Bits and Pieces, Bits and Pieces

 "Lynn, are you writing mulligan stew?"

My 18 year old cactus is in full bloom right now.  Back when

Precious moved in lock-stock-and litter box, she was 14 months

old.  After she realized she had the place to herself, she 

started being curious and investigative. She tried eating this

as it was in bloom when she got here.  I quickly got a pot hanger

and put it up too high for her to reach.  However, she spent hours

climbing on the back of the couch trying to reach it.  Now days

she has no interest in the plant, so when I bring it in for the

winter, it shares her window seat for sun.

"I'd rather sleep."

I bought this 25 years ago and have read it over and over.

I just finished it again. I have it memorized and love it.

Precious lets me read in the evenings, but it is not an

easy task. I have to keep my right hand on her chest at

all times, so holding the book left handed and turning pages

can be a challenge.

"I'd rather sleep."

And lastly, my product tester found the flaw in my

crochet bolster.  The stuffing comes out with diamond

sharp claws.  NOT GOOD.  So I took it apart just a bit

and pulled out the stuffing, sewed up a snake like tube

and stuffed it.  Then had to get it into the round bolster.

Took about 2 hours. No more loose stuffing. So I  think

the product tester gets to keep this one.

"Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hope you have

turkey, stew or crunchies (like me). I'd still

rather sleep."

Any me, I have all the above and much more to be

thankful for every day.

Night time visitor

"Lynn, I hear someone at the door!  

So here it is at bedtime, when the lights are off and

I'm ready to call it a night.  Then Precious goes for

the front door like a streak of lightening. These photos

are taken with my camera flash, as the inside was dark.

This is Blackie, as I call him.  He lives down the road

and frequents here for making trouble, drinking bird bath

water, and eating Precious's catnip. That is why he is at the

front door, where the nippy is. Protected by a metal hardware

cloth screen and 2 two foot metal posts.  He gets all that grows

through and drips down over.

He's a very handsome fellow. Along the lines of a

pure black Maine Coon and about 6 years old. 

These 2 hiss and spit at each other, but seem to enjoy

doing it for as long as I keep the door open.  It was

cold this particular night, and I only let them visit for

5 or 6 minutes.  I am sure Precious spent a lot of

time looking out the window after I went to bed.

"And Lynn, you thought I didn't have good

ears! I heard him chewing my nippy through 2 doors.

He better have left me some."

 

3 down and 2 to go

 "I'm not sure which one I like best."

So, I have gotten 3 cat beds made so far. With enough

yarn for 2 more. The fake furs were easy enough to sew

up with lots of layers of quilt batting for warmth and cush.

Fleece on the back side, and Precious can't make up her mind

whether she likes fur up or fleece up.  She kneeds her toes in

the fur only. 

Now the crochet was a different and slower bed to make. I just

used 2 strands of yarn together to crochet the bottom and then the

side is a long tube filed with poly fill.  Just my own pattern of

going round and round.  Not sure the next one of yarn will be

like this. I found a pattern on line I will try.

"Oh Lynn, this is so soothing to my poor tootsies, now

you have cut my razor sharp claws. I am just going

to break these beds in a bit for the orphans. I figure if

there is cat fur on them, they won't be afraid to lay on them

and get a good warm nap."

Funny thing is, Precious changes her sleeping

accommodations  every few months.  All

summer long, she has been under the bed by

7 am and stayed there till 2 pm.  Now with the

advent of chipmunks, she stays in the living room

most of the morning and then takes a nap up in

the closet, on one of her 5 beds.  When the chippies

go into light hibernation, I wonder where she'll

sleep next.  Also, she is so worn out now, by

5:30 pm, she wants my legs until I make her

get up at 8:30 pm or so, so I can make a potty

run!

Big help

 "Everyone already knows this is too small, Lynn."

