Today has been somewhat bizarre, but it seems to be in keeping with the way the week has gone. I made myself the perfect cup of tea this morning, intent on sitting down to watch Torchwood, when my Bengal decided to jump up onto the tray table, and spilled the steaming contents all over my chest and lap. It also snapped the handle clean off. *sigh* This was a precursor for things to come. I won't even mention the clumsy details of the day, but it suffices to say that I finally got my perfect cup of tea, courtesy of my lovely daughter.

Insane storm that blew through today canceled our outdoor plans; however, there is always tomorrow for "The Tempest". (Oddly fitting, actually.) Also, Grandma renewed our zoo membership and tossed in a science museum membership. So, more fun places to visit.

For Aidan's birthday weekend, we're thinking of heading over to the Hawk Creek Sanctuary for their Wildlife Renaissance Faire. We haven't had a chance to work on his pinata yet, but I did collect all of the materials that we need. As long as the paper mache bit is done by the end of the week, we'll have time to paint and attach crepe paper.

Massive summer cleaning project actually is progressing well. Unfortunately, it will be difficult to hide all of the pet stains on the living room carpet. On the plus side, though, I've still got this week, and most of next, to finish up.

Aidan's carnivorous plants are germinating. They have finally broken through the peat moss, so by summer's end, they should produce immature traps.

Bryanna and I have been watching "Azumanga Daioh"; the story of six schoolgirls and their wacky adventures. Worth mention is the ultra kawaii Iriomote kitten, Maaya.

I finished Mom's pearl and adventurine necklace, and had just enough left over to make Bree a bracelet for her birthday. YAY! In addition to working on crocheted mice for the Second Chance shelter, I also made some headway on the Knit-Wit multicolor scarf. (It consists of a series of knitted rosettes.) Eventually, I'll be knitting anime character hats, such as Totoro, Kamineko, or Nekobasu. I'm so crafty!

Bryan and I have been watching "I Survived a Japanese Game Show", quite necessary after having seen the fifth "Torchwood: Children of Earth" episode. Tonight's episode featured an obstacle course, baby oil, and six sumo wrestlers that two contestants had to squirm across on their bellies. Really funny show. I want to be on a Japanese game show, seriously.

And, as mentioned earlier today, Zoo New England suffers from Massachusetts budget cuts. I am heartbroken that unless someone figures out a way to solve the problem, some of the animals may be euthanized and the zoos shut down within three years. Other zoos may be able to accomodate some of the current inhabitants, but, simply put, it takes money to provide for the entire collection's needs. Some of these animals are part of endangered species breeding programs, like the snow leopards. So, for once I am asking that people keep the animals in their prayers, as well.

My weight is difficult to ascertain, since our house is uneven. The scale registers a difference of twenty pounds in either direction, depending upon where it is placed. So I've decided to find the average of all weights and call that my current weight. It may not be the most accurate, but an approximate weight range sounds better than guessing. Since some clothing fits better, I will guess that I've kept off ten pounds.

On a lighter note, I have found some great food items this week:
Turkey Hill Diet Mojito Green Tea
Nestea Red Tea Pomegranate PassionFruit
Tofutti Mintz's Blintzes
Coconut M&Ms
frozen strawberry-filled pancakes

in response to shadesong 's post.

Not having much news to share, I will expound upon the joys of finding a good pizza place.

Great Northern Pizza in the Buffalo area makes some of the best pizza that I've ever tasted, especially since moving here. I like it more than CiCi's Pizza, even. In fact, the crust reminds me of Papa Gino's in the Boston area, only thinner and more flexible. The tomato sauce is simple with a touch of natural sweetness, and their mozzarella light and tasty. Their menu is enormous, with over 25 varities of pizza slices offered daily, with over 60 possible combinations, plus a variety of sandwiches, soups, and salads. They even make a ravioli pizza. They offer 6 different sauces, including pesto. If I can come up with an unusual chicken pizza combination, they will advertise it and give me $50, which is pretty cool. The awesome part? One-third of the price of Pizza Plant, with larger portions and better ingredients. One slice cost $1.76 and was very filling. (some cost about $2.50 per slice, but the slices come from 20-inch pizzas, so it's like getting two large slices) And they can make all of their specialty pizzas without cheese upon request, so we could even pick up a few pies for the kids' birthdays. (They were good enough to point out right away that the tomato sauce is not dairy-free.)

The decor is pretty nifty, actually. Comfortable booths with mountain-shaped, cushioned backs in reddish-hued patterns, cut out star-shaped tin lanterns hanging from the ceilings, and a cozy, spacious dining area. I felt very much at home there, drinking pomengranate-passionfruit iced tea, and eating an enormous oatmeal walnut chocolate chip cookie.

