Shame on me

I'm so bad...I still haven't edited pictures from our Detroit trip! I'm going to stop mentioning it and stop feeling so guilty and just get to it as soon as I can. I'll post them ASAP, but today was tied up with shopping for our cookout on Wednesday and starting to put things together. The cucumbers are soaking in salt water at the moment, so I'm stepping away to make a quick entry. When I was at the grocery store, I found T-bones on sale, so guess what we're having for dinner tonight? That's right, chicken! I'm being silly--we'll have T-bones, baked potatoes, and a wedge of lettuce with blue cheese dressing. One of our favorite combos!

Hey, I got an award! A very big thank you to Lucy of What is Left of a Whole New Life for passing along the Bow Award, which she received from a nice gentleman from Greece. She had very kind things to say, including that she never knows what she'll find here when she stops by to read. I like that, because I don't like to be "defined," or put into any particular category. As with most awards, if I read you, feel free to snag this for yourself for a job well done. [curtseying] Thank you, Lucy!

One of the things that tickled me the most when talking to Mark was when we first met and stopped for breakfast. As we were getting to know each other over eggs and toast, Mark said something about how it was really interesting to meet us in person because in our blogs, he said, "Ken, you're so laid back, and you [he looked at me] are..." and he started laughing. I said, "Not?" It was so funny, and I looked at Ken and said, "I think I'm laid back, too...except when I get fired up about something!" I told Ken later that I really think I am a very laid back person, and it's just a few paragraphs out of my day that I might get fired up. Ken said, "But that's what everyone reads of you, so that's how they see you." Point well taken, and I want to reassure everyone that I don't bite, and I really am a pussycat. Except when I get fired up about something. Haha! The vast majority of my day is spent being cool as a cucumber (despite today's hot and humid weather), friendly, smiling, calm and relaxed. I’m chill, baby.

I stayed up a little while last night after Ken went to bed, and as I was sitting here, I heard a thump in the basement. A moment later, Sheeba came up from the basement with a mouse in his mouth! A good-sized field mouse, too, not one of the little gray ones. As soon as I looked at him and said, "Good boy!" he turned and went back downstairs. He did this four or five more times, apparently just showing off and/or enjoying his sport with the mouse. He finally made his way over to one of Ken's shoes and dropped Mousie into it. I'm not sure why, but that's what he does--whenever he catches a mouse, he drops it into one of Ken's shoes. I was able to pick up the shoe, take it outside, and dump Mousie out into the yard. I suppose he just found a way back into the house, but maybe he'll remember his trauma and stay away. Sheeba got lots of praise and a couple of treats. He really is a great mouser. I hate to see any animal hurt, but he rarely kills them, just drops them off for us to take care of and in exchange for treats. Who knows? Maybe he thinks he's giving us a treat!

I finally updated my Shelfari widget over there on the sidebar. That was overdue! I've made an effort to really get back into reading lately--I still keep up with magazines and Net content, but I've missed reading actual books. I'm trying to remedy that, and I've enjoyed it very much. I think I'm going to read one more from our shelf here at Nutwood, the latest Dean Koontz, then get back into the book club list. I’m still behind!

Off to the kitchen...the cukes are calling! O Danny Boy….