Bad Blogger. Bad, Bad, Bad.

I haven't picked up my camera in months and I spend most of my time writing thrilling essays about Machiavelli, the nature of reality and the like.

I can't remember the last time I read a book that didn't involve aspects of personality and how they affect adjustment.
(OK, yes I can... it was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. But I can't remember the one before that.)

I haven't made a piece of jewelry or artwork of any kind in weeks.

I have feuding in-laws and a fun-filled surgical day at the hospital to look forward to over the holiday weekend.

My point? I haven't blogged in months, but it's not like I'm doing something fun instead.

Zoo-tastic

Barry and I went to the Philadelphia Zoo last Thursday to celebrate my 29th birthday (yes,I will be celebrating my 29th birthday next year as well). Even with the twenty thousand children running around and screaming (apparently everyone had the day off from school for Rosh Hashanah, not just Barry), we had a great time.

After I enjoyed a very Harry Potter moment in the reptile house, we rode on the Zoo Balloon,





















saw some animals,







and learned an important lesson about parrots.

Garage of Doom

I’m not sure how, when or where, but Imus Kitty has obviously been watching Indiana Jones. Yesterday, in an apparent attempt to recreate Indy’s trademark roll-under-the-giant-crushing-door-at-the-last-possible-second move, Imus found herself being squashed by the garage door.

Luckily, Barry saw her struggling and yelled. Unluckily, the garage door opener wasn’t behaving, but I managed to lift the thing off of her manually in the end. She appears to be fine – not suffering from any internal injuries – but seems to believe that Barry and I were somehow to blame for the incident (seeing as she refused to be petted and only grudgingly came within 10 feet of us for the rest of the day). Still, I hope Imus has learned a few things from her traumatic experience:

1. Listening to Jennifer’s warnings about things that might kill you is a good idea.

2. Garage doors are not toys.

3. Cats are not famous (fictional) adventurers/archaeologists.

I’d better not catch her with a bullwhip and fedora.

Look What I Can Do!

I've been making a lot of jewelry lately (well, experimenting with new tools, techniques, etc. a lot and making a few finished pieces) and am planning to get better acquainted with the metallurgical arts (ok, silversmithing) as part of my art degree in the next couple of years. I have an anvil. Enough said.

Believe It

Step right up and bear witness to the bizarre! But beware, for the images you are about to see are of freaks of nature and are not meant for the faint of heart.

Mille Bornes

Barry and I went to Woodstock last week to celebrate his 50th birthday and as we were riding our bicycles up and down the “rolling hills” of the Catskills, we clicked passed the thousandth mile on our new bikes. A note to anyone considering a similar ride – the aforementioned “rolling hills” (as described by Pedaling.com and placed in sarcastic quotation marks by me) are more like mountains that could likely make someone (an unmentioned someone) get off her bike and cry at least once during a 25 mile ride.

After the ride, showering, and dinner in Saugerties, we went to see Levon Helm play at his home studio. The Midnight Ramble is an event not to be missed; it was likely the best concert experience possible and I hope anyone who’s up this way will make a side trip to check it out. You know it’s a great concert when A) Jennifer will shell out more than twenty bucks for tickets and B) Barry stands all night and doesn’t complain.

See, I'm Not Dead

I haven't had time to blog lately because, in addition to writing a billion (at least) papers and taking many, many tests to finish my semester, I've been riding my bike a zillion (really) miles a day,



taking care of insane (and extremely cute) kittens,



and gardening like a maniac.

Garage Kitties

I have (scientifically) proven that kittens can escape from tents when they are seven weeks old.

These pictures were taken today of the now free to roam (and destroy everything they encounter) almost ten week old kitties.

I have also (scientifically) proven that almost ten week old kittens are totally insane.

I will provide photographic evidence if I can 1) stop them from attacking my feet and climbing up my legs whenever I try to take their pictures and 2) figure out how to take decent photos inside a garage.

Tent Kitties

These photos were taken a few weeks ago.

I apologize for the poor quality, but I encountered many difficulties when trying to capture the elusive species on film.

Let the Taunting Begin

Yesterday, Barry and I bought Comcast's baseball package so we're not forced to watch the Phillies all season.

Yes, that's right - I have officially gone to the dark side.

Babies @ 3 Weeks

We can see, we can hear, we meow and purr and we're on the move!!

Sausage.. Golf.. Cuff.. Chain..

LINKS!

Ok, that was lame, but it seemed funny in my head.

I've added a space for links (<----- over there) and a link to Flickr (where one can view some of my photographs if one so chooses).

I've just started adding pictures, so there aren't too many, and the page lacks any kind of organization (the photos also have seriously stupid titles), but you can see what I do in most of my spare time now if you want to take a peek.

Babies!!

Imus was, indeed, having babies - they were born sometime between 5 and 10 Sunday night under the neighbor's porch. They have since been "rescued" and are now living in my garage where I can care for (play with) them and their mother.

Cats are Weird

When I woke up this morning, Imus Kitty was sitting on the front porch covered from head to tail in some sort of foam. (I didn't ask questions, I just gave her food and a good brushing.)

Now, she's hiding under a neighbor's (new, vacant house) porch doing what looks suspiciously like giving birth.

All hail the crazy cat grandparent people!!

Global Warming - Part II

Photos from the boardwalk on 3/8 (it's been anywhere from 30 to 70 degrees in the days since) -

New Bikes + Head Cold = Not Funny

We bought new bicycles - gorgeous, lightening-fast, toe-clip having, lighter than air, magical racing bicycles.

Pray for all those foolish enough to challenge us this summer!
(and for us to not break our necks)

Walk in the Park

(aka Spying on Strangers and Reflections are Cool)

Cat Walk

On the catwalk




On the catwalk, yeah





We took our little cats on a cat walk

The Living Room Sessions

(a common theme)

Barry's long-lost college roommate dropped by yesterday.

Boat, Boat, Showboat

Global Warming

Incontrovertible proof (sorta)
Exhibit 1- a picture of crocus taken two weeks ago.
Exhibit 2 - a picture of the frozen beach taken two days ago.