3 years ago I decided to get pet rats. I had had a pet Ferret for 4 years but she passed away from adrenal cancer.

After our Ferret passed away, I wanted another small animal pet. I had always loved mice and rats, even as a kid, but I never owned any as pets. Our Ferret was litter trained and after reading about rats online, I found out they too could be litter trained which was interesting to me. I didn't know too much about pet rats at all 3 years ago!

October, 23rd 2007 I purchased my first two pet rats. Sugar and Spice. Sugar was a PEW, Spice was a Himalayan. Sugar was shy & sweet. Spice was outgoing and spunky.


Care:

3 years later I've owned 20 rats. 8 have gone to the Rainbow Bridge. 3 are rescue rats, 17 have been from various pet stores in my area. (As of 2017 I've owned over 50+ rats.)

The number one con about owning rats is their short lifespan. Rats only live approximately 2-3 years. The other big con is females are very prone to developing mammary tumors. (Typically they develop around or after 1 year.) I've had 5 females that developed mammary tumors and 3 of my girls had to be put to sleep because of them. They are usually benign but tend to impact quality of life as they grow. Not all females get tumors, but they are very common.

This is the downfall of owning pet rats. Pet rats are so susceptible to tumors, cancer, abscesses, respiratory infections, etc. (Rat Health Guide). But when you're a rat owner, you take the good with the bad. They have so much personality, are so smart and have so much love and affection to give, that it makes up for the short time they are with us... any rat owner will tell you that. It's also the reason most rat owners have more than 1 rat. They definitely get into your heart even though they aren't with us for very long.

And just because they are so small doesn't mean they are cheaper when it comes to the veterinarian. I've had tumors removed, had a rat spayed and neutered. Each costing in the triple digits. So anyone that says a rat is a cheap "pocket pet"; they are quite mistaken. Owning a pet rat is definitely a commitment, like any other pet. Cat or Dog, etc.

Females are more active and outgoing, hyper even! Male rats are more laid back, lazy and tend to like being cuddled or pet. Female rats are about half the size of a full grown male rat. Male rats do have a musky odor that can be controlled with bathing or by neutering. (Males or Females?) Hairless males do not have any odor.

They are very clean animals. If you've ever seen a cat bathe him/herself, a rat bathes itself about 10x's more a day than a cat! They don't generally need to be bathed but light colored rats can get red streaking around their neck or on their body from grooming or other rats grooming them. This is because their saliva, tears, (even snot!) have a red pigment called porphyrin. and after awhile even if you do keep your cage very clean you might want to give your rat a bath occasionally if they smell a bit. (I usually bathe mine with baby shampoo every 2-3 weeks or so in the sink.)

There are so many different colors and varieties of rats it would take forever to describe them all. (AFRMA Rat Varieties.)

Why multiples? 

Rats are very social animals. They do best in pairs or groups. Especially if you're out at school or working for a certain number of hours each day. Having a pair of rats is ideal, because they keep each other company when you can't be around.

And once you've owned 1 or 2 rats, rat lovers are very susceptible to GGMR (Gotta get more rats!) Rats are nocturnal but they easily adjust to your schedule. Occasionally at night time, I might hear a few squabbles or some chewing, but for the most part they are pretty quiet at night time.

Rats aren't just social with other rats. They are extremely social and curious about their human owners! In the morning when I wake up, or when I come home from work, there will be a dozen little faces peering out the cage at me, waiting for attention.

Having been a rat owner for 3 years now, in my opinion; rats are the most well rounded pet. They are as affectionate and loyal and sociable as any cat or dog. And smart! Rats are one of the most intelligent of the rodent species. You can teach a rat to respond to its name, just like any dog. It always gives me a smile when one of my rats is at the other end of the sofa or bed and I call their name and they come running over to me. It's just amazing what they are capable of! You can even teach them tricks! They are extremely versatile and adaptable to any situation.

Oh boy and the agility of a rat! A rat can jump vertically almost 1-2 feet and horizontally up to 3 feet! They are great climbers too. Rats do not have paws. They actually have individual fingers. (4 fingers and a nub thumb on their hands. 5 toes on their back feet.) And they love to climb! They will scale the inside of their cage and sometimes even hang from the ceiling in the cage. I call them "little monkey's." They actually use their tail when it comes to climbing. Their tail also helps them to balance. When you're holding a rat, it will probably try to wrap its tail around your arm to steady itself. (That Wonderful Rat Tail). A few of my rats that love to explore have even climbed to the top of my 5 story bookshelf!

Nutrition:

Rats are similar to dogs in another way. You can actually feed them certain types of dog food. You want the protein to be between 15-20% and the fat to be between 5-7%. Lower is better. (Article on Rat Nutrition). Rat's are similar to humans in that they also have a sense of taste. They can taste salty, sweet, sour and bitter.

Of course they need a well rounded diet. A staple diet of either dog food or rat lab blocks. I use Nutro Natural Lite  or Harlan Teklad 2014 lab blocks for their staple diet. (I don't use Nutro anymore- they changed the protein content) I am currently using Native Earth 4018 Lab Blocks (not available any more since petfooddirect was taken over by chewy.com in 2016) I currently feed my rats: Oxbow Regal Rat as of 2017.

Added to that every few days are fresh (or frozen) veggies and fruit and sometimes even baby food or baby rice cereal. Some people make their own well rounded mix. (I used to use a mix similar to Suebee's more for treat purposes that I fed once a week.)


Rat's can pretty much eat anything humans can, though it's not always good for them. It's always best to check the Forbidden Food List before feeding any new food to your rats.

