Halloween costume

 So, I need to get started blogging again.  Fair amount of busy...  But mostly, I just didn't sit down and blog. So, for today, it will be short.

This is Ding the cat.  Husband saw a cartoon about bats, and asking if she was a Dingbat.  

Well, now she is!

This costume lasted exactly 3 photos, and she decided it was time to play with the wings.  Um.  Paper wings don't stand up well to teeth.  But Husband loved it, and Ding was patient... For Ding.

So it worked out well.

Tonight, one of our friends wants to bring her son over for Trick or Treat.  I will be putting his candy out in a "Monster Bush" for him to take, I am keeping well away from them, but he will get his candy! (Monster Bush pic later.)

A new neighbor...

We put up a bird feeder by our front window, both for our entertainment, and for Ding's.  She loves watching the birds, especially hummingbirds.  

I happened to be over at my parents, I had gone on a grocery run, so I missed this. Fortune smiled, and Husband caught it. Ding was fascinated by the squirrel, and Husband said it wasn't scared of her, even when she pawed the window.  

Hasn't been back, though... 

Can't I go out to play?

How to leash a cat...

Ding is really happy now that the better weather is here.  I try and take her outside more often.  I am rather afraid of her being out without a leash.  She doesn't have front claws, from her former owner, so she can't defend herself... And I found out, she isn't afraid of vehicles.  I was walking out with her, and cars were going by, a noisy truck, a motorcycle... Nothing.  She didn't shy, she didn't run, just looked mildly curious at the louder ones.  Translation, she has no sense of danger, so she isn't going out without someone...

So, get her into a leash.  This is easy, and it's hard.  I pick up the leash, and she's ready to go.  She meows, and runs to the door.  And paws the door.  And meows.

I pick her up, and put her on the bench to put the leash on- and she jumps down and runs to the door.  I pick her up, again, hanging on to the little furball.  She is meowing insistently, and trying to slip through my fingers. 

I put the leash over her back, and she lunges.  I manage to hold her, and put the neck collar on.  This is where it gets tricky.  I have to hang onto her, and snap the chest collar shut.  Now, as far as Ding is concerned, when she heard the neck collar click, that was well and more than enough. 

So, I hang onto any bit of her that isn't in jump mode, which usually is her head or neck, I manage to snap the second collar shut, sometimes after a try or three... Her fur gets in between the latches, and makes it slip back open.

Finally leashed, I grab the door, and open.  To see her lunge, and usually bonk her nose on the screen... Not too hard, but I have to get the screen open quickly, or she meows and looks really annoyed, trying to open it with her paws.  Thankfully, she has no thumbs.

I finally get her outside, and she runs down the ramp, and gallops to the lawn.

And sits down, and grazes.

Yep, crazy.  Fits right in with our house.

Cats, young and... Older. And dogs.

Ding is an "only child" in the house.  She still isn't great buds with Buzz, but Buzz is very laid back, and so they do get along.  Still, I keep wondering, if we could get a friend for her. 

I had thought of a kitten.  She goes bananas when she hears a kitten, on TV or when we have the computer playing a video.  But a video is not a kitten, and I wonder if she would be upset to have a tiny furball, when she has been Princess 'o the House for all her time...

I had thought of a small to medium dog, too.  She grew up with dogs, A Dachshund, and a Retriever, as I remember, so she thinks she's a dog.  Loved Rudee, wanted to run and play with him all the time. 

So I suggested something small.  We eliminated Chihuahuas, neither of us are fond of them, Jack Russells are a maybe, if we got one as a puppy, as they can be a pain, and some don't like cats.  I suggested a Pomeranian, and Husband got a funny look on his face, and said something to the effect that we would need to buy a new house after the play sessions! 

I think "mutt" might be the way to go, as long as we get one that likes cats.  I don't think we will be getting any new pet any time soon, but it's fun to think about.  Actually, so are kittens...

Oh, and we eliminated Great Danes, Marmaduke is fun in the comics, but the first time I have a problem with an animal that's the size of a pony, in the house?  No.

Just...  No.

Panic attack!

Poor Buzz.  She comes to the side door to get her dinner.  We have a cat, formerly a stray, now the neighbors have adopted, that is an extreme jerk.  He will run up and pound on her with no warning, and tries continually to corner her.  I am not a big one for hurting animals, but I ended up having to hit him with a rock to get him to lay off her and leave.  I had no gloves, or I would have grabbed him bodily... Sigh.