Things went well for the rest of the kids' weekend with Grandma. They ate at Koi, the pan-Asian place in the hotel lobby. Sunday they went to the Aquarium of Niagara, and bought some cute souvenirs. Since the weather was beautiful yesterday, she took them to explore the Cave of the Winds at the falls. Fun, wet times were had by all. This morning, they were in a good mood when we said goodbye. I'm glad that they all had a good time.

Meanwhile, I cut my hair. It's now waist-length again. It needed something, so I think I'll set it in rollers or braids tonight to give it some texture. Since the play was rained out, we went window shopping at stores, took the dog for a walk around the small lake and watched "Taken" last night. Since we did not get to see The Tempest performed, we're making plans to bring the kids next weekend. (After July 11th, Julius Caesar will be performed.) Shakespeare at the Park is supposed to be one of the best outdoor performances each year, so I think we'll have fun.

Today, we told the science academy that Bree wishes to enroll for high school next year, and thanked them for their time. Afterwards, we watched some of Twilight while Aidan played the Wii. Her reaction was priceless. It's not bad, but there are definite cheesy elements, so she basically said, "I'm done. I'm allergic to cheese, anyway." We ended up watching more Utena, instead. Thankfully, the anime series isn't as blatant about certain themes as the movie version. LOL

I was proud yesterday that Bryanna looked at the Applebee's menu and selected a grilled shrimp Cobb salad, minus the dressing and olives. Last night, she did fine ordering dinner with Grandma, as well. According to Grandma,  though, this morning Bree refused to talk and was afraid that the hotel breakfast contained dairy. I asked her to come to the phone, and didn't get far with her, and finally told Grandma that she can just have her tea, then, and eat later when she can order for herself. She needs to talk to chefs and waiters on her own, without me advocating for her. Shyness is one thing, but this is extremely important. If she cannot learn to fend for herself when I'm not around, how will she ever go away to college or hang out with friends or have sleepovers? I'm not overreacting; these are the points that I'm trying to impress upon her, that she has to take control of her allergy. If I can put in more relevant terms for her, I thought that might help Bree see that her fear is keeping her from enjoying life.

The hotel, which we've stayed at before, could have made her meal to her specifications, if she would only ask to speak with the chef. This was the issue that I'd had about sending her to Explo, that she would have to be vocal about her allergy. On the phone, she eventually said that she wasn't hungry, and I mentioned that she should eat something light, but she wouldn't ask to see the ingredient list or bread wrapper, even. She was crying, so I put Grandma back on the phone, who said it would be unfair to Aidan if we came to get her and unfair to us to cancel our couple time. The thing is, it's unfair to Grandma, as well. She flew here, booked a hotel room for two nights so that she could spend time with the kids; she missed them terribly, and her husband is gone, so it's just us and her sister's family. While I acknowledge and understand Bree's concerns, she really does need to be aware that her behavior affects others, and that she cannot sit and stare indefinitely in a crowded restaurant. How many times have I seen her brother sigh in resignation while waiting half an hour for her to decide what she wants to eat, or to even discuss what is bothering her with us?

I'm not unfeeling. I know it sucks donkey goobers that she has a food allergy. But I cannot protect her forever, and she needs to be more independent and advocate for herself. She has made great strides towards that goal, but her refusal to talk is severely hindering her. I can say, "If you do not speak up and order, you will not eat," but for how long? Based on behavior alone, it would seem that she would rather starve than ask for help. If this is how she acts, how can she function in the world? I generally do not compare her to other children, because I believe that everyone matures at their own speed, but I want to exert a little peer pressure on her, and ask her whether her friends would behave this way. Maybe it's worth a little embarrassment if it spurs her on to speak up for herself.

Movie night at my house! 
Since the weather is sort of incompatible with Shakespeare at the Park, we decided to spend our date night watching movies. Although I really had wanted to see The Tempest, throwing popcorn at sparkly vampires and heckling Bella with my husband is a pretty good way to spend the afternoon. Tonight we will watch Taken, with Liam Neeson, and then figure out what we want to do tomorrow. His grandmother wanted to spend the day with the kids, and then we will pick them up from the hotel Tuesday morning. After dropping her off at the airport, Bryan will drop us off at the science academy for Bree's interview and then head to work. (After discussing things with Bree, she has decided that she would be rather stay at her current school, and then enroll at the academy for high school.)

Any ideas for a full day together without kids?

