Happy Belated Birthday to Kashy Boy !!

I'm such a bad mom. I forgot to post a birthday wish for my Kashy. Well, here it is: I wish you a long and happy life, little one. May your meows be heard for many years.

But, he did get some cake recently (also recent photos of The Boy):

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Chinese Swan Lake

Wow! You guys have to watch this (courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. 3-Fish! It's the Chinese Circus doing their rendition of Swan Lake. They should have used this chick in the Olympics instead of the infants. I bet it really hurt when she stood on that one guy's skull. I know this because whenever Skillet or Kash stand on me with their little pointy feet, all of their weight is supported on four points and it's like having someone stab you with a dowel. Can you imagine how much pressure she's putting on that guy's head?? Ouch. Of course, only the Chinese would come up with something so artful, incredible, and ridiculous at the same time. Hey, I wonder how it will look if I stand on one toe on the top of your head? Let's try it!

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Crime Wave at the Nu Residence

The economy's downturn has created uncertainty and unrest in the citizenry. The Nu residence has not been immune to this, as we experienced a crime wave in our neighborhood recently. For example, we have noticed suspicious people (one man on a bicycle and another fat lady in a Lexus SUV) sneaking a peek at our neighbor's flowers across the street. Flower thieves? We think so.

Most troubling is the bad influence these degenerates have on the local children. One morning, I discovered that our happy home was burglarized and the criminal later returned to the scene of the crime. In an attempt to curtail further burglaries, the Nus now store their non-can items of interest on top of the fridge, out of the reach of certain individuals.

Finally, the Nus are also taking a proactive approach by profiling--individuals who are known to have a propensity for committing assault and battery are being detained indefinitely (67 at last count).

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Happy Birthday, Skillet Girl!!

Please join me in wishing our favorite grey cloud a very very happy first birthday! I remember that fateful day when I went to the local kitty jail to bail *someone* out. She was a cutie pie from the start--look at that face! She and Kash became quick friends and are now inseparable.

Skillet still feels like she is made of cast iron, but I think that's just the way she is built. She's all muscle! She has always been an active kitty, so it has been difficult to get her to sit still for a good portrait:



Sometimes, though, she has graciously posed for the camera. Lately, her favorite activities have been the removal of the carpeting from the top of her play tube (where she likes to perch and people-watch), and to harrass her "birdie" (the green toy). Skillet likes to play fetch with her birdie. She will "bring back the birdie" if we throw it away from her! When we are busy, however, she will throw the birdie with her little paws and play fetch by herself, too. Either way works for her. Oh, I forgot. Skillet has a third favorite activity--catching bugs and eating them. So, here's a dream cake for our birthday girl:

Happy birthday, little Skillet girl!

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Happy Birthday to Cl. Panic and Kashy Boy!!

Please join in me in wishing Cl. Panic and Kashy Boy a very happy birthday!

July 13 is the happy day, but I am actually posting this on Monday so as not to spoil the surprise of a Beard Papa breakfast feast for Cl. Panic. Unfortunately, the slacker is "out of the office" today (read: too hung over from the previous 48 hours of partying to work). Willy Wonka has also baked cupcakes that will be partook by all sans Cl. Panic. Anyhow, happy second 29th birthday, and here is a photo of some Beard Papa cream puffs that will be joining the banana in my stomach:



On the home front, Kashy Boy enjoyed a quiet first birthday. Can you believe it?? Our little boy is one year old. I can't believe how time has flown. The morning was spent cozying up with Skillet and watching the comings and goings in the backyard. The afternoon was spent stretched out on the foyer rug. But, nighttime was spent frolicking in the new tube toy.

Happy birthday little boy!!

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My New Ear Buds

Contrary to popular belief, I actually have rather small ears even though I am a rabbit (see?). At least the hole part of my ears are small. Consequently, I have always had problems finding comfortable ear buds. Combine this with my previous stinginess toward investing more than $5 in ear buds, and the situation was rather bleak. I mean, these are the ear phones, not the CD player or the iPod, so it seemed so wasteful to get the expensive ones. And, yes, by "expensive," I am referring to the ones that cost more than $5. (Sorry, sometimes, I still apply 1980 refugee pricing standards.)

