Cut to many years later...I swear I'm still alive. Alright, to provide a quick update before diving into what I really want to talk about. My boyfriend survived med-school, we got married after 1.5 year long engagement, he matched for his surgical residency out of state so we moved, and we got a new cat while he was still in school. Whew. I put the cat last because that's what I want to discuss. As you may know from my previous posts, my husband and I have had a few different pets, 4 fish (Ralis, Ruto, Ra, Zora, & Zora II) - may they all rest in peace, and a cat name Midna. If you haven't caught on yet, we are huge fans of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda video game series.

A little over four years ago, our little nerd-family grew a bit more. Midna was getting ready to turn 3 and Jordan and I had discussed getting another cat...partly because Midna seemed to be turning into a bit of a brat/maybe needed a companion, and partly because we knew we weren't ready for a dog but we wanted to expand our family and we definitely weren't ready to add a human baby to the mix.

Princess Midna

Thus our decision to get another cat, we spent a while pricing everything out to ensure we would be able to afford two cats (like we did with Midna), the cost for 2 Banfield plans, or as I lovingly refer to it as "pet health insurance", food, flea-tick-heartworm medicine, etc. We then began exploring the proper ways to introduce a new pet to the family. As stated in my previous post, I am the weirdo who thinks about the potential psychological effects on Midna as well as on the new pet and worry about long term issues that an improper introduction might induce. Once we were comfortable with all we had gleaned from our research we decided to head out to some of the local places where we knew they would have cats up for adoption.

Jordan and I decided we should get another female cat and were hoping to find another long haired cat since we liked how fluffy Midna was. We looked at several locations before heading to the Charleston Animal Society to see if they had any kittens available. As much as I would have liked to adopt an older cat in need of a home, I knew Midna, our current cat, would not react well to having to suddenly share her space with another adult cat. Hence our search for a kitten. We spent quite a while looking around once we arrived since weirdo me wanted to give each cat up for adoption the same amount of time and consideration. We had literally looked at every single cat and hadn't found one we felt like we connected with.

As we were getting ready to leave I noticed a cage that appeared to be empty off to the side just beyond some of the other cages we had somehow missed. I grabbed Jordan's hand and dragged him over to it. As we drew nearer, I realized that there was indeed an occupant in the large cage. It was a tiny kitten who was curled up in the litter box.

Hiding

(Side Note: I have often noticed that at big adoption events or even when you simply take a cat to a new location they will stick close to their litter box, if not try to hide it in. Midna in fact did this when we first brought her home years ago. I believe it has something to do with the scent of the litter since it is something they are familiar with and, like humans, are naturally drawn to things that they are familiar or comfortable with in new or strange situations.)

Anyway, as we drew closer to the cage the little kitten noticed us and sat up before letting out a tiny meow. I immediately crouched in response and watched in wonder as the little furball did an impressive front roll out of the litterbox in a fervent attempt to get to the front of the cage and as close to me as possible.  It bumped the front of the cage with its face before running its body up against them and trying to reach out to me with its paw.

Shocked by the kitten's response to us I stuck a finger in the cage to see how he would react. He noticed immediately and rubbed the entire length of his body against it, pressing with all his might to get as close to me as he could.  Jordan meanwhile, was watching this interaction before he too crouched down to see how the kitten would react to him. The kitten was just as eager to get as close to him as it had been to get close to me. We realized in that moment that we had found our kitten.

Baby Groot when we first brought him home

It was a two month old male domestic shorthair kitten. He was not what we had been looking for but there was no doubting he was meant for us.

We waited for a while until one of the employees was able to help us. We were taken into a room and allowed to spend some time interacting with him in the open.

Here we realized he was just as friendly outside of the cage. In addition he was quite the wiggle worm. Desperate for attention but incapable of sitting still. It was adorable.

After spending some time playing with him, we informed the employee that we wanted to adopt him.  We were given the necessary paperwork to fill out. We had the form nearly completed when we got stuck. A name, we didn't have one picked out. We had several girl names we had discussed since we were initially planning on getting a female cat but we hadn't even talked about a boy name.

