I had a lot of thoughts and interesting things tonight to say, but Spooky Teen and I just spent an hour cleaning Magic's room together, and that seems to me to be enough for any girl after a day of work.

Trust me.

Magic, like many Early Generation Bengals, pees. And not only in the litter box. He has been going to town for a while now, and despite cleaning it up daily, his room smelled, the kind of not nice smell that permeates the next room, and gets animal control over to ask what sort of deplorable conditions you have been keeping this poor innocent (heh) Kitty in.

Seems he'd managed to get the futon despite the waterproof cover, AND had been using his Ottoman, under the blanket AND beside his litterboxes so the pee went UNDER the boxes. And the two pillows. Oh, and he pulled down his curtain with all the vines and peed THAT for good measure.

Anti-icky-poo is your friend. (Real product here, people, Google it.)

The Futon is gone, replaced by plastic on the floor and another HUGE plastic bin for litter. All the plastic bits have been cleaned, all the boxes, under the boxes, all the carpets. And the ottoman, which may yet have to go.

I sprayed everywhere with Feliway spray, and put in a new diffuser. (Again, Google it, it mimics the pheromones of a Happy Cat)

We'll see.

This is getting close to being an entire blog about cat pee, sadly. Haven't even mentioned yet how cool it was to have Elyse Marshall from Harpers out for a couple days, and cooking with her, woods walking, visiting Bengals...Lear ate from her hand!

Speaking of which...



Lear has decided that Spooky Teen is not entirely evil, since she comes every other week, and hasn't killed him yet, and she brings bits of steak, which Lear, who can be bought, is into. This is her doing the "I extend my finger while not staring to show you I am no threat" maneuver.



Queen Mab seems even more ok with Spooky Teen, and tonight deigned to have her chin scratched! This is huge.

I think they might be settling in. I don't know if they will ever be OK, and I don't think strangers will ever get close, But if they can have something like a normal cat life, I will be happy.



Magic? Well, we'll have to see. He'll never be a pet. (No, no rant tonight on irresponsible breeders for send F1's to homes that have no CLUE.) But he's not going anywhere.

If we have to clean up pee.

We clean up pee.

Love and Pee,
Lorraine

We went to check the hives this afternoon, Boss, Woodsman Hans and I. I stayed a bit back as I was barefoot, mostly, and bees kept crawling on my feet. Which is kind of freaky. Boss is wearing the latest in Bee-wear, a Half-Suit. Very handy when you don't want to don the entire suit. Notice he is also wearing wellies, so bees can't crawl on his feet.

We checked the Purple Yvaine hive first, as Boss had noticed on his morning walk that it was angry, and lots of bees were crawling around on the top, which might mean they are thinking of SWARMING! They hadn't, and we couldn't exactly get down far enough into the brood boxes to see if there were any Queen Cells. The top Super was nearly full, so we added another.

Supers are the smaller boxes that we get to steal. Which we did.



The Yellow Hive, which The Birdchick and I had been calling the Stoner Hive, as it never seemed to do anything, was ready for another Super, may be our best yet. The Red Juliet Hive, which swarmed, had a lot of Bees, which I thought meant good things as I thought Workers only lived about three weeks. Boss said, no, up to a year.

A quick trip to Google showed me that it takes three weeks to turn INTO a worker, then they live somewhere between 1-4 months, a few weeks, or up to, just over or under a year. Depending on the site you visit. I'll try and find some more information on this, the definitive source as it were, and let you know. I need to know.

Very typical for Bee Information. Anything you can find that is said as true by 6 Beekeepers, you can find the opposite said by another 6.



We harvested (Read: Stole) a Super of Ross Rounds. No idea why they are called that. But this is honey that stays in the comb and is not extracted.

The first trick you need to do is get the Bees OUT of the Ross Rounds. Tricky. You can spray a cloth, which you put in the top of a spare hive lip with a Bee Be Gone spray that smells like Christmas Cookies. Very Almond. Bees are meant to hate this. They will them fly back to the hive.

Unless they don't, them you have to go and shake them. (Unless you are barefoot) Which does nothing some of the time, especially if the frames are too heavy.



