therefore mean "BIG HAIR".  I'm from England, not Texas.

So I searched on-line for a hairdresser that stocked the hair products I've become very attached to, Bumble and bumble, and that was how I found the website for Ananda Hair Studio.  I liked the look of their portfolio, and the bios they'd written for the stylists; so I rang and spoke to quite possibly the most helpful receptionist I have ever come across.  She asked some very good questions about my hair and the type of style I wanted, and also broke down the different fees for me.  She then suggested Naomi would be a good stylist for me, so I went with that and she was spot on.  Naomi was so cool, she was wearing a navy tank dress with white stripes, a red headscarf knotted round her neck and high red wedges; it was sort of punk sailor girl look, which I wish I could pull off.  She also turned out to have pretty much exactly the haircut I wanted, so I relaxed the minute I sat down at her station.

After that we went shopping, I bought three books and some yarn; whilst Doc C declared again that he is totally over Urban Outfitters.  On the way home we got Dunkin' Donuts, which were pretty much dinner, so it was a very fun day but I am knackered now.

Stupid Spiders.

I didn't go running this morning, but I did get up early to do some yoga and after breakfast Doc C and I went for a walk; so I feel like I've had some exercise.

We then went shopping for a few things; mainly I wanted an extension cable and a clip lamp for the loft, but we also had to get some sort of bug spray.  I've currently got three large bites on my right leg and they are itchy as hell, Doc C suspects spiders.  I am most annoyed by this, because I am nice to spiders damn it!  I try not to damage their webs (unless they are in really stupid places that I can't avoid) and I regularly rescue them from the bath.  Why would they turn on me like this?  Actually I wouldn't really care if the bites didn't itch for days, that's the bit the I hate.

Anyway, Doc won't have me being snacked on and the cats are showing no aptitude for spider hunting, so bug spray it is.  sigh.

Edith Can Climb.

As I tweeted earlier today I climbed up to the loft for a nap this afternoon, and when I'd been up there for a while I could hear Edith messing around on the mezzanine (I worked in a bookshop that had a half floor that we referred to as the mezzanine for three years, so I think it's a perfectly reasonable way of describing it; Doc keeps asking if that's really what we are going to call it) climbing on all the boxes.  So I looked over the edge of the loft at her, until she looked up and saw me.

Then she had to try and get to me.

She walked all round the mezzanine trying to find a way up, and occasionally miaowed in frustration.  Finally she sat at the foot of the ladder and just gazed up at me.  I thought that would be the end of it, because I didn't think she'd even try to climb the ladder by herself.

Oh how wrong I was.  She just launched herself onto the first rung, and scrambled up until she reached me and was clearly very proud of herself.

We stayed up there for about an hour, and when I climbed down I carried Edith down with me.  She hated that, but I honestly don't know how else she could get down from the loft.  Of course now I'm worried she'll climb up there when we aren't at home and get stuck.

Stupid cat.

We Just Need a Title To Create Some Buzz.

Over the summer the University campus plays host to a number of different associations and camps.

This week we have both Cheerleader Camp and the Eastern Apicultural Society Conference (a helpful e-mail explained that this would involve beekeepers, and several swarms of their charges, congregating on a lawn close to my office).  This means we have both overly excitable teenage girls and hives of bees within fairly close proximity to each other.

I don't know who is in charge of scheduling these things, but clearly they have never seen a low budget horror movie.

Moving Saga.

When we got home from work yesterday we had a cup of tea and a choccy biccy before settling down to our allotted tasks.  Doc C had a lecture to write, so he got on with that whilst I continued unpacking.  Mostly I wanted to get the study clear, so that the Charter engineer could hook up the wi-fi with not too much hassle when he came this morning, remember this salient point.  First I had to interrupt Doc to get him to help me drag the futon mattress up to the loft.  It fitted perfectly!  It is so comfy up there now, all I need is a lamp and a steady supply of snacks, and it will be bliss.

After that it was fairly easy to arrange the study, it just took ages.  My own personal favourite furniture ninja move was putting the wire shelves (the ones that Doc had bought them for his plants, so they were in front of the living room windows in the old house) under the stairs.  This doesn't sound particularly brilliant, but I positioned them so that we can use the shelves from the kitchen AND Doc can still easily fit his bike under the stairs.  It was extremely satisfying to see that work in real life almost as well as it had in my head when I thought of it at 2 in the morning.