We went stared at each other in silence for a moment before Jordan suggested the name Groot.  He explained that he thought the kitten's short fur and pattern on his tail looked kind of like a stick. We had recently seen the Guardians of the Galaxy movie and loved it since we are huge Marvel nerds in addition to our Zelda obsession. It was the perfect name really. We finished the paperwork and turned it in. I had already gone out and bought a carrier since we were committed to getting another pet and I'm unsurprisingly picky with the carriers I get for my pets (they must be hard carriers with a seat belt slot to keep them secure when we are in the car.)

Groot's sweet baby face

Once our new kitten Groot was settled into his crate and safely strapped into the back seat we headed home to begin introducing him to Midna. This was a long process. When we arrived home we kept Groot in his carrier and placed him on the floor so Midna could sniff the carrier and him from a safe distance. She checked him out before hissing at him. With that step out of the way we got Groot settled into the room we had decided to keep him in temporarily. We had a separate litter box and water and food bowls set up for him so he could get used to his new surroundings and we could safely introduce him to Midna.

I would rub each of them down with a wash cloth and then at feeding time place the washcloth near or underneath their food bowls so they would begin associating one another's scent with something good or happy like food. Eventually we progressed to having the door open. We blocked the opening with a baby gate that the cats couldn't fit through and then blocked the rest of the door with a piece of wood we had leftover from a former project. The baby gate allowed them to see and smell one another without allowing them to actually touch.

This means war

After nearly a week of this set-up we began to slowly allow them near each other under supervision.  Groot was insanely curious about his new surroundings and was happy to completely ignore Midna while she would observe him from atop one of the many perching surfaces in our old apartment. She would occasionally come down to sniff him and then typically hiss at little Groot. If he tried to chase her she'd growl at him and smack him.

You will obey me

We began to worry that they might never get along. Perhaps Midnawas meant to be a solitary cat. We weren't ready to give up though. We had decided to adopt Groot, he was now a part of our family and we were going to find a way to make it work.

I'll let you live...for now

Luckily as each day went by they began getting used to one another and Midna would allow Groot near her without attacking him. Not that Groot had been deterred by any of the smack-downs she supplied.

You're okay I suppose

It took a while but they eventually seemed to accept each other...Ok let me rephrase, since Groot never had an issue with Midna, it was Midna who eventually accepted Groot. Or Maybe she just resigned herself to the fact that there was another cat in her domain. Either way a few years later they are both still alive and getting along most of the time.




They occasionally fight but it seems to occur when one of them takes playing too far, so really I suppose it's just their way of expressing their feelings. Not gunna lie, my brother and I used to fight too when we lived together, so I get it. So long as they both seem healthy and happy I'm going to call this a success.

We're family now

For the Love of Brie

For whatever reason I have been on this crazy brie kick as of late. I love the stuff, and have been trying to find new ways to use it when I cook. So I recently had my Mom over for dinner and decided to try a little something new, using brie of course. I warned her it might not turn out all that tasty but she braved it and stayed for dinner anyway. To my delight (and surprise), and hers my experiment turned out to be quite yummy. It was so tasty that I decided to share it with y'all, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Brie Smothered Noodles, Asparagus and Mushrooms

What You Need:

8 oz of brie cheese

2 cups milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

16 oz Package of noodles of your choice ( I use the twisty veggie noodles)

16 oz Mushrooms (baby bella)

16 oz (bushel) Asparagus

What You Do:

First, get all of your knife work out of the way-

            Cube your Brie

            Cut your asparagus into one to two inch pieces

            Give your mushrooms a rough chop

Cook pasta according to package directions

Sauté your mushrooms and asparagus in some olive oil with a bit of salt and lemon pepper. Then add to the cooked and drained pasta

In medium saucepan add milk and sour cream stir until hot and combined

Then add chunks of Brie slowly stirring as you add

Finally add your shredded cheese and stir until well combined.

Pour over noodles, mushrooms and asparagus and fold in.

Note: I don’t have a dishwasher so to save on dishes I generally cook the pasta in a large pot then pour it into a drainer in the sink. While the pasta drains I re-use the large pot that I just cooked my pasta in to sauté my veggies. Once the veggies are cooked I add the now drained noodles back to the pot and give them a quick stir.

