~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~

[HHandbasket]

I can't get over how much Lizbeth looks like my Maggie! Maggie was such a sweet kitty until our last move cross-country from Louisiana back to California. She was NOT happy with the car trip and has kinda a bad "cattitude" ever since. We've had her since December of 2002 when she was an 8 week old kitten, and we made the last big car trip in June of 2006. When we first got back to California, we had to stay with a friend that has 3 rottweilers who think cats make neat play toys, so poor Maggie stayed hidden for 4 weeks and hasn't been the same since. So I don't know if it was the car trip or the 4 weeks with the rottweilers that changed her.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

Lizbeth is absolutely beautiful. Torti's are really smart and among the most unique and friendly cats I know. I think she'll make a wonderful addition to your menagerie - once she settles in, gets Dooley to back off, and comes down from her Shelf o' Safety

Yep - good thing you have Monday off

 

[coloradochick]

Very Beautiful young lady there Linda

And I love her name, very feminine for a "purty" gal

A couple of goodlookin additions to the family

 

[gryeyes]

It's a bucolic (if chilly) day at the Olmstead Homestead. Just cleaned and refilled the kiddie pools and topped off the stock tank. The geese and ducks are happily splashing, Hitchcock is stalking the gray squirrel, hens are flinging pine duff and soil out of their foxholes, Buffy is escorting her chicks around the yard, the Brahma tweenagers are out of the coop exploring the flat section of the driveway, Carl is calling hens to the very last apple I pulled from the tree, and a variety of roosters are having a crow-fest.

This belies the frenetic Cat Leaping Extravaganza in the guest room, after which I must find where the connection to my computer monitor has been compromised. I am posting on my iPad.

Simba enjoyed his baby carrot treat. I made a flat, cardboard "floor" for part of his cage so he's not on wire over litter all the time. Lizbeth is feeling bi-polar, alternately bumping my hand affectionately and hissing because the wiener dogs simply HAVE to come visit when I am trying to love on her some more. Smudge had discovered -now that he has his electronic pet door collar on - he can stand in the open pet doorway and look out, but he still prefers I open the front door for him to go outside.

Time to dress. I am going for lunch with HHandbasket at a winery where I joined the wine club - time to pick up this month's wine selection and snarf down the free Sunday lunch.

 

[coloradochick]

There ya go again Linda, Livin my dream life

 

[1muttsfan]

Linda give those bunny people the link to this thread. By the time they are done reading about you they will probably offer their kids to you on top of the bunnies. Where would they find a better home?

 

[gryeyes]

Well, I don't really like kids......

On the other hand, I think I could be a great Auntie Mame type. As I was dropping HHandbasket at home, she said one of the things she liked about me was that I have so many child-like traits. Not childISH, child-like. I took it as a compliment (which is how she meant it) because I am finally able to exercise the Little Linda inside me. She's been locked inside for so many years, even back to my very young years. The first rule in the house was ALWAYS "Children are to be seen, not heard." And the first rule for anywhere outside the home was "Keep your hands in your pockets - do not touch ANYTHING." These rules were harshly enforced. Growing up in an alcoholic family is ever so not-boring. If you grew up in one, you know what I mean.

But now. Ahh, now. I am my own parent. I am trying very hard to parent myself better than my parents knew how to do it. And Little Linda gets to be heard and doesn't have to keep her hands in her pockets any more.

I loved putting up the twinkling lights on the small cedar by one front gate. I squeal when seeing things I like. I just love sparkly, illuminated, glowing, shiny things. I'm particularly enthralled with battery-operated, flameless candles. I can put them anywhere and everywhere and no fear of fire. None of the cats will ever sizzle up their whiskers sniffing one. (This has happened in the olden days of lighted, burning candles. I have retarded companion animals. Okay, I have very smart companion animals who sometimes do really retarded things.)

My Bella Piazza wine club bottles are a 2008, Estate Bottled, Montepulciano and a 2008 Stellina. I also bought a bottle of 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel and one of ..... something we drank with lunch. Well, half of it. The other half went home with HH. Dang, what was it? Oh well, after two other wine tasting stints at other wineries (with me choosing to drink water at the second one), I think I can be forgiven for not remembering the wine we drank at lunch when I don't have the bottle right in front of me.

