Around the Yard

Went for what is becoming my daily walk around the yard today. If I just went out there and walked, it wouldn't take long at all as it's not that big of a yard. But, I have gotten into the habit of grabbing my iPod and listening to a podcast or two while my ever present outside kitties walk around the yard with me. We meander through the tall grass (yeah, need to mow already) and sometimes I even pull up some wild onions which seem to grow abundantly in my yard. Today, I carried my camera with me and took a few photos, mostly of the cats of course.

 Here is my little swing, just waiting for me to start coming outside and while away some hours sitting there with a good book and my ever present cats. Hope even jumps up in the swing with me sometimes. Mostly though, they lay around or under it.

 Here is Google (Da Goog as we call him) trying to ignore me and get some shut-eye. Didn't work of course. 

 This is Muffin. Queen of all she surveys. She's a temperamental little girl sometimes, but I love her. 

This lonely little tire filled with topsoil is just waiting for me to plant some potatoes in it. I have a couple other tires waiting to stack up as the potatoes grow. I can't wait. 

Well, at least Goog is winding up to pounce on his Uncle Tango and not on Muffin. She doesn't put up with such shenanigans.

And here's Tango. Like most orange tabbies, he has such a laid-back disposition. Such a great guy. ("Does this flower make my butt look big?")

And this is Goog's sister, Hope. Hard to tell from this, but she is a really tiny thing. Tough girl though. She likes me to throw pieces of kibble to her so she can pounce on them before she eats them. She also hunts voles, moles, mice, chipmunks....pretty much everything.


I always said I'd never have outdoor cats, then they started showing up. What can ya' do? I've gotten some of them to the shelter and new homes, but for one reason or another, these guys are still here. And I love them all.

This year, I'm going to try some gardening again. Tomatoes in buckets, potatoes in those tires, lettuces and/or kale in wooden pallets (if I can get them), and just maybe I'll put some corn in the ground. We'll see. Seeds are pretty inexpensive, I can get the buckets for a bit over $1 each, a friend has some pallets he's willing to give me, and I already have the tires (which I got for free from a local tire center). Yeah, I have plans. They're not written in stone though, so if I don't get all of it done, that's OK. There's always next year.

Mr. Snippers

 This is Mr. Snippers. He is a little fella who has taken up residence at a local beauty salon run by my friend Christopher (Mr. Christopher's Zen Salon). He was very skinny and dirty when he showed up, but is looking much better now. Problem is, he is at least partially blind; not that he lets that slow him down.

 Mr. Snippers loves to lay around in the warm sun, but then what cat doesn't. He is super friendly and just loves to be cuddled and loved.

The shop is right on the road, and we do worry about Mr. Snippers, especially with his sight being what it is.  Christopher can't take him home since he has a small place and already has two dogs. Someone has offered to take him home and let him live in their barn if we get him neutered, but with his eyesight, our goal is to hopefully find him an inside home. There is an organization in St. Pauls, NC (Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary), but they are full (84 cats right now) and can't take him. But, they are going to help me find a home through their contacts and Facebook page. They have been very successful in this type of thing, and I'm so glad they have agreed to help out.

Problem is, we need to get him neutered and checked out first. We need to get his shots done, find out just how blind he is and make sure he is negative for all the bad diseases and stuff. I got an estimate from my vet's office (Stewart's Mountain View Animal Hospital) of close to $300 for everything. So, I have set up a fund raising Chip-In.


I don't normally ask for money for anything on this blog, but this is a special case for me. This little guy has totally melted my heart. He has such a great personality and I would so love to get him a good home for Christmas...or at least the new year. (I'd take him myself, but I have 8 cats already....and I'd kinda like to keep my husband.  LOL) So, if you can help in any little way, I would so appreciate it. And if you need to call my vet's office and make sure this is legitimate, they already know to expect the call - (828) 765-7059.

If someone would rather, they can make out a check to Stewart's Mountain View Animal Hospital (SMVAH will work) and send that to me at PO Box 3, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777. I know some people don't like to do things like this over the internet.


Those of you who know me, know it's been a tough couple years for my hubs and me, with him being sick and all. And I'm not going to hide the fact that the past couple of Christmases have been extra tough. We don't really "do" Christmas any more, but then the holiday is not about the presents and such. It would make this Christmas so special if I can actually help this little guy. Maybe that's why I've been brought into this whole situation. Maybe this is just the Christmas "gift" I need.

