Loo-uh-vull

Since Brian and I are officially on spring break, or SB11 as the "cool" kids abbreviate it, we decided to take a quick trip up to Louisville to see B's family. His parents were in town a few weeks ago to order the new computer, but since his sister got engaged last weekend, we needed to come see the ring! (And take awesome pictures of it with the macro lens I got from gear checkout at school!)
Sanibel, the Japanese Shiba has grown a LOT since I was here for New Year's. What was then an energetic ball of fluff has since turned into a energetic rocket-dog with long legs that allow her to jump on the couch and lick my camera. (It's ok, I put her in timeout for two whole minutes, see if she messed with ME again!) She's super fast and plays intensely for about 10 minutes before she needs to lie down for a nap, wake up, go outside and pee, grab a snack, and play for 10 minutes, nap, pee, snack, play, nap, etc. It's a dog's life in this place.
Not much exciting happened throughout the week, but there was some stimulation last night when our adoptive dad/cop friend asked for my Realtor's number so he could make sure my human rights were being fulfilled since Tuesday will be a month since my water went out.
Hopefully he lit a fire under her butt and I'll come home to no water hose-hooked-up-to-my-apartment-that-I-"probably-shouldn't-drink."
Claws is being kittysat (kitty-sitted? cat sat?) by the Rexroats. When I dropped him off Friday night, he lay down in the living room floor and let 3-year-old Gavin pet him. Clearly, he loves that place.
I would like everyone (all 3 people that read this) to note the use of lay and lie in this blog. That's because I took a feature writing test on Thursday and our teacher is a lay/lie Nazi. I'm feelin' pretty good about it.
If this was a feature test, I'd pass.
Off to play cards for a bit, and then buy this dress for $15, and call it a day.
(I actually wanted this one but it's about 6 inches too short. Not ok, guys. I thought long dresses were supposed to be good for tall people?)

Anyway, card time. I may post pictures later!

Cat

I hope this post only takes 34 minutes...

because my computer only has 35 to live.
But let's be serious, there's not that much to talk about.
I didn't find Buddy, (it just jumped up to 38, so I think we're safe) my little point and shoot camera, in Murray over the weekend. I decided to clean out my car, thinking maybe he was lost under a seat or suffocating in my trunk.
No such luck.

The good news—my car is the cleanest it's been since it was purchased in July 2009.
The bad news—I still can't find the camera =( AND my apartment looks like a small disaster zone. There's no where safe to walk, stand, or sit...probably.

Maybe tomorrow I'll look in my closet, but that's the last place I can think of. I looked under my bed when I rearranged, so that's out. The last time I had him was right before Thanksgiving when my roof starting leaking into my closet. I took pictures of that and don't remember using him after that. Sad day.

Tonight's adventures will include food and hiding in the pj lab and hopefully accomplishing some nice product for tomorrow's class. The fire alarms in Mass Media and Technology Hall (I said that in my tour guide voice) were going nuts yesterday, and they actually closed the building, so I couldn't work on it last night. That's ok though because I had to go see a play called "Khamaseen" for my theater appreciation class. It was pretty good, but there were some really immature people sitting behind me that more or less ruined the experience for me. I'm sad to report that the same ator that played Gaston in Beauty in the Beast back in September play a wife-beating-man-whore in this movie. But that's ok, if you're good at being a jerk, stick with it!
(In the crazy happenstance that Joshua Stinson, the student who played these parts, reads this, I am in no way dismissing your acting abilities based on the two characters I've seen you portray. I'm sure you're an upstanding gentleman that just wants to get ahead in your career and will play whatever role you are called to do, and you just happen to do them very well.)

I feel the need to paint something. Katie had a really cool painting she did and it made me want to copy cat it, sort of. Because she's just cool like that.

Oh! An update on the water situation!

There's not one.
Go figure.

-Cat

PS-no, that's not copied and pasted, no progress has been made as of 9:15 this morning when I left my apartment. And rent is due by the end of the week. Part of me wants to not pay it until I have running water. But the other part of me likes having somewhere to live...

Speaking of Copy and Paste:
my niece, Quinn, and nephew, Zander. They're cuties.

Home Sweet Home?