 But we don't leave the food out now, we feed her, when she leaves, we put the food away.  It's a pain in the butt, but it works, we rarely see the other cat. (The one I called Midnight, by the way...)

So, she has become used to calling for us at the side door, and we come out and feed her.  This works well for all involved.  Ding even comes to the door, and Buzz will come over, they touch noses, and all seems well in the land of Kittycat. 

Until about 2 days ago.  Buzz decided Ding was being friendly, and for whatever unknown reason, Buzz just walked in the house.  I decided not to close the door, as she is NOT a house cat.

I was spot on with that thought.  She rubbed up against Ding, who looked very confused, and then Buzz actually registered.  Hey, I am in the house.  THIS IS TERRIFYING!!!  LET ME OUT YESTERDAY! 

Launch!

She yowled, then scorched out of the house like her tail was on fire, Ding ran to the door, looking even MORE confused, why did my new friend leave?  She just got here!

I managed to keep Ding from running out the door, Buzz was long gone, and I quickly closed the door. Ah.  All is back to "normal"... 

Except now Buzz stays WAY back from the door when it opens.  Guess you can't be too careful when you are near the doorway of...

Whatever she thinks it is... 

The throne room. With a new throne!

Well, it isn't pretty.  The potty in my bathroom was working, sort of.  It was not nice, even after scrubbing, and even pumice stones (!), I couldn't get it to look 'clean'.  Less dirty, perhaps, but it was a mess.  And it would tend to plug up, and try to run over, if you weren't paying attention.  This made potty business a very attentive activity.  You do NOT flush and walk off.

And the sad part is, Husband's toilet was worse.  I would clean, and it looked like I'd done... nothing.  And his would run, continually.  He finally figured out a way to flush and get it to stop, but I didn't have the magic touch, so would have to let him know if I used his toilet. Otherwise whatever time elapsed, we'd hear the sound of running water in the toilet.  Thank goodness we don't have city water, or we'd owe a king's ransom by this point!

But it was not pleasant, it was not good, and it did nothing for the pump, or the house.  So, Husband got the thought that we should get new toilets. 

Okay. Cool.

We trotted off to Orange Hardware, and after losing him, (ironically because I needed to use the bathroom), I found the right aisle for toilets.  He was looking at many, many toilets.  I stood and knit a hat nearby, amusing many shoppers.  (Someone made a comment about a toilet cover. Uh. Nooo... 😄)

We finally agreed on a toilet, and after scaring up some help for him to get it in the pickup, off we went home. 

He started removing my old toilet, which led to Ding getting 50 kinds of curious.  She wanted to be there.  It worked out all right, as he put her over on the mat. (Her 'place', as it were, and she was able to watch, and for the most part, not be in the way.)  He had all out, then we locked Ding in the bedroom for a minute, as he shuttled old toilet parts out, and brought new toilet parts in.  Amazingly, she didn't try playing the bongos on the door during all this!

He was worried about the toilet being not the right size, as the spot for it in my bathroom is narrow, and the pluming is right near the wall.  Well, it worked!  So, he put all the parts together, and  we buttoned everything up, the next morning he checked for any leaks or drips.

NONE!!!  :)

So he put caulking around the base, and I now have a new throne!

God Bless the Queen?

The one and only drawback so far, is the sound.  Remember I said the old one would try and run over?  The new one, when it flushes... Sounds like the old one when it runs over!  This has made me pay attention. 

I will get used to it... But heck, it works!!!!

Princess and the pauper pusses.

(I suspect it would be hazardous to say that title three times fast... At least for anyone close by!)

Ding and Buzz have worked out an agreement, I think.  She of the fine and fancy (Ding) who still, I suspect, thinks she is a dog, has decided that Buzz is not a threat, and will even peek through the door and touch noses with Buzz. 

She of the rough and ready (Buzz), seems to consider her a goofy aside.  She will mew at Ding, give her a quick sniff, then walk to the food bowl, and ignore her.  Ding, thankfully, has no interest in Buzz's food, so that hasn't been an issue. 

