Wordless Wednesday - Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Tucker

Tucker is a kitty owned by my friend Rene over at It's all about the cats!  It is his sixteenth birthday and he's having cake!  You should go check it out.

The weekend..

So as Fleurp told you, I went to the Whoopie Pie Festival this weekend.. It made for a very long day as it was almost three hours away.  It was fun if not a little chaotic.  It didn't help that it was raining on and off while we were there.  Apparently it is the fourth year they have done it, and I am a little surprised that it wasn't a little better thought out, but that's OK.. we enjoyed it.  I mean seriously, how can you not enjoy eating whoopie pies.. (and if you have never eaten a whoopie, may I suggest you use this recipe but this filling and get right on that.. )

The area where the whoopies were

The people eating whoopies

Mini whoopies

Despite the pict of the mini whoopies, most of the samples were regular whoopies cut into bits.. some bits were better than others on so many different levels.  One place gave out huge samples.. oddly enough they were also the best tasting samples.. They also had the oddest flavor of the day, jalapeno apple.. which tasted way better than it sounded.  I wanted more pictures, but a) it was raining for a good portion of the time we were there and I didn't feel like trying to juggle my umbrella and my camera and b) there were so many people that most of the time I didn't even see the samples even when I was able to grab one.. but I'm sure you get the idea.

Outside of the actual tasting event area there were craft booths and things for sale.  I have to say I was pretty surprised at the pricing of things.  Normally I see things 20-50% more than they were listed for here.. I guess that is the good side of going so far off the beaten path.  I would have bought things, but most of the stuff was jewelry, and I can't wear it any more due to kittens trying to eat it off me. (OK fine, I still wear some, but I've cut back severely on what I buy for the stated reason)

Whoopie purse 

Of course I had to stop the Forgotten Feline's stand and buy something. I wanted a cute Freida magnet, but I went for the catnip toy (that Eli promptly got drunk on) and the cute gift box of cat toys (seen there in the front of the photo)

Another long ride home, which included a stop at the store for some food for dinner.. a quick dinner and then we went off to the fireworks.  There is a local festival that is generally around my birthday and every couple of years their fireworks are shot off on my birthday.

This was the first time I tried taking photos of fireworks with my DSLR.  I have come to the conclusion I really want a tripod so I can do more of these the right way.

I love how this one looks like birds

We ended the day watching the fireflies at home.  I love that we have them here.. they usually show them selves till about the fourth of July..  They are small, so this video might not be that exciting to you..



I was quite busy on Friday as well.  I took Odilia and Trevor into work for "take your pet to work day" (OK fine, I took them in because I wanted to)

And then I had a massage appointment in Portland.  Just as I was pulling into the parking garage (ten minutes late mind you) the masseuse called saying she had to cancel (with a very good excuse mind you)  which kind of ticked me off.  I actually fired one masseuse in the past for canceling on me repeatedly and never offering me anything for the inconvenience.  You know full well if I had to cancel on her it would cost me..

I ended up heading to a different place,  a massage therapy store if you will.. you know, the type, they have multiple therapists and they can more often than not take walk ins.  A woman at work asked if I had ever been, and I hadn't, but at this point I figured I'd head over and see if they could fit me in.

On the way I passed the animal shelter up that way.. the one where I fostered for last year, and the one where I adopted my first kitty back in 1990.. I had my camera, so I went in and took a number of photos.. but that is a different post - but we need a good kitty shot in this post, so here you go.

I did get a massage, I had a nice experience.  It was fairly reasonable price wise, so I might be back.  My body really could use a bunch of them right in a row..  I'm just so not a fan of driving so much.. but we'll see.

Sunday was my sister's birthday.  DH and I ended up over at my folks house for a little food, some present swapping and catch up.  DH and I then went to go see "Man of Steel".. which I was disappointed in, but I couldn't help but marvel at how much Henry Cavill as a self assured Superman (about 3/4ths of the way through) looked like a young John Travolta.

Thank you everyone for your birthday wishes. They made me smile and they were very much appreciated!

Is this thing on?

Hello Internet, my name is Fleurp.. I just wanted to let you know the Momma has a birfday today.. Last year Muffin attempted to celebrate it with the foster kittens, but they refused to put on their party hats, so we had to be creative.

This year she's headed out of town to some sort of whoopie thing.. (darlin, that's the whoopie pie festival) so we have no idea when we are going to be able to pin her down and give her the purring she so totally deserves for taking such good care of us.. We luf her so much..

