The DIVA: Miss Shelby
Looking much better after Nicole brought me an undercoat rake-type shed comb.
Having never had a longer haired cat before I was amazed that after a good grooming there was enough shed to make a small kitten.
She seems very happy about the whole business.
We seem to be making progress with one another. She is understanding a few simple often repeated words...her name...come on...it's time (this covers getting up, a nap, or calling it night) breakfast, supper, lay down, here you go, brush (as in "want to be"), be right back, stay...and no, of course.
She has started to show less anxiety when I am out of her sight-line the last couple of weeks. I was actually able to take most of a bath by myself without the furry lifeguard the other day!
(...trust me...THAT is major progress...)
When I go out I bring back a small treat for her which I give her as soon as I get home. She is slowly learning that I always come back.
Her internal clock is beginning to align with mine (6:30AM) instead of the 4:30 wake-up pokes...and the poke (through repeated re-direction) has been replaced with a no-claws-out padding.
Much better.
She curls up next to me to sleep now...whether it is a catnap for both of us mid-day or at night.
She likes to rest her chin in my cupped hand while sleeping.
I have made my peace with the litter box routine.
She never goes anywhere else in the house.
The long hair and shedding problem seems to have been sorted.
She STILL wants no part of sitting on the patio...lol!
Played in the plants today. Another perfectly gorgeous day! Yesterday was tropical. It went like this.
Warm and Sunny...85 degrees...Monsoon...Sunshine and Steamy
The plants couldn't be happier! It saved me hauling water,too!
Pinched back my herbs this afternoon...brought some in to cook with and steamed some in a small saucepan just because I LOVE the smell throughout the house.
Planted 5 (one gallon) pots with green beans (patio beans) late in the season and have the beginnings now
All together there are 36 individual plants, so there should be a fairly good bunch of fresh green beans later.
Slipped red potatoes in with my herb basket...and after the herbs are spent this Fall I will have a basket of potatoes.
Getting my fresh tomatoes and corn from the Amish this year.
The roses are starting to recover from this Spring's Sawfly invasion. Next year I am going to Neem Oil them with the first sprig of green.
The Frog Bog turned into a traumatic experience.
I had several tadpoles in various stages of still-got-my-tail to almost got legs
and it was going well. Then, one night The Raccoons showed up.
Damned Trash Pandas.
When I woke the next morning there was moss and mud tracks all over the patio...even the rock had been rolled out of the trough. My nearly bloomed water lily was destroyed...oh, and the partially grown frogs were gone.
A Raccoon Smorgasbord.
Dropping in some duckweed and calling it a year, I think.
James and Nicole and the kids de-camped before the rains...but they have found the BEST camp-grounds (and campsite) ever. Raccoon Lake.
The view from their tent door!
Wiped Out!
Sounds like they all had an amazing time!
Chris and Tina are still out on their mini-vacation.
Camping at Turkey Run.
Probably just trying to escape the heat of the day.
They are headed back today!
I am so glad my grandchildren are getting to grow up camping and fishing and swimming and hiking like our boys did. It is a wonderful way to spend a childhood.
It took a couple of days...and to be completely honest...the sensory input is too much for me these days. I am fine from afar...but right under them with the mortars exploding is just beyond my abilities now. It was beautiful and I am glad I got to experience them up close one last time. Also ran into my oldest grand-daughter, Kaylee,while there and got a huge Grandma Rose Hug...which was nice!
So was spending the evening with Chris and Tina.
Saw Despicable Me 3, the other night. The GRANDS will love this!
Nice storyline for the kids, a long lost twin brother, where all the music from the 80's went to die (also mullets) and plenty of Minions for EVERYBODY!
Also watched
Wandering through the hell of coming home with PSTD.
Completely engrossing. Well told story. Intense.
Worth the watch.
And perusing a couple of good cooking, canning and preserving books this week as well, as the Farmer's Market heads into full swing.
Have Ball jars...will preserve!
Excited about the arrival of the County Fair on the 21st!
In the political arena
I have to admit. Trump's photo from the G-20 evoked a brief moment of empathy from me...
Somehow I feel that The Donald has spent a great deal of his life like this...on the fringe while everyone else groups together with their friends or co-workers. It is SAD.
Then I walked it off and remembered exactly what this guy is DOING to Our Country,Our Reputation, and her people. And what havoc he is capable of over the next 3 and a half years.
So no. No sympathy, here.
Like a bully at the play-yard the "nice" kids keep well away from him.
And then there was the whole Election Meddling conversation with Putin.
Which played out something like this...
"So...Vlad...did you meddle with the election?"
"er...No...comrade."
"Well...that's settled, then."
SERIOUSLY????
And don't even get me started about the Trumpcare Replacement...okay???
However...the political week wasn't a total loss.
NPR tweeted The Declaration of Independence...140 characters at a time...
wait for it
And the TRUMP Supporters
not realizing it was The Declaration of Independence
thought they were tweeting about and dissing THEIR ORANGE DUDE.
And the tweet-storm ensued.
Let me just say...you can't buy that level of ignorance
...or entertainment.
More anon!
