Cat Tales

I saw this cat and thought,

WOW,

how beautiful is she or he.

Been busy.

Doing lots of Holiday things.

No baking.

Not into that.

Not without help.

The puppy is growing every day.

Smart. Learning.

Boxes are arriving.

Love how I don't have to 

go to the shopping malls

for everything.

No tree.

No decorations.

Will try to start that.

For now, I'm enjoying.

Coffee in a cat cup.

Two dogs snoozing.

Cats trying to open a box.

Tape still on it.

Riley will get it open soon.

Rain has arrived.

Nasty wet out.

Merry Merry

to all

and 

remember to dance.

~ ~ ~

JC and The Purr and Fur Gang

Purrfect Week

I can't get enough of these cute cat photos.
I look for them with a garden idea and this one popped up.

~ ~ ~
Another week has gone.
Sunshine everywhere.
Reading books in the shade.
Dogs barking at people walking
or paddling within their sight.
It's what they write about.
The Summer Days.
The evenings are skies with color.
Shades turn to stars.
Really, I'm having a fabulous time.

Cats are fine.
Sitting in the warmth
or in the coolness of the rocking chair.

Me, I'm doing fine over here
pretending that this really
is my life.
I'll be back soon enough.
My woods are calling me.

Hope you had a purrfect week.

~ JC and The Purr and Fur Gang ~

Sprinklers Are Going

The weather has been warm.
A bit foggy in the mornings.
Sunny in the afternoons.
Quite warm for us.
I'd rather have it be in the 70's
instead it's 90 in the shade.
Really not typical for us.
(I live in the Pacific Northwest)

Cats are loving the beach life.
This house stays cooler.
They get to go out on the deck
when it's not too hot.

Dogs are having fun.
Jodie plays.
Maddy watches.

Me, I'm taking it easy.
Enjoying these warm days.
I know all too well
that the rainy ones
will return.

You can imagine me
with a good book
and a cool drink.
Just taking in 
the sights and sounds.

Every once in a while
I get up and dance.
Music playing
like I was young again.


~ JC ~

Catting Around

 

 

~ ~ ~

Another day without being able to do my own photos.

I took this one from Pinterest.

 

It's Friday but seems like a Wednesday.

The week was weird for me

due to the extra day Holiday.

And, yes, I always capitalize Holiday.

I like the word.

It's meaning.

The potential of it.

 

My woods have been quiet.

A few birds visiting

but not too much other than that.

 

I see the Spring arriving though.

A few bulbs are trying.

Which is hard in my woods

due to the squirrels, deer, bear,

 raccoons and coyotes.

(I haven't seen the last three

in a while but they're out there)

 

I don't blog often.

Doing this and that

and keeping busy.

 

Not being able to post

my own photos

is a bummer.

I think do I really want

to put the time into it.

Still working on the fix

for this old computer.

Each day it's recover a bit

of what it lost but more

is waiting to be retrieved

from the vapors of disc ville.

 

This weekend, I have a list

a mile long of things

I need to get done.

 

The Purr and Fur Gang

have been napping

and helping me.

Not much else to do

until the warmer days

decide to arrive.

 

We are waiting

and looking out the windows.

Hoping it makes an

early dance down our

long driveway.

 

And, that's about it

from the woods

on this sort of

chilly Friday.

 

~ JC ~



One And Only

This is what I was listening to 
while drinking my meowning coffee.
Fog, cats, dogs and music.
Going to be a grand day.
Just saying ...
~ JC ~

Nothing Says It Like

Riley Andrew helping with Maddy Jean napping

~ ~ ~ ~

Last night, I finally got around to putting

a few ornaments on the Holiday tree.

The box that had them was being warmed by Meredith Ann.

She had found the box early on.

By mistake it now seems, I'd put a blanket on top of it.

That spells napville around here.

Thus, every time I looked at the box,

someone who blogs on Mondays,

was napping or bathing or just looking cute.

 

So, when the alert went off that she had

vacated her box, I went to work.

Course she came back in the middle.

Looked at her box with a "what are you doing"

smirk and waited by the fireplace til I was done.

 

I put only half of the ornaments on the tree.

Thought I could put the rest on later.

There was a cat waiting.

There was a movie.

There was a couch.

 

I put the blanket back on the box.

Only it wasn't as full,

 so when she napped, it sank a bit.

It's an old box that has held the ornaments for years.

 

I sat there, looking at the unfinished tree,

the cat on her box,

the Holiday candles burning away,

 the Christmas movie playing.

the dogs on the couch,

 the cat napping on his scratching post,

the winter brew in my cup

and thought that it doesn't get much better.

