Avert Your Eyes

Last month, my MIL got me some super-fuzzy awesome slippers. I like them a lot.

Sadly, so does Sam.

Food-ness and Other Updates

It's been about a week since I posted which isn't that horrible, but I'll admit, I haven't exactly been posting information-filled posts lately. So I'm going to attempt to make up for that with this post. By the way, I'm pretty sure it is going to be food themed.

For My Viewing Pleasure
What exactly have I been up to lately? Honestly? Not that much. I've been cooking a bit. I've been grocery shopping a bit. I've been watching Project Runway a bit... Thrilling, isn't it?

Randomly, can I just say how much I enjoy Project Runway? I started watching it last season when the only thing on one weekend was a marathon. And I got hooked. I just watched season two this week. Actually, I started it Tuesday and finished it Wednesday. Not my smartest move since finishing it Wednesday night meant I ended up going to bed after 1. But I couldn't not finish it. So yeah.

Not that you particularly care about my TV viewing (though if you did, I'd share that I find Glee fun/funny but PR makes me happy). In all honesty, I'm really not watching that much TV. Though hockey is finally here so that should change. Go Ducks! The Blues' first game was Friday (they won) and the Ducks yesterday (they lost). But still, hockey - very exciting!

But on to more exciting stuff: food!

I Heart Food
Can I say that I just love Central Market? Flitting around their produce department is kind of like a kid being let loose in a candy store. Except I'm getting old and the candies are all fruits and stuff. But yeah.

I keep finding weird stuff at Central Market that I just have to try so I get some and bring it home then search through the Joy of Cooking to see what on earth I'm going to do with it.

For instance, I got an eggplant a few weeks ago. No clue what to do with it. But there was a recipe for Baked Eggplant in the Joy of Cooking. So sure, why not?

Baked Eggplant, slightly adapted

It was good. I've even made it again.

Pepino Melon
This melon was a random CM purchase because it just looked to wacky not to get. It's not that large - about the size of an apple - and it has stripes. What's not to love?

This is a Pepino Melon

Okay, well, I don't so much love the taste. It's not bad. Just weird. It tastes like a cucumber that has an apple grandmother. With a little texture of a great-grandpa pear.

Don't get me wrong, I like cucumbers. But can't just sit there and eat them. The must be in something or garnish or something. Something must be done to give them more tastes. That's kind of what's going on with this melon. It's got a more fibrous texture (thanks great-grandpa pear) with a little additional tart/sweet (grandma apple) to make it something other than a funny colored cucumber.

Ultimately, I think this needs to be chopped up and put in a salad or used to flavor a slaw or something. It's just a bit unexciting all by its lonesome.

Black Garlic
Ah, Central Market's marketing works. I decided to give black (fermented) garlic a shot.

Black Garlic
(not my picture)

So far I haven't done anything with it other than eat a small clove but I have plans. Unfortunately, those plans keep changing so I've not quite settled on one, but it looks like a topping or sauce for noodles might be the winner.

I'm actually pretty excited to cook with it. It's very different. It tastes a bit like Hoisin sauce, probably because of the strong garlic flavor Hoisin sauce tends to have. Texture wise, the cloves are a bit like dried plums - a little sticky/juicy but overall firm and held together. It's smoother, though, and consistent throughout. It's got a sweet taste of mellowed garlic (though still a lot of garlic - but not overpoweringly garlic like raw or dried garlic)and soy sauce and maybe a little sugar. Which is what makes me think it will go well with noodles.

Corn
The only food right now not on my happy list is corn. Looks like I'm allergic to it. Seriously.

I knew I was allergic to xanthan gum. Mom and I (finally) figured out what was causing all my headaches after I ate in her gluten-free household when my throat started swelling just a wee bit after I ate a cake with lots of xanthan gum in it. I cut xanthan gum out of my diet and the number of headaches and migraines I end up with drastically reduced.

Then I start eating less processed foods for a bit and I start having issues when I do eat those processed foods. Was it because of the processing or was it because of the wheat? Maybe I had Celiac? (At the time, I hadn't found a non-processed bread so I ended up unintentionally avoiding wheat - except for when I ate something processed like a box meal or fast food). Well, finally finding a good bread and not reacting to that pretty much ruled wheat out as the problem for me. So it must be just overly processed stuff, right?

