I just returned from a week in Los Angeles with Teri and her family. Teri had surgery, and I was there to help with her recovery. One of my duties was taking care of the four cats and one dog. The cats were very sweet when they were asleep, but when they awoke, they tore around the room, leaping on everything and everyone. It was like watching a “Cats on Crack” movie! I fed them in their individual little bowls in different places and also managed the kitty litter. I had a bad experience with the kitty litter thing, and when I tried to tell Teri about it, she said “That’s so disgusting – I don’t want you to ever mention it to me again!” When Teri speaks, I listen. So I went on my way and managed quite well. The two little kittens were into everything as you can see from the picture. Mark told me of a time when he was standing in front of the toilet and just beginning to go, when one of the little ones jumped up on the toilet seat, bending over into the bowl! Mark had to give the kitty a bath after they both finished what they were doing.

Teri and I watched a few movies. Our favorite was the 1947 film noir “Kiss of Death” with Victor Mature and Richard Widmark. That movie made Richard a star. In one scene he pushed an old lady in a wheelchair - after he’d tied her in - down a flight of stairs which killed her, of course. He was doing his maniacal giggling throughout that scene. He was very, very bad and was exceptionally good at it. I’ve always had a fantasy crush on him, but it never included a wheelchair.

Sally and David, friends of Teri and Mark, invited us over for a delicious dinner one evening. They are gracious, fun people and made me feel right at home. David made pork chops that were extremely tender and tasty. After I ate mine I told them I hadn’t eaten pork chops in several years as the last time I had, a big piece of pork became stuck in my throat and I couldn’t breathe in or out. I was panic stricken, thinking I might possibly die with no one around. But would I have wanted an audience? I somehow managed to give myself a “do-it-yourself” Heimlich maneuver over the kitchen sink, and the pork popped out. Nothing like that happened with David’s pork chops – they just slid right down and I didn’t require any emergency services at all. And they were really good!

I did some cooking while I was there. I made Teri’s favorite dish called Veal Tinies. It’s my own special recipe I made up when I was a normal housewife with a husband and two kids. It’s a secret so no one else can make it. I also made Mark’s favorite dish which is Chicken Divan. That one’s no secret, but it’s sure good.

We showed Harry the blog about him that I put on recently. It’s the one where they all had been to the OSU/USC football game. His only comment was, “How am I supposed to get any girls if they read about my crapping on the USC campus?” Harry’s only 10, so I told him that wasn’t my problem, and he shouldn’t even be worrying about things like that for at least another 10 years.

So I’m home now and off kitty litter duty. I’m also off Veal Tinies and Chicken Divan which I’ll miss. Today I bought two Lean Quisines which I really do like. I especially like the “no cooking” involved with them. I had a wonderful time with Teri and would go back in a minute to help out. At least the next time I would have no trouble with the kitty litter.