D*mn I'm mad

GET OVER IT ALREADY!!! *Or are you one of these people that live to
complain?!?! *I know a few of them and I try my hardest to avoid them
at all cost!!!

They could find a pile of money and still complain about it!!!

How do you know that they are not actually avoiding you because of
your agressive attitude? Marina had a perfectly legitimate complaint.

Helen M

"Marina" wrote in message
...
Sorry, but I need to vent.

I have a cleaner coming in a couple of times a month, because I just can't
keep up with housework with my hand problems.

The cleaner came today. I always go out while he's here, to be out of the
way. When I came home, the flat was spotless - nothing to complain about
there - but a while later I spotted something in Caliban's food bowl. Took
a closer look. Kibble! It was *half full* of kibble!

I know some people free-feed their cats dry food, but even if I wanted to
give Caliban dry food, I couldn't free-feed him because he hoovers
everything he sees at once. I don't know why he hadn't touched this food,
unless maybe the bowl had been *full* and he had eaten half of it! The
other option, which I'm hoping is the right one, is that it was 'off'
somehow, so he didn't eat any of it. Though where does he come off giving
my cat food that's off, if that's the case?

Grrrr. I'm so mad. I know the cleaner likes cats, but he shouldn't be
trying to buy Caliban's affection with food, especially not kibble
(Caliban hides when the cleaner comes, because he knows the sucky monster
will come out soon and eat the floor).

Vent over.

I did write a polite e-mail requesting they don't feed my cats without
permission in future. I pointed out that Caliban had just come off a
rigorous diet to lose some dangerous overweight and that, besides
overweight, dry food can cause kidney disease in cats. I hope I managed to
teach the cleaner something.


Purrs the cleaner gets a clue. There is a famous story about FDR's Scottish
terrier, Fala, suffering from gastroenteritis soon after the Roosevelts came
into the White House. It turned out that Fala had so thoroughly charmed and
conned the White House staff, that they were constantly sneaking him food.
FDR immediately handed down an edict that nobody was to feed Fala except
himself.

I'm sure that your cleaner doesn't mean any harm-- it's probably more that
your adorable Cali has him thoroughly bamboozled with his cuteness.

"kraut" wrote in message
news


Not to take on the cleaners side, but it sounds like he thought he was
just doing a good turn. He didn't know any better. Many people do not
treat their cats with the same attention we give ours and do not worry
about obesity and have not encountered health problems that need to be
dealt with with their own cats so they are not even really aware that
something serious could happen with a bowl of cat food.

I did recognize that, though I blew my top here by myself when I
discovered it. I knew at the same time that he thought he was doing a
nice thing. But I don't know where the food came from. I have a small
bag of kibble here, that I give Caliban maybe 2-3 pieces of about once a
week, but the food in the bowl looked different. So they must have
brought it.

I got an apologetic reply, too, and a promise that it won't happen
again. I don't think I sounded too angry in my message.


GET OVER IT ALREADY!!! Or are you one of these people that live to
complain?!?! I know a few of them and I try my hardest to avoid them
at all cost!!!

They could find a pile of money and still complain about it!!!


My brother made this for me when I was down in DC last week. Good with a
nice French or Italian bread and a salad:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 head cauliflower, about 2 1/2 lb., cut into
florets
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
Toasted crusty bread for serving

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the
onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the
cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about
5 minutes. Add the broth, cream, the 2 tsp. salt and pepper and bring to a
boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cauliflower is easily
pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to a fine puree, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the cheese and stir until melted and well combined with the soup. Adjust
the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve immediately with toasted
bread. Serves 6 to 8, or in my family, three. :P

Caroline S. wrote:
On Jan 2, 8:55 am, Marina wrote:
Bridget wrote:

Not to take on the cleaners side, but it sounds like he thought he
was just doing a good turn. He didn't know any better. Many people
do not treat their cats with the same attention we give ours and do
not worry about obesity and have not encountered health problems
that need to be dealt with with their own cats so they are not even
really aware that something serious could happen with a bowl of cat
food.

