Not a suitable TP substitute!

Going into the cupboard to get more toilet paper, I noticed along with a description of softness, there was a picture of a fuzzy baby duck on the packaging. This got me thinking so I took the packaging into Branden, who was studying in the living room.

Me: Have you every thought while using the TP that it reminds you of wiping with a baby duck?

Branden (oddly laughing): No, I can't say I have!

Me: Why do toilet paper packages always use baby ducks or puppies as a comparative reference for how soft our toilet paper is?

Branden: I don't know but they do tend to go for fluffy animals to let you know how soft it is.

Me: But how many people actually know what it feels like to wipe their bum with a puppy? Did the advertising manager find himself having to go to the bathroom outside near a pond, and the only thing nearby was a baby duck? That's pretty disturbing!

Branden: I don't know Mags...

What is wrong with our world???

Recent Development:
Branden and I went shopping and had to pick up some more TP at the store. I found that apparently regular toilet paper feels like a baby duck, toilet paper with aloe feels like a kitten, and peach scented toilet paper feels like a baby bunny! If there was ever a time to be against animal testing, then this is it!

Library Pile

I am the type of reader that gets sucked into a book and doesn't come out until hours later, usually to eat or pee, and then gets back into where I left off. Last year, when we first moved here, we hardly knew anyone and my anxiety was flipping out over me dragging it into yet another new country so I didn't leave the house often which made it perfect for me to get into reading again. One of my wonderful cousins gave us a Kindle before we moved to Ireland so that also was a spur.

The past few months have not been in my favor for reading. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as Branden has been using the Kindle a lot for articles he needs for his research, and I have been busy with friends and new volunteer projects. I have quite the line up of books to read though, and now that life has been kicking off over here for me I want to share some that are in my stack. And since it's also Music Monday, I have a link for a free CD that you can download.

Melynda, the fabulous and amazing over at Crazy World, has been popping out a series of books over the last few months. Currently there is Just Nonsense and More Nonsense but there will be two more books for your reading enjoyment over the next few months! If you love a good laugh, then these will be a perfect book series for you!

Elisa, the marvellous and wonderful over at The Crazy Life of a Writing Mom, seems to be publishing a book every time I blink! I read her first book The Golden Sky and it was fantasic! Since then, she has also published The Sword of Senack, Bible Girl & The Bad Boy, How to Lose a Tooth, and The Best of ECWrites. You can obviously see why my library is so backed up!

And now, for your musical pleasure, I give you Abby Mae & the Homeschool Boys. Most of the members are good friends of Branden and he even used to be in a small band with some of them called The Jammin Salmon. Sadly, Abby Mae & the Homeschool Boys are having their final concert soon, and we won't get to go back to the States and hear them play again...so sad! Their concerts were always fun and their music is incredible. You can download a live CD for free by going HERE and you can buy their newest CD by going HERE. You can even preview the songs, which I highly suggest that you do for their new CD. Track 7, Drunken Drowsy King Joey (a twist on the original song Drowsy Maggie) is amazing and I'm pretty sure they were actually trying to kill Joey by seeing how fast he could play on that fiddle!

So happy Monday everyone! Enjoy your reading and enjoy your music!

I think the Search Engine derailed!

I am starting to think that blogger is just throwing random search engine hits into my stats just to weird me out...and it's working! Here's some recent hits:


The suppressed paintings of cavemen: Wow, I actually sound like an intellectual blog with hits like this! I must have suppressed my memory of writing something this educational...


Sassy ape: I'm pretty sure if you looked up "characteristics of an ape", sassy would not be on the list.


Good hairstyle for girls with big noses: What are you asking me for!?! *covers nose that I have always been self conscious about*


Campers say the darndest things: For example, "This is fun!" and , "Let's do this again!" when in reality they should be saying, "Why did we choose to live like homeless people on our vacation???".


Whitey tighties girl: Please tell me that this isn't the next female super hero! We hardly have any good ones as it is.


Hilarious electricity: Since when has electricity been funny, let alone hilarious?

"Remember the time I was curling my hair when you were giving the dog a bath and..." NOT FUNNY!

Creeper dog costumes: Your guard dog isn't scary looking enough, you have to make him look like a creeper too? Do you just have him sit in a white van with candy and a sign that you can play with him?


Leotard for my husband: Grounds for divorce.


Do wombats have hard butts: At what point would this question ever need to be asked? Is your wombat not responding to spanking?

NOTE: I do not promote the spanking of wombats in any situation.

