Hello Global Warming!

I know Rock Hill doesn't have the hottest weather in the nation but we've had a few 100+ degree days (six) recently, more than I remember for this area in recent history. We've actually had to go on water restriction, a familiar practice but not in recent summers. A normal flow of weather? Probably, but when you see all the news about global warming you feel like you're living it.

Here's a picture of our yard:

© SaharaMet / R. Pelisson

Ahhh............... now this looks more like it!

photo courtesy of http://www.firstpeople.us

Best Salsa Ever

Saturday evening we went to an off-broadway show in Chicago called "Forbidden Broadway." It was written by a guy (can't remember his name) who has written many known Broadway shows, but this show pokes fun at all the others. I've never seen actors change costumes so fast so many times. The four actors were very talented and it got lots of laughs.

After the show we ate at a restaurant called "Uncle Julio's Hacienda" on North Ave. in Chicago. Talk about atmosphere and great food!

Pictures never do justice to what you see when you're there. This restaurant is decorated in what looks to me to be authentic Mexican design. Those of you who've been to Mexico can correct me if I'm wrong.

The salsa here is the best I've ever had anywhere. I decided I didn't care if I got full on it because I couldn't imagine my entree tasting better than that. Couldn't even stop eating for a photograph.

The tortillas were made right there, so when they arrived with the meal they were fresh and hot. The Mexican man making these ran away when I told him I wanted to take a picture. At the time I figured he was just shy, but in retrospect I think he may have been illegal and didn't want his picture taken for that reason. Who knows. He disappeared very quickly.

The bar was inside these arches; the tortilla machine is in the right arch.

Poor Minnie. She can't clean herself quite as well as she used to so Martha has to do come serious brushing to remove the clumps of fur that matt up.

Cinnamon lets her do it but boy does she complain about it.

She looks relaxed, but she's cussing Martha out big time!

This is the last of the pictures from Illinois. I had a great time.

Bad Kitty

Over the many years that I've known Cinnamon she has always exhibited superior performance (we won't mention her behavior on the way to the vet.) She doesn't scratch the furniture, she doesn't ever miss her litter box, she eats whatever Martha feeds her, she doesn't hiss or scratch, and generally lets you do anything you want to her.

Well, as the owner of very naughty kitties myself I'm happy to report that Minnie has turned over a new leaf. She has learned (from her stays at Grandma's house I'm told) to seek out human food! (horrors!) Here she is caught in the act. Martha and Ken had grilled some hamburgers on their indoor grill and you-know-who was caught in the sink cleaning up the spatula!

She realizes she's been caught!

She attempts to make a hasty retreat...

...but gets caught by the photographer before she can get down!
Sorry Cinnamon - I've exposed your secret!

Since Saeed and I never go to the movies it's always a treat to go with M & K when I visit. Ken tends to like action flics, Martha likes more cerebral flics, and I like both so I'm always happy. This time we saw The Bourne Ultimatum and the last time we saw the new James Bond movie, so Martha definitely gets to pick our next movie.

After a fast-paced movie with lots of action we went for a fast-paced dinner with lots of action: CiCi's pizza. It was Saturday night and the place was packed with families and lots of LOUD kids. After our meal we headed out the door for some peace and quiet (but the food is yummy.)

M & K are now the proud owners of the "Dutch Star," their new home-away-from-home. On the outside it appears to be about the size of a bus but when you get inside it feels so much bigger.

This picture is supposed to show how deep it is but I'm actually still in front of the bed; the bedroom is still behind me in this shot. There are two bathrooms, one to the left behind the frosted glass and one to the right behind the wooden door. There's also a washer and dryer on board.

Martha poses in her new kitchen with the countertops better than anything either of us has in our own kitchens at home. To the right is the kitchen table that can seat more people when pulled out. Of course Ken is in the process of setting up all the electronic gizmos they own so you can still see some unfinished areas as he pulls it all into working order.

Here Martha has her co-pilot's chair turned around facing the back of the home. Ken has his hand on his driver's seat and that white curtain covers the front window. My descriptions don't do it justice; take my word for it - it's one amazing piece of vehicle genious!

More pictures tomorrow!

I'm Back From Illinois

I just got back from a wonderful visit home. What follows are just some of the pictures from last week. The first picture is of all three Schumacher women at mom's apartment.

This is one of those "stretch your arm out and hope your faces are in the center of the picture" pictures. (Martha wasn't there that day.)


Mom's talking about the construction going on outside her window (actually she's just pretending to do an action shot!)

Here's a shot of Mom's apartment. It's very cozy and cute.

Around the back side of those stairs is the library where Mom likes to read the Chicago Tribune after lunch. The fireplace is real and puts out a nice fire (not in August of course.)

This is actually the back side of Mom's apartment building where she takes walks on the sidewalk in almost any weather.

And this is Mom's "back yard" to the left of the sidewalk.

