Sunday, August 15, 2010

Skypants Secrets

This is for Wanda who last month mentioned that in all the years she's known me, she still doesn't know what I look like. That's probably pretty common among 'puter pals. This is a photo of HAPPY, SMILING ME. That's my sister. She had red hair and blue eyes surrounded by white eyelashes and white brows. She was pretty cute, but she was always afraid to smile for the camera so all of her childhood photos feature an impressive facial contortion of one type or another. My first memory of my sister was when I was about two or three. I was wandering around our house from room to room looking for the sunlight. I finally found it and paused to enjoy the warmth and brightness. Suddenly, I felt a wrenching, deep pain in my back. Instinctively, I put my arm around to touch the pain and when I brought my hand back I could see red stuff. So I waddled off to find my mother to tell her "Bobby did something to my back." She looked and exclaimed "Oh my, God!" and promptly ministered to my wound. Apparently, Bobby had decided to flavor test me with her new teeth. Fortunately, she decided I wasn't as tasty as cookies or bananas!!

A quick report, but no endearing photo of Bhu, who sleeps as I share this. We have found an additional brand of food that he tolerates well (Weruva), available only at another local pet shop "Treats Unlimited." At TU, they make fantastic treats for woofies and as I was checking out one of the clerks was taking an order for a custom-made birthday cake for some lucky pup! In any case, the issue for Bhu seems to be "grain-free" or "gluten-free." There is no more puking; his skin is delightfully free from blippies; his cat box is well-used but tidy. I would strongly suggest to all of you whose kittehs have digestive or skin problems to rush out and experiment with the gluten-free foods that are now available. They're hard to find (except on the internet) and you have to experiment with the flavors (for instance, Bhu unceremoniously turned up his nose at the Mackerel & Pumpkin flavor and walked away muttering something akin to "FAILURE!") and textures (Bhu likes supah-moist food).

The garden this year suffered from the intense heat and rain. We are cooled off a little today with a bright, blue sky and lower humidity. So far, only a few tomatoes and peppers and lotsa basil. I am attempting to grow "late" squash and more grape tomatoes and will start a cold frame soon for greens and possibly peas. But the overall grade for this summer is: C, and that's only because the caladiums are so totally exquisite this year.

Please be kind to Mother Earth. She loves me and I know she loves you, too.

P.S. I got my copy of Susan Shie's Kitchen Tarot and have read the guidebook and will do a reading in the very near future. Stay tuned! xxoo Patty