Midna

     If you have taken the time to read or at least browse through my blog then you know that I have a cat. It's been quite a while since I provided any updates as so how my furry bundle of crazy, that is my cat, has been doing. I am happy to announce that Midna recently had her first birthday! She has officially survived her first (human) year of life along with her year checkup and she weighs 8 lbs exactly. She will always be my tiny little fur ball.
     Since adopting her, Midna has continued to warm up to Jordan and myself. When we first got her she slept under the bed and now she generally sleeps on the bed with us. Generally curled up in between Jordan and myself and other times between me and the edge of the bed. There have also been a few instances where I have awoken to find her curled up in between my shoulder blades (I was clearly sleeping on my stomach).

     She still has her crazy time at noon and midnight every single day. Jordan and I like to say that she turns into Mid-nasty during these fits. She get super hyper and just runs as fast as she possibly can from one side of our apartment to the other...our apartment is quite small so it only takes her like 15 seconds to go from one end to the other but I guess if she does it three dozen times then it gets all of her energy out. She also loves to play in Jordan's office chair. As soon as Jordan get's up she hops in it and waits for him to return and play with her ( our own version of "I'm gunna getcha!")

 

 

     In addition to her daily fits Jordan and I do our best to play with her as much as we can. She still loves to play fetch and chase anything that moves...including feet (especially when they are under a blanket). She also loves to play a game that I call hang-kitty...(that sounds awful but I swear it's not). Jordan or I will put on a thick sweatshirt and pull the end of the sleeve in so that we are holding in in our hand, inside of the sleeve itself (complete protection from her claws...I could never remove her claws, although we do give her a manicure from time to time...she's not a fan but she deals). She then walks up and sits in front of us and we slowly lower our arm above her. She then latches on (attacks) and we slowly pull our arm back up with her still hanging on to it, thus the name hang kitty. Although, she does like this game her favorite toys are still capped pens and highlighters.

    She is still sweet and playful and loving. Here are some additional photos and a video for your enjoyment.

Thanks for reading!

Midna relaxing with me. I think she looks like a rabbit with really short ears.

                     Peek-a-boo kitty!

Midna creepin...      

The Summer of Rain

I live in South Carolina where, for the most part, the summer days consist of 96+ degree weather with 60-90% humidity. Folks spend their days off either at the pool, out in a boat, or at the beach. The locals accept the fact that the summer months bring in a ton...and I mean A TON of tourists which is fine because it helps finance things like new sidewalks, paved roads and general beautifying and upkeep of the area. We have been taught from childhood to hold doors for others, always give your seat up to a lady (if your a guy) and anyone older than yourself, and refer to anyone resembling an adult as Ma'am or Sir.

The sweltering heat, made only hotter by the humidity is a fact of life here. You get ready in the morning, brushing your hair just so, and your makeup perfectly painted before putting on a pretty flowy sundress. And as soon as you walk out your door your hair immediately frizzes, often times to the point of resembling Diana Ross (if you have naturally curly hair like myself), your makeup begins to melt and you are enveloped in a slick layer from head to toe (lady's call it glistening...aka sweating, the locals lovingly refer to it as swamp butt). Now notice the pretty sundress...girls in the south don't generally wear these pretty flowing dresses to look nice (it is a perk though), we wear them because 1) it is to hot to wear anything the doesn't breath, 2) dresses generally pull away from the skin cutting down on things like back sweat and butt cheek sweat marks on your clothing, and 3) it is far easier to slide off a flowy dress than it is to peel (literally peel) shorts, pants or any other fitted piece of clothing from your overheated, sweaty body. The beach and beautiful surroundings make it all worth it...however, I have a bone to pick with this summer.