The one thing I despise most about this type of headache is that it makes me feel like throwing up, but I can't. I just sort of am stuck  in limbo feeling bad until it passes. The pressure in my head builds until I just can't take it any more.

Meanwhile, we've got one hell of a storm out there right now. I heard some terrified shrieks just a moment ago from outside, where a bunch of girls were running into the restaurant from the parking lot. I'm seeing a lot of lightning and hearing impressively loud thunder, so if you do not hear from me, it means that we've lost power.

Apparently, the reason why I did not receive a ticket to the ceremony is because Bree is not an eighth-grader, as in, this was the eighth-grade graduation ceremony. *headdesk* She's not performing, so why did she need to dress up? (Well, because the seventh graders were invited to attend.) I don't mind buying the dress. I mean, I'd wanted to do that this summer, anyway. But there was no reason for me to even be there, and I wasn't allowed to stop in and let her know that I had come. ( Last year's teacher said that she'd pass the message along, though)

So, I walked a mile to the train station, realized that I didn't have fare and had to track down an ATM and break a $20. Finally got home about fifteen minutes ago.

How's your day?

So Bree has a "moving up" ceremony today. Only, we never received tickets because Monday, when they were supposed to hand them out at assembly, all of her teachers were either absent or busy. So no one in her class received tickets. Yesterday, her class went to Darien Lake, but she opted to stay home. So, technically I don't know whether she passed or not, since students who did not earn enough points for the field trip would not be moving on to the next grade level. And I don't have the tickets for today's ceremony at 9am. And don't know how long the ceremony will be, so Bryan is going to drop me off so that he can get ready for work. However, according to Bree, she earned enough points for the trip, just didn't want to go. (She doesn't like to be pushed along onto rollercoasters and such, although she will go on them at Disney with me or momebie .)

I'm hoping that she is allowed to go forward, and not have to go to summer school. Especially since we have the interview at the science academy on Tuesday morning. Should she be accepted, tuition is free, but I'd have to pay for her uniform. I'm not pushing her into private school; the choice is hers. I'd like her to at least explore her other options, though. The academy offers many languages and more variety of subjects, plus a smaller class size. I want her to be happy, and if staying at BEST is what she wants, I won't transfer her. However, if she wants to pursue this charter school, then I'm behind her.

I'll give the condensed version:

Pre-trip:
Friday, I managed to get most of things done around the house that I'd wanted, and fudged the rest of the dishes by putting them into a covered bin next to the sink. The end result being that I can move about unrestricted and actually have some organization in there. Spoke with the Academy and set up an interview for Bree next Tuesday since this week she still is in school. Charged the camera batteries and cellphones, etc. By the time that the kids got home, we were ready to go, and I was antsy to get started.

The open road:
 The drive down went rather well. It was cloudy and threatening to rain when we left, but we ended up with clear skies the rest of the way. Saw a variety of wildlife along the way. Some humorous signs that we saw: 
"Caution: Correctional facility. Please do not pick up hitchhikers."
And, twenty miles down the road...
"____ Institution. Do not pick up hitchhikers."
 We left about 4pm, and arrived about 7:30pm, with just enough time to check into the hotel and then grab groceries before the store closed. Expensive supermarket, but we did okay. At least we found dairy-free Envirokids snacks for Bree; that way we could pack lunches to bring with us to attractions and not worry about spending too much on food.

The room:
Or rather, suite. It had an open floor plan, with fireplace, sofabed, fully-applianced and stocked kitchen, two double beds and bathroom. The swimming pool was directly across from our room, and there was a jacuzzi as well. Just beyond that was the main building with complimentary buffet breakfast, which we had not realized when we booked the room. Awesome sauce! That certainly helped defray the cost of food for the weekend. The buffet mostly offered food that Bryanna could eat, so everyone was happy. And the beds? So damned comfortable! All in all, the Residence Inn does a lot to make you feel at home. We slept better than we had in two weeks, and were able to actually relax. We received our voucher for a free night's stay, which will go toward the hotel for his brother's wedding.

The attractions:
There were many free things to do in Cleveland. We had a full day in which to explore, and then spent Sunday at the zoo. One of the places that we visited was the John Glenn NASA visitor center, which was great, since Aidan wants to become an astronaut. I'll load the pictures soon. We found a candy warehouse (BA Sweetie) that offers over 150 brands, including one of my favorites from Florida. Occasionally as a child, I'd receive a chocolate orange for Christmas. At BA Sweetie's, however, there were many flavors, including a dairy-free dark chocolate. We then hit the university area, where we found a pet supply store and Big Fun, which was a toy store/collectibles shop featuring stuff from the 80's and more. If I'd had the mad money to spend, I would have picked up a NKTOB tourbus with dolls for my friend J, because we used to be so obsessed with our boys from Boston. Afterwards, we tried to find a nature center, but our GPS was acting wonky. Eventually we got there, but then found that the parking lot was closed and that we'd have find the alternate, so we gave up and hit the zoo's rainforest exhibit.

