A Covey of Cats

Ok, I'm not a hoarder of animals like some of those crazy old ladies you read about or hear about in the news. Admittedly, I do have a problem with saying no to the occasional stray or rescue case, but I am NOT a hoarder. It's a good thing that we live in the country, because leash laws do not apply to us and we are allowed to have as many furry friends around us as we so choose. I love that part. In fact, we chose our current home for many reasons, one of which was the number of great trees for our, then, three cats to climb. We now have four and have lost one since that time, but our rationale remains the same - this is a great place for cats to live. We have a large tin building that I call our "barn" for the cats to live in. They have their own kitty door to the barn and they have a long counter to dine on. Louise frequently cruises the rafters and will scare the mess out of you if you look up and she's right overhead. It's a great home for our covey of cats.
My dad thinks I'm somewhat of a nut for having seven four-legged animals living at our house right now. Recently, he patted my husband on the back and told him that he was such a good man for putting up with all of these creatures. Newt loves it and he knows it. He is a good man.

Growing Up

It's official...my children are growing up, and that means that I am getting old. Today my firstborn, Meg, set off on a new adventure - kindergarten. We went to open house yesterday morning to meet her teachers and see her classroom. Both ladies are just wonderful, and we knew that Meg would be in good hands with them. My biggest concern was the fact that Meg knew not one person in her classroom except for her teachers. Now most people know that Meg is not really a shy person, but she will hang back if she is unsure of those around her, especially if it's EVERYONE around her. But, it turns out that I haven't given Meg enough credit. Newt took her to school this morning, and Meg went right in without a care in the world. She seemed at peace with the entire school process - a girl after my own heart. I am a big school nerd, after all! As Meg gets older and acts more like her daddy everyday, I am thrilled when I find out that some of my genetic material has actually surfaced in her. She will be a geek like me! :) But a cool geek, of course~
My stomach held butterflies all day, waiting until I could call Newt after school to see how her day went. Her Granddaddy picked her up from the bus with her aunt and uncle, and they set off to the DQ for a little celebratory ice cream. For Meg, it was the perfect ending to the perfect day. I hope she loves it as much tomorrow. TTFN...ta ta for now...

I've Been Tagged!

Heather C. tagged me from her blog to tackle the topic: six unknown things about me. Now, I'm really having trouble with this one. I pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve, so if you know me at all then you know me nearly completely. But, I promise to be a good sport and not let the fun fizzle with me, so here goes...
At the bottom, you'll see who I tagged :)
Six Unknown Things About Me:
1. From time to time I wish that I'd pursued a life as an artist instead of a teacher. Sometimes I just have that creative bug, and my stack of paperwork at school squelches it.
2. As a teenager, I got tired of always being the designated driver. It's not fun to be a goody two-shoes all the time.
3. I was a Georgette at the University of Georgia in 1995. We're the ones with silver shoes with red and black leotards. It was actually a lot of fun! I have performed at the half-time show for two Peach Bowls and one Super Bowl.
4. I failed Organic Chemistry in college. When I retook it, I made a 'D.'
5. I clean up my house for my mother. When I know she is coming over, I do a major overhaul on the junk laying around.
6. I hate video games. I never could get past the first flying mushroom in Super Mario Brothers, and you know what? I couldn't care less :)
So, there you have it. I don't know if these things are good, bad, weird, or what - but they are what they are. I tag Tracy, Kristy, Erin, and Beckie A. Just write a post about your six unknown things and then tag four others. Happy Blogging!

Upside Down

Last Sunday, Slick came to stay with us for a while. It's been a fairly uneventful week, minus the fact that I had to go back to work from the most wonderful summer break I've ever had. The dogs are getting along just fine, the kids have adjusted to life at the babysitter's house again, and I'm getting used to the alarm clock at 5:30. Lots of changes, but no big deal really.
I say all of this because, my own greyhound, Amber, did something that I never thought she'd do on Monday night. (Slick arrived Sunday afternoon.) Amidst all the change, I found Amber happily asleep with all four feet up in the air. She was "roaching!"
Greyhound owners talk about how their greys will "roach" when they are totally happy, content, comfortable, and relaxed. Well, evidently it took the visit from Slick to get Amber to that point in her life with us. Throughout the week, I've caught her in that position a handful of times, but I haven't been able to grab my camera. She looks so funny!
I'll add a picture soon!
Here's to you, Slickers, for turning us all upside down!