Most summer days consist of a short afternoon shower, by short I mean that within the period of an hour (at most) a storm rolls in, it rains and then the storm rolls out and the world is sunny and happy again. This summer though, the weather has consisted of skies covered in grey clouds and daily rain storms...rain storms meaning heavy downpours lasting hours and causing flooding. If it isn't pouring rain it is sprinkling off and on all day long! I feel like I am living in Washington State not South Carolina and I am fed up...yes I understand that the rain is great for our water-table, we are no longer technically in a drought but c-mon! It is nearly impossible to make plans to go out an enjoy the weather when, the weather isn't enjoyable and it is so unpredictable that by the time you get to your destination it is raining again, then 5 minutes later the rain has stopped but 15 minutes from then you'll be caught in a downpour...I am annoyed.

Mother nature is going to do her thing regardless of what I have to say, or think about her actions. I can only hope that all of this rain will end up paying off in some way...perhaps we won't be tight on water for the next few years, even if we don't meet our future rain quota...I don't know, I guess I'm just trying to find the silver lining in all of this crummy summer weather.

Sweet Caroline and Jordan's Shrimp and Grits

It has been quite a while since I've written. Partly due to work, partly due to being lazy...I'll admit to it, but alas it is summer and I figure as the weather warms perhaps I will come out of my temporary hibernation from writing. I have so many recipe's that I want to add so I figure that would be the best place to start.

Having spent the majority of my life in the south I have come find a series of truths that exist in the southern world. The most important truth that I have accepted is the fact that butter, real butter, is the equivalent to gold in the kitchen. This is one of the key ingredients in the dish that this post is about. I realize there are tons of people out there who have their reservations when it comes to using real butter, health risks etc...well health nuts here is something to consider, butter is not your enemy. It is a natural product created using natural resources. Our ancestors were eating long before people started developing many of the diseases that plague people today. Think of it this way, everything in moderation. I will admit I too have health nut moment and there are certain things that I try to stay away from (fake, over processed foods are one of them). That being said the best option for me if I follow my beliefs and the research out there is in fact real butter! Here is great website that argues why butter is in fact better (they have data to back up their claims) http://butterbeliever.com/butter-is-better/.

That being said I shall now present to you

Sweet Caroline and Jordan's (my boyfriend) Famous Shrimp and Grits!

*A word of warning, this recipe will most likely ruin shrimp and grits at any and every restaurant you go to...seriously it is THAT good!

What You Need: (feeds 2 very hungry adults)
      1 lb. Fresh Large Shrimp (not frozen!)
      1 Cup Yellow Stone Ground Grits
      1/4-1/2 Cup of Milk
      1 Package of Bacon
      1 block of Gruyere Cheese (pure Gruyere!)
      1 Bushel of Green Onions
      1 Stick of Salted Butter
      1 Clove of Garlic
      1-2 Tbs of Olive Oil
      Salt and Pepper

What You Do:
      Cook your grits according to the directions on the package. We get ours from Whole Foods so for 1 cup of grits you need 4 cups of water.

     While your grits are cooking start frying up your bacon, yes the entire package! (on the stove for the best flavor). After bacon is cooked until crisp, set it aside to cool.

      Shred your Gruyere cheese, chop your green onions and mince your garlic.

      By now your grits should be fully cooked, go ahead and add your stick of butter and allow it to melt. Now add your milk and stir the grits to incorporate the milk and melted butter, then slowly start to add your Gruyere cheese. I generally do this one handful at a time stirring in between to ensure that the cheese melts completely before adding the next handful. Leave one handful of the Gruyere for garnish. Salt your grits to taste.

      Go ahead and chop up your cooled bacon to create bacon bits (feel free to taste test!)

      In a deep pan add a couple tablespoons of Olive oil, your minced garlic and allow to warm for a few minutes (on a very low setting this will allow the garlic flavor to infuse into the oil without burning) While your olive oil warms get out your shrimp and make sure all of the shrimp have been pealed and detailed. Now add your shrimp to your heated oil and garlic and turn the heat up to medium-medium high. They will only take a few minutes to cook so be sure to stir them every 30 seconds or so, as soon as they have turned pink and curled up they are ready to take off of the heat. Approx 2 mins per side.

      Now it is time to plate you shrimp and grits: In a bowl add a couple of ladles of your cheesy grits, next add your shrimp (approx 8+ or so), then a sprinkle of cheese, after your cheese add small handful (or a large handful if your like me) of your chopped bacon, finally top with your green onions. Sit back and enjoy!

