Ernie the Cat

I decided I’ll pick one day a week to talk about one of my beloved pets.  I think I’ll pick Monday because that’s a good way to start the week.  I’ve already talked about a couple of them and the two I lost this past year but it’s time for some funny stories and facts about these furry creatures that I love.

The cat in the picture is Ernie.  Ernie is a 20+ pound Russian Blue (we believe) hunk a hunk of burning love.  Ernie is seen here in the hammock.  I orginally ordered this hammock off of ebay for my other cat Eddie who had resigned himself to sleeping in the babies bouncy seat.  I saw this hammock and knew I had to have it.  At first I was afraid the cats would not get in it but I’m happy to say that every single one of them has gotten in it at one time or the other. 

Ernie is so large though the hammock touches the floor.  It’s hard to believe this kitten I got from my brother-in-law grew up to be so large.  He is the master of the house and the only cat that does not get along with the dog.  Actually Ernie stalks the dog and is larger than him as well.  You see this big cat and expect a loud meow too don’t you?  Actually, he has a very low sounding kind of squalk noise that doesn’t sound like a cat at all.

He loves my husband but my husband doesn’t particularly like him.  Ernie will not take no for an answer and will hound you to death when he wants attention or food.  This morning I was awakened to the feeling of something licking my eye lid……he was hungry I guess.

Scrapbook Appreciation 101

It’s hard to believe that not everybody appreciates or understands scrapbooking and the work that goes into it.  I mean it’s one thing not to understand the process and the work but to not see the beauty and sentimental value in one is something I don’t understand. 

 In the past year or so I have given a few scrapbooks I created as gifts to friends and family and am actually starting on one now for a friend whose about to have a baby.  I made a memory one for my grandmother after my grandfather died and she really seemed to love it.  I made a blank one (to add your own pictures) for my friend at work after her grandson was born and she was really excited about it and I know for a fact she went home and started adding pictures.  These are the type people I love to make them for but it’s really a crap shoot because you really don’t know.  I gave my two mother-in-laws “Grandmother Brag Books”…specially designed with a page for each grandchild.  One of the Mother-in-laws sent me a thank you email and seemed to like it but knowing her she has done nothing with it because it was a blank one as well.  The other Mother-in-law actually gave it back to me with some pictures asking me if I would put them in because she didn’t know what to do with it.  This is after it laid on a table for a year and no one gave her school pictures supposedly to add to it.  I mean they probably liked them but some times and with some people I wonder if they think I’m being cheap or am poor because I hand-made a gift?  If they knew how much time and money are put into those scrapbooks they wouldn’t think that for sure!  They don’t know that I only do that for special people.  It’s hard to shop for people who have everything or can get it themselves so to me the hand-made gift is the perfect answer but ya know…some people don’t appreciate anything anyways!