Anyway, if you can't help money-wise, maybe you can at least pass this info along to friends and family. I would so appreciate it, and I know Mr. Snippers would too.

Thanks so much.

Wordless Wednesday (found on the interwebs)

Wordless Wednesday (found on the interwebs)

More 365 Project Pictures

Still keeping my camera with me every day as part of the 365 Project; a picture a day to illustrate a year of my life. I take many more than one a day, and have gotten so many pictures that I really like. I've shared some here before, and here are some more. 

Sadness

Today I am feeling especially sad. The earthquake and tsunami in Japan weighs heavily on my mind, but maybe not for the same reason it weighs on the minds of so many others. Yes, I am saddened by the loss of human life, a total number of which we are no where near knowing yet, but I read about a tiny island there yesterday that has my heart breaking.

Tashirojima, or Cat Island as it is also called, is just off the coast of Japan. From what I've read, it is in one of the most vulnerable spots when it comes to the tsunami that rolled in after the devastating earthquake. Many fear it has been totally submerged.

This island is home to around 100 people (83% of them elderly) and a cat population that tops even that. The cats are fed and taken care of by the island inhabitants as it is believed feeding cats brings wealth and good fortune.

My thoughts are with those living on this island, and with the many cats. I keep searching the internet, hoping to find a report that says this place has been miraculously spared, but I'm not getting my hopes up. As heartbreaking as it is, I have to be realistic as well.

My husband calls me the Crazy Cat Lady, and I adore my cats. I know the fear we as humans go through when something horrible is happening, and I can't imagine the fear the animals feel, especially since they have no way of knowing what's going on in the first place.

My thoughts are with everyone in Japan, but especially with the animal citizens. The Rainbow Bridge is very busy today.

(To donate and help the animals affected by this tragedy, go to The American Humane Association. Our furry friends thank you.)

Just Some Random Thoughts

1) I am an avid Facebooker. Can't help it. I love that little social networking sight. It has helped me get back in touch with people I went to high school with, whether I wanted to or not. It has also brought me a group of friends I would never have known otherwise, and yes, my life is that much richer for it. Sure, I won't ever meet many of them, but I know I will eventually meet a least a few. And who says you have to meet face-to-face anyway? We share jokes, life stories (happy and sad), advice. We do all the things friends do in the "real" world. We may live hundreds or even thousands of miles apart, but we have found each other through the "miracle" that is the internet and we are all so very glad we did.

2) The Super Bowl is coming up next weekend. I'm not the biggest football fan in the world, and what I know about the game could probably be written on a matchbook, but I do have many (MANY) friends who are avid fans, and most of them seem to be Steelers fans. So, since my Minnesota Vikings couldn't be bothered to actually do much of anything but lose this season, I have decided that for this very huge game, I will do my Steelers friends a favor and pull for their team. I apologize to any of my friends who are Packers fans, but they outnumber you and more of them live near me. (Not to mention that two of them are also pet sitting clients, so I really don't have much choice. HA.)

3) I think my cats enjoy driving me crazy. I know Muffin does for sure. She disappears every once in a great while. Not often, mind you. If it was more often, I probably wouldn't worry when it happens. Every couple of months or so, she doesn't show up for breakfast, today being one such day. Sometimes, I can go over to my neighbor's house and find her "trapped" in his basement. When he's down there working with the door open, she can't resist going in. She spent two full days in there one time, me panicking all the while. Now it's usually the first place I look, and sometimes she's there. Today isn't one of those times. I know she'll show up later on, staring in the window to let me know she's home, giving me that 'look' that cats give when they think you're crazy and they're the only sane ones here. As if they don't know that they're the ones driving us crazy in the first place.

4) I just realized that I am sitting here putting my random thoughts into a list format. My friend Angie would be so proud.

Life Goes On

I still start to cry when I look at pictures of my Little Buddy, or read about him in my journal, but there are three other kittens, not to mention all the adult cats, who need my attention.




This is Google (on left) and Yahoo (on the right). Google was the first named because he had such googlie eyes. His eyes are always wide open like that. We decided to go on with the search engine theme and called the other one Yahoo...because it's another search engine and he follows along behind Google, who seems to be constantly searching for something. It all works.