So Claws took the wheel and drove us back to Murray yesterday.
Ok, well, I drove most of it, but he helped. Specifically when going over the bridges in LBL. Wonderful time to crawl up on the wheel, kitten. NOT. But it's ok, we lived.
This homeland adventure was due to the fact that I had almost no tread left on my tires, and before I venture down to Athens to shoot engagement pictures, padre said they needed replacing.
I met mom at Carroll Tire just after four to start the process, and lo and behold, they don't actually have any tires in stock that would fit my car. So the default was Wal*Mart, which was a success. I had to get out of my car, and Claws had to come with me. He hates auto shops.
But he was very popular. I didn't know so many people exited through the auto shop in Wal*Mart. Ah, well, you learn something new every day.
My list of things to do while I'm home includes look for Buddy, my point-and-shoot. He's much easier to take quick pictures with, and I haven't seen him since before Thanksgiving. No bueno. I also need to go see Carmen and Brent's nursery for the twins! Mom sent me a few pictures, but since I also bought a few diapers, I have a delivery to make =)
I also brought home some aqua Ball mason jars for Clark and Amy's wedding, so Momma and I will be playing with making lanterns out of those, probably.
I'm currently watching Holmes on Holmes and...blogging. But I need to get up and shower so I'll be ready for my lunch date with Katie DeCillo. We're going to play with her new speedlights!
Oh! An update on the water situation.

There's not one.
Go figure.

Cat

PS Keep checking bcphotosite.com for updates. I change things around a lot, and feedback is always good!

This means that I should have water soon! They've marked the other lines so they cans tart digging up my "clogged water line." (Note the water hose that is my current supply...)



And that's the radar for my area. We're under a flash flood watch.
Well, at least there will be water OUTside my apartment...
Oh, crud. I have class in 5 minutes. I should probably whoop out my umbrella and start walking.

Cat

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink

I worked my first "Focus on WKU" day today. I handed out parking passes to probably 200 people.
"Good morning! Are y'all here for focus?
Awesome! We've got a parking pass for you, so you can just slide that in your dash and you'll be good to go. There's open parking in the back, so loop around the right and when you've found the perfect spot, head up to the red light and somebody will direct you to sign in. Alright, enjoy your day!"

And then it started getting windy.
And then it got cold.
And then it decided to rain.

BUT!
I have a water hose! It runs from the house to my apartment, so I can now wash dishes (done) and flush my toilet (done) and take a shower (still iffy.) However, "it's running through a garden hose, so it's probably not safe to drink it," said Doug the lousy repairman that works for the realty office that owns my apartment.
But that's ok, I have a Brita pitcher.

My new favorite thing:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1689714761641

I watch it repeatedly.
You should, too.

Have a wonderful week,
Cat

On having cable and internet access...

First of all, THIS is my bridesmaid dress for Clark and Amy's wedding!
It has a little key hole type opening in the front which is less than flattering, but that will be sewn shut shortly.
Second of all, I have cable AND internet at the Rexroat's house, and all I could find to watch was The Magic School Bus and Everybody Loves Raymond. When I got online, all I did was look at Facebook for something amusing (not much on a Saturday) and check craigslist to see if anybody had posted any more empty apartments (they haven't.) So now I'm updating my blog. I would be doing something much more amusing, like watching Claws play, but he's worn himself out and is currently...umm...hold on.
He's taking a nap in his basket. Cutie pie.
The day might include switching out a swimsuit I bought at JC Penny a few weeks ago that was a tad too small, but since my spring break plans have been axed, it's no emergency. I'll just be giving tours, and that requires no swimsuit.

What this comes down to is that I have cable and internet and am super bored despite that. I do believe I am better off not paying for those services and cuddling with my cat. Studies show it's therapeutic or whatever, right?

Cat

Two updates in less than a week. What?!

