Patia Stephens :: Missoula, Montana

Thursday wrap-up

A quick post before I head out for the weekend to my (temporarily) Internetless home.

After my first week of classes, I am freaking out about how much reading I have. (What, they expect us to read in a creative writing program?!) I will no longer have a life beyond work and school. There is no time for anything else. And since I have a tendency to fall asleep anytime I try to read at home, I am going to be spending a lot more time at cafes.

Speaking of sleep, I'm shopping for a new mattress. A coworker talked me into it after I complained about my chronic sleepiness and aching back. "You spend a third of your life in bed," she said. I responded: "My mattress is fine. Well, I have had it for seven years -- and I bought it for $35 from Salvation Army .... Hmmm, maybe I do need a new mattress!"

I'm also shopping for an automatic litterbox. Luna does not have a bladder infection; my vet suspects she does have "clean issues." She recommended two litterboxes and cleaning them twice a day. My place is too small for two, and I do not want to dedicate my life to cleaning the litterbox. I will happily pay a machine $100 to do it for me.

Freezing rain in Missoula this morning. Ick.

This time of year is so dreary in Montana. Everything's shades of brown and gray. I'm craving spring, but it's months away.

Friday Cat Blogging: Scratch-O-Rama

One of Tango and Luna's Christmas presents has been such a hit, I just have to share. Big Mama's Scratch-O-Rama is a catnip-infused sisal mat that has succeeded in distracting Luna from sharpening her claws on my sofa. Tango loves it, too. They both scratch on it several times a day, and roll on it, and fight over it. It's made by Fat Cat, Inc., which offers a whole cat-a-logue of great cat toys.

Must-read

Birdie is a sister blogger with a real gift for writing. Her post today is a moving story about friendship, war and loss: Friday morning, for Ada and Kevin. Go read it.

Why is everyone so interested in my braces?

This is weirding me out a little. According to Flickr stats, this picture has been viewed 169 times. My other pictures have been viewed 20 or 30 times. What is so compelling about my tin grin?

Bad kitty

Luna peed on my bed again this morning.

I'm going to get her tested for a bladder infection. I sure hope that's it, because I'm running out of ideas.

This is really, really bumming me out.

It's like a giant, dirt-flavored Slurpee out there

Woke up to rain this morning -- on top of packed snow and ice -- which made for treacherous driving and walking conditions. If this stuff freezes tonight, it's going to be nasty.

I had my second orthodontic appointment today. I'm now sporting a rose-colored rubber chain across my top teeth. Fetching.

I'm in the final week of my Wintersession class. Learned all about Chinese food today, which made me miss San Francisco. I used to spend a lot of time in Chinatown. Duck chow fun and rice noodle pork rolls at Sam Wo's. Mmmmmm.

Just made an appointment for Direcway satellite installation. I'll be without Internet access at home for a few more weeks. Truthfully, I don't know how I'd have made it through this class with the lure of the Internet. As it is, I'm enjoying the simplicity of Internet-free mornings and evenings. Books? Magazines? Terribly old-fashioned, but somehow calming. Makes me almost regret preparing to hook the old cabin up to always-on satellite Internet.

Mundane details from my life

Today was the first midterm exam of my three-week Wintersession class. These classes are really intense, but it's fun, too, to be so immersed in a fascinating topic.

Luna peed on my bed for the second time yesterday. I think it's a litterbox issue -- either I'm not keeping it clean enough or I'm forgetting to keep the door propped open. (Tango can pull it open but Luna can't.) I will try to be more conscientious, but I'm really worried. I love this little girl but I can't cope with her peeing on my bed.

I'm investigating Direcway satellite and Cellular One Internet access. At this point, nothing seems like the perfect solution. Attention business investors and politicians: Rural Montanans need fast, reasonably priced Internet access!

My New Year's resolution was to quit drinking so much Diet Coke. So far so good. I'm substituting tea, which is much healthier. (I love the Republic of Tea's Honey Ginseng Green Tea, as well as chai from Tipu's here in Missoula.)

I had the yummiest dinner last night. Fried polenta with a spinach-cream sauce. It was easy, delicious and pretty. The recipe was from the polenta wrapper; if anyone wants it, let me know.

A sad farewell to the Broadway Market in Missoula, whose owners recently decided it was time to retire. This one-of-a-kind Italian deli was the best place in town to get romano cheese, fresh mozzarella, hot salami, proscuttio and a slice of Old World charm and graciousness.

Maybe if I keep thinking of new things to say here, I won't have to go out into the frigid Hellgate winds. Brrrrr, it's cold out there!

Desperately seeking wireless Internet

In a fit of spite, I canceled my Qwest phone service the other day. The only thing I needed it for was getting online, and it seemed silly to be paying $37 a month for a 31 kbps connect speed and horrible customer service.

I have been trying to find wireless Internet for six months or so, with no luck so far. There are a handful of companies in town that provide it, but either they can't get reception at my place or they don't bother to show up. So, until I find a wireless provider, I'll be without Internet at home. It's probably just as well -- I've been a lot more productive these last few days without it.

I start a Wintersession class tomorrow, so I'll be super busy for the next three weeks and probably not blogging much.

Happy New Year!

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