In thinking about other search engine type names, we decided to call this little guy Jeeves (along the lines of Ask Jeeves). We don't know for sure yet if he's a boy, but it works anyway. He's the most skittish of them, but he always has been. We're working on it though.


Here's Yahoo letting me pet him. It helps if I try while he's eating. He's getting to where he really wants to be petted, though. I even managed to pick him up for about a second or two this morning before he yelled at me.

Not everyone around our house is happy about the kittens being here. Muffin gave them a good talking-to this morning. But, with all her hissing and such, the other night I went outside to find her actually running around playing with them. When she saw me watching, the play stopped of course. You know how cats are.

I'm Sad Today

I lost one of the kittens last night. Second from the left, looking up at the camera, is the one of the bunch who let me hold him. He had gotten to where he would come up to me and rub on my legs and we'd play a bit when I went out to feed them. He was a sweetie and I was really hoping to find him an indoor home. But, it wasn't to be. I found him lying in the grass this morning. There was a small wound on the back of his neck, and we figure a dog probably got hold of him. (You know how they shake things like that.) I have seen a coyote not far from my house, but if that had been what got him, it probably would have taken him off.

The other kittens are a bit more skittish now, which is understandable. After my pet sitting appointment this morning, I came home and buried the little guy in my front yard. As I was digging, the others came out from under my porch. They sat near and watched me until I was done. Almost like they were saying goodbye themselves. I think they will probably move over here now as they can go up under my porch where there is a small opening that leads into my basement. Much safer area.

I wish I could handle things like this better. A part of me wishes I didn't get so attached so easily. I'm second guessing myself when it comes to how I've been dealing with these guys now, and I'm really tired of crying over animals like this. (If more people would take care of their own pets, this type of thing wouldn't happen so often.)

At least I know the little guy was pretty happy. He and his siblings were over here on our porch late last night and I held and played with him. He had the loudest purr I've ever heard on a kitten. I'll never forget that, or him.

I'm Back...I Hope

OK, after a long absence, I am returning to the world of blogging...hopefully on a regular basis.



Updates: (1) The hubs is still home, but getting better. He's had his gallbladder removed and they are now working on getting the correct combination of medications to take care of his other issues, as well as the usual ones brought on when you have the gallbladder removed in the first place.















(2) I am giving up on vegetable gardening. What a time I had with it this year. I did manage to get a few tomatoes, but had a better crop last year when I planted them in buckets. When I dug up my potatoes, every single one had teeth marks in them; moles or voles I assume. Two cabbages managed to grow a bit, but one was run over by a lawn mower when a friend came and mowed the lawn for us. (I'm not complaining. I was happy for the help.) The other cabbage was covered in slugs the last time I looked, and it was pretty well devoured. The green peppers never grew, I got 3 radishes, the beans didn't grow and I did manage a very few small green onions. The soil here is more clay than anything, so I think I'm going to hit local farmer's markets next year and just plant some wild flowers to attract the humming birds and butterflies.

(3) I am again earning my title as the Crazy Cat Lady. Four tiny kittens showed up at my neighbor's house about a month ago. We figure they were about 2 months old. Don't know where they came from, but of course I couldn't just let them alone. I have been feeding them and doing my best to socialize them. Our local shelter doesn't work with ferals (don't really have the room or the funds) and would put them down if I had taken them in. They don't think they can be socialized, but I know better. So, for the past several weeks, I've talked to and tried to pet each little guy. So far one will let me hold him, two will let me pet them some and the one really shy one has finally gotten to where he doesn't run away like he used to. I have emailed a cat rescue organization in Morganton to see if they can help me find homes for them. I wouldn't even mind if someone wanted them as barn cats. At least they'd have a chance at a life. (Anyone want a kitten?)

There are other things going on here and there, including a deer who visited us last month, but I will write more about that later on. I think I've written enough for now. I'm beginning to think I should open a wild life park here. :-)

Let Me Talk...

Hi everybody. This is Blondie. No, I'm not one of the sisters. (Trust me, I did not pick out this name for myself.) I am Major's big brother. Well, not BIG brother really. He does weigh quite a bit more than I do. But, that's an issue for another day.

Anyway, I read what Major wrote the other day, and I thought he was nuts. Why would any self-respecting cat want to sit down at some monkey's computer, no offense MommyLady, and blog? Who came up with this blogging thing anyway? It's just nuts. I mean....wait, I'm off topic again.

