catiecake.

I'm a woman in love

Dear Kittens,

1 I have a lot of pet peas about Hollywood and how they depict life. For example, who drinks tea with the tea bag in the cup? NO ONE WITH ANY SENSE, unless it's one of you Kittens, and then I understand because you are just baby cats who are fuzzy headed and don't know a single thing about anything.

2. I have a friend (Kate Musgrove) who loves more than anything to spell words the wrong way. And because I am easily influenced, I follow right along and then I use those misspelled words in my regular, every day writing and I worry that people think I don't actually know how to spell things. I mean, I don't worry TOO much because, like I pointed out you are just baby kittens, but still. You should know I know how to spell, but these misspelled words amuse me.

3. I may have mentioned that my dog, Murray, is difficult. This is the most difficult relationship I have ever had with a dude and although I do not want to give up on it, I often wish that it was easier. Mostly because it's exhausting and regularly overwhelming and hard. Really, really hard. He is stubborn and smart and dominant and cute and his latest thing is to give me a fist bump with his nose when we're walking and it's going well. The fist bump thing kills me. The best part of our relationship is the walking. The walking is so joyous. JOYOUS. WALKING. I wish I had a tail so it could wag along with Murray's.

4. I keep wanting to tell you about how this dog is changing my life and I keep not having the right words, but the constant challenges are making me let go of things, cling to other things and generally feel like he's turning me into a better person. I mean, of course HE is not changing me, but this experience is.

5. Our niece and nephew are coming tfor a visit this weekend. We don't really have any specific plans with them, mostly we just wanted to hang out with them. Breeana and I are going to get manicures and pedicures and I'm sure Andy will take Jared out to a delicious lunch and for some birthday shopping. Other than that- it's all up in the air. I'm hoping they're up for some cooking, because that's the mood I'm in, but we'll see.

6. I wonder if I can sneak in a nap before I get the kids? I'ma try.

Love,
Catie

You can't make me want you more.

Dear Kittens,

1. I have lots of great friends, but most of them are online. The fantastic thing about that is that I talk to them regularly, the unfantastic thing is that we cannot meet for tea or a movie or a walk because they live far, far away. I've been thinking that I need more Real Life people, so I recently reached out to a woman that I went to high school with (Facebook is great for bringing this type a person into your life). She and I had a couple classes together and ran in overlapping groups, but we were never close. I always remembered her fondly though, so getting the opportunity to meet was a welcome one. We got together today and it was so much fun! I loved hearing her stories and learning the interestng things we have in common. Yay for Facebook! And for fun times!

2. One thing I'm doing this week is find 5 things every single day to be grateful for. I downloaded tihs application for my iPhone that is a gratitude journal. It's something that I do most days, but not every day and so this week I wanted to do it every single day.

3. Did I say that I was cooking this week? Well, so far that has not really been true. Although, we're not eating out either, so that's something.

4. Have I told you that when I'm happy I prefer to listen to melancholy music? When I'm feeling low I go for the happy stuff. There's something about listening to the melancholy music that takes a tiny edge of the happiness that feels so satifying to me. I wish I could describe it better because the feeling is truly wonderful to me. Anyway- that's where I am now- listeing to sad (ish) songs.

5. Life with Murrdog is a roller coaster. I called the trainer tonight to talk about an issue and he said about Murray, "he's come so far, but he's still not good enough". That's very true. He has made a lot of progress and I know he's a puppy, but Kittens, this dog. He is So Much Work. It's been said to me by more than one person that I can return the dog to the breeder and look for a dog that is not so much work. It's just that Murray is not a pair of jeans that are ridiuclously too long. He's a puppy. And I think I can gut this one out.

6. Also, after I tattled on Murray, he's behaved so beautifully.

7. I am wearing skirts this whole week. I am also breaking my clothes buying fast and going to use a store credit from Zappos to buy some red patent leather sandals. I am just that sassy.

8. Tomorrow I'm straightening and baking and walking the dog and maybe I'm even doing laundry. We will just have to see.

9. Baby Catie out.

Love,

Catie

I've seen the rain, I've seen the sunshine

Dear Kittens,

1. I am not doing that great with my Lent stuff this year. I'm recommitting myself.

2. I love my dog even though he is dominant and a pain in the ass.

3. I love the dog trainer almost as much as I love my own mother. I don't think I would love Murray as much as I do without him helping us.

4. I'm reading Wally Lamb's latest book on my Magical Reading Device from Amazon and I'm enjoying it. Reading is fun!

5. I cooked week before last and then pretty much not at all last week and this week I am back to cooking. One week on and one week off isn't great, but it's way better than no weeks on.

6. My office is coming along, but I admit that I've hit a bit of a rough patch with it. I go in there, look around sigh loudly and then leave. Sometimes Seamus comes in there with me for a peek. I appreciate when he sighs with me.

7. Andy is my most favorite husband ever. He said to me, in the saddest voice ever in the world, that he thought he should start dressing better. This makes me super happy, but I'm trying not to get too excited, because who knows if this will last. Alls I'm saying is that I LOVE it when he dresses up.

8. I've been sleeping pretty good, but last night I had a bad dream about someone named Raymond trying to kill me. I forced myself awake because I started getting really freaked out in the dream. I sat on the edge of the bed, bleary eyed for about 10 minutes and the told myself to dream about the beach. That dream was much nicer.

9. One day last week when we went to doggy play date, Murray got one of the other dog's favorite ball. Murray was so pleased with himself that he took a triumphant lap around the dog beforet the dog took the ball away from Murray. Later, two dogs were trying to teach Murray that he was not the boss (Murray does not believe that he's not the boss for 1 secod) of them and the dog Murray stole the ball from came right into his face and squeaked that ball about 40 times. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Oh, dogs!

10. Maybe I take my camera everywhere I go this week and we see what happens. Maybe there will photos not just of Murray?

Love,
Catie

Dinner #1

Dear Kittens,

1. I have plans to cook real foods this week. Tonight I made stuffed peppers. It's taken many many years to come close to Andy's mother's stuffed peppers and still I am not totally there. My fatal flaw is that I like my peppers a little less done than Andy's mom made them. Andy still says my peppers are super delicious, so that's something.

2. We didn't have our dog training session last week because of rain, but this week we soldiered through even though it was raining. I am so glad we decided to hire this trainer because not only is he really awesome with Murray, he's really awesome with Andy and me and we're learning so much from him. Life with Murray is so much improved- it's really great. I am confident that by the end of this we're going to have a really well behaved dog.

3. So, I totally love the Kindle and when I look at old fashioned books, I think HOW CUTE! Listen, I have loved books my entire life, so it is weird to read without touching and smelling paper, but I do enjoy using the Kindle and I especially love that I do not have to rearrange anything to fit yet another book on the shelf.

4. We're supposed to have rain this whole week. Oh, I know we need it. I know our celebrity Govenor wants us to use 20% less water (20% less than what, is what I want to know) I GET IT. It's just. A whole week of rin means soggy walks with the dog. I am not excited about that. I would just like to officially register my complaint right now.

Kittens- it's very late! I must quickly go to bed so I can get all my sleeps in.

Love,
Catie