But, last weekend, I took the plunge and spent $20 on a pair of Philips ear buds. This purchase was spurred by the dual beheading of my old ear buds by either Skillet or Kash (or both). I don't know what it is, but these two kitties just love to chew on wires. Not a day goes by that we don't have to shoo them off of a wire or cable of some sort. I threw away the beheaded ear buds so I can't show you an actual picture of them, but here is a dramatic reenactment using an ear bud body double (mine were the exact same brand and model).

So, I brought my ear buds home and didn't really think of them for a couple days. Then, I plugged them into my laptop and ran a few videos. OMG, they were so awesome! Worth every single penny. The ear buds' size was the best thing about them. They were small and had rubbery and cushy cushions that felt so comfortable in my little ears. Plus, the noise reduction on them were pretty good (they were great at drowning out Mr. Nonny Nu's nightly falsetto lullabies that he sings to Bobby Peru).

Next, I took them jogging and they were awesome again. They were so comfortable, and since they are the type that have a short left cable and a long right cable so that it goes behind your neck, they weren't flopping around in front of me and getting caught on my arms.

Wow, so this is how the other half lives, huh? I never thought I'd ever spend $20 on ear buds. But, it was really money well spent. I love them! Next un-refugee-like purchase? A privacy filter for the laptop.* Yowza. I don't even recognize myself anymore...


*I hope that this item will filter the light away from Mr. Nonny Nu while I watch my DVDs in bed. We'll see.

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Kitty Korner (3/24--Kitties' First Easter)

By now, TWoNN citizens should have received their Easter greeting e-card. The Nus had a wonderful, fun-filled Easter! The Nu kitties were especially content.

Skillet just lazed around all day. Look at her, almost slipping off of the windowsill! I had to go in for a closer look. Look at that face!! She must have heard me creeping up on her, so she woke up and stretched, but then went right back to sleep.

Kash, on the other hand, has been feeling under the weather lately, and just perched on Mr. Nonny Nu's shoulder all day. Give Mr. Nonny an eye patch and wooden leg, and Kash some feathers, and we'll be all set for Halloween.

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Kitty Korner (2/28--Talking Cat)

<--The photo has been edited. Click to see Kash's true powers.

I want you to prepare yourself for what I'm about to tell you. I know that some people (like those who call the Nu residence a "house o' cat dander") will immediately declare this impossible and dismiss this as the ravings of cat-obsessed lunatic, but this is only because they don't understand the joys of being owned by a cat. I am calling upon all cat lovers to attest to the following fact and to tell your own stories here:

Cats can (literally) speak English!

Yes, you read right. How do I know this? I know this because KASH SPOKE TO ME. As you know, every morning, I get up at 7am to feed the Nu kitties. That means, around 6:45am, Kash and Skillet start meowing to wake me up. Skillet sits on the window sill above my bedside table and waits. Kash, however, gets in my face. He will nuzzle his way under the covers, or he'll sit right next to my face so that I am breathing in his fur. Most of the time, though, he'll sit right in front of me and meow.

Well, two mornings ago, there I was sleeping soundly when I heard him meow at me. But, this wasn't any old meow. Kash actually meowed, "Momma." No, he didn't say, "Meow." He actually said, "Momma." That's right--"MOMMA." I immediately woke up Mr. Nonny Nu to share the experience!

Look, I know what you're thinking. No, I'm not crazy and have never been diagnosed as having any mental problems. I'm telling you that Kashmir called me "momma." Yes, that's right. It was clear as a bell. "Momma." You don't have to believe me. Mr. Nonny Nu will back me up on this.

