Amber & 3 A.M.

Why is it that, lately, my cats are so completely awake and mewingly insistent that I, too, start my day at 3 a.m.?

Could it be the afternoon naps they take on the sofa?

Or the fact that some  of them never seem to leave the red donut all day long?

Or perhaps some of them spend the day conserving their mews for the witching, pre-dawn hours?

It's a plot, I tell you.  And thanks to Nick for running daytime recon on their activities.

Amber & New Winter, New Hat

I love this hat I got with Amy Bee last year.

But with my new shorter hair, it is super itchy on my head.  To the point where, if you are in Boston and it is totally winter, you might still choose to go hatless to avoid the itching.

So, I got this new hat today.

Pretty nondescript and a little like the fuzzy "gorilla hat" I had back when that guy wrapped central park in orange fabric.

(I had such a nice time.  Jimmy, you rule.)

But...

SURPRISE!

There is a (faux) animal on the top of it.

I had planned to cut the animal off, but it's really grown on me.  But, if I change my mind, it will make a great cat enrichment device.

Hats and friends are indispensable in winter.

Amber & Pusses Galore

There may not be any real kitties here, but there are alot of symbolic kitties in Boston.  For example, the record shop might have a display of all cat-themed albums.

 

Or, if you go for ramen, the hot pepper spicy stuff might be inside a kitty.

 

Or, maybe on the wall there might be a chart of different CAT EMOTIONS behind you.

(Temple Grandin sure never addressed MY GOD EMOTION in her book.  But I have sure seen that on Tiggy's face when her brothers get too close.)

Boston is nice, but I still would rather have real cats.  My own real cats.  Maybe next time they can come with me.

Amber & In Boston

In Boston, there are spooky owls.

Amber & Milky Tea

Don't forget to relax today.

I am thankful for creamline milk, Earl Grey tea, and relaxation.

Amber & Cider

Mulling and ready to be toddied.

Aren't we all?

Amber & Good Math

Chopped brussel sprouts...

+ bacon....

= my favorite vegetable.

The photo is blurry because my hand was shaking with excitement.

Amber & Step Three

Bird seasoned, and garlic cloves and onions hidden in cavities.  In pot.

Amber & Cider

Mulling and waiting to be toddied.

Aren't we all?

Amber & Stuffing

I forgot to add the cranberries, but it is ready to bake once the
turkey comes out.

Amber & Pumpkin Soup

To add cream and reheat for a starter.

Amber & Holiday Eyes

I am just zooming through these preparations.

Amber & Pie: After

It was a little too juicy over there on the right side and the crust
looks sort of seeped in apple juice. But that left side is lovely.

Amber & Pie: Before

 

Tune back in after 55-65 minutes for the final product.

Amber & Step Two

Soak schlemmertopf overnight.

Amber & Step One

Schlemmertopf.

(Third best thing to come out of Germany after Marlene Dietrich and Fritz Lang, the latter of whom happens to be having an "in Hollywood" series at Film Forum next month.)

Amber & Ridonkulous, Defined

I mean, sweetums, did you have to put the paw on the edge of the donut like you were posing for your holiday portrait at Bradlee's?  And do your eyes have to be so big and surprised-looking?  And what about those crazy eyebrow whiskers?

I mean, really?

Luff.

Amber & Chortling Over Chestnuts

Diana and her mom, Kate, are sure enjoying poking holes in the chestnuts so they don't explode when they roast.

Amber & Pulping the Poms

Mmm. Pomegranate. Dinner at Kevin and Diana's involves the prep of many unusual foods.

Amber & Wish You Were Here (I Was There)

Remember when I was at the River House?

I officially start counting down until next year right... now.

Amber & Immediate Needs

Some days, you just need Nancy Sinatra.



You may not even know it.  You may not even know you need boots, fuzzy sweaters and the will to walk.  But, oh you do.  You do indeed.

Amber & Inspiration

People with whom I am planning to form a professional dance troupe (and you know who you are), I'm thinking this number has to added to our repertoire.



But with less facial expressions and more fancy dance moves.  Maybe more like this version?  (P.S.  He's a con artist.  Get it?  Bluffmaster.)

Amber & Tiggy Pooja

It's that time of year again (or, really, the first time since this is the first ever observance) to honor and devote ourselves to the grace and majesty of the Ultimate Dainty Paw with Tiggy Pooja.

There are so many fantastic stories about Tiggy to be retold on her special day.  We can remember the harrowing tale of how Tiggy did battle with the metallic silver thread, protecting our household from really bad fashion choices.  And then there is the tale about how gravity has no effect on Tiggy and so she grew to be the size of a mountain once to protect us during our journey through the dark, cold lands of Wisconsin.  (For much of that journey we actually rode on Tiggy's back, or at least I rested my head on it.)

She was so big then!  But she also has the power to be as small as a mouse-- almost invisible if the challenge (the vacuum cleaner) calls for it.

Tiggy knows not every battle needs to be fought.  Sometimes, when your brother wants to chew on your butt, you are better off just going in the other room.  It's the lesson of Tiggy's non-violence.

Also, for Tiggy Pooja, we listen to alot of David Bowie because, in certain lights, Tiggy, too, knows the magic of the green and blue eyes.

