Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Pretty Boy

Yes, he is a pretty boy. This is the first time since he moved in that I have actually seen him enjoy some sun.

Other new behaviors: coming to find me when it's time to eat, meowing at me and tugging on my clothes. I kid you not. He tries to drag me to the food dish.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Movie Screen in My Living Room

It's tax season. And unlike last year, my taxes didn't cancel out Jeff's return. This meant good news for our movie and soap opera viewing enjoyment as Jeff decided it was time to replace this TV:

It looks like a pretty good TV and really as far as TVs go we were happy with it. Ignorance is bliss. It was big, heavy and awkward but the main problem was that it was dark; although you wouldn't know it from this picture. Sometimes we'd be watching a movie and when a dark scene came up all we could see was the glints of people's eyes, if we were lucky. The TV was in to the shop once and a TV guy turned up the lightness and that helped for a while but we've been noticing the darkness getting much worse lately.

Jeff is a research guy. And I'm perfectly happy to let him be the research guy and for him to give me the Coles Notes versions of what he finds.

We took this knowledge and spent the Saturday visiting Future Shop, Best Buy, and the Brick. Not once, but twice in one day. After lots of talking, listening, and measuring, we ended up with a Samsung from Best Buy:

It's 39" across. Jeff had originally had in mind one a few inches bigger and I talked him out of it. We just don't have the depth to sit that far back and as you can see there isn't a lot of space to fit a bigger television.

I have to say, it rocks. It's like having a movie screen in my living room. Now I realize compared to what some people have this is still small but compared to what we have it is awesome.

The other day I was watching General Hospital and I could actually see all the detail in the back at both Sonny's and Jason's homes. It made the long Saturday and the exodus of cash all the more worth it.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Less Room in Office

Since I tore my Achilles tendon in December I've been having a rough go trying to do pretty much everything that involves using the foot. It has been two steps forward and five steps back.

I'm under orders not to do anything that will increase the angle and stretch of my tendon and have been walking around in heels. Both are against my nature. That has meant, no walking (other than the basic), no jumping (I can't anyway), going up and down stairs in what amounts to a hobble, and absolutely no yoga (lawn mowing was thrown in there too but that hasn't been high on my list of stuff to do in the winter).

So when I saw the Tempo Fitness (#84-0127-0) recumbent bike on sale for 50% off at Canadian Tire I knew I had to check it out.

When I went to do errands I added Canadian Tire to my list of things to do. I was presently surprised to see that there was one set up in the store and it was even better than I thought. I sat in it and tested it -- comfortable and very quiet. I didn't give any thought to where I was going to put it and asked the manager to bring me one down from storage.

I left it in the back of the vehicle for a day while I decided where I wanted to put it. Then the perfect spot came to me. If I did a little rearranging I could put it in my office a.k.a. dining room; although, it hasn't been a place where people eat for some time. But first I'd have to sell Jeff on the idea.

My major selling point was that I could take a break from the computer anytime during the day and go for a spin. Or I could go for a spin while I was watching tv in the evening. Sold! Actually, it was easier to sell than I thought. It's important to mention that he really didn't think it would fit in the small space I had planned for.

It was a good thing Jeff was around because even though the whole bike didn't feel like it weighed more than 60lbs it was a bit tricky to put together and definitely easier with four hands instead of two.

It's been set up for a few weeks and I have to say I love it. The seat is comfortable and actually fits my ass. It is super quiet. It shocks me how quiet it is, and having it in my office means not having to go into the basement. But what makes it all worth it was that it was 50% off.

I'm not a speed demon and I won't be entering any bike peddling competitions anytime soon (ever) but at least I'm moving again.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Furry Feet

JD is no longer an itty bitty kitty. In fact, for an eight month kitty he's pretty damn big. Soft and squishy, big as well in "Oh, my gawd what big feet you have!" big.

Speaking of feet. He has a strange phenomena that I have never seen in a cat, especially a cat that has spent the first two months of it's life runny wild and free.

JD has a huge growth of fur on the bottom of his feet between the large pad and small pads. It's about two inches long and prolific. So much so when he runs around the house he tends to slip and slide because the pads of his feet never seem to make contact with the floor.


This photo doesn't really do the fur justice -- he was squirming while Jeff held held and I tried to take a picture with one hand while showing off his foot.