Just a short note to show I’m still around. I’ve been off work since Sept 18th and go back to work tomorrow, October 1st. Decided that, since I missed August completely, I should post something here for September!!
We usually go to the beach in September, which is why I had such a long vacation, but Vito has really bad pain in his right arm. The idiot doctor he was going to wasn’t paying attention to what Vito was telling him about the nature of his pain. Vito will not be going back to him, but at least he got a consult for an EMG exam. I’ve been saying all along he needed a neurologist, not an orthopod!

We are going over to Brian & Mallory’s for dinner tonight since Brian had to work on our regular Monday night family dinners. I’ve gotten to see our Ella 3 times this week, counting tonight! YAY.

I have to get moving on Chrissie’s baby shower. I want to at least get the invitations out!!! (I’m so lazy)

We spent 3 days last week with my baby sister Josie in Amish country. They have a nice house and a nice hunk of land. I put a video of their horse Amos playing in the horse pen. We had a really great time. I bought an Amish style bonnet for Ella and a crochet trimmed bib and receiving blanket with crocheted booties for Colin who is due in December.

Well gotta go. Will try to post more often. (I know, I know, you just can’t WAIT for me to post again!)

Heard the locusts for the first time tonight. I love it when the crickets & locusts chirp. Or buzz, or whatever they do. I find it very restful.
We went to a confirmation party today and they had the BEST roast beef. I ate 2 sandwiches which is unusual for me. At least in one sitting!

I’m going downstairs and scrounge up something to eat. (It’s been awhile since the roast beef!) I figure since we’ve fed the cats, the crabs, the fish, and the local birds it’s time for us!!

This is John & Yoko. Yoko is on the left.

It’s a beautiful day here in the Burgh! Or at least it was…getting a little darker cloud here and there. Hopefully they will keep moving on and not rain on me! Trying to figure out if we want to go the annual 4th of July celebration in Crafton or not. Want to video tape some of it for my You Tube channel. I’m a lazy You Tuber, which I think I have said before.
Both my hermit crabs popped up early this morning so it looks like I will be cleaning out the crabitat. I’m debating on whether I want to move them into the bigger tank or not. Again, laziness is playing a part here! We left the bigger tank on the back porch during the winter and it needs to be cleaned out again. *sigh* But I think the bigger tank will work better with the new, larger salt water dish I bought them ages ago. Plus I need room for their fresh water dish, food dish, and shell holder. Will think on it some more. (Procrastination at its best)
Not much really going on here, as usual. Been re-reading the Discworld series. Terry Pratchett is awesome!
Since I don’t have much to say, here’s a list of the TV shows I try to follow (I know…excitement plus!):
Burn Notice, Psych, Monk, Dexter, Bill Mahr, Eureka, Graham Norton, Big Bang Theory, Two and Half Men, Desperate Housewives, Medium, Criminal Minds, Numbers, and Grey’s Anatomy. I am starting to get hooked on Nurse Jackie & True Blood. I also try to catch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report, but I usually end up watching the clips and/or shows on the net. Well, time to run back outside and procrastinate. Have a fun and safe Independence Day!!!

Last weekend in June!

Last Saturday the kids, all except Brian who was working came over to visit. Ella had her first taste of Grandpa’s pasta. She isn’t crawling so much as hauling herself up and trying to cruise. We got to see her on Sunday too since it was Father’s Day and Mallory & Brian came over to visit. Chrissie & Bill had already given Vito his gift on Friday. Chris, Bill, and I got Vito 2 canvases and a $100.00 gift certificate so he can buy some art supplies. Hope he follows through! He’s lazy about using his talents, just like I am. We had our family dinner on Monday at Brian & Mallory’s and got to play with Ella AGAIN!!! She’s a hoot. She crawls straight for anything that she can pull herself up on. You have to watch her constantly. Yeah, I know…the fun begins!

I’m still waiting for both my hermit crabs to emerge so that I can clean their crabitat and give them their new water bowl.

This was my seond full week back to work after vacation and I still have “vacation head”. It will probably last for awhile!

My great-niece, Brittany, who just turned 15, put up her first video on you tube. Go Brit!!!! Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/britxolovesxoyou
She’s a really sweet kid, so please comment, rate, & subscribe!!! (Shamelessly promoting nepotism on you tube!)

Vito put another drive on my computer so that I can save all my videos in one place and clear up my C drive. He says the extra drive has as much space as my entire computer. We’ll see!!! I want to make a DVD of Chrissie & Bill’s wedding, so I may try that tomorrow. I wanted to go to North Park or Maraine, but we have to pick up our granddog from doggie day care. Chrissie & Bill are in Erie for the weekend. They will return tomorrow after stopping by my sister Jo’s place in Atlantic. (Chrissie just called…they are going to watch the sunset over the lake. I’m envious!)