For Tiggy Pooja, we spend most of the day (except the laundry offering) at home.  Tiggy frequently reminds us that the home is where her heart is.  How badly do we  really need to leave the house?  With our bag?

Tiggy is small, but full of love.  She likes her chest rubs in the morning, she likes to sit on the toilet to make sure I am surviving the horrors of the shower, and she often purrs just being next to me.  I love her, and I am thankful for the chance to honor her on her special kitty holiday.

Amber & Necking

If there's one piece of advice about wellness that you take from me (and I understand your hesitancy to do so), it's to keep your neck warm.

Ways of doing that include, wearing cowl necks.  With the neck uncowled.

And, wearing the awesome weird fuzzy Fraggle scarf my mom and dad gave me for Christmas last year.

Here is a close up.

Another way would be to have the heat on in the office, but I can't seem to control that.

Amber & Musical Surprises

So, I was suprised when iTunes announced that, after the Soothing Cat Music album selections and the Ocean Waves background sounds, this is my favorite song ever.



(I absolutely do not think those are the right lyrics.)

I had expected maybe some Kate Bush?  Or "Pictures of You," or that M.I.A. song that I had on repeat for like two days?



Now, it is true that I do add that song to almost every playlist. And that when it comes on, I can't not sing along.  I just can't help myself, even if I look like a crazy person on the A train.  So, yes, I guess it is my favorite?  But it's also true that I never, ever recorded myself singing it.



So really, can my love for the song be THAT deep?

Amber & Target Demographic

So, I was just in D.C. overnight for biznusses.  And I stayed at the lovely Quincy hotel, mostly because it was cheap and also right around the corner from where the biznusses were conducted.  (And because my old apartment at the Argonne has probably been rented.)  There were several notable things about the Quincy which I will proceed to note hereforth.

1.  The couch in my room was totally the larger L version of my home couch.  Same fabric, same feet shape, same velcro attachments for the pillows.

Same, same, same-- except less cat fur.  And no sheet covering it to protect it from cats or little decorator pillows or Ginger.

2.  There was a very strange music thing happening, both in that they chose to blast all of the songs from my "HS Memories" playlist in the lobby (see sidebar), but also because, very randomly, there was a Billy Squier album cover on the wall on my floor near the elevator.

True, they never played any Billy Squier in the lobby, but there he was, gazing at me while I waited for the elevator.  This prompted Kevin to say, "This must be a hotel for young people."  And that made me laugh uproariously since that album came out before some of my younger friends were born.

3.  There was a giant mirror against the wall.  (Even bigger than yours, CRD.)  It made me realize that I really need a full length mirror if I am going to avoid making outfit mistakes like that one time I wore the balloon top out in public.  Or, maybe just forgetfully not make outfit choices at all.

4.  In this big mirror, I also noticed that my skirt (seen here with the oddly ruffly sweater, both acquired during my total blogging black out at Outlet Mall Weekend Edition of Awesome Club) matched the orange couch pillows.

Is there such a thing as fate?  Are some matches are meant to be?  E.g.,  My skirt + the couch pillows? Me + The Quincy?  This must be a hotel for me.

 Billy Squier doesn't want me to embed his video as my conclusion, but it's here.  But, we also heard this song in the lobby, and it made me touch my heart in nostalgia and emotion.  And a voice inside my head said, "Don't look back-- you can never look back."



Except at the Quincy.

Amber & Mysteries of Talent

How is that Jimmy manages to take amazing photos even with his iPhone camera?

And, even more mysteriously, how are those kitty boys so darned adorable.

Amber & I Love Pooh

And not just Classic Pooh or Pooh from those Taoist books.  I was raised on Sears & Roebuck Disney Pooh with the red half-shirt, and Piglett in the pink-stripe leotard.  And I love that Pooh.  I loved my aforeblogged Talking Viewmaster Viewer with the amazing depth to the images, but I also loved the flatter hand-painted animations.  Like with the Heffalumps and Woozles.

(Yes, that Pooh nightmare gave me nightmares, but it was a growth experience.)

So just imagine my excitement, when Jimmy directed my attention to this.



I cried. That is how excited I am.  Who is in for a midnight screening on the day it opens?  Huh?

Come on, people.  It's Pooh.  And there seems to be a honey dream/dance sequence.

Love.

Amber & So Much Has Happened

If you noticed, I have not been blogging lately.  Soooo much has been happening that it has been hard to find time to blog.

For example, I got this new hair...

But then I didn't like that hair and so I got this other new hair that has a tendency to Alfalfa.

I am also, in that photo, wearing a new and very strange ruffle sweater that I got on a special Outlet Mall Weekend Edition of Awesome Club with these boys in a rental vehicle that we could have removed the seats and camped in.

On that trip, I also got this new jacket which matches my tights that I already owned.

Oh!  And there were all these doilies in the office, mysteriously one Monday.  Kevin thought I brought them in.

Oh!  And then there was the week where I bent to get the soap in the shower and stood up and scraped a giant raspberry into my back.  And then, I stubbed my toe in the office.

Although from hair, we can tell that was before.  Probably around the same time I got these great wall flowers in San Francisco.

Oh!  And I painted my nails!

And alot of stuff happened with the cats, but they can't send their Skype BFF photos, so we don't really have the same level of documentation of their activities.

It sure is lucky I am back to blogging so I can do something with these photos daily rather than save them scattered all over my desktop.