Well, sort of.

A lot of people (apparently) that are allergic to xanthan gum are also allergic to corn to varying degrees. So I decided to test out that theory. At this point, I'm pretty much reacting to anything corn or with a corn-derived product in it except MAYBE cornstarch.

Corn is not my friend. This makes me sad because I like corn. But corn does not like me. Corn is mean to me.

On the plus side (sort of), knowing I need to eliminate corn and corn-derived products from my diet pretty much guarantees I'm sticking to my low-processed, natural diet. Because everything freakin' has corn in it.

Seriously. Check out some ingredients list and see all the corn. Ascorbic acid, high fructose corn syrup (also known as glucose-fructose), sorbitol, MSG, mono- and di-glycerides, dextrin, maltodextrin, xanthan gum... all of these things are corn-derived. So basically, chances are good that if I don't make it from scratch or find it in the expensive "natural" or "organic" section of the grocery store, it's got something it in I'm most likely to react to.

Celiac Goodness
Okay, so avoiding corn has made me a picky grocery shopper. But the good news is, I still get to eat bread. Yay!

There is a gene study being done by the University of California on Celiac disease. My mom (having Celiac) was involved and, when they got another round of grants, volunteered me to take part as well. It's nothing big - I just get tested for Celiac disease through blood tests and then they also check to see if I carry the two genes they have identified as being Celiac-related.

Well, it will be almost a year before I get the results of the gene test back but I did get the blood test back. Negative! YAY!

I had been tested before, but it is nice to have it in black and white that wheat is still my friend.

As for the gene test, my mom tested positive for one of the genes and my dad tested negative for both. With that combo, I think it works out to be less than a 5% chance I'll have one of the genes. Fingers crossed!

Kitties
I don't think I can have a post this freakin' long and not mention the kitties. Though everyone is doing well and there's been nothing really going on with the little furry beasts so I don't have that much news to share. So instead, I will share cuteness.

Cute Chloe Lips

Cocoa is trying very hard to ensure that the box side stays pushed out.

Puuuuuuuush

Collapsed boxes aren't comfy to sleep in.

I appreciate the irony of this picture.

Sammy

Should it tickle me so much?

And that's pretty much it, there's my catch-up, I'm-sorry-I'm-a-boring-updater post.

Makes random YouTube videos almost preferable, doesn't it?

Almost Forgot!

Kitty Food Update Time!

Fish and Fowl

Yesterday we had a vet appointment - Chloe and Sam needed their annuals, but even more importantly, we were having Ashes's kidney levels checked again to see how the high protein diet was doing for her.

Good news on all fronts! Ashes's kidney levels were actually a little lower than they were three months ago before we switched the food. YAY!

And even more good news - Sammy lost some weight! He's now back down to 19 pounds (instead of 23 pounds). YAY! I know Cocoa has lost a little weight from the food switch - in a good way - you can see her waist now. I mean, she's still chubby, but is now at a much healthier weight than before. Chloe has even slimmed down a little. Hopefully Sammy will continue to lose a little weight. He's a big boy so I'd be happy to get him down to 15 or 16 pounds.

So yeah, the food - good stuff! Kitties are slimming down, the high protein is good enough quality to not cause kidney problems in the Big Girl, fur is softer all around and Happy has calmed down a little. I mean, she's still nuts, but she's not as strongly insane... she's less jumpy and it corresponds to the change in food.

YAY! Go smelly, super-expensive food! Woo!

Because It Amuses Me

We've taken to calling Sammy Winston Churchill.

See why?

Super Sam Says...

"This slipper, this is mine."

Quickie

Just a little quick post to share...

Sammy is a giant cuddle monkey. He's become such a wonderful part of our family and I just adore him. Even if he thinks he has to be in my lap every time I have tea.

Please forgive the quality of this pic - it was taken with my laptop's webcam. And forgive the appearance of one of the subjects - I just got up from a nap. But Sammy was using my tummy as a pillow and I just had to share his cuddle-cuteness.

Coliti-Bitty

Bitty has colitis.

