september 2, 1998 Well, I was going to do this yesterday, but I wanted to find a good end of summer song and I started looking through midi sites and found a great one, spent four hours there. Boy, was I surprised when I looked to see what time it was. I'm adding it to my links today, as well as some more midis. I think the song I picked is a good one. Maybe I'll add some more tunes to the postcard page, too.

You sure wouldn't know that the summer is winding down in the middle of the day here in Southern California. Its hot and miserable, let me tell ya. We've slept with the air conditioner on three nights in a row now. I set it for 74 and last night Brian got up, complaining about how everytime he woke up the air conditioner was on. He got out of bed and reset it for 77. I showed him. He had a hard time going back to sleep and I didn't. And I had an even easier time of snoring. When I got up this morning, he was on the couch. LOL!!! This heat and humidity really messes up my sinuses. Along with the fact that there are wildfires around here. When I went out yesterday to get the newspaper, the car cover was covered with ash. But its nice this morning. I opened up the house and I just went to fed the outback cats. The grass is damp and cool on my feet. The sun isn't quite up when I get out of bed, now and its getting darker earlier. The cats aren't staying out until eight anymore, we are getting them in a little before seven. Soon, it will cool off to where we don't need the air conditioner on any more and will need long sleeve shirts at night. *sigh* My favorite season, autumn. The end of summer, the beginning of winter. A nice time to drive through the local mountains and view the changing colors of the leaves on the trees. That's something I have to look forward to.

Also last night, I heard a cat crying. I got out of bed to check it out and it was Gracie Anne, sitting in the hallway. I talked to her and she came to bed with me. Then an hour or so later, I heard another cat crying. This time it was Maggie. She was on top of her usual condo, just talking away. I gave her some hugs and rubs, asked her if she was okay. I went back to bed and that's when Brian got up and reset the a/c.

On Monday, I treated the last three cats with Advantage. Lonee, Red and Kirby. Kirby didn't let me get it on him real good, he was out the door. I sweet talked Red, then had to grab him and hold him down while I put it on him, the same with Lonee. Neither of them held it against me, though, Red was back to loving me within hours. Lonee ran up into the rafters and just looked down at me. Yeah, well, we'll see how they like not scratching so much. And trying to eat those fleas and ingesting hair and fur and hurking up hairballs.

I can't figure out the situation with that dog in the yard behind us. I thought that he was gone, then I saw him a day later. But, I do think the cats have taught him not to get too close. He didn't come chase them when I put out food Monday. He stayed up by the door. Maybe they are keeping him in because of the cats. I heard more frequent yelps for a couple of days, then none.

On Monday, I also got Buddy and Junior shampooed. Boy, Junior tried his best to pull away from me, but once I got him wet and suds up, he really enjoyed it. He sat there so patiently. I know he liked it. Then I rinsed him off and let him go. He just sat there looking at me. I shooed him off and he ran and shook and rubbed against the fence. Buddy just ran into the doghouse. When Sandy saw what was going on, she hid someplace. Sissy.

The gas and electric company replaced the thing that burned out that takes care of my mom's mobile home park on Monday. She told me about the dive hotel she and her friend checked into Sunday night. It had by the hour rates and they wanted an additional twenty dollar deposit for the dog. I kind of laugh when I think of what was going through the check in clerk's mind, two old ladies and a pug. Mom said the place was filthy, the sheets were in tatters and the room was just awful. She said that Sean (the dog) could have pooped in the room and you wouldn't have known it. They went and got their money back and found a different hotel. But now, every thing is fixed and she can run her air conditioner again.

Boy, was Brian in a really foul mood Monday and yesterday. I accused him of having his period. When he's grouchy, he argues over every little thing. Everything is an issue. Gosh, lighten up. Last night he said that he's just getting worn out and I think its funny (??!?? Where did that come from?) and that I had better get busy working on my web stuff. I did check into getting photographs copyrighted yesterday. I guess, legally, they already are copyrighted, without doing anything, which was nice to find out. But I'm going to register some of them. Maybe try to sell t-shirts and mousepads and things like that. And of course, website design, although I'm clueless how much to charge. Ah, well, it will happen when it happens. Things have a way of working out. Anyway, I told him that he could always get a job at the place he gets his windows and glass. They've been after him forever to come work for them. He agreed. I did tell him that grouchiness was contagious and he was catching it from his brother. Boy, can his brother get in bad moods. Now there's somebody that chill pills would help, I'm telling ya. His wife is after him because he's working so much, but heck, she doesn't seem to notice her new car, his new truck (well, new to them) and how much they have paid down on her old house, etc., etc..... Of course, having someone nagging all the time isn't conducive to a good mood, either. On his way out the door this morning, I told Brian to tell his brother that if he wants to be crabby, he's gonna have to sit in the back of the truck. *grins* I bet that kind of statement would go over good. not.....