This is what my life is about.

 Peace. Purrs. Dogs dreaming.

The movie was a nothing says the Holidays
and putting a tree together kind,

The Fugitive.

Yes, Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford in the same movie.

Both looking fabulous and both making my purrfect evening.

 

While I'm over here,

 enjoying my peaceful life and the twinkle

of my tree and watching an old movie,

 I hope that your Holidays

are as peaceful and full of purrs as mine.

 

~ JC ~

Thursday In The Woods

Not much going on over here.
Spring has arrived.
Birds are singing early in the morning.
That wakes Jodie Belle up.
She then starts to bark.
At the birds or the cats, I'm not sure.

So, up I get to take her out.
Nothing like four thirty and darkness.
Back we go to settle in for an hour or so.
Not to sleep but snuggle with a cat or dog.

My back has decided not to get better.
I finished my week of steroids.
Things seemed to be improving.
Less pain. Less screaming.
Two days off the steroids and I'm a mess.
Starting physical therapy tomorrow.
I really hope it helps.
Cause I'm getting just a bit crabby.
(On week three of this pinched nerve.)

Cats have all been getting along.
Which is rare for this cat house.
My boys don't like my girls.
And, my girls run from the boys.

Both dogs are enjoying going outside.
Has been sort of nice out.
Have finally gotten a few photos
of Jodie Belle that aren't a total blur.

My list of things to do is still long.
Being out of it for three weeks has delayed
getting this and that put away and cleaned.
Oh well, at least I have cute cats to sit with
and dogs to keep me occupied
over here in the woods.

~ JC ~

Sleep

~ Z zzzz Z ~

Sleep what is it ?

Real deep sound 

Eyes don't open til six

Where is it ?

I don't think I'd know it if I saw it.

My person whom I live with snores.

And, that's being nice.

A big truck that fires all night long.

Add in a cold and no sleep.

 NONE.

I gave up and went to another room.

Threw this and that off of it.

In I went with a blanket and a Collie pup.

Later, the old Golden found us.

Only my snug as a bug in another

 bed didn't last long. 

The pup was confused.

Wasn't I supposed to be in the other room ?

That's when the I'm confused barking started.

Which woke up the snoring machine down the hall.

I have had a lot of coffee 

in my Crazy Cat Lady cup.

Yes, I own one of those. 

Thank you to another cat lady friend.

It holds a lot of coffee.

Not enough for today though.

I have an appointment at eleven.

How can I ?

I don't own enough makeup 

to cover up these old wrinkled bags.

Sleep .. What is it ?

~ JC ~

Last Night I

The coffee this meowning needs to be powerful

Full of magic

Nothing like it in the world

Last night I got no sleep

Ok, maybe a wink or two

But seriously what the heck

Rain, More Rain,

Oh let's get a bit louder

Pouring, Hill sides coming down

kind of pouring

Cats, dogs, all on the bed

I knew I should have gotten a King

instead of a Queen

That was my h's decision

Oh no we don't need that size

Right, yes we do

This meowning I feel like I survived

the battle of all battles

The storm that wasn't lost

I'm worn out

And the day has just begun

~ JC ~

They Do Come True

As if the big weather vane in the sky heard me,

I woke to a bit of that yellow stuff trying

 to squeak through the clouds.

Of course, since I've written about it,

it'll go away but until it does,

I'll be working in my disaster

called a yard.

So, imagine me

listening to birds

and dreaming

 like my dog does.

(my dream is a lovely gardenlike yard

and my dog dreams of sitting on her

deck and barking at squirrels)

~ JC ~

Mondays With Meredith Ann

Yes, I look at mice.
I play with them too.
Until the yellow dog took it.
Why did Mom get her ?

She had her own toy

and still was found chewing mine.

Later she was napping.

Like nothing happened.

I know something is going on.

Mom has her suitcase out.

She told me that she's going

 to Sedona, Arizona.

Is she taking the dogs ?

~ Meredith Ann ~

(Mom says I'll be ok.

Mr. Boatman & son are

going to watch over me

while Mom is on her

mini vacation)



Nada Zero

Today I sit upstairs.

Not in my den where I watch my birds.

I am on the very old keyboard.

The even older puter system.

The one that Mr. Boatman fixed just a few days before he left.

Seems that my Graphic Card has gone away
and my puter in the den is Gone.

In memory ... it sits there with a purple screen. 

Thus, I am upstairs.

I had no email for a day.

Imagine that ... scary isn't it.

Mr. Boatman was awake.