She had a bit of blood in her poop so Friday she went to the vet. Now she's got some bland canned food that we sprinkle some powder on to balance the bacteria and whatnot in her digestive tract.

It is possible that she's developing an allergy to the food we feed them, so Dan and I decided to get some new food. Dan did lots of research and found out what makes a good kitty diet. So we picked up some expensive, but high on protein and zero grain, food which has lots of fish and fowl meal in it. It smells very fishy.

But the kitties aren't eating it. I think because it smells so different. Because it really does. So I'm hoping they like it because we got two bags - and it will be a lot healthier for them.

So, fingers crossed that they start liking the food, that the food helps Sammy smell less and that Bitty gets healthy soon.

The "I'm Still Alive" Post

Okay, so I've tried to be better lately about posting something on my blog regularly. "Tried". It hasn't been working so much. But I have plans, yes, big plans!

I'm sorta kinda of working on a video of the kitties enjoying their Christmas presents (though it might be Valentines Day before I get it up) and have lots of stuff to share about Christmas and New Years and the joys that are 5-day weekends (so cool).

But I'm rapidly approaching a time where all that info is no longer relevant. Not that this will necessarily stop me from posting about it, but still....

(In my defense, I've been fighting a cold the past week and currently I think the cold is winning so I've not felt all that up to blogging. But don't feel slighted. I've greatly decreased my online socializing across the board this week while I can't breathe.)

So as an apology for slacking on somewhat frequent updates to my blog, I offer you a Sam belly.

The Sam belly is one of the more frequent kitty-sites to be seen at the Zimmermann house. I speculate because Sammy is so freakin' fat, he's always hot, thus always in the cooler, belly-up position.

So enjoy looking into those handsome eyes and imagine the delightful squishiness of the belly and have faith that more posts are to come. Eventually. I hope.

Sammy, No!

There is just something about the blue afghan I made a few years ago. Boy kitties seem to like it. Nibby enjoyed snuggling with it and now Sammy. Well, Sammy has been enjoying it too much.

Sammy "bonding" with the wool afghan

Several times we've found the afghan pulled off the couch and into the middle of the entry way and once we've heard Sammy crying out while he was dragging the afghan around.

Sadly, he doesn't just drag it around, but I'm trying to block that thought from my mind.

Oh Sam.

Belly Boy

Just wanted to share the Sammy's typical resting position - belly up. And what a belly it is!

Isn't he cute?

Toy Killing Style

Here are some of our kitties showing off their various toy killing styles. Thanks Grandma Z for providing the toys! I think they like them!

Kitty Cuteness

It's been a while since I posted - sorry about that! I could say it is because life has been so busy and exciting that there just hasn't been enough time to post, but that would be a lie. I actually was sick for a little bit and ended up sleeping a lot. Which doesn't lead to very exciting blogging.

But, I've finally decided to expend a little energy and share some of the cuteness the kitties have been getting up to. After all, a number of packages have come in lately and you know what that means: kitties in boxes!

Chloe in a Box... with the Covers Pulled Up

I'm not really sure how Chloe managed to do this, but I imagine it took a little bit of time. We have such talented kitties.

Currently, two of the boxes in the kitchen have managed to get their flaps folded over and then dented to make a perfect kitty hammock. That kind of box set up leads to a lot of exposed bellys.

Cocoa Lounging in the Hammock Box

Of course, don't think that other items on the floor are neglected from becoming kitty spots. Bitty has recently taken a liking to any pillows that are put in the floor.

It's a Soft, Squishy Box... or Not

Bitty is also a fan of the alert "What was THAT?" face.

Sammy isn't a big box fan. He spends most of his time sleeping on the scratch mat in the living room. This time he was just hanging out on the mat but doing it in such a way that showed of his chubby little 'tocks oh so cutely (I think).

Sammy Tocks

(And with the size of his belly, is it any wonder that he runs a little bowlegged?)

And one more of the Samster Hamster as he lays on the scratch mat, this time belly up.

Sam Belly

Also, this weekend we got a package from Grandma Z which had some toys for mama, daddy and the kitties. One of my goodies was a black cat candle holder for Halloween. It's like Happy with a full tail!