Rat's love treats. A few treats I keep on hand for my rats are: Banana Chips, Yogurt Raisins or Peanuts. Gerber Graduate Puff's, Milk Bone Dog Biscuits, Spiral Wheat or Tri Color Pasta, Yogies.

They also love to chew! Anything and everything if you don't keep it out of their way! I always say, "Pet rats will teach you not to be materialistic!". And it's the truth! They will chew on ANYTHING! I've had many a phone charger, laptop wire, headphones, lamp wire, book bindings, etc; chewed by one of my pet rats. (Thank God for Ebay!) If you're not comfortable with something being chewed- it's best to place it out their reach! I actually get most of my sheets, pillow cases, comforters from a 2nd hand store. If you let the rats hang out with you on your bed, they will indeed chew a hole in your blanket!

Playtime:

Speaking of hanging out on the bed or sofa. Once your rat gets used to being handled by you and trusts you. You can pretty much let them hang out with you around the house where ever you are. I'm usually walking around my house with at least 1 rat on my shoulder! When I watch TV, there's usually a few hanging out with me, same goes for when I'm on the laptop or reading in bed. And surprisingly once your rat is litter trained you shouldn't have many accidents at all! Even better if you provide a place for them to relieve themselves when you have them outside the cage. I usually have a plastic carrier open on the sofa, etc for them to retreat too. I've had a few brats though that won't stay with you and just want to get down on the floor and explore! We used to have a ferret Super Pet Ball for my rat Nutmeg who loved to roam around the house!

For their chewing habits you can provide wooden chew toys from the pet store, give them tissue boxes to hang in or chew, empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls, rawhide chew sticks for dogs, I also give mine Super Pet Chilly Chews or 8 in 1 Cheese Chews. And you can give them cooked and cleaned chicken bone legs to gnaw on also. (Rat Toy Ideas).

You can take your rats outside with you if you're brave enough! If I do take my rats outside I never put them on the ground unattended. If I walk around I might have 1-2 on my shoulder. If I go to the park I use a Plastic Carrier or my Marshall carry sack. (Leashes made for small animals aren't ideal, rats can wiggle right out of them!) I love taking animal and nature photographs so I've taken quite a few of my rats to the park with me to get pictures. If a rat is well handled and trusts it's owner it will not run off. My rats usually stick quite close to me. Being outside usually intimidates them. (I only take 1 rat out at a time, when outside. The others stay in a carrier.)

Cage Care:

Wire cages are generally better than aquariums for pet rats. Wire cages allow air flow, while aquariums restrict ventilation. (Which can lead to heatstroke or even respiratory infections.) The only problem with wire cages, is the flooring. If the cage has a wire floor you will need to cover it with fabric, metal pan, etc. (Wire floors can cause bumble foot infection if not covered.) Rats can also get a foot caught or tangled on a wire floor which can lead to sprains or broken bones.


I own a Ferret Nation 142. The cage comes with two big plastic pans that cover the wire floor in the cage and can be taken out and cleaned when necessary. You also need at least 2 cubic feet per rat. (Cage Calculator). Bar spacing is also important. 1/2" bar spacing is ideal but most cages usually have 1" inch bar spacing.

My Ferret Nation cage has 1" inch vertical bar spacing and for the bigger rat's it's not a problem. But for smaller younger rats, I've had two escapees! The solution to this problem was to cover the outside of the cage with hardware cloth and zip ties! (Choosing the right cage article).

For the inside the cage, I myself use fleece or baby blankets from the Dollar Store to line the cage floors with. This is cheaper and cleaner than using Yesterday's News, Aspen or Care Fresh. (Care Fresh can sometimes contain mites- one way to prevent this is to freeze it before using.) Using fleece or fabric is a greener way of taking care of your rat's cage. It's also cheaper because you're not constantly throwing away used cage lining. I usually do one load of laundry a week (unscented detergent) just for the rat's stuff. I only get rid of the fleece or baby blankets when there's so many holes chewed in them it doesn't look like fabric anymore! (Do not use pine or cedar shavings. They are toxic to rats.)

Using fleece or fabric is also more cozy to your pet rat. They love to burrow deep down in the blankets or fleece when sleeping. I also put plastic igloos and plastic houses in their cages for them to sleep or hide in. (You will usually find all of your rats piled on top of each other sleeping!)

I usually do a full cage cleaning once a week with hot water and a little bleach. I empty their litter pans every few days. (I don't use litter or anything in the litter pans.) I will also change some of their sleeping fabric or blankets in the cage during the week if they begin to smell. (Rat urine doesn't have an odor in small quantities).

Overall:

If you've never owned a pet rat before you would be surprised how each one has a completely different personality. Some are shy, some are outgoing, some love to be cuddled, some don't like to be held, some over eat, some are lazy, some are playful. They are just like people with their own individual personality.

And yes some rats love to be pet just like a cat or dog! When they are happy (or nervous). They will make a teeth grinding noise and boggle their eyes. This is like purring for rats! They also love to be scratched behind their ears or nose. They are extremely social, curious affectionate creatures. Once you have owned one rat, it will probably not be your last! If you decide to get more rats, here is a good article on introducing new rats to your current rats!

You can also find me on Star's Rat Rescue Forum. I am a moderator there under the username: christianchickslc. Come over and share with us about your pet rats, or just pop in to learn about them!

I love history and I'm always fascinated by the story of Anne Frank. Lately I've bought and taken out several books from the library that go in depth and behind the diary of Anne Frank. (I own the definitive edition.)


1. Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary - A Photographic Remembrance

I bought this about a year or two ago. It's really interesting, has a lot of history facts and family photographs.