We took the frames apart with our handy hive tools, and gently brushed the bees away, and put them back, with Christmas Cookie Top, and carried them back to the house. We left them alone a while and when all but a few hearty defenders had left, brought them in.



Popped them out, snapped on some tops and it is Comb Honey for dinner tonight! Or for Breakfast.

We have more to extract, and more Ross Rounds together. I am not sure when the real Harvest is happening. Or if we do it all at once, or like today, a box or so at a time.

I love being with the Bees. And I love it that my Boss is home to Bee with.

Love and Bees,
Lorraine

Cabel the Dog needs to go and see a Neurologist at the U of M. I've been noticing he kind of walks funny sometimes, or turns his paw around, or kind of lurches when he walks. Today he seemed to be actually limping, so I took him to the vet, and there is nothig broken, but they noticed the Funky Walking too, so off he goes to the U of M.

Doggie Health Insurance was the BEST $400 ever spent.



This is him in his Super Hero Cape, which he wears from October thru Thanksgiving. We live in the country and there are hunters everywhere. Best to be safe, as he will go running off into the woods. You can also see a fine example of the amount of hair one can brush off him daily. When I read "German Shepards For Dummies" (A real book, people) they said "German Shepards only shed 365 days a year."

They also said that this was a breed you did not want if you didn't have at least an hour a day to walk them, and that ideally what one should do was to buy 20 acres of land and fence it, and let them spend the day patrolling the perimeter.

Very true. They do not get tired. His Walker can vouch for that. (Dogs a rock Star, OF COURSE he has a Walker)



Madame Mim is also at the vet today. She has been doing some odd peeing all over, as in on the counter when I make her food, on the curtains, by certain shelves, on the dryer when I take clothes out and today, ON ME. She doesn't squat, or spray, just sort of lets loose a stream. Always in front of me

She and Venus share 4 litter boxes, and I clean them every day, she's always been happy with them. I am hoping it is medical and not behavioral. Sick we can fix. Mentally Troubled, a bit trickier.



The silver you see is the ceiling. She seems to like to be way up there. On top of Halloween Town. She knows she looks good.

My Boss comes home tomorrow! Or today if you are reading this on Thursday. This makes me very happy. So many new things to show him. His library, newly put back in order after some time in chaos. Woodsman Hans' pond which is not YET a pond, more like a pre-pond. (I wish the Skid-steer thing was still here so I could impress him with my driving ability.) And the Garden, which due to the fact that we have had some seriously weird weather this summer, is jut now starting to come into its Garden Glory.

All good. Except the bit about the Vets. That's not good.

Love, Vets and Bosses,
Lorraine

My name is Venus. Freaky Venus Seaweed, to be precise. I am a Bengal Cat, and we are nothing if not precise. I am, in many ways, misunderstood. I like things the way I like them, but it seems that many people simply do not understand Bengal Etiquette.

We expect certain things. We have certain standards. Take the Diner Party, for instance. There are Things you need to know.

Or else. Regret. Total and complete. I will see to that.



First, seat your guests. We are not simply CATS. How CATS can simply live with the "Open a can and be done with it" approach, I will never know. And would never put up with it. We prefer counter seating. We can be patient. No, really.



Set your table. Use the nice china. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing right. Add a nice glass, or skull fountain for water, in case your guests would care for a before dinner drink. If a few dishes end up knocked to the floor, broken into bits and shards, be polite, and ignore it. These things happen. You have more.



Let your guests feel like they are helping. The stove is a lovely social place to gather around. Note that we enjoy our steaks rare.



We can be patient, For A Time. Do not make your guests wait too long for dinner. Bad hostess. Steaks are done. Now they need to be cut up Very Small. We are dainty.



Use your Famous Exploding Knife. And allow your guests to choose their cuts of meat.



Sometimes other guests will come to the window and scream for steak too. Beware of their glowing eyes, and Do Not, invite them in. I am very active, and I do not share my meat.