Happy Inspects the New Kitty

Sadly, once I got down to kitty level to take the picture, Cocoa barreled over, disrupting the shot and scaring off the non-ceramic scaredy cat so this is the only picture I have. But I still think it is pretty cute. Thank you, Grandma Z!

I also got some really cute video of the kitties playing with some of their new toys but I'm going to have to learn how to use my new movie editing software. So hopefully I'll be posting that later this week.

In other news, I think Cocoa needs therapy. She has become convinced that she is a kitchen appliance.

Kitchen Appliances go in the Appliance Garage... Thus I go in the Appliance Garage

I'm an appliance, yes?

No. No you are not, Cocoa. Sigh. She has also taken to cuddling with the Zojirushi hot water dispenser on my countertop. But I don't believe we have gotten a good picture of that yet. Most of the time she does realize that she shouldn't be up on the counter and gets down as soon as there is any hint of Dan or me coming into the kitchen. But sometimes we say screw the rules, that's a cute picture!

Sam Belly

Well, it has been almost a week since I posted last. But not much post-worthy has been going on. Just TB tests (negative), being a bug buffet (27 bites) and having some adorable kitties lounging everywhere.

Okay, so the kitties are post-worthy. So much so, in fact, that I wanted to share this recent Sammy picture:

Big Belly

Check out that giant belly. He's huge. Of course, he is 21 pounds. Well, 20.7, if you want to be picky about it. And he's apparently pretty proud of his belly, cause he's been showing it off a lot.

Cuteness Abounds!

Well, it must be something in the water today, because all the kitties are being adorable. Of course, a trip to Costco yesterday increased the box-level of the house, so that might be a contributing factor as well. I didn't get pictures of everyone's cuteness but what I did get is post-worthy, I think.

First on our list, Gidgie. She's not a big box sitter, but it is so cute when she does because her fluff sticks out.

The Elusive Gidgie-in-a-Box

I think she looks a little ashamed for being caught box-sitting. It's a guilty pleasure, you know.

Next up is Cocoa, who doesn't look guilty for box-sitting, but almost resentful, daring is to make an issue of her greed.

Cocoa Two-Boxin' It

Yes, that is Cocoa sitting in not one but two boxes. Quite a talented little girl, isn't she?

Okay, this last one isn't Sammy in a box, but more of a kitty fort. We switched coffee tables with my parents and the kitties, especially Sammy and Chloe, are enjoying the higher shelf under the table.

A Big Kitty Fort for a Big Kitty

Doesn't Sammy just look so cute?

And speaking of a cute Sammy, I have to share this picture. I think he looks quite handsome.

Handsome Big Boy

Chloe was also remarkably cute today as she hung out in the double box-ness and a paper bag in the living room, but the pictures didn't turn out share-worthy. *pout* Oh well, at least I was able to get evidence of the cuteness some of the others today!

Nothing-ness

So, it has been a week since I last posted and I've been feeling a bit itchy lately. I want to post something, sadly (or maybe fortunately) not much is going on that is post-worthy.

So how about a short kitty update?

Ashes
The Big Girl has been doing good and bad. Good because she's not getting worse, bad because she's not been eating much the past few days. But she seems to be in good spirits and is very lovey, so that's been good. She's still hanging out in the master bathroom - it's turned into her room that she so graciously allows us to use. We have at least two bowls of food down, water, a heating pad, a kitty cube, litter... And no other kitties are allowed in. Yep, she's a happy Big Girl.

Happy
Alrighty, Happy is finally over her ringworm turned bacterial infection turned little-spot-that-OCD-kitty-kept-licking thing. Finally! It only took almost two cycles of ringworm pills, topical treatments, two antibiotic shots, a steroid shot and lots of time in the cone of shame.

Sammy
Well, we've had Sammy for 3 months now and I think he's adapting really well. Dan and I wonder if his previous family was mean to him because he doesn't always trust hands and he flinches a good bit. He's still obsessively suckling his knuckle when he dances and cuddles, but a few times he's napped while laying on my stomach, so I hold out hope that he'll end up as a decent cuddle kitty - not always having to dance and suckle when cuddled. He and Chloe still don't seem to get along - Chloe stalks him a lot - but there have been no big problems. I've got some cute pictures of him that I need to post and share. Oh, and he's also 20 pounds. He's HUGE!