We haven't been taking Ding outside as much, she has been acting spooked, and has become an Ace at getting loose from her lead.  I really think she needs a chip, she bolts, and I might as well have her tied with one strand of spider silk.  She will just slip the lead, and run.  So... No outside at the moment.  We do put a place for her to sit by an open, screened window, so she gets to see out, and she gets to 'say hi' to Buzz, but that's it.  Ding is terrified of the chickens, Buzz, she is cautious around them, but not scared.  I think she is more making sure they don't mistake her tail for a snack...

I tried, when it was very cold here, to bring Buzz in.  BIG mistake.  She cried, and ran straight to the door, and then flew outside, then turned and glared at me for the horrid thing I'd done... eep.  So, they will probably never be roommates.

So, the two of them seem to enjoy the specific niche that each is in, and I guess, that's the way it will be.  I really never thought I would have an indoor cat, (Husband has allergies, but he takes meds, and it is fine, so far, knock wood), but moreover, having two cats that are as soooo different from each other.  One is a cat's kitty, the other is a queen fluff of all she surveys.

And,  I love 'em both.  Leave it to me to get the yin and yang of the cat world, though...

Woooah, look at all the pretty colors... ??

For my American friends, Happy Independence Day!  If not, Happy Thursday! 

******************************************************

Well, it was clean the chicken house day, and I had a mess.  I cleaned, and cleaned.  Without going into great detail, some of the older birds are... prodigious in the EXTREME in voiding... EEEEW, even.  So, I had to clean up, and put down fresh cedar. 

I also had to clean the yard, too.  The brambles and blackberry vines were taking over the whole of the back of the chicken house.  Not good for getting around, and gives hiding spots for chickens... And predators.  And so about an hour or a bit less, everything was whacked down to a reasonable walking area again.  (And I discovered where the blasted broodies were hiding eggs in the yard.  Which are now removed... Sigh.)

When I finish this, I am bushed.  Husband got me a very powerful weed whacker, and I can use it for a limited amount of time, or it darn near rattles my teeth out!  So, after all the dust, pollen, plant bits, and... doo...  I was a mess.  I came in the house, and was ready to clean up.  I sat down to remove my shoes and socks.  This is normally a no biggie item...

Until Ding showed up. 

Yon kitty decided I was eminently sniffable.  And proceeded to do so, from bottom to top.  She was relentless! I would move her from my feet to start taking off a shoe, and she was then up beside me, sniffing my belly and elbows.  She was really into sniffing, going full flehmen, all over me. 

I let her continue for a while, then had to draw the line when she climbed up to my face, and proceeded to sniff and lick same, and tried to even pull off my glasses by nipping them! 

I still don't know exactly what set her off, but... 

We do have wild peppermint in the hen yard.  Considering that, we could have other wild plants out there that 'tripped her trigger', too.  I don't know if peppermint would do it, but it could have been that, too.

Or, she just thought dirty hen yard smells good... With that crazy kitty, anything is possible. 

But, after a shower, and change of clothes, she was back to good ol' "meh" mode...

The Princess and the Pawper.

(Yes, pun, I know..)

Ding caught a mouse in our house the other day...  This actually amazed me a bit.  I hate to say it, she is not a hunter type kitty.  I have mentioned that she was raised by dogs, as well as being taken from her mom way too early... Well, her "cat" finally must have kicked in.  She kept checking around our fireplace, and since bugs tend to fly down the chimney, and flutter around the glass in the front, I didn't pay too much attention. 

Until she pounced on the back of the wood box.  Odd.  I still didn't get too excited, she does occasionally bat around bugs.   Poor thing managed to get a mouth full of stink bug, and hasn't quite been as excited about that since...

Anywho, I glanced over, and she had something in her mouth.  NOT a bug.  OH!! DING HAS A MOUSE*!!!  Husband trots over, and she sits up pretty, gurgling a meow.  Then she drops said mouse, which promptly tries to make the Great Escape.  Ding is purring, and then realizes the mouse is rapidly leaving.  She runs over, grabs it again, then repeats, gurgle mew, drop, and mouse run...  Finally, after my yelling at husband to grab something to catch said rodent, he does, and we get it outside. 

Ding seemed eminently satisfied with herself, and washed up, then looked around, well, where is my chin rub?  Uh.  Mighty rodent killer, no.