I also carried several box loads of stuff up to the mezzanine, which is where I'm going to be keeping my bookcases and craft stuff.  This was made considerably less easy by the cats, who continue to adore lounging on the stairs and being annoyed if made to move.

Once that was all done, we settled down with a glass of Pimm's and "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962).  Doc insisted we had already seen it, but I am equally certain that I hadn't ever watched it before.  It was one of those debates that is impossible to prove any part of your argument in, beyond the simple fact that is is highly unlikely I would forget forget Angela Lansbury being that evil.

Of course the punchline to this story is that we didn't get the phone call we expected from Charter last night, or this morning.  When Doc called them and asked what time to expect them, they said "Today?  No mate, Thursday" (I paraphrase).

sigh.  Two more days without TV or internet access at home.

Loft Space.

One of my favourite things about the new house, is also one of the most awkward to get a photo of.

This is a photo of the main staircase, and the landing.  Can you see the ladder in the top right hand corner of the photo?  That goes up to the loft!

Here's a much better photo of the ladder, but the beam blocks the loft.

It's really small, about the size of a queen size bed so I'm not sure what it's meant to be used for actually.

I'm thinking that my book cases, and yarn stash would fit quite neatly up there with a bean bag and a packet of Hob Nobs.  

Moving House in July.

Ugh.  It's TOO hot.  It reached 90 yesterday, which is the hottest on RECORD, because we're on top of a sodding mountain and that's not supposed to happen.

Edith and I are both just flopping around as if our bones are made from fresh pasta; which is ok for her because she's a cat and that's what she always does, but I am supposed to be getting some packing done in advance of moving.

So far I have packed three boxes full of books, and then I napped for an hour.

This is not the most efficient method.

Double Duck Tail.

Aren't ducks just the most ridiculous of creatures?  I love it when they decide to trade being somewhat graceful for the indignity of sticking their tail feathers up in the air whilst they scrabble for weed. 

Where are you pigeon? I am looking for you

It was ridiculously warm and humid, and it was just too stuffy in our bedroom for us to be able to sleep there.  So we slept on the futon in the study-slash-spare bedroom, actually Edith sleeps down there quite often because it's the coolest room in the house.

We had the windows open, and Nancy hauled herself onto the window frame to have a nice stare out.  Just after we turned off the light and were settling down, I caught the unmistakable whiff of skunk.  It was really strong, so it must have been just outside the house.

I think that the Pepe Le Peu cartoons were in actual fact wildlife documentaries, and that last night Monsieur Skunk, besotted with Nancy, was trying to woo her with his distinctive aftershave.  Nancy was having none of it, and ran away from the horrible stench as fast as her stubby little legs would carry her.  Poor skunk.

And poor us.  It was not at all easy to fall asleep in the circumstances.

Muggy Sunday = Horror Movie Marathon.

It's too warm today, and there is a thunderstorm hanging around that just won't break, so it's really muggy as well.  There's nothing to be done, other than sit underneath a ceiling fan and watch cheesy horror movies.  Fortunately I've got plenty of material on hand because I bought a 50 film box-set of "classic" horror movies in DC, which is delightfully haphazard in it's quality.  There's roughly a dozen early Hitchcock's mixed in with really random schlock; I just watched Tod Slaughter in "The Dark House" which was a really melodramatic adaptation of "Woman in White", and I'm currently watching "The Long Hair of Death" which is even worse than it sounds.

The only one in the house who enjoys this weather is Nancy, who is lolling around in attitudes of stumpy cat joy.

Front Door.

It seems almost a shame that we will have to put furniture in the front room, it's so gorgeously minimalist right now.

Still two weeks!  Squee!

Blah.

I love that "blah" makes such great cartoon character hair.

The side curls are particularly pleasing.

Twenty Days!

 These are the tiles at the bottom of the steps leading up to the new house.

Friday Night Still On My Mind.

I'm still kind of stunned by the Q&A with Amy Sedaris last night, it was just so cringe worthy.  This is why we can't have nice things people! 