Special News Bulletin

We interrupt today's funny for a heart wrenching story going on in the back gardens of my neighborhood

Since Monday, we have heard a kitten yowling from a neighbor's back garden. There are kittens that we have seen running around the back garden walls but we figured that this one had fallen off of one of the walls into a garden that it can't get out of. We think it's two gardens down from us, which would make sense because that person has been gone for days, and the big stone walls are about 8ft tall. We don't have a ladder and even on a chair, Branden's head barely peeks over our wall. We even tried going to the bordering neighbors to see about trying to get to the kitten from their gardens but one neighbor wasn't answering and the other one has a big hedge on top of the wall and didn't seem to even care about the situation.

I hadn't heard it much in the day yesterday since I was busy but in the evening, we heard the poor thing crying and crying. It was after hours so the Irish Animal Control (ISPCA) was closed and the only other option they gave was to call the police for emergencies. I considered it an emergency but I was certain the police wouldn't and would just tell me to call the ISPCA in the morning. Trying to sleep was horrific last night as I just kept thinking of anything else we could do (trust me, I have thought of it all!!) and I was even so distraught from hearing the kitten, I slept with Branden's used earplugs in. I did lose it last night and just sobbed to Branden about how sick I felt over this poor little kitty.

This morning we still heard the kitten and I called the ISPCA as soon as they opened. I got an answering machine but I left a message and they called back soon after but I was in the shower. Branden answered my phone and told them the situation and they said they'd contact someone in our area. Now I'm in the waiting game. I can still hear the poor thing and it's killing me but I'm just hoping and praying that their person comes soon. If someone doesn't come soon, I will be calling back to find out when they are coming because I can't take the thought of that sweet little kitty trapped anymore!

I will keep you all posted!

Update #1: I phoned the ISPCA to find out if they had an estimated time of their person in Cork who will be coming for the kitten. They said they only have 1 officer who covers all of Cork County and they have no idea where exactly he is and when he'd be able to get here. I told the people that we were still trying to find a way to get to the kitten ourselves and they said that was fine but to keep them posted and if we get the kitten we need to take it to a vet for a check. We phoned some friends in town and found out they had a ladder so Branden walked down to get it. He's on his way back now.

Update #2: Branden came back with the ladder and we grabbed a pillow case and backpack and prepared to hop the walls. Branden got on top of the wall and then I did as well. As we were about to put the ladder into the neighbor's garden so we could climb down, we noticed a guy in the garden of the house we thought the kitten was in! Now we looked like awkward cat burglars (pardon the pun) on a wall so we got down as quick as we could and headed to the house. We spoke with the man and he said that the cats weren't his but they have access in and out of his garden and no kitten was trapped in it. He also didn't sound too concerned but we at least narrowed down then that the kitten isn't in any of the gardens on our side of the street. It must be on the gardens from the street behind us that border our gardens. At this point we are going to wait for the ISPCA because they will look a bit more official if they have to hop multiple garden walls and not like a bunch of inexperienced burglars. Still hoping they come soon!

Update #3: I phoned the ISPCA about half an hour before they closed to find out if I should call someone else after hours. I was told that the officer would be here between 8-9 tonight as she is in the middle of a job with the police. For the most part of the day, I have been in my front living room so I couldn't hear the kitten as the sound is just too distressing for me. I have checked in my room a few times to find out if I could hear it still but it's been mostly quiet. Before I made my last call, I did hear it much quieter than previously and it didn't meow for very long. I am really hoping it kicks off and starts yowling again tonight when the officer arrives so we can try and figure out just where it's coming from.

Update #4: I haven't heard a peep out of the kitten since early afternoon but I have heard a lot of people in the back gardens, possibly the one the kitten was in. We think it finally was let out! It's now after 9pm and I recently got off the phone with the ISPCA lady (who is very nice!) and she figured that it must have been rescued. She did tell me that she would be around the city tomorrow morning so if we hear it tonight or tomorrow then we need to phone dispatch and she'll come first thing. I am praying and hoping that all is well and since it looks like this whole ordeal is finally over with, we're sitting down to Austin Powers with a beer! I don't think I've ever really needed one before, but after the past few days, it's wonderful!

Update #5:  No sound all night or all day from the kitten. We are sure now that it was saved yesterday and all must be well. *Whew!

Old Mother Hubbard's Morning

Tip of the Day: Frosted Shreddies (or Mini Wheats) will disintegrate on contact with hot coffee. I don't suggest this as a substitute for milk.

It's been a busy past week and here's my new favorite photo taken yesterday while we were at the World Street Performer's Competition.

Since need to go grocery shopping I've got food on the brain so I am sharing a great new video I've seen!