Been out of touch for a while. No excuse, just life happening. Survived a couple of big snows this year. Office was even closed down for a couple days each time. The first blizzard that hit on February 1st and virtually closed Tulsa down from Tuesday thru Saturday. No one on my street even attempted to go anywhere, but by Saturday we were all out shoveling our driveways and a few people attempted to venture out. The second one had us shoveling more snow and clearing the driveways once again. The snow drifted to cover both my front and back doors so the cats could not look out the door like they are used to doing. All in all we did okay during that stretch of time. Cats had plenty of food and litter available and I just made due with what was on hand. Were very fortunate to have not had any power loss. Did plenty of knitting during that time.

College Friends

My best friend from college is here this week. She drove here from Brady TX to spend Thanksgiving with her parents who reside in Tahlequah. I met Shari in college in 1972 and we have been friends ever since - how many people besides your family can you say that about? We have been shopping and eating out at great restaurants (no cooking for me this week) and just visiting. The cats have even become acquainted with her. Charlie is still a bit of scared cat but Thomas has let her pick him up, follows her around and he will lay outside the guest bedroom door waiting for her. He may decide to go home with her if she did not have 5 dogs.

Love and Birds

There is long hair black and white cat in my neighborhood who has been showing up at my door (as well as sleeping under my evergreen and on the front porch) ever since I moved into my mother's house about a year ago. I used to think he belonged to the people next door and when they moved he was just left behind but now I am not so sure because this summer he got a haircut so he must belong to another family in the neighborhood. Or perhaps he has many families who take care of him. Anyway on occasions I have fed the cat, whom I named Tuxedo, and before I adopted Thomas, I used to invite Tuxedo into the house. Charlie just loves Tuxedo and he knows whenever Tuxedo is outside, as Charlie will sit by the front door and meow or rattle the front door blinds until I open up the door so they can see each other. Now that I have Thomas I don't really let Tuxedo in the house but I still on occasions feed him. Yesterday after I got home from work I went to sweep the front porch and lo and behold there was a dead bird by the front door mat. Guess Tuxedo is telling me he loves me. As I was trying to clean up this bird, I was talking to myself outloud and when I turned aroudn and looked at the front door, there was the face of Charlie. He had moved the blinds aside and was balancing his back paws on the banister next to the door and his front paws on the tiny window panes of the door, probably so he could see what was going on. Guess he heard my voice and wanted to see what was going on, just in case he missed anything.

The Orkin Wildlife Division

It has been awhile since I have blogged. Got back from the short trip and work just got busy, busy. I was out from work for one week due to illness, so I am just now getting back in the swing of things. Fall is trying to make an appearance and it is a welcome one. At least I know the 100+ degree temps are over with for now. I will miss the local tomatoes as they are no longer available at the Farmer's Markets around town. My cats continue to be the height of entertainment. I have noticed that whenever they get startled, if they are at different parts of the house, they will run to each other, huddle together and look around with huge eyes, then take off together. Guess they think there is safety in numbers. They have learned how to open the door to the large bathroom and my bedroom, so I never know what I will encounter when I get home. Yesterday they had quite the fun with the toliet paper and towels as well as knocking everything around the sink into the sink. My brother says I have about 2 more years of them knocking stuff over before they settle down. This morning Thomas let me pick him up, hold him and pet him for 30 minutes. Now that is a record. He usually is okay with about 10 minutes then he wants down. But this morning he was perfectly content to just lay against me. Nothing quite like a contented purring cat in your arms. I did have a visit from the Orkin man last week. I discovered that birds were living my attic so had to contact an exterminator who handled birds. When I called Orkin they told me they would have to refer me to their 'wildlife division'. Who knew. When I was telling the Orkin man this he laughed and said 'I am the wildlife division for Oklahoma and Western Arkansas'. He said it was sort of a promotion for him except every now and then he is not quite so sure about that when he is laying in a cramped attic trying to catch squirrels. But my attic is now bird free will all the entrances secure. My brother, ever the helpful guy, told me I should just let my cats run around the attic for a few days. Yeah, right, like I am going to subject my babies to whatever lurks in the attic.

Outlet Mall Vacation

It has been a while since I have blogged ; work became very busy with school starting, took a short vacay with my sister-in-law and her daughters, my birthday was Saturday August 28, so lots going on. My sister-in-law came up with an idea for the girls to journey down to the outlet malls in Allen, Texas, which is just north of Dallas. The hotel we stayed at was right next door to the mall and we could literally walk out the front door and walk into the Coach and Ann Taylor stores. There were 200 stores so we were up to the challenge to shop them all. Ate at a great Thai restaurant and Mexican restaurant. Was able to shop at a yarn store (my passion for yarn goes everywhere I go) as well as the Container Store (my second passion). Plus getting the chance to bond with my sister-in-law and nieces. I also did not realize how much I had shopped until we returned home and unpacked the trunk. My packages lined up an entire wall of my hallway ; guess I did my job to boost the economy. I had a friend of mine house sit with the cats rather then kennel them again. They did not do well when they stayed at the vet's the last time I went out of town, so needed for Kathy to come house sit. I think they enjoyed having Kathy there and I also noticed Thomas had put on about a pound, which on him looks good. Apparently he bonded with Kathy, would let her pick him up, pet him, play with him ; wonder if it was because she fed him and here apparently I have been starving him. (smile) The cats had a great time watching me unpack and playing with all the bags, wrapping, etc. It was good to get away and looking forward to my next trip.

Charlie and his adventure

Not sure what was going on with Charlie the other night but he had quite the adventure even if was only in the house. He and Thomas usually wrestle on the floor while I am dozing in bed before I turn the light out. I kept hearing this scrambling noise coming from under the bed. Thomas was sitting in the middle of the floor so I knew it must have been Charlie. I kept calling for Charlie to come out from under the bed. But all I kept hearing was scamper, scamper, scamper. I got up, moved all the under the bed storage boxes out and shined a flashlight under the bed and no Charlie. I saw a piece of fabric hanging from the box springs and determined that Charlie was now scampering amongst the box springs. He apparently had ripped out a hole for him to crawl up into the box springs and now could not find his way out. I had to dismantle my bed, get the scissors to cut the box spring cover and reach in and pull him out. He was scared and ran into the living room followed by Thomas. After I put the bed back together, I went in to see if he was okay and when I picked him up he just looked at me and gave a very pitiful meow. Not sure who had the adventure - Charlie in the box springs or me dismanteling my bed in the middle of the night.

Thomas

My red tabby, Thomas, had quite a rough morning the other day. First he and Charlie were rumbling and Charlie knocked him off the chair and Thomas landed flat on his back with a loud thud. Thomas let out a loud meow and then hissed (something he has not done since the first night he came to live with us). I saw the hair go up on his back, the ears flatten and he and Charlie were circling each other, so I stepped in and said 'easy, easy' and they went their separate ways. As I was geting ready to go to work I needed to close the front door and had picked up Charlie so I could do so. Thomas was up on the banister next to the front door and right as I closed it he poked his head inside and I slammed the door on his head. He scrambled down and ran and hid under the chair. I got down on the floor and told him I was sorry (he does not like to be held or comforted, unlike Charlie) and eventually he came out. Before I left I played jingle bell ball with him and left him a cardboard box to play during the day (he loves boxes and grocery bags). I guess he forgave me because when I got home he was waiting for me by the kitchen door, wanting me to scratch his back. Later on he was meowing very loudly and when I went to see what was going on, he just sitting up in his box, guess he just wanted to say 'look at me, look at me'.