So this is what sleep feels like...

 

We all got a good night's sleep last night.

Finally.  Stella and Murphy are mostly back to being "brother and sister" again, as opposed to Romeo and Juliette.  Bonnie and Clyde?  Playful instead of salacious.  Not sure how they feel about that, but I am relieved.

8:00 am, both cats have been fed; Murphy got to have some non-prescription food and he licked the bowl clean.  They had a bit of supervised play time; supervised to make sure Stella doesn't overdo the activity.  Murphy and I went outside for some time in the yard (Stella watched through the glass door).  Back inside and treats for both.  And now they are each on their respective towers.

This is more like it.  Murph is not acting like a horn-dog and Stella has not twerked in front of him.  If he gets too close, she hisses.  SO much better than "Bring it on, big boy!"

Last night before we went to bed, Stella laid on a pad on the couch, next to Joan.  Where she welcome the petting.  Murphy stayed on the foot of our bed through the night.  They were both watchful as I got their food ready this morning. 

I feel like we are going to make it through this chapter.

 --------

After getting the cats settled in, I opened my laptop to get going on my morning.  First thing: an email from the current owner of Wide Open, the sailing trimaran we used to have.  He managed to track me down (the internet) and had a couple questions.  Interesting throw back.

The next was a gut-punch: we had to say good-bye to our sweet Izzy 8 years ago.  Facebook Memories can be sweet or heart-breaking.  I felt the lump in my throat the instant I saw the photo...

 

She was our most traveled feline.  And the most comfortable with all the traveling.  They have all been great, each in their own special way. 

--------

Some lite playing this morning...

 Murphy is being gentle with her.  If you can't tell from these images, Stella is instigating the play...

 Murphy's legs are tucked.  They will play for a while, then go to their separate areas.  Joan and I are keeping tabs so nobody gets too rowdy.

 

Answer: Nobody...

 

If you said, "I'll take "Who Slept Last Night" for $200, Alex," you get 30 bonus points. (Jeopardy reference)

Yeah, nobody slept last night.  Of course, Joan and I were concerned about Stella.  The surgery recovery suit made her less crazy than the cone or the donut.  Everything I read about it said that it is just as effective as the cone, and less traumatizing than the cone.  Glad we had that as an option.

Early on, Joan chose to go out on the couch - Stella would cry if someone wasn't in the room.  That left Murphy and I in the bedroom... until he started yakking up a furball about 2:00 am.  That sound is more potent than any alarm clock.

Stella pulled her water dish over several times.  After the 3rd time, she had to go without water for the rest of what was left of the night.

By 5:00 am, we all cashed it in and said we're up for the day.

When I opened the crate that Stella is in, she ran right out.  Murphy said, "Whoo, baby!" and I had to chase them apart.  Apparently, cutting out the reproductive bits on Stella wasn't an immediate end to her randiness or the pheromones she is putting out to make Murphy crazy.  Which makes us all crazy.

We are all going to need a nap today.

But, first, I have a doctor's appointment this morning.  Which I have to go in fasting.  This will be the end of my 5 years of blood tests to check for any recurrence of cancer.  As well as the usual things they check for to tell you what you don't get to eat anymore.  And, re-up on prescriptions.  They will only write prescriptions for 6 months, so you have to go see them twice a year.  It's a racket.

So, tired and cranky.  

We're trying to keep Stella "calm."  She seems plenty ready to be active this morning.  The vet gave us two pills for pain... not sure how we're going to get that down her, but we have a couple hours to figure that out.

Right now, we have her out of the crate, wrapped in a soft blanket, and being held...

 For now, she is calm.  Purring.  Murphy is in "time out" in the bedroom.  When I get back from the doctor, I plan to put myself in time out.

 --------

The first full day after surgery went well.  Stella got a pain pill as prescribed around noon.  We tried hiding it in a treat - she was too smart for that.  Then, she licked it off Joan's finger... and spit it out.  I put it in her soft food for lunch, but she ate all her hard and ignored the soft.  For a while; eventually she gave in, ate the soft, and had a nice peaceful nap this afternoon.

While she was napping, Murphy and I took a nap, too.  Joan laid down with us for a bit, but went back to the living room to keep an eye on Stella.  She may have gotten a little shut-eye during Stella's quiet time.

We checked Stella's incision: looks good.  It's a little cut, but she is a little girl.  Stella is doing good.  We got a text from the vet's office today, asking about her - nice of them to follow up the next day.  All good.

And, a quiet evening so far.  Very different (and better) than yesterday evening.  There is hope!

 

She's home...

 

We got a call around 2:00 that we could pick up Stella at 4:00 - everything went well.  We were at PetSmart when I got the call, picking out food for her and Murphy (Murphy can try being off the prescription food).  I saw this on display...

 That might have been a good purchase for that whole "cat in heat" situation.  Just kidding - no, it wouldn't.

