Horatio

Oh, I know the feeling so well. When I get blueberries out the refrigerator, I want to turn around and give one to Hiero. The other night, I thought I heard Hiero moving around in her cage. I was so sad. I have been looking for a rescue. The local pet store had some of the small little dwarf hamsters for rescue, but they can be so mean. I really prefer the Syrian hamsters. My hope is to find a rescue.

Wonderful... starts salivating at the thought of all that icing!!! When I was in Whole Foods yesterday, I wandered by their luscious bakery. Another form of food art. Latte Art, Cake Art!!! Of course, this art, I know better than to try my hand at. The cake decorations were absolutely magnificent! The person who creates these masterpieces is such a talented artist. And - Kat - you take a forever photograph, then indulge in the biggest sugar rush of the year!!!

So... I have decided that I want to learn Latte Art. Looking online, I find Barista schools are a big, big business. Lots and lots of money. Too much to pay just to learn how to make a pretty picture on a cup of espresso. Or so I thought!!! Well, I went down to my local mall, bought an espresso machine, not really expensive, traveled to Whole Foods, purchased my milk and Lavazza (Italian) ground coffee, then headed home to try my hand at Latte Art. After getting home and reading all the instructions, I attempt to brew my first cup of espresso. DUD!!! You need an expensive espresso machine to make the wonderful crema on the espresso required to make Latte Art. Plus, you need to know lots and lots about the best espresso beans and how to make a perfect cup of milk. At home I can waste a little, as I will drink it. In a business, this means profits going down the drain. Those expensive Barista Schools? Definitely worth the money if you own a coffee business. There is so much more to Latte Art than I thought. Yesterday, after my DUD of an espresso, I cleaned the machine and repackaged it up to return today. I did ask the lady before I purchased the machine yesterday, if I could not make a good cup of espresso, would I still be able to return the machine. She said yes. Today, it goes back. My Latte Art career... over before it began. If I want to do Latte Art, I will have to get a job as a Barista and use the commercial machine in the coffee shop. I can not see this happening any time soon.

Ummmmm. *wonders if - Kat - has ever heard of a camera*

More Latte Art...

I have a confession to make... I am addicted to Latte Art! The artist's who create these wonderful works of art in a coffee cup are simply incredible. There are a number of artists in Japan, and in other countries, who create these magnificent artworks, only to have them disappear in a short time. I am posting a few photographs here of the fantastic coffee latte art, some I have had the pleasure of drinking and some are screen-shotted because they were so terrific and I just wanted to share the work of these incredible artists. Fantastic cappuchino artwork!

Today I decided to take a long walk. While walking I saw something of interest. There was a medium sized cat staring intently at a drainage trough. All of a sudden, without breaking his gaze, the cat started to back up very, very slowly and very stealthily. Wanting to see what the cat was looking at, I saw a rat that was bigger than the cat! The rat did not pay any attention to the cat, and the cat knew that he would not win that fight, so the cat decided to slowly retreat out of the rat's line of sight. It was quite interesting to watch. And yes, it was a very, very big rat!

Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Penny had a wonderful life and she knows that she was loved. If a hamster had to pick an owner, you are the one they would choose! You give them the best life! You give them a wonderful home and lots and lots of love. May Miss Penelope Puddles rest in peace.

R.I.P. PENNY Penny was the little hamster that gave - Kat - lots and lots of love. Penny knew she was loved and although she could not wag her tail, she had ways of showing - Kat - that she appreciated all the love she received. Penny, may you meet all your friends at Rainbow Bridge!

Now I can tell you some strategies. But that will be later today. For now, I have to get on an airplane and fly from Dubai to Mumbai.

The zoo offers some very cooperative animals, when you catch them at the right time! It would be great to put your hand up to the glass and compare it to a polar bear's paw. Some of the photographs that you can take of animals can really be incredible! Now, you and your father can paint some of the photographs that you have taken. Please post some photographs of your artwork. I love taking photographs of animals! The one movie I have seen too many times to count is Meet Joe Black. There is so much more to that movie than you realize. After about the fifth time watching the movie, you start to see more of what the story is about. Very intense movie. Definitely one of my all time favourites!!! As for your brother... he really needs to get his own car. You are far too nice. If it was my car, he would be cut off the minute he smoked in it. He is abusing your generosity. Bad brother!!! I will give you the Five Halo Angel Award. You definitely deserve it!!! By the way, he owes you a new key chain!!! Better late than never... ask for the restaurant dinner!!! You can go until the day before your next birthday!!! As for ravioli lasagna and strawberry cheesecake... interesting combination!!!

