Starring Magic. Co-starring Bees and Beez.
I'll talk some about the Bees today, and about Beez (the person) and my Garden, but since I have no pics of either, and do have these great ones of Magic, we'll let him be the Star tonight. Above is a pic of Magic when I got him last October. Those eyes do not know what love is, and those eyes trust no one and nothing in this world. He was only 1 1/2 then, and had been thru three homes, and finally ended up in a Madison shelter who would not take him. That's where I came in. Watch the changes...Here are some from today.
Not the same Kitty, eh?
We went to the Hives today to do some checking, and I was a bit nervous as I had been in charge of them for three weeks, and never quite felt like I knew what I was doing. The Birdchick will no doubt have a Full Report up later, but for now you've got me.
Turns out I was dead wrong about the Hannah Hive being Queenless! She is alive and well and making Bee Babies! She was just slow about doing it. Also, what I thought was weirdly capped honey, was really Brood, and not at all honey. This is good. I had added another brood box as the bottom one seemed kind of full, which would have been wrong had the Queen been dead, but since she wasn't and needed more room, it was exactly right, so even tho I was wrong and didn't have a clue, I ended up doing the right thing.
Kind of like life sometimes.
Mad Gardener Beez came over again today, and planted many Things, with her Sweetheart. (We like him. Very cool.) I am going to have a garden yard as nice as everyone elses. She is amazing, I don't have many Garden Skills, but I swear the women LOOKS at the plants and they do her bidding. I offered to help this week and work on things, which made her nervous, so we agreed I would water the bits faithfully.
The coolest thing about these photos is that I just took them. No zoom lens, no telephoto, I was right there with him. He comes out now, he'll come out when other people are around, and yowl your ear off. Every day is more wonder for him. He pees his futon a lot less too. (like you needed to know that, but it IS significant.) He moves around, and hops in and out his window and can look at us in the kitchen.
He's still pretty nervous, and I can only pet him while he is eating, but he licks me now more than he bites. And is always ready to play, especially in the water. I need to get him a bigger fountain. And a tree to climb in, and easy one that can be scaled with no claws. (All four de-clawed NOT my doing)
And he seems glad to see me.
Love and Wonder,
Lorraine
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131 Comments:
What would happen if a hive had 2 Queens? Would one of them kill the other? What happens when a hive has NO Queen?
My heart is bursting with happiness looking at the photos of Magic. He's playing, and smiling and relaxed. If I could, I'd give you the hugest of hugs for what you've managed with him.
And well done with the bees.
OMG, Lorraine. He's soooo beautiful! And it's just fabulous how far he has come with you.
~the Sharon not 1/2 nekkid in a bee suit
Definitely NOT the same kitty. Your Magic has been transformed by your magic.
Just had an article in our newspaper about a man who has been a beekeeper for quite a while. Interesting.
What wonderful photos of the kitty transformation! I spent Friday evening with Zack the Bengal - I have a photo of him on my phone which is too smart for me to figure out how t get the photo off so I can use it.
Sounds like a wonderful day of life-affirming things: kitties, baby bees, and the garden.
Raising daughters I find that I often read things incorrectly, but I often do the right thing. Bees and babes.
I haven't meet you, and may never meet you, but you hold a special place in my heart for what you have been and continue to be for Magic. There was no hope for him but for you.
Awww, Magic is precious!(that pic of him staring at the cam is a treasure!)
here in Brazil is against the law to declaw cats. Have you heard of cruel people taking out the voice chords? it´s a nightmare!
I am happy about the hive (although I´s not really afraid of bees, I think I could neve take care of hives).
30 mins from my home there is a place called Bee Farm, it´s an educational place to teach children (and adults of course) about bees. It´s an amazing place to spend the day!
XXX and Hail to the Queen Bee!
Aline
@AYSLIN1
PS:
People, it´s not add, but you are most welcome to my new house! let´s have some tea? ;)
http://hecticattic.wordpress.com
So glad to be able to read this update before we embark!
Yay for Magic. What a difference you've made in his life. So wonderful.
And Beez and bees and gardens make me happy too.
Okay, offline I go again. Have a great week everyone. I'll see you soon. Yay!
ps: I think I learned so much about bees these past days, (and loads of pics today) I will dream about bees and cats LOL - as soon as it does not become a nightmare, I think it´s got good potential to a fantastic dream
xx
Aline recovering from itchy Ogre Pink Eyes - yes, both!
If a hive had 2 Queens, one would kill the other, happens sometimes, if the hive doesn't like the Queen, or thinks she is failing, they make a new one. Same if she dies, sometimes they can make a new one, and sometimes the hive just dies out.
Magic IS a different kitty, and it is true that he had only me. It makes my heart so happy to see him learning to love.
De-clawing is horrible, and all four de-clawed is worse than horrible. I haven't heard about the vocal chord thing, THAT ought to be illegal, and who would want to stop them talking.