She did have a little shindig at work.. there were flowers

that we really wanted to nibble on but she won't let us.. and there was cake..

Yes, it was purple.. and had sprinkles.. and it was made by hand by her boss.. it was the epitome of the thought that counts - because quite often we have had the conversation about birthday cake and how I always wanted a box cake growing up but never got one because my mother believed that scratch cakes were better.   There was also..

Ice cream!  Hoodsie cups for adults..  The momma didn't bring us any.. :(

we have no idea what this is, or why they would be interested in it.  She said the dots were something called "balsamic glaze".. which she said is very yummy with those pink things.. Why she didn't have real live dead shrimps or some nice raw beef we will never understand.

She said there were gifties which were really sweet and fun, but there were two cards she thought you'd like..

The first one says: I was worried you weren't going to get a birthday card with a cat wearing a sweater on it. (inside: so here)
The second one says:  I got you a hamster for your birthday:  (inside: Not really.  But wouldn't it be so cool if I did?  We could name it Buttercup)

We really want to chew on the cards, but she won't let us do that either..
wait.. why do we want to pin her down and purr on her.. she won't let us have any fun!!
~Fleurp



HEY!! HEY!! I will wear a party hat!!  I luff the mommalady too.. hey..

Does this mean I get cake??

Kittens at work. / Birthday goodness

 Well the kittens did VERY well on their outing.  Henry and Dorian were a little slower coming out of the carrier then the rest, but even they got over their hesitation very quickly.  I guess their days of hissing and spitting are far far behind them now.  *small pats on their backs*

Henry

Simon - he completely took over the day

Schuster- and yes he got a bath prior to going to work..
He is going to have food stains until his fur grows out

Simon, just looking, he didn't want to jump down
Going back through this, I just realized they were all VERY people orientated
and none of them really got down to run around the floors

I just love Agatha the black kitten on the black kitty quilt

Simon in the boss's chair, he really has taken over now
"I'm the Boss! Go get me tuna!'

Schuster about to sample my water

Agatha the hand warmer (Photo by Lauren)

Cat and Mouse (Photo by Lauren)

Simon and Schuster

Simon and Fleurp

Schewie and the peony (I was trying to be artsy)

While at work we had a visitor who had a meeting with my boss. She said that Simon worked his charms on him and that he wanted to take Simon home.  As he was leaving he mentioned he had two cats as an excuse as to why he couldn't adopt any more.  I can't ever help myself when people mention they have fewer cats then I do that I have seven, to which he just laughed and we changed the subject.  (why is it that the fact that I have seven cats never changes anyone's mind that their one or two or four cats aren't enough??? LOL)

We had a little shindig at work, there was food and laughter and gifties which was nice.  I get out of work early on Friday and we all ended up getting home in plenty of time to go to a matinee.  We went to go see Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  I had completely rolled my eyes when I first heard the title several months ago thinking it was going to be incredibly stupid.  A few reviews said it was from a very well reviewed book that they turned into a movie.  I have to say if you took out the fact that it was Abe Lincoln I would have really enjoyed it.  The fact that it was Abe Lincoln both added and detracted from the movie.  I would say if you like vampire movies (where the vampires don't sparkle) then you will probably like this.  Afterwards we did a little area shopping then went up to Whole Foods and Trader Joes.  We were very much in need of groceries, but I actually enjoy just shopping there for fun and unique foods.  I have been craving a key lime pie and I found a mini one at Whole Foods from The Pie Guy that was absolutely DELICIOUS!!  Finding the link to share with you I just noticed they sell whoopie pies as well.  I'm always on the look out for a good already made whoopie and I have yet to find one (if you want a good whoopie pie recipe, Martha Stewart comes closest to the one I grew up on - but with this frosting)

As we were leaving Whole Foods the sun setting and the clouds made for some really beautiful scenery.  I love how this photo looks like mountains.

Today is my sister's birthday. She was born three years before me so this has always been several days of fun and cake.  Something that I've tended to continue regardless if I actually see my sister on her birthday (I mean there is always left over birthday goodies) There are plans to get together on Sunday.

I was commenting to my husband yesterday that while growing up it always seemed like there was an entire month between my birthday and the Fourth of July.  Only recently has the holiday started encroaching on my birthday.  I guess that they can only celebrate Christmas for so long, so they have started extending other holidays as well to try to drum up sales of holiday goodness.  That and time seems to run faster and faster one you hit "five*"


*that being in cat years :)