Cleaning Frenzy and Cat TV

Sunday morning was an opportunity to take in the car and do a good cleaning. It shines like on one's business! I also detailed it so when you sit in the seats they squeak which makes a fart-like sound. This of course sends me into fits of giggles ever single time. The house also needed attending to so it was time to repot some plants (a huge jade given to me by the gardening lesbians in the east bay) and bust out the vacuum cleaner. This place is frickin' spotless. Although Sammy the cat will change that soon enough. He has been shedding like a madcat and it looks as though at times there are 4 cats which live here.

Speaking of Sammy, he has his own version of television in the house these days. For birthday #36 Miss Becky presented a Betta fish to satisfy my obsession with aquatic life. He is red and lives in a bowl with a wizard figurine in my hallway on a telephone book stand which also holds my keys, cell phone, letters to be mailed, etc. Since Little B's arrival (short for Little Betta) Sammy cannot stop watching him. Little B doesn't really move around a whole lot as ideally his water temperature would be much warmer than it is. Even after purchasing a heat lamp for him it's still a bit chilly due to the frigid air in this apartment. It isn't well insulated and it has this wall unit heater which does a great job of warming up the ceiling in the hallway but that is about it. Hence, he has been placed in the warmest section of the house. Currently Sammy is perched on the couch waiting for Little B to jump out of the bowl so he can have a quick snack. Perhaps Sammy's happy he finally has a pal around when I'm not here. For a few months I was lobbying for a second cat but Becky has persuaded otherwise. Whenever I bring it up she very sternly replies "We can't be the crazy cat ladies and trust me, you don't want to live with 4 cats." She's right I suppose, the cat litter alone is enough to make me rethink that idea in a hurry. Hopefully Little B will be here for a while and I won't be the classic clod I can be at times and drop him down the sink or something awful like that.

Speaking of TV, it's been over a year since I have had an active one in my home. Previously it wasn't imagined that I would lead a life without cable television since it's arrival when I was a freshman in college. (It was around in the world before I went to college, I'm not that old, but where my parents live, they STILL can't get it.) I have walked away from the television and it's a good thing. It was clear to me how long it's been since I arranged my schedule based on what I wanted to watch that night when two friends were attempting to persuade me to watch something or another that I had to watch. Actually, no I don't. If mind numbing and relaxation is needed, TV simply doesn't do it for me anymore. There are several other things I can think of in about 10 seconds or less which I would rather do than listen to someone else yammer on and on inside the little black box. I completely understand how/why people do it and if it works for them, that's great. I'm just not part of it anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still own my TV and watch movies. But tied down to several weekly programs, nope.

Becky is back from Ohio where when she left it was a whopping nine degrees above zero. 9. Not even double digits. She then flew to Minneapolis for a switch of planes to find an even worse situation, a grand total of two. I can't believe I used to exist in weather like that. Can remember going to wait for the bus and refusing to wear a hat (because it wasn't cool!) and my hair was turn into pure ice. Nose hairs would freeze. We would run from building to building (or waddle was more like it due to all the layers we had on) to stay somewhat warm. No way no how am I going to live in that again. No thanks. A hoodie and beanie is it for winter wear, thanks. Anyway, I'm super happy Miss B has returned safe, sound, and all in one piece. She also reiterated that we won't be living in the midwest anytime soon...whew!