Magic makes a noise kind of like a bird when he is really happy.
The first picture of Magic is beautiful - in a portraitlike way ... and the last one is amazing, in a lively way. The last is my favorite.
Awesome for the Hannah Hive!
Magic looks awesome, and it's amazing the changes in him since you got him. He looks so happy.
Totally not the same cat. What a wonderful transformation. Those last pics are so happy-making.
It is amazing how much cats' faces really can express. And Magic's looks so much happier.
I though bee hives had to be white to stay cool. But you are in MN. ?
Oh hai, he seems to say in that second pic. What a boy! Very cool to see him so happy and playful. You've done a marvellous job. And so has he.
Excellent Beeing! Hurrah for larvae.
We need to see Beez's handiwork. What plants do you have so far?
Also, tick
Hives don't have to be white, black is not so good, but colours are fine, and it makes it easy to keep track of.
Jess, like I would know? Ask Beez what plants are there. I know she planted m lilac trees near Magic's porch so they would grow up and provide cover for him.
The only thing I told her was the flowers had to be Purple or White. Or blue, if need be.
Yes, in the first photo he looks like he's about to try out for the ultimate cool noir detective or something. Or maybe he's a New Yorker, wondering whatthehell you're looking at?!
In the "after" he's more like a regular cat. Y'know, playing, busy, wondering why you aren't playing more instead of futzing with that camera (which is clearly Not a Cat Toy).
Excellent!
Magic makes my heart warm. Such a wonder what you have done.
I love it when things work out right even we are unsure or clueless. Wish it happened even more often
Don't make me threaten to bring my dad's Big Book of Perennials next week, Quiche. He's coming out here this Thursday. I could tell him to bring it with him. ;)
Ooo, lilacs! One thing I wish I had that I have no room for outside. Love lilacs.
What else has she got, Beez? Talk me some plants!
Magic talks and talks and chirrups, but boy- when mom's home and she's not paying attention he lets you know.
It was so fun seeing him out on his screamed porch stalking bugs and playing. Sally, I gave Q that hug for just that reason.
In the garden we have:
-Black hollyhocks(will bloom next year)
-white phlox, purple phlox
-hardy lavender (we'll see how hardy)
-purple coneflower (courtesy of the neighbor across the street)
-butterfly bush (also purple)
-purple leafed sand cherry bushes (2)
-angels trumper (datura, night-blooming white)
- two new lilacs outside the Magic porch. Blooms purple and white-edged petals.
-asiatic lily (no idea what color, but was already there and so grandfathered in and allowed to live)
-lotsa hosta, divided some and planted them along the front stairs down the hill
-speedwell (or veronica) also....purple!
- johnny jump-ups (guess what color)
-irises
For annuals our Q bought some gorgeous dark purple petunia hanging baskets, dark and light purple-and-black pansies and the most rocking Nelly Moser clematis that she planted a few years ago. It is going all-out in an attempt to cover the mailbox.
Some white impatience and some white and two shades of purple alyssium.
Still to come- moonflowers, Grandpa Ott morning glories, more iris (we think) AND a purple variety of the Stella D'Oro daylily! Who knew?!
In the fall for next year will be Canterbury bells, tulips, crocus, Siberian squills and daffodils.
See? TOLD you Beez had the Garden Thing DOWN!!!!!!!!!
Wow, who knew? All that?????
I can't wait!
Hearing about all the magic gardening going on for the summer makes me happy that my landlady does all of the gardening and makes the yard a beautiful place to go. I have a hard time keeping my African violet alive.
I look at plants and they run in terror. Except my violet, which is trapped in a ceramic pot.
It's good to have gardening experts about.
Garden sounds wonderful. can't wait to see pictures. Yay Beez.
And Yay Bees - Go Hannah and your stealth Queen. Sneaky bees.
Love the shots of Magic. What a change. Love the one of him in the tube. Such a happy cat face "what?".
My boys (9 months old tabbys) are experiencing their first summer. So cute when they look at me like 'what is this strange temperature that makes me want to sleep?' ker-flop.
What Sally said [coz I'm too tearful (in a good way)] to be able to say much. Just the light in his eyes and hope and happy stuffs.
If it's not inappropriate, I'd like to send you a massive transantlantic hug too *sniffle*
Pretty Kitty.
Pretty flowers.
Pretty tired.
Night, Fiendom.
Just spoke with Marilyn Kriger, writer for Cat Fancy and www.thecatcoach.com. She saw the magic pics, and has been helping me since I got him.
(She is THE women for cat trouble)
She seems to think I should sleep with him. Right. Sure. Will do.
Back to naked beeing. Much easier.
Benjamin is stargazing and disappointed that he cannot find Saturn. He plans to stargaze until two in the morning. To each his own. I like sleep.