september 3, 1998 Wow. We had thunder yesterday. And huge drops of rain. And early this morning, a little after three, thunder started again, this so loud it woke us both out of a sound sleep (I had been dreaming about putting a hat on Buddy). Brian was out of bed so quickly, I thought he fell out, but he was looking out the window. It took us both over an hour to get back too sleep. Watching the news this morning, this is part of the hurricane Isis and may last through Sunday. If the thunder keeps up, I will take the litter box out of the laundry room and block off the way to the house from the kitchen and bring Buddy in. Thunder, fireworks, and other loud noises terrify him, there's no other word to describe it. We used to put him in the shop, but I'm going to bring him in.

Maggie hasn't left my side this morning. I don't think she liked the thunder either.

Last night, I was walking through the living room and saw Red. I dropped to all fours and he came over to me. Then, still on all fours, I started to leave the living room, talking to him as I moved. He kept up with me, body rubbing and talking back. I went down the hallway, climbed over the Bobby board, moved over to the couch, Red still at my side. They I slowly moved onto the couch and Red followed!!! He was on the couch with me, snuggling and purring. Way cool!!!

Brian wasn't nearly as grouchy when he got home yesterday. He said he and his brother talked about it. Brian said that the weather was at least fifty percent of his bad mood. Its been so hot and muggy. Then all of the stuff with his work. People wanting things for nothing, he lost a big job because they thought he was too busy (the welcome message on his answering machine was a little snotty, basically saying that he was really busy right now, wouldn't have any spare time for a couple of months and if they didn't understand that, then, please, call somebody else - he has some regular customers that have him booked up for a couple of months and he doesn't have the time to deal with new people, but they were leaving messages anyway and then they got angry when he never called them back - needless to say, the message has been changed) and I know that didn't make him really happy. Then, one of his contractors plays games with payment, all the other subs are paid in full and they always hold a retention from us. And it doesn't help when their employees say, "yeah, you're one of the boss's favorite subcontractors". I guess because he doesn't feel the need to pay in full like he does the others. Brian gets really tired of having to fight for his money. All of this takes a toll on him and that's why he gets grouchy. I'm the one he vents to. Gee. I'm so thrilled.

I don't have much planned for today. It is nice to have the doors and windows open. After the rain, the smell from the pine trees is blowing through the house. It's so nice.

september 4, 1998Well, its a very pleasant morning. Its cool and drizzling. The thunder and rain that was forecast for last night was a no show, but it was still miserable as the day wore on. Hot and humid. I like this change. Think I'll make coffee and go sit outside in the swing and enjoy.

Boney has been very vocal and needy the last week. Yow, yow, yow all the time yow yow yow.... I'll turn on the faucet for him in the bathroom, he drinks a little, then starts yowing again. I'll give him a little of Georgie's food. He doesn't finish it, but he will start yowing again. He will stand up and paw me and I'll pick him up to snuggle with him. He likes that, but he quickly gets bored and wants back down. I woke up last night at the sound of something happening in the other part of the house. I got up to see what they had done now. The cats on the bed were doing the same. Of course, Brian didn't wake up. I walked through the house making sure that everybody was alright and I couldn't find Boney. "Did I not get him in?" runs through my mind. Yes, I did, I do a mini head count at dinner and there were three blacks there. So, where is Boney? I check all of his favorite spots, can't find him. I walk into the bedroom and go over to Brian's side of the bed. There's Boney, snuggled against paw. Maybe he's just tired of having the house shut up and the air conditioner on. I know I am. Since its so nice this morning, I have already opened up the house and turned off the a/c.

Georgie has been acting a little off, too. And DeeJay was in the bedroom at 4:30 this morning, wake up wake up, he kept saying, wake up wake up, its time for kitties out....I don't know where his watch is, but when I find it, I'm resetting it.

I didn't see OC last night until I was going to bed. He was just sitting in the entry way, looking at the front door. I waved to him and still, he sat. I went and got a can of Fancy Feast, a fork and a paper saucer, and took it outside. He waited patiently outside of the gate, then he came in once I was in the front door. I hope he's getting use to me.

september 7, 1998 I'm very tired today. Really, really tired. I can't imagine why.

