July 4, 2009 - September 16, 2009

Honey has lived in "This Old House" for more than five months now. We are adjusting very well to each other. The vet says Honey is five years old (Elizabeth had said two), and for such an "old" wildcat, he's doing very well. I've only seen his wild streak once in the last two months. Not bad.

I have lots of names for Honey. Sometimes, I even call him "Sonny," which was his old name. I call him Precious, My Little Wildcat, Playboy, and Creamsicle (because he's orange and white). Playboy is the most fitting name because he spends so much time entertaining me with his playtimes. He beats himself up chasing his tail when he hits furniture and walls as he spins around trying to catch his shorter-than-it's-supposed-to-be tail. He really gets into the action. And he LOVES the circle with a ball that spins and won't come out no matter what he does. Then he scratches the heck out of the corrugated cardboard in its center. One of his favorite toys is a cardboard box; he hides under the flaps and even rolls around inside it trying to catch the ever-elusive tail. He's better entertainment than the television.

The biggest news since July is that I "retired" from my adult education job after two years. It was time. It wasn't fun anymore. I was tired of the paperwork and the necessity of finding a sub whenever I wanted to travel. But most of all, it wasn't fun because of the children I was expected to teach in an adult class.

So, what am I doing for travel money now? I've signed up to substitute in Wicomico County. I'm set to sub for my friend Peggy when she goes on a cruise in November, the week after I return from a cruise. Can't wait. I EXCECT the behavior of children when I substitute. We'll see how it goes.

Took a short trip to Hollywood, California in August. Four days and three nights. I wanted to meet Matt Antrim, the Casting Director for "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?" He'd called me in June to say he'd gotten my application packet (the third one), and to tell me the show would be taping in August. He hadn't called me to be a contestant, so I figured I'd do all I could to make myself available.

It was a fun trip and my mission was accomplished. Had tickets for tapings on two days, but the second day of tapings was canceled because they finished early. In the morning, three shows were taped, then there was a break. I finally found someone who located Matt for me and I was directed to a porch where he was sitting with a woman with fluffy silver/white hair and the most personable smile I've ever seen. So, as I talked to Matt, I included the woman with occasional looks at her. Then I went back into the studio for the final two tapings of the season. The second was a celebrity show with Paula Dean as the guest. I almost fell off my chair when Paula came onstage. She was the woman Matt had been talking to--the one with the superb smile. After the show, we talked when she was leaving the studio. She is a darling. So, I got to meet Matt Antrim AND Paula Dean.

Did something in August I've NEVER done. I entered things in the exhibits of three county fairs. Every item won at least one ribbon in the total of three fairs. And my Australia scrapbook, which I only thought to enter in the last two fairs, won first place and Grand Champion ribbons in both of them. The other things I entered were photographs. So, once again, I can joke that "I'm an award-winning photographer."