Thanks for small favors

We've been on vacation all week, not doing anything but laying low and going to the movies. Cat is out shopping at the mall, and I've got a kitten on my lap. All is well as one could hope for, particularly since we got lucky on what could have been irritating mistakes. I didn't get a parking ticket when I left the car out last night, and a credit showed up just in time to cover a 3 dollar shortage in the checking account. Life is good sometimes.

I saw Santa! Honest, he left these presents here for me! Abby guarded the homestead while we enjoyed christmas eve by my folks. It was pretty mellow, no one lost it this year, and I got to see my brother Jim. It had been since the funeral in september, and everyone there was a little overcharged. This time was better, and it made me happy to see him doing well.
Now I have the whole week off, and no plans to do anything beside what strikes my fancy at the moment. 

Chicken Vindaloo, Yum! 

Finally got the lights up, HA!
Merry Christmas to you and yours. I'm going to celebrate a bit early with my sweetie's side, Christmas cheer may be involved.

Before we left for the store, we left this note for those who had slept in this day. It must have worked, since there was no one sitting there awaiting our return. 

It's a ball-slappin' happy day!

That's what my sweetie called it, and clamped her hand over her mouth, partly to stifle some of the laugh welling up, and to pantomime the amazement she felt. "Did that just come out of my mouth?" She asked, and I agreed that those were the most unusual words she'd ever strung together. It is looking like a good day, Cathy is out shopping, and when she gets back I'll pound out some christmas cookies.

It was time to stock up at Penzey's
We were out of vanilla and ginger, and one of our favorite cookie recipes calls for a tablespoon of nutmeg! They are mound shaped cakelike cookies with a buttery brown sugar glaze, each one tastes like a small freshly cooked doughnut. I'd better fire up the oven and crank out some goodies, because there's only two weeks before the holidays, and I don't really get in the spirit until I've completely destroyed the kitchen. 

Sunday afternoon, nothing going on, time for a Bitburger. I've never been a big beer drinker, but a couple years back I had a Bit at the John Ernst Cafe. That had been the oldest restaurant in Milwaukee, and it so happened that we had dined there with my folks shortly before it closed. All of the menfolk had the house beer on tap, and we found it to be very tasty. 

Behaving for a change, Abby is satisfied after "helping" me make a big pot of turkey soup. She sure was excited about that, and produced meows the like of which I'd never heard before. 

none of my business I suppose, what is going on up the street, but one wonders... 

Evil Kitty! 

Sourdough Bread, and no cat in sight... 

I can't walk in these glasses

That's what Cathy said to me this morning, it seems that her favorite eyewear for reading is incompatable with locomotion. As it was, that didn't stop her from making me a wonderful sunday breakfast. Bacon, and french toast fried with shortening in a big cast iron pan. Topped with our semi homade apple-maple-cranberry syrup, it was a real treat!

Not invoking ancient gods today, the way our luck has been, they just might show up! While Cathy was driving to work, her horn started to blow, and wouldn't stop! She drove home and paged me while the screaming car sat in the garage, but it had stopped by the time I got home. It was very cold this morning, so it may have been a fluke. Since I was home I took the other car in for its final repairs. The window trim has been replaced, and the factory stereo re-installed. Nothing in there worth stealing now...

More Crime
I woke up early this morning, which is not unusual, and saw the police in the alley directly behind the house. Someone had split open our neighbor's garage door, certainly with intent to steal something. There were 3 other break-ins around the neighborhood as well. Adding this to the abuse we suffered the other day is making me disenchanted with this area.

Mmmm, bread...
Normally a carnivore, with the exception of some catnip or one of Mommy's houseplants, Abby thought this loaf of freshly baked bread smelled divine. 

Soneone evidently needed a car stereo more than I did, so they helped themself! It's sad, but it's part of life in the big city. There's no way that I'll put another unit in there, the original piece of crud will have to do. 

an expert job I was told... 

All three furry dorks, they were on the kitchen table, but I thought the rug looked better. From left to right, they are Abby, Herbie, and Peaches. That's right, Peaches and Herb. We got both of them from the vet, who usually has a line on kittens needing a home. Abby just hung around our back door until my soft hearted wife let her in. I didn't really want another cat in the house, but now she is my little lap peanut.

High again, naturally!
It was a nice day to get some stuff done that I'd been putting off.