Saturday, I decided to do something about the garage. I am trying my best to keep up with the house, cleaning the hallway at least once a week (includes washing all of the throwrugs, mopping the floor and wiping down the walls) and dusting and vacuuming the house. Hoping to get a jump on the cat smell. Well, Saturday it hit me that much of the smell was coming from the garage. Bobby, for instance, can't negotiate the litterbox because of his missing hip joints and back leg, so he goes on the cement. He does go in front of the litterbox, which is good, but there is also litter there that has been kicked or tracked out of the box by the other cats. So, its really messy and smelly in front of the box. And there are many cardboard boxes that have been *territorialized* and ruined and stuff that for whatever reason, I thought I would need sometime in the future. So, I got busy. I pulled all of the stuff out from one wall, throwing things out that I finally realized I was never going to use. I swept the floor and got out the Hoover SteamVac, took the reservoir into the kitchen, added Simple Green and hot, hot water, and started cleaning the cement. Oh, what a stinking mess it was. I went over the same areas over and over again. I moved the litter boxes, I moved my bicycle, I rearranged the garage. It took well over six hours and I think with the amount of stuff that went out in the trash, I probably filled the dumpster half full. And the washing the floor was the hardest part. The place in front of the litterbox was caked with old litter. There were other spots that the cats marked on a continual basis. The tank on the cleaner kept filling up and I had to take it out to the back of the house to dump it, in the dirt behind the shop. Then I had to clean out the tank and start over. I'm sore from all of the lifting and dragging I did. My shoulder really, really hurts and I know that's from the Steam Vac.

Hey, there's a beautiful Rottweiler in our front yard. Friendly, friendly dog. Don't think he likes cats, though, Brian said he growled at one of ours that was in the window. Well groomed, neutered and licensed. *sigh* Keeps licking me. I'm on the phone waiting for animal control to get on. My neighbor mentioned an 800 number to find out the name and address of the person the dog is licensed to. Maybe they can help me.

Anyway, yesterday we went to breakfast in the morning and ended up going for a drive. Then last night we had dinner at a friend's house, barbeque. No wonder I'm tired. Such a busy day. Thank goodness we don't have any plans for today.

september 8, 1998 Let me start off by saying that I'm a cat person, as you know. I've always been a cat person. We have 18 cats. We also have 3 dogs. But, big dogs scare me. They intimidate me and that makes me even more nervous because I know they smell fear. *grins* I must smell yummy!!

Brunus

Anyway, yesterday morning, my husband was out in front, his truck pulled onto the lawn and he was washing it. This was around 9-9:30. I went out to see how he was doing and here was this big dog with big white teeth. Huge white teeth. And he showed me his big white teeth. He came up to me and I slowly put out my hand. He sniffed. Then he slimed me. He slurped me. He licked me. He didn't want to eat me, he wanted to be my best friend. So, I made friends with this Rottweiler dog, this beautiful speciman. A young male, neutered, he also had tags. I was afraid to try to look at them, I didn't want him to think me too aggessive. It turns out, this wouldn't be a problem at all. I called animal control, but they were closed for the day. So, I posted on the AcmePet Dog House Bulletin Board about my dilemma. What should I do? I got suggestions of tying him up out front so his owner would see him, should s/he come looking. Go door to door with him on a lead, to see if anyone recognized him. Call animal control. Then one woman posted the Rottie Rescue link. Didn't say to look at it or check it out, she just posted it.

Well, I got one of our dogs' leashes and put it on this big dog with the pearly white teeth and his big goofy grin and off we went. Up the street and around the corner. "You recognize this dog? No? Thanks" and onto the next street. Nobody recognized this dog. I walked home, what were we going to do? I didn't know how he would be around our dogs and I certainly didn't trust him with our cats. But there was no way that I could just leave him out there. He was obviously well taken care of and well loved. He was just as friendly as could be. I was falling in love.

Hubby got the rope and we tied him out front. We watched him and within five minutes, I had to untangle him three times. The rope was no longer an option (I didn't like the idea in the first place, anyway). The only thing left to do was to stay out front with him. My husband got a couple of lawn chairs, some paperwork and a Pepsi and I got a book and a Pepsi. We sat under the shade of our tall pines, the nameless dog between us, his water bowl and food bowl nearby.