Four am Shanghai time.

Think Bill Murray in Lost in Translation.

He took over the system.

Concluded that it was down for the count.

Fixed me up a new system ... sort of ... and here I am 

Looking at the leaves on the trees in my back yard

What this means is 

NO PHOTOS 

Nada

Zero 

I also have to walk up and down a flight of stairs to get a new cup of 

COFFEE 

Men, why do they leave when the puter breaks down

I dream of my laptop

The one I got for my belated birthday

The blue one

The one that had to go to college with my daughter

cause she broke hers the day before 
she was leaving to go back

I am sad but my blue laptop is coming home in December

She promises me it is fine ...

no Cornell stickers have been put on it

The cats are perlexed. 

Why am I not in the den ?

If I'm upstairs that means food

The dogs are thrilled.

Maddy Jean is on the bed.

Bella came upstairs for the first time since her surgery.

Going up is fine.

It's the going down ... she does it but too fast. 

That's the crazy report from my house ...

and I've always wanted to say

On Sunset hill ...

I do get sunsets and I am kind of on a hill 

Ride In The Old Red Truck

Maddy Jean & Bella
Photo taken while they were riding in the truck
On the way to the beach house

Two For One Special

Maddy Jean was having a two for one special

Her cow and her holiday bone

While wagging her tail

Comic Relief

On a rainy day

With all that's been going on
Around our Crazy house
It's good to know
That Al
Has taken it well

Old Dogs ... Part Two

My old dog, Bella, looks terrible on x rays.

Arthritis here .. a bone spur there

Hips look ready to quit

Although they aren't the problem

My Dear Bella has blown out her left back knee

A torn ACL to be exact

The surgery if we do it with our vet

Will be in the $3000 area

A specialist will start there & go up

Her visit was over $400

Her pain meds were over $100 and

I have to give them in a syringe

Recovery is six weeks at the least

We will have to have her locked downstairs

Luckily I still have old baby gates

Going outside by leash only

No running ... No anything

She has to lose weight before

So now on top of everything else

I have to cut her food intake

Today I have to look up specialists

To see if they cost more

I think he's an ok vet but what do I know

It's only money ... right

She's only my daughter

Yikes, I need more coffee ...

Some Tea

It's Raining Cats & Dogs

I'm going to have some tea

What are your plans ?

Maddy & Bella

Maddy Jean ..

Bella

On this foggy Tuesday, I thought I would share with you the latest photos taken of 'My Girls'.

I think they are the cutest older dogs in the world.

Tell me about your dogs ?

Furry Dogs

Just got done being on the back porch with the girl's. Maddy Jean and Bella. My Golden and Labrador Retriever.

I came out with my furminator and a plastic bag ... I was on a mission from dog. Thought I was going to say something else didn't you.

I had looked up grooming in my area. A mobile one came up. They come to your house and they do .. everything ... to your dog .. for you. Only it cost $$$$$ ... how much ?

Since my two hairy one's are going in for their very expensive shots this week ... which have only expired by a few days ... I thought I ought to wait for the bubble bath for dogs van and do a bit of dehairing myself.

First, the furminator is a marvelous device. I got the yellow one. I think it comes in blue too but I got the middle sized one due to price. They saw me coming but I did not ... I say again ... did not buy the most pricey one. Being the good shopper that I am.

I started with the Golden which after a moment ... realized that I was not going to play with her ... at least not the kind of play she had expected. I got one side done ... and by done I mean I went over it once ... at least I think I did cause with a Golden Retriever all you see is puffs of light hair floating around ... like a hairy cloud. I grabbed what I could see and then some. The furminator is so good that I can't keep up with it.

I tried to role her over to get the other side and well, she got up and went down the steps in a blonde cloud. That's when I called her sister. "Bella, come here" Bella has always been a good girl. Comes when she's called or at least when I call her and I'm looking right at her. She tried to do the "who me" look but she put her head down and came to me on the deck. ( She always puts her head down when she doesn't want to do something but she always does it anyway.)

I combed her a long time. She was two colors. Light and dark brown. Now, she is mostly dark brown. I still have more to do on her but at least I got the other side done. She doesn't run away as fast as her sister. Something to be said about having a dog with bad hips.

Maddy Jean, being the goofy pup that she is and maybe due to being blond, came on the deck like she'd forgotten what had happened. I got to get the other side combed for a while. She finally tried to nip me ... not a real one ... just one that said ... "I'm done now".

Which we all were. I got a full bag of hair, the birds got some nesting material, the rest of the hair is biodegradable I'm assuming, and I got some exercise ... the bending and twisting part ... and I can mark that off my 'to do' list.