We were at the vet's office 10 minutes before 4:00; and then waited for another half hour or so.  The vet brought Stella out and visited with us, answering our questions.   We drove home (carefully) and got Stella into the house.  I held her for a while, talking calmly to her; she was wearing the soft cone we had taken to the vet, and she wasn't a bit happy about that.

A sudden noise in the house, and Stella launched, running all around the living room.  Just what we were trying to avoid.  She pulled out of the cone.  I managed to get her by the scruff of the neck, with only two puncture wounds - to me, not her.  We put the cone back on her and put her into the crate.  The Velcro® on the cone stuck to one of the soft pads in the crate.  So much for calm.

Joan took the cone off and put on the soft donut...

 The thinking here is it isn't covering here vision like the cone.  It took her about 5 minutes to pull out of that.  Back to the cone.

Joan folded the cone back (the reason for a soft instead of a hard cone) so Stella could get to her water and food dishes.  The vet said she could eat whenever she was ready... and she was ready.  Mad and ready.

The plan for the evening: let her chill.  Food as she seems ready for it.  Doing what we can to keep her calm and not jumping around.  She and Murphy seem OK with being nose to nose through the bars of the crate, but it is a different vibe from the last few days.  Thankfully.

I expected her to be more out of it this evening.  She seemed that way for the first few minutes I was holding her, but she is now all about checking out this new "catio of sorts" (maybe looking for a way out of it?) - it doesn't have all the fun levels of the other catio.  Intentionally, to try to make it easy for her to get around in there.  

I'm hoping for a quiet evening.

--------

Murphy was laying outside the crate, keeping an eye...

 At one point, Murphy reached in with a paw and Stella touched her paw to his.  I thought to myself, "Oh, how sweet"... and then it turned into a slap fest.  "Come on, buddy, we're trying to keep her calm."

Stella is strong for her size.  That is not an asset for this current situation.  She is also smart - she braced her back legs on the donut and popped it right off.  We switched back to the cone (in the above photo; it lasted a little longer before she popped that off.  We are now at: pop-offs, cone - 3, donut - 2.

Back to the donut for her next small meal...

 I didn't know if the hormones would be diminished immediately with the spay.  She is caterwauling less, but still calling for Murphy.

The score is now 3 to 3.

New plan: surgical suit.  What's that?  Thanks for asking.  It is a onesie that cinches at the neck and uses Velcro® down the back to cover the incision.  Supposedly, they are able to poop and pee with it on.  Yes, Joan bought one at the same time she got the cone and the donut.

Putting it on her was a two-person job: one to hold her by the scruff of her neck and get scratched while the other slips the suit over her head and maneuvers her legs through the appropriate holes.  I did the holding while getting scratched part, while Joan "dressed" her.  She is walking awkwardly, but - so far - hasn't figured out how to pull it off or rip it to shreds.

 If you haven't figured it out, yet, in the image above she is saying something to me... and the horse I rode in on.

Joan suggested that our next purchase might need to be meat-cutting (chain mesh) gloves for me.  She also proposed that the next step will be the donut over the suit.  And then the cone over the donut over the suit.

So much for the quiet evening.

And now we wait...

 

We took Stella to the vet this morning for her spay operation.  Of course, there is the paperwork to be signed that makes you uneasy.  They have 6 surgeries today; not sure where Stella's will be in that line-up.  They will let us know sometime this afternoon, early evening, when we can pick her up.

Steph and Dan lent us one of Dicha's crates.  The footprint is bigger than the catio, but it is all one level, so it will be better for Stella while she recuperates; soft pad for sleeping, food dishes, a scratch pad, and litter box.

Joan bought a soft cone, a soft neck donut, and a surgery-suit to keep Stella from licking the incision.  We have read up on what to expect during her recovery time (10 to 14 days).  I think we are ready to get her through this.

Stella was up nearly a pound when the vet tech weighed her this morning.  That was our plan: to get her good and healthy before this surgery.

She didn't get to have any food after 10:00 last night, so just a water dish in her catio.  This morning, she was very much looking forward to breakfast; I felt like a bad cat-Dad when I couldn't feed her.  Just like the last couple nights, she was vocal overnight and this morning.  Normally, she is pretty quiet; it will be interesting to see how she behaves after this surgery. 

Her "recovery suite" is ready for her return...

 

Exhausted...

 

You're a muffler?  That's an old joke: I had a dream I was a muffler... I woke up exhausted.

No joke; I was exhausted when I got up this morning.  Little Stella howled through the night.  My sleep number was 54, but I think that was optimistic.  I got up a couple times to check on her - she would look back at me like "What?"  Then howl some more.

When I finally got up, I let her out of the catio while I got breakfast ready for both cats.  I had to chase Murphy off of her at least a half dozen times.  With Stella cooing and saying, "That's it big boy, bite me..."  There were some other things said, I can't repeat them here.