Yay for happy pretty kitty kitty.
I'm trying to get laundry, etc done today for the trip out there. Ben and I head to my dad's cabin tomrrow so no time to pack (or not much) before hopping a plan saturday.
Going to tear myself away from iran election tweets to play Wii w/ ben.
That's a fab planting plan you have going, there, Beez-- all pretty, pretty stuff. Lotsa hosta! Which varieties? (I'm into the hosta. I've got six different kinds going at the moment. Favorite: Golden Tiara.) The coneflower will be wonderful, too. Butterflies and hummers love that.
I suspect Magic wouldn't mind he company one bit-- but you wouldn't get much sleep. :)
Maybe if you converted your bee suit into a cat suit...
It's hard enough sleeping with house cats who think you're their momma.
What a great list of plants! You are going to be surrounded by flowers and butterflies and bees and hummingbirds.
And Fiends! Oh, my!
Oh, Fabulous L, I'm so glad Magic's path brought him your way.
What goes through a person's head who brings half a leopard into their house and then declaws it? Clearly, a Bengal is not your average house cat. If your first thought on successfully dealing with that cat is to alter the cat, that should be your first big clue that a Bengal is not for you.
Which is why I love hearing about how you're working with him. Giving him his space, and letting Magic be Magic. You do that with the others too, and it makes me so happy that the cats you share your life with are allowed to be cats.
And I'm not even a cat person.
Awwww what a transformation! I love that 4th picture..such a sweet face. Looks like he reeeeally likes that fountain too.
EXACTLY Katie, Why would they bring him in, knowing what he was, and think de-clawing was the answer, and WHAT vet would do it???
Too many people get EG cats and have NO idea how to deal with them, or what they need. Even later gen Bengals are a lot of cat and you need to know what you are getting into.
Beez! That is a Very Impressive list!
Beez is an amazing gardener! And I am very lucky she needs to garden.
Magic looks so happy, You've really done wonders that he talks to other people, too, Ms. Fabulous. Of course he's happy to see you! You're happy to see him, you give him rooms to live in, you talk to him, and you've shown him love. Why wouldn't he be happy to see you? :)
What a wonderful bit of serendipity with the Hannah hive! Go, Ms. Fabulous!
Yay for Beez and sweetie planting all the pretty flowers at the Spooky House! :)
Hi, Vidalia and LauraJ! Glad you decided to join the conversation. Here are your white, buckled jackets. Look around and I'm sure you'll find supplies for personalizing your jackets. :)
Well, I didn't doubt, but he was the hardest case I ever took on, Adrindalen. It makes me so happy that he can know love, and security and joy.
I will sleep with him soon, and we will see if he cuddles at all.
Funny sentence to type, that one...
Frantically reading iran updates on twitter. Crazy crazy stuff this is.
I like this cuddly kitty talk better.
Soon I will go offline and watch the new episode of true blood. It requires my full attention.
How will I ever manage being away from you lot for 3 whole days this week!!
I'm watching too Chantrelle, amazing. Simply amazing. Can't stop word from getting out.
3 days? You will have US withdrawal!
Kitties are all sleeping now, won't last.
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I'm amazed any vet would declaw all four in this day and time - I haven't seen that done in probably 30 years.
We had a cat who was completely declawed when I was a child. My mom tried to make her an indoor cat but she didn't trust anyone enough and she would escape every chance she got. We spent a lot of time hunting for Lysastrada. She was a master at hiding in the barn where we couldn't get her.
I kid you not, though - even with no claws that cat could climb trees and smack gophers into submission. She didn't want to be in the house but she used to put gophers into a coma and pile them up on the front porch for my mother. Mom would come out the front door and there would be four or five twitching, half dead gophers.
She was a canny cat - lived to a ripe old age. Drove the horses crazy bu jumping in their feed troughs when they were trying to eat.
We never did convince her that being an indoor cat was a good thing and she never convinced us that she should roam wild and free so that battle went on for years.
Magic looks great. I need to get a fountain for my cats to play in. I wonder what my husband's reaction to a fountain in his office would be...water, water, water...
Yay for Magic and Queen Hannah! I especially love Magic's 5th picture - "So I'm standing in the water-thingy, so? It's perfectly normal, nothing to see here, move along.."
I hope you do get to sleep with him, tho being woken up by your cat weeing on you is many different flavours of not fun :p
Mind you, I'm ever hopeful that you'll be able to get Venus, Mim and Magic to live all together in years to come, unlikely as it seems..
Hi, CJ:)! Welcome to Fiendom! If you've been reading for a while, you might have noticed that we stay on topic for a while, then run around all over the place. Lots of amazing things happen here. :)
Happy playful kitty!
And hurray for Beez (and bees too)!
Magic is so cute.
I hope this is not an electric plug I see near the fountain, by the way... This is most dangerous.