I have a 4 day weekend next week. YAY for government holidays & accrued leave! So I will have two 4 day work weeks in a row! (Yeah, I am THAT sick of work!)

Well gotta go and finish the laundry & the baby dress I am making. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!!

Lazy Week in June

Just spent a nice, long, lazy week of doing absolutely nothing! I haven’t even left the house, though we may go out tomorrow. I love vacations! All I did was sit on the back porch, crochet, read, and listen to my police scanner. Brian, Mallory, & Ella came over Sunday for pizza and they returned, along with Chrissie & Bill, on Monday for hot dogs & hamburgers. I have been busy today with editing my home videos, to be honest. I’m taking out the inappropriate bits (bad words and gestures mostly) and putting them together for an “R” rated video. They are funny bits, but not ones you’d want kids to see or hear. My family is SOOOOO classy!!!

We have steaks on the grill and ‘taters & onions on the stove for dinner. I’m starving!! It rained off and on all day and it’s definitely muggy in the house.

Well, not much of an update, but that’s because it’s lazy week!

Off to eat my dinner! See yinz!

My last post in May!!! I think I’ve done better posting this month! Trying to make it a habit, which, with my addictive personality, should be a BREEZE. Vito is downstairs making ravioli for dinner. Bless him! We got to watch Ella for a few hours today while the kids went to Toys R Us and bought out the store. We’ll get to see Ella’s new toys tomorrow when we go over for our regular family dinner.

I put Ella in her swing for a bit today, but I think she is too big for it. We should have gotten it sooner. We’re going to put it away until our next grandchild arrives, which should be around December 21st. Yep, Chrissie is pregnant and so far so good. Doing just fine. She still works part time at K-Mart and I told her not to overdo it. She says she wants to know the baby’s gender. That will make it easier for me with my crocheting!!!

Vito and I are going to take a vacation next week. Mostly porch view, but we need the rest. I haven’t taken a full week since Christmas. I’m hoping to make some videos on local attractions for You Tube. We’ll see. Maybe we’ll get our fishing licenses this week and search for fishing spots.

Check out my link to my You Tube account! If you like it, please subscribe and feel free to comment. Thanks!

Well, gotta go and enjoy Vito’s ravioli! See yinz in June!

Nobby gets Neutered

Another quick update from the Natali household. We are going to my nephew’s house for a barbecue when Vito gets off work at 4. We have to stop and get pop, chips, and pretzels. We always do things at the last minute!! 2 of my sisters & their husbands and Chrissie and Bill will be there also. Brian is working and Mallory and Ella are at her aunt’s house so they won’t be coming today. I wanted to show off my grandbaby!!!!!

On the 14th we took an unsuspecting Nobby to the vet to be neutered. Yes, Nobby has lost his Nobs.! (Chrissie just came in and Nobby is following her around….he thinks he’s a dog) Anyhoo…when we picked him up later that day the volunteer gave us the normal post op advise and said that he would probably still be under the effects of the anesthesia. She figured he’d be slow and lethargic for a while and would sleep a lot. Knowing my cat I doubted that. And I was right. He did have trouble getting out of the cat carrier at first, but took off from there with no problem. Getting on the bookcase eating the memorial flowers from the wedding (yes, they are still there), hiding under the blanket on the couch attacking us, etc.

Nobby is obsessed with our tub and the faucet. He seems to be trying to figure out how the water comes out. Every morning when I get up and run my tub he comes flying into the bathroom with me. He jumps up on the toilet and puts his forepaws on the edge of the tub by the faucet. When I lean over to turn it on he looks up into my face and puts his paw in the air, as if he’s saying THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!! It’s really disgustingly cute.

One of our baby birds fell out of the nest the other day, landing on our porch. The mama bird was still feeding it and we should have just gotten a towel for him to have a warm nest and left them to it. But we tried to catch it and put it back. He flopped into our glider cover and it took us awhile to find him in the folds. When we did, he flopped/flew under our glider. We decided to wait until he came back out and try again. When we came back out he was gone. Still haven’t found him. Now I feel bad!!! We should have just let him alone.

Today, when Vito came home for lunch, he found two baby grackles drowned in our pond and one trying to get a drink. What is it with birds around here? *LOL*
Not very bright I guess.

I’m thinking of compiling different clips of Pittsburgh for You Tube. One theme will be our city steps and paper streets (paper streets are city steps that show up on maps as actual streets. Lots of visitors aren’t happy when they find out that Litchfield Street is a pair of city steps in the Sheraden section of the Burgh!) Another one may be entitled “Odd Pittsburgh” (Do NOT comment! *LOL*) and/or Odd Pittsburgh houses.

Well, have to go and get ready to head out to Zelienople for the barbecue! Take care. Will post again soon I hope!!