2. The Diary of Anne Frank: The Revised Critical Edition

If you have a lot of time on your hands this is an in depth guide to Anne's diary. It contains the diary as edited by her father & published, Anne's diary as written by Anne unedited & and also the published definitive edition with extra entries published after the death of her father. You can read all 3 editions side by side. It also includes the findings of a study that called into question the validity of the diary. They did document and handwriting analysis on the original diary to prove it's authenticity.


3. Anne Frank Remembered: The Story of the Woman Who Helped to Hide the Frank Family

This is the biography and story of Miep Gies. Miep worked for Otto Frank in his office. She & her husband were just a few of the people that helped to hide the Frank family. Her story gives some background and details that go beyond Anne's Diary.


4. The Hidden Life of Otto Frank

I took this book out of the library but I also just recently ordered a copy, it was a really good book. It goes in depth about Otto Frank's life before he was a father up to when he went into hiding with his family and even after the war when Anne's Diary was published and became known worldwide. It also talks about the fact the Frank family may have known who turned them in.


5. The Last Seven Months of Anne Frank

Really loved this book. Six women that were in Westerbork, Auschwitz & Bergen-Belsen with Anne Frank after she was imprisoned tell their horror stories of the concentration camps, conditions and their memories of Anne, Margot & the Frank family. Hannah Elisabeth Pick-Goslar, one of Anne's childhood friends is one of the women that tells her story of talking with Anne at Bergen-Belsen shortly before Anne's death.


6. Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife

Interesting break down of the three. Starts off as a bit of a biography, talks about the diary and the different versions of it, and about the Holocaust.




7. Anne Frank's Tales from the Secret Annex

Short stories, fairy tales written by Anne Frank while in hiding. Also includes some "diary entries" or observations that weren't included in the published book.




8. Anne Frank and the Children of the Holocaust

Very good book. Gives accounts from survivors and children that were in hiding during the Holocaust. Also gives a short biography on Anne Frank.



9. Searching for Anne Frank: Letters From Amsterdam to Iowa

I got excited about this when I took it out of the library. It is very interesting... but don't get too excited over the word "letters". Anne & Margot only exchanged 1 letter each with their pen pals in Iowa before they went into hiding during the war. Still an interesting read. And gives some history about the war and Iowa and the USA back in 1930's, 40's.

10. My Name Is Anne, She Said, Anne Frank: The Memoirs of Anne Frank's Best Friend

I just ordered this. One of Anne's best friends, Jacqueline van Maarsen tells her experiences of the war and about her friendship with Anne.




11. Anne Frank - The Whole Story (2001)

This isn't a book, but it's my favorite Anne Frank movie. It was originally a TV movie back in 2001. I think it gives the most accurate story of Anne and her family- before the war, during the war and after...

I've been going to the library a lot every few weeks and taking out at least 5 books at a time. I thought I would share some of my favorites that I've read lately!

1. The Lovely Bones

I loved it so much I bought a copy on Ebay. I'm still trying to win the dvd though! The way it is written reminds me of White Oleander or The Virgin Suicides (Other favorites of mine!) It is about a teenage girl that is murdered and how she observes her family and friends from heaven.


2. Somewhere Inside: One Sister's Captivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home

Very intriguing! I remember following this story on the news. It is told from each sisters point of view. Laura a journalist held in a North Korean Prison and her sister Lisa and the political fight to bring her sister home. I want to get a copy of this for myself.

3. Shutter Island

Ooooh this book had the weirdest twist at the end, that you would never expect. I didn't see the movie, but I can say the book kept me turning pages. This is a psychological thriller.




4. The Queen's Governess

Loved this book. It is told from Elizabeth I's governess Katherine Ashley's point of view. The story follows Elizabeth from a baby, until she becomes queen. It does take some liberties with the history of certain things but I really enjoyed it.



5. The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn

Wasn't even expecting another Alison Weir book so I was excited to see this at my library. I pretty much own almost all of Alison Weir's historical non fiction & fiction books. I'm sure I will add this to my collection soon too. This is a non fiction account of Anne Boleyn's downfall. I haven't started this yet, but I'm excited too!

6. Uprising

I love just about all of Margaret Peterson Haddix books. All of her books keep you turning the pages. My especial favorite book of hers is Running Out of Time. Uprising is more the tone of Ann Rinaldi's books. It is about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911 and follows 3 girls that become friends working there. Another book I'd like a personal copy of!

I devour books. It started when I was about 3-4 years old and couldn't sleep at night. My parents would give me a stack of Golden Books and tell me to read until I felt sleepy. I still read every night and I read even more on the weekend. I own a lot of books as evidenced by my brand new bookshelf. (You can view some of my library collection on Librarything.com).

I mostly tend to read historical fiction or non fiction. Anything about the Tudor Dynasty, I probably own. Fiction & Non Fiction! But I also like regular fiction. I'm always looking for a new book to read. I've been taking out around 5-7 books from the library every 3 weeks or so. I actually have to pick up some books on Thursday from the library!

Last summer when I was looking for some new authors to read, my cousins told me about Jennifer Weiner, I've taken every one of her books out that my library has. They are just really well written, funny and not too tacky or sappy for chick-lit. Plus most of her books take place in Philadelphia. And I'm a Philly girl! :-D

I thought I'd share with you all my favorites of her books!

Good in Bed

This was the first book of Jennifer Weiner's I read and I really loved it. Plus since Cannie is actually a real girl struggling with her weight, body image, etc it makes it more relatable. You really want to root her on in the book throughout her struggles and trumphs!