Then there is Buzz.  I have seen her sit and watch a hole for HOURS.  She doesn't move, barely twitches an ear.  Then WHAM, she darts in and grabs a mouse.  Generally, unlike some cats I have seen, she doesn't "play" with them much, she dispatches them, and has a meal.  And she will let me know if she's caught something, but until it has stopped moving, (usually with various disconcerting puncture wounds and things looking like they aren't bending the right way anymore), she growls and shakes, and impales with toenails.  She was around her mom for a bit, so I think she had a little more "cat training".  We feed her well, but she is most happy being outside, doing her hunting thing. 

So, I have one kitty that loves to play and find a nice spot to curl up in, and be the ambassador of goodwill for the house, and enjoys it a lot, another that is the pest patrol, and most excellent at her job. 

Guess it works out for both of them!  But, I sincerely don't think they should trade places like in the story...







*(Husband informed me it was a shrew, not a mouse.  However, she still caught it, fair and square...) 

Werewolf? Er, meow??

I was out like a light, and obviously, so was Husband.

Ding took this as quite an advantage. 

We have taught Ding that there are certain places she can't go, (kitchen counter, dining room table), and places where it's fine, (bathroom counter, craft room bookshelf).  Didn't think I would need to work on training, this late in the game. 

We let Ding sleep on the bed.  This generally isn't a problem... Well, unless I get pinned down with 17 pounds of cat, and sheets, but that is happening less, she's found that sleeping between us is warmer, than on top of me...

Wherein lies the oopsie.

I woke, and turned over, to rub Husband's back.  I do this quite often.  I reach out, and I feel... FUR.  My muzzy brain doesn't click.  My husband is not David's Michelangelo bare, hair wise, but he isn't that furry!

Gah?

That's when I started hearing Ding's buzzing purr.  She had managed to wiggle down between the two of us, under the sheets.  And was contentedly snoozing between us.

But not for long.  I flipped the sheets back some, and pulled her out, waking Husband in the process.  Ding was upset, and jumped off the bed.  I, on the other hand, rolled over, and went back to sleep.  I also was back to back with Husband, so Ding was out of luck.  She has since tried a few times to get under the sheets, so I put her back on top, and cover her with a blanket.  I don't think she cares for it as well, but that's what she's getting... 

Husband's "other woman" is not getting pride of place! 

Hmph. Stupid Passwords...

Can I say I wish I had photographic memory for passwords?

I wanted to blog last Tuesday, and so I zipped onto the computer, and then...

PLEASE ENTER PASSWORD.

Uh.  Ok, Lessee. It's in my password book.  Which is in my purse. Hmm.

Or my carry bag...

My coat?

Maybe it's in the back seat of the... Oh, crud... I left it at the house, on the table.  I had put it NEXT to my purse, but not IN it.  Ergo, when I left, it sat quietly, not letting me know I was leaving it.  Unlike Ding, who meows and tries desperately to follow me out the door, and if that isn't possible, she tries to leave enough fur on my pant legs to let me know she's fluffy, for several hours after...

(I have images of the Sherlock episode where he's analyzing a gent, and figures out he has a dog.  No, 2 dogs... I keep thinking he'd figure out I had a cat, chickens, and frequently walk in mud...  However, he might think I raise sheep and goats, or pack rope, just as easily, with all my spinning fiber...)

So, I didn't get to blog this last week.  We have had a doozy of rain here, even for Oregon...  And I think everyone and their dog, and their dog's dog, must have been streaming movies.  We could just NOT get on line much.  So, I made a POINT of putting the password book in the purse...

And yes, it's probably not the best method of keeping the things straight, but until they can make it so I don't have so many passwords, that are supposed to be random combinations of digits, numbers, and symbols, and they can't be less than six long, yada yada yada... I have to be able to remember the doofy things somehow!  So, I will do up a few for this week. 

Since I can get in, today.  I keep thinking of the bit I saw about photographic memory.  I have it, but I just don't have film in the camera... :)

Blurble. And being punished. Sort of.

I thought I'd better write up a blog before I doze off.  I am excusing myself from a couple items that I have been asked to do today, I wasn't feeling really up to them, and decided...

You know what?  I don't have to!

I am not trying to be snippy, but I am beginning to think that I need to say no a bit more often, as I enjoy doing a lot of the things, but am also finding myself tired out.

