Tasty

We are not skinny people. Fattening things around our house get gobbled up. But not this cheesecake Charlie made from Philadelphia Ready to Eat Cheesecake filling. It died a slow death in the refrigerator.

I think we all had problems with the texture. When Katee found out it was the filling from the vat-o-cheesecake she informed us that the globby stuff was better eaten as a dip with little graham crackers shaped like teddy bears. Sleepover food she told us. Like cookie dough. Like popcorn with warmed cheese whiz slathered on top and eaten with a spoon.

On the healthy side, I baked spaghetti squash last night and ate it with homemade onion soup. Tasty. (Kathryn)

Pink Angel's Trumpet

In front of the Caddo Parish Courthouse there are bushes with pendulous trumpet-shaped flowers. I take pictures of them while waiting on my walking tours to begin. I can only dream about what I could do with a little bit better camera. In the meantime I'll just work on developing my eyes. (Kathryn)

Light Duty

Two weeks ago I worked in the American Towers building as a file clerk -- part of my week of light duty because of an on the job injury.



On Monday Katee and her betrothed, Auguste, picked me up after work.

At the end of the week I discovered the movie American Splendor. It was a fitting end to a week of toting hanging green files. And to imagine Harvey Pekar spent his work career as a clerk in Cleveland, Ohio.

Harvey even played around with blog back in 2003. (Kathryn)

That Boy

This is Auguste. The one Katee blogged about. He just got a new job at Pier 1 Imports.

Today when he came by to see her after work he was covered in glitter because he unloaded a truck of Christmas ornaments.

Ah, to be young and in love and covered in shiny particles. (Kathryn)

well, hello again, everyone.

So.

It's been a while.

Maybe you remember me? My name's Katee. I used to write in here a loooong time ago?

Yeah.

Too much has happened since I last updated on my life to write about it. I quit smoking. I started hanging around a bunch of people who were first class assholes, but thanks to them I met the absolute love of my life. I started school again. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out and I cried for days. I have an A in math. :D Life isn't too bad, really.

No, I still haven't gotten my license, but that's mostly out of laziness. I drive almost everyday now, so I know how to do it. I just haven't gotten around to going to the DMV and taking the test. I'm pretty much in love with my car, though.

But I fell in love with this boy. He's. . .not the kind of person I thought I'd end up with, honestly. For one, he's younger than me. He just graduated from high school in May and is turning 19 on October 1st. (!!) I know. And he's just so. . .sweet. His name's Auguste (Ah-goost). He's French. Not really French, but he might as well be. He bought me two engagement rings. Why? Because one was more traditional, and one had a big blue heart on it. Look, I don't know, he just does these things. And he's beautiful. I mean, my god. But yeah. . .so he's pretty amazing. He watches cartoons and is 20 kinds of charming.

I'm starting to get my creativity back, and losing trust in certain friends.

I guess it's just me growing up some more. I'll be 20 in, like, a month and it's kind of freaking me out. I have 4 weeks to use the excuse of, "But I'm just a teenager!" And then it just kind of gets annoying because no one will want to treat me like an adult but no one will expect me to act like anything but. Frustrating, but oh well. Honestly, I'm happy. Maybe I'll start writing again. Maybe not. It's just that I'm just now learning how to take life a little slower. It's something that I'm learning from Auguste. Did I mention I love him?

Now I'm going to go take this eye make up off, turn off the lights and TV, and crawl in bed with my beloved. Life really is amazing. :) (Katee)

Travel Size

Charlie and Katee headed south to New Orleans and Baton Rouge for Labor Day weekend. He saw his family and she saw boyfriend Auguste.

When Charlie unpacked he pulled out what I thought was a bag with fish. Turns out that's how he packed his dental partial. (Kathryn)

Vacation is Over

My nine days are up. I go back to work tonight.

Didn't get everything done I needed to do but I knocked out a good chunk.

Also started a new blog for the West Edge Artists' Co-op.

My mother made roast beef yesterday. Delicious. Then I bugged her while trying to get her picture. (Kathryn)

Pink Diamond

Charlie's redoing the front porch.

The platform I had him have his carpenter, Barney, build to elevate the new washer is now on the porch as a coffee table. After seeing how high it would make the washer top, I decided against using it in the laundry room.

So now he has a place for his radio, green leaf, pink diamond and coffee cup. It's looking like a regular living room out there. (Kathryn)

Elite

Meet the Kenmore Elite HE 5t Front Loading Washer.

Never one to miss a "myspace angle" photo opportunity, I shot a picture of Charlie and me reflected in the bubble front of our new time saving device before he and Auguste manhandled it into the house. (Kathryn)

New Washer

Charlie bought me a front loading washer.

What was the first thing I did? Not wash clothes. I covered the top with The Sunday Shreveport Times so I could paint this piece of art, Capulet Crown. It had to be ready by Tuesday for the WEACo show at Centenary College.

Now I have to read the manual so I can figure out how to run the washer the correct way. Good thing I have a week of vacation starting 6 AM Sunday. (Kathryn)

$40 Wal Mart Wardrobe

Five shirts, two pairs of shorts and two pairs of socks.

Buying your husband new clothes is almost as satisfying as playing with paper dolls. (Kathryn)

Hairs Cut

Still haven't gotten my haircut. Charlie went by himself yesterday while I tried catching up on laundry. I'm heading to the barber shop after I drink my orange juice.

Kay charges twelve dollars to cut my hair. No shampooing, no blowing, no upgrading to take more money outta my pocket.