5th pic is my fav. "who me, getting everything wet?" the transformation in Magic is stunning. i call this a magic win (screw the lakers) lol!
Chantrelle, you will make up for it next week?
Aleta, i had fun putting different markers on all the way points on your map. I hope you didn't mind. those all sound like awesome things to do. i am so excited. i think the only other thing on my list of things i should do is t see some of the old mills.
Lovely photos of Magic - I can't get over the huge progree you have made wth him, truly it was his lucky day when you came into his life.
And excellent news about HAnnah-Hive and Beez and Garden - I look foward to seeing pictures of the garden, soon ;-)
Does not look like the same kitty at all. Amazing. A couple times when you've posted newer pics of Magic, for a moment I'd wondered, "What cat is this? Oh, that's Magic!?!"
Happy to hear of Queen Hannah and her babies. Long may she live at her hive's own sweet pace.
I totally understand Beez' "need to garden". :)
What else? I'm up way too late again. Almost ready to send of edited ms for a book. Typing up last queries to author, then reading here, and my son, who had been asleep for four hours, comes down and tells me I should be sleeping. He's 8. And he has a point.
I luuuurve those I-thought-I-screwed-up-but-turns-out-I-was-spot-on moments. It's like your subconscious is guiding your hand.
Cheers, maties. May the coming week bring us all something good.
tickety tick box
fiendishly evaded me
but now I gotcha!
Love seeing and reading about the Magic transformation. You were so meant for each other.
Been at keyboard too long and thumb is grumpy. Will tick box and go rest it now.
Waiting to experience Fiendom Come vicariously...
My favourite is the second to last photo, with his front paws on the water fountain, and his huge, saucer like eyes looking up in wonder.
He seems more human than cat like.
If he doesn't have the claws, he can't needle you while you sleep, so you're ok there.
(can't believe the cruelty of us humans sometimes, but then, can't believe the cruelty of cats sometimes either)
just saw the comment about nibbling on toes at twitter. Ah. I can see how that may put you off. Our Louie does that, no toe is safe with him around (he just can't help himself, we watched him go for it and then assume the biggest guilt face ever)
Yay Magic!
On vacation, so no time, but wanted to hit the ticky box.
You can see it all in that little fuzzy face - he's happy! YAY for happy rescue cats!
I'm up and moving far earlier than I would like. ::sigh:: Unfortunately, I have more uncluttering and cleaning to do, plus cleaning DDs and finishing clothes washing. :P DDs are not helping, as they are too busy playing to tell me what they want for breakfast. They've been up for 30-45 minutes, too. ::SIGH::
For fiends not on twitter. This is exactly what I think about when hearing Boss talk about the creative mind, or fiends talk about their writing. Any ideas on how to achieve?
Otherwise, good morning/afternoon/etc. fiends!
Wati! What? Someone declawed all four of Magic's paws? How did I miss that important little detail?
OMGoddess. That just sickens me. Poor, poor kitty boy. You are lucky to have each other, Lorraine.
So beautiful. I not only want to hug you, Q, I want to hug Magic, which would, of course be impossible and unwise, but is also my impulse with tigers...
And the garden sounds wonderful. I have some of those plants, and have had others over the years...but mainly have things that thrive on benign neglect.
A weekend full of food, I've had. Lovely mushrooms, stir fries, and a magnificent cobbler made with two kinds on cherries and mango, and topped with most of the last batch of granola I made. Yum. All cooked by DS's friends who are perfectly willing to cook as long as I supply the makings.
And do the dishes, of course!
OSS, imagination can always be improved. You just need to free it from its daily fetters and the bonds set upon it by common rules.
Let it roam wild.
Ooh, and a totally fabulous concert with Jake Shimabukuro,
wizard of the ukelele. If you EVER have a chance to see him, I urge you to do so. He can extract the most amazing things from four strings. He began with flamenco, and proceeded through Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, bluegrass, kora music, and many originals, including a piano based one. And Thriller as an encore.
Youtube video can be found of 'While My guitar Gently Weeps.' And he thanked
whoever put it up, and those who promulgated it for assisting with his career. Just amazing.
OK, I'll stop gushing, now. But seriously, if you get the chance GO.
That Magic is a sexy beast!
dabbler - You make me hungry, that all sounds so good. Especially that cobbler.
I think my imagination has always been too derivative and self-serving to be truly creative. Need to think of ways to get out of that rut...
Yes, they did de-claw all four feet. Not sure how someone could be so cruel, or ignorant. I need to keep him very safe.
Magic is a pretty sexy guy Dan, but well, I mean, really!
Wish I had time for a shower, not going to happen looking at e-mail and time.
OSS don't know much about writing except write, finish what you write and then write something else.
Ariandalen, thanks for the welcome. I am wondering if you are offering a bee jacket or something with much longer arms... perhaps a combi- bee/straitjacket would be a good thing.
