Picture in a Picture

Frank caught Hunter in a photogenic position. 

Random Cats of Boston

Our first flight was delayed so I entertained myself with a coloring book. 

Ernest has a neighbor cat across the way. 

We found a very friendly cat on a walk. 

He would not let me buy this magnificent piece of cat art from the thrift store, nor the truly lovely life-size white ceramic cat statue at the antique store. 

His place is full of cat doors. Is he holding out for the real thing?

Tea Trek

Frank gets orders for more than just coffee.

One regular orders "Tea, Earl grey, hot."

Sometimes Frank gets in some banter in return: 

"I'll make it so."
"Engage."

Or my personal favorite, "Dammit man, I'm a barista not a replicator!"

Cats of the Castle

The Queen guards the entrance to her tower. She didn't realize the intruder was already upstairs.

The Royal Food Taster takes his duties seriously. 

The Huntsman seems to be doubling as the Laundress. Or maybe he just slew a pair of wild jeans. 

How to Make a Couch

Ernest's Ikea couch came in 4 large boxes. He was a little surprised. 

Once he started assembling, it really wasn't that complicated. (The bed, on the other hand...)

I thought this part looked like a diaper. 

They are both pretty handy. 

A well-earned rest. 

A rearrangement. 

Testing the Boots

Last week I was test driving my boots. 

I phrased that incorrectly. Test walking?  

In preparation for visiting the young lad in Boston, we got out the seldom used winter boots and trod around town in 69° weather, looking slightly wistfully on the weather app at the 39° temp there. 

We had some 39° mornings the prior week and I went into work in shirtsleeves. They said, aren't you cold? And I said I'm in training for Boston. 

Good thing!

You know how we say out West, "well at least it's a dry heat." We were lucky it was a dry cold for the most part and I only needed the boots on the last morning, slogging through the melting slush on the way to the T. 

But it was a record cold. 

We got some snow on the last night. 

Ernest's new pad was very warm and comfy. 

a wash of green

a wash of spring green

transforms the dry brown landscape

for a brief moment

A Good Morning

A delightful day stretches ahead of me. There is nothing I absolutely have to do. Of course there are things I SHOULD do, but an expert procrastinator like myself can easily put them off. 

I made a nice breakfast and settled down with a cup of coffee and my buddy. 

We're going to watch a spot of Downton before we make any more plans for the day. 

Chicken Fricassee

I didn't have a fricasseeing rabbit, nor the license, so I made do with chicken.



I had not made the classic chicken fricassee before. I did reduce the amount of liquids since I was cooking only a small batch of boneless thighs. It was delicious! Served over pasta, a deconstructed version of the best chicken noodle soup you've ever had.

Does that earn me my fricasseeing chicken license?

Fifi's Boudoir

I had a number of projects (that sounds so much better than "a bunch of stuff") piled up on the bed in the sewing room. 

Fifi chose to nest there and often Homer, her partner in crime as they say, would join her. 

I tidied up before last week's annual termite inspection. I think she liked the cluttered bed better. 

I am starting to lose count of the number of spreads that bed has carried. I was done with Thomas the Tank Engine, SpongeBob, and even Batman. 

I got a lovely vintage pink chenille but it was too delicate to withstand the black catness. The white comforter with pink and green ribbons (matching the sham) was sturdy but easily stained. Finally I put my thin pink childhood blanket on top. That seems to be holding up well. 

The queen was not amused by the disarray I made in extricating Homer from under the bed. 

No wonder she got Homer to mutiny yesterday. I hope she's satisfied now that things are back together. 

The Curious and the Curmudgeonly

This is not the right cat. This one is so curious, he got right in the carrier, even though it wasn't meant for him.  He also got on my lap when I was sitting on the toilet! 

No, the carrier was for Homer, to take him for his monthly blood test. (He is doing very well, by the way, in remission.)

But that wily old SOB! I went to check his location this morning and he was curled up on a bed with Francine. Well, that's her private pink boudoir so I didn't want to disturb him until the last minute. 

So when I went to get him, he was gone! Disappeared into thin air. And there was Francine looking very guilty and suspicious.

I swear, they plot these things together. 

 I deduced he was under the bed. I had to lift up the mattress and foundation to get him. Rowwwrrrrr!  

That put both of us in a curmudgeonly mood. We are going to need treats when we get home.