Certain Girls

This is the sequel to Good in Bed. I really like this one, because the story is told from the perspective of Cannie and also of her 12 year old daughter Joy. The ending though... I won't ruin- but it definitely shocked me and wasn't what I expected.

3. Best Friends Forever

I bought this when I was in the Philippines this past year. I really like the descriptions/details in the story. And how different Addie & Valerie are.

4. In Her Shoes

I really want to buy this one. I'm taking it out of the library again this week. I also heard it was made into a movie- but the movie wasn't anything like the book and wasn't so good. The book is really good. The two sisters couldn't be more different from each other, but they really do need each other.

I definitely recommend Jennifer Weiner's books if you're looking for a new book to read! Or if you have read some of her books, which is your favorite?

My bookshelves from Walmart arrived this week and tonight with the help of one of my brothers we got them put together. The boys cage fits perfectly on the smaller bookshelf. I didn't put anything on the shelves yet, so no pictures of that. I did get my books organized on the 5 tier bookshelf though. Surprised I could fit my enormous library on it! I do still have a lot of books on the back of my bed too, so this isn't all of them!

Here are some pictures of the 5 tier bookshelf:

And I finally got my Philippine rattie collection out of my suitcase!

Yes... I still have two suitcases I need to unpack. I've just been taking stuff out as I need it since I came home the end of January! I will finish unpacking and put away the suitcases when I tackle my closet organization! I still want to pick up 2 under the bed plastic containers and some smaller shoebox size ones to help with organizing my closet. I also want to get a new night table. So... slowly I am getting my room organized. Some of the bigger projects will be ripping out the crappy built in desk that is falling apart (a must to fit a bigger bed in the room!), painting my room, getting a new bed, new curtains, etc, later this year!

I am officially all packed! Honestly, I kept putting it off because I hate packing, but everything is now packed except for last minute items. I even managed to fit everything into one suitcase and I still have a little extra room. I didn't even use the zipper extender. Yay! I love my new suitcase because besides being light weight, the wheels turn 360 degrees, it's awesome!

I stopped at Marshall's & Kohl's on Monday and picked up 2 new pairs of jeans. I also got a few more last minute items, flashlight, travel sewing kit, etc. And snacks for the plane! 2 Rice Krispie Treat Bars (Walmart had individual ones that are a bit bigger than the boxed treats.) and a bag of Snyders Peanut Butter Pretzels, yum!

Thursday evening I'll be going out with my cousins, Chrissy & Jessica. It's kind of sad, because my cousin Chrissy who was just married on November 7th is going to be moving to Georgia with her husband to one of the military bases down there. She'll be moving in early January and I won't be back in the USA until the end of January, so it's the last time we will see each other for awhile. I will have to either take a road trip or fly down to see her later next year. I have a lot of cousins, but I've always been close with Chrissy & Jessica.

Friday is my "Thanksgiving/Christmas" at home. I'm taking the family to a Chinese Buffet for lunch. Later we'll exchange gifts at home for my "Christmas" before I go away. And Sunday I think I will be stopping to see my Nana before I leave. My flight to Chicago leaves from Philadelphia around 6am next Tuesday, so i will probably need to be at the airport by at least 3am, considering it's just a few days before Thanksgiving and the airport might be crowded. Here is my trip itinerary.

I'm a little bit sad to leave my rattie girls, especially Sugar. She is slowly going downhill. She is nearly 2 months past 2 years old. Her two mammary tumors are pretty big and she's losing a lot of weight. She has good & bad days. Sometimes all she wants to do is sleep and other days she is alert & "active" for her age. She is still eating, but she's been getting extra nutrition from baby food, vanilla ensure and she even likes gatorade! Sadly, I don't know if she will still be around when I come back at the end of January. All of the girls will be getting taken care of by my brother Scotty, who is 21.

I ordered two new books for the plane. I got The Queen's Mistake: In the Court of Henry VIII by Diane Haeger. I've read 'The Ruby Ring' & 'The Perfect Royal Mistress' by her & I thought they were both good. My Ginger rat, actually nibbled a bit on 'The Perfect Mistress' and I was so embarrassed when I had to take it back to the library & ask if I had to pay for damages. Luckily it was only a very tiny spot & the librarian said she would just tape it!

I also got, The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette by, Carolly Erickson I'm not sure how I'll like it. I like her non fiction biography books. But I just read her new book, 'The Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots' and it was ridiculous! Mary escapes being a prisoner in England under Elizabeth I, and goes to Rome for awhile to visit with the Pope, then she goes to live with her secret daughter & grandmother with the Earl of Bothwell in a cottage. It was terrible & extremely far fetched. I actually reviewed it on Amazon.com. Her other book 'The Last Wife of Henry VIII' was terrible too I thought, but I did like 'The Tsarina's Daughter'.

I've been reading Anya Seton's books from the library lately. It started with reading Alison Weir's new book 'Mistress of the Monarchy' about Katherine Swynford's life. So I decided to take out 'Katherine' by Anya Seton to read and I really enjoyed it. I read 'Green Darkness' and it was just okay, but right now I'm reading 'The Winthrop Woman' and I'm really enjoying it. I also have 'Avalon' to read still. Most of her books were written in the 40's-50's but the writing seems very modern to me.

Fall Out Boy released a 'Best Of' album that I bought. I think I could have put together a better "Best Of" but I do like the 5 new songs that are included on the album. I especially like "From Now On We Are Enemies" & "Alpha Dog", though their rendition of "Beat It" is pretty good too. Fall Out Boy, is one of my favorite bands, I saw them in concert about 2 years ago.

