I is for interruptions.

Animals, like small children, can be uniquely suited to causing a simple task to be, well, not as simple.  I think of trying to sweep the floor with the cat around. Or make the bed.  Or do pretty much anything, when said cat is around.

But, this can work with other animals...

Like getting feed from the bin.  I reach in, and there is a chicken on my shoulder, looking in, too.  I carefully stand, so she will jump off.  Not a chance, she just walks up, 'til she is sitting upright on my shoulder, clucking in my ear.  I shoo her, ineffectively, then realize I am hearing munching.  I turn to see the llama has her head in the bin, sampling the chicken feed.  I then shoo HER out, unnerving the chicken, who then flies off.  Meanwhile, I am bumped from behind by the dog, who is feeling very left out of all the "fun".

I manage not to end up on the ground, I get the llama back into the main pasture, remove at least one chicken from the bin, before closing it, throw the chicken food out to feed, pet the dog, then walk back to the house.

Whereupon, Husband casually mentions I have bird crap on my shoulder...

Yep, gotta love the interruptions...

I is for

Imagination.

When I was a kid, Dad had a ramp he used to fix cars with.  This was built big.  I seem to remember it  being something that was for loading sheep into a semi, that he had modified.  Basically, two large flat slopes, with logs underneath.

I loved that thing.  When it was still a sheep loader, I would get a willow branch "whip", and the wooden sword that Dad helped me make, and I would be the Captain of a fine ship, shouting commands at my crew, and fighting off brigands and sea monsters that might try boarding.  (Usually ended up being the cat, but hey, you take your brigands where you can get them...) 

I then would "fish" with a stick and some string, to bring in one of the big salmon that Grandpa was always talking about.  (Again, with a string dangling, I quite often caught kitten fish...)

I had a fort, and I was usually on the lookout for invading hordes, with my faithful soldiers below, keeping the invaders at bay.  In reality, it was generally Mama Cat, finding a place to sleep that was quiet...  But the thought was there, anyway.

As I became older, the ramp went away, but I had "camp outs" with my stuffed toys, (my Smokey Bear was a favorite companion), and the occasional tea party.  Grandpa had brought home a racing carriage, and I sat in it, thinking of winning blue ribbons for racing, until he told me a little more about it.  Being rather afraid of horses, the idea of sitting within striking distance of back hooves, or... other parts at the back, made my vivid ideas of racing... A little less inviting.

Then there was the go cart Dad and I built. And rebuilt. And again.  I think we rebuilt it about 4 times before the poor thing just gave up in disgust.  Not from being rebuilt, I just wore the poor thing out!  I was a race car driver!  I was a cop, chasing down a criminal! I was a paramedic, racing to rescue someone! (I was a big fan of the show Emergency, and that was about the only way Mom could slow me down, because she would remind me that Johnny and Roy did NOT take corners on two wheels...) 

I have used my imagination to draw, to write stories (now I just need to get the stories DONE... ahem), to entertain myself, and the occasional person at faire, or child when I have babysit.

I am glad to have imagination.  It lets you go anywhere, anytime, to be anyone, and my limits are my own...

*****

I will try and get some of my "regular" bloggy stuff written in a bit, but for some reason, it's been a little busy here of late, and so I have been a bit deficient of tales of the animals.  Husband and I are helping Mom and Dad remodel Mom's kitchen.  Husband is doing the lion's share of the work, but I was helping the other day by pulling nails.  I found out that there are about 4 or 5 different tools for pulling nails, and I must say, when you have everything from this nice little nail with a large head, to a skinny long nasty brad that is half bent and rusted, you need more than a standard claw hammer.  

Or at least I do... But, the nails are gone on about 3/4 of the walls, we have to wait to remove the trash (they've not delivered the big dump box), and then I will finish that.  It was a building built in the late 40's, and we found a calendar from 1955.  Also, some drawings that I did on the floor when we put down the linoleum...

It has been interesting, to say the least...

I is for Internet.

Well, a less retro entry, I suppose.  But I was thinking about how the 'net has changed.  When I was in high school, one of my friends had internet.  One.  It was a very unusual thing, and the schools were barely out of the old 'green screen' computers.  I remember the wheeee-grind-buzzzzz-grind-eeeeee sound before the computer connected.

AOL was a major player for getting online.  I never used that particular one, but I still remember the "YOU'VE GOT MAIL" tag that I heard, and it seemed to be a pop culture staple.

I know most of my friends had much faster internet than I did, even recently.  To wit: the speed averaged 28.8 to 30.0, not exactly speedy.  One four minute download was about, oh, on a good day... an hour or so.  Basically I would start a download, go do something, then come back and check.  If I was lucky, the download was still running, and hadn't timed out.

Husband and I decided to bite the proverbial bullet, and get fairly fast internet... At least for this area.  It's a benefit for Husband's work, he sends big files, and well, a 12 to 15 hour upload just wasn't going to cut it.  So, we found that there were fun things to do with the internet, besides his work.  We could look up things for our respective hobbies.  We could watch shows that we missed, or can't get on our TV.  I can blog, and look at cute kitten pictures.

Ok, I admit it, this is one time that I think that retro isn't the direction I'd like to go...

Incognito.

(This space intentionally left blank.)

In which I admit I was inconvenienced about installing information. I inform all my intimates that I am insensate, incoherent, and generally... Incapable of getting much up today. 

In Summary,

Cat.

I... can't believe it!

I am amazed.

I am astounded.

I am baffled why it took so long.

I am pleased that it finally arrived.

I am not impressed with the quality...

I am in NO WAY impressed with the service...

It arrived, today.

I have THE shirt, that after almost a year, and 5 attempts, in my possesion.

I am seriously considering having it laminated...

Is it a miracle?

Is it a sign?

Is it worth all the effort?

(I won't answer that, at the moment...)



I officially rock, now! 

 In summation: I, YI, YI, whatta headache, but it's now mine, finally!