Dom, when I read the paragraph about your Mom and early Xmas presents..I thought you got her a kitty kat.....duh....and your neighbors ought to be thanking you for looking after their runaway cat..who was probably running away from them! Geez, Louise!

Presents for relatives...very difficult..my middle sister (they are all Italian Princesses) complains about gifts you get her....she has rich Italian Princess taste..I used to bring my BFF Thora along who knows the IPs well....it gets tough....how about a Spa weekend for her? you can all chip in and make sure she goes....drive her there if need be:) Does she like to cook? maybe cooking lessons? garden? so you can send her to a gardening class or stuff that she will enjoy what are her hobbies..then maybe plan a family gift around that?

I bet the Moms in our Group can come up with suggestions.

Two people flamed you on the "fantasy" blog? yikes....sorry....

I am soo happy to hear that DD is going to be longer...you have written it so well with lots of room for interpretation, growth, events to be shaded/filled in....I was feeling sad to hear Rory say he wanted to go back to Grandma Alice..I am so hoping he decides to stay:)

any how...I can wait for details and enjoy this really very fun and interesting story.....and it has a real sense of "heart", humor and just interesting to see Rory grow emotionally (even Eddie is growing as a Dad:)

thanks for the great story:) and here is to shielding out writers block.....

Michael

Dom, when I read the paragraph about your Mom and early Xmas presents..I thought you got her a kitty kat.....duh....and your neighbors ought to be thanking you for looking after their runaway cat..who was probably running away from them! Geez, Louise!

 

Presents for relatives...very difficult..my middle sister (they are all Italian Princesses) complains about gifts you get her....she has rich Italian Princess taste..I used to bring my BFF Thora along who knows the IPs well....it gets tough....how about a Spa weekend for her? you can all chip in and make sure she goes....drive her there if need be:) Does she like to cook? maybe cooking lessons? garden? so you can send her to a gardening class or stuff that she will enjoy what are her hobbies..then maybe plan a family gift around that?

 

I bet the Moms in our Group can come up with suggestions.

 

Two people flamed you on the "fantasy" blog? yikes....sorry....

 

I am soo happy to hear that DD is going to be longer...you have written it so well with lots of room for interpretation, growth, events to be shaded/filled in....I was feeling sad to hear Rory say he wanted to go back to Grandma Alice..I am so hoping he decides to stay:)

 

any how...I can wait for details and enjoy this really very fun and interesting story.....and it has a real sense of "heart", humor and just interesting to see Rory grow emotionally (even Eddie is growing as a Dad:)

 

thanks for the great story:) and here is to shielding out writers block.....

 

Michael

Thanks for the suggestions, Michael. But, OMG, I just thought of how my mom would react if I got her cooking lessons. What, you don

Dom the catnapper. I thought by the title you had been taking mulitable naps for some reason.

My mother had her cat stolen from her and she knew who did it, but couldn't prove it. She never saw her cat again. But wow your street must really be close for everyone I know hardly talks to anyone on their street. Why is that?

It's true that the cat was running away, must not have been really happy at it's org house. Who knows you might see it back again.

As for what to get your mother.. hmm don't know how to help you there, but I know when I buy for my mom I look for something really ugly to wear and I almost throw up when I see it I buy that. Ok everyone might think I am being mean, but with my mother she never wears anything nice. However, if you buy her something that is ugly from my family's point of view she loves it to no end.

Some peopls taste is off the wall to me and I don't get them at all.

So you can picture me growing up and what the comments 'Your mother dresses you funny' would get/ :nuke:

Dom if you have the cash give her a weekend getaway... or

Here is a thought... not that I will be doing this for my family any time soon...

Take your mother out and take her to dinner on you... throw in a play (or something she likes ie some ladies are sports nuts so a game there is ok too in that case) and make it a mother/son day.

Ok odd thought, but some mothers like to have those mother son days.

hmm if your anything like me though you might want to take her away from the town your in so that you don't get reconized by anyone you know. After all my mother wears really weird stuff... .see post above..

