New windows in the middle of winter? Whose bright idea was that!

Well... they're not this bad...

And I would die happy if they were this good...

But they are somewhere in the middle, um... maybe the lower end of the middle... or they're... nevermind. Anyway, the men that built them will be installing them tomorrow. I'm not quite sure why it is that these windows must be installed in January in the Not-So-Great-White-North... but I've learned these are often times questions best left unasked.

It's supposed to be a rather quick process as the weather is supposed to be "mild" but I am wondering if in fact the installation will be postponed because it is raining furiously out right now and a quick flip of the porch light shows pure, glare ice on every surface.

This whole thing has nightmare written all over it.

I took care of some new feline entities this past week. If I can ever figure out how in the hell to transfer the pictures from my cell phone onto my computer, you'll die when you see Jack's face.

He's about 8 months old and a sweetie. He's also possessed.

Seriously.

First off... he thinks he's a puppy. Case in point... I'm doing the crossword puzzle, the phone rings. I put the paper and pen down, walk four step to the phone, turn around as I answer... AND DISCOVER HE"S CHEWED THE COVER OFF THE PEN!!!! I'm talking all of 17 seconds!

It was like taking care of a cross between a chainsaw and long-haired domestic! (as the vets refer to this particular non-breed breed)

A cat this age I discovered finds everything and anything he shouldn't have. I've done childproofing that didn't involve hiding so much stuff!

He is what's referred to often as a "tuxedo" cat. (The black and white ones?) So anyway, he's got a perfect black "goatee" and these bizarre whiskers and eyebrows, so he was named "Captain Jack Sparrow" (yeah... who knew?) Well, seems as if he takes his name to heart.

I'm laying on the couch reading my book and reaching that point where I was between the world of actually getting up to go to bed or just falling asleep on the couch.

I should mention that I had my waist length hair in a braid. I had had the braid twisted up in a clip, but took it down so I could lay back on the pillow. At some point... the braid slipped down onto the edge of the couch.

Captain Jack Sparrow spied said braid. I can only assume he began stalking it shortly after that. I was too sleepy to notice this. That was when he struck...

He grabbed hold of that braid with all four paws, claws extended and swung on it as if he were using a rope to swing to the ship on the other side of the ocean!

I let out a scream and while trying to keep my hair from being wrenched out of my head by the roots, I fall off the couch, holding desperately onto the braid... I'm yelling, he's freaking, because he's caught up in my hair and the ponytail holder, I'm trying to grab his body so I can get the weight off my hair to untangle him, he, in the meantime is doing everything in his power to try and escape this screeching, demon hair thing that has attacked him... when suddenly...

It was over.

I'm leaning against the couch, panting and crying (Hey! It hurts! Those tears came all by themselves!) He's under the entertainment center looking quite shell shocked. By the time my breathing returned to normal and I was reassured to find my hair still attached to my scalp (with no bleeding I happily noted!) and decided it was indeed time for bed.

I think he slept under the bed.

And for the record... my hair still hurts!