I couldn't take it...

 

What now, Jim?  Thanks for asking.

When I got up this morning, the house was quiet.  Murphy walked with me out of the bedroom, after our morning ritual: I sit up on the side of the bed and the big boy comes up to sit beside me for some pets.

Murphy is not a hugger.  I am.  He will sit right beside you and loves to be petted.  But, he is not a fan of being on you - not in your lap or snuggling on your chest when you're laying down.  I miss that, but we respect his wants, too.

I am hoping that, in time, Stella will want snuggles.

When I came out into the living room, Stella is in the catio (where she sleeps at night), laying sleepily on the cushy pad in there.  I opened the upper door on the catio and reached in to pet her.  When we first brought her home, she was very skittish about being petted - she has warmed up to that, raising her head to meet your hand.

This morning, I decided to go for it: after petting her I put my hand around her and lifted her out.  There was a little growl, but she didn't try to get out of my grasp.  I walked with her in my arms and she relaxed.  When I sat down, she stiffened up again and I let her hop down.  This is the first either of us had picked her up without a small kitty blanket around her.

This is big step.  Part of my slow, patient plan to get her to like snuggles.  This is a new process for us.

Playtime is a big part of her day - she is totally digging all the cat toys...

 

One On One...

 

Are we talking about the cats again?  Hey, it isn't all about the cats, although we all know that the internet exists so people can look at cat photos and videos when they should be working.  But, I digress.

There were a couple songs that are heavy on guitar parts that Mark and I wanted to work on (Sultans of Swing and Ramblin' Man).  For a bit of history, Mark and I used to play Ramblin' Man back in the 70s.

One other fun bit: Mark and I went out for lunch.  When the other guys are there, it is easier to take turns bringing pizza (or some other lunch treat) than to take 4 to 7 of us out somewhere.  

Back to the music...

 Taken in Mark's studio; photo by Cindy.

Joan stayed home to kitty-sit.  I was told that Murphy and Stella both took a nap that lasted most of the afternoon.  Some days are filled with "zoomies and crazies" - you never know.

 

You probably want to see that cute face, huh?

 

Mine?  No, that makes it here more than enough.  Of course, I am talking about the new kid, Stella...

 Such a cute little face.  Yes, I am biased.  Just like I think Murph is a very smart and handsome boy.  Stella isn't too sure about Murphy, yet.  He is very curious about her and will get quite close to check her out.  She will let out a hiss and a growl if she feels he is crowding her.  We have to remind him on occasion to "Give her some space."

In the grand scheme of things, it has been less than two weeks, and I think things are going well.  Of course it would make my heart soar like an eagle if she would hop up in my lap and snuggle in... but she is learning that we can be trusted.  What I read says that may take a couple months.  

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This morning, while Murphy and I were out before sunrise, we were treated to this view in the eastern sky...

 That color only lasts a few minutes.  Timing.  On the bright side, sunrise doesn't happen until 7:30 or so, and closer to 8:00 before we see the sun get up above South Mountain.

 

An "X" Kinda Day...

 

Out on the new e-bike yesterday; that bike is a Lectric XP4 750.  The "750" part is the 750 watt rear hub motor.  That is over twice the power of my previous e-bike, but that doesn't translate into faster.  Class 2 e-bikes are "limited" to 20 mph on throttle.  This motor and battery combination will give me about twice the range of the other bike.  Also not really significant, since I don't ever ride 70 miles in one ride; but it does mean less frequent charging.

The other "X" part of that ride: I shot video with the Insta360 X4 camera and the HoverAir X1 Pro drone.  The X4 was the main camera, with the X1 Pro drone used on Follow Mode for one part of the ride; giving a different perspective.

I didn't go into the video with a specific plan or topic... so, the topics wandered from showing the bike path to talking about Caesar Chavez Park, talking about the bike, and discussing a bit of living in Laveen (a suburb of Phoenix).  With edit and cuts, it turned into a 23 minute video.

When shooting video for content, audio plays a big part; I didn't use a wireless mic on this video.  The built-in mic on the X4 camera did a decent job.  I can't use it that way on the motorcycle or scooter due to the wind noise... and the fact that the camera is mounted further away from me.  On this e-bike, the camera is about 2 feet from my head, putting the mic closer to my voice.

The take-away: it works on the e-bike.  I enjoy shooting video when out and about, but processing and loading the 360 video takes a lot of time.  I was able to get that editing done while binge-watching a streaming series yesterday and last night... so, it wasn't hours of just working on the video.

Here's the end result...

 Only one "oops": the direction from us of Gilbert/Chandler for shopping - it's east, not west.

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If that bike ride left you nodding off, here's some cat photos...

 Murphy taking the high ground, Stella below.  They both like looking out that door to the patio.  The chair has been Murphy's place, the reason for that pad on there.  After a short time, Murph moved to the floor...

 I don't think it is intentional (most of the time), but I'm sure his size is intimidating.  When Murph moved to couch, Stella got her first shot at "the Murphy chair"...

 Stella got some lap time today.  Not her favorite thing, but we're working on it.  She doesn't know she is going to be a snugly kitty, yet.  She has made it to this point in her life without snuggles.  We're building trust, not rushing her.  

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Last light of the day...

While outside with Murphy, I took in this sunset over the Estrella Mountains to the west of us...

 The dark area in the lower left is the descending foothills of South Mountain; the Estrellas are running through the center area of the image, right below the bright area in the center.

 

The Wolf Moon...

 

The first full moon of 2026 is also a Super Moon.  

It’s thought that January’s Full Moon came to be known as the Wolf Moon because wolves were more likely to be heard howling at this time.  It was traditionally believed that wolves howled due to hunger during winter, but we know today that isn’t accurate.