Funny, I never thought about it as a beeing jacket. Maybe because I know just how well the one with longer arms would suit me ;-)
Thanks Nathalie and Lorraine. Mostly I've just been thinking a lot about how to get out of my own head for a change. Or at least get off the hamster wheel in there. Sorry if I get too introspective. The idea of becoming my better self is what drew me here, so that's where my mind goes a lot when I talk to you.
Very nice pix!!! Do you think a bigger fountain or a kiddie pool? Will EG Bengals lounge in water (I know they swim) when it's hot?
Good show Beez! If I ever get child care I will join you. I'll call you later and we will set a date for the raid on Northfield. ;)
OSS - Or to put what Nathalie and Lorraine said less elegantly and succinctly, you stop wishing you had a "good imagination" and start writing your thoughts down, whatever they may be. A creative mind isn't something only certain, special people have. It's something you develop over time by making regular use of that part of your brain.
You might like Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. She talks about writing from "first thoughts"-- i.e., by just sitting down and spewing onto the page without thinking too hard about it. The idea is that much of the task of writing is simply generating raw material till you find some idea or image you want to follow-- and then following it. The point is to set aside the idea that your first thoughts (and first few sentences) have to be brilliant ones, from the minute you sit down. That's not how it actually works. You have to allow yourself to be messy, and not brilliant, in order to dig up the good stuff.
If you want prompting, you also pick up a copy of this book, and you read it and do all the exercises in order.
But mainly you write. You make a habit of sitting down for ten or twenty minutes a day and you spew. Get yourself used to using words in that way first-- then worry about whether or not it's good enough. Just put what's in your head on the page.
Magic needs a way bigger fountain or pool. May just switch out the one on Venus and Mim's porch, as they aren't all that interested anymore.
Now to work.
Not a better self, OSS.
Just a wilder one.
Let go of boundaries, most of them a just conventions.
In two weeks, Nathalie, you will understand just how funny that is...
Have a great day, Q. I hope you are having the same lovely weather we are!!!
Dear One Sock Short and Fiends
about the writing thing and how to put ideas out to the world. I used to think I could not write at all.
But, you know...I am not a very normal person LOL....
I talk to myself (sometimes aloud and in English - mind I live in Brazil)
so, what I usually do is...I put on aper part of these monologues, I give it some time to grow, and they become a text...
but you have to remember... every person has it´s way...and sometimes it´s not words... :D
Love anf light from a winter weather land
Aline
sweet sweet boy. Fantastic job on coaxing him out of shell, much like what Selina Kyle has done for Batters.
& how about a King Lear photo---
please o please...?
flying tomorrow morning for tour,
not ready YET but WILL be.
see you soon, Quichey!
We are going to do a Lear and Mab Blog soon, I need a HOME for these kitties!!!!!!!
Everyone should go on over here http://kittysneverwear.blogspot.com and wish Kitties Father a Happy 79th and wish Kitty Bon Voyage on her Summer Jonas Tour!
Another excellent book to jumpstart yourself is Lynda Barry's What It Is. It's an activity book with a magic cephalopod; what's not to like?
OSS:
I have four steps:
Read.
Go on crazy adventures.
Play lots of table top or live action nerdy role playing games (helps you see how character and plot form organically).
Write.
It's lucky that Magic found you. I'm shocked that someone would be daft enough to have him completely declawed...sad.
He's making such progress though. Good luck on having him sleep next to you. ;)
beware of the lawngnomes beez!
I am off to my dad's cabin. Will miss the fiends for 3 days but will return geared up to meet up in MN!!!
woot!
Have fun, Chantrelle!
Enjoying my evening on http://kanzhongguo.com. The characters actually work on this public library computer; I cannot use this website at home.
Wow, Magic is so beautiful. Its great to see him opening up like that. Kudos to you and your love for him, Q!
LauraJ, never thought of the bee-ing jacket angle. The ones I'm referring to have really long arms and lots of buckles, mostly up the back. ;)
Hi, Gayle! I hope life is improving for you. :) You seem to be in good spirits, which is always helpful. :)
If Sally and Siri are around ... thanks so much for commenting on the blog!
So, today, I rescued a pheasant chick from the evil clutches of my cats; I took Louie to the vet to get a steroid injection for his asthma; my car almost died driving (ney, swimming) back through flash floods and then, when I got home, it turned out the plastic roof had leaked massively and my conservatory and utility room were under an inch of water.
But, really, what I wanted to say about being creative - the best advice I have got about that is this:
Don't believe your own bad press, everything else is easy.
So with that in mind, g'night and hope you all enjoy whatever it is you are doing.
Beep Beep
Oh PG - what a day you had!
Emily, I like your blog.
Oh, and Dabbler - I've been a fan of Jake S for a few years, he is amazing.
