Romeo equals Genius

Sometimes, I don't know what she'd do without me to manage her life.  I mean really.

Things that seem like a big deal to her, well are they really such a big deal?  I mean I can easily see the solution to these problems.  But without me to solve them?  Well can you imagine the state of her whiskers without me to solve these crisis'?!?  Me neither.  

Today a potential tangle of whiskers of GRAND proportions was narrowly averted.  As in within a whisker width of narrowness.  

You may remember from my last post that she has a show coming up.  Soon.  

Very soon.  

The issue started last Thursday when her and Dad notice that the truck stinks like gasoline. Ah well drive it anyway, they say.  Made it down the road five or six miles.  Truck still reaks of gasoline.  

Stop to eat. But Dad pops the hood first to check and see if anything obvious is wrong. Purrhaps there is a problem.  

Gas is running down the side of the engine casing in waves.  Purrhaps? Yes, purrhaps this is a problem.  Dad calls for roadside assistance.  Even though he is in a parking lot not the side of a road.  

Roadside assistance calls tow truck and fire department.  Fuel leak requires fire department.  Really?  

Yes, really!

Truck is towed home (where it can catch fire in a comfortable location and we can roast marshmellows and weinies).  Although Dad told me it was towed home because they met someone in the parking lot who seemed knowledgeable and nice and he offered to fix the truck.  Cheaper than what the dealership would charge.  (You know I would never have chosen this purrsonally right?) But nice, knowledgeable ..... well.....that doesn't always fix a truck does it?

Monday rolls around and Dad is told that the required part for repair is still missing in action.  Dad gives up and calls tow truck again to have truck hauled.  This time to dealership. Cost isn't free this time, it's $66 worth of towing.  There go next months cat snacks.  Ah, might as well, truck didn't burst into flames in the yard and they have already used the grill to cook the weinies and Dad ate all the marshmellows for comfort food.

The truck is towed and several hours pass.  I decide that everything is under control.  Or so I thought it was.....until she checked the weather for Springfield Ohio (where the show is)

Oops, I think I see yet another potential issue brewing.  Unloading is Thursday; show is Friday through Sunday; load out is Sunday.  Hmmmm.

Being the company problem solver and all around go to man, I tell her that wet weather shouldn't be a problem.  Just bring towels for the wet customers.  It's always won me over and it's not like she doesn't know how.....

She reminds me that her customers are not cats.  Hmpfh.  What does she know - everyone loves a dry towel when it's raining and they are all wet!  

But in an effort to keep her happy, I come up with another solution.  Actually one solution for TWO so called problems!  

Transportation! AND a trailer that isn't overkill since she is concerned whether she is bringing too much inventory when there might not be anyone shopping in the rain.  And not only that but when no one buys it she has to load it all up again.  In the rain. 

Hey wait, I think I've solved THREE problems not just two! I am some kind of genius!  Think I'll get a raise for my ingenuity????  OMGOSH I am so excited my whiskers are curling!!!!!

And what does she say to this genius?  

"Romeo, that won't work, what if people come anyway? It's better to have a whole trailer load of inventory. If it's really bad when I unload, I just will leave some of it in the trailer."

Okay, I tell her, I get this - you want to bring the regular trailer so just in case, you'll have enough inventory.  Sheesh, alright already wish she'd make up her mind.  That's what I recommended early on. 

On days like this is it any wonder I have grey fur mixed in with the tabby???? 

 It's been a full day so I think I deserve a nap at the very least, don't you?

But before I doze off I wanted to let you know the dealership called.  The fuel rails needed to be replaced. $900 worth of fuel rails. They are shipping the part over night from Atlanta and the truck should be ready by noon tomorrow.  She leaves on Wednesday first thing.

And if for some reason the part doesn't make it, I've already figured out a solution!  See for yourself:

Genius right?!!  I know.  Purrhaps you understand better why I'm in charge here.

See? No worries! 

While she's gone, I'll have a lot of free time....so just drop me a line if you need any advice.

Have a great week!

the intensity of life and blogging

As always, the past month has gone by too quickly.  And how ever will I catch you up on everything that has happened?  Equally challenging to answer - is any of it "blog worthy"?

Seems that there isn't a week that goes by when I can't find someone who has stopped blogging either as frequently or altogether quit. More often than not because of the time constraints but sometimes I hear that they ran out of topics that they felt to be worthy of blogging. Yes, really.

The time crunch issue, I relate to.  And chances are you do too.  For me it's nap, eat, nap, eat, drink, chase a vole, keep her entertained, keep her in line, eat a snack, nap...well you get the picture.  At the end of the day I'm just exhausted!

And I bet you don't think I should be exhausted do you?   Well let me show you a moment, yesterday, as a prime example. I decided that she will do a show in two weeks.  Too much stuff in inventory and most of it too big to ship and sell on Etsy.  So I decided (yes me) that she would be doing the Springfield, Ohio extravaganza.  So I came up with a list of things to be done in preparation and gave her the list.  Now I thought I had trained and clearly explained to her how to efficiently tackle the physical things to be done. Numerous times.

