I am amazingly organized (organized for me, that is) regarding holiday preparations. I’m up to date on holiday cards – if you’ve sent me your name and address as of 5 pm my time yesterday (or you’re related to me), your card is on the way. I did the first big (200+) mailing on Monday. Tuesday, after I dropped the kittens off at the pet store, I stopped at one of those mailing places, and sent out Christmas boxes to my sister, brother, parents, and the spud. There will still be boxes to send out, but just a few, and they can go out next week or the week after. The gifts in the house have been wrapped and are set on a shelf waiting for Christmas. I haven’t done any decorating of the house yet (aside from the wreath on the front door), but I might do that later today, or maybe tomorrow. I asked the spud if she wanted me to go through the box of ornaments and pull out the ones that were given to her over the years, so she can hang them on the tree that she and her father and stepmother put up, and she said yes, so I’ll do that in the next day or so, too. If we were putting up a tree this year I’d hang them on our tree just so a little part of her would be here with us, but I’ll be honest – I don’t see a time in our cat-filled future where we’ll be putting up a Christmas tree again. Maybe one day, but I doubt it. I like Christmas lights, and I like Christmas trees, but I just don’t want to deal with the cats knocking over the tree and batting the ornaments through the house. I’m a Grinch, and not only a Grinch, but a LAZY Grinch who doesn’t want to have to pick shit up all the time. I freely admit it!
I went up into the foster room yesterday afternoon to give Skittles and Elle some love (Skittles is past her “OMG! Devil Woman! Must hide!” phase, and firmly into her “I love you! You’re so pretty! Will you pet me? And pet me here? And scratch my ears? And call me ‘Girly?’ And pet me some? Some more? And a little more? ‘K, thx, gottagoeatbye!” phase) and I glanced out the window and saw something hanging from the mailbox. I’d been out on the front porch not an hour before, bringing in a box from UPS (or FedEx or DHL, I don’t remember) and there wasn’t anything there at that point. I stood and squinted out the window for a few minutes, then decided to go see what the hell it was. Turns out, it was a couple of empty egg cartons. A woman who lives in the area had told Fred she’d drop off empty egg cartons for us to use. They weren’t the egg cartons we’d given her, but an egg carton is an egg carton, right?
In recent weeks, we’ve noticed a little orange and white cat occasionally moving across our property, usually at the very back of the back forty. The first time I noticed him, I called Fred – who was out working on the shed – and Fred went out and called to the cat, who responded by running away. Yesterday afternoon I glanced out into the back yard to check on Tommy (with the foster kittens running around all day, I keep the back door closed and will let our cats out if they make it clear (usually by running wildly toward the back door when I’m anywhere in the vicinity) they want out, but then they have to stay out there until the next time I’m near the back door and check to see if they want in), and saw something under the pecan tree, watching Tommy. I thought at first that it was a rabbit, but it was too big, and a closer look showed me that it was the orange and white cat. I went out with the camera and talked to him, but when I got to within about 30 feet of him, he ran off.
I think he looks like an O’Grady. I might as well go ahead and buy another six beds so there’s room for him IN THE FRICKIN’ HOUSE.
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Suggie’s favorite bird-watchin’ spot.
Previously 2006: I need a vacation, is what I need. 2005: When and if – and I mostly mean “when” – these two break up, I hope there’s a lot of interesting drama. 2004: It’s now my goal to make him CRY when he tries the next batch of chick peas. 2003: “What the FUCK? That is my BUTT you’re sniffing. And it TICKLES.” 2002: $4.49 for a freakin’ book? What the hell are they wrapping it with, gold? 2001: Is that a sex thing? 2000: Damn, isn’t Christmas here yet? 1999: Someone shoot me and put me out of my fucking misery, won’t you?]]>