Angus- the new cat on our block

He came by his name in a funny, odd way. His fur reminds me of a cow hide. And I was listening to Thunderstruck by AC/DC after I first met him. So Angus he became. Sweet tempered and a beta male, he loves nothing more than to be cuddled and loved on. Problem is... he's not Hobbs, he's not orange, mean, and well, he's a pussy. No pun intended. Poor baby. We got him for ChinaMoon as she stopped eating and spent 2 weeks crying after we lost Hobbs. I wasn't ready to lose another cat, so enter Angus. I was not, and in reality, still am not ready for this cat.

My heart is till hurting, I still cry for Hobbs, although not as much, but the aching void is still there. And Angus can't fill it. To be fair, he shouldn't have too. Angus is not a kitten, he's about 18 months old and as unfamiliar to me as I am to him. Had I gotten him as a kitten, he would have been mommied and therefore been my kitty. Don't get me wrong. I would never hurt or take less than the best care of him. I pet him and cuddle him, but he's not mine. I can't seem to drop the wall and let him in no matter how much I try. So thank goodness for my husband, who was not as attached to Hobbs as I was, and still am. Angus has picked up on this and goes to him for love and assurance. ChinaMoon and I, while we tolerate him, he will be a long time in becoming part of the shadow posse, if ever. An orange ghost still follows me with her (not literally) and I still sometimes hear his meow.

And Angus, like ChinaMoon, is a magickal dud. Which just sucks for me big time. I need, want and like that interaction with a familiar. I may need to get a third cat eventually. One of my choosing, when I'm ready. But for the time being, I will have to be content with the two pieces of lap candy I am currently residing with.

Happiness is a good book and a comfy place to read it.

And I do everything I can to make myself happy. Last week was the week from HELL! Expensive plumbing problem (fixed), child in a car accident (he's fine. the car still has a bit to go.), work pressures from idiot people who go into business with out a clue and then expect you to pull a miracle out of thin air... (it's gonna cost you dude. get real). So at the end of the week your girl here was exhausted, shot out and in major need of some R & R. Looking around my office/dressing space, I realized I have no where to sit in there that's comfy, a nook, a cranny, a reading space. Enter Pier 1.

I love Pier 1. It smells good, has pretty things and I drool every time I go in there. I wanty, I likey but it's ridiculously over priced. However, this time around, I went in on a mission. (Cue music) I entered and zoomed right for the papsans. I used to have one until it was taken over by large brat child who took it with him to new home. Hey, he broke it in to fit his ass and it wouldn't have been comfortable for me. So I let him take it. Anywho, there they were, pretty new papasans with gorgeous bright fabrics and comfy pillows galore. I fell into shiny object mode right away. And they were on sale. Who says comfort has to cost a pretty penny?

Needless to say I bought one with matching stool and 2 pillows. I came home rearranged my room a bit so it fits right under the front windows for the diffused light. Set it up, took a shower, got a snack, drink and current book and settled in. Whereupon, I promptly fell asleep. It was a good nap too. Short, but good. As soon as the brat gets himself back home, I can settle more into my space. And I for one, can't wait. The siren call of a comfortable reading spot with a good book=bliss.

Mothers

With Mother's Day right around the corner (Sunday), obviously it's time to honor the one who gave birth to you. But what do you do if you detest the one who gave birth to you? And what if, say, she was replaced with a horrid Step monster? Well, do what I do. Honor yourself if you're a mum. If you overcame the horrid parenting that was, unfortunately, your luck to have, then I say honor yourself. Granted the majority of us probably came from a somewhat dysfunctional family. And like many of my friends and others I know, we survived. To become better parents hopefully. It's a hard job being a mom. whether you work or not. Frankly, having been both a working mom and a stay at home mom, I preferred the working mom scene. Yes, it was difficult juggling, sorting, etc. But at least it kept you from going insane and you got some adult conversation to boot. Course, back then, most of us didn't have the internet, so chances are, many moms are logged into forums, etc. and keeping up with what's new in the world.

Either way, happy mother's day to the moms of the world who make it all good in their children's worlds.