I am nothing if not obedient. I have written two things that are not in any way related to cataloging. They are awful but mine own.
Really enjoyed the interview of our fearless leader.
Thanks, Sally!
And thanks for the bedtime (okay, not yet, but close enough) tale, PG!
Home! Good. A nice lady I know came over with wine to celebrate, and I think it freaked her out some when I told her I didn't drink, but certainly don't mind of she did.
I get that reaction sometimes, makes people un-comfortable. Weird. I dont' mind drinking people, just don't like drunk people.
We had a nice visit anyway.
Now I just want to finish e-mails and sit in my hot tub, listening to my Bengals scream from their porches.
Perfect.
AN interview I did is up at http://www.imperfectclarity.net/?p=322 if you'd like to read...
Thanks for the welcome!
I read the interview and enjoyed it a great deal.
I also don't drink, Lorraine, and I understand that reaction well. After 17 years I'm thinking that I either need to have cards made up or I need to get something tattooed on my forehead. :)
I did like to read it, Lorraine. good questions, and you did your usual bang-up job of communicating. It's almost like you do it all the time. Wow.
I must say your blog is much easier to read - hers was too dark for my old eyes.
Up betimes this morning, and must do it again tomorrow. And the next and the next. Fiends can't happen too soon for me!
Night Fiendom
(P.S. Fluffy and Emily - still waiting to hear if you need transport.)
Go OSS! Good on yer! \o/
Nothing wrong with Not Drinking. More for me that way, badum tish.
(I say that, but truth is I can only handle a couple anyway. Total lightweight.)
Fun interview! Like that there's a big chunk devoted to Bengals, too.
My littlest absolutely loved the Magic pics tonight. He adores the "Tyka-kitties"
As awful as it is to say, and as horrible as it is, all four declawed just might have saved that kitty. That first picture he looks about five minutes and one wrong look from crossing the line to un-rehab-able. I might be the minority but there is a point of no return, and he was mighty close to it by the look of that first pic. Seen that point often enough, and crossed, in dogs owned by the revolving door of people (damned idiots) that rent the house next door. And no, I absolutely do *not* think declawing is any good at all, but it might have had a very silver lining for your Magic.
If he'd had his claws and the ability to use them on someone like he kinda looks like he wants to in the first pic, there wouldn't be the happy kitty playing in his fountain. Some idiot would have had him put down without even attempting to give him a chance if he'd been able to do the damage he kinda looks like he wants to in the first pic. He's gorgeous and that is absolutely *not* the same cat. :D Be wonderful to see what sort of cat Magic is in another few months as much as he's been progressing.
And yay for Queen Hannah and accidentally doing the right thing w/ the bees. ~laughs~ it's always good when that happens.
Lisa
Hi Lisa, I agree with the spirit of what you are saying, and who knows? You might well be right. He just ended up with people who didn't understand him, or his needs, and kept getting handed off, until they tried to take him to the shelter.
One thing tho, Bengals will flee, rather than fight. If cornered, sure, like any cat, but it wouldn't be his first choice.
He's betten me a few times, but it gets less, and he was mostly trying it on to see what would happen, and it was only after he trusted me enough to lick my fingers that he did.
That said, he IS lucky not to have been put down. Many F1 Boys are, they are sterile.
RESPONSIBLE breeder won't kill them, they work to find them proper homes, but there are bad ones out there.
Ok, off Bengal Soapbox....
My own beloved cat has bitten me, to the point of infection. So, not a reason to give up. Not much fun, though.
Enjoyed the interview.
TTYL, going away for a few days and *not* taking the laptop. Withdrawal pains for sure...
No giving up here, this Kitty is HOME. And we love him. Well, I love him. Mim might. Not so much Venus. She thinks he should die. No shy about her real feelings is Venus.
I didn't drink until last year. Surprisingly enough, it was religion that started me drinking (I do EVERYTHING backwards) and when I didn't drink, I was always surprised about how much others cared about whether I did or did not drink.
Now, I don't care one way or the other on if I do or don't drink. I hate the taste of most alcohol, so I usually only drink at synagogue or during holidays. I've always been rather boring and bookish (except when I'm not) and I like things that way. Give me some cats and a good book over a bucket of booze any day.
And, my cat Kitty thinks my other cat, Serious Black, should die. I'm pretty sure she still thinks he should die, but after two years I've persuaded her to stop trying to take matters into her own hands. They grudgingly even sleep in the same bed every night, which leaves me with about 1/6 of the space for myself.
My sweet darling little baby girl, Lump, would be thrilled if our cranky old man, Gabriel, just up and disappeared one night.
She is unfortunately declawed in front. She came that way when we adopted her. She was still too young to get fixed but the a$$#0!3s who had her had already gotten her declawed. Then they gave her up at the Humane Society with the reason "moving." And she was barely 4 months old at that point. They didn't deserve her!
