My parents left for home yesterday morning, taking the nice weather with them. It rained all freakin’ day long, and after I made a batch of Piggerdoodles and a batch of dog treats, I vacuumed the downstairs, hung out with the kittens, puttered around the house, and then Fred and I spent the afternoon watching movies and TV.
Well, he watched a movie – I stretched out on the couch with a pile of little kittens snuggled up to (and on) me, and snoozed during most of the movie.
The house is quiet without my parents here. I hope they enjoyed their vacation, although we didn’t really do anything exciting. I think they enjoyed watching the kitten circus racing through the house, anyway.
They went up into town Friday and walked on the walking path that goes, in part, around the high school. They reported back that there was going to be a plant sale on Saturday from 9 – 2, and though Fred wasn’t interested at first, I talked him into going and checking it out.
We walked into the greenhouse (yes, the local high school is small, but they have a greenhouse!) and Fred asked the woman working there how much the plants were. When he found out that the flats of 6 plants were $1 each, I thought he was going to pass out from sheer excitement.
We ended up spending $12 and got pepper and tomato plants, and some flowers for the front porch. Now, did we NEED pepper and tomato plants? No, not at all. But for a price like that, we figured we could make some room in the garden.
$12! (I had to go back later and get eggplant plants.)
Last year, I had some issue or another with the way Fred planted and/ or cared for the tomato plants (I no longer remember what the issue was), so earlier this year I declared that the tomatoes were going to be MY responsibility and he should just back off. When we were coming home with 36 tomato plants, Fred gleefully said “I guess you’re going to be doing a lot of planting!”
Ugh. I SO did not want to do the planting. I’m a pretty, pretty princess, and I shouldn’t have to woooooork, should I?
But I did, I planted every one of those 36 tomato plants. Those 36 tomato plants, plus the five Black Russian tomato plants I ordered through the mail (which Fred planted last week) took up one row and about a quarter of a second row. There are more tomato plants slowly growing upstairs in the garage, and when they’re ready to be planted, they’ll take up the rest of the second row.
Last Fall we decreed that this year we’d only have one row of tomato plants, since I don’t intend to make tomato sauce this year. Now we’re going to have two rows.
Two long rows of tomatoes for two people. That’s not too much, is it?
It’s hard to believe that I loathed tomatoes when I was a kid.
The monkeys had their usual Saturday weigh-in. Beulah just refuses to hit one pound – she weighed in at 15 7/8 ounces, and I swear she gave me a triumphant look before she ran over to the food bowl to eat.
She eats often, but not a lot at one sitting; I guess that’s how she plans to keep her kittenish figure.
Four kittens – Jasper, Elijah, Ezra, and Phinneas – are over two pounds. Phinneas is well over two pounds, he weighed in at two pounds, nine ounces. I’m going to call in a little while to make an appointment for the four who are over two pounds to be neutered this week; I think it makes sense to do it that way rather than wait ’til they’re all over two pounds. The way Beulah’s gaining weight, it could be two months before she hits two pounds!
My parents were here visiting, and I think they enjoyed seeing the kittens run around like wild things. My mother fell in love with Elijah and Caleb (who is earning himself the nickname “Trouble”), and Beulah considered my father to be her own personal playground.
How is it that the recliner gets so torn up? It’s truly a mystery.
“Hey, yady, where my snack?”
These kittens sure do like to fluff up at the slightest provocation.
“Hey, Mister, you sure smell purty!” All the girlies sure do love that Tom.
Sheriff Mama keeps an intense eye on the back yard. There’ll be no tomfoolery when she’s around!
Previously
2008: No entry.
2007: “Baby, I think someone in my comments just called me a complete idiot.”
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
2004: So, to sum up: for almost a year, they’ve spent time staring up their property line, ostentatiously walked up and down it, yet it’s never occurred to them to come knock on the door and say “Hi, blah blah our side of the property line, blah blah, stop? Thanks!”
2003: No entry.
2002: No entry.
2001: No entry.
2000: “If we manufactured bon-bons, I would have sent you a package of those. Instead, this package should assuage the pain and horror of not working while you lay on the couch and watch Oprah and the soaps.”
I wish I didn’t have a monster cat who hates all other kitties. Because I would love to have Beulah. I want a little bitty kitty that will fit on my lap forever. Oh well, Her Majesty forbids it.
Wow, Kara sure does look intense. In my pictures of Charlotte she never looks like I see her in real life if that makes sense. Pete looks like himself in pics. Gracie Lu looks just gorgeous and sweet and not even crazy, so I know that pictures lie. Hehehehe.
Rained here all day Sunday which gave me the opportunity to visit a friend who has 5 5 week old kittens, their momma, Elwood and Mini Me the two resident cats, 2 dogs who I did not get to meet, parakeets and 2 sugar gliders. Quite the households. Have you ever met a sugar glider up close. Interesting little creatures and very noisy when disturbed.
And, the Sheriff is in camo with the steps. No one will even see her watching them.
I think planting tomatoes is addictive. My dad swears he is going to cut back every year! Last year he only planted 112 plants, 5 different varieties. Maybe he has a contract with Tuttorosso or DelMonte . . . we’re not sure. My mother “can hardly wait” to see what “appears” this growing season.
Robyn, I’m sure your parents had a lot of fun. I wish I’d had seven adorable baby kittens to play with on my last vacation. I think the hang out and visit vacations are the best ones sometimes.
Robyn, did you make the quilt on the recliner? It’s pretty! I love one-patch quilts.
All that talk about planting just makes me so tired.
Your divider line hangs out the laundry?! Does it vacuum and do bathrooms too? Can I borrow it? 🙂
If I lived closer I’d take a couple of those kittens. But getting them across the border would be difficult.
Thank you for your kind words. I read the comment section in tears. I know that you, my friends, are on this journey with me. I cannot begin to say how comforting it is to know that during this crazy time. Bless you and thank you!
Lacy
Here’s a question for Friday. I just bought a really comfy bed from Big Lots for my indoor kitty, and she won’t stay in it when I put her there. Then I tried placing it on the floor where she usually likes to sleep. Again, not interested. Then I pulled out the big guns: a little catnip. That didn’t last long before she went back to lay on my bed. Should I just keep my bedroom door closed? Or do you have any other ideas for me? Thanks.