I just have to make it through the day.  Well, and the night.  I had two things on my schedule for today: take Murphy to the vet for a check-up, and go to Mark's to play some music.  I felt bad for canceling, but I just didn't have it in me to make that 40 minute drive to Mark's.  I am sleep depraved.  What?  You say "deprived"... I'm good with what I wrote.

Joan and I discussed putting Murphy in his harness and on a leash to go to the vet.  For some reason, she chose to take our smallest carrier (we have several to choose from) as our back up.  Murphy does not like to go for a ride.  He let out that low guttural howl that is worse than his horn-dog voice.  When we got to the vet, she sent me inside to get checked in.  The receptionist said, "You can bring Murphy in, it should be just a couple minutes."

"How about if I bring him in in about 5 minutes and maybe you can get us into an exam room at that point.  He's being more vocal than usual today."

While sitting in the car, using up that 5 minutes, a woman came out with what looked like a dingo... as in: the dingo ate my baby!  Glad we weren't getting Murphy to the door at the same time.  No way was Murphy going to fit into that small carrier, so I carried him in, with him screaming at full volume.  No, I don't know why.

We got right into an exam room, and the vet tech Stephanie got Murphy weighed and asked questions before the vet came in.  I mentioned the dog that looked like a dingo, and Stephanie said, "As in; the dingo ate my baby?"  Kinship.

Murphy wasn't any happier in the exam room...

 Maybe he was intimidated by the punk yak (or whatever that is) in the photo behind him?  The vet came in, looked him over, listened to his heart and lungs, looked at his eyes, ears, and teeth, and declared him a "big, healthy boy."  Good description.  In front of vet and tech, he was well-behaved and quiet.

From there, we stopped for gas ($1 off per gallon at Fry's with our rewards); $2.49/gallon for premium.  I consider that a win!  Then to Walgreens to pick up an order Joan had placed, then back home.

Murphy did not want to walk on his leash from the driveway to the front door.  I would have though he'd be relieved to be back home.  Back inside, a treat for both kitties, then I let Stella out of the catio while I got their lunch ready.

The two of them sat by the patio door...

 Yes, Stella was playing with Murphy's tail.  I let them play together for a bit, then put her back in the catio with her lunch.

I think I need a nap. 

--------

I got that nap!  I slept for over an hour, with the blinds open, the sunlight streaming in, and Murphy laying beside me.  My furry boy stayed right by me... kind of a first.

When I got up and came out into the living room, Stella was napping in the catio - she and Murphy saw each other and the howling started up again.  I took Murphy outside for a walk in the yard - I could hear Stella caterwauling through the heavy glass of the patio door.

Back inside, I got both of them their 5:00 meal... neither was interested in food.  I took Murphy back outside and Stella ate.  Back inside, Murphy ate a bit, then the love song duet started up again.  Joan put Murph in the bedroom and closed the door.

Outside the door, Stella screamed, "I don't care if you're my brother - I love you!  I want to have your babies!"  (not possible)

Murphy screamed back, "I will wait for you forever - they can't keep us apart!  You are the most beautiful feline I have ever seen!"

If this were a romance novel, Murphy would be on the cover, shirtless, and ripping Stella's bodice... and I'm not sure I know what a bodice is.

Stephanie came over and asked, "Is that your whore of a cat making all that noise?"

"Do NOT call my little girl a whore, and yes that is the little trollop calling, and horn-dog Murphy calling back!"

Some HOA board stuff needed addressing this afternoon (someone who complains about everything, but does nothing productive... I'd rather listen to these cats caterwauling.

Is it really only Wednesday?

 

 

 

Caterwauling...

 

So close.

I woke up about 4:30 this morning to what sounded like whimpering in the living room.  Murphy was not down at the foot of our bed (where he usually sleeps).  I went out to check: Stella was sitting up in the catio, Murphy was laying beside the catio.  Nobody seemed distressed, so I went back to bed.

And then heard it again.  This time, Stella was making little cooing sounds.  I let her out of the catio and started the morning feeding routine, way too early.  The next thing I know, Murphy is behind and above Stella, biting her on the back of the neck!  "Leave her alone!  No!  Bad Murphy!"

It didn't look like he had bitten her hard, but Stella was kind of slithering around on the floor.  I was worried about her and picked her up.  No resistance; she was almost cuddly.  She seems fine.  I put her down, went back to getting their food ready and... Stella is twerking in front of Murphy!

OMG - she is coming into heat!  We are so close: Stella has an appointment on Thursday to get spayed.  These two are rubbing faces and Stella is definitely playing the coquette in front of Murphy.  In spite of being neutered, Murphy is all in.  I had to put him in the catio so I could keep working on their morning food.