Michael

Thanks for the suggestions, Michael. But, OMG, I just thought of how my mom would react if I got her cooking lessons. What, you don

You weren't catnapping. The cat just decided that you were cooler and he was going to hang with you.

Based off the blog title, I thought this was about you taking short naps

See, thats why I don't like cats. They'll betray you for food and a box where they can crap and move in with anyone they damn feel like.

For the record, the cat next door started living with US first...no stealing involved.

Get your mom a copy of the video "Buns of Steele".

Hilarity will ensue.

You could always ask her what she might like. I personally would vote for the spa weekend.

My husband has the very bad habit of 'surprising' me. Which is why I have these god awful kitchen lights that I can't stand (they were already installed before I saw them). Then there was the time he gave me car mats that matched the interior of my car for my birthday. Woo-hoo

Sharon

You could always ask her what she might like. I personally would vote for the spa weekend.

 

My husband has the very bad habit of 'surprising' me. Which is why I have these god awful kitchen lights that I can't stand (they were already installed before I saw them). Then there was the time he gave me car mats that matched the interior of my car for my birthday. Woo-hoo

 

Sharon

Sharon...we need to find one of we Gays to talk to the hubby....you know hints....try flowers, a romantic dinner, a weekend away together....(but um, car floor mats.....a no no..maybe he thought he was being romantic since he knows you drive bare foot and we wanted you to be comfy?)

But, as I said to Dom, ask the Moms of the Group..there's a novel idea...ask Mom what she likes....tell her to put on a list a things she wants and really likes and take things from there....

Michael

Dom the catnapper. I thought by the title you had been taking mulitable naps for some reason.

Based off the blog title, I thought this was about you taking short naps

LOL that thought never crossed my mind, but goodness I found that funny!

Then there was the time he gave me car mats that matched the interior of my car for my birthday. Woo-hoo

 

Sharon

Goodness! LOL doesn't scream romance to me either, but sometimes guys (even gay guys) tend to just go with the practical. Heck, I consider myself pretty romantic, but frankly I've never seen the allure of flowers. I mean actually I'd probably be HAPPY to get them from someone special, just because I KNOW they're a romantic, sweet gesture. But as far as personally liking them, I kinda don't. Now Chocolate! If someone wanted to get me chocolate, I sure wouldn't complain!

Dom, I'm afraid I can't help you much with mother gift ideas, my mom's actually about the easiest person for me to shop for, now my dad . Yikes! no idea, EVER about what to get him. As far as catnapping goes, don't take it personally. Cat's are wonderful, but odd animals. They like to roam around and it doesn't occur to them that if they get too friendly with someone they may get kept. LOL which is why I never let my Timmy or Lucky out, but if I did and someone took them in, I'd blame them, not the person (they are irresistible anyway). I've been thinking of getting them a dog, but I don't know if they're up to training him .

I'm so excited to hear that DD might end up being quite long! Excellent job with it by the way! Can't wait till the next chapter, take care and good luck with monday ;-)

I have this cat next door who really want to come in with us... I can't blame him though after all they keep leaving him out at night and frankly some of these night are just too damn cold... I remember how bad last winter was I was ready to put a blanket with a heater in it for the guy just so he wouldn't freese though the night. Lettting him in was a no no. My other cats would have creamed him or rather one cat now.

My how time flies.

My cats had "cat buddies" that would come over and hang out.

Sometimes they would play tail-tag: one chasing the other until he could slap the other cats tail. Then the other cat would be "it" and the chaser would be the chased. It's really funny to watch.

My old cat was none to thrilled when his understudy arrived: a cute little orange tabby kitten named Boo who would follow him around. When I was looking, the old cat would hiss at little Boo and make him back off. When I wasn't looking, the old cat would play with him and lick his face.

Sometimes an old cat has to remind everyone that he is still the number 1 cat.

Since I had a cat door, it was nothing for my cats and their buddies to show up inside... with gifts of lizards and bluejays.

The only thing that might cause a fight was if any of the cats other than #1 were to try to jump in my lap or sleep on my bed. Then he would get nasty.

