Tag Archives: marriage

A purrfect day.

February 10, 2021 Rivergirl 61 Comments

I wasn’t exaggerating the last week when I said I cried after giving the stray cat back to his owners. It was strange… I knew it was the right thing. I knew I had to do it. I knew he would be loved and well cared for. But when I was at the sink washing out the cat dishes? I kind of lost it.

I’m a huge animal lover and have had a houseful of pets all my life… up until two years ago when we lost our last cat (he was 26!) and the husband said no more pets because he wanted to retire and travel freely. I understood, and I didn’t argue… but I hated the feeling of an empty house. So when that little guy wandered in? He stole my heart immediately. I was complete.

For 6 whole days, then I was bereft.

And bless my husband’s heart, even though I know he didn’t want to… he broke down and suggested we go to a shelter and rescue a kitty.

I honestly didn’t know I could get dressed and out the door that fast…. but I broke my record and was waiting in the car before he could change his mind.

We drove north to PALS. ( Protection for Animal Life Society ) It’s a wonderful no kill cat shelter I’d heard about but never had occasion to visit.

It was amazing. Clean, well run, with an on staff vet and room after room of lucky kitties.

It was a veritable snuggly cat stacked warehouse.

We were interviewed and then led into the visiting room to meet the adoptable felines. Some were friendly and outgoing, some were shy and sad. We were told some were permanent residents due to health or behavioral issues.

I would have been happy to take any one of them home… but decided to let the husband choose.

After much deliberation, this stocky little grey and white fellow was chosen to be an official member of Casa River. ( first photo taken in moving vehicle hence the blur )

He was found wandering as a stray and was surrendered 3 weeks ago. He’s been neutered, wormed, vaccinated and been given a clean bill of health. They estimate his age at 4 years.

He’s very sweet and enjoys being petted…

When you can find him.

For now he’s skittish and needs to learn to trust us. Lord knows what the poor little guy has been through…but he’ll be happy here.

I’ll make sure of it.

💕

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And then there were shelves.

February 4, 2021 Rivergirl 26 Comments

Along with the 120 year old reclaimed barn wood chairs came 120 year old reclaimed barn wood shelves. Problem was the side you’re supposed to display was so dark it looked awful against the light walls and didn’t blend with the bar or chairs.

Solution? We flipped them upside down.

And installed the railroad spike brackets.

Talk about rugged! These shelves could hold an elephant…. but if you see a pink one wandering around, I’m shutting you off.

Bottles were brought from the house for proper spacing.

And then came the disagreement.

I have a lot of bottles, which is why I had 4 shelves made.

But now the husband only wants 2 on this side instead of the planned 3.

When you’re mixing cocktails, variety is key.

And I can’t put another one on the opposite side because, you know… short people.

I have more bottles that need a home. Stay tuned..

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Is it wrong?

January 27, 2021 Rivergirl 18 Comments

Is it wrong that I’m taking great pleasure from whipping my other half in our weekly Scrabble games in the Barn Mahal?

Round after round.

Day after day.

Do I chortle every time it happens? Yes.

But come on… he skunks me at pool. He murders me at darts. I don’t think I’ve ever beaten him at Monopoly, Risk or chess. But when it comes to contests of trivia or anything word related?

I rule.

And yes, I take perverse pleasure in the victories.

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25th is silver, so 37th must be …. platypus?

January 25, 2021 Rivergirl 42 Comments

The husband and I recently celebrated 37 blissful (read – we haven’t killed each other yet) years of marriage.

And because he’s a sweetie, a bouquet of flowers was delivered.

And to my most divine pleasure, it contained colors other than green.

Required cheesy old photograph of the happy couple.

And yes, along with the lovely flowers was a platypus.

Because after 37 years? He gets me.

💕

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Forgetful… or preparing?

January 24, 2021 Rivergirl 18 Comments

So it took a solid week but the husband finally finished cleaning up the den and put everything back in his closet.

Well, almost everything.

I’m hoping he just forgot to put those away.

But the way things are going in this country? I could be wrong.

* Disclaimer- the husband isn’t a paranoid prepper and this is probably the only ammunition he has. But since he does have a giant live round in the barn window, I thought the placement was comical *

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Floating shelves that don’t float and non existent outlets.

January 20, 2021 Rivergirl 26 Comments

Now that the bar construction was complete, it was time to outfit it. And while we’re still waiting for the chairs and wall shelves to be completed….. I wanted some shelving inside the bar for glasses and various drinking paraphernalia.

Enter the floating black shelves I found.

If you’ve never put up floating shelves? I don’t recommend it. They look and sound lovely…. though they’re anything but for the poor schmuck who has to install them.

And I think we all know who my poor schmuck is.

Two shelves and two hours later, my other half was less than pleased with my choice. He was even less pleased when I told him I would be buying two more.

Moving along…. the mini beverage fridge was slid into place.

And plugged in.

Although that didn’t go well either.

Considering the electrical outlet is on the opposite wall. This is something the husband didn’t contemplate when he bought the fridge and though I did…. I kept quiet and let him discover it all on his own.

I’m thoughtful that way.

( The electrician will be here in two weeks to add outlets. )

And one more thing… while reading the instruction booklet for proper beverage cooling procedure? I had to laugh.

( read marked lines )

Something tells me this unit was not made in the good ole USA.

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Let the games begin.

January 17, 2021 Rivergirl 21 Comments

So now that we have a comfortable, heated and (well stocked with beer) man cave, it was time to get down to some serious board game playing. Covid social restrictions make multi player games like Pictionary and Cards Against Humanity a no go, so we searched for something fun to play with two people.

The husband won’t play Trivial Pursuit or Gin Rummy with me anymore because I wipe the floor with him every time. So we tried a game a friend had given us last year as a gift.

Simple enough, you finish the lines from various categories… music, literature etc.

We played three games and I skunked my other half three times. Even though I gave him music questions from his favorite song.

So we moved on to a classic, Scrabble.

It wasn’t an easy start and we didn’t have a lot to build from.

My task was made even more difficult with letters like these.

And these.

And then these.

But after a marathon four and a half hour game?

I won…. and my husband was pickled.

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I should have known it was coming.

January 6, 2021 Rivergirl 23 Comments

He already bought the big screen tv.

And the microwave and the coffee maker.

He bought the full size refrigerator and is building a bar.

So is it any surprise he made me go shopping for a mini beverage fridge to put behind that bar the other day?

No. It is not.

Things got quickly out of hand when he was looking at these….

At $1,200 per unit.

But I managed to reign him in and only come home with the one on the left… which, while not a total victory? Was still something to celebrate.

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Back in the Barn Mahal…

January 3, 2021 Rivergirl 30 Comments

It was recently brought to my attention that our barn was in need of comfortable seating in which to kick back after a vigorous session of drinking. And to that I say…

I’m way ahead of you.

Okay, so it’s actually just the porch furniture we store inside every winter… but I’m thinking come spring, when it heads back outside? Two leather club chairs with a small table in between.