I put Murphy's food down, opened the catio door, and expected him to go right to his food dishes.  Nope - he is all about getting as close as he can to his little sister.  I put Stella's food in the catio, picked her up, put her in there, and shut the door.

I have some experience with chasing horn-dog boys away, but none of it is recent.  I won't go into intimidating teenage boys when Steph was that age.  But when Smoke, our first cat came into heat, it was a complete surprise to me... that sweet little girl howled like something from The Exorcist, and looking outside, our front yard was covered with tomcats... several were kicking at the door and hollering, "Send out the girl!"  Six more were bringing in a battering ram.  It was winter in the Black Hills - I made a pile of snowballs and fired them off from our porch.  My aim was good, but it was a damn infantry of horny tomcats.  I called the vet and got a group rate on this female cat and the two female sheepdogs we had at the time.  But, I digress.

I haven't looked out our front door this morning.  I was too busy trying to play chaperone to two horn-dog cats.

When Joan got up, I explained what was going on to her; she said, "Well, we'll have to keep an eye on them for the next two days."

An eye on them?  Murphy, who is normally well-behaved, is losing his mind, and Stella is strutting around like a very outgoing teenager in her first, long overdue, bikini.

I took Murphy outside.  Stella was caterwauling away inside.  Murphy usually likes to walk around for 15 to 30 minutes... he made one lap around the patio furniture and then wanted back inside.

Turn your head for a second, and he was up behind her, biting her on the back of the neck.  It took both Joan and I to keep them apart.  Finally, Joan put Murphy in our bedroom... and Stella went to the door, making the screechy cooing sounds.  They touched paws under the door.  It would have been sweet if it wasn't salacious.

 Murphy is on the other side of that door.  (photos from Joan)

 Here's how she sounds...

 Normally, the only time we hear her voice has been a very quiet "Meow" or hissing at Murphy.  She isn't hissing now.

So close. 

--------

To take my mind off my sweet baby Stella swinging around the cat tower like it was a stripper pole, this afternoon, the two guys from the rain gutter company showed up to do what I assume will be the final solution.  These two guys, Miguel and Marck, are young and care to keep the customer satisfied.  The solution they proposed: cut away 7" of the back side of the top bars of the pergola and install a seamless gutter in that area.  Guaranteed to not leak!  Because: seamless.  I had to get the owner of the company involved - he did not really want to do this; concerned about liability if they messed up my pergola.  I said, "I will sign a waiver disallowing you of any responsibility for damage."

He asked if I was OK if these two guys came back to do the work - I said, "These two guys are the ONLY ones I trust to do the work!  This was their solution and it makes the most sense.  If you want a satisfied customer - and by the way, I have not complained or hollered about the previous 'fixes' that didn't fix anything, it is Miguel and Marck that I want to do the job."

Yes, they had us sign a waiver; I don't blame them.

The guys came out, we talked about what they were going to do, I offered to pick up the pieces they cut off to save them trips going up and down the ladders... and it all went smooth.  It took about two hours.  I gave them a gratuity when they were done, we shook hands, Joan got them some ice water while they were gathering up tools... and, I think this job is finally done.

 Looks good.  I can see that the slope is right (the first two "fixes" resulted in level spots, with seams).  A 90 foot run, with a tall portion in the middle to send the water in the proper direction, either way.

Done.

 

Reminiscing...

 

If you said, "Little River Band, 1978," you get 30 bonus points.

Last night, Joan and I were trying to remember how old Izzy was when we first got her from the Animal Shelter in Port Isabel.  One of the fun aspects of this blog (for me), is being able to go back years, and having a record of life events.

We got Izzy on December 21st, 2008; they estimated that she was 7 to 8 months old.  I was trying to make some comparisons with Stella.  Izzy had some medical issues, had thin fur, and was under-nourished.

2009 was her year to blossom.  It was an eventful year for us, and Izzy was along for all of it: we started the year with a trip to Arizona to see Steph and Dan.  Then a week in Laughlin, Nevada, in our HitchHiker 5th wheel.  Vegas, then back to Phoenix.  With spring weather, we then headed to Kansas to get some work done at the HitchHiker factory.  On to Branson, Missouri, for a week.  Then north to Sioux City for a week to visit with family there.  West to the Black Hills for a month at Hart Ranch. Then, back to Texas, where we swapped out the HitchHiker for Wild Blue, our C-Dory cruising boat.

From there it was northeast to New York State, and two months of boat cruising on the Erie Canal, the Hudson River, New York City, back to the Erie Canal, then north into Canada for boat cruising on the Trent-Severn Waterway.  From there, it was south to Niagra Falls; then making our way leisurely back to Texas, using Wild Blue along the way as our "boater-home."

