A Holiday Jam, the Cat's Re-Christining, and Other Random Hijinks

1.) The Holiday Jam - So, I'm basking in the knowledge that most all of my Christmas shopping is complete. I only have to wait on a few packages to arrive from the Great Beyond (where ARE those Internet warehouses, anyway?), wrap them, and I'm done! Nay, nay, says my inner child. What about this person and that person? They usually get your kids some lovely trinkets for Christmas and you're just going to leave them empty handed?

**SIGH**

Taking a look inside the Wallet of Christmas Gift Past (of like, 5 minutes ago), I'm horrified when nothing but moths are peeking out at me. Benjamin left a LONG time ago. Jackson smiled, waved, and said, "Nice knowin' ya!" Heck, even Lincoln and Washington leapt gleefully into the hands of eager retailers with visions of dollar signs floating in their heads... (Or was that a silent lament of all things "Christmas"? Hmm...)

Anyhow, I thought, what's a cool, cheap gift I can probably make since I can't very well "spend" moths at my local Target... And then it hit me. BAM! Make some JAM! lol

I have made four batches of jam between yesterday and today, a batch of strawberry, a batch of no-sugar strawberry (as my father is diabetic), a batch of Bumbleberry (which is merely strawberry, raspberry and blueberry all together), and a batch of pear jam. Now, let me tell you, I'm not a big fan of pears, but one of the people I was making the jam for LOVES them, and in fact, it's their favorite fruit. Pear jam is something I probably wouldn't make for myself, but Oh MY Lawdy-lawd, that $#!t's GOOOOOOD!! There was a little of it left over in the pan after canning, so I poured it into my plastic freezer jar and just put it in my fridge. Once I tasted it after it had jelled, I decided to give the recipient of the pear jam only two of the three cans I had prepared.

What? It's not like they're gonna KNOW I made three... Unless they read this blog. Then I'm f**ked.

2.) The Cat's Re-Christening - Well, remember how I told you all was hunkidoorie at Chez Goings, with tales of our new kitty and his supercoolawesometotallyrad name of Casper? Well, DH has ixnayed asperCay in avorfay of ikeSpay.

Yes, the cat's name is now Spike.

Now, apparently, DH wanted to wait and see what this cat's attitude would be before we just named him all willy nilly. I was of the opinion that we need to name him lest we be cursed to call him Mr. Kitty or some such due to the fact that we never did give him a name. Take it from me, I had a cat named Mama Kitty for eight years. Always thought I would name her, but nope. She came to me as a pregnant stray and Mama Kitty she did stay.

Ooh hey, that rhymed.

I guess my DH hated the name Casper. Thought it didn't fit him for being such a lithe, fit, athletic cat. He wanted something more manly, something with hair on it's chest, something like SPIKE! And yes, the inspiration came from Spike of Buffy fame. Mmm, yummy.

Besides, my DH's argument was, "How often have you heard of a CAT named Spike?"

So yesterday, aside from making jam, I went out to Petco, bought the cat a real spiked collar (LOL) and a "heart" name tag (it's so cute!) that says Spike.

Now, if me and the kids could just stop calling him Casper, then we'd be set. :P

3.) Random Hijinks - Hmm... What else have I been up to? I've been up to my eyeballs in wrapping gifts. I've been all over Creation trying to FIND said gifts. I've been taking my kids to karate class, and yet only eeking out about 500 words for my next manuscript. **SIGH**

And now, folks, I shit you not, Spike is sitting on my shoulder. Right this very moment. I don't know if he thinks he's a parrot or what, but he knows he can't snuggle with me while I'm typing, even though he tries to step onto my chest in the process. So now, he's resorted to stepping (and laying) on my shoulder. WTF? Does YOUR cat do this? LOL

Knead that muscle a little to the left, Spikey... More... More... Ahhh, yes, right there. Good cat.

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com