ghosts and things...

Ok...get this...we have ghosts (or at least one) in our house...again.



About 6 years ago, when we lived in our first apartment in TX, we had a ghost. We had a pole lamp that sat against the wall in the living room. This lamp was pretty heavy...the electric cord was coiled up underneath the base, and the weight of it made an indention in the carpet. Quite often, when we would get home, the lamp would be moved...down one side or the other a few feet, to the middle of the floor...just moved. We could move it back, leave to get dinner, and it would be moved again when we returned home. It was kind of freaky, but hey...the only thing that ever happened was the moving of the lamp.



From there, we moved to a different apartment...I don't remember any weird happenings there. Then, we moved into our current house, almost 3 years ago.

After moving into our house, the ghost returned. The lamp mentioned above is now upstairs, and has never been moved again. The ghost's attention was turned to a Japanese carved camphor wood chest that we have in our bedroom...it was passed down from El Guapo's grandparents. This chest is very heavy...it is about 4' long x 2.5' deep x 2.5 ' high...and it is filled with blankets and things. We started to notice that the chest wasn't always in the same place as where we placed it. The same as the lamp, it would be moved down the wall a foot or two, or out from the wall. There was no reasonable explanation for it...the bedroom door would be closed, just like when we left the house, but the chest would be moved...with indentions in the carpet where it originally was sitting. After this freaking me out for a couple of years, I asked the ghost to leave. The chest hasn't moved since.

Our sweet kitty Cloud passed away just over a year ago...in December 2006. I found her when I got home from work one night, and obviously took it very hard. We spoke to our vet, and her death was textbook for a feline heart condition. She had no symptoms, and died in her sleep. I was heartbroken and still cry about her occasionally. In our living room, across from where she was found, in a niche where our tv is located, we have some staggered shelves. On the top shelf, I have pictures of Cloud, along with her 3 brothers...all black & white pictures, and all in matching frames. Each picture has a tealight candle holder in front. More times than I can count, since her death, Cloud's picture has moved. All the other frames are exactly where they should be, but hers is turned to one side or the other. This has freaked me out as well, and once again, I asked the ghost to leave...it hasn't happened since then.



One night last week, me & El Guapo were laying in bed, chit chatting...and for some reason we started talking about our past ghosts, and that they hadn't been around in a while. I told him I had asked them to leave, and that apparently they had. He made a statement that got me thinking...he said that he wished they would come back, b/c things went better for us when they were around. So, a few nights later, I was sitting on the couch in the living room, and I asked the ghosts to come back and take care of us. El Guapo was not home, and I did not tell him that I did this.



Well, last night, we got home after work, to a surprise. The picture of Cloud had fallen off of the top shelf, along with the glass tealight holder...hit a stack of dvd's and scattered them all over the living room floor. Cloud's picture frame was upside down on the tv shelf, 5 feet below the shelf...and the glass was not even broken. One of the other frames on the shelf was turned a tiny bit, but her picture was the only one that had fallen. I do believe Cloud's ghost is back to take care of us. It is just quite freaky that only a few nights earlier I asked the ghosts to come back. I've thought about this...there is no way that my other cats knocked this frame off...nothing on the other shelves was moved to make me think they had climbed up to the top. Her frame is the third in a row, and there is no way that hers is the only one that they would have knocked off. I'm not an overly superstitious person, but I really believe this is a ghostly experience. Freaky...my ghosts are back...hopefully that means this will be a better year for us.

Has anyone else had anything like this happen? I'm interested to know if I'm the only weirdo that has things like this happen in my house...

end of 2007...finally...

Well, I guess you could say that Christmas didn't really happen at my house this year. We didn't decorate...no tree, no lights, no anything. No presents to open...much too broke to that, thanks to several large payments that had to go before the end of the year. No Christmas spirit. We were going to do our little christmas tradition...having a nice dinner and then going out to a movie, but I was sick, so that didn't happen either. I apparently had some sort of virus...dizziness, nausea, shaky, weak, just plain yuck! Luckily, I'm feeling mostly better now, but for those few days, it sucked. Humbug...

2007 can't get over with quick enough. It has been a rough year...financially, mentally, emotionally, etc. It seems like it's just been one thing after another all year long. I really hope that 2008 is a new beginning, and that things start out on the right track. Since I will start the year with my bank account near zero, it can't get much worse. Here's to a year of positive things...

I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas, and has a Happy New Year!

3 long hours...

3 long hours...that's how long it took me to drive 25 miles last night on the Dallas North Tollway. I left work at 5, and it took me 3 hours to get where I was going...when it should have only taken 30-45 minutes with traffic. There was a horrible wreck, and both the northbound and southbound sides were shut down. There was a pickup truck in the left lane going southbound...he swerved to the right to go into the middle lane, but then swerved back left and lost control, careening him into the concrete divider between the north and south bound lanes. His truck then flipped and ended up on it's roof in the right hand shoulder. When this happened, the collision caused a large chunk of concrete to fly through the air...it went through the windshield of a car in the left hand lane of the northbound side. But, get this...the driver was taking his brother home from cancer treatment...the chunk of concrete went through the passenger side of the windshield, hitting his brother in the face, killing him instantly. Cancer couldn't get him, but apparently it was his time to go. I just feel for the brother, who could have done nothing to prevent this from happening. The police shut down the entire 6 lane tollway for hours, to investigate the circumstances of the accident. How horrible...sitting in traffic for 3 hours was bad enough, but I couldn't imagine something that bizarre and horrific happening right in front of your face.

nougatocity...