And I really want Kutless' new worship album 'It Is Well'! It's only $5.00 for the MP3 download of the album. I asked for it for "Christmas". I have all of Kutless' albums. :)

While I was browsing Amazon.com I found out Michelle Branch is coming out with a new solo album in 2010! I am beyond excited! F.B. & I used to listen to her albums a lot early in our relationship. And her last solo album came out in 2003, before she joined 'The Wreckers' but that music was a little too country for me.

P.S. I forgot to mention. Creed has a new album 'Full Circle'. What the heck?! They broke up after their last album in 2001! Then Scott Stapp went and did his own solo album which sucked. And the other 2 guys made the band Alter Bridge, which I LOVE! Well Creed got back together to do a new album and it sucks and sounds WEIRD! I guess that could be because Scott Stapp hasn't sung for like 8 years... but his voice sounds weird and deeper, growl-ey & just plain awful! Not at all like the Creed I used to listen to. I do not like their new album and I used to be obsessed with Creed! I think the reality of it was Scott Stapp was not the talent in that band, it was the other two guys, Mark Tremonti & Brian Marshall because Alter Bridge sounds so much better!

I'm 27 today... another year older, lol. Went to the park in the morning and took Saffy with me. Got alot of nice pictures and it wasn't too warm out in the early morning, I could actually wear a hoodie. Ran into 4 angry mean geese though blocking the path. Two bikers couldn't get through, I couldn't get through, whenever someone would try to walk to the side of the path out of their way they would flap their wings and chase after you! Finally a lady with a dog came through and the geese scattered. I guess they had a nest somewhere close to the path. I think I'm going to start going to the park twice a week for extra exercise... those hills kick my butt! Sad to say alot of my jeans have gotten tighter on me... and I have 2 months and 3 weeks to make them fit again! blah!





































































My boy sent me a letter & two birthday cards and a Watson's Drugstore Lemon Lip balm! He said he had to search 8 stores for it, maybe they are about to discontinue that flavor? I lost the last one he sent me in the creek at the park accidentally a few months ago, it fell out of my pocket accidentally. I promised him I wouldn't take this one to the park! Heehee!

After a quick stop at Starbucks, I was heading to the supermarket when my Service Engine light came on in my brand new Nissan Versa. I've only got 2,100 miles on and I'm not even due for an oil change until I hit 4,040 miles. I checked the manual and it said to check the gas cap, nothing was loose. I even stopped and put $5 worth of gas in even though the tank was already over the halfway point. The light was still on. I called Nissan and I have to take the car up there tomorrow at 9:30am because it could be something with the engine or emissions? Fun....

Turned around and headed to the library to pick up the 6 books I checked out. I love my library. They have an online catalog and I can just pick the books out and they email me when their ready to be picked up. I got there at 11:50am and there were a bunch of people waiting outside... they didn't open until 12pm on the dot.

My birthday got better in the evening. Steak pizza with the family & a chocolate chip cookie cake. Also got alot of great presents. A Sentry Safe from my parents. I've been wanting a fire proof box for awhile, now I'll be able to put my birth certificate, marriage certificate (In December!) and our immigration papers in my lock box. 5 for $25 Victoria's Secret Hip Huggers, Marshall Carry Sack for my ratties and my brothers got me a flashback from my childhood the 1st 3 seasons of the Animaniacs on DVD. Haha.

My passport came back on Friday with my 59 day visa. The expiration is still weird, it's 2 days after I arrive. Maybe I need to send it 1 month before I leave instead of 2. At least I know, once I enter before that date, I can still stay 59 days.

UPDATE 9-5-09: So as I'm approaching the exit I get off to go to the Nissan Dealership the stupid Service Engine Light goes off! WTF?! I still pulled into Nissan and the mechanic said if the light went off it's fine & he doesn't need to check it out. He said sometimes when you get gas if the cap isn't tight enough, etc, when you start the car the computer won't recognize something and it will take driving a certain amount of miles to make the computer reset. Gee, I wish the guy that I talked to on the phone yesterday had told me all I needed to do was drive it! What a waste of time! Glad the car is okay though!

I wanted to share a list of my favorite books. I love reading, I read almost every day. Usually before I go to sleep, to relax and unwind from the day. I also read the same books over and over if I really love them. I especially love to read Tudor history or Tudor fiction. I am obsessed with the Tudor Dynasty! You can view my complete book list here.

I've updated my list and I had to move my book catalog to a new website since the old website shut down. You can also browse my books below in the widget. It will show random covers every 10 seconds. You can click on the book covers for information about each book.

I've been thinking about getting another white rat for a few weeks, so Wednesday after work I stopped at a few pet stores to see if they had any rats. 2 of the stores I went to only had males and the Petco where I adopted Tansy had 3 white females, so I didn't feel too bad since I was only buying 1 of them.

Please meet Saffron! "Saffy" for short!




She is very tiny and she isn't quite used to being handled by people just yet. When you hold her she cries and squeaks a bit until she settles down. She's very sweet & curious and so small compared to my other girls! The sales associate at the pet store had a heck of a time trying to get her out of the cage. She kept running away from him and she squealed up a storm when he finally caught her! I'm thinking about introducing her to my other girls this weekend so we will see how things go. If all goes well she will be living with Ginger & Nutmeg. Sugar is still very territorial, so she & Cinnamon live in the upper part of the Ferret Nation cage.

Now for some updates on my other 4 girls!


Sugar is around 1 year 7 months old now. She's been suffering from abscesses on her left front paw since January. I took her to a new vet last month and he gave her a shot of baytril & started her on a new antibiotic. She has not had anymore abscesses since then, but she did develop a blood blister in the same spot she had her last abscess and it's healing very slowly. Sugar also seems to be developing a mammary tumor on her belly near her left back leg. Since she is getting older now and has alot of other health issues I'm not going to put her through surgery to have it removed. Right now it is growing very slowly.

