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. 

Here They Are!

The process is here. 

Heart Factory

My beloved niece wanted some hearts for the bookstore window. 

I can't wait to see what she does with them. I guess I'll find out on Monday.

Here's the reveal.

When you think your kitten's lost

Because he's disappeared for 4 hours.

But he always wants dinner

So you are outside calling and calling

Eventually Frank goes into the garage. 

And sees the kitten inside my car. 

Which I parked just over 4 hours ago

Psycho kitty quest que c'est. 

The Beauty of Lowered Expectations

Most years I eagerly anticipate Christmas so much, but when it is over I feel let down and sad at having to pack everything away again.

This year, for the first time since 1987 I did not put up a tree or decorate. 

In December 1987 we were in escrow for this house, finishing a kitchen remodel on the prior house, and everything we owned was in the process of being packed, boxed, or stored.

This year, I blame it on the kitten.

I was afraid to put up Pink and Sparkly! For sure, I thought, he would attack it and climb it and play vigorously with the breakable ornaments.

Then I thought I might buy a small tree, strongly tie it down somewhere, and put on only non-breakable decorations. I never got around to that.

I ended up with a wilted wreath, a foot-high shrub, and a Christmas tablecloth. Not so much anticipation.

But by golly, no post-Christmas let-down. That feels wonderful.

Meanwhile Kitten is attacking the computer screen as the cursor moves.

Head Warmer

Or is it earmuffs?

Either way, Hunter's favorite place to sleep is curled around Handy's head. 

One Man's Trash

...is another man's treasure.

We took a defunct appliance to the dump transfer station and I noticed a lot of salvaged treasures around the area. 

Outside

The wind came from different directions today. We usually feel the wind from the west but around noon today were hit by a vortex from north, east, and south. Yet still no storm. Tonight I hear a thrumming outside, building. Just now, a rumbling up the center of the house. Louder and louder outside, and then it's gone. It's going to drive me crazy. 

Nocturne

Lying awake in the middle of the night, I analyze each noise. The house's creaks and pops, the cats' nocturnal adventures, the husband's snores, the drone of faraway freeway traffic. Like that snippet on a Tom Petty record, "it's just the normal noises in here."

Tonight the wind has added an extra dimension. A dull thrum, a clash of chimes, a big rattle. Noises I can't place. 

I lie restless, anticipating the next noise, waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. 

Traditions

Keeping my regular New Year's Traditions: 

The Rose Parade.

and the Twilight Zone Marathon. 

And then we cleaned the gutters, threw away broken things, and tidied up outside in preparation for the rain which is supposed to arrive next week.