Howling and other wolf vocalizations are heard in the wintertime to locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, define territory, and coordinate hunting.

The full moon will be at its peak at 3:03 am Phoenix time (Mountain Standard Time) on Saturday morning; so, it will appear full Friday night and Saturday night. 

Another fitting name for this Full Moon is the Center Moon.  Used by the Assiniboine people of the Northern Great Plains, it refers to the idea that this Moon roughly marks the middle of the cold season.  Other traditional names for the January Moon emphasize the harsh coldness of the season: Cold Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Moon (Cree), Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin), and Severe Moon (Dakota). Hard Moon (Dakota) highlights the phenomenon of the fallen snow developing a hard crust.  

All of these names should lead you to "colder than a Minnesota well-diggers gizzard."  It was 65º when I went out to get the photos.  In shirtsleeves. 

It was a bit of a challenge getting the shot.  Here's my final take...

 There is a thin hazy cloud layer.  Not enough to obscure the moon, but enough to fake out the autofocus on my hot-shit whiz-bang mirrorless camera.  The first few images were out of focus.  No problem - I used to be a professional: I switched the camera to manual focus.  The moon is pretty much "infinity" away.  The camera and lens didn't like that.  It didn't help that there was a contrail (from a passing jet) that left a streak across the moon...

I got that shot above reasonably sharp by moving the moon outside the focus area that was set in the camera.  But, using a normal technique resulted in soft images.  Then, I took the camera off "continuous focus" (where the camera is always trying to get the subject in focus) and set it for "single shot focus"... that was the solution with this odd thin cloud layer situation.  But - I got the shot.

 

 

The 3-3-3 Timeline...

 

• First 3 Days: Decompression & Shock
  • Your cat may be scared, overwhelmed, and hide.
  • They are getting used to new sights, sounds, and smells.
  • How to help: Set up a small, safe room with essentials (food, water, litter box, bed) and let them come to you.
• First 3 Weeks: Settling In & Routine
  • They begin to explore their safe space and learn the household routine.
  • Their true personality starts to emerge, but they might still test boundaries.
  • How to help: Establish consistent feeding and playtimes; gradually introduce them to more of the house.
• First 3 Months: Fully Home & Bonded
  • They feel secure, confident, and comfortable in their environment.
  • A strong bond and trusting relationship should be forming.
  • How to help: Continue providing enrichment and affection; this is when they truly settle in and claim the home as their own.
    
     

I think we are ahead of schedule.  Stella has explored the living room.  The catio is her safe space, and she seems quite content to eat, use the litter box, and sleep overnight in there.  She lets us reach in to pet her (that didn't happen right away).

She still growls when you hold her in your arms, wrapped in a soft blanket.  It's quite cute.  I like to call it "aggressive purring."  ;-)

Sitting on the racetrack...

 She doesn't have the strong, confident cat posture, yet.  Sleeping in the toy basket...

 It makes my heart happy to see her sleep like this.  I have to think that restful sleep was tough to come by in her former life.  When awake, she is very playful, trying out all the cat toys.

We are letting Stella and Murphy be together, under our watchful eye.  Murphy will on occasion "stalk" her.  But, if he gets too close when he's in that mode, Stella will puff up and growl.  She has a big voice for being a tiny cat.

Detente... Murphy was in Stella's face a time or twelve this morning.  We separated them for a while, then let them get back together again.  With some space...

 Murphy wants to play.  Stella isn't sure, yet, when that BIG cat gets close to her.  Then, she will turn around and run up towards him.  It's a process.

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

We managed to snag a pair of these tickets...

 And the best part: no "convenience fees."  ;-)

It would have been an uneventful evening if not for the neighbors to the east of us, who set off fireworks starting at 8:30, and went on until after 1:00 am.  Not solid - just when you thought they were done, they'd fire off another huge boom.  And the occasional noisy aerial display.  Anything that goes off the ground is illegal in Phoenix; which apparently doesn't matter.

Steph and Dan went out with friends last night.  I took Dicha out a couple times during the evening to let her potty.  And, of course, the neighbors would set off something loud... after I waited for what I thought would be a lull, so the noise wouldn't scare Dicha.  I could tell she was pretty nervous from all the noise, so just before 10:00 (which would be midnight in New York City), I brought her over to our house until the hourly barrage subsided...

 Steph and Dan were home around 11:00, and they were able to set Dicha at ease.  They said, "Coming south on Loop 202, there were aerial display fireworks going off all along the way, every direction."

This morning, when I took Murphy out, I picked up a bunch of debris in our yards from the fireworks... and tossed the crap over the wall for the neighbors to enjoy.  I can only imagine how much money they flushed away just to make some noise and annoy the neighborhood.

Murphy and Stella did fine last night, even though their Mom and Dad did stay up later than usual.  I think I turned over to go to sleep about 12:07... amid the next barrage all around the neighborhood. 

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It has been a week with the new little furry girl.  I would say she is thriving: 4 meals a day plus treats, a soft warm place to sleep (securely).  She and Murphy are interacting... sometimes it is sweet, sometimes there is hissing (both directions).

We are giving her space: trying not to overwhelm her.  As a kitten, she loves playing with toys, and goes to the toy basket to pick out what to play with next.  Then, she plays with enthusiasm, followed by a nap...

 Look at that sweet face.  That "soft place to sleep"?  Not that racetrack/scratchpad she's laying on - but, she goes back to it, so it must be comfy for her.

Murph was getting some rest, too...

 I have a soft spot for these sleeping kitties - you know they feel secure in their surroundings.