Thursday Kitteh Blog (02/05/2009)

I'm looking at the pictures and the girls these days, and it occurs to me that this is probably the last time I'll use the baby kitties tag. They're just getting too big.

Here's Meredith in one of my (empty) purses. I think she looks really good in hot pink velvet.



And here's Stash. She wants more than anything to get the wrist strap for the camera. Right after I snapped this, she pounced on it.

Thursday kitteh blog (01/29/2009)

Although I threatened (via Twitter) not to do a kitteh blog today in the face of horked-on carpets, I relented. Mostly because they're just so cute when they're not befouling the carpet.

Here's Meredith, all pensive.


And here's Stash getting her back rubbed.

Not much else really. This working 8 hours a day 5 days a week is killing me. I should have been doing it all along, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that I really enjoy my days off, but it is getting easier as I get more into it. And I'm still finding some time to knit and read, just not as much of either as I might like in a perfect world.

Oh, and Amanda got a new job, which she starts on Monday! We're very happy, and I figure with her having to be at work at 7:30 a.m., my ass is going to have to get out of bed earlier than it has been, which can only be a good thing.

Thursday Kitteh Blog (01/22/2009)

It's Thursday again, time for another kitteh blog. The girls are getting older and recently have been showing signs of sexual maturity (i.e., going into heat). It's been fun (not), but unfortunately due to other, more pressing financial matters (paying bills, eating, gas in the car) it'll be at least March before I can take the girls in to get them fixed. In the meantime, we just deal with the yowling and rolling around on the floor like hussies. In some ways, it's not dissimilar (I imagine) to life in a college dormitory where no men are allowed.

Stash seems to be past her time right now, and she's back to being mellow and sweet. Here she is hanging out on my bed with Amanda's hand.


Meredith, on the other hand, is definitely crazy at the moment. She wants cuddles, like in the picture below, but when she figures out we can't give her what she wants, she moves on pretty quickly. Fortunately, I had a camera at the ready for this shot.

And this is why it's good to have 2 cats. They groom and clean each other nicely. Sometimes for hours on end, or so it seems. We just leave them to do their thing in that case, even when it is in front of the heat register in my room, and I'm convinced that they're stealing all my warmth.

Thursday Kitteh Blog (01/15/2009)

As I posted in Amanda's birthday blog, there was actually no need for the bucket on Tuesday night. However, it was still in her room today, and the kittehs were quite interested. Before I got there with the camera, they had each been under the bucket and figured out how to get out. They didn't like it so much. In this first picture, Amanda's trying to see if they'll both fit in there at the same time. The answer is no, and they didn't care for the experience.


They did, however, each fit into it individually, and actually stayed there for a bit. I'm not sure if Meredith was more pissed at being in the bucket or that I was taking pictures of her in the bucket, but the look on her face really tells a story, don't you think?

Stash's feelings about the bucket and the camera were not as strong, but wouldn't let me get as close to her as Mere did. Every time I got closer than this picture, she turned her back on me.

And for those of you who are trying to gauge their sizes, it's a 10-quart bucket (or that's what it says on the bottom anyway), standard household size. I bet we could get them both into the 5-gallon bucket at the same time, but that's the one I used for brining the Thanksgiving turkey and I intend to use it for the same thing next year, so no kitties in that one.

Thursday Kitteh Blog (01/01/2009)

Happy New Year to all! It was not a terribly exciting evening here at chez Connie. I worked yesterday, and I have to work today, and I hate being out dateless on NYE, so I stayed in, knit some, watched Made of Honor, and drank 1 rum and diet. I was awake at midnight, but having been in jammies since about 7 p.m., I was in bed under the covers. And maybe it's just me, but man, Dick Clark made me cry a bit. I know he's come a long way since his stroke, and it's amazing that he's able to be back, but he's not the same guy I remember.

So, to the kittehs, since it's Thursday kitteh blog. They've been a bit lost looking for Ms. Thang who went back to Eastern Washington for the week to spend some time with her friends (and avoid my exciting NYE plans). BTW, she's going to be 21 in 12 days. At this point in time, I may revert to referring to her by her given name. After all, if you're old enough to buy a drink, you're old enough to not be called Ms. Thang in your mom's blog, right? We'll see what happens next week.

