In case I get absent minded (how unusual)

From Chicago Sun-Times Quick Takes today:

Better chill a bunch of bubbly

The Mahayan Buddhist New Year will be Jan. 14.

The Chinese New Year will be Jan. 29.

The Muslim New Year will be Jan. 31.

The Sikh New Year will be March 14.

The Baha'i New Year will be March 21.

The Hindu New Year will be March 30.

The Therevadin Buddhist New year will be April 13.

The Jewish New Year will be Sept. 22.

The Celtic New Year will be Nov. 1.

And then there is the other one.

Happy Other One!

And eat some black-eyed peas.

It will bring you good luck

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We substitute navy beans for the black-eyed peas around here.

Cat story. We somehow ended up with a cat named Sid. He was supposed to be here for a few days a month ago. Nobody has ever come to get him. He's an impossible indoor kitty so we've been trying to keep him outside most of the time. We may have to take him to the shelter along with 5 half grown kittens and their mother, none of whom belong to us. We're not supposed to have pets. I can hide one but not that many and Sid is a real nuisance. The girls, of course, are upset but sometimes we just do the best we can. The shelter here has connections with no-kill shelters as well as a good record with adoptions so maybe these kitties will get lucky. Sid is beautiful; he just refuses to be trained although they claim he was previously.

Anyhow, he kept getting back into the house even with doors and windows closed. None of us could figure it out. Finally, the girls' mom spotted him. Sid was climbing to the roof, up the outside of the chimney, and then dropping down the chimney into the fireplace below. Smart cat or dumb cat? I haven't decided. At least we don't use the fireplace. I don't trust the chimneys in older houses.

Carol just finished cutting my hair - long overdue. I don't like my hair around my face or on my neck. She's on a roll tonight. Ray's is being done as well. I may finally take a picture of him when he's not looking like a wild man.

Girls go back to school on January 3rd. They're almost at the bored stage now. Next will be cranky. It was clear today but supposed to rain for 3 days straight at least. Ouch.

I finally remembered the game I got Elcie for Christmas. A glass chess set - the pieces are glass, not the board; I'm not that silly. She's been wanting to learn. I know just enough about chess to know I have no business playing the game. I lack the patience. I do know the moves and enough basics to get her started. If she likes it, the school has a Club and I think so does the Boys and Girls Club. We struggled through our first game last night with Rebecca looking on. Then Rebecca and Rochelle decided to play. They said they had a good time. I don't know how much Rebecca remembered of what I showed Elcie.

Elcie has started reading A Wrinkle in Time. I'm leaving her alone with it unless she asks for help. It's the most advanced of anything she's tried.

What else? Hi to Andie D. and Angela. I know them from Blogging Baby. Also to Sarah (another one) who found me somehow. Hi to grannyfiddler from granny no fiddle.

I saved this as a draft, went back to it and lost the last two paragraphs.

I just took a couple of pictures of Ray sans beard and shaggy hair. I'll see how they look - he's one of these people who don't photograph well no matter what.

Rebecca is about to eat an onion or part of one. Strange child. Oh, in the picture of the girls at Mandarin Shogun, that green stuff on Elcie's plate is all broccoli. She adores it. We all like it but she's extreme and has been since she could chew and swallow. I also noticed that she's wearing the same shirt in every photo. She does own another, honest.

Angel must be reading the older posts. Hi Angel.

I'd better go - kids getting ready for bed.