The Phantom Kitty

Directly behind my aparment building is a small grassy area and a chain link fence that connects to an old man's yard. I typically walk Ruby in this area every morning so as to avoid distractions on the other side of the building (people, cars, other dogs, etc).

Sometime around mid-August, a tiny white and orange kitten started showing up in the parking lot, mostly lurking under cars and darting from one hiding place to another. Being that my building is mostly inhabited by girls (with an apparent soft spot for feral cats), the little fur ball always was always being left food scraps and water. This went on for about a month, and then she disappeared.

I'm assuming she found her way to the old man who lives behind the apartment complex. One morning about a week ago, I was walking Miss Rubix and I saw a sweet little orange and white speckled face peeping through the fence.. Observe:

Melting of the heart commenced. I think my adoration for this gorgeous little creature stems from the previous love-of-my-life, Pumpkin (may he rest in peace in kitty heaven):

I mean.. how could you NOT appreciate something so obese and lovely?? Regardless, the beautiful moment I shared with Pumpkin Jr. was quickly cut short by a certain someone of the Husky persuasion. Ruby lost her shit and tried to attack my new feline friend and she (I'm assuming it's a she) ran away. And I was devastated. I just knew I would never see her little face poking through the fence again...

But alas! She was there the next day.. and the next, and the next! I have unofficially named her Plucky, due to her bravery and commitment to visit me every morning. At least... I like to think so. I'm even toying with the idea of giving her to my sister as a birthday present/housewarming gift for her new abode. Plucky seems to have the class and wherewithal to be a Charleston housecat.. and what a fantastic rags-to-riches story that would be!

Ruby Goes Under the Knife.. And Other Shenanigans

Ruby got spayed last Friday. As expected, the whole ordeal was incredibly chaotic and involved alot of crying (from both parties) and an unfortunate poop episode in my Honda (from Ruby). I felt like a crappy person all day.. no pun intended. To add insult to injury, apparently she cried more than her neighboring kennel mate which, by the way, was a Chiuaha. She came home with a shaved belly, stitches, and a level of highness that rivals Cheech & Chong. One positive aspect of the experience is that she has since become slightly more docile. In fact, she spends most of her days lounging around on her favorite chair in the apartment which, ironically, is a bright shade of ruby red.

(Ignore the demonic eyes.. Husky eyes and camera flashes are apparently a bad combo.)

Now.. because I'm not one to only blog about my precious canine companion (I swear), I have a new obsession in the "spirits" department. Cue Barenjager:

As a member of the college-age demographic, I have voluntarily taken it upon myself to sample and explore a variety of different alcoholic refreshments, but this one takes the cake. I suppose it may be necessary to like the taste of honey to enjoy this golden treat, but I am willing to bet that even if you dont love honey, you will shortly after partaking. My favorite way to drink it is with Arizona Sweet Tea.. Gut Schmecken!!!

Finally..
I made somewhat of a hasty purchase two days ago. Mostly because I was in a time crunch, but also because I was trying to avoid talking myself out of it. I purchased my very own pair of oxford shoes. I thought this trend was absolutely fascinating when it first came about, but I was hesitant to buy my own pair for fear that I just couldn't pull of a fashion move of that magnitude. The biggest surprise wasn't that I could pull them off splendidly with a pair of skinny jeans... but rather, that I found the little beauties at Old Navy for a mere $11.

I love the eyelet detail and the gray faux-suede that will go with virtually anything! As I'm assuming is the case with most oxfords, they need to be broken in. Regardless, I am very pleased with my purchase and I plan to utilize them in a number of styles.. from leggings to skinnies, to skirts, and more. Hip hip hoorah for fashion bravery!

Stroke, Shmoke

As of tomorrow, exactly one year will have passed since my dad suffered a stroke. He is a special case and incredibly lucky due to the fact that he experienced no paralysis or physical impairment (other than his peripheral vision being slightly altered) at all. Additionally, the left side of his brain was where the "attack" took place, really did a number on his emotional characteristics. He has always been very quiet and mellow by nature, but also hilarious. In the aftermath, however, he talked ALOT.. and wore more of his emotions on his sleeve than previously. The doctors were completely baffled by his ability to stand up and articulate his speech normally only several days afterwards. In fact, their reports expressed a sheer inability to explain why he was okay after such a massive stroke. Seeing him in a hospital bed for the first time ever really tugged at my heartstrings. Daddy is such a central figure in our family. He is rational and dependable and an incredibly hard worker. He's the best dad I could have ever even dreamed up and most importantly... he's still doing great a year later!!