The rainforest exhibit is located outside of the zoo entrance, and is free with admission, but closes early. We decided to visit the animals that Bree and I had missed last time: the gharial, asian small-clawed otters, fishing cat, ocelot, clouded leopard, etc. and then save the rest of the zoo for Sunday. That way, early Sunday morning we could focus on things we had not seen and swing by the rainforest again. This worked out very well, for the cats at the Rainforest were being fed when we arrived, so we were able to see them at their most active. Oh, the fishing cat was funny. She'd notice my husband's camera and start walking towards him, then at the last minute bounce away towards the kids. She was quite playful. Gorgeous kitties.  One of the cool animals there was an Indonesian type of squirrel that had wildly colored fur. The gharial was like a throwback to the Triassic, with its slender jaws and crocodilian body. A little bit creepy, since she was following me and then came directly up to the glass to study me.

At the main zoo, we really got a lot of exercise. We managed to catch the first Professor Wylde's show, which featured the Fennec fox, two-toed sloth, and many types of birds. The Fennec fox was the one animal that the kids had wanted to see most, but last time we didn't know that it wasn't on exhibit, so they were bouncing for most of the day because of this. At the main gate, there were volunteers with small animals. We saw the same animals as last time, for the most part, but also took in the medical center, Dinosaur and Flutter exhibits. (Bree opted out of the butterly enclosure, though, since she doesn't like them to land on her.) We had a great time, and it wasn't until 3pm that we started to get tired of walking. I was feeling a bit off, but couldn't place why. By the time that we got in the car, I realized that I wasn't just overheated or a little dehydrated; I was suffering from heat exhaustion and sunburn. Still, it was an incredible weekend, and I am very glad that we were able to get away for a little while.

So, what is everyone else up to? How was your Father's Day?

My favorite high school teacher has been named Head of School for the new and improved Nazareth Academy. I'd been saddened to hear that my alma mater would be closing this year, but I feel so much better knowing that everyone's efforts paid off. The Academy will relocate to the former Hurd School in Wakefield, MA, where I attended third grade, actually. I'm really excited for her, because Dr. T and some of my former professors had looked out for me at a time when the other students made school Hell for me. She believed that I had talent, and that with the proper training, I might even have been able to perform opera. Coming from an accomplished former opera singer who traveled extensively, this meant more than she'll ever know.

Tonight I reconnected with my BFF from childhood. It's like I never left; we picked up right where we left off.

~is thankful for friends~

As for tonight, vertigo went away earlier, and now I'm feeling jazzed, although a bit hot. Got to play Aidan on the Wii. Watched some Tokyo MewMew. Now it's time for bed, but I'm too excited to sleep!

Who steals a trash barrel, honestly?

I've got five bags of trash in the basement now because someone went up to my house and took it. A few months back, someone took our recycling bin as well. And, in the fall, people took the weighted down sawhorses so that they could park in our driveway, which is a private residence and NOT store parking.

 I am having enough difficulty cleaning my house and keeping up with yardwork as it is, without people stealing from me. Trash pickup is on Friday, before we leave for Cleveland, and the city sanitation department would penalize us for leaving trashbags out on the curb, so I have to continue to store them in the basement until they get around to sending a new one? While they are at it, I'm still waiting for a new recycling bin, guys.

Son of a bitch.

Score! I found the pesto!

Twas in the back of the cabinet, top shelf, and as I am 5 foot odd, I was unable to see it there. So, yay! I just had pesto shells for lunch. Tonight, I'm making up a shiitake stir fry to go along with the ramen noodles, and some tropical rice pudding for dessert. Although we generally eat meat on the weekends, with the exception of eggs, the kids and I mainly eat vegetarian on school days. That doesn't mean that we are starving, or that the kids are unhealthy. Or that they do not like what's on the menu. Most of my kitchen experiments turn out very tasty and go over well with them. (The notable exception was the Thai peanut butter soup, which they found abhorrent.)  However, the boy was sad last night because he had asked for his ramen noodles without vegetables, but there wasn't any meat. (He'd been eating the Cup of Ramens that contained meat or shrimp.)

