Thursday, October 6, 2011

Play! Fetch! NOW!! (Please?)

I was trying to wash the dishes this afternoon, but, Ninja decided that since I was in the kitchen, just standing at the sink… boring!… I probably would like to do something more fun instead. Like play rat. She kept bringing me her little toy furry rats, and if I wasn’t fast enough, dropping them right into the sink where I was working (or, you know, trying to work). This little cat loves to play fetch and we end up playing several times a day, every day. More if she can talk other people into playing as well.

As she seemed determined to convince me that it HAD to be play time – I gave in. She’s really cute and hard to resist! As I grabbed her rat, I saw the camera and picked that up too. At the start of the video, Ninja is waiting by the door to lead me into the living room, because not only does she like to play, she knows that the living room has the BEST rat fetch play area!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

And You Shall Have Some Pie

The other day I lucked into finding some of the small Egyptian-style limuns at the produce stand. They are a ping-pong or ball-golf ball sized fruit. Harder, thin skin. Tart and yummy. I made a pie with them once in Cairo and was surprised when it tasted like a good, authentic, Key Lime pie. After a bit research, I discovered that these ‘limuns’ and key limes are the SAME variety! How lucky is that?? (here’s a LINK to my post about that discovery).

This week’s pie was not quite as pretty as the first one I ever made as I singed the meringue a little… the recipe said “500F oven for 3-5 minutes” I left it in for 2 and a half! I think my oven is a little off sometimes! No matter… the pie, the crust, the meringue were all verrrry yummy!

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Brad and I LOVED the pie. Our maid did too. The kids were less enthused – but that makes sense for a citrus pie. Lemon and lime pies are not usually kid favorites. Brian said “It’s not my favorite, but it’s ok.” Honor didn’t like it. I wish I’d had the camera at the ready because she made a great face! The most surprising pie fans though, were the cats! Just the smell of it had them going crazy. ALL three of them. They usually have different taste in foods, and they usually have very good manners, even when it comes to one of those favorite foods, but not with this pie. I had to eat my pieces standing up, and/or walking around, as the cats circled my ankles like feline sharks, begging and pleading.

I had the last piece today. The cats were asleep and I thought I could grab the dish, sit down, and perhaps enjoy it casually. Was I ever wrong!

“Puh-leeeese can I have a bite?”

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btw… I generally do not eat with a plate tucked up under my chin (we’re not going to talk about my eating out of the pan – it was the last piece darn it) … I do have some basic manners and holding the plate up was a strictly defensive move!

And these cats, really, honestly, have better manners too, and do know to wait for treats… but this pie is terribly difficult to resist. They don’t even act this crazy over catnip.

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I should have known not to look away to smile at the camera…

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I love these girls anyway, even when their manners are forgotten. (Pumpkin was being a good boy… but he was still impatiently begging by my feet…)

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The three little kittens they found their mittens,

And they began to cry,

Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,

Our mittens we have found!

Put on your mittens, you silly kittens,

And you shall have some pie.
Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r,
Oh, let us have some pie.

Yes, AFTER I was done with my pie, I let them (finally!) lick the plate… ON THE FLOOR where kitty treats are supposed to be eaten.

The verdict?

Yum!

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