NOUGATOCITY (noun) - a heightened yet fleeting state of accomplishment that makes you realize how unbelievable unmotivated you normally are.

That is what I found inside my Snickers wrapper this afternoon...interesting. Really makes you think, doesn't it???

OK...an update on Kahn...he is doing a little better. We took him in to the vet yesterday before work, and left him for the day. His eating had decreased little by little, and he was eating near to nothing. With his condition (CRF), eating is very important. If he doesn't eat, his body breaks down muscle, which is hard for the kidneys to process. This makes him feel worse, and makes him not want to eat even more...a vicious cycle it is. So, we have started giving him Sub-Q fluids...twice a day for 10 days, and then we'll reevaluate with our vet. I was dreading this, as you have to insert a needle into him, and use an IV bag of fluids; it was really not a big deal at all...actually quite easy. Anyway, he has good moments and bad moments...but the vet assured me that it is totally normal with this condition. We just have to find the right combination of treatments for him to keep him stable.

It is finally cold here in north Texas...has been for the last few days. The highs have only been in the 30's and 40's. I know that's not cold to many of you "northern'ers", but it's darn cold to me. Cold weather makes me want to hibernate, and really prohibits my productivity. Could this explain why my house is a wreck and I haven't exercised lately? I've got to get motivated!

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only 10 days away. I have really not been able to get in the Christmas spirit yet this year. We've just had so many things going on lately...I haven't even sent out my Christmas cards yet. We haven't put up lights, a tree, or anything. Bah Humbug! We will just be staying home for Christmas...not going out of town or anything. We're not very close to either of our families, and usually just do our own thing for Christmas. Our little tradition that we started several years back...we sleep in, lay around and are lazy and cozy most of the day. Them, we cook an awesome gourmet dinner for just the two of us. For dinner, we dress up and enjoy. After dinner, we go out to a movie...one of the great ones that just opened that day. I don't even know which movies are starting this Christmas...guess I better get to looking into that.

I am a Food Network freak...a few weeks ago, I saw Giada DeLaurentis make biscotti. It looked really easy, so I gave it a try...it is delicious. Maybe not as pretty as hers, but absolutely delicious. In case you want to give it a try...here's the recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend.
Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend.
Beat in the eggs 1 at a time.
Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended.
Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes.
Cool for 30 minutes.
Place the log on the cutting board.
Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices.
Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet.
Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
Enjoy!

It was super easy to make...the only problem I had: You cook it for 40 minutes, then let it cool before you slice it to put back in the oven. When I sliced it, I found that the center was still a little raw. This cooked when it went in the oven the 2nd time, but it was a little ugly. It also broke up a little bit while it was sliced. Also, Giada dipped it in white chocolate, but I chose not to do that. Also, I used walnuts in the place of pistacios, just b/c that is what I had in the pantry. It was not so pretty, but very good. If you like biscotti, give it a try and enjoy.

andes mints are the best...

I absolutely love Andes mints...I bought a package of them specifically for "spiking" my hot cocoa with. But then, they're awesome all by their little selves. I could eat the whole bag in one sitting...but then, that wouldn't be good, would it?

For a kitty update...Kahn is doing ok, not great. I'm going to take him back to the vet tomorrow, just to get his opinion. He seems uncomfortable, but not in pain. He doesn't want to eat his prescription cat food, so I'm having to mix it with other types of food, just to get him to eat something. He also doesn't like to eat by himself, so I've been having to sit with him and talk to him, to get him to eat. Oh, the things I would do for this little guy. Anyway, he is not terrible, but just doesn't seem to feel too hot. I'm going to ask the vet about giving him Sub-Q fluids...injecting fluid under the skin to help keep him from getting dehydrated and help his kidney function. Anyway, just trying to pamper him back into feeling better.

One of our other cats ended up with a trip to the ER vet on Saturday night. He vomited on Friday night, and was laying around kind of strangly. His belly felt very tight and he felt warmer than usual. Not knowing what was wrong with him, and not wanting to wait until Monday morning to have him checked out...we took him to the ER vet. After an exam, abdominal xray and all...his diagnosis...gas and constipation. So, an injection for nausea, one of antacid and some stool softener, we were on our way home. He is back to his normal self now...feeling much better. Poor guy.

I really can't handle any more drama around here. Seriously, when it rains, it pours. I'm just hoping that everything else that is going to bomb out waits a while. I am emotionally, mentally and financially drained right now. UGH! I really hope that 2008 will be a better year for us. Not that this year has been bad, but it just seems like it's been one thing after another all year long.

aaaahhhhh...law & order...

Sitting here tonight watching Law & Order...there are several episodes on that I actually haven't seen before...it's awesome. I can't get enough of it. Are there any other Law & Order addicts out there, or am I the only one?

An update on my kitty Kahn...he was at the vet for 4 days, on fluids. He came home last Friday evening...he was doing a little better, but his bloodwork was not what it should have been. We watched him throughout the weekend...I was honestly concerned that he may not make it. He was really weak and sleepy. As the days have gone on, he's gotten a little better...his personality has come out again, and he's eating better. He's got partial kidney failure, and will be on special prescription food and meds for the rest of his life. I love my little guy so much, and am just glad he's feeling more like himself now.