It starts with me urinating on a cat, it ends with Top Gun

Feel free to discontinue reading. 

It was just one of those instances where a cat jumps into a toilet whilst you are relieving yourself. 

Let me explain...

The Victim

So. I had just arrived home after a fantastic fly-fishing trip in Alberta (more on that later). I headed to Steph's place to discover that she had "rescued" a kitten. 

I'll admit I was a tad suspicious at her humanitarian effort considering all it would take for Steph to bring a cat home was if she saw one unattended or "super-sad looking..". 
Both prerequisites were met. 
- theft has not been ruled-out.

Apparently Steph was working late at the hospital when she noticed that the automatic sliding doors leading outside kept, automatically-sliding I guess, open and closed. 
She raced to the door to see what was the matter. 

And lo, a kitten, flea-ridden and "so sad and cute and [not knowing] where he was" was dancing back and forth in front of the doors at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Westwood. 
Steph was determined that the cat was in danger and  "could have been killed!" (mhmm) 

So now we have a cat. 

I say "we" because after combing the thing for fleas, flea-bathing, and dealing with the shit-box, I feel like a father... 
or step-father...
or maybe "mom's boyfriend that comes over to watch t.v. sometimes and drink"- I just need a jean-vest and a Harley.  

Anyhoo like I said, the cat had fleas and was thus contained in Steph's small bathroom. So when I entered and needed to well... 
I just figured I could do so in peace.

Scene of the crime

I walked into the bathroom to find  the cat playing with his new mouse-toy. Smiling at his innocence, I turned to proceed with my business. 

*Now I am not traditionally a cat person, I abide by dog rules. Many is the time I've entered and exited a bathroom with a dog sleeping on the floor the whole time. 
Cats are different. They are wild and unpredictable, rogues. 
I knew something was wrong when I saw the cat dive to my left, hiding behind my leg. I looked down and saw his eyes, wide with shock as he hunched into pounce mode. 
Before I could utter "Dooooonnn'tt even think abou..." 
He was in the air, over the rim and *SPLASH!* into the toilet. 

Curiosity had indeed prevailed, and there was the cat, floundering in the toilet. 
It took all the compassion in my Christian-core to fish the little bastard out and toss him bean-bag style into the sink where he lay sopping and devastated.

But I believe mistakes can be life's best classroom. 

It was a learning experience for both of  us and I think we are better people/cats for having survived it.  

A bit traumatized after his post-toilet PalmOlive soap bath. 

Apparently we are looking for a new home for the cat.

But before one can be found, he needs to be "nursed back to health", given cat-toys and a scratch-post and more varieties of food than cupboard space allows. 

Oh and a name! how about BRUIN ? 

Ya 'know because he was found at UCLA? 

So if you want a cat and own a storage unit, come and get him. (Please hurry, the bond between woman and cat grows stronger each day)

A Mother and her Cub

So aside from THAT....

Things have been interesting. 

For instance. 

We were graced by another visit from my mom, who came out to LA to hang for a few days before we hopped in the car and headed south to San Diego to meet up with my dad, who was attending the always-crackin' Oral Surgery Convention. 

---Some pictures to illustrate our fun---

Julie dives into a 10 lb. Pumpkin pancake at The Griddle cafe in Hollywood.  

Pit stop in Laguna Beach to check out the Sea Lions on our way to San Diego

A lovely stroll on Coronado Island

Things got Batty! at the San Diego Safari Park 

Steph in front of the gorgeous Hotel Del Coronado 

San Diego is a big-time military town. As we walked up and down the beach, we were entertained by watching Navy SEALS jump out of helicopters into the ocean on some military exercises.

We checked out the USS Midway, a massive aircraft carrier used in Vietnam and Desert Storm. It now

sits in a bay in San Diego as a museum and occasional American Idol audition spot. 

The tour itself was pretty awesome, led in large part by Veterans volunteering their time.

The other part of the tour was a "wireless experience" which meant busting out the hand sanitizer in anticipation for the $2 foam DELTA headsets that feel like they have been drizzled in pop-corn butter. Of course the experience is amplified when an overweight and out-of-breath tourist slaps them in your hand after HIS tour.

Mmmm headsets' still warm...  

USS MIDWAY

Mom and Steph get ready to take to the skies

Maverick and Goose
(well maybe Ice Man, we all know what happens to Goose) 

Up on top of the Aircraft Carrier, it was a bit sunny. 

Indeed for many, San Diego brings to mind the ocean, warm weather, sunny skies, and Tom Cruise riding a motorcycle with a "no rules" attitude after a homoerotic bout of beach volleyball in Top Gun (before you complain, rewatch the movie).

So we were Full-Throttle when we happened upon the Kansas City BBQ Restaurant - Home of the famous "bar scene" from the film.
(A claim-to-fame the restaurant made quite certain we would understand)

It was great to see my parents and feel like a kid, they treated Steph and I quite well and I think they enjoyed themselves just as much as we did.

*My dad was so inspired, he's giving his memoir another crack*

Read it

Well that's it for today, but check back soon because I'm gonna let you know about how I got stuck in Montana by myself, the Canadian fishing trip, and Michael Bolton. 

Here's a Nate Johnson sneak-peek! 

What could Nate be drinking for breakfast at 4am on the fishing trip?
         A. Mountain Dew
B. A Slushy
                                C. Some leftover Molson Beer

And here's a little food-for-thought for everyone still on-the-fence about the upcoming election.

Apparently we're in for a LOOONG four years according to the noisy homeless guy on Hollywood Blvd.

Yep.