Sylvia Plath Kitty July,1996-June 20, 2008

Today The Wife and I had our cat, Sylvia, euthanized. It's a long, complicated story but suffice to say that we tried everything we could and everything various vets recommended and it was probably past time. Sylvia was generally a quiet cat (unless she was hungry) and even though there is another cat (her sister, Emily Dickinson) and a dog in the house, tonight we feel her absence. There is an unusual stillness in the house. I was outside a few minutes ago and saw the first firefly of the season. Both of these things, seemingly unrelated and small, have convinced me of what I have long belived. Animals have souls. Sylvia's is gone from our house and our lives. I do think pets go to heaven and I like to think that Sylvia has found my grandmother and has settled in with her.

I'm sorry, Syl. I wish there had been another option. I'll miss you greeting me every morning outside the bedroom door and lining up in your spot for your share of the lunch meat when I make my lunch. I'll think of you every time I eat rice pudding. You were a good cat.

Roses

IMing with the dog...

Poochie: MaMa B!! MaMa K wetted me with the hose. I runned away, but I'm still hot. Can I have a pool like Zoey [editor's note: co-worker's dog] so I can just lay in the water without it raining on me?
Me: Well I think that's up to MaMa K because she will have to dry you off after you've been laying in your pool.
Poochie: MaMa K said it was o.k. because I was eyeing the wading part of the pond & at least in a pool I won't smell quite so icky.
Me: This is true. What size pool would you like?
Poochie: I dpon
Poochie: oops. darn paws.
Poochie: I don't know. I was thinking of a plastic one that I could lay in (like a library lion) and maybe MaMa K could cool off by putting her feet in. Mayby CVS or K-mart has one?
Poochie: Oh & the sides can't be too high, because I need to be able to watch those darn birdies.
Poochie: So, more long than deep.
Me: maybe I can go shopping tomorrow after work.

Experience with personal trainer

Yesterday I had an appointment with a personal trainer. I cannot say enough good things about the trainer. I'm fat and out of shape and I have been thinking of calling this guy for months, ever since I read about him in the paper. He's convenient and has gotten a ton of good press recently. I put it off and put it off and finally made an appointment a few weeks ago. Mostly yesterday we talked about my health, job, exercise, eating habits, and sleeping habits and then he had me do some exercises to see where I am now. I'm going to work out with him once a week and with another trainer once a week for the next six weeks (and likely for another six weeks after that) and then we'll re-evaluate. I'm a little sore today (my hips, it's always my hips) but I'm actually looking forward to going back tomorrow.

Bottling day

Today I am bottling the 2 batches of beer I brewed 2 weeks ago. The West Coast Pale Ale is already in bottles and the keg of Vienna Lager is on the counter waiting for me to get started (I need to wash and sanitize the bottles first and the Phillies game is on so I'm torn.) I had The Wife confirm that the Vienna Lager wasn't sweet (which means that the beer needs to ferment a little longer) and she referred to it as "swill." I told her she couldn't have any when it was done. I think these batches will be good. I didn't get any hint of off flavors when I tasted both beers before bottling.

Not my day, apparently

The Wife called during the drive home to say we were missing a crucial ingredient for dinner. Can't make burritos without taco mix. I stopped at the grocery store. It was POURING so I sat in the car for a moment hoping it would slow down, and it rained harder. I got out of the car and stepped into a river flowing across the parking lot and squished my way into the grocery store. Then I shivered my way through the store and my short list, which now included peanut butter m&ms along with the taco mix and a few other things. I arrive at the checkout and...no wallet. Back into the pouring rain. Back into the store where I proceed to knock over the checker's bagging station. Now I am home where I think I shall stay...at least for the evening.

New batches of beer

In my effort to spend more time doing things that I enjoy, I brewed 2 batches of beer last weekend. I brewed a batch of Vienna Lager with dry malt extract and a batch of West Coast Pale Ale with "booster (maltodextrin - increases "body" and alcohol content of beer). Both of these are Mr Beer mixes. My first batch of beer was the West Coast Pale Ale with booster and it was good. My second batch was West Coast Pale Ale with dry malt extract and it was not so good. Not undrinkable (only about 1.5 bottles left out of an 8 bottle batch [1 liter bottles]) but I haven't and won't offer it to guests. I'm not sure what the problem with the second batch was - I used less sugar when bottling because we thought the first batch had too much carbonation. The excess carbonation turned out to be a temporary thing so using less sugar in the second batch was a mistake. I also used the dry malt extract for the first time and I wasn't sure how to dissolve it so I may have "cooked" it. In any event the second batch of beer had some off flavors. I'll see how the Vienna Lager is. The 2 batches will stay in the fermenters for another week and then have to be bottled and sit in the bottles for 2 weeks to carbonate. I also ordered 3 more mixes from Mr Beer (using my birthday gift certificate) - I just received the Czech Pilsner, a Cherry Wheat, and a Pale Ale with Mr Beer Unhopped liquid malt extract (very hard to purchase liquid malt extract in a size I can use with the Mr Beer kit which was why I tried the dry malt extract.)