I'm sorry you can't actually read anything on my blog. I'm trying to figure out how to re-do everything, but it won't work. Blogspot/blogger is upsetting me mucho at the moment, though I did manage to make Claws my background!
It's officially been a week since I "moved out" of my apartment for lack of water. The Rexroats are now in California and I'm sure my cat is lonely. At first he ran away from the kids and hid all day, but as of Monday night he was crawling in Mike's lap and lying in the middle of the floor while the kiddos ran around and played. I'm sure he misses them now, though, in that big ole house with nobody to play with. I did open the curtain for him and leave his toys in the kitchen so he could attack them. I'll try to get a video of him running around the kitchen—cat+hardwood floors=hilarious.
On Tuesday I got a parking ticket for being parked at a meter. I will admit that I have parked many times at meters without paying, but for whatever reason, I did on Tuesday. I got a ticket at 9:20, returned to my car at 9:28, and I still had six minutes left! WHAT GIVES? Needless to say, I appealed it. I'm hoping I was nice enough in the email I sent that included a picture of the meter.
I had my first Marketing test on Tuesday and got an 80 on it. Guess I should actually read through ALL of the chapters next time rather than hitting the highlights.
Speaking of highlights, here they are:
I MET DAVE BARNES!
I SAW DAVE BARNES IN CONCERT!
I MET DAVE BARNES!
I still have no water. Before it would at least come through enough to fill up the toilet so I could pee at my apartment if I needed to, but that is no more.
I have ants because I can't wash my dishes—I had made breakfast the morning my water went out. It involved pancakes which involved syrup. I gotta buy some poison stuff.

I'm currently drinking coffee and sweet tea and it's 60 degrees outside. Life is a little hectic living in two places at once, but overall, life is good =)

Cat

I love my cat. Clearly.

Six inches of snow and I can't even make a snowman =(

So, my life as of the past week has been quite crazy.
1.) Brian changed his major
2.) Picture Stories is already stressing me out
3.) I keep having to drive in the snow
4.)I have no running water
5.) Claws decided to puke everywhere
6.) Zumba is kicking my butt. And my thighs.

1—The day after we had our first pj class, Brian decided he wasn't going to do it anymore. It stresses him out to find a story and he gets grumpy and decided that he wanted to do something he has a true passion for—helping people. He is now majoring in social studies with an education minor and wants to be a high school teacher. It may add up to an extra year of school for him, but he's on a four year scholarship right now, so adding another shouldn't be too pricey, especially since he's genius and got a good ACT score. There are always more scholarships!

2—I thought I had a story nailed down for Picture Stories (my photo class this semester. it requires a full story once a week, with the exception of two portrait series and the on-going final project. It'll make me be a multi-tasker for sure!) So I held off on shooting waiting for the class I needed to shoot, which was at the hospital and was then informed that I can do no such thing until I consult the marketing department. Boo. So that was a bust. I called roughly 4,000 other local businesses and finally landed on shooting a teacher at a cosmetology school. She was totally open to the idea and was super awesome, but the school was closed for the next three days due to snow. FAIL. So, I talked to me teacher and I'll be using a reshoot on that assignment.
Next week's assignment is "Love," so I'm shooting Wes and Heather Claiborne, and I know where they live so they can't bail on me =)

3— I don't have much tread on my tires. I slip a lot. I'm scared to park on the hill. But I have to go to class and can't ever find level parking spaces. Also, I STILL suck at parallel parking. (I'm practicing a lot though, I promise!)

4—Tuesday morning I woke up early to shoot, so I grabbed a quick five minute shower. I noticed it was colder than normal, but I equated that to my grumpiness and lack of coffee. As I got ready and fed the cat (and tripped over the cat) and went on my merrily little was, I wanted to brush my teeth. This presented a problem-I had no water. Nothing coming out of the faucet in the bathroom. I tried the kitchen; it was a bust. I was even silly enough to try the shower-nothing. So I grumbled and got out my Brita pitcher and brushed my teeth the old school way (think Pilgrim kind of old school.) I called my landlord on the way to my shoot and she said she'd send someone out later that day. She did, and the poor soul called me to ask a few questions, therefore giving me his phone number.
I returned home around seven that night and still had no way, but I did have something new! Muddy footprints EVERYWHERE. Needless to say, I was thrilled. I gathered my shower stuff and called my adoptive family, the Rexroats, who had generously offered me their working shower. I then called my landlord/realtor (I'm still not sure) and got no answer. So I called the repairman and he informed that FIRST thing tomorrow they'd be out to replace the broken valve! Thank goodness!
The next morning there were four guys and three trucks standing around the driveway, all doing the same thing—idling. I made them all move so I could go to work and thanked them for their time.
I returned home after class/the gym (church was cancelled due to snow) and had MORE muddy footprints and STILL no water. I called my landlord/realtor (I really should figure out who I'm dealing with) and again, got no answer. So I called the repairman, who "hated to be the one to tell me this" but that there was a clog in the line and it needed to be replaced. They can't dig until the city comes to mark all underground lines, which would be Monday, and they should hopefully have it fixed by Wednesday at the latest. Glorious.
I called the Rexroats after that; Claws and I are currently residing in Smiths Grove with three sweet children who wake up at the butt crack of dawn. And yell at my precious cat. But that's ok, he just hides under their bed, much to their dismay. Looking back, I take pity on Raja and laugh at how everyone must have looked at me. Because I'm looking at these kids the same way. When the kids go to bed, Claws comes out from hiding in my/Gavin's room and plays and runs around. He's not used to having so much room to play! And I'm not used to being able to lie down in the floor with him =)

