Bathtime

Tonight, my husband, Andy, and I gave both our cats a bath. This is not an easy task. If you have ever attempted to bathe a cat, you can sympathize with our mission.

 

Our male cat, Norton, was first up. When Andy first scooped him, poor Norton thought he was about to get some good loving. But panic quickly set in when he found himself locked in the bathroom with both of us. So I sitting on the toilet waiting for my part which is the towel wrap and hold once Andy has completed the bathing part and next thing I know, here comes Norton over the top of Andy's right shoulder. The look on his cute face was shear terror. I quickly jumped to the rescue and disengaged Norton's claws from Andy's upper back and t-shirt and we managed to get him back down into the tub. But of course he wasn't done with his escape plan yet. I must have blinked cause right away he was back up on Andy's shoulder. This time he had such a good grip that one of his claws actually lost its outer cover. (I did a little research after we all settled down from bathtime and it turns out that cats claws are actually designed to do this). We did managed to pin him down long enough to get him lathered up and rinsed. And after a handfull of treats and some wet food for dinner it now it appears that all is forgiven.

 

Einstein, our female cat, on the other hand I think is going to hold a grudge against Andy for a couple of more days. She gives up a little easier in the tub once she is pinned down and now she is making every attempt to lick every part of her body down, which is quite a task for a cat with such a big belly.

 

The best part of bathing the cats though is how much nicer they smell and their fur is so soft for a couple of days.

Commuter Train Etiquette

I take the commuter train to work everyday (well almost everyday) and it never fails that people just don't understand their responsibilities as a commuter train rider.

So here are the rules - they are simple and easy to follow.

When Getting On:
1.) As the train is approaching, do not move from your spot on the platform as the trains are unpredictable in where they stop.
2.) As the train comes to a stop, do not immediately crowd around the door as you must allow the arriving passengers to get off the train before boarding begins.
3.) If you are standing in a crowd to board, it is important to alternate areas that people of approaching from. One from this line, then one from this line and so forth and so on.
4.) Never board one car just because it has a shorter line and then change your mind at the top of the steps and cross over to the other car that has a line of people waiting to board it.
5.) Take the farthest seat available to allow for quicker boarding - airlines have been boarding this way for years for a reason.
6.) If there are no more seats available, move all the way in; do not stand at the door way. If there is room to move in, move in further to make room for other passengers.

When Getting Off:
1.) Always wait until the train has come to a complete stop before getting up. This is not only right, it is also for your own protection. This one is especially important if you are sitting on the inside seat (see rule #2)
2.) If you are sitting on the inside seat, inquire as to weather the other person or people are getting off at your stop. If they are, be patient remember they are getting off too. If they are not, politely let them know that you need to get up but not until the train has stopped and there is room in the aisle for them to step out of your way.
3.) If you are not getting off the train and are sitting in the aisle, kindly lean in a little so that people can more easily get by. Plus you don't want to get whacked in the head with a bag (or a hand)
4.) File out row by row. There is no need for the person in the back of the train to exit before the person nearest the door. I don't understand why people can get this right on an airplane but on the train it gets all messed up.

During travel:
1.) Do not use your cell phone. If you must make a phone call, please use your inside voice; the rest of us could careless about what Tammy did during lunch or what your meeting with your client. The person on the other end typically has a volume control on their phone - they can hear you!
2.) If the person you are sitting next to is reading, by god, let them read. Do not try to engage in conversation.
3.) Do not eat anything that has a strong aroma. The rest of us are hungry too and you are just making it worse. Try to finish before boarding.
4.) If you are listening to headphones, keep the volume at a normal level. There is no need for me, 5 rows away or even across the aisle, to be able to hear your music. If I can hear it, not only am I annoyed that I have to listen to your music genre, whatever it may be, but I also feel sorry for you cause you are just ruining your own hearing.
5.) If the train is crowded, go ahead and scoot over and make room in your seat for another person. We'd all like to be able to sit down.

Basically, it all really comes back to the golden rule: Treat others as you want them to treat you. None of us are really happy to be stuck on the train so why make it more miserable than it already is. By just being a little bit considerate of the people around us, maybe we can all arrive at work with a smile instead of our normal morning scowls.

Dental Hygiene

Who would have thought that it was possible to brush
too much?

On of my coworkers claims that she is starting to get
little holes in her teeth near her gums from
overbrushing. Do you think her dentist tells her to
brush less?

Sidewalk Sale

This morning on my way to the train station, I saw this sign in the window of the one of the local shops

"Sidewalk Sale Inside Today"

Please explain to me how can it be a sidewalk sale if it is inside? Doesn't Sidewalk Sale imply the sale will take place outside on the sidewalk?

Just a little morning confusion to start my day.

Welcome

Time to jump on the band wagon and start my own blog.