Last month I joined a group of bloggers who post a monthly “Fly on the Wall” blog. We share little tidbits of our lives – stuff you would see and hear in our homes if you were a fly on the wall and we didn’t know you were there!  I loved writing it, and especially loved snooping through the other bloggers’ posts – some funny, some serious. You’ll find links to the other participating bloggers below. Make sure to check them out, because the February Fly on the Wall starts………..NOW!

Valentine’s Day was yesterday. I’m sure we’re all licking the empty cups from the box of Godiva chocolates and re-arranging our roses, right? Uh huh.

Why am I sitting at the computer at 11:30 pm (three hours past my old-lady bedtime) grinning like a maniac? Grandbaby #3 was just born, and my happy cup overflows. Our daughter lives in California, and I’ll be headed there in a couple of weeks to help out, but for now I’m at the mercy of e-mails and Facebook for updates and photos. He’s beautiful, our Mack. She had him naturally, only an hour and a half after hitting the hospital – and they’re both healthy and happy. Well…Mack wasn’t too happy in this picture, but once he got to cuddle with Mommy and Daddy he was content.

Put me baaaaaack!

His big sisters were there during labor, and the youngest had a question for the doctor: “Um. Mr. Dentist? Are you going to pull the baby out of my mommy’s body now?” (Complete with hand motions.) I sure wish they had that on video!

The cat war rages on. Some people fight about kids, in-laws, money, sex. We fight about the cats. The obvious solution would be to simply not HAVE cats, but that would mean I lost the war, and I really hate losing.  After 34 years of marriage, you’d think we would have this worked out, but it may go down in history as “The 50 Year Feline War.”

The Man says he hates cats, but he’s a sucker for kittens, and forgets that they turn into cats. Once they’re no longer cute, these arguments surface:

• My two cats are not allowed to stay in the house at night because he’s sure they will run around using every corner as a litter box. (Litter boxes are NOT acceptable.)
• They leave hair all over the couch, and he makes a big point of grumbling and sticky-rollering when he sees visitors coming up our driveway.  Our Lab and German Shorthaired Pointer are also allowed on the couch, but apparently they don’t  deposit fur.
• The cats are covered with germs because they eat rodents. (The Lab eats cat, chicken, and deer poop. Kissy-kissy.)
• Most importantly, once the temperature rises above 20, they don’t NEED to be in the house. (The dogs do.) Can you see why the fur flies around here?

Pretend you can’t hear him!

If you’re looking around for a nice piece of meat to land on, you’re in the wrong home. We are experimenting, and have switched to a plant-based diet. Which basically means vegan, only we slip now and then and put a little meat in the beans and rice to add some interest. I am shocked to say I don’t crave sweets – for the first time in my life! This is going to play hell with the whole Rowdy Baker thing, isn’t it?  It’s kind of scary…if I’m not The Rowdy Baker, then who am I?

For now I’m sitting squarely on the fence, practicing my new multiple personality disorder. Since I doubt my brown rice miso mushroom dish will go viral on Pinterest, I’ll be baking just as usual…but freezing the goodies for when if I cave in and bail on the healthy stuff. You may see more whole grains and coconut oil in my recipes though. You can’t say I didn’t warn you!

I’m wondering what a fly is doing on my wall in February! We have a foot of snow on the ground – aren’t you supposed to be hybernating or turning into maggots or something? Oh…I’m guessing you found the big sticky mess that is supposed to be my kitchen.  What a month! Valentine’s Day is HUGE when you write a baking blog. There were so many ideas swirling around in my head – all involving chocolate, berries, cream, nuts, and butter. Some of them even made it to my Facebook page and blog. The rest will have to wait until next year. My energy and enthusiasm were damped by a festive case of sciatica, which was compounded by a case of shingles – competing with each other to see which could cause the most nerve pain. That’s why you saw me sitting in the recliner with a heating pad on my back slugging down with a medicinal dose of Jack Daniels.

Our youngest son (aka: “he who shall not be named on social media sites”) came for a visit during this trying time and was shocked to find that Mom was not cooking. There were no goodies to be had! He and The Man had to rough it, which they did quite well, if not cheerfully. Did I milk it a little? Maybe. 😉
I’m happy to say I’ve recuperated now and am planning ahead for St. Patrick’s Day. Yes, there will be a lot of green pastry coming your way!

You may have to visit someone else next month, because I’ll be in California for a few weeks, getting my grandchildren fix. If you have any relatives buzzing around Redding, let them know they’re welcome at my daughter’s house, but they’d better stay out of swatting range – she hates things that fly!

Now, buzzz off and visit:

Baking In a Tornado
Stacy Sews and Schools
My Brain on Kids
Just a Little Nutty
Menopausal Mother
The Sadder But Wiser Girl
The Momisodes
Follow Me Home
Big A Little a
The Insomniac’s Dream
Don’t Chew On The Dinner Table
Black Sheep Mom
Raising Reagan
Moore Organized Mayhem
Finding Felicity