time to wrap!

Mama says it's almost time to pull out the wrapping paper. Her closet and the surrounding floor is covered with bags. She's decided to not be embarrassed that this is a Goodwill Christmas. Lots of shirts for Uncle Jerry--Izod!--laundered and boxed. Books for Uncle Jerry, Aunt Ellen and Auntie Althea. Everyone knows that it's secondhand or not at all this year. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, right?

Purr and pray please

DaisyMae Maus is my cousin. You can click on her name to go to her blog to read what her Mom (my Mom's niece) says about DMM's health. It's scary, and I'm worried.

I've been purring a lot. My purr is loud and rumbly. You can probably hear it where you live if you know to listen for it.

We know DMM is getting fluids, and that fluids often a help a kitty feel lots better. Let's get all our purrs--soft and quiet and loud and rumbly--focused on her so she'll feel better!

Let's send prayers, good energy, and hugs to her Mom, too, so that she can feel all the support and love.

Know what I heard?

>00<

I heard Santa Paws on the roof yesterday. Yes, I know it was Thanksgiving, but I heard Santa Paws. I know I did. It had to be!

Mom says it was Uncle Jerry on the roof clearing out a couple of leaf-stuffed gutters. She's trying to confuse me.

You know what's weird? I love my Uncle Jerry. A lot. I'd like to call him 'Dad', but Uncle Jerry says 'No! I'm your Mom's brother. I can't be your Dad.'

(sometimes when he isn't paying too much attention, I purr him a special little love song...and I whisper 'dad' at the end. i don't think he'll mind too much, especially if i don't tell.)

mama culpa

at least that's what mama says. too much going, and nothing going on--both at the same time!

there's been time for cuddling, for brushing! (have you seen my floof? i require LOTS of brushing) when it gets to 70 degrees outside, mama opens the door in the family room and i get to go out. if it's chilly or wet, i come right back in. i like warm and cozy much more than prowling longish damp grass.

i've heard a rumor that there's going to be turkey here today. i'm not much for people food, but i might give this a try.

mrow!

peaceful late summer days

It's been warm here. We've had several days of weather in the upper 70s and lower 80s. I shed. Mama brushes or combs me. I shed. Mama holds me. I shed. Gee, I see a pattern here!

Even though I got a tummy trim for the summer, I'm still developing lots of matted fur. Mama has small, extra-sharp scissors. Uncle Jerry holds me and Mama does the trimming. I complain but I don't really mind. I mean, c'mon, two humans loving on me at one time?! Does it get any better than that? Didn't think so.

Here's one thing that I can't say I really like: since Mama quit her job nearly two weeks ago, I haven't had much extra cuddle time with her. She's always busy doing something. Today, she says, the table will be done. Then she has a meeting in downtown Seattle this afternoon.

Tomorrow is her busy day: she's got client meetings and then she meets with the President of the Board of Directors where she used to work. We're all curious about what's going to happen with that one.

omg!

...paw over eyes...

I can hardly believe what my mother and Uncle Jerry did to me tonight.

They took me for a ride in the car! They said it was a--get this--joy ride! As if. Seriously...as if!

They said they'd like me to get comfortable with car rides so we can go out as a family. I don't know about that.

I did shed. More than usual. That part was fun.

The heat is on

We don't really mean this Glenn Frey song. We mean that it's too cold here, and we've turned on the furnace this morning. It's nearly noon, and it's only 60 degrees outside!

Luckily, it's supposed to get warmer over the weekend. Mama's got a table she's been refinishing, and would like to do it while it's not cold outside. The stain dries faster when it's warmer.

Instead of sitting here at the computer, Mama and I are heading to her big chair. She rented The Lincoln Lawyer from the local Redbox, and we'll be watching that for the next little while.

Mama's also studying up on how to do linkies and other things, since it's been so long since she's done any of this stuff. We hope the linkies work for you!

the best days!

Mom did a huge favor for me! She quit her job so she can be a stay-at-home-cat-mom. Has your mom ever done that for you?

I LOVE my Mama!

it's already started

Has it started at your house, too?

I've started to shed. You've seen how fuzzy I am. I shed more than the average cat. Mom can brush me in the morning during the in-bed snuggle, and then again in the early evening. Both times, she says I've given her enough fur to make another cat. Not a small one, either.

i wonder if i can convince her to stay in bed tomorrow?

