For those of you who did not know I took a 10 day trip recently. I went to SF to see mom, get my tattoo and see some of you lovely people in the bay area. I then went to New York for four days to visit my sister and then to Canada for my grandmother's 80th bday. I made it back in one piece about a week ago ago and my suitcase was still full and sitting in the living room until about two days ago. I really hate unpacking.
My trip started out with a bang, having realized after going through security that I was missing my phone and that it was probably in the trunk of Deanna's car. Of course I couldn't even call Deanna because her phone number is on my phone and it was in her trunk. I managed without it though, having mom's cell phone which she doesn't really use. But after calming down and realizing that I would be okay without my phone, I checked my messages and found out that I had LOCKED my cat in my room. For those of you who don't know my room is in the back of the house, separate from the house, so I had locked the door before I left and taken the key for it with me, leaving Deanna with no way to open it. So now the cat is stuck in my room, (with food water and a litter box so technically he was fine) and no way to contact my housemate.
It was a great start to my trip. Ribbon got out fine for those of you who are concerned. He was stuck in there for about three days though, but seemed to have slept the whole time and not noticed.
While Ribbon was locked in my room, I got my tattoo and had a great visit with all you bay area people. Most of you did not get to see the tattoo as it was bandaged when I saw you. So here it is a lot less red and swollen.
I then jetted off to New York where I met Rocky and managed to get along well with my sister. I think that was a first. Wasn't it sister dear? I was very proud of us.
And then I spent ALOT of money. I splurged and spoiled myself by shopping and eating my way through New York. My first day I went to the day spa Bliss and had a facial. I had a hard time finding it as it had no number on the building and was located in the Dior building which made me think that it wouldn't be in there. I must have walked by it at least 10 times. I finally had to call them. I felt so dumb, but apparently it happens all the time. The facial itself was so great. THEY HEAT THE TABLE YOU LAY ON. It was so damn relaxing and a great change after the cramped flight to New York.
That night Ady and I went to Don't Tell Mama to go visit Stephanie. She is still a fantastic singer and I had a great time watching her go off on the dumb customers. It was very amusing until one of the dumb OLD customers starting hitting on ME! Ady was nice enough to shoo him away while I took the tactic of ignoring him completly while trying not to be rude. I think Ady's rudeness worked better.
The next day I did my Walking Tour of Greenwich Village, which was fantastic. We ate so much food. A list of the places we visited can be found here. The highlights for me were the Cheese shop, the chocolate store, the italian specialty store and Chumley's which was a speakeasy in the 60s and an illegal bar during the prohibition. The coolest thing about it is that the owner asked every writer who frequented the bar to give him a jacket cover from their latest book and they're all over the walls. The table tops are also the original ones where everyone carved their names, or initials or a phrase. It was just a great place to get to see that I probably never would have known about otherwise. But because I had eaten SO much food I didn't have a chance to try the best french fries in the city when I was in the neighborhood because I was so damn stuffed. I never was over that way again. It's so damn sad.
After eating all day my sister and I then went to the Peninsula hotel and had dinner at their restaurant Fives which was very upper east side. It was a good meal, but very proper, I guess would be the word. It felt like we were getting stares of "what are you doing here?"
I shopped tremendously on Thursday. I went to a store called Pookie & Sebastian as well as Warehouse of London. I also went to Vintage New York which is a wine store that only sells wine from New York State. I bought mom and granny a bottle each for their bdays. Besides that I bought postcards I never sent and took in the scenery.
That night we met Clint, David and Will for dinner at Les Halles, which is a vegetarian's nightmare but serve up a damn good steak and french fries. It was a great night and lots of fun thanks to Clint, David and Will for taking the time out to come have dinner and entertain me. I've gone ahead and upload a couple of pictures from that night on cementhorizon.
It was that night that we also decided we were probably going to be taking Rocky with us to Canada after all. Course that meant we had to get his shots done the next day in order for him to be allowed into Canada. So Friday morning Rocky and I took a trip. Him in his itty bitty bag with his head poking out and me trying to keep from smacking him into something accidentally. We rode on the subway and were mostly ignored. The mean bus driver made me put him all the way in the bag that was too small for him, but he survived and we made it to the vet's office where he was terrified. Poor thing. He doesn't really get out much and is not used to new places. He did great though and got his shots. I tried to walk him outside so I didn't have to stick him in the bag again, but well....see Rocky (at this point) couldn't go down stairs, and we were thwarted as we came out of the vet's office, with you guessed it, stairs, so it was back into the bag with him.
