Monday, July 23, 2012

The Usual Saturday Stuff on Monday Instead

I announced a book giveaway on Saturday, so today's post is the kind of stuff I usually put up for the weekend.


Talking About Colorado

Our state has had a very rough summer. We've had fires, heat, rain washing down the burn areas and turning our river black, and now the Aurora theater shooting. We Coloradoans go on about our daily lives, but we're sad.

It was bad enough when we fretted about water shortages in prime farm country in the Midwest, rising grain (and therefore food) prices, and our own burned-up gardens. Now we mourn the loss of twelve good people, one of them only six years old, and even more severely injured, in the horrible attack on unsuspecting and innocent people. Life sure has a way of knocking us on our rear ends from time to time.  I feel like I did after 9/11...

We grieve with those who are grieving, and we pray for those still recovering. I wish we could offer our children and grandchildren a safer world.


What I'm Reading

I just finished (in one day) the teen nonfiction book Surviving the Angel of Death: The True Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz by Eva Mozes Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri.  It is an amazing story of survival. Highly recommended. 

Last night I started The Chalk Girl by Carol O'Connell. Since this is the tenth book in the Mallory mystery series, I may have a whole series to add to my To Be Read list if I like this one.


Chiseled in Rock Tuesday Preview

Tomorrow we have an article from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers member Wendy Homar about her first rejection letter. If you're a writer, published or unpublished, you'll enjoy her post.


Katie Kitty's Latest Ploy to Get Attention in the Middle of the Night


Doesn't she look like she's saying "Who? Me?"

In the wee hours of the morning, Katie jumps up on our bed, climbs onto my chest, and demands a tummy rub and shoulder massage. She also doesn't mind being scratched behind the ears. This is eight and a half pounds of cat on my chest when I should be sleeping. I don't know what prompted this new behavior, but it's about to come to an abrupt end.

A few months ago her early morning trick was to get under our bed on my side, right under my head, and then play with the lamp cord so it would keep banging against the wall. I had to finally stuff shirts and inflated neck pillows into the spaces at both sides of the night table so she couldn't get her paws back there.

Crazy cat!

Do you have a pet that does funny (or not so funny) stuff? Tell us about it.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pat - Oh, I just absolutely love that 'photo of Katie! She certainly does look adorably "Who, me?" innocent.

I'll be very interested to see if you like the Mallory series. I think reading the first one, Mallory's Oracle gives the reader a little insight into Mallory's character and some of her backstory so if you do like what you're reading and you get the chance, I recommend it.

And about the shooting in Aurora? I'm still struggling to get my mind around that. I really am. It's unfathomable...

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Terrible what happened at that theater.
I agree - that cat behavior would come to an end and quick!

Jemi Fraser said...

So much sadness in the world. That shooting was horrific. Those poor families.

Katie sounds like a fun challenge! :)

Patricia Stoltey said...

Margot, Just from the opening chapters of The Chalk Girl, I'm sure I'll be heading back to book one to read the series. I'm usually obsessive about reading series books starting with book one, but picked up The Chalk Girl at the library after it was recommended by a friend.

Hi Alex, my favorite Ninja Blogger. Yes, Katie may be nocturnal, but I'm not.

Jemi, I can't even imagine the shock and trauma those families and their friends are going through. It's a monumental tragedy.

Unknown said...

Hi, Pat. You make me glad we lock our cats in the basement at night. More so because they weigh in at a skinny 16 and 18 pounds.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Thank goodness Katie is petite. She's fierce though. She didn't want to come inside today after her 30 minutes outside on the leash and she hissed, growled, and attacked me with teeth and claws. She's now on a time out...for about a week.