And that makes it less enjoyable.

And there's that whole 'taken for granted' thing.

But mostly, I just feel blah.  Not ill, exactly, but it's teetering on the very narrow edge of
something-isn't-quite-there in the energy department.  Therefore, I am giving myself permission to just say skip it...

Hence the blurble.  I am waiting for the dryer to buzz, typing my blog, and that's just about the most energetic I've been today.  I think I am probably needing to catch up on sleep from the cat/Husband battle.

Oh, didn't I mention that?

Ding has taken to "playing bongos" with the bathroom door.  This is loud, and occurs roughly 2 to 3 in the morning, which makes it hard for me to return to sleep.  It also drives Husband bats.  So, Husband decided to put the squirt bottle by the bed, to let her know he doesn't like bongos in the wee hours.

BUT...

He couldn't see her, and managed to miss each time, which Ding took as a fun challenge, she would wait, then sneak back when he put the bottle down. THUMP, THUMP, squizzz, gallop, repeat.

So, Husband now has a nightlight by the bed, (which surprisingly does not bother me, light wise) so he can aim at Ding with accuracy.  He has also released his inner Dirty Harry, whereby, it now goes something like, THUMP, THUM-sqiuzsquizsquizz TAKE THAT SUCKER!!! gallop. Repeat in 10 minutes.

This makes for a very... Um... unique wake up call!  I think the squirt bottle is finally getting through to her, she didn't attack the door last night.  Knocked some books over, and carried a washcloth from the bathroom out to the hall, but no bongos.

I will take what I can get, at least she was quiet. (The books were paperbacks, so weren't noisy.)

Ok, as for the being punished.  (Mom, yes, you have heard this from both Dad and I...)  I have a popcorn maker.  One of the parts is cracked.  It still allows me to make popcorn, but I thought perhaps it is time to get a replacement, in case the part breaks, especially since it's plastic.  I have taken care of it, and it's lasted, oh... um... At least 2, maybe 3 decades.

And they don't make parts for it anymore.  I finally looked online, Husband suggested eBay, and they had the whole machine, but the part I want is only available as part of the whole.  I can't find it as a stand alone.  Add to that, it is now something that is popular as a "hack" device for roasting coffee.  I guess I will just keep being careful, and hope it doesn't break.

I just had this same problem with my bread maker, the pan had become messed up, the machine was fine.  We did manage to find a new pan.

But it just irks me, I seem to be punished for caring for my things.  When something does happen, I can't easily find a replacement.  I really don't want to have to buy 2 of each thing, and store one, but I am beginning to wonder what I should do!

Oh, well, I still can make bread and popcorn, and carb loading is important...

At least on blurble days...

(Oh, and I still haven't put Windows 10 on the computer, updates as events congeal...)

S is for sleeping...

Ah, such bliss, I am at one with the Universe, zzz...

zzz-Snrt... What's with the light?

Lady, this ain't a photo shoot, I am TRYING to nap... 

Now then, ignore the light and doze... zzzzzz. Silly human.

D is for Ding.

The cat that I would never have thought we'd have IN the house.  Husband is allergic.

So, I thought, that was that.

But he found an ad for a kitten. After a couple tries, we took her home. I named her Schrodinger.  No one but me seemed to remember that, and she liked playing will bells, so she became Ding.  This has lead to some not so quality nicknames, Ding a ling, Ding Dong, Ding Bat, Ding Ball... You get the idea.  She ignores all of them equally, so it's not a big deal.

She is a pretty laid back cat.  I think since she was raised with a Dachshund and a Golden Retriever, she is more oriented to "dog" than "cat".  Considering my husband has been known to come up to her and thump her on her back like you would a mastiff, this is probably a good thing!

She does have her cat moments, like the above, where she has figured out how to sit in just a way to maximize coverage of heater vents.  She also loves to bring us toy mice... In the bathroom, or in bed, at 2 in the morning...

But for never expecting to have an indoor cat again, it's been fun.  And husband is okay!  So it works out great for everyone.

Now if I could just teach her to clean her own litter box.

Wordless Wednesday.

For messimimi's Bigger Girl:

Watch cat, and chasing horses.

I was thinking, gee, I've nothing to blog about.  

Um. Be careful what you wish for, so to speak.  