I stayed with Martha, of course, who spoiled me rotten. If she's not careful I'll be back sooner rather than later for some more of her great treatment! Here she is fixing us a nutritious dinner of salad and lasagna.

My first day there Martha went to this farm stand for some fresh corn. At Halloween they must also have a "haunted house" and they also sell plants and trees.

This corn is the best I can remember eating. Dr. Revell thinks Silver Queen corn is the tastiest, but he's obviously never had this. I could have just eaten corn for dinner.

I took a picture of this because it was kind of an interesting way to put out a message. If you look at the top of the tower it says, "Protect The Unborn." I guess that's their bumpersticker.

Another interesting sign at the stand.

I hope our cats don't form a union - Saeed and I would be outnumbered.

After gorging on Martha's yummy dinners each night I would relax with a laptop and a cat (felt like home!)

My only problem keeping Cinnamon with me was this fellow. Cinnamon's favorite spot in front of the TV is right there next to Ken's left leg.

Check back in tomorrow for more!

Ooops

For some reason three of the wild cat photographs will show up only on my computer. I'm not sure how to fix that. Sorry. Each picture matched one of our cats. Since this blog is more about me learning how to do this than to actually produce a product, I'll try to go back and fix it when I have more time.

Cats Are Not Domesticated Animals

Alan Weisman has written a book titled, "The World Without Us." It is a theoretical exploration (based on what is already known about plant life, animal life, and the breakdown of man-made chemicals) of what the planet would be like if we humans just vanished one day. I listened to him being interviewed on the Diane Rehm show by Susan Page (of USA Today) and was totally fascinated by what he said. Link to the audio program.

When asked which animal species would benefit the most from our absence and which would do poorly, he said it was very complicated. Mosquitoes would, for example, do very well since we are not here to try to erradicate them and more wetlands would be available for them for breeding. Birds would do very well for several reasons. As domesticated species cattle would be killed off by predators, and dogs would have to compete with other similar species such as wolves and hyenas. Perhaps some dogs would breed with them but they'd be out-competed and they'd lose out in fights.

Cats, he said, have never been domesticated!!! (Boy have we experienced that in our house.) The "domesticated" cat is genetically the same as a species of wild cat that lives near the mediterranean on three different continents and came here during colonial times as a pet. All it has done is take advantage of the opportunities in its environment, specifically a two legged creature that brings it food and water on a daily basis. He said, if you put your cat outside it doesn't revert to its wild status, it's still in it. They immediately begin hunting even if you've just fed them a big meal. They do it for pleasure; it's their instinct.

Well I can't say that I'm happy about the reign of the mosquitoes or the decline of the dog, but I'm happy to hear that the superiority of cats is confirmed. Just take a look at the following pictures and it's easy to see that a cat, is a cat, is a cat.

A lion in the jungle.....
....our lion (Chappu) in the livingroom.

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The lion in the tree.....

......Banu in a tree.

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And so on:

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(Frosty)

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credits for the above photos of wild cats in order:

Copyright: Edwin Owo 2005-12-18
Copyright: Jeremy Ho 2006-06-05
Copyright: Jeremy Ho 2006-06-05
Copyright: All Images 2002 Mary Ferguson
Photographer: Mike Farrell From: Jo-burg

My Body, The Tavelogue To Places I've Never Been

On a previous post I showed T-shirts with a message (July 31: My Body, The Bumpersticker.) The shirts on today's post are all from Martha (and Ken) who travel more than anyone I know. What's interesting to me is that they have all these incredible memories from their trip; for me the memories begin when I receive the shirt. People often come up to me to talk about the place on my shirt. I politely say that my sister is the traveler and that I have never actually been there, and they politely don't show disappointment or pity at my Hobbitness. Here they are:

I've actually been here! Where the heck is it? It's the campground where they keep the R.V. during the winter. I "camped" with them there and have fond memories of making S'mores over the campfire.

A cruise I never went on.

Whales in Mexico I never got to see.

A ranch in Telluride I never stayed at.

A Caribbean island I've never been on.

I've been here! When Saeed and I lived in Seattle, WA the first year of our marriage we often went to Pike Place Market on weekends for our hot date. It was cheap, what can I say?

An ocean playground I've never been to.

Dolphins I never saw.

Well, I've never been to Hawaii but that big cat in the center looks like me in my living room on the couch surrounded by our puddies.

Never been to the first point either.

I've studied it, but never been there.

Ken accuses me of never wearing this shirt, because the braids are still in such good shape. He partially right, not because I don't like the shirt but because I'm trying to keep the braids new. (Saeed understands this way of life - keeping things "new" till they fall apart from old age.)

Well, I'm not real sure what is says below the Grand Canary Islands, but I'm pretty sure I haven't played with any canteras!

I'm not surprised Mexico has more colorful turtles than we do.

Never been to Old Brunswick either.

This shirt is obviously from a fantastic trip to Africa. My experience, however, is in keeping the golden fur off of it from all our orange cats. Perhaps someone could be fooled into thinking it's from the lion? Nah, I didn't think so.