Where – WHEN – Does it STOP?

Y’all know I try to avoid politics here. And today is no different. I just want to say, before we go any further, WHERE AND WHEN will we stop the school shootings? Two generations ago, school shootings were rare. My generation, we tended to have a bomb threat or two during finals, but very, VERY rarely anything came of it. We used to practice nuclear drills in school (how futile), then we (especially in the midwest) shifted to tornado drills (trust me, not much better). Now our kids and the younger parents who graduated around Y2K have the memory of active shooter drills. WHY? I’m not going into policy changes here etc. Too political for the blog. Not today at least. But here’s a thought. How about we teach our kids how to DEescalate, how to think critically and logically, and how to negotiate? Let’s give our kids coping tools, methods to de-stress. And remember those little educational programs on tv? Let’s have a new set – broadcast all over – radio, tv, ads on the internet – little blurbs to remind and teach ALL of us to calm down. The CatDaddy and I are BOTH stubborn and hard-headed with a tendency to sometimes flip from hard to hot. But 20 years ago when we got together, we made a conscious decision that we would up the Trekkiness that we are to another level: we approach everything with Vulcan logic. If our emotions started clouding our judgement or we started to argue, we walk away, cool off, and come back with Vulcan logic. Yes, it’s hard sometimes. But it’s gotten us through a LOT. Through the decades we’ve been together I can count our big arguments on ONE hand, though I couldn’t tell you when or what they were about, because we cooled off and figured our way through it logically later, putting the issue to bed. That old saying about never going to bed angry? There’s a medical reason for that. You’re going to at LEAST wake up with an upset gut in as bad of a mood as you were the night before if not worse, and more than likely work yourself into an ulcer or an early deadly heart attack. Please folks, stop using violence to solve your problems and conflicts. PLEASE.

Alright, onto other things here…. lol

So, as many of you know, I have a nice little set of woods alongside where I live, that runs along the creek as well. There’s a wooded “fence” so to speak splitting the vacant empty space behind us from the neighbors. At any given time, I’ve seen deer, a fox, and, on the front side, possums, a duck trio, and other wildlife. Well, as I was finishing work yesterday, Alex was in the back window right behind me chattering away. There had been a LOT of birds out lately, so I thought it was just his bird chatter. Ohhhh no, far from it – and even cuter!

BUN ALERT! BUN ALERT! Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! I see them all the time when I’m out and about, and sometimes close to home, but this was the first time I spotted one right outside my window!!! Oh if there hadn’t been a screen up… LOL (And no, I have no idea what’s living or what made the holes in that stump.)

(Apologies for the blurriness, shooting through a screen far away can do that LOL)

So yes, as you can well imagine. I was squishy squeeing all day yesterday. I’m still on baby birdie watch. As of less than an hour ago, still no baby birdies. The brown speckled eggs, I’ve not even seen parents around. The robin nest though? Oh yeah. That mama is not so easily spooked. She’s even getting used to me peeking in on her. LOL.

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone. Let’s not forget all those who have gone before us, especially those who gave their lives defending freedom and those continuing to do so especially in Ukraine.

TSB and Alex
(and RB ❤ from Angels Curzon, Jadzia, Nimbus, Snowflake, Obnoxio and Angel aka Ninja. And Sharon and Brian, Sniffie and Zoe send extra love from your furry family OTRB to you guys. Sniffie and Nimbus have been having slight disagreements lately who has/had the better CatDaddy, but I reminded them BOTH that they’re the luckiest cats alive to have had CatDaddies at all, especially one *cough* Sniffie *cough* that watches over MULTIPLE families’ kitties until THEIR humans join them… – Curzon)

(NOT) Paranormal

Mom got a spooky pic of me!!

Uh, PICS?!?

So mama is DEFINITELY pawpawrazzi. Seriously mama. You have a problem.

Twenty-six THOUSAND pictures mom?

REALLY?

As our furiend says, MOUSES!

And over EIGHT thousand of those pics are ME. I’ve only been here less than two years.

HUMANS!

She did find some old pictures of the twins that she took on her old kindle that were nothing but blurs of fur if even that so she put them in the digital file 13, whatever that means.

Yo Alex if you’re gonna be all dramatic and stuff, be HONEST about it.

Twenty six thousand four hundred thirty one pictures.