Mom's had a busy weekend, even though she doesn't have much to show for it.

the table she's been (re)finishing got messed up with the spray-on protective coating. She's going to have to sand it a bit, add another coat of stain, and then use brush-on protective coating.

Uncle Jerry likes the project and thinks it's beautiful. He doesn't like having no table in the dining room though. So the old table got brought back in--I snoopervised, of course!--while Mom finishes the new table.

Mom had an email from her rheumatologist (I had to look it up!) this morning. She's got an appointment with him on Wednesday. It looks like the diagnosis of PMR isn't correct. Time to get off prednisone and try something else.

You should hear Uncle Jerry rant about Mom being on prednisone! He could rant for over an hour about all the problems it causes! Mom thinks he might be more bothered about it than she is. Whoever's more bothered...Mom's been on pred for over a year. It's time to get off it.

I've been trying to convince her to go to bed. The shower can wait until the morning. I've almost got it clinched...

insomnia by any other name

...would still stink!

Mom's trying to get to bed by 11 pm every night. It's clearly not working tonight. It's nearly 3 am and she's still awake. Uncle Jerry closed the windows before he went to bed and it got way too hot in here. Windows open, and now voices travel from an all night party across the way.

There are youngish ones who slink into our yard in the evening. Uncle Jerry tried to pet one. The young one demonstrated exceptional skill in walking backward. With a little practice, he might be able to moonwalk! mol

Another late night

Here we go! Two posts in the same year...month!

Mom's got insomnia again. There was a time about 2 hours ago when she could have slept, but she missed it. Dang it! Now she's awake for awhile longer.

The kitchen table is almost done. A little more sanding and one last coast, then the clear coat--one or two applications--and it will be done. We'll post pictures.

We have new neighbors. They've been moving in quietly in the evenings. We don't know if they have a woofie, and hope that they don't. We'd like the quiet to continue.

Mom found a Weber charcoal grill on Craigslist earlier this summer. She's gotten pretty good at grilling food--mostly burgers and 'dogs. "dogs?! Mom, you wouldn't..." "You're right, Ben, I wouldn't grill woofies, even if they're noisy and unfriendly."

The one thing Mom hasn't tried to grill yet is chicken. I heard her mutter that she's a little afraid of trying because she's never done it before. Maybe she'll get brave this weekend.

And now for the household tip of the blog entry: if you have an area that is troubled with mold, place a few charcoal briquets in a coffee can that has some holes punched in it. The charcoal will absorb the moisture AND it will neutralize any odors! Pretty neat, huh?

a new blog post after a really long time!

Mom finally closed the patio door. Her feet and mine were cold.

Did you know we have a patio instead of a balcony? That's because we moved into a house a year ago. A house we own. Mom, Uncle Jerry and ME! Our very own house.

Yes, it's a lot of work, but both Mom and Uncle Jerry say it's worth it.

Last night, Mom and Uncle Jerry zoomed down to Bremerton to buy a round table for the kitchen. It has one leaf. The table top needs to be refinished. Otherwise, it's perfect! Smaller than the large rectangular table, and just the right size for the kitchen/dining area.

Tonight, they went out to get a torchiere for the family room. They moved the love seat and coffee table to the garage--with the hope that they will go away soon--along with the big table--put the wicker chair from the living room into the family room, and realized they needed a new lamp.

Craigslist rocks when it works well! It's been working well for us.

Even though it will be awhile, Mom's got the redecoration of her bedroom all figured out. Mostly, that will take paint, and a new headboard (ok, just a headboard, as she currently doesn't have one). She read Christopher Lowell's book on the 7 layers of design, and really liked his idea.

She said (very quietly) that she doesn't like to look at Mr. Lowell. The scale of his head is a little off, and slightly creepy. It's a good thing his looks don't interfere with his ideas, because she thinks he's got it right.

Now less quietly, Mom reminds me that looks don't have much to do with anything. She says that if looks had to do with everything, she'd stay home hiding in her bedroom until she's off prednisone. Mom's had a prednisone moon face for months, and just hates it. She won't let anyone take her picture, and feels like she has to explain to everyone why her face is so round, and why she's gained so much weight.

Now we're waiting for the meds to kick in so we can go to bed. With warmer feet (remember the patio door got closed), maybe sleep will come soon!