Angela Law

animal lover, gardener, knitter, and gourmet cook
 

actions not worth repeating

I just got done washing my hair this morning when I heard Lizzy barking like a mad dog. And, it sounded like she was in the family room. Uh oh–someone (me) left the gate at the top of the stairs unlatched. So, I raced downstairs to see Marley the Demon Cat sitting on the chair, with all of her hairs raised up, hissing like some beast out of hell, and Lizzy standing on the floor barking with all of the hairs on her back standing up. I tried calling her over, but she went closer to the cat, and the cat started making some weird moaning sound. Lizzy promptly started squealing like Marley was stealing her immortal soul (I guess you need to resort to theft when you’re soulless–a soul isn’t something you can buy at PetCo.). I was able to grab Lizzy’s collar at that point and direct her upstairs. Phew! That could’ve been a mess. The funny thing is that it’s not like Lizzy hasn’t seen a cat before, but I’m guessing Marley has never been around a dog, therefore prompting the reaction between the two of them. While Ariel doesn’t like Lizzy, she certainly doesn’t act like that when they are around each other. I just hope the two cats get along. I could do without having one pet living on each floor of the house.

trainspotting

Brian and I both enjoyed this movie, which was directed by the same guy who did 28 Days Later (which was a terrific film). It was about a group of heroin addicts living in Scotland and the one guy who tries to get clean. There was a lot of profanity to be had, but it was hard to hear due to the thick, Scottish accents. I have to say, the British sure can screw up a good poop joke–there were two in this film and I couldn’t even watch the one, it was so disgusting. Be warned.

the injustice of it all

We got a new pet today. A cat. Hardly a fitting replacement for Ripley (not that you could replace her). The cat was Brian’s sister’s. Oh yeah, his name is Marley. He was not playing nice with her toddler, so they had to find it a new home. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find one, so they were going to take it to an animal shelter. So, we stepped in and adopted it. I’m not a big cat fan, as you might know. Actually, I do like all animals. However, as far as pets go, I prefer dogs. Cats are too standoffish. Or something.

Anyway, this cat is currently in our family room re-enacting the Exorcist (without the vomit). I went down there to check on him and he said something like “My name is Legion.”

He’s pretty cool looking, though. He’s a black cat with just a little white and he was born on All Hallow’s Eve Eve. October 30th to be exact. Not sure how the interaction is going to go between our dog and our other cat. I guess we’ll find out in a few weeks if he ever comes out of his carrier.

girl, interrupted

Brian and I watched this movie last night. It was a story about a woman (Winona Ryder) who goes to a mental hospital to “rest” after trying to commit suicide. It took place in the late 1960s and was based on a true story.

While there, the main character befriends a group of women in the hospital. The most interesting is the character Angelina Jolie played (she won an Oscar for her portrayal). Given how Jolie was during the “Billy Bob Thornton” years, I’m not sure how much she actually had to act in this film. Nonetheless, it was interesting to watch.

It was a pretty good film if you are into character-driven plots.

grilling in january

It was another nice day, so I broke out the grill and cooked some steaks for supper. Mmm. Nothing like grilled food in January. I don’t know if I’ve ever grilled in January before. Of course, we’ve never had a January like this before either.

In other food news, I completed the yearly update of my recipe file yesterday, printed it out, and put the pages in my recipe binder this afternoon. This year’s update was easier than previous year’s updates thanks to the latest version of MasterCook software that I had to buy for my new laptop. The latest version definitely has some improvements over the one I had. I still have some issues to work out, but all in all, I like it.