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Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

The Nu household is no longer dependent on Starbucks! Check it out, people! Our very first cappuccino! Look at the foam on that thing. We made a cup last night around 11:15pm as a nightcap for myself. Mr. Nonny Nu was worried that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep afterward but I was out like a light by 12:30. That's what drinking tea as a child does to ya. But, really, check out that foam. Honestly, I didn't know what was the big deal about foam until I tried that cup. OMG, it was so creamy!! Previously, all the foam I tried was just watery tasting and not creamy at all, which is why I always opted for whipped cream. But, last night's foam? YUM. I'm going to have another one tonight. We are all stocked up on the coffee pods, too. Mr. Nonny Nu ordered around 200 pods, so we are all ready for Stillman's and MonkeyPig's visits! The Nespresso people gave us a decorative box and with descriptions of each coffee flavor in the top of the box (that's Kash's tail behind the lid).

Skillet and Kash just looked on as I enjoyed that piping hot and fresh cup of joe. These two are just too cute.

Remember yesterday when I told you about the new book I am reading (Predictably Irrational)? Interestingly, when I read some more of it in bed before I went to sleep, it talked about Starbucks!*cue Twilight Zone theme* In the following excerpt, the author uses the term "anchor" to refer to a price that, for whatever reason, has been anchored in our minds as a starting point of comparison for a particular product or service:

Now that we know we behave like goslings, it is important to understand the process by which our first decisions translate into long-term habits. To illustrate this process, consider this example. You're walking past a restaurant, and you see two people standing in line, waiting to get in. "This must be a good restaurant," you think to yourself. "People are standing in line." So you stand behind these people. Another person walks by. He sees three people standing in line and thinks, "This must be a fantastic restaurant," and joins the line. Others join. We call this type of behavior herding. It happens when we assume that something is good (or bad) on the basis of other people's previous behavior, and our own actions follow suit.

But there's also another kind of herding, one that we call self-herding. This happens when we believe something is good (or bad) on the basis of our own previous behavior. Essentially, once we become the first person in line at the restaurant, we begin to line up behind ourself in subsequent experiences. Does that make sense? Let me explain.

Recall your first introduction to Starbucks, perhaps several years ago. (I assume that nearly everyone has had this experience, since Starbucks sits on every corner in America.) You are sleepy and in desperate need of a liquid energy boost as you embark on an errand one afternoon. You glance through the windows at Starbucks and walk in. The prices of the coffee are a shock--you've been blissfully drinking the brew at Dunkin' Donuts for years. But since you have walked in and are now curious about what coffee at this price might taste like, you surprise yourself: you buy a small coffee, enjoy its taste and its effect on you, and walk out.

The following week you walk by Starbucks again. Should you go in? The ideal decision-making process should take into account the quality of the coffee (Starbucks versus Dunkin' Donuts); the prices at the two places; and, of course, the cost (or value) of walking a few more blocks to get to Dunkin' Donuts. This is a complex computation--so instead, you resort to the simple approach: "I went to Starbucks before, and I enjoyed myself and the coffee, so this must be a good decision for me." So you walk in and get another small cup of coffee.

In doing so, you just became the second person in line, standing behind yourself. A few days later, you again walk by Starbucks and this time, you vividly remember your past decisions and act on them again--voila! You become the third person in line, standing behind yourself. As the weeks pass, you enter again and again and every time, you feel more strongly that you are acting on the basis of your preferences. Buying coffee at Starbucks has become a habit with you.

But the story doesn't end there. Now that you have gotten used to paying more for coffee, and have bumped yourself up onto a new curve of consumption, other changes also become simpler. Perhaps you will now move up from the small cup for $2.20 to the medium size for $3.50 or to the Venti for $4.15. Even though you don't know how you got into this price bracket in the first place, moving to a larger coffee at a relatively greater price seems pretty logical. So is a lateral move to other offerings at Starbucks: Caffe Americano, Caffe Mistro, Macchiato, and Frappuccino, ["Ah, the Oxford comma--a man after my own heart!" --Nonny Nu] for instance.

If you stopped to think about this, it would not be clear whether you should be spending all this money on coffee at Starbucks instead of getting cheaper coffee at Dunkin' Donuts or even free coffee at the office. But you don't think about these trade-offs anymore. You've already made this decision many times in the past, so you now assume that this is the way you want to spend your money. You've herded yourself--lining up behind your initial experience at Starbucks--and now you're part of the crowd.