Of course, baby girl is hardly a baby at this point. She's 9 yrs old. The cranky old man is going to be 18 this fall.
The two cats got along for about the first year & a half/two years that we had Lump. Then she decided that she HATES Gabe.
~Sharon
Magic pictures make me a little sniffly. I am so happy for him, and you, and all the kitties at the spooky house and can you tell I haven't slept much?
I've been watching twitter, wrt the Iranian election. Completely absorbing, no small amount of terrifying.
On a completely frivolous note: I dyed my hair red and I can't wait to show it off this weekend! I can't believe things have come up so fast.
*wanders off in search of food and sleep*
Great Interview, Dear.
Ansia totally wants the other three cats done away with. She is not too particular about the hows but life would be MUCH better without them. Especially her brother, Caos.
Ha. Families.
I suspect Microbo and Microbetta to be making fun of her behind her back.
Realizing Magic looks rather kitten-like lately. Only, a kitten with REALLY BIG paws, or is that just that they were closer to the camera than the rest of him?
One of my favorite bits of writing advice is from Ray Bradbury, who encouraged a person to write 1000 words a day, whether the words are crap or brilliant, don't matter, the point is to write every day. But it may be my favorite bit of advice because it's the one I can most easily remember.
This seems an odd time of year. Kids're done or nearly done with school. I tonight finished a big work project, will send files in a mo' and invoice tomorrow, but don't start another project for a couple weeks, and meanwhile I'm planning to drive to MN, a place I've never been except to change planes at MSP airport, across two provinces in which I've never been. And I've been calling friends in Austin to make sure we meet up while we're down there, which is doing my heart so much fracking good. Meanwhile, the guy's employer is moving ahead with the process in which we get granted permanent residency. And next week meeting more fiends in person.
Ack! Is it just me or is the world kinda spinny?
Hey, you know what's funny? Oh of course you do. Erm, so, I think this is funny: my 4-year-old singing along to "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich".
(And no, this likely won't last long, there are words and songs I'd rather she didn't figure out... And my son no longer believes me that it's "we're all getting shipwrecked".)
Well goodnight, good morning all. Pumpkin hour for me.
an i just say i love that you call it pumpkin hour. i feel better knowing it's not just me. :)
i can't believe it's next week. i'm so excited. tomorrow i go to show my 3 friends from the netherlands around lala-land.
I don't have time to read all comments, but I did want to drop by and say that I have a kitty (just plain regular cat) who had all four of her paws declawed. While I can understand why some people feel the need to declaw the front paws, I couldn't believe that someone would completely disarm the cat! I mean, she has NO defenses except for her teeth and her balance and jumping is pretty much shot. She also walks very delicately - anytime she runs on wood floors or jumps on the counters, her back feet slide. Yes, it is most definitely cruel! I had to plead with my mother to NOT do it to her newest cat because the idiot assistant at the VET'S clinic where she lives told her how "wonderful" it was that she did that to her cats. I just don't get people sometimes. Front claws are one thing and while I disagree with it, I don't think it's nearly as harmful. Anyway.. talk to you guys later :)
Good Morning! Love the interview, Q.
P-Grace, hope that things are less soggy this morning.
Right: to work.
Oh, and El - new hair!!
I am feeling inspried by all the fiends - May have to get my haor cut before I come to Fienddom come...
Morning! Up early enough to shower and ride before work. This is so cool. Suspect it will nail me along about evening, but hey, I am liking it now.
As far as de-clawing cats, the big question is why? If you love them, they aren't going to kill you with them, and you can easily teach them not to scratch furniture.
And a good morning to you too. Hooray for riding.
A friend who visited me several years back was actually surprised when my cat went up to her scratching post and started working on it. She thought declawing was something everyone did (she did not have cats herself). Fortunately, things are changing, with some vets now refusing to do it. They can't change soon enough.
And good morning (once more).
I've had six cats in my life so far and not a single one of them has ever clawed the furniture (even without having to teach them).
Up early and running around like a mad thing because I'm leaving for SF today (and am way too excited:).
I've always thought declawing was far too harsh of a solution to any scratching problems. My Mom had my cat declawed in the front when I was a teen and I always felt so bad for him.
Magic is a wonder, as are you. The fact that he was declawed (on all four at that) makes me feel slightly ill. I have seven beasties of my own (indoor cats, all) and their claws and my furniture remain intact.
Because some people don't realize that you CAN train a cat to not scratch up the sofa. My mom loves her cats but she's also not home enough to catch them when they start scratching up the furniture. It also takes a bit of work that not everyone knows how to do.
My other cat, Jacq, has all of her claws but she still scratches the couch - I just try and tell her no when she does. Any ideas on training a cat to use their scratching post rather than the furniture? Might be a really good article to write as well for someone with the knowledge.