Back in Texas in late September, we swapped Wild Blue for the HitchHiker once again, then headed west to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the International Balloon Fiesta.  Then some RVing into other parts of New Mexico and into north Texas.  While staying at a Corps of Engineer park in central Texas, our truck (Big Red) got hit by a guy who unhooked his Jeep from his motorhome, but didn't have it in gear - the Jeep rolled free down a hill and hit Big Red broadside.  The put a crimp in our traveling - the truck was driveable, but it wasn't pretty.

We made arrangements to get the truck repaired in Phoenix, then headed north to Dallas for Thanksgiving with Joan's family, and off to Phoenix from there to spend the holidays with Steph and Dan.

It was easily the most traveling we did (by boat and RV) in several years, spending far more time away from home than at home.

And through it all, Izzy became a truly amazing travel cat.  She was comfortable with us in the boat, and the truck, and happy to be comfortable in the 5th wheel.

And my absolute favorite photo of Izzy, taken in New York, as she was peeking around the front of the boat cabin...

 

Stella reminds me of Izzy, not in coloring, but in stature.  And in heart.  Izzy was a medium hair, Stella is a short hair.  Izzy started out very shy, but became worldly with our travels.  Stella is a product of the street, and is learning to be domesticated.  But each of them is our "little girl" - Izzy was lovey and snuggly... we're working on that for Stella.

Last night, Stella and Murphy actually played together...

 Each day has its ups and downs with these two.  More ups than downs as we approach the one month mark.  This morning, these two have been playing a kitty version of tag.  Murphy is the adult in this game, but playing along.  Stella is the kid on a sugar high.  I guess this makes me the old guy sitting on the porch muttering: "Damn kids."  Kidding, of course - it is entertaining to watch.

 

Lazy Days and Sundays...

 

If you said, "The Carpenters, 1971," you get no bonus points - that is Rainy Days and Mondays.  If you said, "The Moody Blues, 1969," oh, so close, but no cigar - that is Lazy Day... but, you get 6 bonus points for partial credit... well, mostly for even knowing the Moody Blues.

It has been a relatively lazy day here in our household.  We watched the last episode of Land Man.  And a few other things on TV.

While holding little Stella, I put my face up close to her and... she whacked me right in the eyeball with a claw out.  Yeah, it hurt.  I rinsed out my eye and put some eye drops in it.  Yeah, that stings.  On the bright side, it also waters.  But, I can see out of it.  Joan suggested I put on an eye patch (yes, I have a couple from a previous eye injury)... I think she may have a pirate fetish, but I digress.

This afternoon, I got out on my bike.  The Lectric e-bike, not one of the internal combustion engine kinda bikes.  I covered some new area; had some tunes playing through my bike helmet; and it was an absolutely gorgeous day.

Back home, everyone was chillin'...

 Steph came over for a visit.  Well, mostly she wanted to pet Stella.  Stella gave her the belly...

 "Do not be fooled by that passive look," I warned her.  Petting, but no picking up, for now.

 

What you come here for...

 

That nearly hour long video shot from the bike was for me.  I didn't post it anywhere else but this blog.  And still, there are views and a couple likes on YouTube... I don't know why.

I think we can all agree that the internet exists so people can look at cat photos and videos.  Here, I can combine my "public" (as Joan calls it) diary and cat stuff.

It has been three weeks and two days - little Stella is settling in nicely.  There have been a couple "advancements" yesterday and today that we find significant: she and Murphy are coexisting well.  She sometimes still hisses when he gets close, but it is clear that she is not afraid of him.  And other than his imposing size, she has no reason to be.

Here is a shot of them taking turns and sharing a Churu treat...

 They aren't snuggly, but there is peaceful coexistence.  And on occasion, Stella will chase Murphy...

 To be fair, Murphy isn't running from her.  This morning, Stella came running up to Murphy, with a little hiss in his face.  He didn't flinch or react.  She quickly retreated.  Good move.

This yellow stuffed toy is her favorite...

 ... and she carries it around.  There are a lot of cat toys in this house, and she gets new ones (to her) out of the basket regularly.  We need to train her to put them back when she's done playing with them.  (Insert your favorite Fat Chance emoji here.)

Yesterday, she hopped up on the arm of my chair for the first time; she didn't stay long.  This morning when she did that, she got some petting - it is the first time I have heard her purr.  I don't know if people do "baby books" these days, since they can capture every first moment on video with their phone, but this blog is highlighting some of Stella's firsts.

She is just now starting to lay on the furniture.  Yes, our kitties have always been allowed on the furniture.  Until Murphy, none of the cats felt the need to be on the counters.  Murphy hears "No!" frequently.  He understand the word, but as a cat, chooses to ignore.

In contrast, Stella does not know her name or "no"... yet.  We use her name all the time; haven't had to say "no" to her much until very recently... "No, Stella, do not eat Murphy's food."... "No, Stella, do not bite the Momma."... "No, Stella, do not put your face in my glass of water."  Pretty sure she has not understood any of that, but she does respond to tone of voice.

Back to the furniture stuff...