However, there is something odd in this story. If anchoring is based on our initial decisions, how did Starbucks manage to become an initial decision in the first place. In other words, if we previously anchored to teh prices at Dunkin' Donuts, how did we move our anchor to Starbucks? This is where it gets really interesting.

When Howard Shultz created Starbucks, he was as intuitive a businessman as Salvador Assael. He worked diligently to separate Starbucks from other coffee shops, not through price but through ambience. Accordingly, he designed Starbucks from the very beginning to feel like a continental coffeehouse.

The early shops were fragrant with the smell of roasted beans (and better-quality roasted beans than those at Dunkin' Donuts). They sold fancy French coffee presses. The showcases presented alluring snacks--almond croissants, biscotti, raspberry custard pastries, and others. Whereas Dunkin' Donuts had small, medium, and large coffees, Starbucks offered Short, Tall, Grande, and Venti, as well as drinks with high-pedigree names like Caffe Americano, Caffe Misto, Macchiato, and Frappuccino, Starbucks did everything in its power, in other words, to make the experience feel different--so different that we would not use the prices at Dunkin' Donuts as an anchor, but instead would be open to the new anchor that Starbucks was preparing for us. And that, to a great extent, is how Starbucks succeeded.

...

Descartes said, Cogito ergo sum--"I think, therefore I am." But suppose we are nothing more than the sum of our first, naive, random behaviors. What then?

These questions may be tough nuts to crack, but in terms of our personal lives, we can actively improve on our irrational behaviors. We can start by becoming aware of our vulnerabilities. Suppose you're planning to buy a cutting-edge cell phone (the one with the three-megapixel, 8x zoom digital camera), or even a daily $4 cup of gourmet coffee. You might begin by questioning that habit. How did it begin? Second, ask yourself what amount of pleasure you will be getting out of it. Is the pleasure as much as you thought you would get? Could you cut back a little and better spend the remaining money on something else? With everything you do, in fact, you should train yourself to question your repeated behaviors. In the case of the cell phone, could you take a step back from the cutting edge, reduce your outlay, and use some of the money for something else? And as for the coffee--rather than asking which blend of coffee you will have today, ask yourself whether you should even be having that habitual cup of expensive coffee at all.*

We should also pay particular attention to the first decision we make in what is going to be a long stream of decisions (about clothing, food, etc.). When we face such a decision, it might seem to us that this is just on decision, without large consequences; but in fact the power of the first decision can have such a long-lasting effect that it will percolate into our future decisions for years to come. Given this effect, the first decision is crucial, and we should give it an appropriate amount of attention.

Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. Perhaps it's time to inventory the imprints and anchors in our own life. Even if they once were completely reasonable, are they still reasonable? Once the old choices are reconsidered, we can open ourselves to new decisions--and the new opportunities of a new day. That seems to make sense.

*I am not claiming that spending money on a wonderful cup of coffee every day, or even a few times a day, is necessarily a bad decision--I am saying only that we should question our decisions.

Dan Ariely, Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions 37-39, 43-45 (2008).

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No More Starbucks Runs!

Today, we got a Nespresso D290. Starting tomorrow morning, Mr. Nonny Nu will make his own caramel macchiato's! What does this mean? This means that I will have 20 more minutes of peace and quiet in the morning to watch my BBC shows or harass the Nu kitties. I may even spend 10 of those extra minutes on the stationary bike (totally 50 minutes). I got to sample one coffee tonight. It wasn't too bad. We have to learn how to fiddle with the settings, but I think this will work out just fine. And, now that I imagine the coffee with a couple slices of Safeway's almond poppyseed pudding ring (yes, that's really what it's called!), yummmmmm... Just think. With venti Starbucks caramel macchiato's costing $3.95 a pop, we will be flush on cup number 125. That's not even 6 months away.