If you follow these instructions, your party will be an A-list talked about event. And more importantly, I will be content. You want me content. Trust me. If I am properly fed, I will not need meat again for several hours. You may spend this time on your couch, where I may, or may not, let you pet me. If you are very lucky, I may bring you the feather stick. Or I might go in your purse, and find something else.

It all depends on my mood.

Love and Dinner,
Venus

Cabel and I had a right fine time at the Renn Fest today. I was excited because I got to hang with BFF (hey, always wanted to use that in a sentence) Best Stemple, and excited to see old friends that I hadn't seen in yonks.

Cabel was excited because he got to go somewhere in the car, and hey, whatever works for him.



Sat it with bad boys Bedlam, my very first band ever. They insist it is still my band, and whatever I say goes. Didn't bring my violin but of course, multi talented them, they had a spare for me. I love those guys. Had a fine time playing with them, and got into all the long time fans being excited I was there again.



Which lasted a very brief moment. Before Cabel stole the show from me. It was enough that we couldn't walk two steps without someone commenting, asking about, wanting to pet or going gaga over him, but then people (not ones I knew) started looking at him, stopping, looking at me, then saying "OMG! Is that HIM?????" I knew it was so not about me any more.



Dog is a rock star in his own right. He has his own fans. Obviously, this is very wearing on him, and we had to frequently nip backstage for breaks. It was simply all too much. He did handle the attention like a pro, and drank like a fish. Only, however, from water that had not been touched by any other dog. This is clearly a dog with a rider in his contract.



After hours I had the idea we might go on home, long day, very hot, I had been playing some music, rocking and such, but clearly Cabel had other ideas. He had hooked up with some Babes, and was up for some after hours tent action. Into tent and onto the bed with not one, but two of them. Even doing the old "I can make my eyes two different colours I am so cool" trick.

Hmphh.

Dog needs an entourage, I am thinking. Too much for little old me.

I finally pried him away and chauffeured him home, after pouring him into the car (he slept all the way, the sod)

Thinking we both had a pretty fine day.

Love and Renn Fest,
Lorraine

Before I even get into how it might not be the BEST idea to try taking pictures of your new hair yourself (the stuff is too long to FIT to start with or my arms are too short, either way) I need to talk about something really important.

My friend Marilyn Kreiger, The Cat Coach, cat behavior expert, writer for Cat Fancy magazine and head of California Bengal Rescue, has a huge rescue going on. A breeder has had to surrender 35 Bengals. They need you. They need spay, neuter, foster homes and forever homes. Here's one:



These are not damaged Bengals, but come from a place where they were very loved, and it is breaking this breeders heart she has to surrender them.

Marilyn has a Blog up about them, with all the information, and Pictures. WARNING: These are seriously cute kitties. I want at least 6 of them. I can't take any more. Here's another. She needs you.



Can you help? Can you give the a fiver like you did for Hope? Can you foster? Have you ever wanted a Bengal? Would you like one? Or better yet, two?

They really need you. They need homes. Tweet this site. Talk to every cat lover you know. 35 Bengals, need vet, and homes, even temporary homes. These kitties are going to be the love of someone's life.

Might be yours.

You might help them find the ones they are looking for.

You will not regret this.

I promise you.



There. I have no doubt help is on the way. Fiends are like that. And I love you for it.

So, here's some hair. A lot of hair. It's way too much hair, way too long hair, whole lot of purple hair, and I couldn't be happier. I really do feel like me again. Didn't like that short hair with bangs look. Not sure who that was, but not me.



I am going out with friends for the day tomorrow. I know, weird, eh? I will ask someone ELSE to take some shots of me. If you are going out to MN Renn Fest tomorrow, check the Mead booth at 2:30 and you may well see a purple haired non-costumed Guest Violin player. Just saying.

I don't have much more to report on the Great Bathroom Destruction. Apparently there is some weird taping process that goes on with new walls that takes three days. Head Destroyer is looking for green marble tiles for around the bathtub for me. We only need a few you see, and every $$ is counting on this project.

AFP's Super Cool Assistant is sending me the first Skeleton for my Skelly Bathtub/Dinner Party. I need three more to make this Diorama complete, if anyone is cleaning out closets and has an extra. Does not HAVE to be human.