Mom called, and said there were some horses loose at their house, but they weren't there, having left for an appointment.  I called the Sheriff's Office, and zipped over to Mom and Dad's place.  The deputy showed up, and we made a bit of a game plan.  I kept an eye on the wayward horses (4 of them), while he walked over to see if the neighbor would let us run the horses over to his place temporarily, as my parent's place has no fencing around it, as they have no animals anymore.  

While the deputy was talking, I walked down to the horses.  They were pretty much 'who cares, we got food'...  Good, so far I don't have to worry about them wandering out to the road right then.  

When the deputy returned, my cell rang.  After some confusion, Dad explained there was a gate at the far end of the place.  I had either forgotten about it, or didn't know it was there.  However, it was a mess when we went to it.  The horses had basically torn it down, and wandered over it.  And, as it was four full grown horses, it was then mashed, tangled, and generally in severe disrepute.

Turns out, someone was renting the property behind my parents place for horses, and the neighbor said they had four of them. Bingo...

We ended up making a game plan, moving what was left of the gate so it was completely out of the way.  The deputy then walked over to where the 4 were, and shooed them to me, where they were looking curious, as I was sweet talking and clicking for them.  Once we were more or less blocking the way out, and letting them have the choice of going through the opening, I started bellowing, and flapping my arms wildly.  They darted through the hole to get away from the crazy woman, and we closed what was left of the gate.

I went up and checked if I could get some pallets to block the gate.  The deputy tried to lift up one that was nearby, it had a bunch of berry vines through it, so I pointed out some others.  He said they were rotted.  I told him it was just a temporary, more a visual barrier than anything, I wasn't worried if they were 100 per cent.  He walked one pallet down, then I tried to walk the other.  

Um.  I found out, a pallet that is soaked is HEAVY.  Finally, I think he took pity on me, walking back up and we both grabbed a side, walked it back down.  I thanked him, and told him that I needed to get some wire to get the pallets tied down.  We walked back up, just in time for Mom and Dad to show up.  

Did I mention it was RAINING steadily during this whole fiasco?  We were dripping...  I asked the deputy if he was going to be all right, he said yeah, he was only on duty for a bit more, and he'd set his uniform out to dry during the evening.  Oh, great... (They only have one uniform?)  I, too, was rather soaked, it hadn't been raining when I'd left, and by the time all was said and done, I figured, why bother.    

Dad brought down some more pallets so I could barricade the gate a little better, then I went up to the house, dripped to the bathroom, cleaned up a little, then left, going home to a hot bath, dry clothes, and my watch.

Oh, why is the watch important? 

My watch band broke the other day, and I had made a repair.  I'd remembered setting it down when I'd gone outside to do some work, but couldn't find it when I returned.  

If you've ever met me, you'd know this is not a good thing.  For one thing, I am nearly broke down without a watch.  For another, I go nuts(ier), when I can't find something.  This was NOT a good combination...  Didn't find it, didn't find it, where the !%&* is it, can't find it, BAH!  

And so I gave up.  Dug out a spare watch, put it on, and grumbled about needing a new watch.  (The spare is very hard to read.)  So, I was about to leave for the above adventure, when Ding comes out from under the bed, with what I thought at first was a lizard or snake. 

OH, CRAP!  

Then she drops it, and I realize, that is my watch!  Our 'watch cat' had pilfered my watch, hid it under the bed, and then brought it out later... So it is now firmly attached to my person again, and she... Well, Husband is calling her the Watch Cat Thief.  

So, how was your day?  

Aw, nuts.

I was at a meeting, and someone brought cashews.

I love cashews, can't stay out of them.

So, I nibbled my way through the meeting.  I really should have moved them somewhere that I couldn't reach them, but, hey, they are cashews!  With the meeting over, I was told I could take the rest of the bowl home, because they were too rich for the gal that brought them.  I tried to beg off, telling her we didn't need them at home, as I didn't need them, and I was the only one who ate them at the house...

Aaaand, I was asked to take them home anyway.

Sigh. Well, okay.

I brought them in the house. Husband glances at the bowl.  "Cashews?"
"Yeah, I was told to bring them home, so I guess-"
Crunch.  Crunch. Mmm. Crunch.

Huh, ooookaaay, maybe he DOES like them.