I mention this only because of the wistful, resigned expression on his face, which reminded me of a wartime cartoon mouse with a hankerchief bundle on a stick, who used to sing: "Food around the corner, there'll be food around the corner for me... There'll be no more meatless Tuesdays, no more meatless Tuesdays for ME!"

EDIT: Upon searching for youtube footage of this cartoon, all that I found were an Elmer Fudd cartoon with a blue flea... and the Green Day song. Does anyone remember a WWII era cartoon little brown/black mouse with pale face, wearing a scarf around his neck and a newsboy cap, searching for food? The animation resembles Mighty Mouse and Jerry a little bit, definitely not a Disney cartoon but possibly Warner Bros. He might be a country mouse going to the big city, I'm not sure... This cartoon used to air in the 80's often, and the song got stuck in my head. Anyone who remembers this mouse, kindly refresh my memory. This is the type of thing that I will obsess over for the rest of the afternoon, which means that the song will reach massive earworm proportions by dinner.

Cartoon mouse that it might be: Sniffles, by Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies

Very similar in appearance and date... but I'm not sure. The markings are right, the scarf I thought was longer, and I'm pretty sure the hat was a newsboy cap.

Cartoon shorts that it is not:
"The Country Cousin" by Disney
"The Country Mouse" by Merrie Melodies
"Food Around the Corner" by Warner Brothers
"Meatless Tuesday" Andy Panda short


*goes back to viewing classic cartoons*

(picture courtesy Zooborns.com)

Orphaned puma cub says, "I haz a hunger. Plz 2 B feeding me nao, kthnx."

Here are a bunch of pics taken of our family and home. I paid great attention to detail, and the results were incredible. It really looks like our house, right down to the picture windows and odd  touches. As for the family and pets, they are as close as possible to what we look like and how we dress.
Meet the Ellis Family:

Bryan, coming home after work.

"Hey pretty girl!" he greets Leia, our Bengal.

They snuggle while Ringo sleeps in his doghouse.


BrendaLee

All ready to greet her husband.


Bryanna

"Omigod! Nick's on the phone!" TaunWe wanders by.


Aidan greets his dad.

"Way to go, Ace!" he congratulates him on making the honor roll.

Time for bed.


Meanwhile, upstairs Bryan is thinking, "BrendaLee is so HOT!!!"

BrendaLee is feeling frisky tonight.

A tickle fight breaks out, and he manages to surprise her.


Bryan, checking her out. (I love this one.)

Moments later...

"Are you coming to bed, hon?"

 "Just finishing the chapter I'm on..."

*taking a short break*
I vowed that today I'd give the kitchen a thorough going-over, and have managed to accomplish quite a bit since Bryan left for work. The dishes are soaking in soapy water in the bin while I finish up. Pretty much, the kitchen sink has been unclogged and scrubbed, its faucet tightened to minimize leaking until I can get a repairman in, all the countertops and table scrubbed, the cupboards organized, and the trash stored in the basement for Friday. I even put down a nice tablecloth. About the only thing that needs to be done besides the dishes is for me to continue picking up all of the plastic shopping bags. Now when the kids come home, we can set up the carnivorous plants in the terrarium next to the sink, which will take care of the summer flies. (That, and putting duct tape over holes in the window screens.)

Not bad; the only casualty so far has been my Thanksgiving serving tray from Publix. A plastic pitcher, of all things, fell on top of it and cracked it while I was in the middle of putting away my holiday dishes above the sink. While it's unfortunate, I'm not that bothered by it; I got five years of use out of it. I'm thinking that once I've finished washing the dishes that I'm going to take the yellow set that my mom gave me when I moved out, pack it up for good and store it in the basement. We have his parents' sunflower set, plus their fine china with gold metallic trim, as well as the new blue set we bought for Yule. If we put the china away for special occasions only, then we'll have two sets to use and wash daily. Since we do not have a dishwasher here, nor room in the kitchen for one, this will keep us from grabbing a new plate instead of washing the one we'd used earlier.

Alright, break time's over. Gotta change into something clean and grab stuff at Walgreens. Hope everyone is well.

Two sad pieces of news, as I'm running out the door...

My friend Todd passed away at 3am last night due to complications brought on by pneumonia. I'm still reeling from the news, actually, and will comprise a more coherent post later.

My friend Angie's nephew Eric passed away this weekend from complications from the treatment of his Burkitt's Lymphoma. He was only four years old. He fought a long battle but in the end, there was only so much that one little body could take.


There is not enough tea in the world...

How adorable is this little Zooborn? (For more cute baby animal pics and videos, visit Zooborns.com.)