The Others
Chloe, Gidget, Bitty and Cocoa are all hunky-dory, not actively requiring attention or vet visits. Just getting lots of love and being the wonderful kitties that they are.

Maybe I can get my behind in gear and post some cute kitty pictures (is there any other kind?) up here. And I still need to get a Sammy page going. Ah, so many things to do, so little drive.

Okay, I feel less post-itchy now. Mission accomplished!

Bath Time at the Zimmermann Home (Post-Dated)

Guess what Dan and I got to do?

Bathe our kitties! Yes, all seven!

The good news is I only had blood drawn four times and Dan got away bloodletting-free (thought not unscratched).

What possessed us to do such an insane thing? What else? The vet. Apparently Happy and Ashes have ring worm. Yay. *sigh* So we got a topical spray and pills for the two of them, but were also told that we should be "aggressive" in our treatment to make sure the others didn't get it. Which includes twice weekly preventative baths.

Yeah, that's not happening. Happy and Ashes will get their two-times-a-week baths, but I think we did pretty good with everyone else just to get one bath each.

I bathed Ashes, Happy, Gidget and Cocoa while Dan got Sammy, Chloe and Bitty. There were no pictures of me bathing the kitties (1) because I'm the camera person in our family and 2) because I was not wearing protective gear like Dan was) but I did snap a couple of shots while Dan was bathing them.

An Unhappy Sammy Getting His Bath

Cocoa Wondering Why the Hidden Chloe is Screaming So

I also got video of a yowling Chloe which I'm going to have to edit and post because it's funny in a poor-pathetic-kitty way.

And while the bathing was not fun, the aftermath was sort of entertaining. All the kitties looked disgusted with the whole situation and proceeded to turn sulking while re-bathing themselves an Olympic sport.

Ashes: Must Get the Wet Off!

Chloe: I'm Not Talking To You

Chloe refused to look at me and kept her back to me the entire time I tried to take her post-bath pictures.

And Unladylike Happy

A Delicate but Disgruntled Gidgie

Bitty was especially cute and pathetic (though more annoyed than sulky - and more hiding that bathing).

Rat Bitty

I've also got a great video of her post-bath that I need to edit then will post later.

A Hedgehog-esque Cocoa

Spikey Post-Bath Sammy

Yep, so as you can imagine, everyone had so much fun.

And in theory, we need to do it again.

In theory. But in practice? Not so much.

Amost Forgot!

I almost forgot! In addition to Sammy's video, I wanted to post a couple of cute kitty pictures.

Chloe in a box

Chloe is a very happy kitty when there is a box around. This box is courtesy of MIL - thanks Claudia. Dan was supposed to tell you we got it yesterday but I doubt he did. Fun goodies - thank you! (And Chloe was a fan, too!)

An Unlady-like Cocoa

I can't decide if Cocoa is being unladylike or if she is doing another Jabba the Hut impression. Though the more I look at the picture, the more I think she needs Bitty beside her on a chain and in a slave costume.

Okay, this last one isn't kitty related, but it's blog-worthy anyway. I got this last week, but considering it came in the day Nibby passed away, yeah, didn't really feel like posting about it.

My Tokoname Kyusu

It holds about 10 oz and I'm not even telling what it costs. But it is so pretty! And it makes a good cup of sencha, too. Yum.

Well, that takes care of the other goodies I wanted to post in additon to Sammy's video. Sammy is on my lap right now and he liked watching me edit his video.

I have to mention one more thing: the silly cat snores. Even when he is awake.

Fat kitty.

Promised Video

Here's the video I mentioned earlier today - I was able to get it quicker than I thought I would. So without further ado, Sammy's Special Dance

New Addition

I'd like to introduce you to our newest addition, Samuel.

Sammy-boy

Sammy is a 16-pounder that was abandoned at the vet about three weeks ago. He's a very sweet boy that has already earned the right to run around the house unsupervised - less than a week and he's already if not friendly with the others, hasn't had any hits put out on him.

I promised SIL I'd get a video of his little neurotic habit as soon as I can. It's pretty cute - when he dances, he suckles on the third knuckle of his right paw, like he's nursing. It is so weird but really pretty cute. I'll be stalking him with the camera to get video.