Easter week in Italy

Meet Willy...

The lover of all things string. The professional sleeper. The skinny gray, golden eyed wonder that is Willard Reilly. This boy does a number on me- he is adorable in every way. Just when I thought I couldn't love an animal more than I loved Buddy- (and I can't, Buddy was my one and only) Willy comes pretty damn close! His signature more? Walking into a room wearing a shoe lace. It's on his head, t's on his back, it's hanging from his tail. It's the perfect accessory for any outfit, really. He is dumber than sand and gorgeous... just the way I like em. He's comfortable in his new environment already and the typical boy cat. Philly has taken to him nicely. When he sees me first thing in the morning, he melts into a furball of affection. It's the best way to start the day. Nicknames include: William, Wilbur, Wilfred, Wilhelm, and the baby. Cute beyond belief. Always sleeps on mommy's pillow.

Fun in the pool with Daddy!

It's no wonder I love the water- my dad is a dolphin. He loves to swim in the ocean and is famous for taking OFF his red, white and blue bathing suit in the water at the beach and waving it above his head for my whole family to see. He still dives in head first even if I ask him nicely not to. He's a kid at heart and always will be. If you know what's good for you, don't ask him to play a nice, non-competitive, family game of volleyball. He doesn't know what that is and he'll spike you in the face every time.

Fun in the pool with Kellen!

Off to the Montauk Manor

Spending the next two days in Montauk at the Montauk Manor.

Going Veggie Day 3

breakfast: 1/2 pb and j on whole grain bread
lunch: spinach and feta cheese; spinach bites; blue chips; mozzarella sticks
dinner: sicilian pizza

Going Veggie Day 2

Eating alongside animals again today.
Breakfast: kashi cereal
lunch: peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread
dinner: spinach and feta cheese; left over eggplant; spinach bites.

Cooking vegetarian

Okay- Jonathan Safran Foer's book Eating Animals got to me... I'm giving up meat! No food with a face! Chicks are cute! Pigs are cute! Cows are cute! I don't know how cute fish are yet. I kinda want to eat salmon, shrimp, cod, tilapia, lobster, crabmeat, etc. Does that make me part vegetarian or whole ass? I guess I'll be chipping in for the tofurkey at Thanksgiving! Tonight: pasta with tomato and basil sauce and fried eggplant.

Things to do when it's literally a thousand degrees out

I literally cannot and will not leave the house today. It's one of the benefits of not working in the summer. I don't have to go anywhere if I don't want to! I'm stayin' indoors. However, even with a whole house to run it can get a little boring. So, what to do to escape the 98 degree heat? Here are some suggestions. I think you'll find that they range from the mildlly amusing to the extremely pathetic.

1. Eat something
2. Drink something
3. Read something
4. Watch something
5. Clean something
6. Call someone
7. Write someone
8. Fix something
9. Re-arrange something
10. Make something.

Since the list only took me two minutes to write, and it's still hot as hell, let me be more specific.

1. Do laundry and actually follow through by putting it away when it's done.
2. Put all the lids on the Tupperware and store it neatly so that in 2 days it's a mess again.
3. Make the bed. Actually, wash the sheets and re-make the bed.
4. Alphabetize the pantry. Beans, breadcrumbs, cookies, egg noodles, lentils, pasta, rice, soup, sugar ...
5. Reupholster a chair or two. Ha- did that one yesterday.
6. Sand and repaint a piece of furniture. This one can take several days. The first day, if I'm any example, is spent staring at the furniture wondering if you've gone crazy.
7. My favorite: pet the cats.
8. My least favorite: exercise.
9. Start (or continue) your own blog. This one's being suggested and practiced in real time!
10. Let's not forget the old standby: sleep.

Thank God for AC....

Tula's new spot

You'd better bring your own, clean towel when you come over to go in our pool- Tula has taken to lounging in the towel bin.

I could swear her face just says, "Aw-- f**k off, mommy." She always looks like a real snob.

Summer Projects

I had this cottony dress that I never really wore, but I still loved the pattern and the colors. So I decided to reupholster two dining room chairs with it!

I love how they came out! Let me know what you think!

I'm in the backyard...