 Look at the cute little face.  She is very alert and curious.  And playful - she will run with toys, whack the racetracks with the enclosed balls, run back and forth through the tunnels (we're up to 3 tunnels now)... until she wears out.  And that's what this looks like...

 She is fitting into the family dynamics as we all learn about kitten behavior again.  We are thinking that this afternoon will be her first time outdoors - yes, while IN some conveyance, whether that is the catio, a backpack, or the pet stroller.

Baby steps... 'cause she is still a baby.

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It's official - I made a small edit to my Facebook page...

  -------- 

So, we tried putting a harness on Stella today.  I would say it didn't go well, but that would a gross under-exaggeration.  As soon as we got the harness off, she was fine.  Really; petting and purring.  We decided to put the outdoor excursion off for a day.

Joan got an Amazon food delivery today.  Instead of folding up those heavy bags and putting them in recycle, I suggested she leave a couple of them on the floor; in case Stella wanted to play in them.  All of our other cats like to play with paper bags.

She approached the bag.  Slowly.  Not sure if she could trust.  She put her head inside it.  I grabbed my phone to get a photo, and...

 It crinkled.  She shot backwards out of that bag like a missile.  A missile in reverse.  Tail sticking straight out (as you can see).  So much for rebuilding trust.  ;-)

 

Hey, buddy, can you spare...

 

... an hour?

I got out on the Burgman 200 yesterday afternoon.  Beautiful sunny day here in Arizona.  And for the first time in quite a while, I put a camera (DJI Action 4) on the helmet chin mount and a mic (DJI Mic 2) inside the helmet.

Talking while riding.  Making some comparisons between scooter and motorcycle; Burgman 200 and the Honda CTX 700 DCT.  I enjoy riding; I get enthusiastic talking about bikes.  So, if you have 50 minutes with nothing to do, here's the video...

 I didn't have anything particular in mind to talk about until I got out on the scoot.  Attributes for the Burgman and the CTX.  Some talk about summer plans... and how that will play out with our new little furry family member.

The road...

 

So...

 

How'd it go?

A question about the board meeting last night.  It was not the excrement show that some were predicted.  Rather than just open it up for comments (as had be recommended to me), and skipping the two business items to be discussed, I conducted it as a typical business meeting.  The uproar that the nasty people were hoping for didn't happen.

That said, when business was done and we moved into Open Comments, it moved into slow gear.  Not that many comments, but it got mired down in "We should..." comments.  The one taking the most time was a suggestion that the HOA should sue the developer regarding damage from the storm and flooding we had in October.  There was damage in our park and several other common areas - some people think that is the developer's fault.  My take: Mother Nature can toss out some nasty stuff, and that isn't anyone's fault or deficiency.  When pushed, I suggested we take a poll of the homeowners to see if the majority wants to spend money on an attorney that may wind up costing more than what we paid to fix the damage.  Quite frankly, I don't see that happening.

I was pleasantly surprised to see 70 homeowners attending the meeting.  That is the highest number we've had other than at a Town Hall Meeting to discuss parking.  They have to raise a hand and be recognized (and unmuted) to speak.  And last night, I was able to mute and unmute as needed, rather than having to ask our property management rep (who administers our Zoom meetings).

So, other than the fact that a meeting that should have taken an hour ran to almost 2 1/2 hours, it wasn't a bunch of angry homeowners... as the nasty minority on Facebook would have people believe.

I could see the frustration in the board members who care as one topic discussed was once again tabled to the next month.  That item has been on the agenda since August, and one board member keeps tossing hurdles in the way.  This, more than anything else is why I am resigning... the job of the board is to run the business of the association, and this stonewalling prevents us from getting business actually accomplished.

One more meeting in February.

 

Another board meeting...

 

In case I didn't mention it here, I have resigned from the HOA board of directors, effective with the March meeting; that will be the annual meeting, where new board members will be voted in.  Two other board members resigned shortly after I did.

"Why, Jim?"  Thanks for asking.  It has been frustrating trying to get anything done.  One and occasionally two other members have drug their feet, not done their jobs, and seem more about drama than getting things done.  The homeowners notice this, and think it is the entire board.  A small, but very vocal group, have plastered Facebook with rumors, innuendos, and outright lies.  Escalating costs made for a $20 raise in HOA dues, and that sparked anger from some homeowners.

It doesn't matter that I voted against some of the things that caused the increases; as president, I am the one in the crosshairs.  It was a board decision, and my ethics are to support the decision of the majority.  One board member actively participates on Facebook, looking to stir things up, when a decision doesn't go her way.

I don't need the drama.  That said, I still have two months to serve.  No time off for good behavior.  ;-) 

So, another board meeting this evening.  There is time at the end for Open Comments.  I expect there will be many.