I did recognize that, though I blew my top here by myself when I
discovered it. I knew at the same time that he thought he was doing a
nice thing. But I don't know where the food came from. I have a small
bag of kibble here, that I give Caliban maybe 2-3 pieces of about
once a week, but the food in the bowl looked different. So they must
have brought it.

I got an apologetic reply, too, and a promise that it won't happen
again. I don't think I sounded too angry in my message.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

I'm with you on this one Marina. I'm sure, as others have said, that
it was well intentioned, but I can't imagine any scenario where, as a
stranger to a house to perform a service, it would be appropriate to
feed an animal I knew nothing about. I could see them leaving a note
or asking whether in the future they can/should feed the animal. In
hindsight, maybe a note saying "The cat is NOT starving, regardless of
what he tells you" might help

Happy New Year,
Caroline S.

That reminds me of a house I visited a few weeks ago, a sign on the front
door said "Please don't let the cat out, nomatter what he tells you".
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

Kreisleriana wrote:
I'm sure that your cleaner doesn't mean any harm-- it's probably more that
your adorable Cali has him thoroughly bamboozled with his cuteness.

Yeah, I know he didn't mean any harm. Caliban definitely knows how to
wrap someone around his little paw. And he has definitely had an extra
meal today. Normally, he would have been beging for his dinner for the
last two hours, but he's sleeping contentedly on the bed.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Adrian wrote:

That reminds me of a house I visited a few weeks ago, a sign on the front
door said "Please don't let the cat out, nomatter what he tells you".

There's a sign in my sister's building, saying the cats who live there
are excellent actors but visitors should not believe them when they (the
cats) tell them (visitors) that they are starving.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Kreisleriana wrote:

Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve immediately with toasted
bread. Serves 6 to 8, or in my family, three. :P

LOL. Sounds delcious, thanks for posting this, Theresa.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Caroline S. wrote:

I'm with you on this one Marina. I'm sure, as others have said, that
it was well intentioned, but I can't imagine any scenario where, as a
stranger to a house to perform a service, it would be appropriate to
feed an animal I knew nothing about. I could see them leaving a note
or asking whether in the future they can/should feed the animal. In
hindsight, maybe a note saying "The cat is NOT starving, regardless of
what he tells you" might help

Thanks, Caroline. I thought it was way over the line, too. I'd never
feed someone else's pet without asking.

I think Caliban might need that sentence tattooed on his forehead.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

On 2008-01-02, Marina penned:

Grrrr. I'm so mad. I know the cleaner likes cats, but he shouldn't
be trying to buy Caliban's affection with food, especially not
kibble (Caliban hides when the cleaner comes, because he knows the
sucky monster will come out soon and eat the floor).

Vent over.

I did write a polite e-mail requesting they don't feed my cats
without permission in future. I pointed out that Caliban had just
come off a rigorous diet to lose some dangerous overweight and that,
besides overweight, dry food can cause kidney disease in cats. I
hope I managed to teach the cleaner something.

I'm sorry you're so mad. Ill-conceived as their treat may have been,
it sounds like they meant well. The letter is a good idea. One
meal of dry food, if he even had any, is not going to cause him
lasting harm. (Although -- it could have if he were diabetic.)

I had to stop a postal carrier once from feeding my dog a large
portion of a chocolate cake. She certainly didn't mean to hurt him;
she just didn't realize how bad chocolate is for dogs.

I agree that the cleaners should not have made any assumptions and
should have asked you first if they wanted to do something nice for
your cats.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

On 2008-01-02, Kreisleriana penned:

My brother made this for me when I was down in DC last week. Good
with a nice French or Italian bread and a salad:

2 Tbs. olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 1 head cauliflower, about 2
1/2 lb., cut into florets 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 cups
heavy cream 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste Freshly ground
pepper, to taste 8 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded Toasted crusty
bread for serving

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add
the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7
minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until
light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, cream, the 2
tsp. salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and
simmer until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork, about 10
minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to a fine puree, 3 to 5
minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted and well combined
with the soup. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve immediately with
toasted bread. Serves 6 to 8, or in my family, three. :P

Thanks! I just bought cauliflower and have been looking for recipes.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca