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Since returning to work, everything seems so hetic.  There's so much to catch up on... and very little time to rest.  Lunch breaks are spent at campus picking up books.  Work.  Reading.  School. Attention Seeking Critters.  Chris.  Chores. Procrastinating Activities. There needs to be some serious time management review. 

I really do love fashion.  But I'm no fashionista.























Lately I've felt in a rut when it comes to my wardrobe.  It's hard for me to match things and try new combos.   About half of the times I look like a silly woman trying to be fashionable.

Case & Point.

There is a very good reason for Jake's paw print walking down this mirror.  And, non, he's no Cheshire Cat. It's that he loves when the mirror is laying on the floor and playing on it, the way that cat's do.

~*~

Really exciting news (well exciting for this introvert trying to be more daring).  The lovely store Miss Violet Lace posted some pictures from this blog for the Fairytales wig.   Check it out. 

Aren't those shorts just darling?  My dad picked them up while he was in Japan.  I totally adore them and cannot wait until the summer. 

Welcome Home Kasuku

This adorable cartoon is probably a good predictor of the relationships to come.  Chris has already made a comment or two about wanting attention.  Poor boy.  All these years he had the XBox 360 as his "other woman", and now that I have an attention demanding critter, he pouts. 

A blurry documentation of the cat-parrot introductions.  As Jake inched up the cage to check out Kasuku  she did a every quick nip at Jake's nose.  Thankfully no contact was made.  Jake got the hint and hasn't gotten that close to Kasuku since.  I'm sure once Kasuku gets settled and the novelty of the parrot wears off for Jake, they will be good friends. 

Hercules was camera shy yesterday, but eager to show off his moves.  He flew around the house doing all of his impressive tricks.  One of his tricks is refusing to go back to bed..... Annoying? Yes!  But at least he & I got exercise running around the house. 

 Post nap chill time.

Kasuku is a chatter box.  Anytime I would talk to Chris, she piped in with a laugh or mumble. It's adorable.

This morning I woke up with the urge to play in the snow.  Jake has been bugging to get out for a long time, so we went out.

It wasn't so much playing, as it was Jake trying to either walk in front of be or wander off. 

I don't know if it's his paranoid-like movements or his acute senses, but about every five minutes something would peak his interest and be followed by more stalking around the backyard.

Every so often Jake would allow me to pick him up for a quick cuddle but would soon squirm free.  He's a different cat while outdoors, more independent and less of an attention suck.

 

This weekend was full of family gatherings, home improvement projects, cleaning, holiday decorating and entertaining/feeding our house guest.  After meeting Danielle's post about mint hot chocolate, I've been having mad cravings.  Chris and I treated ourselves to cocoa at Second Cup.  

Mint + Chocolate = Yumm

Then I had a more Irish version when I got home. Cooking up big meals always goes by quicker if you have some good music and a yummy drink.  Not too sure why my weekend was so very "housewife/DIY-like" but things needed to get done before the holidays.  I'm excited for only having to work three days this week then being off until the 4th!

"I climbed the fruit trees before school, after school and after homework to get the fruit.  The best are at the top...." - Mario. The tallest thing I've ever climbed for food is the kitchen counter (usually to get the cookies from the top shelf).  Family dinners are always full of laughs and tales of the old days.  Chris and I had a wonderful time this evening with Katrina, Mario, Maria, Sabrina and of course, the adorable Gabriella.   After dinner we hung out with some cousins for a very short bit.  Now we veg till bedtime. 

I'm not too sure where to direct this post... I've been MIA for most of this week to study for my second midterm.  I'm feeling all dazzed and confused... it's hard to remember what the heck I did this past week. The only things circulating in my head have been the topics of "obedience, aggression, group dynamics, boys vs girls..etc...".  I don't want to think about school for the next 24 hours. 

{skirt - Express/blouse - thrift/cardigan - thrift/tights-Joe}

Saturday came... went for a long ride with my Love... wrote the damn the midterm... and then relief came.  This time though, I feel more confident about this test.  After the long return ride home on the CBR600, I went into mad-crazed-cleaning mode for the dinner date with Jaclyn and her boyfriend.