5—I don't know why Claws decides to eat the yarn ball. I really don't. But it makes him sick, and every time he barfs, I have to clean the carpet. When I clean the carpet, it gets REALLY clean, and my apartment looks like a giraffe print has been laid on the floor. Also, he eats the rubber bands that hold the yarn ball together. Know how I know?
I found them in the litter box.

6—Zumba is so much fun! There are two different teachers at Preston, and they are very different, but the change of pace is good. I was a little sad I didn't go this morning, but I felt the need to save gas (it's a 40 mile round trip to BG from Smiths Grove.) However, almost-2-year-old Katie has decided I am a human jungle gym, and this is adequate exercise. It usually doesn't get as sweaty, either.

So that's my life as of now. I'm currently sitting in Panera Bread (free wi-fi!) with Brian and his parents. He's filling them in on the next two years and what kind of classes he has to take and yada yada yada. I've had four cups of coffee and have typed this whole thing in about three seconds. I mean minutes. Roughly. And it's not even noon.
I ordered bridemaid's dress #2, a lovely deep red linen dress, and cannot wait for the next 7-10 business days for it to arrive! Amy has decided upon deep gem-like colors for the bridesmaid. The other two have a golden dress and the other girl has a choice between purple and blue. I'm really excited for the next step in A's wedding plans! (I get consulted quite a bit, and I love hearing how excited she gets about every little detail!) I am so ready for June! Carmen's twins will be here and I can officially call Amy my sister! Woot!
I have to go see Romeo and Juliet at the theater tonight for my theater appreciation class. Monday night is Valentine's!! Oh, wait. I don't care. Tuesday night, Dave Barnes is coming to BG, fo FREE! I'm more excited about that than anything.
All in all, life is good =)
Be praying for John and new job possibilities! Things are looking good in NC!

-Cat

Things I currently cannot find: my camera and my iPod.
It's time to clean out my car. After the 3 inches of fresh snow melts, of course. I will be making snow cream soon, though, and I AM rather excited about that.
I gave Claws a shower today, since I don't have a bath tub, I figured he couldn't actually have a bath...
Anyway.
I basically threw him in the shower with the water on and stood on a chair so I could reach the shower head and move the water to the cat. He was so upset that he jumped up and scratched my arm—while it was at the TOP of the shower. At least now I know he can jump. We then released the cat from the shower, soap in hand, and petted him to death with cat shampoo. He didn't complain too much until we got back in the shower, but he was more calm with my company. I scrubbed and rubbed and squeezed him out, poured pitchers of water on the poor little guy and then remembered I didn't have a hair dryer. No way to dry my sopping wet now 15-pound cat. We rigged a fan+heater and that seemed to do the trick.
All this because I was petting him and saw a bug. At the time, I would have just rather left the bug crawling through his fur. It was heartbreaking to hear him cry in the shower. Then I saw this article about how sleeping with your pets can kill you if they have bugs.
So now I feel better.
Today was my last day of BIO 114, and tomorrow is my final for ECON 150. These three weeks have flown, and I can't believe the amount of reading I have done.
And cleaning.
And cooking. I have cooked a lot. Then the kitchen gets dirty.
So I have to clean some more.
But it's ok, because I wear my fancy apron =)

Happy New Year!

So Christmas has come and gone, along with New Year's and here I am, back at school! I'm taking 2 classes over three weeks, so I'm actually doing quite a bit of studying. I'm getting a few hours of work in there, as well, but there are two things completely over shadowing school right now—getting Claws back to Bowling Green and going wedding dress shopping with Amy on Saturday!!! It's weird to not have Claws waiting for me when I get home from class or work, but it's stopped taking me by surprise, and putting all my new kitchen gadgets away was a breeze without him crawling in the cabinets.
Not too much is happening outside of work and school, but it'd been a month since my last update, so I felt like it was over due.