     

The Joys of Being a Pet Owner

     I recently (within the last 7 months) got my first real pet... The reason I emphasize the real portion is because I have gone through a series of fish over the last two years or so, all of which, have since met their demise and ventured to the great, big, blue beyond via the big white porcelain bowl. All but one that is...Let me explain. For our second valentines day together my boyfriend decided to get me a fish...that might sound lame to a lot of you but me being who I am, found it cute. We went and picked out a beautiful iridescent green/blue beta fish along with a gorgeous 5 gallon fish tank that had a super neat waterfall-ish accent piece. In addition we got one of those neat foam bubble rope things that we buried under the rocks so our "little love fish" would have something to play in. We then decided on a name for our love fish, we dubbed him Ralis, lord of the sea...Yes, we got it from Zelda. Ralis thrived for nearly a year before he kicked the bucket...

All of our supplies!

Our Little Love Fish (Ralis)

     We then decided to get a few replacement fish. This time we opted for a trio of colorful GlowFish. We named the pink one Ruto (Ru for short), the orange one Ra, and the Blue one Zora (again names from Zelda...except for Ra aka: the ancient Egyptian's sun god). The three seemed to get along for the most part. At some point Ra developed tail rot but seemed to get around just fine without his tail, then Zora simply disappeared...not kidding we looked everywhere! We cleaned out the fish tank, pulled apart the filter and motor, moved the stand the tank was on, got on our knees and searched the floor but the fish had simply disappeared.  I still think the other fish ate him but who knows. So we proceeded to get Zora II. Then we found Ru on the floor dried up before Zora II committed suicide by running into the wall of the tank as hard as he could when we were feeding him...granted he just sort of floated around stunned for a few minutes before snapping back and seeming fine (zombie fish, freaky for real) but he was dead the next day. And finally Ra, perhaps out of depression, decided to stop eating and died shortly after. It was around that time my boyfriend started his first year of med school. Yeay! I am still so proud of him! Unfortunately, his new educational venture dampened my mood a bit. Try as I might, I became increasingly depressed. I am the type of person who has to have someone/something to give attention to. The fish were fun to look at but I couldn't exactly take them out of their tank to play with them...This is where my real pet comes into play.
     My boyfriend and I are both animal lovers. We both grew up with pets specifically dogs and I was lucky enough to grow up with an outdoor cat as well. We had been talking about getting a (mammal) pet for some time now but with our schedules, his med school and my current position as a substitute teacher, it would be difficult to properly care for a dog. We are the kind of people who take a lot of time to research things first before we decide to move forward...for example, our fish...we spent a few days researching what Beta Fish need to truly to thrive, a 5 gallon tank, heater, etc. So we obviously did that when considering our options as far as a mammal pet was concerned...our apartment complex only allows fish, dogs and cats so that helped narrow down our options. After months...and I mean MONTHS of researching the potential annual cost of a pet cat or dog, plus their cognitive and emotional needs we came to the conclusion that it wasn't time to get a dog quite yet. We just sort of dropped the cat option because we had been so wrapped up in wanting a dog, primarily due to the bond that develops between the dog and it's owners. As animal lovers, we often make trips to the local pet stores on the weekends to see the various adoption agencies that set up. We might not have been able to adopt one of our own, but at least we could give some love and attention to some of the animals that hadn't found their other halves yet.
     Needless to say one weekend we made this trip to our local PetSmart. They didn't have any dogs that day but they had recently gotten in a number of kittens from the Feline Freedom Coalition. I went over, like I usually do, and took a look at the kittens. Most of them were sleeping in a pile together. One however, was off on her own. I moved my hands around trying to get her attention and it worked, so I stood there for some time doing my best to entertain this lonely kitten before deciding, "well she's awake and her roommates are all zonked so why not play with her". After going over and asking one of the employees...and then waiting nearly 15 minutes before they were able to help me, I was, at last, led into a small "play room" to interact with the kitten. The employee then brought out the little kitten who seemed quite shy. When they placed her on the floor the little kitten scooted as far away from me as possible. Generally, this isn't considered a "good" sign. Perhaps I'm just an idiot or maybe it was the mothering instinct in me that saw a frightened little animal whose trust had to be earned. This I understood. So I allowed her to smell me and did my best to use some of the surrounding toys to entice her. After some time of allowing her to acclimate to my presence I reached over and picked her up. She didn't struggle or fuss at my handling her so I toyed with her feet and her face to test the waters. She again did fine. I noticed how badly she was shaking. The poor thing was just absolutely terrified. So I snuggled her close to my chest so that she could feel my heartbeat. I sat there stroking her while I listened to the employee telling me about the kittens history. She had been found behind a clothing store all by herself at about a month and a half old. She was then taken to to the adoption agency where she was put in quarantine and then received her vaccinations, micro chip and tattoo. According to the employee the kitten hadn't acclimated too well to life in a kennel...I'm still not sure if that was true or if they were just trying to get rid of her. Either way the tiny shaking kitten who had calmed in my arms, that bit of information and my recent bout of slight depression sealed the deal...I was getting a kitten.
     My boyfriend and I spent the next hour and a half pricing everything out; annual cost for the Banfield membership, food, litter, etc. and shopping for the necessary items to make my new kitten feel at home in our apartment. She was then weighed (2.75 pounds at three months and four days of age) and quickly looked at by the vet, before I was finally allowed to bring her home. The first few days with her were a bit worrisome because she was very skittish but at the same time very content to stay curled up in my arms or in my lap when I would pick her up. I am happy to report that she has now been with us for just over 7 months and is very sweet. She loves to cuddle up next to/on me. She is a purring machine and, surprisingly, has many of the traits that my boyfriend and I were originally looking for in a dog. She chases her tail from time to time, gives kisses, loves to play fetch and catch, meets me at the door most days when I come home from work and almost always follows me when I leave the room. In addition,  she is the softest cat I have ever felt (we're talking bunny soft) and isn't afraid of the water (I have given her a few baths). We named our little kitten Midna (yes, another Zelda name)...I realize this makes me a complete nerd but the name truly suits her. Midna is the Twilight princess in one of the Zelda games and for the majority of the game is trapped in the form of a cute imp. Needless to say I love her and she seems happy. She brings joy to our little apartment and is always a great source of entertainment. Anyhoo...that was quite a long story. Sorry about that. Haha! But if you made it through the entire thing congrats and thank you!