So, I sat back and proceeded to make fun of my brother every chance I could. Until today. I heard the MommyLady and DaddyMan discussing something rather disturbing and decided I just have to put in my two-cents worth.

It seems they saw a news report this morning about this President Obama fella killing a fly during an interview. After this happened, some group called PETA sent up a bit of a fuss. Over a fly. A FLY!!!

OK, first off, get over it. Have you ever had one of those things buzz around you nonstop for hours at a time? It's annoying. It's beyond annoying. It really sucks.

Second, what are flies good for? Buzzing around and annoying you for hours at a time. Period.

Third, I can think of only one thing wrong with the president's actions. It was a waste of a good snack. I love flies. If you pick one up in your mouth and let it buzz for a few seconds before you swallow it, not only does it kind of tickle, but it really impresses your siblings. Major and my sisters Face and Eddie thought it was a really neat trick when I did it. Not to mention the reaction I got from the MommyLady and DaddyMan when I finally swallowed the annoying creature. I did not know it was possible for someone to gag like that without coughing up a hairball. That is so cool.

Well, that's my opinion, and you're very welcome to it. You may go back to what you were doing now. I think I hear something buzzing in the next room. I'm going hunting.

It's My Turn

Finally, I get my turn at this computer thing. This is Major...the handsome one among all these cats around here. I swear, if any more cats show up, I'm leaving. Well, maybe not leaving. But, I sure will be miffed. May even stop letting the MommyLady hold me on her lap so much.

The MommyLady and DaddyMan went out the door a few minutes ago, and I've decided to take this opportunity to set the record straight about a few things. I can't imagine why they go out that door so much. Every time I've gone out that door, after being shoved into a box mind you, I end up in a real horrible place where they set me up on this cold metal table and a mean lady in a white coat not only sticks me with needles, but worse...she puts some sort of stick up my butt. What kind of perverted thing is that to do to a cat? I give MommyLady the cold shoulder for at least an hour afterwards, but she still insists on taking me there. She just doesn't understand.

Anyway, what I want to set straight is all this talk I hear about these cats she has outside. I see them in the window once in a while. They just sit there and stare in. The girls, Eddie and Face, don't like that at all. They jump and hiss at the window, then at each other, which is all just a waste of time and energy. The problem is, MommyLady just keeps on feeding them. I don't understand that. If she would stop feeding them, they'd stop coming...and there would be more food for me.

Which brings me to another point; there can never be enough food. MommyLady has put us on this thing she calls a "diet." What confused human came up with this concept? Probably the same one that came up with the stick up the butt thing. I mean, who in the world thought it would be a good idea to limit the amount of food that is given to a cat? What bunk!!!!

Look, I'm working on getting the MommyLady to go back to the way it used to be, when our bowls were kept very full all day and night, but until then, let me tell y'all how it should be. Cats do not need diets. Cats need food. The bigger we are, the happier we are. Skinny cats? Miserable. They hate the way they look. Fat cats are much happier. Why we.....

...Oops, gotta go. I hear them at the door. Just remember: lots of food - GOOD! Sticks up the butt - VERY BAD!!!

Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month

June is National Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month, and you all know how I feel about cats. They are wonderful animals full of love and mischief. They make great companions, friends, bed-warmers. They are nothing if not honest and will let you know exactly how they feel about you, your friends and your family. They are full of personality.

So, if you are looking for a great companion, someone who will accept you as you are, then make you into just what they want you to be (just kidding - sort of), then head down to your local shelter and adopt a cat. (For those in my area, I am offering pet sitting discounts if you adopt.)

Now, that's not to say shelter dogs don't still need good homes, and please go to the local shelters if you are looking for a dog as well. (And remember, October is National-Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month.)

Earthworms and Cats and Ticks...Oh My...

OK, first off I have to apologize for not having any new photos for today's post. Both batteries to my digital camera are dead, and organized person that I am, I can't seem to find the charger. It's around here some where.......


So, between rain showers, I finally got a bit of my garden in today. Not all of it mind you, but a good bit of it. It's actually a trial and error type of thing. I have a feeling some of my plants will be moved before all is said and done. I may have planted them too close together. But, at least they are in the ground.

The soil here isn't the best, but a while back, when I dug out my little garden spot, I tossed a couple bags of Miracle Grow Organic Garden Soil on top. I am trying to grow my veggies with no chemicals, which is why I chose the organic mix. As I was digging and planting, I did come across some wiggly little earthworms, which is a good thing. Maybe there's hope after all.