Cinnamon is around 1 year 3 months old now and doing just fine. She's my chunky monkey. She is the biggest of all my girls. And she loves to be cuddled. She'll hang out on the bed with me if I'm reading or on the laptop.


Ginger & Nutmeg are both around 5 months old now. Nutmeg never sits still. She loves to run all around my bedroom when I give her free time. She will climb up the curtains just to get into the window to look out.

Ginger started bleeding a few weeks ago and it was very similar to Cinnamon's issue over a year ago. I was very hesitant to have another rat spayed so I started her on antibiotics hoping it was just an infection. After a week on the antibiotics the bleeding went away and hasn't been back. Which makes me wonder if Cinnamon ever really needed to be spayed and if my old vet should have tried her on a different antibiotic.

In other news; I ordered some new books on Amazon.com last week and just started reading them. I ordered: Secrets of the Tudor Court: The Pleasure Palace, Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary - A Photographic Remembrance & Designs of the Heart: The Pattern/The Pledge/The Promise. The last book I read the 1st book- but I wanted to read the 2nd & 3rd so I ordered a volume with all 3 books.

I had to take Sugar to the vet again last Saturday. She's been on her antibiotics and the metacam for nearly 2 weeks now. Her eye infection is completely gone but she started to develop a scab on her swollen paw. Which made me start thinking she's had an abscess this whole time instead of a sprain. So the vet saw her and confirmed what I thought, that it was an abscess. He was able to drain it for her and told me to keep it clean with peroxide twice a day. She's also to stay on the SMZ-TMP antibiotic for 2 more weeks. Another week into the antibiotic and her paw is starting to look like a hand again after almost 2 months! Though, I've noticed two more abscesses appearing. So it seems this whole time Sugar did not have a sprained paw, she had a really bad infection that was spreading due to the abscesses. Blech. Poor girl, at least we know what it is now. And the vet was so happy to see her eye looking better and to figure out that the lumps were not suspected tumors after all!

I mailed F.B.'s late valentines/anniversary package last week. Only thing is... I forgot to include the mix c.d. I made him... it was still in my car's c.d. player after testing it to make sure it was okay! Arrgh! I feel so bad about that. It's so expensive to send express packages to the Philippines. (I don't send it any other way except express because then we can track the package's progress.) He said it arrived on Friday in the Philippines when he checked the tracking number, so he should have his package sometime next week. I also included ring guards for his sister Lady. (She got engaged last month!) and a pretty thank you gift necklace for his mom. Besides some stuff for him. Our 5th Anniversary is coming up next month so I guess I'll send another card and include his mix c.d. in that!

I've started looking for plane tickets back to the Philippines. I am thinking of leaving either the week before or the week after Thanksgiving this year. So far I haven't found a good deal yet or a good flight so I'll keep looking.

My old black & white converse sneakers fell apart. I only had them a little over a year. For some reason the one shoe had a defect and my little black stripe kept trying to fall off. I kept super gluing it down, but one day when I got home I discovered it had torn off in a much larger piece somewhere and I couldn't fix it. So sad... has that ever happened to anyone else that owned Converse sneakers?

Discover card kept sending me emails and letters about using my credit card. "Why haven't you used your card?" "If you don't use it, you can cancel it." So I finally just went ahead and put a new pair of Converse sneakers on my Discover card from Zappos.com. I looked on Ebay first for a good deal but they were all going for over $40, so I just ordered them for $45 on Zappos.com brand new plus free shipping! I just got the same color to replace my old ones.

I try to make sure I use a credit card a month, even for a small purchase so the banks know I'm using my cards. I've been a little behind with that though lately trying to get my big balance from last years trip paid off by spring... I guess Discover card felt forgotten, lol.

I recently ordered and received 'The First Queen of England: The Myth of "Bloody Mary"' By, Linda Porter. I don't really have any historical biographies about Mary Tudor, except for The Children of Henry VIII By, Alison Weir, but that is also about Elizabeth I, Edward VI & the Lady Jane Grey. So far the book is interesting, though I think I still prefer the way Alison Weir writes.

I've also modified my workout routine to 3 days of the week to 20 minutes of running/walking. I have to lose 10 pounds by November and for my wedding in December. I would like to be back at 130 and I am 140 right now. My cousin is getting married in November and I am supposed to be one of her bridesmaids and whatever dress I buy or get made I am most likely going to wear for my own wedding in December. She wants dark purple and she said we could all pick a style that suits us, so that makes me happy.

Missguided Mommy started this game and I wanted to play along. It's called, "What's in my bag"

Here's my bag: It's a Converse One Star tote bag I got at Target and it is HUGE. I also have one in black. This is actually the 2nd silver bag I've gone through. On the outside of my bag I have 2 keychains from the Philippines. One is the Philippine flag & the other is the bible verse 1 Corinthians 13:4 'Love is patient, Love is kind."



















Now inside... is my life... I'm not even kidding! Bet you didn't think anyone could have so much stuff in their purse! Now I'm embarrassed, haha!

(Click on photos to enlarge.)



















What are we even looking at here? I try to keep things organized by putting some of my stuff into smaller bags, instead of everything inside my purse. There are 3. One is a silver makeup bag from Watson's drugstore in the Philippines. Another is green & white Clinique bag and the other a small grey mesh bag. I will go over what is inside them later.

