Cat Scratch Fever

I headed out bright and early this morning and was greeted by a mess of tools on the garage floor. Weird. I assumed they just fell. But it got better. As I was getting in my car I found a small pile of poo next to my tire. Luckily it was not rodent-small. It was definitely of the feline variety.

I did what anyone would do. I called my husband and asked him to get rid of whatever it is. During his lunch break, he came home (he always comes home for lunch so I didn't make him give up his lunch or anything! I'm not that big of a bitch.) and shook some boxes in the garage. Out popped a cat and off he went. Problem solved, right? Wrong.

After doing some much needed shopping, I came home around 3. As I was letting Colby outside I saw a little kitty face pressed against the patio door, crying to come in. I'm a sucker for animals and they all know it. Of course, I went to my yard and gave him some water and food. He followed me into the garage, back outside, and even into my shed while I found the animal carrier.

After very little coaxing, he went into the crate and I took him to the humane society. He was skinny and hungry so I'm glad that tonight he's eating and drinking and safe.

Take My License and All that Jive

I was rolling along Sullivant Ave. (St.?) today, heading back to work from lunch. I was already late as it was and knew I was about to be even later when a boy in blue stepped out into the middle of the street, stopped traffic and pointed for me to pull over.

I knew I was speeding. I am always speeding. I have no excuses but I'm still going to bitch. Here are my grivences:

1. I got pulled over in front of a known whore house. The sign of this "hair salon" contains the words ultimate, fantasy and tanning. Enough said. So I should think that the police have far more important things to do.
2. The cost of the fine was not on the ticket. Okay, I was going 10 mph over the speed limit. I will take the penalty but shouldn't I at least know how much to shell out? Fair is fair. Instead there is a number on the back of the ticket for me to call. When I called they told me that it would take 72 hours for the case to be updated. Ridiculous!
3. Well, it just sucks to get a ticket.

Get into the groove

I often visit The Pink Shoe Cookbook to find some fantastic recipes and recently I paid a visit to the sister site, The Pink Shoe Diaries. The author of both sites posted an entry about blogging about the things you are into. So, here's a list of what I am into. Right. Now.

*Neil Diamond: I've listened to him for many years and even got to see him live in 1998. A few weeks ago Brian asked if I had his greatest hits and I do. On cassette. Lucky me, I scored the same copy, on CD, at a yard sale yesterday for $1.
*Etsy: I have never bought anything from Etsy but give me time. For now, I just love to see the awesome things talented people make.
*Color: I went shopping for clothes yesterday and I did not buy even one thing in black.
*Cooking: I got a little sick from food I had at a restaurant so now I am all about cooking. I love to cook anyway but lately I've been lazy with it. That's about to change this week!
*Running: I run as fast as my three-legged turtle but it is something new that I'm enjoying.

Daily Observations

*I hate music in the morning. I love music of all kinds but when I'm driving to work I prefer to listen to DJs talk. I can't make any more sense of this than you can.
*I love Wednesday nights. It's really the only night I watch TV (Mythbusters and Pitchmen) and I so look foreward to it. By this point the week is half over and I can take anything!
*I am obsessed with books. Since I was 8 I have always had to have a book going. As soon as I finish one book I find myself tearing the house apart for my next fix. It's kind of sad. Right now I'm reading A Secret Word by Jennifer Paddock. Not sure if I like it but I'll keep reading.
*I'm over myself. I'm done worrying about my weight. I think for the first time in my life I'm finally comfortable in my own skin. Thanks, Harper Lee.

What does the late bird catch?

When I was a single co-ed, I could function on 3 hours of sleep and be fine. One quarter I had a 7:30 am class (which meant waking up by 6 at the latest) and went to bed at 3 or 4 am every night. I could wake up, go to class all day then go to work. What happened to me?

I know. I got old(er). Now I am asleep by midnight and I am struggling to get up in the morning. I've tried different tactics over the years. Moving the clock further from the bed, turning the clock up really loud. I can't get up early enough. If someone has a way to motivate me, please tell me how to get up earlier.

Beware: Amateur Ghost Hunters on the Loose!

I have always been interested in the supernatural. I can't explain any of it and I am not entirely sure I have experienced anything especially paranormal but I still find it all fascinating. Last year my friend Aaron, also a supernatural lover, got involved with The Waverly Hills Sanatorium and made their fabulous website. Thanks to this connection he took me and a few other friends along for a lock in at the infamously haunted former TB hospital. A creepy place if I have ever seen one. Yesterday, Aaron, Brian, Anne, and I went to the Mansfield Reformatory, which is now known for lodging spirits.

Mansfield, Ohio is about an hour and a half away from me and an easy drive. The old Reformatory is hard to miss. The stone prison looks more like a castle and as the tour guide stated, it was built to look intimidating. Mission accomplished.

We began the tour with a chat outside covering the basic rules: don't steal anything and don't try to scare people and act like a fool or you will be kicked out. Once inside our tour guide told his own tales of seeing and hearing unusual things and shared the history of the former prison. I was most interested in the mirrored mansions that once hosted the warden and important officials who visited the area. Even though the mansions' paint was peeling and the floors were crumbling, it was still evident that it was once a gorgeous house. One former warden's wife, Helen, died in the mansion and supposedly still wanders the building.

After the guided tour, we were all set free to roam the building until 6 AM. We spent time sitting in dark rooms and listening to sounds. Walking though the cell blocks, I was amazed how small the cells are. My only impression of prison is what I have seen on TV and the reality was striking. Many of the cells still had old reading materials. The huge library still had a few legal journals and the librarian's desk was still intact.

Brian and I left around 1 AM and Aaron and Anne stayed until 3 AM. Of course Brian and I missed the good stuff. Aaron called me this morning and let me know that they heard unusual sounds and some possible EVPs after I had left. That's how it goes.

While I did not see or hear anything out of the ordinary, this was a fun and interesting trip. There is something here for everyone. If you are like me and love history, you will enjoy the stories of the prison and the prisoners while looking at the old fixures. If you are into the supernatural you are surely to find something creepy and if you are a movie buff you'll love seeing the props left behind from Airforce One and Shawshank Redemption. Since I live so close, I will definitely return sometime in the future, despite the fact that nothing scared me. There's always next time.

Check out Brian's review of the trip at The Morning Toast.

What makes you feel better?

What things do you do to make yourself feel better when you're down? When my life feels like a wreck I love to watch Sex and the City reruns. I have no idea why exactly. I didn't care for this show when it was on but there is something so relaxing about Carrie's voice overs and the backdrop of NYC. I have nothing in common with this show. I never rocked an awesome apartment or dated Russians. Regardless, nothing relaxes me more than the Sex and the City clan.