Hey Dom,

I just read that the Italian food bible has been traslated into english--first time ever. The english title is "The Silver Spoon." In Italy, EVERY italian kitchen has this book; it is given to every new bride.

Worried about her thinking you are insulting her cooking skills? Tell her you wanted to honor her Italian heritage.

OR, collect all her recipes and make them into a cook book--telling her 'your cooking is too wonderful to ever be forgotten. This cookbook will be handed down for generation to generation. (Yeah, a little too much, but you get the idea.)

OR, give her a gift of a massage or a facial--preferably, both! I think there are a few websites that list recommended places for spa services. Of course, you may need to sample the spa services *before* you purchase a gift certificate! BTW, having been a masage therapist for few years now, I can tell you that some people are uncomfortable with the idea of massage until they experience it--then they love it!! If you think she may fall into that category, give her a facial service. Women *love* facials!!

OR, collect old family photos into a beautiful photo ablum. Several years back, my Sister-in-law put together a shadowbox collection of my mom and dad. It had pictures of them as kids, in college, and getting married. They really loved that!

Welp, GOOD LUCK!!!! lol

Matthew in NYC

OR, collect all her recipes and make them into a cook book--telling her 'your cooking is too wonderful to ever be forgotten. This cookbook will be handed down for generation to generation. (Yeah, a little too much, but you get the idea.)

hmmm....

"And mom, this cookbook will be handed down from generation to generation." Proud son says to mom.

"Oh? And how many kids do you plan on having? Did you change your mind about the whole gay thing. You want to give me a present, then marry some nice girl and make me some grandkids.

"Sniff, sniff. Oh, where did I go wrong? Did I mother you too much? I should have listened to your father and let you play soccer instead of taking ballet lessons." Mom starts sobbing... "I HATE CHRISTMAS! Sob, sob. Merry Christmas to ME!"

Note - No presents to remind mom that she probably won't be having grandkids

Presents I have appreciated:

-- a big huge book about the wild plants of my state:

-- an amazing atlas:

-- binoculars:

-- a copy of my favorite movie of all time ("Me and the Colonel," which is a philosophical comedy about a group of people fleeing the Nazis, one of them being Danny Kaye as a resourceful, optimistic, and very cute Jew: but that's probably not your mother's favorite)

--a big fat history book about something I was interested in (the history of farmworkers in California: butn it could be anything else)

-- music (different things at different times. Carpathian bagpipes. World Accordians. South African choral music. What does your mom like to listen to? Or you could get her Pansy Division so she could say "those boys are funny and cute, and they can play and sing, but most of all I'm glad they're not my son!"

-- plants (a camellia, once, a whole raft of narcissus bulbs, once, a lemon tree, once)

-- donations in my name to UNICEF or OXFAM

-- a beautiful glass pitcher

-- reservation for a night in a bed and breakfast

Dom,

Photos are always a nice personal gift, especially ones of your kids.

Because my mom already had all her favorite photographs in albums and such, I snuck a few good ones out and had a calendar printed with a different picture of me and cousins when we were little for every month. And then snuck the photos back. She loved it and hung it in the kitchen by the phone. I even had special days like family members b-days printed in it.

good luck with finding your mom a present, dom... i would have written down a few ideas of my own, but i think everyone has already given you great ideas.

DD11 and 12 are excellent, as always, you are a very talented writer -- i know you've heard that over and over, but i think it's always nice to hear again. i'm happy that DD will be even longer than TLW; i liked both that one and TOU, but rory is my favorite character and sometimes, i can totallyl relate to him. i think him and quinn are the really complex characters, like most people are, and things are not always clear in their minds and end up doing unpredictable and totally senseless things.

anyway, i just wanted to write a word about that because i like your stories so much and i know how important it is for writers to be told all the good readers think of their stories.

can't wait for DD13 to come!

take care,

tommy

Hey Dom,

Sorry to here about you new alias, Mr Cat THEIF. lol. But hey if you really want one we've got about 6 that need to go sometime soon.

-Nate