Muffin followed me out into the yard, as usual. I'm a pretty realistic person. I know there is no way I'm going to be able to keep her, or any of the other little monsters....I mean felines...completely out of my garden. But, about five minutes after I got my icicle radish sprouts planted, she was playing around, tossing a dirt clump in the air, and she dug one of my radish babies up. So, I told her to get out of my garden (she just laughed at that one) and replanted the sprout. Cats!!!

Then, there is the tick problem. I have a feeling it's going to be a bad year for ticks. I walked back into the house and immediately pulled one off my pants leg. Of course, any time I work in my garden, I will head right for the shower and scrub like crazy. I am so paranoid about ticks. Any time I find one on my person, it's all I can do not to run screaming hysterically around the house. And for good reason, too. Let me explain....

When I was a kid of about 5 or 6 I reckon, Dad decided to take me camping on one of our weekend visits. So, late into the evening of our first day on this little trip, I suddenly started screaming and holding the side of my head. Dad had no idea what was wrong, just that I was going nuts basically. The youngest of my brothers, Dennis, was along with us on this trip, and Dad figured he had done something. (Dennis was picking on me a lot apparently.)

Dad started getting onto Dennis for picking on me, and in the mean time, I kept on screaming. Deciding something else entirely was going on, he piled us into the car and and off we went to the ER. Upon close examination, the doctor found that a tick had gotten into my ear and was sitting right on top of my eardrum. (There was no pain as it hadn't bitten me, but the screaming was set off by the crawling of the thing I'm sure.) **shiver**

The doctor was worried about getting the tick out as quickly as possible so it wouldn't bite into my eardrum of course, but he didn't want to try and get it out with any type of long instrument as I might not be able to sit still and a worse injury could ensue. I guess the solution was obvious. While nurses, my dad and the hospital janitor probably, held me down, he shined a light into my ear and let the tick crawl....SLOWLY....up on its own. Yeah, there was more screaming involved. But, it did work.

Now, I know that was a long story, but can't you see why I am so nuts when it comes to ticks. My heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest when I find one of those things on me. And if it's actually attached, I'm just plain gone. I can't even remove it...have to get Chris to get it. (The things he puts up with.)

I have a feeling this gardening thing is going to be interesting......

Newest Addition

Finally, some photos of the newest member of the menagerie. This is Alexander (my husband tells me that's his name). He showed up around here a few weeks ago, and is still a bit wary of me. But, I can pet him some when he's eating, and he does let me hold him, just not for too long. He's not quite solid black; has about four strands of white fur on his chest, and from this photo, I think he has a few on his belly as well.

I'm assuming Alexander is a stray as he's pretty skinny and very timid. So, soon he will be "taken care of," so to speak. We have enough kittens running around out there, and in our shelters, and he will have a much longer, healthier life in the end. (Not to mention that hopefully he and Tango will stop their little territory-marking competition on my porch.)

And from the looks of it, Alexander is starting to feel pretty safe here. :)

Just Stuff

Well, I'm a bit too busy to write much of anything, but since it's been so long, I wanted to do something, so here are some funnies to keep us amused. Enjoy.

*Pictures courtesy of LOL Cats at http://www.icanhascheezburger.com/.

Miscellaneous Musings

Poor Herman the Possum. Haven't seen him for a few days, then this morning he was on the porch, chomping on the cats' food as usual. As he started to climb down the porch railing, my husband noticed his tail...it's partly gone. Looks like Herman got caught up in something, or with someone. Poor thing. His tail is too short to hang from now. Too bad possums aren't like lizards. Would be cool if he could just grow a new one. (No new picture of the little guy. Didn't want to startle him more than we already had by going outside in the first place.)

A while back, I walked in the living room to find Major staring intently at the front door. I walked over and heard some scratching outside. Thinking Muffin was playing around, I opened the door. Well, I guess she had cornered a mouse between the glass door and the front door (there's a small gap at the bottom corner), and my opening the door gave that poor little mouse an escape route. It ran into the house and hid behind a side table. Major and the other kitties sniffed around at different times during the evening, but they aren't the best mousers in the world.