(And no, I am neither accepting ones that have been recently dug up, nor am I doing it myself.)

I will have this dinner party, tho.

Love, Bengals, Hair and Ghostly Dinner Parties,
Lorraine

Here's some pictures of the current destruction! I had wanted a corner bath, which proved nightmare-like trying to fit it in, and build around it, so we have opted for a lovely oval. It has a nice little shelves for things when it is a shower, and I think will work right well.



I needed to pick tile for the bit around the tub today, a new thing for me. I didn't want to buy an entire box, so options were limited to remnants, which got to be kind of fun. They are certainly odd, and in no way go with the floor exactly, but I think it is going to be lovely. I think. I sent the Head Destroyer over to talk to Tile Lady and see if my evil plan would work. I guess I will find out soon. I like surprises. It ought to end up a little bit of magic rocks all around the tub. If it works.

The tub was a surprise, I just told him what I wanted, and a price, and it showed up. Now I need to figure out what to paint the room, there's the wainscoating, currently pink, and the rest is ugly wallpaper, which is going. I found out too I can have new sconce lights, which I get to pick tomorrow. Yet another bit of being grownup I have never experienced.



I am going to put the fountain from the big Scream Porch up there for Lear and Mab. Venus and Mim aren't into it, and winter is coming anyway. I am really excited here about this new bathroom. If you can't tell. Another new room for the Spooky House!



Here's the Clawfoot tub, now in the dinning room. Of course. One of the things I loved about this house was that it HAD an old Clawfoot tub. My love for it until I took my first bath in it. Not so fun. I think it will go much better in the dinning room. With a Skeleton in it. The wee bookcase needs to move tho. Somewhere.



Venus and Mim seem to like it. Or not. Hard to tell. I kept plants in it when it was upstairs, it being no good for bathing. I'd like to have a couple more Skeletons, dressed in evening wear, standing around, sort of watching the Bathing Skelly. I can see it. Liven up the dinning room right nicely, I believe.



I am liking the room. Lear and Mab and I sat there for a while tonight, thinking about it. There's a lot more ROOM in it now. It's going to feel good. Bathrooms ought to be places of relaxing and refuge, I believe. Lear and Mab will have a small pool to play in, the plants will go back, on the floor now instead of in the tub. Whatever colour it ends up with enhance the relax-ness of it. And my new lights will be perfect.

Pity they can't be candelabras, but one can't have everything.

Or can one?

Love and Bathrooms,
Lorraine

See? I am really starting to get good at this! To heck with the office! I shall destroy woods! I am the POWER!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so maybe that wasn't me. Sure do wish it was tho, a little woods havoc might be just what I need at the end of this Sort of day. Cheer a girl right up, it would. Ah well, we will leave Woodsman Hans and his Brother-in-Law Woodsman to the woods havoc and I shall concentrate on ruling the rest of the world. Or at least making it do what I need it to, which amounts to the same thing.

I think I just talked to my Boss while he was asleep. I had a List for him, but after the first 15 seconds it was pretty clear that wasn't happening, which is no matter as I can make some pretty darn good guesses about most things. The only clear words I got from him, and that via his girlfriend were "Change Country X again"

By morning I shall be banned in Country X. The Country X trip has been changing daily for the last week. It made me laugh. I mean, it's not funny exactly, but it IS, if you see what I mean.

And I think that would be Lesson 14 in my Personal Assistant course. (No, you didn't miss the first 13, I am going to go all over here, as I think of them, just for anyone out there who might want to consider this as a career choice, or anyone wanting a picture of the Real, the True and the Behind the scenes)

Roll with it. It will change. Again. And Again. Make it work. That would be your job.

Turn up your stereo and dance.

Tomorrow the Destroyers come for my Bathroom! Sans Bobcat, one hopes, as the thing is upstairs. Pretty darned exciting. Not sure what the Royals are going to think about this. Actually, that is not accurate, I know exactly what they are going to think about it, and it isn't going to be printable.

Even if I shut them in the Forest Bedroom for the day, they are going to Suspect Something. No way to rip out a bathroom silently, you know. Which sounds more profound than it ought.