I got a cab to take me to Ady's work so that Rocky could stay there during the day while I got some last minute things in New York. Then in the cab Rocky started to make sounds like he was hyperventalating. I thought at first that he couldn't breath, and then it happened, puke all over my scarf. At least it wasn't on my clothes or the taxi, I don't think the driver would have been too happy about that. I think Rocky gets car sick, but Ady thinks it was the shots and being all nervous. I still think he gets car sick.
Canada was fun. It was a lot of sitting around and eating chocolate and watching movies. There were so many things I didn't get to do while in New York though. I think one of these days I actually have to go with someone so I can have some company during the day.
So that was my trip. The best part was coming home to Santa Barbara after Canada. Canada was bare, and cold and snowing and then I get to Santa Barbar and am driving to work the next day and it's sunny, warm and the flowers are all in bloom and all I could think was, "I'm glad I live here."
So I had through work the opportunity to have a pet psychic come and read Ribbon for cheap and having had this little bundle of joy for over 15 years I wanted to see if someone could tell me what he's really thinking. I know, I know it's silly and stupid, but I couldn't resist the idea of it. I don't really believe in most of that stuff, but I really just wanted to give it a whirl. Honestly I think she was making things up and not very well, but all the same I now still feel like a horrible pet owner. So for your outrage and entertainment here's what "Ribbon" said,
He has some aches and pains every now and again, but not too much
He knows he's getting old and he doesn't like it. He's bored and wants someone who can be with him all day.
He doesn't like Mandi or the Kitten, although the Kitten perhaps in a few years he would find interesting but he doesn't want to wait that long.
I'm keeping him hostage from our old house and he doesn't know why he can't go back there.
Apparently he loves me but I'm boy crazy and I only pay attention to him when I feel like it.
He wants a companion, but not the dog or the cat currently in the house
I'm always gone.
Apparently he's glad I'm no longer with the boy I was with.
He thinks that I don't let the right kind of men in my life and if I just let go of the bad ones, good one would come into my life.
He doesn't like the neighborhood we live in.
He's bored.
His gums ache a little.
Can I mention that she ASKED me if he was a boy or a girl and how old he was and later remarked how YOUNG he looked. It was only after I asked about his gums that there was mention of them hurting a little. No mention was made of him asking where my mother was, or my sister or my father or sophie. He didn't make mention of the fact that my mother once slammed a garage door on his head (you think he would still be angry about that one). Nor did he say that he would like to eat his treats full time and throw out the crappy food I've been feeding him. Nothing personal or insightful where I could have gone hey that is my cat.
No just whine whine whine. When she noticed that I wasn't too responsive to all his complaining she said, "he's a drama queen isn't he" I made a grunting sound. And then later she said, "He's just playing on your emotions, and trying to get more out of you." Apparently my cat is a fine manipulator and she has nothing to do with it.
Ughhh! I was so angry after the whole thing. Whatever animal she thinks she was tapping into that was not MY cat. It was amazing how vague she was. Ribbon wanted to go back to the house with the porch....(how many houses do you know have porches...quite a few I'd say....) And she couldn't tell me anything unless I asked a question, and I was do disturbed by what she was saying he was saying I couldn't think of all the questions I had. I should have asked how he hurt his eye or if he could see out of it.
Can I also mention that Ribbon was so agitated the whole time she was there. I haven't seen him so agitated in a long time. And he was pissed at me for the rest of the day. He would barely look at me let alone come in the house and sit with me. And if he thinks I'm gone a lot now he's going to hate me when I'm gone for 10 days.
And if he hates the dog so much, please explain THIS (due to tecnical difficulties THIS picute will appear at a later time....) picture, which Krista took when she caught them sleeping together.
I know you all now think I'm a crazy pet person who's obsessed. I'm not. I was just curious and I don't really believe anything she said, but at the same time when someone is there telling you this stuff it's hard not to feel like you've tortured your animal.
The only freaky part was when she said, "Your Dad died." No question pure statement. That was weird. As I had not mentioned him. But maybe because I had only been mentioning my mom and sister she figured he was dead. It was bizarre. That part did creep me out.
But as my sister said, who I frantically called freaked out after the session, "How generic." And I tend to agree. And now I will quit rattling off about my weird pet psychic encounter and leave you with pictures of the kitten, which I promised oh so long ago. - And unfortunately again because of the technical difficulties you're going to have to wait some more. Too bad, so sad.