For my cat Hobbs

I have two cats. One named Hobbs and one named ChinaMoon. Hobbs is an orange male tabby that I have had for almost 13 years. In the last two weeks I have watched him go from a healthy, older cat to an unhealthy, losing his hair older cat. I have been to vets and emergency clinics and they all tell me the same thing-he is old and he is dying. And I feel as if a part of me is wasting away as well. Now I am faced with euthanizing a cat who has been a part of my family for a very long time.

While ChinaMoon is your typical feline, Hobbs is so much more than to me. He is also my familiar who has taken part in many rituals. Together, he and I have accomplished some magickal workings that were quite intense and well, magical. I can't begin to fathom how I will proceed in my endeavors without him. I just know I will, but they will be missing a key player. Animals become a part of the family. They make us laugh, they make us cry. They give unconditional love and we become a part of their pact, or in the case of cats, their pards.

I know I will go on without him, but it's going to be a very bumpy ride for a bit. He has been my protector, my confidant, my solace when lonely. His fur has absorbed countless tears. And his ears should be bald for all the strokes they have received from me. But he is kind of a mean ass cat and will only tolerate that so much, except for recently. Of late he has been showing me a lot of affection. And that tells me right there that somethings wrong with him. It's almost as if he's saying goodbye to me. I am so happy to have been his pet. LOL His waitstaff, "bathroom" cleaner and blanket washer. Goddess of catnip and lost toys.

I'm going to miss you my furry friend.

Opinionated people

I like when people have an opinion and stick to it. Nothing you or anyone else can say will make them change their minds. At times, it seems a bit tunnel visioned, but, I like their sticking to it mentality.

The It's a bitch thing forum (www.itsabitchthing.com/forum) has just those kinds of people on there. Everyone expressing their opinions on several threads....amazing. And aside from the rare ass, nothing flames up and causes problems between members. We actually are a very tight knit group for being spread out worldwide. But we enjoy when we get sassy opinionated new members who join in the fun.

Come join us and see for yourself.

The dream thief- Shana Abe {Drakon series-Book 2} 4 stars

The second book on the series picks up with Kit and Rue Langford's daughter Lia. A delightful series that keeps getting better with each book. Love shape shifters, you'll love this book as well as the first.

The smoke thief- Shana Abe {Book 1} 4 Stars

I loved this book! Set in the late 1700's, it is a story of the Drakon, humanoid dragons that live very secluded from the Others (regular people). Like wolves, the drakon mate for life.

Book Description:
For centuries they’ve lived in secret among northern England’s green and misted hills. Creatures of extraordinary beauty, power, and sensuality, they possess the ability to shape-shift from human to dragon and back again. Now their secret–and their survival–is threatened by a temptation that will break every boundary....

Dubbed the Smoke Thief, a daring jewel thief is confounding the London police. His wealthy victims claim the master burglar can walk through walls and vanish into thin air. But Christoff, the charismatic Marquess of Langford, knows the truth: the thief is no ordinary human but a “runner” who’s fled Darkfrith without permission. As Alpha leader of the dra´kon, it’s Kit’s duty to capture the fugitive before the secrets of the tribe are revealed to mortals. But not even Kit suspects that the Smoke Thief could be a woman.

Clarissa Rue Hawthorne knew her dangerous exploits would attract the attention of the dra´kon. But she didn’t expect Christoff himself to come to London, dangling the tribe’s most valuable jewel–the Langford Diamond–as bait. For as long as she could remember, Rue had lived the life of a halfling–half dra´kon, half mortal–and an outcast in both worlds. She’d always loved the handsome and willful Kit from the only place it was safe: from afar. But now she was no longer the shy, timid girl she’d once been. She was the first woman capable of making the Turn in four generations. So why did she still feel the same dizzying sense of vulnerability whenever he was near?

From the moment he saw her, Kit knew that the alluring and powerful beauty was every bit his Alpha equal and destined to be his bride. And by the harsh laws of the dra´kon, Rue knew that she was the property of the marquess. But they will risk banishment and worse for a chance at something greater. For now Rue is his prisoner, the diamond has disappeared, and she’s made the kind of dangerous proposition a man like Kit cannot resist....In this bewitching novel, Shana Abé transports us into a world of exhilarating romance and magic.