Tidbits

It may sound strange, but I'm actually kind of glad the only trees in my yard are my lone palm and the orange-y tree (even though I didn't really want that one). I say orange-y because it's not an orange tree. It's a tangelo or something like that. I will say that they make a tasty juice. Bruce bought it for me when we put in the patio. I refused to water it and told him it was his responsibility. I didn't want it because it messed up my 90 degree only back yard for easy mowing, and fruit trees bring fruit rats and I didn't want to deal with picking up all the rotted fruit off the ground so the dogs wouldn't get into it.  Yet, there it is. And I have to mow around it, and pick up the rotted fruit.  Bob kills the rats (and I make Bruce take care of those- yuck). Talk about side track!  Whoops... Anyway, I'm glad I don't have trees. I still get stuck raking up the leaves that aren't mine (which is totally unfair) that blow into my yard, but at least I don't have to worry about this happening every time there's a nasty storm.

Hopefully it didn't damage the actual roof. It looks like it just clipped the eave, which I hope will not be too hard to fix. Funny thing is that this house is the same as my house. There are six of the same model on my street. Not all next to each other. There are 3 other styles of homes mixed in. The damaged house also happens to be a rental. I wonder how the owner will deal with it. My immediate neighbor's house used to be a rental until she bought it last year. The previous owner we learned had a lot of rental properties. I've lived here going on 17 years and saw how badly he treated his tenants when it came to fixing anything. One cute little family moved out because the heater almost caught fire and he wouldn't pay to have it repaired. He had some doosies in there a few times too.  I never did meet him. He passed away, which is how the house ended up for sale.  I got really lucky with a nice lady and her son. She sews too!

I got a reminder today (like I needed any) that you can't cat-proof a house. There are two suspects..... We know it wasn't the dogs because the loaf (and probably the bag too) would be 100% gone and we probably wouldn't have even remembered there was a loaf of bread....

 We're thinking it was either Riley or Bob. They have both been caught on the counter and Riley was a stray, so he is still learning there is always food in the bowls. Bob was mainly outside before and is having a little trouble adjusting to eating inside, especially with the other cats (some are kind of mean to him). Oliver is only interested in what's on the counter when I'm preparing canned cat food, which I only give them once a week (for now). None of the girls come in the kitchen, unless the water bowl in "their" room is empty. Then they use the big community bowl in the kitchen. 

I've been doing some reading lately.  I did get a Kindle for Christmas. I enjoyed the one book, but am regretting the second. I've never been a romance reader and actually the one I just read was a teenage romance. Made me think of all the stupid things I didn't do as a teenager. I was too busy trying to be independent and strong and smart. I wish I had let myself be a little more free and less scared of life and boys.  I know regret is a wasteful emotion, but I'm prone to such things. While turning 40 wasn't bothering me so much before, it has started to stir up thoughts of days gone by. Note to self - avoid teen romance books.  

As for getting out of the little funk I let myself drift into, I found that happiness is simple things like Oliver sleeping in my lap and watching Diamond sleep in her chair with her ear flipped up on the arm.