I got down on the floor with the girls this morning and did my best to get pictures, but much like herding cats, the concept of posing cats is not for the faint of heart. The picture of Stash is the best one I got, and that's not saying much. At least, Meredith's turned out better. They're much happier since I turned on the TV in the living room for them. And I'm happier that they're not insisting on sleeping right next to the wheels of my chair while I work; it's difficult to type when you're constantly afraid of running over one of them.

Here's Stash, looking all quizzical. (Actually she was about to pounce on the carrying cord for the camera).



Here's Meredith, also about to pounce but she takes longer so the focus is a bit better.

And now, it's time for something completely different. Work on a holiday. This is not actually so different for me because health care is a 24/7 field, but it's different from what most people I know are doing today.

Dual purpose blog (kittehs and knitting)

Here's some pictures of Ms. Thang wearing the hat I knit for her before Christmas (and finally finished this morning after getting a button yesterday), and she's got the kitties, too.

Here's Ms. Thang and Stash.



Ms. Thang and Meredith.

Just Ms. Thang in the cute hat. (Pattern is Calorimetry for any Ravelers out there). Also her new hair color is making its debut; she went from a dark red to very dark brown.

And finally Ms. Thang and both the girls.

Thursday Kitteh Blog (12/18/2008)

Kittehs in the snow! We had some fairly significant snowfall since last I blogged, and last night and this morning, the kittehs went out onto the back deck to explore the snow. They really seemed to like it, which I find weird, since I hate the snow. But that's just me.

I think the pictures are fairly self-explanatory, and you can see that the snow was pretty deep out in my part of the world.

And now, I must add a few non-kitteh related words.

1. To the asshole in the Focus who felt the need to pass me this morning: I know I was only going 20, but the speed limit there in the best of circumstances is only 35. Dude, I was going as fast as I felt comfortable and safe going. And yes, it gave me great pleasure to flip you off as you flipped me off as you passed me. I don't wish any long-term hurtful evil on you, because I'm better than that, I just wish you a limp dick through the rest of the year.

2. To the fashion critics of the world: Yep, those Ugg boots are ugly. And you're right, no one in LA really has a reason to wear them, but, my chocolate brown fake Uggs (Fuggs if you will; mine are by Body Glove), kept my feet warm and dry while I scraped the snow off my car and shoveled my front porch. So warm and dry, in fact, that I did not realize how wet and cold my jeans were until I took the boots off when I got in the house. So mock the LA girls who wear them if you must, but if the snow's flying, then Uggs are acceptable foot gear in my book.

3. To all the transplanted Washingtonians who "grew up driving in the ice and snow." If you've lived here for more than 5 years, you're one of us. We don't drive in this shit every year, and no, we're not good at it. I spent years driving in places with ice and snow too, including Illinois, Germany, and Ohio (and Maryland, too, where it snows every year although you wouldn't know it from the way they drive); that does not mean that I'm an expert snow and ice driver. Neither are you, so STFU (shut the fuck up) or I'll wish limp dick on you, too . Oh, and if you're reading this, I'm probably not actually speaking to you but to someone else. And BTW, real Washingtonians don't bother with umbrellas; the fact that you carry one is one of the ways we know you're not truly one of us (although you still drive in snow like one of us).

I think that's all I have for today. Now it's time to work before I have to go back out in that shit and drive around some more.

Thursday Kitteh Blog (12/11/2008)

Yep, it's Thursday again, time for another kitteh blog. Today (well yesterday actually) the girls spent some time playing in my bathroom. Why I couldn't tell you; it's just not that fascinating, but there you go.

Here's Stash checking herself out in 2 mirrors at once. She might just be a little vain.


And here's Meredith looking all sweet. And yes, the bathroom is mostly hot pink and lime green (even though the paint color is named celery) with a little bit of chocolate brown here and there. I'm a girl and I don't/won't share my bathroom, so it's girly in there.

Later, Meredith thought about napping in the sink. Didn't last long though, as her tail got a little wet, and being very fastidious, she did not care for that.