To the left: Pens, Makeup, My checkbook & calculator. To the right is my 80GB Video Ipod, Monkey Gloves, Hairbrush, Eyeglass cleaning cloth, my keyring with all of my keys, keychains & tags for stores. Down at the bottom is my real Louis Vuitton wallet (I got on ebay ages ago.) to the left of my wallet is Philippine & Hong Kong money... I don't know why I carry these in my wallet all the time along with my american money... but I do. Hehe. Such a mess. Let's look at what things look like when it's more organized in my bag.

Here's what is inside my makeup bag:
















1 Eyeshadow Applicator
1 Makeup Brush
2 Makeup Sponges
1 Comb
1 Clean & Clear Oil Aborbing Sheets
1 Eyeliner (Avon Glimmersticks: blackest black)
1 Maybelline Concealer (Ivory)
6 Lip Balms (Carmex, Watson's Mint, Watson's Lemon, Watson's Tinted, Burts Bees, Dr. Pepper Bonne Belle.)I confess... I am addicted to lip balms!
1 Lip Gloss: (Victoria's Secret Aphrodisiac)
2 MAC eyeshadows (Naked & Jardin Aires)
2 MAC powders (Medium & Light Blot Powder)

Here is my bigger organizer bag it's from Clinique. Inside is:















My hairbrush, Vaseline Lotion (Cool & Fresh), Bath & Bodyworks antibacterial hand gel (Honeysuckle). 1 1/2 Mentos Mints (addicted!), Orbit Gum from the Philippines. A Cherry Push Pop because I was feeling nostalgic one day. A little purple notebook I got in the Philippines, my checkbook & calculator, tampons & tissues. This great styling stick from Bench that I also got in the Philippines. Its keeps flyaway hair down.

My little gray mesh organizer I've had for years. On the outside is a key chain that says 'F.B. & SLC' that F.B. had made up. The other side has our picture. Inside is:















3 pens. (Bic Atlantis, Black, Blue. 1 Silver Parker pen from F.B. with my name 'Sarah' engraved on it.)
1 Tupperware pill case, (ibuprofen & aspirin inside.)
2 Kopiko Coffee Milk Candies. (From the Philippines! Love them!)
1 Blue 256mb Flashdrive (gift from F.B.)
1 Revlon nail file.
1 Purple Rosary. Gift from a co-worker years ago. (I'm not Catholic, I'm Christian, but I keep in it my purse like some people keep rosaries or angels over their rear view mirror. I feel it keeps me safe.)
2 Safety pins.
1 backup Blackberry battery for my cell phone.
1 Clear Eyes eyedrops.

With everything in my purse it's pretty heavy! I had the idea to weigh it and see how heavy it was on my postal scale. Since Misguided Mommy is doing a giveaway with her post, I am also going to do my first giveaway here on my blog!

If you would like to enter the giveaway all you have to do it post a comment and tell me how much you think my purse weighs. Whoever gets it correct or guesses closest wins! I will pick a winner next Sunday night. (If there is a tie. I will do a random drawing to see who wins.)

I have 2 prize sets & the winner will get their choice of 1. (I thought this idea would make it different since some of you might like a good book over makeup & vice versa.)

1st Set is a Makeup Set. With 4 brand new items.

1 Clinique Mild Facial Soap
1 Clinique lipstick in: Raspberry Glace
1 Clinique Mascara in: Black
1 Eyeshadow set from: Jasmine La Belle. (5 colors)














2nd set is:

2 Yankee Candles: (1.75oz) Scents: Buttercream & Vanilla Cupcake
1 Book: Elizabeth The Queen by Alison Weir. (Also titled as: The Life of Elizabeth I.) Non-Fiction, Paperback Biography.















The winner will also receive with their prize a brand new bag of Kopiko Coffee Milk Candies, I brought back from the Philippines in December. They are amazing!



















Good luck! (Remember, anyone can comment. You don't have to belong to blogger.com!)

If you play 'What's in my Bag' on your blog, leave a link in my comments!

I haven't updated in a few days, I was so busy this past week and yesterday was spent cleaning my entire room and doing laundry. Sugar had her visit at the vet on Tuesday for her sprain. He did an x-ray to make sure it wasn't a broken bone. Pretty weird seeing the inside of your rat on an x-ray! It was just a really bad sprain. He prescribed some metacam an anti-inflammatory for her to take for 2 weeks. She has to get it once a day and she just hates it, she will try to drool it out of her mouth. The swelling is decreasing slowly and it definitely doesn't look as bad as it did. He skin was really dry and peeling on her paw when the swelling started to go down though so I was putting a dab of olive oil on it to help keep it moisturized.

Finally got a quote on insurance for a new car. It would be $119 a month for full coverage from our State Farm Agent. That's not bad at all. I have to call one of the Nissan dealers back on Monday. He called twice during the weekend but I've been busy this weekend so I will get back to him on Monday. There's about 4 dealers in our area. And once I talk to the one dealer my dad & I are going to check out all the dealers maybe this coming weekend or next weekend. So maybe I will have a new car by March or so! I'm still interested in the Versa Sedan. I also found out one of my co-workers recently got the same car from the dealer right near my house. The same dealer I have to call back on Monday.

My own car was having issues with the shocks last week. I actually had to get a ride to work on Tuesday. It had snowed in the morning and when I started driving the car it was shaking and bouncing so badly I thought something was wrong with the tires. My dad ended up dropping me off at work and my co-worker gave me a ride home. Turns out my car has just entered old age. (It is a 93') I now have to let it warm up for 10-15min in extremely cold weather or else my shocks freeze up. I will be so happy if I am able to afford a new car this year!

