Warm!

My kitties know how to stay warm

3:365 and 4:365

Yesterday was one of "those days". I felt sad. I did post a picture on the 365 project website, though. This says it all...what I need to do:

Today is a better day, even though I didn't get a lot done. My wrist is bothering me, so I'm taking it easy. Had a nice phone conversation with my daughter---all the plans we have. We need to put the house back to three bedrooms if I plan to sell it. That means loosing my big kitchen because the washer and dryer need to go back in what used to be the utility room, which is now part of my big kitchen. Maybe we can put a wall back up. Then I need to get 220 installed. If I sell without the upgrade then it will come out of the final selling price, and I'm sure they will pick a higher price than if I have it done. A lot of the other stuff is cosmetic. I think a big garage sale is in order for this spring. Part of the organize and declutter project involves clearing out a lot of stuff. I have 41 years of stuff, and I still have some of my mom's stuff and my daughter's stuff . Too much stuff!!!! And this house is a postage stamp sized 890 sq. feet with no basement. But the heating bill is really cheap!!


Anyway, here is today's 4:365 picture. Macey was fast asleep on the chair, and then Murry hopped up and sat down right on top of her. Murry is 20 pounds! I grabbed the camera, but by the time I got there he had laid down, still sort of on top of her. Poor Macey!

Tuna Truce

I guess a bowl of juice from a can of tuna can call a truce between two (sort of friendly) rivals. Normally Macey and Sophie hiss and swipe at each other, but when I set a bowl of tuna juice down for Macey, Sophie joined in. Heads together, they shared and not a single hiss!

The Saga of the Sleeping Kitty Continues...

Today when I was out shopping I saw some inexpensive pet beds at the drug store. So I bought one for the DOG, Trixie, who is a bit bigger than the cats but still pretty small by dog standards. Anyway, I set the bed on the floor only to find the dog lying in the middle of the floor staring at the bed, which was and still is occupied by...you guessed it, Macey. I picked up the bed, cat and all, set it on the couch, and promised the dog I will go buy another one tomorrow. Trixie is sleeping comfortably on her old bed, so don't worry, she is not going without one.

As you can see by the previous post, kitty Macey loves to be warm and comfy. Even the previously coveted comforter lost its appeal in light of the new bed!

An early Merry Christmas or...

...a late Anniversary gift. Either way, I was to the point that my carpal tunnel was driving me nuts, so I was either going to have to give up using the mouse, or stop using the computer. Guess what won.

Here it is---my new Wacom Bamboo. I have wanted a tablet for years.

In other news, Macey (left) and Murry say "Hi, don't bother us we're sleeping."

Aren't they cute. You can see Macey's extra thumbs.

Pickles :-)

Today we canned some bread and butter pickles. It's been years since we last did any canning, and I no longer have my big canning pot. So until we have the proper equipment, batches are just going to remain small. I can tell you I was pretty nervous listening to the jars dancing in the boiling water because there was no rack to hold them.

Cucumbers, bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, all from our garden.

They look like they turned out fine. Now---the long wait, not opening any for at least 4 weeks. Haven't tried the tomato preserves yet, either.

In other news, if you love cats, or even remotely like cats, you must watch Nora play the piano! Nora even had a concerto written for her, a CATcerto!

The Conference this year will be in Nashville. Sounds like fun. More later...

Lucky

Stripey Cat has a new name, Lucky. He came to visit us today and I snapped some pictures. (click on them for full size)

Below---I put him on the lawn chair because he wouldn't stay still

You are not seeing things---the centers of his eyes are just as green as the chair he's sitting on!

Gold eyes with teal green centers! Awsome!

We are SOOOO glad he has a good home.

Kitty Update

Stripey Cat (I thought adding the "e" made it look more like stripe-ee and not strip-ee) must be happy next door. They haven't turned it out. The former owner was across the street this morning. Didn't even show her face, or even look for it, or even miss it. What a shame. Glad it has a new home. I will try to find out if "it" is a he or she.

Stripy Cat

Aww I hate it when people dump animals!! And no we didn't take it in---can't with three older cats.

I know who dumped the kitty, too, because she had it with her and her children when they were visiting across the street. Because I know her she came over to talk and brought the kitty with her. She told me how much they loved this kitty named "Precious".

Today little silver and black striped cat Precious was meowing at our door, but I didn't see the owner and her children anywhere. I brought the kitty water but couldn't let it inside, not with my upset kitties peering out the window at it. For hours dad and I watched for the owner to drive up, looking for kitty, but they never came (we have no way to contact her). Finally dad broke down and said we should feed it, although that means they never leave, and we can't take it in. He said to set the food over by the gate, away from the porch, so our kitties couldn't see it.

Stripy Cat came bounding over with joy when it saw the dish in my hand. I called it over to the gate and set down the food. Just then our next door neighbors came home. They came over and asked if that was our cat. We told them no and who owned it. The son (who was playing with the children of Stripy Cat's owner) said they didn't want it anymore and just left it. The mom said it was at their door this morning and they let it in, but turned it back out when a call to the landlord wasn't promising. She told her family if it was still around when she got home from work she was going to buy a litter box and food and take it in anyway. She said they always had cats and she wanted to give this little one a home. I was so happy to hear they were taking it in. I gave them an extra bag of cat food.

So Stripy Cat Precious is living next door. Dad and I are relieved because I would have been in tears if this had gone on much longer. Dad said it's a smart little cat and if it wasn't for our own kitties we would have taken it in. Maybe I'll get a picture of it sometime.

Now it's too warm

From blankets to air conditioning LOL! The first thing I learned about the weather in the Great Lakes region is if you don't like it, wait five minutes. We decided on a quick dinner tonight, instead of fish since the house is closed up. Dad baked homemade bread yesterday so we decided on toasted cheese sandwiches.


I got a lot more packing and cleaning done this week, but then I have such great helpers!

Sophie

I found a box with some ornaments in it and thought Murry might want to sport a bow tie.






Notice the packed bins and the repaired scratching post. Sophie only likes the sisal so she confines her scratching to the bottom 4 inches. Murry loves the whole thing, and yes, they like it best in the horizontal position.

Time flies...

I didn't realize so much time had gone by since I last posted. The weather has been nice, 70's and 80's and still cool at night. It's breezy enough to keep the air fresh so we can keep the house open all night. So far. But the time will come as it does every year when the breeze will stop and the smog will build up and the idiot across the alley will burn his stinky campfire every night so I have to close the house up.

I've been busy, putting stuff up on eBay and throwing stuff out. I filled up three grocery bags full of papers to take to the city recycling to be shredded (so much easier than one page at a time). I've been going through my violets, re potting and tossing extras that aren't worth keeping. I managed to send out quite a few to new homes a couple weeks ago. I also sent some tubers of the unusual iris I got from grandma on Lindbergh Street to friends in Missouri and Michigan. I have lots of it here but at least it will be shared so I won't loose it when we move (just in case what I bring doesn't take).

A type of Japanese Iris bought many years ago.

My daughter in Australia had a very sad day yesterday. One of her cats, Iggy, developed sudden and severe kidney problems and did not respond to medication. He passed away at the vet's on Wednesday (Thursday the 21st in Australia).

May 2004, they were tiny kittens

Iggy (left) and Woolly, March 2008

Iggy 2004 - May 2009