But there seemed to be very little noise coming from the trailer.  So I thought that perhaps I'd better go check and be sure things were getting done properly.  Part of my supervision responsibilities in owning a human.  Upon first glance I see no sign of her and think, 'I'll be darned she is under the black cabinet napping'.  (Yeah that's the cabinet there in the bottom left of the photo above.)  But when I look for her, she's not there.  Good thing too.  I would have had to speak to her about that one and maybe put her on suspension.

So I decide to look in the trailer for her.  Well after a short nap that is.  See that multi-tasking?!? I'm telling you, my work is never done and it seems like no matter how much I do, I am expected to do more and do it faster.  I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.  But really?! How much faster can one take a cap nap? It's not like mine last as long as when she naps.

Anyway, after a few sunbeams and a nap, I notice this.....

And I am horrified.  Absolutely horrified!

 She's been out here drawing cartoon bunnies on the tabletop with chaulk!!!  So here it is, my day is only half way over and already I've had to eat, nap, supervise, nap some more, inspect inventory and now I'm going to have to discipline.  Already getting exhausted I may have to stop again and take another nap.  And probably need a snack to keep up my energy.  The demands of owning her are giving me gray fur.  Well, yes I have always had gray fur.  But there is even more of it, since owning her.

So anyway, do you understand now?  This was just a short part of my day and look at all that I had to do!!!!  Yes, time is hard to come by for such a busy guy like me.  You understand this too right?  Of course you do.  You are busy too.  And still we try and find the time to blog.  Just a few moments to catch up with friends and enjoy life.  At a slower pace.  Or at least that's the theory.

But then there's the issue of blog worthy to tackle.  Do my friends really want to know about what I am doing today?  This week.  This month? How about last month?  Maybe if I post about some imaginary over the top exciting adventure....or have her rearrange the living room (for the 54th time in three months)......or, send her out there to catch a mouse....oh but wait I'll have to have her take pictures.  And then that means I have to supervise again which will probably be an event similar to yesterday where I caught her playing in the trailer rather than working.

But then I get the pictures and notice...... gasp* oh my whiskers - the bottom of the chair is cracked! Oh well we can't let anyone know about that.

Let me crop that picture so that the chair looks purrfect.  Maybe I should also edit it so that you can't see all the pollen on the arms.  And oh wait what about the bbq grill cover in the picture?! mEoWWW.  Must fix.  Oops, one more thing, must edit so that I look ferocious.  That is after all what I want everyone to know about me.  Most important. Of course.

There that's better. Now that's one photo that is blog worthy.  But now I forgot what I was going to say about this blog worthy event.  Oh never mind. It probably wasn't that interesting anyway.

So what is blog worthy?  And what does that mean really?  And why does there seem to be so much emphasis on that.  Sure, I get the wanting to keep people interested.  But really, I thought we were blogging to document a life and our thoughts.  So if I'm not interesting enough and my photos are not edited to be purrfect, does that mean I am not worthy of a blog?!?

Gee, that's kind of scary.  So I should go about my days and decide how well I can sell myself and edit photos before posting at the end of that day.  Even if they don't really represent what my life is about?!  Hmmmm.....

Wait, I think I understand what this blogging thing is all about now!!!!  Don't go!  I get it!!! How about this for a blog worthy post.....

After she got through painting some chairs for the show, I instructed her to go the front flower bed.  There was something in the flower bed.  Something H U G E !!!!  Humongous I tell you!!!!  Of dinosaur proportions!!! It was nip and tuck, but finally she persevered and got the little monstrous thing!

I did manage to take a video of the creature before it was unearthed.

Well I did take a video but it won't play.  Oh wait, now it's playing!

And I would have had a regular picture in full vivid living detail except she couldn't hold the mole and the camera at the same time.

Dang.  I lost you again didn't I?  Without a picture of the mole.  Or a video of the earth moving.  Ah well...that wasn't very exciting anyway was it?  You had to have been there I suppose.

Wait! Does it matter that she had never seen a real mole???  No she hadn't.  Cross that one off the bucket list! And consider THAT blog worthy! Wasn't it?  Um maybe not.

Next post, I will really tell you what's happened over the past month or so.  When I have a free moment.  And although it won't be about a furry little rodent, it may be just as exciting and blog worthy.

In the meantime.....for those of you who are thinking that maybe you don't have time to blog anymore.  Or that you don't have anything interesting to post.  Or even that your photos aren't magazine quality......

Please remember this:

This blogging thing is supposed to be fun and impurrfect.
Just like life.
Spontaneous and when you feel like having company.
No matter how frequently or infrequently.
So go ahead.
Bore me to tears.
Show me the pictures with the broken chair and the bent whisker.
And tell me how your day was.
Without the flourish and grandeur.
Why?
Because I like your real life and I want to hear about it.