F.B. & I were talking recently about snow and what he would think of it. He was wondering how he would drive in the snow & ice too and what it would be like to experience 4 seasons when he moves to the USA heehee.

I visited my Nana on Friday night. I haven't seen her since before I went away to the Philippines and I had some gifts for her and she wanted to see my trip pictures. The ratties paid her a visit too. I took the girls last time I visited. She loved my new girls Ginger & Nutmeg and she gave everyone a Hershey kiss. She said, "See if you come to visit Nana- you get candy!" So funny, heehee.

I ordered 'The True Life of Mary Stuart' by John Guy off of Ebay. I just started reading it and it's really good. I've been reading alot of books about Mary Queen of Scots lately.

I have to start working on getting Valentines stuff together for F.B. too. Though I think he may get his package after Valentines. I'm going to get our trip photos printed up and put into albums like I do every year for us. And I've got to get him a card and write a letter. I'm finally getting a paycheck this monday. I always hate coming back to work after being furloughed because it takes 3-4 weeks before you receive your first paycheck again!

Spice had a vet visit Friday December 5th, the day after I got back from the Philippines. She was beginning to get a mammary tumor under her right armpit. (Spice is 1 year 2 months now.) She was scheduled today for her mass removal.

I dropped her off around 8:30am this morning and was able to pick her up at 5pm. She looks pretty bad right now. It was a much larger incision than Cinnamon's spay. The stitches even go down her arm a bit. They shaved alot of her fur and here is also alot of dried blood around the incision and also on her belly. I took a picture but it looks a bit graphic so I won't post it on here. I'll wait a few days until it looks better before I post a picture.

The surgery cost $284. Not really an expense I needed right now, but what can you do. Pets are like children. She has a check up next Tuesday and the Vet has her on the antibiotic SMZ-TMP

She seems alert, but uncomfortable and in a little pain. The Vet did give her Banamine after her surgery so that should help with the pain. She keeps trying to clean her fur off though. I'm going to try to clean her fur off (not near the metal stitches) tomorrow with some saline and gauze.

I've got everyone separated in the Ferret Nation again. I locked the levels so Spice has the entire top level for her hospital cage. I also removed the other level so she is on a completely flat surface. Cinnamon & Sugar will be in the downstairs part of the cage for now until Spice can live with her sisters again.
















P.S. When I was in the Philippines I bought 'Mary Queen of Scots' by Antonia Fraser. The only other history book I had on Mary Queen of Scots was the one by Alison Weir. But that mostly covers her husbands death. I'm really enjoying this book, it is keeping me interested just like Alison Weir's history books.

Updated 12-11-08: Spice is doing better. She is still pretty uncomfortable from her surgery but doesn't seem to be in any pain. She sometimes gets jumpy and wants to climb and other times she'll sleep for hours. She has a little bit of trouble holding her food because of the stitches on her right arm. So she's been eating alot of soft foods, peas, mixed veggies, spinach, scrambled eggs.

Here is an updated picture from her surgery. The stitches are definitely looking alot better than they did her first night home. (Pretty big incision.)

I’ve been in the Philippines about a month now. November 1st was ‘All Saint’s Day’, a big holiday in the Philippines. Relatives go to the cemetery to visit their relatives that have passed. And put flowers on the graves and light candles. It’s a big celebration though. Relatives will get up at dawn and spend the entire day at the cemetery. They set up tents or umbrellas around their loved ones graves and spend the day with family.

F.B. & I woke up around 5:30am and left around 7am to go meet up with his family who was already at the cemetery. It was a pretty cloudy and rainy day though. Lot’s of traffic and detours on the roads. Tons of people were at the cemetery, almost like a festival, they were selling stuff, there were food stands. F.B. & I met up with his family and made an appearance. It was still raining so we hung out in the car for most of the time. Then I had to use the restroom, which was flooded. Ewww.

Around 10:30am F.B. & I headed off to the mall. First we stopped at Starbucks since we were both sleepy. Then we went to Sta. Lucia mall so F.B. could look for a game. Then we headed to Market Market so I could get a pink Coca Cola t-shirt I saw there last time. I got another Pepsi t-shirt too in black. The last one I got was red. I already have 2 soda t-shirts from the USA. A Dr Pepper one and another Pepsi one, so I added to my collection.

We had lunch at Tokyo Tokyo, (the place we had our first date.) They have Japanese fast food. We both had chicken teriyaki and we ordered California Maki sushi. In the USA they put avocado in California Roll, in the Philippines they put mango and it tastes 10x’s better. Philippines Mango’s are amazing! We headed to Mega Mall for church around 5pm. They have a chapel right in the mall. It’s a big church too. Then we headed home around 7pm because we were exhausted from the long day.

Friday we went out to see 'City of Ember' at SM Marikina Mall. The girl that plays Briony in 'Atonement' is also in this movie. It was okay. I had a cold though and my throat was pretty swollen so when we ate out at KFC I just had mushroom soup and mashed potatoes, hehe.

Here are some silly photos we took the other day. F.B. & I posing with my pretty umbrella I got at Watson’s drugstore in Mall of Asia. (I know… its bad luck to open an umbrella indoors! Haha!)
















And here is F.B. in the parking garage at Market Market. We parked next to pole F3, but F.B. covered the 3 to look like a B. It’s his own personalized pole. Heehee!













And some of us being silly with Miss Daga (rat) the stuffed animal F.B. gave me.

















































This weekend we are heading to Tagaytay for the day. We’ll take pictures of Taal Volcano and later in the day go to the amusement park ‘Enchanted Kingdom’. Should be fun! I think later this month we are also taking a day trip with F.B.’s parents to Baguio for F.B.’s father’s birthday.