I do leave a nice tip and I get a swell haircut. And it keeps me from attacking my head with scissors after I've had a couple of glasses of burgundy. (Kathryn)

Talking Trash

On the way to get our hair cut Charlie asks, "How many cans of tuna did you have? Did you empty the trash?"

"Four, if you mean the ones sitting on the counter and this is strange conversation."

"I might have thrown them away in the middle of the night."

This is not the first time he's done odd things in a medicated mid night blur.

Later he digs through the kitchen trash and finds only two unopened cans of tuna. Yes, we keep them and yes, I'm a bit steamed 'cause goddess knows where those other .68 cans are. (Kathryn)

Moroccan Furnishings

Charlie's painting the front of the house and redoing the porch and porch furniture.

Some folks travel and some folks make their homes into other worlds...

Katee took the nifty photos. (Kathryn)

The Great Bike Adventure

We huffed and puffed and rode our bikes for about thirty minutes today.

The most exciting part? Charlie zipping down a hill as he realized the brakes on Katee's new bike didn't work. "Good thing I was wearing tenny shoes," he said.

You gotta love a man who's secure enough to ride a pink girls bike. (Kathryn)

Dad

Jerry came over to spread dirt in a new flower bed in our front yard.

I took advantage of the situation to get a picture of his new hair. He usually gets a perm and has funky do-do hair. I like the short cut. However his head is shaped like his grandfather's, my Great-Grandfather Whitener. (Kathryn)

Zombie Boy

So I come home around 5 AMish one morning last week to find Zombie Boy, otherwise known as Charlie, stumbling around in the kitchen. I checked to make sure the glass pot was under the maker in case he was in the middle of making a brew... can't tell you how many towels are stained because Zombie Boy forgot to put the carafe back in... the pot was there but just before I could sigh easily, I watched him wobble around like a butterfly trying new wings as he tried to wake up from his night medicine. He was leaning over a sandwich on the counter trying to eat it. Things were dripping from the bread.

With his eyes closed and his jaws chewing he said, "I thought I was putting jelly on my peanut butter but it turned out to be chocolate syrup." (Kathryn)

We've Bloomed!

Our last post was back in February. Between forgetting our password and working on our other blogs, starting a business, working at a full time job and trying to make art, things have been pretty busy around here. Not that I'm making excuses, just explaining what's been going on.

The photo is of our first grape tomatoes just before we plucked them from the vine. They are growing in pots on our back porch. Charlie waters them. Although with all the rain we've had it hasn't been a tough job to keep them soaked.

Here are our blogs:
www.crazyinshreveport.blogspot.com
www.kathrynandkateebipolarjournal.blogspot.com

Here are our business blogs:
www.tourdeshreveport.com
www.shreveportbooks.blogspot.com

Here's where some of my photos show up from time to time:
www.shreveportfaces.blogspot.com

Here's my art blog (have yet to find that password)...:
www.bottletreeart.blogspot.com

And will soon be working on a blog for the West Edge Artists' Co-op. (Kathryn)

Men Peein'

Skye and Eko and I were walking down Olive Street when I heard a voice say "look at the men peein'."

Disgusting! I look around for the dudes doing public urination (and damn it Mardi Gras is over! Piss in your own house!) and spot the talker. He's kind of red neck looking in a car with an spreddy out H on it (Honda? or Hyundai?).

Well, slap me with a big ol' solar light blub! He said "look at that Min Pin" but with his regional accent and slow Deputy Dog drawl speed it came out "Men Pee-in." (Kathryn)

Cotton Socks

My black cotton work socks are shot. They do that uncomfortable slide-into-your-shoes move. After searching thirty minutes at the red-circle-dot store and not finding any black socks with any more than 80% cotton, I've run out of time because Katee has to get to work.

Then the sock fairy directs me to a display that shows hanging organic blend cotton socks. They even have the soothing mantra of "Simplify" knitted into them. The label reads "Finding the union between mind, body and spirit brings you closer to your true well-being. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY no chemicals, no pesticides, mild dyes..." I've found what I need. Then I see the fiber content is 85% cotton/12% polyester/ 3% spandex. I won't even tell you what the cuff of these organic socks are made of. I buy one pair at $2.99 and will wear them tonight.

Why do I think I need 100% cotton? It's about control. I stand on my feet at work, which means I have no cubicle, which means I have no input over my work environment or my polyester uniform. If you're wrapping me in mandated crappy fibers I'll spend time going natural on the rest. I'll shop for hours looking for 100% cotton pants with pockets (but not too many pockets because a dealer could stuff money or chips into them).

The job forces me to rebel anyway I can.

I get radical by waiting for until the last minute to button the top button of my shirt (I do tuck it in before leaving the house--I'm not for anarchy).

I'm not wild enough to take my cell phone into the pit, even with the ringer off. But then again I don't have a cell phone...

I have gone nearly off the deep end by slipping a notebook and pen into my pocket. A couple of months ago at a "huddle" (that's casino speak for pre-shift meeting) we were told no paper, pens or purses allowed on the casino floor.

All I want is natural fibers next to me as much as possible. So I'll give these impure sock a try. It's a good thing it's winter. It think even with this little bit of polyester in the new socks my toes will get roasty. Even with the all cotton socks there are some nights towards the end of my shift I have to go outside and take my shoes off and cool my feet on the freezy metal floor of our boat. I do this while the smokers are huddled together, wrapped in blankets, puffing away. (Kathryn)