But this also includes the cats that came before there was a mama and daddy. Daddy’s OC, and mama’s OC and Nimbus’ half sister.

But to give mama some credit, her and daddy were talking about how smart I am. Smarter than they can understand apparently. Hey daddy, you drop food, yes I’m going to look where you dropped it when I know I liked it.
And I LOVE egg whites.
And Ham.
And Chic-hen.
And bird.

What? I can’t have bird?

NO ALEX. You are not allowed near the nest where the Robin family lives. No, no, NO. Two months buddy. They should be hatched and fledged probably in the next two months, if not 3. You’re lucky we don’t live out in the REAL woods where there are birds big enough to think about YOU for dinner. I will decide what birds get eaten, and it’s not going to be cute, precious little robins.

Mama just realize there are a bunch more pics of me not filed away properly. Whoopsie. I guess I need to snoopervise her better.

Mother’s Day

I know there’s a lot of us cat bloggers that really, really dread mother’s day. I’m usually one of them. But as much as we miss our mothers, ladies, we too are moms! Our kids just have four legs instead of two, have fur, and don’t cuss us out! I think that’s a huge win! LOL

Happy Mother’s Day to all my fabulously awesome furry kid moms!

Mary and Paula

I just can’t comprehend… I’m just in shock, honestly. The world has gotten a bit darker this week. Please purr for their friends and family. And remember, we too are one family. We may have differences in politics or religion or whatever, but we are united in our love for our furry kiddos and our friends’ kiddos as well.

Social Media Pics

From FB/IG

Trying to look like Curzon… and succeeding. Made me kinda weepy even in the moment.

Just because they’re hidden doesn’t mean those fangs aren’t RIGHT there ready to chomp.

And he couldn’t leave out daddy’s kitties either. He looks a LOT like Astro in this one.

MY daddy. (It’s ok dude I’m ok with you hatching his feet for once lol.)

Everything is WILD!

Hello my friends.

Alex seems to be reverting back to a wild cat again, just as I got him calmed down. The last couple nights his zoomies have been enough to keep anyone awake. Tonight he didn’t even wait until I was asleep. I guess this is a good thing? There is no sleep for me at least yet. Yes it’s almost 9pm. But it’s dreary and dreadfully chilly and it’s been raining for hours. Luckily, unlike when Ida came through, it hasn’t been a HEAVY rain through the whole day when it seemed like the skies just would never close back up. Today hasn’t been that bad. But it’s been raining and raining. Everyone here has moved their vehicles pretty much, except my car which is ready to just blast right into gear and GO, and a couple others who maintain a vigil when the creek might go up over the banks. Years and years of this has made it almost a ritual of spring. But I wasn’t counting on having to babysit a wild cat while I was at it. It’s like he figured out how to use the zipper on his nip stash and got into it. Luckily unlike when we first rescued him, he’s not trying to bite me to the point of bleeding or kill me. It’s like he’s like a dog that needs time out in a crate. And no I’m not doing that to this cat. He has been confined enough in his life. I’m not doing that to him. Cats are NOT dogs. He will come out of this stage eventually.

But, tonight I end with a cute picture… of a CALM Alex hahaha.

Sleepy Boy

Poor guy. It’s hard work taking care of me I guess. He’s such a good boy though… WHEN HE WANTS TO BE. Night before last he launched off the headboard just as I was dozing off… Landing JUST in front of my head, which means most of his butt bonked my head on the way down… Not a way you want to get woken up, cat.

I know I’ve been posting very minimally lately and I do apologize. There’s been a bit of wonkiness here and between my changes and POTENTIAL changes to Alex’s life… yeah. But I’m being minimalistic on purpose… wait til you see what changes come – if they come! Right now I’m still trying to get him to be a GOOD office kitty.

……

But hey… he hasn’t killed a cord in a while! *knocks on wood* lol

Eleven Years

Eleven years.

Eleven LONG years.

St. Patrick’s Day 2011 changed the holiday forever in this house.

While the world drinks and pretends for a day they’re all Irish we remember. We mourn. We laugh. Just like all the other days.

You see, that big ol’ grey puffball you all knew as Crown Prince Joseph A. Nimbus of Iowa was not just a cat, though some of you think he was iconic. What he really was – at least to me – was my nurse, my (unwilling) snuggle bear, heater, and CatDaddy’s DUDE.