Then Stash decided to sit in the window and clean her toes. Could have been worse; she could have decided to sit there and clean her ass, but I wouldn't have taken a picture of that.

As I typed this, the two of them were engaged in a fevered battle of chasing each other's tails and then running down the hallway sounding like the small herd of tiny elephants that they like to impersonate. I can only imagine that next up for them will be their daily 6-hour nap followed by begging for food. It's a tough life they lead.

Thursday kitteh blog (12/04/2008)

Not much in the way of sparkling dialogue today, I'm afraid, just pictures of my girls.

They followed us into the laundry room today and decided to check out the dryer. I'm actually pretty unimpressed with them for this.

Ms. Thang is catching up on Lost. She watched the first season and half of the second and then she left for Job Corps and wasn't able to watch there. Now she's watching the seasons on DVD in anticipation of the upcoming season. Both the girls watched with her, but Stash is much more easily distracted than Meredith (who's watching the TV even while the picture is being taken).

That's it for the girls for this week.

I'll be back soon with a new knitting blog with my first adult size sock! It's coming along nicely now, and ya'll have no idea how much I'm liking the self-striping yarn. It. Does. All. The. Work.

Just too freaking cool.

Thursday Kitteh Blog (11/13/2008)

Where's the tequila? I know she uses this thing to make margaritas.

Another Thursday kitteh blog

Not much in the way of story today, but here are my girls in the window.

Wii and kitteh stuff

So yesterday, I didn't train, but I did the body test on the WiiFit. I was 56 (ouch). Today I haven't trained yet, although I did bowl a game while my coffee brewed. I did body test again, and I got my youngest age ever, 45, which is only 2 years off my actual age for 27 more days and then it'll be 1 year off. I'll be training later on today after I make sure that Ms. Thang and That Boy's issues are taken care of and everyone gets to work OK.

In kitteh news, before I posted the last blog, but after I had determined the subject, I discovered that one of the little darlings (shits) had damaged the cord to the sensor bar for the Wii. This is why I watched neither the Obama infomercial nor Pushing Daisies (which would have been my choice anyway) on Wednesday night. Nope, I was on my way to Best Buy to purchase a new bar so that the Wii remotes would work. Then this morning as I was getting ready to do the body test, I saw Meredith nosing around the various wires like she wanted to chew. I employed the best training technique I knew, I yelled and swatted lightly on the nose. She ran right the hell away, but came back shortly afterward (while maintaining her distance from the wires) to watch the TV while I was playing with the Wii. They're just fascinated by the Wii, they hear the sound of it turning on and they come running. It's adorable, when they're not chewing the wires.

Thursday Kitteh blog

So here are the girls this week. Sleeping in what we like to call their yin/yang position.

Funny story about the chair that they're sleeping on. It's a bar stool that sits on the side of the kitchen island where the counter is bar height, which is the outside part. The inside of the island has cabinets and is normal counter height. Which is not necessary to the story, but once I get started with a description, much like certain authors, I. Just. Can't. Stop. Going.

Anyway, a few days ago, (Monday, I believe) first Stash and then Meredith figured out the trick to climbing up on these bar stools and then from there onto the counter. Ms. Thang and I were vaguely horrified but mostly resigned as we had assumed this day was coming. The next night, Meredith climbed up the shelves on the wine rack thing and from there got onto the main kitchen counter. Again, we're sort of horrified but resigned. We knew it was coming.

Mom on the other hand, is full of advice about this. She was over watching TV with us both nights (Heroes on Monday and House on Tuesday if you're keeping score). When this happened, she looked at us and, with the kind of dead seriousness one does not generally associate with my mother, she said, "you must punish them." My 48 hours later snarky response is, "Mom, they're cats. They don't respond well to time out," but my response at the time was to just look at her and wonder just how much wine she'd had to drink. Ms. Thang looked at her with a look on her face that was as if her grandmother had suggested that we eat the cats. A look that said, "we should do what? You're a monster, Nana!"