So, when I take them into the vet this week for their slightly over due shots ... really it's just a day or two ... ok, it might be a week but who doesn't do that ... they won't look like the vet needs to call animal rescue on me.

The nails though ... that's another story ...

Nice Spring Day

It was a really nice Spring day.

Cold in the morning but got warmer.

Warm for me is in the 60's.

I was able to be in the back yard with my dogs.

Today no matter what I said, they had me at bark. I tell them that I won't sit out with them unless the sun is out or it's over 40. Out I went. They like me to be out there with them.

I talk to them and they play. My younger dog explores her jungle. And, I mean a jungle. Weeds and ferns. Trees and more trees. I counted one time and I think there are at least six types.

My oldest dog sits in her office better known as the top of the hot tub.

She looks out at the lower part of the jungle.

Barking when needed at a neighbor dog.

Sirens are so much fun.

If you are a dog that is.

I, being a dull human, don't enjoy the high pitch as much as my Labrador.

I watch the birds, butterflies .. when they are in season,

which hasn't arrived quite yet,

trees and leaves moving in the wind and clouds in the sky.

I guess I am part dog.

I did manage to venture out to the front yard.

The weeds are out there too.

I did get the barrels by the street cleared but my old shoulder told me that was enough.

I wish it wasn't old cause I do enjoy working in the yard.

My hope is that it will stop this silly achiness soon.

It's a real pain.

The weekend is supposed to be nice.

I'll take that instead of rain anytime.

Guard Dogs & Rainy Day Visitors

We just had our excitement for the day.

No one ever comes down my driveway. No one.

I was busy looking around the net and there they were.

Two young men in black. I waited. No doorbell. I heard them say, "I know she saw us".

I have my blinds up so I can see birds. After they rang, I ventured over to the door. I wasn't getting up from my old arse without them working for it. I have my busy net exploring life .. after all.

I did have to wait for my second big barking dog to arrive though. She was upstairs napping on my daughter's bed. Takes a while for her to actually get up and down the stairs and get ready to bark at someone. I opened my door just enough so they could see and hear my girls.

One of them mentioned something about 'guard dogs'. I said, "what can I help you with ?"

He said, "we're the missionaries".

Like, he's said that so many times he has it down to a statement of fact. He knows that everyone knows what that means. I did but I checked their name tags to make sure. I simply wouldn't be walking around with a name tag trying to sell my views. Maybe that's why I'm not in a 'view' at the moment. Just me. Maybe ... obviously, some people rather enjoy it. Walking around going door to door on rainy days. It's just not my cup of tea. Must be in the rules and I'm sure a few read that part and skedaddled out the door. Door seems to be a theme here.

I told him I was a 'vacationing' viewer so we probably wouldn't have much to talk about. That's all it took. They started to turn and walk off my porch. I told them to "have a nice day in the rain".

That was the best 'view' visitors, I have ever had come to my door.

I don't mind views. I grew up with a view, been on a long vacation from it for a while ... thus, the term mentioned above. I don't mind a bit of this or that in conversation but basically I like to not be bothered at my door.

That's the one thing I realized when I bought my first home. You try to be nice at first. I even asked one set of 'view' visitors to come on in and help me wash the floor ... they weren't getting the hint that I was busy. My guard dog at the time was barking to help me. And, no they didn't come inside to help me clean. I wouldn't have let it get that far but for a moment I did think ... if they want to sell me on their view ... well, they're going to have to help clean this house. Just for a moment ... like two minutes or ten seconds ... that's what I thought. I was a young mother with a messy house and a book that was waiting for me and a list a mile long and I was trying to be nice. It's just that they were the wrong kind. I like the kind that make me laugh and bring dessert with them. The kind that plays with the baby while I talk about life while scrubbing the floor.

Oh a fact here ... I generally pick my guard dog by the bark. Woof Woof and I'm sold. That and the brown eyes.

I'm all for everyone believing in whatever they wish. I just don't want it at my doorstep. Not unless you're a friend or relative and even then, I'll probably bypass that topic.

Oh, by the way, I'm having tea on this rainy day, with my two guard dogs, who are snoozing now. They're getting older and this barking thing gets them tired.

I had a few more things to do today. If they'd pressed, I would have asked them to help comb the big dogs.

Are your dogs rested up? They might just be ringing your door bell next.

I had to write about it ... cause well they were such pleasant visitors and that doesn't happen too often.

I have to get back to my net exploring and my tea now ... all this excitement has got me tired too !!!