We talked about our options and basically came up with one, with a couple of variations. We sit outside, hoping someone comes along and recognizes him. Then, we put our cats up as usual for the night, put our dogs in the shop and let "Homer" (as we started calling him) have the back yard to himself, and I would call Animal Control in the morning. Or, we could borrow a crate, put him and the crate in the shop and let our dogs have the back yard as usual.

Hubby reminded me to make the flyer. I did and put it up on the dumpster in front of our house.

I came back in and LazerPoodle had once again posted the Rottie Rescue link. I decided, what the heck, went over and checked it out. I went to the state listings and Wow!! look at that!! Three within local calling distance. I printed out the list, grabbed the portable phone, went back outside armed with phone, pencil and numbers.

I called the first one, was given another number to call as the first one no longer did rescue. Hadn't for five years. *sigh* Called the numbers she gave me. I was told that the only thing she could do was meet us halfway and put the dog in a crate in the back of her truck for the night as she had no empty kennels and the next morning, she would take the dog to the pound. *sigh again* Left a message at the next number. The next number was an answering machine. Nope, that wouldn't do, didn't leave a message and went onto the next number. She referred me to a number that is no longer in service. Darnit. I called my vet, knowing he wouldn't be in, but maybe he would be able to tell me who the dog belonged to. Hey, I was grasping at straws here, I know, but I was worried about this guy. Like I said, I was in love by this time. I didn't want him shut up someplace in a cage, I wanted him back at his onetruehome.

I tried the number again that had the answering machine. But this time, a real live person answered. Paula. I told Paula of our dilemma and she said that the best thing to do was to have animal control pick up the dog. I mentioned the tag. She asked if I knew the number. I had it memorized from my original calls to animal control. She asked for our phone number. One of the people involved in San Diego Rottie Rescue also works for animal control. She would try to get in touch with her and give her the information. Within an hour, the phone rang. She had called her person, who happened to be at the new Zorro movie. She gave Paula the information she needed to get in contact with the animal control dispatch, where they looked up the information on the computer. Dog's name, owner's name, address and phone number. And she gave it to me.

I called the owner of "Brunus" and after many rings, he picked up.
"Hi, do you have a rottie?"
"Yes."
"Is he there with you?"
"No."
"Well, that's because he's here with us. You wanna come get him?"
"Yes!"

I gave him our address and he was at our house by the time fifteen minutes had passed. "Brunus" was going home. He was happy to see his Paw and climbed into the backseat of the car and lay down. I told his owner what a wonderful dog he had and told him a little about our day. He said that Brunus loves kids, dogs and *ahem* even cats. I said goodbye to Brunus and his owner.

Thanks to the internet, this wonderful dog was home by six at night. And thanks to the responsible owner having current tags on him, he wouldn't have to spend the night in a crate or by himself.

Yesterday was a good day.

Oh, I just remembered. I saw this groaner on a bulletin board, just had to share it.

A large green frog hops into a bank, jumps up on the counter and says to the teller, "I want a loan."

The teller says, "You'll have to see the loan officer. Her office is down the hall and the name on the door says "Patricia Wack."

So the frog hops off the counter, down the hall and to Mrs. Wack's office.

He jumps up on her desk and says, "I want a loan." Mrs. Wack, quite puzzled, gives the standard line, "We must have something to secure the loan, some collateral."

At that the frog pulls out a ceramic lion, places it on her desk and repeats that he wants a loan.

So Patricia picks up the ceramic lion, goes in to the bank president's office, places the ceramic lion on his desk, and tells him, "I have this frog in my office who says he wants a loan, and this is what he has to secure it. I don't even know what this thing is."

The bank president looks at the ceramic lion, looks at Mrs. Wack, looks back at the ceramic lion and finally says, "It's a knick-knack, Patty Wack. Give the frog a loan."

G...R....O.....A.....N.........

september 10, 1998 Yawn......

I think I'm hitting middle age. That thing that happens every month hasn't happened. And my bbt is below 98.6 (I remember that from when I was trying to get pregnant). Looks like I haven't ovulated yet. Oh, and I'm having little flashes of heat.....hmmm...... Boy, it seems so soon...*grins*....hope I don't wig out like some pre menopausal women do. Watch out!!! I've got a gun (well, a super soaker) and I'm going through the change. Or maybe I'm just stressed. I know it isn't because of a lack of body fat like what happens to some female athletes.