Personally, I don't want my cats to be declawed, either in the front or in the back. But I'll accept that some people think they have to declaw their front paws. The tide IS turning, but it takes time for everyone to realize it.
GOL, vampi. I almost had typed 'witching hour', but that rather seems to imply that one plans to do something. 'Pumpkin hour' seems more appropriate if one is planning to be vegetable-like.
Regarding de-clawing, I think it's horribly sad that a person may care more about potential damage to their belongings than they do for the well-being of a living creature in their care. And while some people clearly just don't know better, certainly any vet KNOWS it's painful mutilation, and still some do it. Argh.
I've conceded I'll not be getting new hair before next week; all y'all get to see my usual haphazard 'do. 'Cause there's just one hair person I trust and she's in Austin, and I've got a call in for an appointment with her for when I'm there the week after Fiendom Come.
Welcome Kari! I've bookmarked your page, now, enjoyed reading your interview with Q. Fun to see some familiar pics getting re-used too. :D
I've never had to do this, so don't know how well it works, but I know some people use contact paper on furniture. They put it sticky side out where the cat wants to scratch. Cats hate the stickiness, and it reminds them the furniture is off limits when you're not there.
I have used contact paper on the kitchen counters. It only took a week or so for my cat to decide counters aren't fun places to be. The cans idea never worked, since she could see those.
if someone is *that* worried about their furniture that they are willing to de-claw a cat then they shouldn't have a cat in the first place.
Selfishness of people just never ceases to amaze me.
My cats are very good at ruining my furniture and making a mess and bringing in wildlife I don't want them to catch (another blackbird casualty this morning) but I knew what I was getting when I got them and I wouldn't dream of complaining, let alone taking their claws out or keeping them indoors or throwing them out in the morning (I know some people who do this or they lock the cat in one room so it wouldn't ruin their furniture in the 'nice' rooms)
Argh.. now I'm angry as well as tired
Nice to see you all, don't mind me, just passing, much cleaning to do and it disagrees with my constitution ;)
Morning. It is going to be afternoon soon and I have been up for hours but I just can't wake up!
I hope you have a lovely ride, Q! I am hoping to come to Stillwater on Friday. We shall see. Keep your fingers crossed.
P-Grace, you're right. Tybalt doesn't scratch the furniture but he does scratch the carpet. I have always assumed that this is due to a combination of me haveing had no carpet in our first house (except the bit on his scratching post) coupled with me not being around enough during the day to train him not to do it. In other words, it is my responsibility, not his.
I'd not heard about declawing cats until Magic came and you talked about it here - recently saw this article which made me realise it is even worse than I thought.
On a happier note, I have my Mythical Creatures stamps with pictures by Dave McKean and little stories by Boss, and they are lovely, althoug I shall have to have Words with Royal Mail tomorrow on the subject of why it is generally a good idea to fulfill the order which has been made, rather than to sipmply send out random items...
Yowza! Had to share this edition of The Hobbit with the fiends.
OSS, you know how to make a girl drool, you do! I'd love to just hold it once...
It's gorgeous!! I'd sniff it if I ever got my hands on it :) is that weird?
Not at all weird. A well-kept leather bound book is lovely for sniffing. The not-well-kept ones, not so much. Red rot is very hard on the sinuses ;-)
OSS, this reminds me of a question that you may have some answers to. One of the things I do is sell used books on Amazon. (Mostly for the love of the treasure hunt.) I buy at the local Goodwill, or other such places, and periodically come across some that would be saleable, ( go into my piles) except they are musty smelling. I pass them up, because I know no way to halt the progress of ick. Is there a way of halting the progress of moldiness in books and helping them survive?
and while we are on the 'ask the books expert' subject, does anyone know of a way to get the smell of cigarette smoke off books? I bpought a (modern hardback) book which sadly stinks of smoke- it's quarantined out in the conservatory at present...
Good night, all. x
Unless a book is of special interest to you, passing them up is probably best. If they just smell a bit basementy, they may do fine with a simple airing out, or some time in a plastic bin with old-fashioned clay kitty litter (not with litter touching the book of course, layer with acid-free paper or such).
That said, I'm not a conservator. I'd only do the above for books I want to keep for myself. You can get much better advice from this Library of Congress site. They have a section on what to do about mold (and smoke) too.
Just the pointer I needed. thanks so much!
Ooo, OSS, it's beautiful. Must agree with Dabbler that you know how to make a girl drool. ;-) And it's at auction next week for, well, as much as my house. 'Fraid I can't take out a second mortgage to pick that one up, but it would really be worth seeing!
Love that book! Don't Think I can afford it.
But I do know someone who could. Couple someone's in fact.
Soon, soon, home. Will try and do a new post for you, but I tell you, I am all over boring today.
New very weary post is up....
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