I remember when he was born. I knew the moment mama got him dried off and his thundercoat grey coat became evident that he was gonna be a Daddy’s boy. He asked me if he could raise that kitten, and of course I said yes. I’d be a fool to say no.

Nimbus was no ordinary kitten. He had no intention or desire to stay young. His kitten antics were minimal (except the racing across the apartment like it was the Daytona 500 but he was a tiny little guy so even the tiny kitchen was LOOONNNGGGG and he’d have to stop to catch his breath mid-sprint) but he always wanted to be a big cat with the big cats. He conquered Mt. Loveseat fairly quickly – and was promptly spotted by his mother, captured, dragged down and back under the bed where she had her “nest” lol. He followed mama and his uncle all over.

And then there was the neutering… and him coming home, still groggy, passing out in the (very much clean) litter box, I’m dying laughing close to hyperventilating unable to spit out what was so funny.

He was the ultimate calmer. He was the guard cat. He was the peace negotiator. Furry or furless he didn’t care. There wasn’t room for hurt feelings, anger, sadness or any of that in his world. And if you were in pain he’d wrap your owie up and yet not hurt you, purring the pain away.

In the eleven years since we lost Nimbus we lost his mama, HRH Queen Jadzia, and then the Count himself, the TRULY iconic Curzon. They each ripped a piece of me out when they left in my arms. Curzon’s passing ripped me apart even more because of it being during the pandemic and the drama that it involved. The vet clinic was the worst but when you are in emergency mode you do what you gotta do. I couldn’t let him suffer any further. I WOULDN’T.

And then came Alex.

I asked Curzon before he left to help me find the next one. Curzon and I were bonded way more than most humans are to their animals. We’d been through way too much. I knew there’d be more. And I ain’t about to be just “buying” a cat. I’d LOVE to have a purebred Coon, but there’s too many kitties languishing in shelters. Too many kitties merely existing out on the streets. Orphaned kitties. Abandoned kitties. I’d had a couple people ask if I wanted a kitten and a time or two I almost asked to meet them. But it didn’t FEEL right. When I laid eyes on Alex, when I first scooped him up and he squirmed around in my arm 180 degrees and then curled up… I KNEW. This cat NEEDED rescued. He needed LOVE. He was going to die without it, and soon. Bonus was COON MIX! I got you buddy….

Yeah, sure dude… had me fooled.

But eleven years after the heartbreak hotel so to speak opened its doors, at least for a while it’s closed again. The pain of what Alex must’ve gone through before us was what shut that door. I’ll be ****ing ****ed if I let another human being show him anything less than pure LOVE. Love is all he shall know for the rest of his days, just as Curzon and Jadzia learned before him, and just as what Nimbus was BORN knowing.

Alex has Curzon’s charm. Jadzia’s jumpiness. Nimbus leaping skills. But Alex has mad skills that would make even Nimbus go WTH. I’ve only known one other person with a cat that could stick the landing on top of doors. Fridges. Pretty much anywhere he wants to be he’s gonna figure out how to get there.

In the last year and a half or so, he’s gone from a terrified, filthy, skinny, sickly little kitty to a monstrous 12lb heap of fearless muscle.

Curzon’s surely proud of him. I know I am.

Curzon sent the right cat at the right time.

I never once regretted rescuing the twins. They were on the brink of death when I got them. Especially Curzon. Alex wasn’t much better off. But for as whiny and destructo as this little brat child is, I have no regrets with him either and I’d do it a million times over.

But holy crap he whines like a girl…

Random Musings

The last week has brought my worst global instincts into reality. I had a feeling Putin would invade; I was right. But I was also right that Ukraine would NOT take it sitting down. I’ve been heartened to see so many – even politicians – taking up arms. I would hope that if someone were to try invading the USA we too would put aside our political differences, pick up arms, and do everything we could to repel the invaders. I can only hope that this doesn’t spiral into a bigger war and that peace comes back quickly. But that’s the end of that, as I didn’t sit down to write this to be a downer.