Husband is putting a handful into his mouth, and Ding is wandering around looking at him like he has something very tasty that she isn't getting.  He downs another dozen or so, and gives her one to sniff.

She sniffs, then tries to bury it.

No accounting for taste.

So, I start to nibble.  Husband grabs another handful.  "These are really salty. I don't think I am used to this much salt..." Munch...

I made dinner, and he really had a hard time eating, said he wasn't all that hungry.

Hmmmm.  Now why would that be?  :)

Quick, while the internet is working!

Things are going okay here… We did lose a chick, unfortunately, Mama Bird got in some fights with the other birds, I think she stepped on the one.  Sad.  But the others are thriving, and I have some nice up and coming birds for either selling, or possibly dinner, eventually.  I know we have a few boys, there are some hackle raising and bravado going on…

Ding has decided my Lucky Bamboo plant is a lovely garnish.  She’s killed one, and well on her way to seeing if she can ‘trim’ the other 2 plants…  When she isn’t trying to eat the rubber bands holding my computer’s power supply. (I keep it bound to a tile, so it doesn’t get hot.)  She doesn’t like getting sprayed, so the second she hears me get up, zing, she’s somewhere else, looking innocent.

Yeah. Right. Innocent.

I have been hand spinning some yarn, and hand plying it.  I hope to make socks.  It is taking a while, I forgot how long it takes when you strictly use your hands, no “help” like a wheel, or better yet, an electric spinner…  But it will be fun to see how it comes out.

Husband bought me a dishwasher.

The other, well. Um.

It was time.

It wasn’t cleaning any more, and things were getting worse, and more and more tinkery.  Husband actually took a look at the inner workings, and then got up and started checking around for a new one. (This says something, because he normally fixes things, and only buys new as a last resort.) So, now I have this little wonder that looks like it’s out of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and it twingles and dings, making various sounds to let me know it’s on duty.  I will be getting nervous if it says hello…  Although, who knows, maybe that IS hello!

The weather is finally getting cooler here, I made applesauce, it was okay, but the apples are not very juicy, I had to keep adding water so I didn’t scorch the sauce.  Husband suggested apple juice.  Um, good idea, but I don’t have any.  Guess I should put that on the list for the next time I am in town.

Well, I am writing this right before the “Blood Moon Eclipse”.  I want to go out and see it, it will actually be doing its thing before I turn in for the evening…  I keep reading that this is an “event” eclipse, that it will be a portent of major events and life forces, catastrophes and wonders.

I guess we shall see about all the whatis that will occur later…

I just think it sounds like it will be pretty.

Feline Friday.

Excruciating excitement reigns at our house...

You can see by the heavy need for cat napping...  Hey, toy mouse chasing is exhausting!

(Feline Friday)

Q is for...

Quilts.

Specifically, crazy quilts.  I have wanted to make one, (the name alone fits my personality), and so I read the definition...

A warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching, typically applied in a decorative design.

Urf.  I don't sew.  I kept considering the fact that I wanted to make a quilt.

Then I considered a fact.  Knitting, when finished, is a FABRIC.

If I make a quilt top of knitting... Hmmm.

And I have a backing which is a large sheet, the size I want the blanket to be.  Hmmm, again.

I chatted with Mom about it, and mentioned my latest crazy obsession plan, and she suggested a flannel center, that would give it more warmth without thickness...

Bingo!

And so I have started my quilt.  I have some swatch squares, (I knew there was a use for those things), and I have some started project pieces that I decided were much too fiddly to ever complete, and then the actual, crazy, just go with the idea part...

The little red bow is to show the front.  I know it looks ragged at the moment, but when I start adding it together, it will even out.  But it will, indeed be a very loose, not planned, part of my knitting.  

And I think it's going to be a blast.  I am knitting it along with other projects, but in the back of my mind is the little hamster wheel spinning, 'what yarn will go with purple?  Do I have any novelty yarn that I can add to the right side?  Where will I put the knitted daisy I want to put on?'  

And, because I like to crochet edgings, but usually don't have a place for them around the house... I now have lots of places to put "stitching"...   

Onward to the madness!!!

*****

And I know that it's a day late, but P is for Photo bomb.  Ding did  that quite well with the first picture... She walked in and started sniffing, right as I snapped the pic.  She likes quilts, too, I take it!