The hijacking of the whole thing by local businesses was just so rude (I only mentioned two incidents in my post yesterday, but it was more like 10 or 11 out of the 15 questions), and it was all the more outrageous because the audience paid $30 a ticket, so it was like paying to sit through a tacky infomercial.  Oh and we were told several times that the ticket price was subsidised, so I think we were supposed to be indulgent of it becoming a marketing seminar.  I have been bitching about it to Doc C on and off all day.  Fortunately he's been doing the same thing, so he didn't mind

I hate to think what Amy Sedaris thought of the whole thing.

.

Amy Sedaris Has Great Legs.

Amy Sedaris was appearing in town this evening as part of the University's Summer Arts Program, and I have been really looking forward to it since May.

Amy Sedaris was great; she was funny, gracious and incredibly patient.  This may seem like an odd thing to say after seeing a comedienne, but there was a Q&A session with the audience at the end and the host who had been chatting with Amy Sedaris earlier was choosing who got to ask questions.  The majority of the people who were invited to "ask a question" were just hogging the microphone to promote a local business.  At one point Amy Sedaris invited an audience member to make a craft project with her.  One enthusiastic young man was selected first, he literally vaulted onto the stage and really seemed into the whole thing.  There were really only enough materials for one craft project, but the host then pulled a woman out of the audience as well.  She turned out to be the owner of a large local shop, and getting her up on the stage seemed to be purely a way for the host to mention the name of it.  It was just so transparent.

Amy Sedaris is staying at a local spa, and, during the Q&A, the owner was given the mic.  She asked if Amy Sedaris liked eggs, Amy Sedaris seemed a little non-plussed by the question, but said no, not really.  Don't like eggs?  Umm, no?  This seemed to go on forever, until the spa owner eventually said that she had been planning to make Amy Sedaris breakfast.  It was like when a small child tries to tell a knock-knock joke to someone who doesn't know they are supposed to say "Who's there?" and the child just keeps trying to tell the joke anyway.  But obviously the owner of the spa is an adult, so it was more uncomfortable then that even! 

Amy Sedaris has a book, "Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People", coming out in November, that I think I might buy because she was just such a sweetheart this evening to put up with all the nonsense so politely.  And I wished I had a copy of her last book, "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence" to get signed after the show, and I might just buy a copy anyway because she was so nice and funny.  We should all get copies!

p.s.  Amy Sedaris changed out of an ankle length gingham dress into a second-hand dress that a friend had altered for her and made extremely short.  This is how I know Amy Sedaris has great legs.

Three Weeks from Tomorrow!

The rental agent today called Doc C this morning to confirm that our credit check was fine, and so we can pick up the keys on Friday 30th of June.

So we can start moving in three weeks from tomorrow.  I've made up a song about it, which goes:

"Three Weeks Tomorrow! Three Weeks Tomorrow! Three Weeks Tomorrow! Three Weeks Tomorrow! Three Weeks Tomorrow!"

The Doc is also excited by the prospect of moving, but he has said he hopes that the new house is "...everything we hope it is."  I think he's worried that I'll get over excited and expect one of the built in cupboards to lead to a magical land of adventure.

With this in mind, I haven't really liked to mention to him that the whittled cockerel effigy that he found on the porch railing is just a touch "Wicker Man"(1973 - I am aware of no other version); but then, as I mentioned this morning, I have thoroughly considered the zombie escape routes from my office, so let's just call this little stick bird charmingly rustic instead.

House Hunting - Day Two.

Before work this morning we had an appointment to look at a house, and it was actually nice but also actually a shoe-box.  OK, not actually actually, but compact certainly.  I was uncertain if we could fit our bed in the bedroom, and knew for a fact that no bedside tables or chests of drawers would be getting a look in.  The size was probably the only drawback, it was otherwise in a nice quiet location with a tree shaded balcony that I could actually venture onto during the daytime.  Also the owner said that he did not want to rent out any of the units to students, so it was likely to remain nice and quiet.