So, I pulled out a humane mousetrap that I bought years ago (and my husband made fun of me for buying) and placed it where I thought the mouse would probably end up trying to make a break for it. It was still empty the next morning, so I took a small piece of bread and put it in. Later on in the morning, I heard some scratching around and there the little guy was...safely ensconced in the trap. How cool. I took him outside and let him loose among some overgrowth in the yard. Hopefully he's learned his lesson and won't get around Muffin again.

Took this picture on a warm day at the beginning of March. Muffin was in the front yard, sunbathing among the ivy. She loves the sun. It's been raining for the past couple days, so needless to say, she's not happy right now. Of course, in this picture, she's not looking too happy either. Maybe she just wanted me to leave her in peace and let her get back to her sunbathing. (Would this be considered nude sunbathing?!?)

Blue Moon Bookstore

Independent bookstores have a hard time staying open when the economy is good, but an even harder time when things are tough. The latest casualty is Blue Moon in Spruce Pine. My writers' group held our monthly meeting here, as did the local women's poetry group, Eve's Night Out. The building used to be a pharmacy complete with soda fountain I'm told, and it has such great historic charm. Hopefully it won't stay empty for long. (There's even talk of someone wanting to try their hand at the bookstore thing, with maybe art classes and such as well.)


This is my friend Sharon Huskey. She bought the bookstore (building is rented) a few years ago and has been a downtown fixture ever since. She held on as long as she could, but it just wasn't meant to be. But Sharon has come out the other side with a bushel of friends at her side and a strength only a woman, especially a red-headed woman, can have. ;-)


Judith Smith, a member of my writers' group, organized a pot luck at the store on Tuesday evening, the last day of business. Lots of people came to offer Sharon support and she really seemed to be enjoying the company. Great people hang out at bookstores.



Sharon gave me one of the bookstore's chairs since my recliner was falling apart, and she knew I couldn't afford a new one right now. I love this chair...it's like my own piece of the store, and it's bigger than it looks. I can even curl my feet up under me when I sit in it (a big deal when you're a large person like I am). But, I don't actually get to sit in it as much as I'd like to. For some reason, Face has adopted it as her own. She has never done that, usually stays in our bedroom or in her own little bed in the living room. She likes smells so maybe it's the "new" smells she gets on the chair: Sharon's late dog (Bascom), her cat (Freda), the various customers, the store itself. Whatever it is, The Empress, as Face insists on being called, has claimed it and will not give it up. Sometimes she lets one or both of her brothers cuddle up in the chair with her, but not often.


As long as I have this chair, I will look at it and think of Blue Moon...and smile.

Welcome to the Menagerie

My house is turning into a menagerie. Who am I kidding? Turning? It's been a menagerie for a long time now. Besides the various birds that I feel the need to provide tons of feed to, other animals keep showing up...mostly those of the feline persuasion. But, the "herd" is not limited to cats.



Of course, there's the neighbor's cat, Tango. He's a sweet guy, but since another tom cat has started hanging around, he's taken to marking every part of my yard, including items on the front porch. (I've given the people around me the neuter lecture. Only so much I can do.)



Then there's Drifter. This one has been hanging around for a while and still won't let me too close. I think it's a girl, but haven't been able to tell actually. (The new tom cat that's hanging around is jet black. {Haven't been able to get a photo of him yet.} What a contrast the two make.)



And of course, there's always Muffin. She's a sweetie, but a bit odd at times. Yesterday, she ran out into the rain to greet me when I got home from an appointment, then complained the whole time about getting wet. I kept telling her it was her own fault, but she didn't seem to believe that at all.



Squirrels used to be very abundant in my yard, but seemed to disappear for a bit after we had the large maple tree trimmed back last year. No where good to hide I reckon. But, I think they will return. I do know I often see them using the power lines to cross the road and come to my feeder. Maybe they just wanted to use that little trip as their form of exercise. This little guy looked up just as I was taking the picture. How perfect was that? (On a later post, I'll tell you about the three "regulars" we used to have and how they got their unusual names.)

This is Herman, the mostly black opossum that shows up at night to eat the cat food. He's pretty cool really. We have a couple old tables on the porch that were supposed to be hauled off, but the cats started using them, so now their food gets put up there. This guy just climbs right up to eat.