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History Repeats Itself

So, the Nu Kitties are a very spoiled pair. They get morning feedings at 7am sharp and dinner at 5pm sharp. They also get all day dry kibble buffet (hypo-allergenic, $26.00 for a small bag stuff because of Kash's throw up troubles), pure chicken breast snacks and catnip infused dried shrimp snacks. And, they get all this just because I feel guilty for never having treated Sushi to anything good while she was with us. Check out their breakfast and dinner selections--WERUVA. Click on "Cuisine," then scroll down on the left frame to see all of the new flavors:

Polynesian BBQ (red bigeye)
Mediterranean Harvest (tuna)
Outback Grill (barramundi)
Asian Fusion (shirasu)
Mideast Feast (tilapia)
Meow Luau (aloe)
Marbella Paella (calamari)
Mack & Jack (skipjack)
ETC.

The other night, they were served Steak Frites (shredded steak with potatoes, carrots, and peas). But, Kash didn't finish his dinner. He left all of the peas on his plate. When I saw this I quickly retrieved my camera, but when I got back to his dish, Skillet was there scarfing up the peas. There was only 1.5 left when I swatted her away:
The point is, though, that someone else had a battle with peas when they were young. Can you guess who?

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Kitty Korner (2/15 -- Guest Stars)

Well, the Nu Kitties are as cute as ever. They love to sit in the window sill, awake or asleep:


Really, they just like to sit in places where they aren't supposed to be:


Lately, well, not really just lately but for a while now, I've been worried that Skillet is getting a bit chubby. You all know about her so-called "megadump" from a couple weeks back. So, is Skillet getting fat? I worry for her. Here's a bird's eye view of her body shape:


Here's sideview:


Mr. Nonny Nu says that Skillet is just built that way, like a bulldog. We'll see. She is the most agile and unpredictable acrobat/ninja I've ever seen, I'll give her that.

Anyhow, we have two special guests today! First, here is Winston, Willy Wonka's pooch, in some cool shades being photographed for the Santa Cruz Sentinal. This poor doggie has had to endure reindeer antlers and now this:


Also, we had a special guest at the truly pettable Backyard Petting Zoo a couple nights ago:

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What the holy hell happened last night??

Last night, I had to pull an all-nighter at work. Wasn't fun, but at least I wasn't the only one. So, I get back to the house at around 7:15 this morning. Mr. Nonny Nu had mentioned that Kash had prodigious "droppings" yesterday, but I was not prepared for it. The air was still and heavy. Kinda moist, and not in a good way.

There are two litter boxes, one to the left and the other to the right of the door inside the laundry area. I pushed open the door, went in, and spotted Mount St. Helens in the left litter box. It was still smoldering. The poopy wasn't covered, so I know it was Skillet and not Kash. Everytime I see them poop, she just leaves it uncovered. He always covers his stuff up. If she were a person, she'd be one of those people who don't flush. She's just that way. She is so not ladylike, it's not even funny. And, her mouth always smells like she just ate a pterodactyl, so when she cleans herself, her entire body smells like ass. It's like someone just flipped her inside-out, like a shirt--a shirt worn by a sweaty septic tank. Anyhow, it was a huge dump. I'm talking huge. It was bigger than her head. If someone were to ask, "Hey, guess who took a dump huger than their head?," I would be surprised. But, if forced to guess, I'd guess Skillet. That's just the way she rolls.

So, I get to cleaning the litter box out. I scoop it out and twisty tie the bag. I get another bag to get the smaller droppings. But, why does it still reek? Ah, I check out the other litter box, which has yet another and similarly sized cat paddy. Okay, fine. So, I bend down to scoop that one up. Right at that moment, I hear what sounded like a whoopie cushion going off behind me. I turn around, and there she is copping a squat and dropping off yet another package. I looked at her, but she just kept reading her imaginary newspaper.

For those of us who are counting, the three droppings weighed a total of 1.7 pounds. Skillet weighs about 4.5 pounds. So, she pooped over a third of her weight in one day.

But you know what? I wouldn't trade her in for anything.