OK, long day.

I am going to back away from my desk, slowly. (another inaccuracy, I am fleeing it as fast as I can) and go outside with the Dog. The Bobcat left today. And in its place is something bigger. With more power. And larger Claws.

And I have Plans.

Love and Destruction,
Lorraine

Ok, do you ever get one of those texts that sort of change a whole lot of things fast? I got one tonight from Bandmate Paul that said:

"Hey all set for this weekend? Can't wait to play again!"

Uh, yes!. Sure. Knew that. Really.

Or maybe I thought our shows were not this weekend but next.

Quick check of the internet shows Paul is right. This weekend. (And none of you noticed this? Ok, so it isn't on our website)

SO: Paul and Lorraine, this Friday and Saturday the 11th and 12th, at Charlies Pub in Stillwater, 7:30 to 11:30pm both nights!

If you are near, please come down, we want to pack this place, and these shows are going to be HOT! Tell everyone, pass the word! We have been on Holiday for 6 weeks now with no gigs, and we are READY! Three Bows! The Cello Bow! New songs!

Very sorry for the short notice, but if you want some fun this weekend, we are going to be IT!

Love ad Gigs again!
Lorraine

I do want to write about the Royals tonight, but first I thought I would share with what HAS to be the best cure for PMS ever. Yes, the Bobcat. Or Skidster as it is called. This thing has POWER and with it one can destroy just about anything!



I didn't, er, destroy anything. I, after a lesson from Woodsman Hans, just drove it down the driveway. We have it rented for him to do some serious woods clearing, and he knew I really wanted to give it a try, so when he was done today, he brought it up and said "You know you want to" Sure did! I wanted to drive it into town, clearing anything in my way, and perhaps stopping for groceries, but once IN it, I thought down the driveway was perhaps enough.



The Royals, King Lear the Huge and Little Queen Mab are doing mostly great. They are loving their newly expanded rooms. Lear jumps on the bed when I am there, generally early in the morning, and comes up for pets and scritches. I found out what THE BENGAL HEAD BUTT really meant this morning. I'd thought I had known, but the gentle head butts of Venus and Mim were not in a league with the WHOLLOP I got from a Lear wanting his breakfast.

Nearly 20 pounds of WHOP with the head. I guess I am glad it wasn't the Claw Swipe, but I can tell you, it wakes you UP.



The one trouble I am having, and need advice on, is as you can see, Lear is HUGE. Mab is a good sized Kitty, but he is HUGE. And starving. All the time. I can't give him as much Fancy Feast as he can eat, it's not good for him, and his stomach gets upset. (Wake up #2 this morning. Didn't come out the mouth, get my drift)

I am going to try mixing ground beef into his bit of fancy feast, to make it more and see if that helps. He also gets free choice dry, which he doesn't much like. Loves steak, but hard to afford cooking steak every night. Tho is costs the same or less than the canned.

I want to make sure he is getting the right foods, and enough vitties and such, and can try ground turkey, and boiled chicken is always good, but I can't fill him UP. Who has Bengals? What do you do?

Any ideas? How much should a cat eat in a day? We've always done free choice dry and been fine, but these guys want MEAT.

I am loving having them for all time. Mab is so suite and loving, and mews for pets. She won't eat anything but dry and seems happy, once in a while she will have a little canned, but it's lard as she won't leave Lear when he eats, and Lear can eat a can in less than 30 seconds. No kidding there.

Both of them run to me when I come in now, and love to be petted, but are still timid. We've made a bit of progress having Merry Housekeeper feed them at the bottom of the stairs, which if she doesn't come into the territory, Lear is ok with. As long as she has steak. But no one else, and she had best not come UP.

They are both sweet and a joy, and even if it has taken some getting used to, having them for real, not sure I would trade it. Miss having Venus and Mim, but I can always sleep down in the Romance Room some nights, I suppose.

There. I drove a huge Thing With Claws, and am trying to feed five Leopards. Not life for a timid girl, I am thinking, but it works for me.

More adventures coming soon!

Love, Bobcats and Bengals,
Lorraine