This is the little house Muffin uses sometimes. It sits right by our living room window, and since she doesn't like the wind, when it's cold and very windy, I'll put her plate of food in front of it so she can eat without being bothered. One night, I looked out the window to see Herman happily chomping away. I grabbed my camera and tried to sneak out the door. He panicked of course, and turned and ran into Muff's house. No escape there. I didn't get too close as I really didn't want to scare him any more than he already was, so the zoom feature came in handy. (Took the picture then went back in the house so he could eventually come out and finish his nightly raid.)

And of course my four "little" cuties who love to watch the others from the comfort of the bed or sofa. Have I ever written about how I got these guys? I'll have to check back and see. For now, I'll just say they are a bunch of bottle-raised, spoiled-so-rotten-they-stink fur babies...and I love them as if they were my children, because when you think about it, they really are.

And so the menagerie continues to grow. We even had a mama raccoon at one time that came around in the wee morning hours to eat. (Probably the only time she cold get away from the little ones.)

Wonder who's going to show up next?

Five Questions

OK, I was reading Vicki Lane's blog the other day and she wrote about how on another blog, the author had invited her readers to answer five questions on their blog...and then invite their readers to do the same. Vicki got her questions and answered them, and passed along the invite. So, I figured why not, and threw my hat into the ring.



Vicki posted my questions in the comments section of my blog, and I grabbed them and went to work. And what work it was. I still think I could add more to my answers, but it's time to stop "fiddling" around and post them already. If any of my readers would like to do the same on their blogs, let me know in the comments section and I'll pass along some questions of my own for you to post.

1. What was your favorite toy when you were a child?
For some reason, I have very few clear childhood memories. I do remember having a box of toys in the basement at one house we lived in. There were so many odds and ends in that box, including empty tomato paste cans for some odd reason. I also remember having a Weeble’s Treehouse that I adored, and a Big Wheel that my stepsister (for a time anyway) would tie to her bike so she could pull me along behind her.

But, in the end, I have to say my favorite toy was, and still is, my teddy bear, Fudge Brownie. Still have her. She’s 37 now, and a bit beat up, but she’s still a comfort when I’m in a bad mood or sad about something. For some reason, she gives my hubby the creeps, so I kind of keep her in a place where he doesn’t have to see her a lot. :-)

2. If you could spend a day being invisible, what would you do?
This is a tough one. (Thanks a lot, Vicki.) ;-)

My husband has lots to say about this one. Mainly things like how it would depend upon, when we say invisible, do we mean only in the visual spectrum, are we still detectable through body heat, etc? (Kind of annoying, that.) I’m thinking totally invisible. I’ve tried to think of what I would do, especially since time travel isn’t involved. (Would love to see my parents first meeting so I could know how those two ever got together – albeit temporarily.) I’d love to spend a day in the west wing of the White House, just to see a “typical” day in the running of our country (if any day is typical there).

Then, there’s that little part of me who would just like to be able to hang out in my own home without anyone (cats included) knowing I was there. To be able to sit outside in the sun reading a book, or stretch out on the bed and take an undisturbed nap with one of my Enya CDs playing in the background…ah, what dreams.

3. If your cats could speak English, what would they say?
Major (as I’m getting ready to walk out the door): “Hey, where’re you going? You can’t leave me. Wait a minute. You can’t leave.”

Eddie (the Princess): “I really should be an only kitty. I just don’t understand why you had to let those others live here.”

Blondie (the former athlete): “Hey, did you give me my snack today?” (then at about 2am) “HEY, ARE YOU AWAKE?!?! Just checking.”

Face (the Empress): “Feed me now, monkey, before I die of starvation.”

Muffin (originally Muffinhead – an homage to her vast intelligence): “Why do you keep all those cats inside? Did they do something wrong?”

4. What would you like to be doing in 25 years?
Writing still, but actually being paid for it. Maybe with my pet sitting business expanded enough that I can either “retire” and let someone else run it for me, or just sell it to someone outright. (I can dream.)

5. What is your favorite tree and why?
I’ve never really thought about my favorite tree. Favorite flower of course, but tree? Let’s see…there are three trees I really like: the Weeping Willow, the Magnolia and the Live Oak with lots of moss hanging from it. Out of those, I have to say the Live Oak is probably my favorite, especially those that stretch down, touching the ground so you can just climb right up and sit on a branch. I also love those places that have moss draped live oaks on either side of the road or driveway, the branches crossing over above you like some giant canopy. They just draw you in, seeming to call you down the lane, making you want to see what just might be waiting for you at the other end.