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Kitty Korner (1/19: Pet Edition)

Today, we have two new pets to introduce. One is my sister's, [insert name here]'s, new pet. Here he is being held by my niece. His name is Scottie:What a cutie pie! He is also known as "Ah Dan" ("egg" in Chinese because he smells eggy). Unfortunately, there's a "gai gai squeezer" at his house (don't ask--I'm too embarrassed to even explain this).

Next up, we have a new installment at the Nu residence. Since I was on vacation for two weeks last Christmas, I brought Stubbie home for the holidays. At first, Mr. Nonny Nu disapproved because he thought I was imprisoning Stubbie against his will. Mr. Nonny Nu even started referring to Stubbie as "Captured." But as the days wore on, Mr. Nonny Nu's heart was stolen as he realized how happy Stubbie was whenever people walked by his bowl and said hello to him. On the day that Stubbie was set to go back to Nu Nu & Nu, LLP (here's Stubbie on his first day back at the office), Mr. Nonny Nu got a fishy of his own. Introducing Charles Waterhammer:
And, here is a video of Chuck enjoying his new home:

Oh, and here is a video of the Backyard Petting Zoo, Possum Division:

Finally, we have our two little love bird kitties, Kash and Skillet. These two are always together. They even do things in unison:



Isn't that crazy?? But, as invididuals, they each have their unique qualities. For example, Skillet will always show her analytical side, which is even more powerful when she turns on her laser beam eyes (she takes after Ca Loc). Here she is on top of Mr. Nonny Nu's amp and checking out a squirrel in the front yard. Kash, on the other hand, is a quiet fellow, who reminds me of the very proper Mr. Darcy.

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Kitty Korner (1/2--Jumping Jehosephat!)

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Kitty Korner (12/28--The Orange Mouse)

Kash looking cute:


Skillet plays with a new toy that Auntie Wah Toh and family sent. She's supposed to share it with Kash, but hasn't gotten around to doing that yet:

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Kitty Korner (12/26--The Morning After)

This morning, there was a very nice little gathering in the breakfast nook of all the animals who inhabit the Nu Residence, including Skillet, Kash, Slim, Skitty, Mr. Nonny Nu, and Nonny Nu. Here's another photo of Slim just because. After Slim and Skitty had their breakfast, Skitty set to cleaning and preening (her face looks funny because she was mid-lick). Slim just looked on. By the way, I hope you guys noticed the new metal bowl. We got that one for the Backyard Petting Zoo after the opossum broke the other bowl. No, I did not see them breaking it, but they are the most likely suspects based upon their previously observed rowdy behavior around the bowl.

Anyhow, here's a video from this morning:

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Christmas 2007: Hello, my beauties...

Merry Christmas, everybody! Boy, has it been a hectic two days. There was a lot of shopping to get through yesterday. I had to go to eight different stores just for eggnog. I was looking for the Nus' favorite brand: Bud's Famous Egg Nog. Unfortunately, it's only available in the Bay Area.

My dogs sure were barking last night (translation: my feet were hurting when I went to bed from walking around so much yesterday). But, bright and early, I got up and wrapped the presents.* Stillman and Mr. Nonny Nu's brother were our guests today. A few members of The Backyard Petting Zoo showed up for the party, too. Sushi was there in spirit and celebrated with us as well.

There were also a lot of foods to be eaten. Latkes were the crowning glory of the day (more on that later), but we also had chocolates, caramelized walnuts, Spanish peanuts mix, homemade cheese plate (I personally selected and cut the cheese--HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAA!!!), pumpkin and double cream blueberry pies, Beard Papa cream puffs (these are seriously delicious), and steak with asparagus, mashed potatoes and gravy, asparagus, and dinner rolls. Also available were veggies plate for dipping in ranch dressing and chips with salsa and guacamole, but we didn't get to those because the lightweights didn't have room in their stomachs.