Just my thoughts.  For what it's worth >^,,^<
Gotta run.  I forgot to check for proper verb usage and spelling before I hit the "post" button, and I need to make sure she is scooping the litterboxes.....

Time to wake up?

Okay, so you probably thought I was still hibernating.  With good reason since it would appear that I've been missing in action lately.  However, there has been a lot of activity around here.   Yep, sure has!  I'll fill you in on all the details over the next few weeks, but for now I'd like to show you one of the things we have been working on.

Spring flowers! Yep, I know our last chance of frost is April 15th, but.... well it's been so nice and... well, spring-like!  All the daffodils are up and blooming and have been for a while now.  Many of the iris are up, although not blooming.  And the tulips? Well as you can see (photo above) they are trying to bloom.  Additionally, many of the perennials are up and beginning to bloom, so surely it is spring and time to wake up! Right?

So we mulched. She hauled the mulch and spread it and I sat on the bags and supervised   A very important job I might add.  Very important indeed!

A few new perennials and a couple of annuals were added.  She was told by the nursery that if we should get a  frost it won't kill the plant.

 Maybe a few leaves might need assistance to the compost pile but over all the plants will be fine.  And  for whatever reason she was more than ready to start digging in the dirt.  And me? Well I'm always ready to dig in the dirt.  For other reasons of course...

She has the front bed looking pretty good if I do say so.  Well except for the holes that get dug almost every single night by one very rotund possum.

Wait, what did you say?

You thought it was me?! *gasp*

Never. Ever. Would I dig a hole in her flower bed.

That small.

I prefer to dig the big holes.  Makes it easier to hit the target.  So stop thinking it was me.  It was not.

This time.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh yes, everything is looking pretty good in the first of three flower beds.

For today.

Tomorrow?

Things may not be looking so good.

Monday and Tuesday (today) it has spit snow pellets from the sky.  Kind of like little frozen bb's and about as pleasant when you get hit on the top of the head or zinged on the tip of the tail.  However, the plants have done fine for the most part.

But tonight.  Well there's a freeze warning (as if snow this time of year wasn't enough?).  And I"m wondering if I made a mistake thinking it was time to wake up from my long winter's nap.

Time to wake up?  Or go take another snooze?

What do you think?  I'll wait to hear from you.  In the meantime, I think I'll help her tonight with listings for my Etsy shop.  I'm such a good helper.....

For today.....

....the living room is complete..... for today.

If you have followed me on my adventures, you may remember the beginning of

 the living room re-fluff.  

Industrial shelving was added and we raided her private inventory that previously had no where to go. We don't live in a house of castle size proportions, but she probably has enough collections and curiosities to fill at least a small castle. 

Adding shelves allowed her to dust cat fur off a few things and put them back into the light of day where they can be chewed on admired.

Acquiring collections is easy enough when you're in this business of junk

 for more than a few years. 

Acquiring a castle to display all of them in? Not so easily done.

So where was I....oh yes, small castles filled with creepy old things.  

And new furnishings.  

Late last year, was it October? Or maybe September?  The other sofa needed to go! It was decided to get a white slip covered sofa. And it was instant love for her. In love with a sofa?!?  Yes, it's true.  The reason?  That cover can be washed and washed and washed!  With older and special needs cats, this becomes VERY important.  She's in love.  With the sofa.

Still though a decision on what to do regarding a chair for Dad. The issue had become finding the chair that was "just right".  They looked and looked.  And they did find chairs.....that were too low, too firm, too small, the wrong color fabric, cat-fur-attracting fabric, and the worst - those with recliner capabilities that are sure to crush a cat if one is not paying attention....months and months, no chair.

During this time of indecision Dad had to sit on the sofa to watch the picture box.  However, after much discomfort and a sore butt Dad decided that as long as the sofa stayed where it was, facing the picture box, he could survive the sofa.  And after a time, he realized it was not the end of life as he knew it. 

She is not without compassion though, so to sweeten the deal, she proposed an ottoman. Ah yes, her wily ways worked on him. (She claims it was charm, not wiliness.)  So four weeks ago, an ottoman was purchased.  

And yes, a chair. 

Times two.  

And now after the final decision, and an additional short three week wait, the slip covers for the chairs arrived....

As I sit here and admire the recent artwork addition, I realilze something.  I'm not proficient at math but I don't really understand how one ottoman became....

..... one ottoman.....AND two chairs.... AND extra slip covers.  

But do you really think I'm going to point that out to Dad?! 

Nope, not one single meow from me.

Why?

I've been seduced by her wily ways too.  

Guilty. 

But happy with my new official position (wink). 

And besides cats shouldn't be able to count anyway, right?!

I know it's hard to believe that the living room is finally done.  Months and months of indecision.  But for today, it is done! And we are quite happy thank you very much.....especially Coltrane who can finally sleep on a sofa that isn't constantly be moved around..... well, at least for the rest of today.