While the pasta cooked, we watched "Grown Ups".  Jaclyn knows about my crush for Kevin James and totally outed me in front of the boys.  Not cool J, not cool.  Jaclyn made a yummy pasta dish and brought great wine & chocolate.   I ate way too much but enjoyed every mouthful.  We stayed around the dinner table for hours just chatting and laughing about the old days and whatever other silly topic came up.  

 

Our Big Suck, Jake, provided much entertainment and cuddles for us in a very "attention seeking" kinda way.  I'm still trying to peer pressure Jaclyn into moving to Ottawa.  It's sad that she is two hours away.  We used to spend almost everyday together during our high school years... now we see each other every few months *pout*.

{cardigan-Smart Set/skinny jeans - Smart Set/navy tube top - thrift}

Tomorrow... *sigh*... Nothing is planned.  Wait.  Sleeping in is planned.

Is it still okay to show your bra strap in your mid-twenties?  Hummm... the questions I come up with but never answer myself. 

Jake Has Returned

Instead of studying, I decided to distract myself with blogging... A bad choice.  But then again... My attention span is not working at this moment, so studying would be pointless.  There's no chance I'll be retaining anything.  

My weekend started off with a need to organize.  The huge conference table we have in the art room was full of papers to be sorted and one of our last boxes entitled "office shit". The night before we took in Chris's 14 year old brother to look after for the weekend.  Some time to myself, away from the boys, was needed.

 

Above is my attempt to pair up fashion items to make up a look.  

Some of these items, I sort of have from years of collecting clothes.  

Yes, I am one of those people who finds it impossible to part with clothing.  

Maybe one day my red snake skin patterned slip dress from the 90s will be "in style" again.

*sigh*

I'm horrible at writing down where each of these cut out items came from... I have a shoe box full of my favorite clothes from magazines but no clue the year or brand.

Chris and I got to see our niece on the weekend.  She is beautiful and so sweet.  We both love her very much.  This Thursday we'll be shopping with her mama to pick up a stroller.  I have no clue about strollers other than they roll. 

The sweetie sensed my "baby holding awkwardness" and squirmed while I held her. 

Random Note: Biggest piss off of the weekend was Chris deleting the high scores on Bejeweled.  Now this wouldn't be a problem if he held the high scores.  But it is I who is champion and cleared his name from the board.  Valuable time and energy was devoted to getting the title of Bejeweled Champ, and he just deleted it.  Not cool..... Yesterday I spent chilling out and studying (something I should be doing now...). It was boring, relaxing and needed.

This morning I wake up to a call from Chris letting me know he was at work.  Usually he kisses me "goodbye" in the mornings, but he was running late.  At 6:00 a.m. he spent thirty minutes looking for Jake who ran out.  The jerk cat wouldn't come back in and just ran out into the dark.  I did a sweep of the area before heading to work, but he was nowhere to be seen.  

I wasn't too worried because this isn't the first time he has run off.  When we lived in Centretown he ran off a couple times and returned usually late at night.  He was born a stray and has that urge to escape every so often. 

Around 7 p.m. while Chris was in the garage, Jake strolled in.  And, like every other time he has return, he gets a bath.  Jake takes it like a big baby though.  As a kitten when I gave him baths I pampered the shit out of him with hugs and cuddles... so he sort of likes them now.  Sort of.  He just gets so dirty when he's outside.  Baths are essential for this kitty.  Like a little kid, he rolls and lays in the most muddy spot on the lot. 

That's about it.  I should be logging off the computer and actually getting down to some homework.  Blah.

Na..Na.. Notorious

Today, I let Jake out to have a play date with the neighbor's dog in the apartment hallway.  There was a nice lady and her daughter who came out to watch the adorableness.  If a camera was on hand, all of you would have gotten to it.  But unfortunately, it totally slipped my mind that the video would be super cute to post.  Before Jake decided to become incredibly cranky with the introduction of another cat.  It dawned on me.  More people on the 16th floor know the name of my cat over my name. I don't know whether to be i) hurt, ii) ashamed at my anti-social behaviour or iii) amazed at the cat's ability to become known in our small little community.  Probably should start to exercise my neighborly attitude if I will be moving into the suburbs this late September. 

Now I must leave to watch Resident Evil: Degeneration.  My Love was sweet to get me a copy.  Only 7 more days until Resident Evil: Afterlife!!! I have a sick love for zombie flicks... they just make me happy.