You are getting sleepy, very sleepy... *now that - Kat - is hypnotized* You will download PocketFrogs... You will download PocketFrogs... You will download PocketFrogs... When you awake you will not remember anything, but you will immediately have downloaded PocketFrogs. *counts backwards from 5 to 1 and - Kat - awakes and immediately downloads PocketFrogs*

LOL!!! Hopefully not!!! I have a lot more years for more hammies to hang out with me!

And... what is happening with you?

Sleepy... I love it!!! And you really do want to know what PocketFrogs is! A mostly mindless game that has no challenges to speak of. Today I went over 100,000,000 coins. My coins are totaling 100,415,614. My new frog count is 29,114. When I reach the 30,000 mark, it is all downhill from there. Of course, you can only go so fast or else you will lose all your coins, potions and stamps, so I have to show extreme control. Painful!!!

Oh my goodness, if I ever thought about all my hamsters getting together in heaven, it would be a wild party! LOL!!! I would love to be sitting in the middle of all my hamsters! That would be really, really exciting!!!

Annoy you?!?!?!? I was really, really annoyed! Especially when they are in line trying to get people to purchase three, (the limit per person), of one doll or another. Mattel has said that next year, they plan on offering the dolls from SDCC on line. When, I am not sure, but I am going to try and follow it. You should definitely put this on your list. It is something that every person should try at least once!

This morning at 04H02, my little pal Hiero passed away. She was four years and three months old. Hiero had us trained to do her bidding and she let us know when she wanted to play. I am going to miss Hiero so very, very much as she was a most special hamster. Life will be good for her in Hammie Heaven! R.I.P. HIERO

Oh, I forgot... I am still playing PocketFrogs and my count is now getting close... 29,044 frogs out of 36,800. Once I pass 30,000 I will feel really, really good and getting closer. Of course, it will still take me forever to reach the total, but I am pleased that I have perservered this long!!!

Oh my goodness! You graduated already! What was your major, degree in and were did you graduate from? What is your summer job like? Talk to me!!!!! I am so, so excited!!!

You really need to put this on your "To Do" list! Such fun and way too much to see!!! I also recommend either Chicago or New York Comic Cons... they too are eye-popping events!

Of course I went! It was crazy!!!! Oh my goodness there were so many people and lines for everything! I must say that it is something you have to experience. Talking about it does not adequately describe how it is to be there. Insane!!! Zillions of costumes, zillions of artists, authors, publishers, etc., so many booths that it takes forever to get from one side of the convention center to the other! I was walking outside the convention area and it still took me twenty minutes to go from one side to the other! If you tried to get from one side to the other where the displays were, it would take over an hour!!! The most incredible, insane convention I have ever attended! I tried to get these Mattel dolls and I was on line numerous times, the second to last time I got up to being number one in line and they ran out. AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! I had to get back in line the next day. But, there was no line. You had to walk in a circle and hope to get picked. Luckily after two hours of walking, I was picked. Crazy!!! But I got those dolls!!! What is really crazy is the fact that people who sell on ebay are getting in line over and over with their whole families and they are buying as many each as they can. What Mattel should do is only permit so many per address and you should have to show identification. This would stop those people from stealing from people who can not attend by doubling the price on ebay. The guy in front of me in line had made it all the previous days and he was back again. He was trying to get me to buy some dolls for him so he could sell them on ebay. I refused because I remember how I felt the day before when they ran out just before they got to me. All because the ebay sellers were buying all the dolls up. So I hoped that someone further down the line would be able to get some dolls after being in line for hours. That was my only complaint.

Oh no! I would never let that happen! We have to be here for the occasional surprise visit from people such as you! How are you??? What is happening? How is life treating you? What are you doing these days? Please let me know!

Monsoon season in Mumbai. Rain, rain and more rain.

Here we are, a couple days after the holiday, and people are still setting off fireworks. My neighbor must have bought a container load, as they have been setting off their fireworks for almost three days straight. They started the day before the holiday and have had a non-stop party ever since.