On the drive to work Doc and I discussed it, and agreed the size really would be an issue; but the more I thought about it the more I thought we could probably manage it if necessary.  In order for it to work there would have to be some serious clutter reduction, and we might need to consider getting a loft bed to maximise the space.  And I actually like those really high beds!  As an only child I'm not entirely clear on why I had bunkbeds as a kid (Moth?), but I loved climbing up the ladder and sleeping high off the ground.  Sleeping on the lower deck was less fun because my hair would sometimes get stuck in the springs of the top bunk, this would not be a problem if the beds were on wooden slats instead of springs though, right?

So that was one option.

I also had the number for the rental agent our friends Randy and Laura were renting through, so Doc gave her a call and five minutes later was on his way (with my camera) to see a house she had available.  He came bouncing back into my office with the news that we were going back this evening, so that I could see it,.. and he had already written a cheque for the deposit and pet fees.  

Apparently if I didn't like it then the cheque would just be torn up by the rental agent, but still!  Crikey!  Doc C can move fast when he wants to!

The house has two floors and a little loft platform thingy (it's like a built-in bunk bed, we could use it for storage or we could put a mattress up there for guests), and the rent is about the same as we pay here now but there it would include basic cable and the house is slightly bigger.  And there is a wrap around covered porch.  And there is a little laundry room just off the downstairs bathroom, which is imminently suitable for litter trays.  And there is a large pond with geese and fish and dragonflies.

We happened to see the agent just as we were leaving, so we've already told her we would like to move in.  She's going to run our credit check tomorrow and, assuming everything is in order, then we can move in on the 1st of August.  Ironically this house is right behind Randy and Laura's house, or what was Randy and Laura's house a week ago.  It would have been so convenient!  But, oh no, they had to move to the other side of town before we even knew this place existed.  Some people, really!

As we drove home Doc was saying this was by far the nicest house we'd seen, and he was really glad to have found somewhere because house hunting is so difficult when you have cats.  I pointed out that we had only really been looking for two days, and he said "And it's been a really difficult two days!"

Doc's asleep on the sofa now.  I think all the excitement has worn him out.

For Rent - Cats Allowed.

After work today we had an appointment to look at one house and a couple of leads on possible locations, then we drove around areas we wouldn't mind living in noting down the numbers on the "For Rent" signs.

The first place I don't think is for us, I think it's too small; although this feeling may have been amplified by the lack of space to move due to the current tenants' untidiness. And if I'm saying that, then you know it's got to be pretty bad.

The second house we only planned to drive by, because it wasn't available to view until next week.  As it turned out I saw a friend of mine outside and we stopped to chat.  He actually lived two houses down, but he told us they were moving soon, because the house in between was infested by loudly partying students during the semester.  Over the summer break there would have been no way we would have known that, so I consider that a close shave.

We have an appointment to look at another house tomorrow morning, and Doc's on the phone to another potential landlord right now.  Keep your fingers crossed for us.

The Search for A New House.

During our stay in Washington Doc C got an e-mail telling him our house had been sold, and we had a month's notice to move out.

Which is fine, except it means... House hunting...

Ugh!

Actually I don't mind looking at houses/condos/duplexes themselves, but I do hate trying to find them to view in the first place.  Especially around here, because everything for rent is usually snaffled by students or is surrounded by the little blighters.  It is one thing to work at a university, but it is quite another to have to live near them.  We are just too old for the hi-jinks and Nancy would hate the noise (She did not approve of the fireworks last night, she wasn't frightened by the noise exactly but she looked very put-out by the whole thing).  The two main issues are therefore location and pets.  Is that so very much to ask for under a $1000 a month?  Really?

As I've only just started looking, and I've had a bottle of beer, I'm still being a bit silly and clicking on "air-conditioned" and "wooden floors" as well.  Worth a go.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird - Profile Shot.

The problem with getting a decent photo of a Hummingbird is that they don't stay still long enough for me to be able to focus the camera properly.

Bird v. Butterfly

The summer's Hummingbird action is really picking up, we have two or three regulars now at our nectar stations; including one very tiny but territorial Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)who thinks the hanging feeder is his exclusive nectar supply. It’s not unusual to see miniature mid-air dog-fights between the birds, and we were actually wondering if it might be part of their courtship routine because there is one particular female who he keeps a particularly close eye on.

This evening our feisty Red-Throated Baron got annoyed at a big orange Butterfly and kept zooming around the poor thing to get it off the feeder.  The Butterfly was having none of it.  Not only did it twitch it’s wings to try and keep the bird away, but once forced to fly off it started dive-bombing the bird instead!