Alex has been here almost a year and a half now. He’s gotten so big, so strong, so FEARLESS. First he learned he could use the scratching post and be called a GOOD BOY. Then he discovered the back bedroom window and how to get up there. First he went up the sides then he discovered he could leap up on top of the headboard, and even IF he missed he was NOT a bad boy (that headboard has claw marks from every single one of the kitties before, even HRH Queen Jadzia lol). Then he discovered the top of the scratching post and that he could leap directly from it to the bed. And then he discovered the top of the door. Well, in the last month he’s starting to learn to walk along hangers in the closet (yes you read that right), managed to get on TOP of the tower heater/ac unit in the closet (my fault but man did I freak out cause A there are wires sticking up B there’s a LOT of cobwebs – well, WERE – there and C I can’t get to where he was so getting him out was a challenge). Then, he learned he can jump straight from the floor to the TOP of the fridge (which is only a couple inches shorter than ME)! Now some of you would try to call BS on that one. Trust me, had I not seen it with my own two eyes I would’ve too. I was standing just a couple feet away in the kitchen, I saw the blur in the periphery of my eye, turned to watch him stick the landing on the top, all 4 paws. He’s also learning how to open doors that he can’t PUSH open (I may need to cat-proof some cabinet doors…… cats… LOL).

I can’t possibly state how very proud of him I am. I still miss the previous kids don’t get me wrong – especially Curzon. I’d give just about anything to have that dude back, but that’s quite impossible. But Alex has shown me how much a little terrified kitty can grow with just love and basic care. And this also makes me angry because HOW IN THE LIVING FK COULD ANYONE ABANDON THIS CAT. Yes he’s a little chompy. But borders. Training. Still LOVE. FFS cats will be cats. Yes he drives me nuts getting into absolutely everything. Yes he gets on my nerves sometimes chewing on sht he doesn’t need to be chewing on. BUT HE IS A ****ING CAT. SMH.

Maine Coons are supremely intelligent, supremely independent but yet very human dependent cats. They’re strong, agile, and not above using their paws like hands. They’re smarter than you think and will one-up you every chance they can. You give them an inch they’ll steal a foot. If you can’t handle an animal so ***n smart, GET A HAMSTER. Oh wait, I’ve been out-witted by a rodent. LOL. (True story, those that have known me for a very long time probably remember the hamster that escaped and evaded me and two very capable hunter kittens… uninjured.)

WTH is up with the prices? I just paid $7 for a fkn gallon of Lactaid milk! Yes I know there are cheaper generics, but my body doesn’t always like them, and as I also will occasionally give some to the cat, and I do cook with it as well… I can’t cheap out on THAT. There are so many market conditions causing this… corporate greed, increased fuel costs, inflation… it’s ALL a part of it. And don’t start me on meat… y’all need to start eating more beef so that people like me that have to have chicken available cause sometimes our guts say fk off can afford it! Sheesh. Remember when you could fill up your cart for like $60? Well I just went to one of the cheaper grocery stores and spent $36 and only had ONE PAPER BAG and it wasn’t even full…

Now as everyone else I think at least on the East Coast if not most of the country can say, WHAT FREAKING SEASON IS IT?!? It was like 70 one day the very next day ice storm and 35 tops! Back up to 50 within a day or two.. I can’t even keep up! So the groundhog was right AND wrong. LOL.

Also, some of you know that we recently got me a new-to-me car recently. It needed to happen, as the van Skye needs to go off to the vehicle afterlife or at least somewhere ELSE. Sadly, Alex hasn’t had the chance to take but one trip in it I think, if that, and it was brief. My plan is to take him for another ride Weds, as he needs a weigh-in. Also, we need to restart his socialization regimen. I want him eventually to be at least ALMOST as comfortable in public as Summer. Yes, I know, lofty goals. But I want this cat to have NO fear. Once covid is over, I also will be taking him down to the vet just to get used to the smells and sounds so that he’s used to that. Do I expect him to be as freakin’ chill at the vet as Curzon was? Naw. But I don’t want him scared out of his mind either. Plus I want him used to car rides. I may even harness him up and take him for a drive out of his carrier (very carefully, very early in the am so that there’s no traffic to worry about so I can go as slow as needed). I want to gauge how he handles movement and all that. No I don’t plan on kitty in lap, but if he’s a good boy enough to ride shotgun and watch out the window, I’m game for that! Dang it, if dogs can do it, so can cats! Angel Snowflake would to a point, and baby Angel Curzon did too, when we were making moves to become ONE family!

So that’s it for now. Oh, and THIS…

I know I’m handsome, don’t be jealous. – Alex