I did, rightly, point out to mom that she is an animal spoiler of major proportions. I swear Eva's chihuahua, Bella, gets fatter every time mom sees her because my mother, the animal punisher, sneaks people food to the dogs all the time (I swear, sometimes it's half her dinner that the dogs end up with). I mentioned this, and she told me that she's cut back a lot on that. My response: "Only because you got caught." Which left her flat-footed because it's true.

In fairness, I think that mom didn't mean "punish" as much as she meant "train." We can maybe train/teach the cats that they're not supposed to climb up on the counter tops, but to punish a cat for being a cat? That's not going to happen.

Thursday Kitteh Blog

Here's our weekly dose of kitteh fun.

Here are the girls admiring the Eiffel Tower lamp that they broke a couple of days ago. Today they started working on the shade. I should have gotten the lamp out of my room after they broke it, but I was busy knitting.



Here's Meredith. It almost looks like she's got a Mohawk in this picture, I think.

And here's Stash. Stash was feeling all in the mood to pose this morning. I'm guessing she was enjoying the attention.

Bonus Sunday Kitteh blog

Those kittehs of mine, they're goofy. Every morning we have a routine. I get up, and they greet me at my bedroom door. They lick my toes for a second, and then we all scamper off (well they scamper, I amble) down to the kitchen where the first order of business is canned food for them. Then I make the coffee and sit on the couch and see what's on TV. Most mornings, it's infomercials, for which I am a junky. After they're done eating, they come and sit on me or next to me for a little bit and groom themselves and generally have a cuddle.

When the coffeemaker's done, I make my first cup, and then I head on back to my bedroom where the computer is so that I can do my morning pre-work internet routine. Generally, after a few minutes the girls follow me and play in here. They're very social cats and like to be where the people are, but they don't sleep in the bedrooms with us because we all sleep with our doors shut (fire safety) and don't want to trap them away from food, water, and litterbox.

Anyway, they play in here for a while, and usually at least once I tell them not to mess with the pink wire (which is attached to my work headset). I know that they're unable to comply with my request, but I feel better having asked. After the lecture about the pink wire, normally they settle down somewhere in the room for a snooze until Ms. Thang gets up. Then they follow her around.

The funny thing is, I can go get more coffee or grab breakfast and when I come back into the room, they will not have moved. They'll still be asleep, usually on the bed. But, kittehs forbid, if I go into my bathroom and close the door, when I come out, they'll be sitting right there outside the door with this look on their faces that says, "where'd you go? And why did you close the door?" It's odd.

Today started out like any normal day. There was toe licking, feeding, grooming, cuddling, the pink wire talk, and then the nap. However, mah kittehs is gettin' tricksy. When I went into my bathroom, I was greeted with this sight.

No, I don't carry the camera with me every time I go into the bathroom; that would be weird. I came back out and got it when I saw that they had decided to nap in there today. Apparently, they got tired of wondering what it is I do in the bathroom and decided to wait to see for themselves.

I didn't have the heart to remove them, and some places in this world require absolute privacy (and the bathroom is that for me); I used the other bathroom.

Thursday kitteh blog

Here's my girls this week. Aren't they just darling?


Mer-Mer being sweet.



Stashy looking devious

Thursday kitteh blog

The girls were less than cooperative this week, and most of the pictures I got merely confirmed the fact that they are, indeed, girls. But this one turned out well.

Thursday kitteh picture blog

Trying to put up pictures of the baby cats once a week on Thursday to watch them get big. Here are this week's pictures.

Here's Meredith showing me how she figured out how to get onto the windowsill.



Stash also on the windowsill but concered about how to get down.

After all that activity, it's time to beat the crap out of each other for a while on mommy's bed.

Come back next Thursday and see how big the girls are getting. Hopefully, I'll do othe blogging between now and then, but no guarantees.

Because they are so cute

A new picture of the kittens. They are sleeping on top of the box that their bed is in. Just ignore the background; landscaping's not been completed yet on the house.

Edited to add: Because Lindsay asked, the grey and white on the left is Meredith. Her whole name is Meredith Ann Grey (I triple named her when she crapped on the carpet). The black and white on the right is Stash. She has a couple of different names depending on who you ask (Pistachio, Anastasia, and Alicia Sacramone), but I just call her Stash.