HH loved on Lizbeth and found her good. "Oh, she's been somebody's cat before! She just wants to be a love kitty!" She also said Simba is MUCH larger than he looks in the photos I've posted.

At lunch, we met a nice older couple who allowed us to sit at "their" table. She makes dog treats! Please go to http://www.petsnax.com/ and check 'em out! She gave us a sample each and her business card. We told her our favorite wineries and insisted she check out BYC although she doesn't have any chickens. Presently.

Dooley and Zorro each took one; Zorro scarfed his down as always and Dooley carefully carried his to a safe spot to inspect, first. He's the funniest dog I've ever had, the way he deals with treats.

Once the adult beverage buzz dissipates, I think I'll put up my Christmas tree. Still haven't found the boxes of ornaments, but the tree comes out of the box fully wired for lights and ready to twinkle. "We need a little Christmas, right this very minute! Candles in the windows and carols at the spinet!"

 

[remuda1]

Wow, that is so odd..... Here is my new addition. She's a stray that wandered up, it's going to be getting cold so I had to take her in. I just lost a 2 year old cat (K.C., a grey tabby ~~~ a browny point to anyone that can correctly guess what the initials stand for, LOL

) . Unfortunately, he had a necrotic lymph node and didn't survive surgery to remove it. I acquired him in the same way and I think they both have the same mom (feral). It felt like what KC would have wanted me to do, so she now has a warm home. I haven't decided what to name her yet. But I thought the similarity was striking. Congrats on the new additions at your place

.

This is in my garage

 

[gryeyes]

Remuda1, the resemblance IS striking! Lizbeth also looks a lot like HHandbasket's Maggie.

Last night, I was periodically looking for Lizbeth to see where she was finding as hiding spaces. I have an antique dresser I haven't put the drawers into, yet, and it's in my bedroom. She found that spot and stayed there for quite some time. I gathered up two flat pet beds and washed them, then placed them in little hidey places - one of them that dresser. She had vacated it so I was hoping she would come back to it.

Quite late, I got up from my cozy spot in the recliner (had to move Smudge off my shoulder/chest, uncover and dislodge Dooley and Zorro from their spots under the lap blanket across my legs) and went looking for Lizbeth again. Imagine my pleased surprise to see this:

She was sleeping heavily enough - or was not frightened by my approach - for me to get closer for another photo.

Today, however, I have no clue where she is, nor have I heard her mew. There are TONS of places she could hide.

Smudge finally decided the electronic pet door was actually useful as an exit from the house this morning. Plus, Dooley has stopped barking at its operation. He snuck halfway up the ramp and stood there with the door open, two or three times. But he still doesn't want to actually go through the opening.

I'm waiting for the propane guy to come repair the gas fireplace heater. The service guy apparently called earlier when I was outside, but his phone number was blocked so I couldn't call him back. He didn't leave a message, either. <*grumble*>

I have reserved a bunny hutch at Bradshaw Feed, which I'll pick up tomorrow after work. It's a three-level hutch, and I think I'll keep it on the porch for outdoor time. It's eventually going to be the Bunny Family home. I've also ordered a nice, large, indoor hutch from another feed store in town (the one I saw was special-ordered for another customer and I loved it!) so Simba doesn't have to stay in such a small cage.

Simba apparently ate a far more interesting main diet than rabbit pellets at his other home. He keeps spilling the pellets, but appreciates the baby carrots and alfalfa cubes I have also provided him. I need to study that Rabbit book more.

Oh CRUD. The propane heater is not repaired. It's a 1995 model, so not ALL that old, really. The repair guy is going to do some more research and ask some of the other professionals in his company for advice on where to find the correct thermocoupler for it. He'd researched it online with the information I had provided but when he got here, he said "what came up" was nothing like the unit in my house. No charge for no solution. He'll call me back with whatever he finds out, but warned me I may have to go to Stoves And Things in Placerville for the part.

 

[coloradochick]

Aww Linda that pic of LB brought tears to my eyes. I find it very emotional when an animal feels comfortable enough to let us into it's life. Like anew dog laying on your feet or Like LB knowing that this is where my new mom sleeps and I want to be close to her. Or a chicken follwing you around or jumping on you and getting comfortable. Just very cool to me