At the Meet the President gathering a couple months ago, I proposed a Meet the Candidates forum before the upcoming annual elections.  Yes, my idea.  I think it would be good for homeowners to see and hear candidates before they vote; rather than read a paragraph the candidate wrote about themselves.  One homeowner who is considering running for the board is opposed to me moderating that Meet the Candidates.  I would be happy to have someone else step in and take it over.

The issue with the vocal minority: they don't understand what the role of the board actually is.  They think that if they oppose a CC&R, they can get a board elected who will not enforce those governing documents.  The board is required to uphold the CC&Rs, and it takes a super majority of homeowners to vote to change them.  Given that homeowner attendance at any given board meeting or forum is generally less than 10%, that will never happen.  They don't understand that a board meeting is a business meeting and not an open forum, thinking they should be able to speak and vote on board decisions.

Is this board dysfunctional?  Yeah, I think so.  Some strong personalities who don't agree on the direction the board should take.  I will admit I didn't expect people who were elected to the board would come onto it with personal agendas - I really thought we were all there to do what is best for the homeowners.

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And now for something completely different...

A motorcycle outing was the plan today.  Having a kitten in the family does call for some changes.  Joan got out on her Xmax, while I stayed home to kitty-sit.  We do feel OK with leaving Murphy and Stella alone while we go out for lunch nearby, with Stella in the catio.  I don't think Murphy would do anything to hurt her, but for now, we are playing it safe.

When Joan got back, I went out on the CTX.  I can't speak for her riding experience today (she said it was good), but mine felt great!  A beautiful day, with the expected high around 80º.  It wasn't that warm when I got out around 11:00, but I was very comfortable in riding jeans and a mesh jacket.

I didn't take a video camera along today, but I did get a shot of the bike with my phone...

 It has been a while since I've had this bike out.  Lots going on, I guess.  Considering what's coming this evening, some riding therapy felt great!

Another bit of good news: my brother-in-law John was discharged from the hospital today.  As he wished, his niece and nephew drove to Omaha to bring him home.  I talked with him this morning while he was still in the hospital, and he "checked in" with me when he got home.  The hospital stay was good to get him going on the right track for recuperating... I know he will sleep better in his own home.

 

Through the glass...

 

Not talking photography here.  Well, I did get a photo with my phone...

 Murphy and I were out for his morning wandering about the yard.  When we came back to the door, Stella was looking out to see what we were doing.  She is still a "flight risk," even though she has it good here, so there won't be any outside for her until she is big enough for a harness and a leash.

Murphy had a tough morning: he was a pill.  We all have those days, I guess.  Better times ahead.

Another first for me.  First time I've taken a selfie in a mirror.  I was looking to show the shirt, and Joan was busy.  So...

 Yeah, it's a Gerry Bear shirt.  As in Gerry Garcia.  As in: the Grateful Dead.  Music today at Mark's place, with the big group.  One of the charts he sent is for a Greatful Dead song.  I am not a Deadhead.  I have never played a Greatful Dead song.  But, Joan got me this shirt a long time ago from Vine, and I have never worn it.  Today is the day.

Here's a sitting selfie to show the shirt better...

 Hopefully, I won't get stopped by the Police on the way to or from Mark's today... 'cause I think a body cavity search would be in my future.  I am wearing this for the guys today.

I'm guessing Mark picked a Grateful Dead song because Bob Weir passed away a couple days ago.  For those not familiar, he was a guitar player for the Grateful Dead.

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A good time with the guys today.  We worked up that Grateful Dead song (Friend of the Devil) and a couple others.  Plus played a bunch of other songs.  Mark, Danny, Gil, Carl, and me, making music.  I meant to get a photo with all of us, but the three other guys got out of there before I thought about it.  Cindy took this photo of Mark and me...

 Yes, I did wear the shirt to practice.

 

 

My ears are burning...

 

People talking about you, Jim?

Probably, but that isn't the cause.  Some HOA stuff and phone calls with John, his nurse, the Social Services person at the hospital, and John's niece and nephew.  From before 8:00 am until after noon.

In fact, Joan took care of my noon feeding duties for Murphy and Stella.  Really, I'm still a good cat-Dad, it just took a while to get through all of that.

After the kitties ate, they each laid down for a nap... and Joan and I got out for lunch.  A real sit-down lunch.  Seems like it has been a while.

On the kitty front: around 4:30 I laid down myself.  Didn't sleep, but Murphy did come lay by me.  Not on me.  Not quite touching.  But by me. 

And a real break-through: as I was coming out of the bathroom (no, this won't be TMI), Stella and Murphy got nose-to-nose.  It lasted for a few seconds.  Nobody hissing.  I may have gotten a bit verklempt.  Downright sweet. 

Ups and Downs...

 

Yesterday, there was a good amount of "refereeing"... not speaking of sports.  Stepping between kitties.  Mostly noise.  Neither trying to be hurtful.

And then, this morning...