Anyhow, the moral of this story is that latkes are fun to make, taste great, and will be a part of the Nus' Christmas tradition from now on! The recipe is simple. This is not my recipe. It is the recipe of my Jewish Mother.** The ingredients are:

1 packet Knorr leek soup mix
1 bag Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns
3 eggs

Scramble the eggs and then add the soup mix into it. Mix well, then mix in the potatoes (mix well again). Then, just heat up some oil (I used canola) and fry them in a skillet (the metal kind, not the grey fuzzy kind). Each portion should be about 2 tablespoons, when they are as brown as you like, just flip them over and brown the other side. Serve with sour cream and apple sauce.

Here are my beauties being crafted. First, their birth (background music provided by Mr. Nonny Nu):


Now, they go through finishing school:


Finally, Stillman sets the stage for their debut:


After the eating was squared away, Skillet hung out at the dinner table for a few more moments. But, Kash decided to stretch out on the couch. I crept up on him and stretched out, too. These two are such little...cutie ...pies. Stillman is allergic to cats, so we are very lucky that, armed with Claritin, she was able to withstand several hours of the kitties!

* Mr. Nonny Nu and I got a Rosetta Stone program to learn German! I'm on vacation until Jan. 7, so I'll be working on that. Can't wait!

** My Jewish Mother is not really my mom (she's not even old enough to be my mom), but she's Jewish and very motherly.

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Kitty Korner (Houston, we have a problem.)

Skillet is out of control. I think she is either going through her terrible twos or she's going through her terrible teens. I don't know. She was born on August 4 so, in cat years, she's past her twos, but not quite to her teens, so I don't know what's going on with her. As you all know, Skillet has been going to all sorts of places where she's not supposed to go (e.g., the naughty place). Now, her new thing is to run out the door. Several times now as I was either coming home or going out, she'd sneak past me. She zooms out the door and hides in the bushes where Sushi used to love to hide. She doesn't run any farther than that, though. It's weird. She's doing a lot of stuff that Sushi used to do, like sit in the exact window sills where Sushi used to sit. The times that Skillet runs out the door, we've had to spank her, a couple of times pretty good by Mr. Nonny Nu. She's learning, but you can tell she still wants to go outside.

Now, the thing is, Kash is a pretty good boy except when he's around her. She goads him into doing things. And, although he's older, he seems to follow her lead sometimes. Mr. Nonny Nu informed me that Kash was seen sipping some vanilla milk shake through a straw. Yeah, you read that right. THROUGH A STRAW!! That guy kills me sometimes. He has never been one to jump high, not like Skillet. Kash has been a climber (he snuck into our weight room and climbed to the top of the Yellow Octopus several times, and then cried because he didn't know how to get down)--UNTIL NOW. Just yesterday, I saw Kash jump onto the kitchen counter. Before then, he had never done that (seemed too tall for him). Now, I'm worried that he's going to jump onto the naughty place, and since he's not as cautious in his jumps as Skillet is, I'm worried that he might jump right over the half wall.

But, here's the real problem. Kash has been throwing up for the past week. I don't know what is the cause of it. After he throws up, he seems to feel so much better. We have to put him on a baby food diet for the next four days and feed him Petromalt (lubes up his intestines so he can poop out whatever it is that is not supposed to be in his stomach). Poor guy. He is the sweetest little kitty. Very shy, very gentlemanly. He guards me when I shower the way Sushi used to, except he sits outside the bathroom door. Now, he has taken to sleeping in between us, right up against me, and under the covers! Isn't that a hoot?? I love him.

Anyhow, it's almost Christmas, so I went to Walgreens to get an ornament for our one-ornament-per-year tradition. Since Kash broke the ornament from the first year, I figure we should get two this year. Here's the one representing Kash and the other representing Skillet. (The color and personalities of the ornaments match the kitties.) Here are ones from before representing Sushi and a John Deere tractor (don't know why, but I always wanted one of these because the colors are so pretty).

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Kitty Korner (11/28)

Here's a video of the nightly feeding frenzy at the Nu residence.

*DISCLAIMER--Racey dialogue alert!*
Sorry!!! I just realized that Dazed and Confused was playing in the background!!

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