I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Murphy update: I found his remains yesterday evening. Most certainly a victim of a mountain lion. Must have lain in wait for him. Broke my heart ot find him and bury him, but at least I knew what happened to him. He had 7 great years with me after I rescued him.

So sad...

Oh Anne .. I am so very sorry to hear about Murphy.  Breaks my heart.  I am glad you found him though and could put him to rest.

Sending you a big hug,

Bren

(((Anne))), I'm so sorry!

HL - You're just putting one foot in front of the other and this is an extra step - think of it that way.

Oh Anne - so sorry about Murphy.

Hugs, Sandy

Anne - I am so very sorry. ((((((hugs)))))))

Aw Anne..I sob for you.. I had to give my wonderful cat (very aggressive) away before the birth of my son.. it broke my heart.  so sorry.

and Jancie.. jeez.. I hope they find nothing wrong and an easy solution to your pain.. best of luck.

and about zuccini...if you grow it and can't even give it away...  you can donate it to the food shelter who will say.. I'm sorry we can't take zuccini today (as I see a huge pile on the table in back).

Oh, Anne, I am so sorry for you. ((HUGS)) They are family.

((((Anne))))  I guess you can tell we're giving you a group hug.  You rescued Murphy and gave him 7 good years. and he, you.  You'll recue another kitty.  In the meantime, it hurts -- we all know, and we all care.

Linda 

I am so sorry. 

So sad about the loss of Murphy, Anne.  It hurts my heart for you.  I will raise the parting glass to Murphy tonight with my best Irish, and know that you will one day meet again on the Rainbow Bridge. Hugs to you.

oh dear we seem to have had a touch of gnomes last night.  Thank goodness for chocolate and the ignore!!! 

Jancie  I like the idea that its all a bad kidney stone. I am crossing my fingers for that outcome---painful but fixable, right?

Anne, I am so very sorry about your cat and that you had to be the one to find him.  I can only imagine.  Try not to second guess yourself for letting him be outside---if he loved outside, that means he was doing what he liked when he went and isn't that what we all hope for?

I am with apple on the compensation thing--  -I have not received any compensation for commenting on my treatment and am more than a little miffed that others might be.  Humph!  where's mine?  I want to buy a bicycle for exercise and the extra cash would come in handy. 

When you talk about garfinkles and woodies, what I remember are the lovely Christmas windows that they used to put up.  My  mother took me down every year.  I was so sad when stores in the US stopped doing it.  We did find a solution---they still do it in Europe!  Spain in particular has wonderful giant displays at their big store, El Corte Ingles. 

You knew this was coming but I like zucchini.  And if you have extra please send it over.  We have killed off two zucchini plants this year and have two more ready to kick the can....so much for an overflow of lovely organic zucchini!

I have two fine recipes for zucchini haters.  First zucchini carpaccio.  No credit to me, its from the Chocolate and Zucchini blogger's cookbook.  Take unseedy sized zuchinni and slice very very thin on a mandoline---arrange in single layer on a plate or 12 because its amazing the number of thin slices you get off a zucchini!  Finely mince some fresh basil--sort of a chiffonade. Sprinkle over the zucchini. Alternatively sprinkle with fresh thyme removed from stems.   Sprinkle about a T of very good balsamic vinegar over the whole thing.  this can be the tricky part--sometimes we use the stuff DH brought back from Basel which is based on cassis, sometimes we use the apple based stuff from our farmer's market and sometimes we use the regular Italian stuff.  Sprinkle a bit of sea salt and then drizzle a bit of oil over all---olive is common but if you have walnut or hazelnut or YUM pistachio, feel free to use.  Crumble some goat cheese--not a lot-- over top.

eat.....................

Stay tuned for recipe #2.

Dinner last night was a PNW interpretation of the classic Nicoise Salad.  Romaine lettuce, blanched green beans ( anda  few yellow ones), blanched brocelli, quartered hard boiled eggs, little potatoe---this is a great way to use the varieties of potatoes in all the colors!  We had blue/purple potatoes, red potatos and yellow potatoes which looked great against the dark green romaine.  Oh yes and some leftover poached salmon from sunday dinner.  Dressing was a vinegrette with french seedy mustard, balsamic and hazelnut oil in lieu of the olive.  If doing this recipe, you want to toss a little dressing on the potatoes afte ryou boil them and quarter them.  And do each plate individuallly or let your children do it.  We had some debates as to who had made the most beautiful arrangement of food.

No left overs.

Anne, so sorry to hear about Murphy.

3momsta,

Yummm

{{{Anne}}}

Aw, Anne... I'm so sorry to hear about the sad ending.

We all had our fingers crossed that Murphy was galavanting around and would tip-toe home with a sheepish look in his eyes.  But, it was not to be.  You are right, though, to think of the 7 good years he had living with you, that he probably would not have had otherwise.  And, if ol' Murphy enjoyed being free to wander, or just to lounge on the porch -- if he would have pouted and cried and tried to rip through the screens as an indoor-only cat -- then he was probably more aware of the risks than we might imagine.

It's a crushing thing, to find a pet after something like that has happened.  But, instead of wondering forever about what really happened to Murphy, you were able to say goodbye and bury him with whatever ceremony you found comforting.  (I generally send a lot of things along, like toys and blankets and food dishes, just to soothe the hidden child in me.)  Hugs to you, Anne.  (((Anne)))

otter

OK, at the risk of getting my petals clipped, gotta say "greta" is SO obvious.  Strange some people really don't mind being laughed at.  BUT, to be so destructive, so full of vengence, against a place that has given women all over the world, so much valuable help. Will be interesting to see what happens when there is only 1 name allowed.

Gonna cut out a lot of "conversations" in some threads.  All for the better.

Rosemary - we're waiting to hear what your BCOB&G order will be.  On the house, of course, always the day of having to see docs.  Think we also owe Our Lioness for her B'Day.  Gin bubbles?????