It certainly was not anywhere near finished when this

photo was taken.  However, between household work,

and good weather for biking, it took some time for me

to finish up this one. Just don't count the stitches,

or notice my own pattern on it. Going round and round

to get it full grown cat size is a bit slow.

The week of cold wet weather was when I really got 

going on it. Now I have enough yarn for 2 more.  I

just like crochet and I usually do fine thread doilies for

enjoyment of it. Then in the past, they have gone out to

the yard sale. Don't need a heap of them around. Just my

hobby in the winter. So with yarn it is a bit different. Also

goes just as slowly.

On a different note, my library branch has had to go

back to pick up window only. They have a large room

in the local village municipal building, and the mayor

decided to close the building until at least Dec. 1.

Covid is now as bad in my rural county as in the 

larger cities. And why, do you ask?  Because people

just refuse to wear masks, stay out of large gatherings and

wash hands.  Who knew adults had to be told how to

take precautions!  People just never grow up.  So,

I'm done ranting.  At least I can order books and still

gather them close to home.  However, our governor

is thinking this time next week the bars and restaurants

will have to close. 

"Lynn, this is just perfect size for my tiny self. And look

how soft and fuzzy my photo came out. Real life, I am

just a fuzzie wuzzie."

Nuts for the nutty

"Lookie, Lynn. Chippie is here! Let me at 'em!"

It's the time of year when the leaves are off the trees

and the walnuts and acorns are everywhere in the yard.

This is the time of year Precious is willing to stay awake

during the day and watch the patio for hours.  I gather up

a few acorns and put on the patio on purpose to get the

chipmunks to spend a bit of time close up. Otherwise,

they are constantly just running by with their heads full

of acorns. So funny to see their cheeks puffed out.

Then they get full and just sit and preen for the

longest time, not a care in the world. 

And there is the yard full of squirrels! Oh my. They are

getting walnuts and acorns, and burying them as fast as 

they pick them up.

And this is the only time I can call Precious out of  her

nap time and she'll answer to a word other than "chickie"

(my word for dinner time).

I just use an urgent whisper of  "Precious, chippie,

squirrellie, birdie" and I hear the loud thump of her getting

down from her bunk bed way down the hall to come out.

She is so funny to see, as she comes into the kitchen at a fast

paced crouch as a wild cat on the hunt.

"Well gosh Lynn, any respectable cat worth her

weight in acorns would come running to catch

this thief.:

 

What a pleasant surprise

 "Wow, Lynn, another new bag for itty bitty me?"

Well, folks, the carryall is actually a surprise gift to

me, not Precious.  But of course, she is the first to actually

use it.  The branch library finally opened it's doors to allow

people inside on October 5.  And apparently, I was one

of the first 50 people to go in and pick up books.  Each one

of us was entered into a drawing, unbeknownst to us.  

And I was first place winner!  The bag had a red Tshirt with

same logo, and dark blue apron with "Read" printed on it,

ink pen, block of post-it-note paper, hand sanitizer and

bag of M&M's and a cloth mask.  

I'm still ordering dvds and books online and just running

in for a pick up.  The library is still offering to meet you

at the window for a quick hand over, but I look around

the parking lot and if it is practically empty, I like to say

hello to these nice workers. 

It had been 8 days straight of dark and damp and not a bit of

sunshine on the day the librarian called me.  This was such an

amazing pick me up, I couldn't believe.

"I think I'll just use this for a nap instead of the

blue bag, Lynn. Tell the library lady I love it

and I'll send it over to be filled with books

some day. Of course it'll be fur covered by then."

And on a note of time change, how I do not like doing

it Fall or Spring. This past Sunday morn was the usual

difficulty of trying to stay in bed till the "new" 5:30 when

I was awake for over an hour on my "old" schedule. And

then Precious does not understand why she has to wait for

her breakfast. 

"Oh, Lynn, this looks like I'm washing my

breakfast off the whiskers.  I'm really just

trying to get primped for the photo shoot."