Here are a few picture of Midna

Kitten Play Time!

Cookies!

Cooking is something I have always loved doing. Ever since I was a kid I would grab ingredients off the shelf and spend hours with my younger brother creating, what we considered at the time, masterpieces. Now that we are grown, my parents have informed us that our concoctions were not as delicious, or even as edible, as we saw them to be in our child-minds. However, years of practice have allowed me to hone my skill and although I still have a long way to go, I have to say that I can make some pretty delicious food. I tend to put things together that sound good to me and luckily, most of the time, my efforts end in a delicious pay off. I'm far from perfect though so I have had my fair share of disastrous attempts.

My most recent creation is something I like to call, Sweet Caroline's Relatively Healthy Coconut Heath Bar Oatmeal Cookies! The name is quite a mouthful but at least it is a tasty mouthful. The recipe is "relatively healthy" because I've substituted coconut oil for butter. They are however loaded with heath bar crumbles and brown sugar...I figure a cookie is a cookie and if it happens to be a little bit healthier then great...Everyone needs to live a little and for me (the princess of butter...yes I could rival Paula Dean but I wouldn't dare) this is about as healthy as I get when it comes to desserts.

This recipe yields approximately 15 cookies

 

What You Need:

3/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2  cup coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg white

1 cup quick-cooking oats

3/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose or unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heath bar crumbles  

1/2 cup shredded coconut 

What You Do: 

 Heat oven to 345°F. 

 In large bowl, stir brown sugar and coconut oil until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt; stir in heath bar crumbles and coconut.

 Onto un-greased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart. 

 Bake approx. 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack (or onto some wax paper)

 Feel free to drizzle some melted semi-sweet chocolate on your cookies for a little added punch!