I don't know what to do about OC since Angus is back. And that Angus is some piece of work. He eats out back in the morning, doesn't have a problem getting back there. At night, when I look out into our entry way, Angus will be all stretched out on top of the feeding station. Sometimes OC is next to him. They just look so content. Then I think of how OC looked in the office. *sigh*

I started working on some cat backgrounds for webpages. I'm going to offer them for free, with a little linkback button.

Life seems to be running pretty smoothly right now. The only thing cat related that I can think of is the other day, two of the outback young cats were on the fence and Maggie and Benny were watching them very intently. The dogs decided they would help and they went running down there, but I called them back. The kittens jumped down when they saw me. I was saying "come on, kitty, come on...." My blue eyed white kitten wasn't one of them, though. It was just two black ones.

september 12, 1998 This change in weather is making my sinuses nuts. I hate these morning headaches. You know, those full on bangaroo headaches? The coolness is nice. This morning it's only about 62 outside. And it's perfect during the day. Only hot when you lay in the sun and the pool water is refreshing, not like bath water. Good thing we've got plenty of Exedrin. It seems to be the only thing that works to get rid of those men with hammers in my head.

The cats in the yard behind us have started to walk the fence. Drives the dogs nuts. Not that I think the dogs would do anything to the cats should they get into the yard, but I think the kitties learned something from the brat, Benny. The dog behind us never comes up to the fence anymore when I'm feeding and I never hear him chasing them. Guess the cats let him know he wasn't invited.

I am so tired this morning. Last night a little before 11, we were in bed, of course, some kids walked up the street, talking and jabbering and woke us up. Then, around 11:15, and I was back to sleep, they came back down the street, talking and jabbering. Woke me up again. Then there was a cat fight. On the bed. On my back. I got scratched on my arm and my lower back. "Cats, get out!!" Then at various intervals, the dogs started barking. Not all of them, which would concern me, but one at a time. First Buddy. I just laid there, hoping Brian would tell him to shut up, but Brian just slept on. So, I yelled out "Shut up, Buddy." Then hours later, it was Sandy barking. "Shut up, Sandy." Then, some cat decides to attack my legs by diving into the bed right under them. "Oh, stop." I finally got up at 6:15 to let them out. Oh, my aching head.

Bobby has quit climbing the stairs to the couch. I wonder if he fell of on his way up or if someone pushed him off one too many times and he decided not to climb them. Or maybe he just forgot how. I placed a blanket under the table where he had been sleeping. He moves from one side to the other, and he has started to want back up on the couch. He didn't for a while, wasn't interested in cuddling.

I still give the cats a little junk food in the morning and I give Bob some in his own bowl. This morning, when Bobby was finished eating, I put the bowl up to Lola. She likes it. She doesn't have much of an appetite, either. I guess I should try to get her to eat some of this, too. Bobby sure likes his Nutrical. I give him some every day as a supplement to his regular food.

Last night, both OC and Angus were out front. I put dry food, wet food and water in a bowl, mixed it up and took it out. Of course, they both ran when I opened the door. I wasn't sure if Angus ran off or just out of site, taking OC with him. I know that when OC is alone, he hangs around, where I can barely see him, while I dish up the food. I put the food down, turned, and walked back into the house, shutting the door. Both OC and Angus came running. Angus seemed to get the lion's share of the food. He sure liked it. His poor ears. Imagine a tom cat, beaten in fight after fight, to where his ears are mangled and ripped up and scarred. Now, imagine that cat is a Scottish Fold. That's Angus. This guy was probably not show quality and the owner's just gave him away. He definitely didn't start out feral. *sigh* And when I fed the outback cats, he was ready for breakfast. *grins*

I bought a new forum, now I have to figure out how to set it up. It was emailed to me yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon, I received an email regarding a bug in the program. This sounds promising. Not.

I wonder why some of the cats aren't interested in laying in the chair anymore. Like Rusty and Pepper. Well, I think Pepper's problem was OC being in here. And she and Lucky are both pretty much staying in the garage since I cleaned it last week.

The parrots are back. Noisy things.

lisaviolet is fifty something, married with no kids, takes care of lots of cats, likes taking photographs, loves Southern California weather and spends altogether too much time avoiding her responsibilities.

Web lisaviolet.com

website design by

© 1996-2014 lisaviolet
Photographic images are the property of the photographer,and may not be copied, printed, or otherwise reproduced on any other site or used in any other publishing medium without the written permission of each individual photographer and kennel/cattery owner. Cathouse privacy policy.