Blue is not a food color.
Friday night I stopped in at the Elder Sister’s to have a drink and wish her happy 51st. Younger Sister was there as well, and we sat around talking for a bit. Both sisters Elder and Younger leave the television set on in the room when they’re entertaining, which I find extremely annoying (and distracting). My mother always used to do that also, so I know where they get that habit from. I find it interesting that I’m so bothered by it, since I grew up with it. Elder Sister wasn’t as enthusiastic about the out-of-print James Clavell book I’d located for her, but that’s the way things go sometimes. I’ll be taking the sisters out to dinner next Saturday at a local Tex-Mex restaurant (their choice) to do the real celebration of Elder Sister’s birthday. I have to remember to make those reservations today.
My coffee table is in … about eight weeks ealier than promised. I had really hoped this wouldn’t arrive until we were ready to move (if we are indeed going to move). I can’t decide now if I want them to store it for two months, or if I should just go ahead and have them deliver it. Decisions, decisions.
The Professor and I went to look at the new apartment we are considering on Saturday. We both like the layout, although we were only able to go through a two bedroom sample. We’d be interested in taking a three bedroom apartment. The three bedrooms are townhouse style, with a patio in the back and an enclosed garden in the front. The grounds are well away from active roads, so Warrior Princess could resume being an indoor/outdoor cat, should The Professor decide to permit it. I’ll keep ACfH indoors though, and since Clueless Wonder is declawed, he’ll have to stay indoors as well, except for supervised outings. The management is going to call us when a three bedroom becomes available to look at. I’ve practically made up my mind already, though.
After we got back from looking at the proposed new apartment complex, The Prof and I made a quick pass at the gym. It’s frustrating that they close so early on weekends (8:00 Fridays and 5:00 Saturdays and Sundays). To be honest, I would prefer going earlier in the day rather than later, but weekdays that isn’t an option. The Prof is a night owl (who’d have ever guessed) and so on weekends when we go together we also end up going as late as possible. I still managed to get a full hour of aerobic exercise in anyhow – half an hour bike at a slightly higher level than I’ve done previously, and half an hour treadmill at 4.4 mph, which is .2 mph faster than I’ve previously managed. Any faster on the treadmill and I’ll be forced to jog, which my right leg won’t tolerate for long. The longest I’ve ever been able to jog is about five minutes on the treadmill, which is the point the right quads start to scream at me. I keep hoping that I’ll get some of those scar tissue adhesions broken down, but I doubt trying to jog is the way to do it.
We rented two more DVD’s over the weekend. The Prof’s choice was 2001, which I don’t think I’ve seen since it was in the theaters in the sixties. I’ve reread the book many times, so I know the story well. I was a little disappointed in the movie though; it stands the test of time well, but it’s so spare that you really need to have read the books in order to figure out what’s going on. I gave my interpretation on a few things in the movie to The Prof, who was left in the dust at a few points, especially by the ending.
My choice was “The Last Broadcast”, which we watched Sunday night. It was the original “Blair Witch”, although it never got the hype and cult adoration that “Blair Witch” did. I think The Prof liked it better than “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, which was my choice last week, and which we both were rather disappointed in. I noted that the DVD for “The Last Broadcast” has a director’s commentary version on it; I may try to watch that before we have to return the DVD on Wednesday.
Sunday I met up with a friend of mine from vet school who is practicing upstate. She’s the one who arranged for me to get the Kitten from Hell. I have not yet gotten even with her for that, but since we’re planning to drive down to Nashville together this July for the AVMA convention, I’ll have plenty of opportunities then. She and I are bad influences on each other – she purchased a cute necklase that had small gemstones in primary colors interspersed as little beads along it. I got a ring with five peridot stones set in gold (estate sale, $30 … I couldn’t let it languish there). It had to be resized, so I need to return to the store where I bought it next Sunday. She and I will meet up there again – hopefully we won’t inspire each other to do quite so much finanacial damage to ourselves this time.
Sunday evening The Prof treated me to the first water ice of the season – Spring is finally here officially! I got a half-and-half tropical punch/lemon, and he got a half-and-half mango/blueberry. The blueberry had whole frozen blueberries in it, which I would have ordinarily considered a major recommendation for it. It is, unfortunately, also artificially colored a rather alarming shade of blue, which ruins its appeal to me. Blue is not a food color. I’ve never forgiven M&M’s for removing tan (my favorite M&M color) and replacing them with blue. I haven’t purchased a package of M&M’s since that time. There is no natural food that comes in blue. Purple? Yes. Red, pink, yellow, green, tan, orange? Yes to all. BLUE? I think not. I did get a kick out of the color of The Prof’s tongue and lips after he’d finished his water ice. You guessed it … Blue.
We went for a walk in a small local park in town after we’d finished our water ices. Sunday night was the ultimate spring evening – balmy, bug free, quiet. I pointed out all the spring wildflowers as we walked: dog toothed violets, marsh marigolds, spring beauties, blood root, violets, gill. The Prof tolerated this impromptu botany lecture, but he really isn’t into the ephemeral blooms the way I am. At least he was a good sport while I oohed and oogled. He got his kicks out of spotting squirrels, which are going throught the spring crazy season right now as they match themselves up in preparation for the first of this year’s crop of the Squirrels: The Next Generation.
The weather has gotten so nice that I’ve moved my plants (jade tree, cactus planter and pony tail palm) back outside. It’s nice to have some green on the balcony again – makes it look a little more inhabited. I also left a candle burning on the patio table for a few hours last night, just because I liked the way it looked from the outside. I couldn’t help but notice that my jade tree has several leaves with puncture wounds. I suspect the ACfH has discovered she doesn’t like the taste of jade tree.
Have to get out to the post office over lunch – I didn’t want to give the state it’s $26 extra that I still owed, but the time has come….