 Downright sweet.  Of course, that will change in a few minutes.  Then, a moment of play, followed by hissing.  But, no running, nothing aggressive.  The perspective is interesting in that image above: Stella is closer to the camera, so she doesn't look so small.  When you see them side by side, Murph is so much bigger.

I have to laugh as he approaches her: super slow motion.  She will roll onto her side, exposing her belly... "baiting"him to come closer, then the ears go flat followed by a hiss.  Murph will look at me quizzically and say, "I didn't do nuthin'!"

"Can you do nothing a little further away from her?" I ask.

Mutter, mutter, mutter.

 

Sleeping like a baby...

 

Me?  No, I toss and turn thanks to achy bones.  At least it's not like the "sleep like a baby" joke: I cry at various times during the night and wet myself.

As you might expect with the current circumstances, I am talking about the cats.  Right now, little Stella is asleep on the base of one of the cat towers...

 Murphy is asleep on top of the catio...

 That is now - all is quiet.  Downright peaceful.  That was not the case earlier: Murphy was stalking Stella all over the living room.  Joan and I took turns shooing him away from her.  He would get close, she would hiss, and one of us would get between them and chase him off.  He never did anything to her, just got too close for her comfort.

I said, "Let them work it out."  Not easy to do when you see the size difference, but little Stella can be fierce.  He got too close, she pulled out the claws and took a swipe at him.  Murphy backed off.

I had to take a phone call and stepped out for a bit.  Joan was getting dressed and heard some commotion - she stepped out to the living room to this...

 Yes, they were sitting peacefully.  Together in the catio.  No fuss.  No hissing.  Go figure.

 

Ch-Ch-Ch...

 

If you said, "Chia Pet!"... you are wrong, but you still get 10 bonus points for remembering those commercials...

 

It was a restless night.  My brother-in-law John is in the hospital and I am worried about him.  He is the last of my immediate family and has been in my life since I was 9 years old.  After visiting with his nephew, niece, and a nurse at the hospital, I was finally able to talk to him when he got settled in a room late last night.

The morning came earlier than usual, but a bright spot: Murphy came up from the foot of the bed and laid on me.  That is a rarity, and most welcome.  Then, he purred.  Also something I don't often hear.  Very soothing.

I got up and started my new kitty-feeding routine.  It's a bit of an assembly line, so they get fed at the same time.  After that and the rest of my morning routine, I took Murphy outside.  It is ch-ch-ch-chilly: 41º.  January in the desert.  Joan turned on the fireplace - first we've used the heat from that this season.  We've had it on, but just for the ambiance (no heat).

Another bright side: it's a clear, sunny day out. 

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I called John's hospital room this morning; a brief visit with him, then with his nurse.  I got the lowdown and will be checking in later this afternoon.  I made some calls from Steph and Dan's house, so I could put the phone on speaker while taking notes.  Murphy came over with me.  And Tango, their orange boy, sat on my lap while I made my calls.  Nice...

 

Back at our house, Stella was being very active - she loves to play and uses lots of toys.  The tunnel is her current favorite (and has been Murph's favorite and Tango's when he comes to visit)...

  And a rare photo of her holding still - she has a LOT of energy...

 Stella is a typical kitten: a bundle of energy and then a nap.  This morning, the energy part lasted over an hour.  And then she looks like she will fall asleep sitting up.  It's cute.

I believe she is destined to be a princess.  Joan ordered some new food and water bowls for her...

 Yeah, princess pink.  She is a good eater, and it is sweet to see her go back and forth between her hard and soft food.

 

All I want in the whole world...

 

Damn, Jim, are you trying to get another guitar?

I may have used that line at some time in the past.  ;-)

While Joan and I were at lunch, I asked her, "Do you know what I'd like more than anything else in the whole world?"

"Do tell."

Remember after we first got Rufus, and I went to lay down for a nap... and that little boy (he was kind of little at the time) laid by me on the bed?"

"Of course, I remember that - I took one of my favorite photos of it."

 

Then she said, "There will never be another Rufus."

"I don't doubt that," I said "but I hope this new girl will come to be snuggly."

When we finished lunch, we walked back to Discount Tire to pick up our Equinox (it needed two new Tire Pressure Sensor Monitors), then drove home.

Murphy had been a bit of a pill, stalking Stella more than usual.  He was getting a "time out" in our bedroom.  I was chillin' in my easy chair, when Joan came to me, holding Stella: "Wanna hold her for a while?"

"More than anything."

She handed her to me.  Stella wriggled a bit; Joan suggested holding her more on her back, and...

 She is so tiny.  I just want to protect her.  I am also realistic.  That first photo in this post was about the first week after adopting Rufus.  He was estimated to be about 2 years old at the time.  Little Stella is just barely 5 months old (estimated)... maybe in time she will come to be that snuggly.  For now, I am happy to be able to hold her.  The timing has to be right.