It was amazing to watch!  Particularly as neither combatant was much bigger than my thumb.  Which reminds me, after seeing the “courtship” rumble, I looked up some info on the Ruby-Throats and their eggs are pea-sized.  PEA-SIZED!  The eggs are laid in a nest the size of a walnut.  A WALNUT!

That is so adorable I may need to have a nap.

Straw Hat with Pink Striped Ribbon.

Is there anything better on a bad hair day than finding a really nice hat for 40% off?

Humid, With Scattered Outbreaks of Natural Disaster Movies.

Today has been bad movie day.  

First I watched "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" instead of the USA v. GB match, and then the SyFy channel played a blinder with "Category 6: Day of Destruction" followed by the marvelously named "Stonehenge Apocalypse".  After this it's "Annihilation Earth", which I don't think we'll be watching actually, but I do appreciate the whole Armageddon theme they are going for this evening.  I bloody love the SyFy Channel.

That may sound like a very lazy day, and it's true I've done very little today.  In my defence it's been warm and humid with thunderstorms, which means Edith and I have been listless and sleepy because neither of us do well in muggy weather.  The pair of us flopped in the living room with the ceiling fan on all day.  I've napped and knitted, Edith has napped and tried out every possible piece of furniture in the quest to find the coolest seat in the room.

Nancy on the other hand loves this weather, she has been rolling around in a classic display of small cat hedonism.

Back to Asheville.

Last weekend we went to Asheville with Laura and Jasmine, and, after a lovely day, we drove by the cinema on our way out of the city.  As we passed I saw a poster with a Banksy rat on it and I realised that "Exit Through The Gift Shop", a title that I just hadn't recognised, was the documentary about street art that I'd been reading about a few weeks ago.

So Doc and I drove back today to see it, and it was a really amazing film well worth a two hour drive to get to (That's actually not much of a yard stick for me - When I lived in Brighton I was only round the corner from the local Odeon but it cost eight quid to see a film there; whereas if I hopped on a train to London and went to the NFT it was free, because I worked for the British Film Institute at the time.  Traveling for two hours just to see a film is completely fine to me). We also had a delicious noodle lunch, and I bought discounted yarn, a vintage Ngaio Marsh with some groovy cover art and the new Goldfrapp album.

Doc C didn't actually do any shopping himself, but he did get to see a film that will most likely be useful to show in one of his classes and he discovered that Dunkin' Donuts have perfected our donutty grail; I speak of the Chocolate Butternut.  It is glorious.

When we stopped for donuts we caught the eye of a gentleman sitting outside the shop, who noticed the Union Jack in our car and asked if we were British.  On the way out he spoke to us again, and we got a long rambling travelogue about his hitch-hiking through Europe as a teenager.  After that he had something else to tell the Doc, but it wasn't for my ears apparently so I got into the car.  Doc told me afterwards that he'd been told two dirty jokes, neither of which he heard the punch-line to, and the confession that the guy had been drinking since 6 in the morning.  It was around 4:30 in the afternoon by the time we ran into him.

Ahh Asheville!  You never, never, disappoint.

Reference Check.

Whilst I was having lunch with my husband today (Doesn't that sound grown up?  Unless you know I ate a packed lunch of cold pizza in Doc C's office, and then took my afternoon nap on the sofa), his phone rang and it was the Custard Depot.

They weren't calling to tell him that we were customers of the month or that we had won a lifetime supply of frozen custard unfortunately.  It was the manager and he needed Doc to give him a reference for one of his students who had applied to sling custard over the summer.  The Doc didn't know this particular student would be using him as a reference, but he gave an off-the-cuff recommendation with no problem.  All was well.

Five minutes went by. 

Doc C suddenly turned to me and said "I was talking about Jane Doe-A, not Jane Doe-B, and that's who he was asking about.  Oh..."  Brief silence as Doc C considers the conversation with the Depot manager. "Actually everything I said would apply to both of them, so it's fine."

Today's Alien Spouse top tip is for job seekers: Do tell your referees if they can expect a reference check on your behalf, if only so they don't get you mixed up with someone else with the same first name.