Turkey Day and Other Stuff

As you may recall from my last post, I was wondering aloud where my “Life” board game had went. Well, now I know.

My parents read my post and since they were coming to stay with us during Thanksgiving, they went through their stuff and brought me a whole stack of my games, including my 1979 version of Life! That was very nice of them. Thanks guys! It is nice to know parents do pay attention sometimes!

The holiday was the first time my parents had met the two new members of our horde. My folks were very pleased with our choices, and thought they were both very cute. Always glad to have parental approval on such things!

My mom even took on the arduous job of feeding the horde their wet food in the mornings while they were here. We appreciated it very much. However, I know she did it mostly out of self-defense. She tends to be an early riser, and the kittehs assume that whoever gets up first in the morning is automatically the food person. And they will bug the snot out of you until you feed them! So it was a choice of either learning to feed them, or listen to them howl until ESM woke up. My mom chose the former.

Our Thanksgiving meal was good, as always. ESM and I have this whole turkey-cooking-thing down. We indeed had nine for the meal, with my sister and her husband and some of my dad’s family. We had a great time, and there was much belt-loosening and inside-eyelid-examining afterwards so I can only assume everyone else enjoyed the food as well.

My folks stuck around for a few days afterwards to celebrate their wedding anniversary with us. We took my mom to her favorite Mexican food restaurant to celebrate (Tortilla Marissa’s). The food was awesome, as usual. My mom loves their salsa and their chile rellenos. She has tried rellenos all over the country, even down in the southwest where they live and she says none of them stack up to these. We ate so much that afterwards we decided to go window-shopping to walk off the food. It was then I remembered how much I hate shopping this time of year and why I do as much as I can online!

My folks are headed home and we are just about finished cleaning up from the holiday, so things around our house are returning to normal. Just in time to start thinking about doing it all again for Christmas. *grin*

Hope everyone out there had a good holiday as well!

--Sundown, Out

Game Night a Success, But With a Casualty

We had our first game night in the new house last night, and it was a rousing success. We started small, it was just a couple of friends this time. But I think everyone had a good time. There were plenty of snacks, sugary and adult beverages, and pizza to keep us fueled and functioning.

We played "Life" first...one of my favorites. But the version our friend brought is from the mid-nineties. In the early nineties, MB changed the game significantly, making it more "PC". I'm not a big fan of the new Life, I like the old rule set better. The old one has more "penalty" spaces, the stock market is a little more like gambling, and I am personally a fan of the convertables for cars rather than the more eighties minivans. I have a vintage late seventies copy of the game floating around, but could not find it after the move. I suspect it either ended up with my parents at their house, or is packed in some obscure box somewhere. I will have to find it. My ESM ended up being the Millionaire and winning. Good job sweetie!

After Life, we took a turn away from board games and played "Uno." One of our friends is an old hand at Uno, having played it a ton with his family growing up. Our other friend had only played Uno once, and that had been some time ago. ESM and I have played some. However, playing two player is much different, and much less fun, than playing four player. We decided to follow the rules exactly, since we had someone unfamiliar with the game. The rules in our version say to play until someone ends up with 500 points. That takes a LOOOOONG time if you're not hoarding Wild+4 cards to screw your friends with! We played for several hours and decided to call it after someone reached 350. Our friend who had not played Uno much, ended up winning by a 100 point margin!

After that we took a break and our friends asked about the plans for my home theater. So we began discussing that for a bit, and I went down in the basement with them to show them where we were at. As we were down there looking at the space, I opened a door we normally keep closed to one of the unfinished storage spaces. Of course when I did, I immediately had kittehs wanting to see in that room! So, I let them wander around in there for a bit while we were talking. When we finished, I had my friend help me empty the kittehs from the room and I shut the door.

Our friends then left, as it was getting late, and ESM and I headed up to bed. We got up this morning and headed down to feed "The Horde" their wet food. Normally as ESM is preparing it, she naturally draws quite a crowd of kittehs wanting their food. However, Rocky was mysteriously absent. I was upstairs in my office and I began to hear ESM calling for Rocky and not getting a response. This gets my attention!

So, I hot-footed it downstairs, and ESM says, with a touch of panic in her voice, that she can't find Rocky, but she can hear him! We listen for a second, and I hear him cry, faintly. Y'all can see where this is going, can't ya? I went tearing down the stairs to the basement and found him, locked in the storage space! How he got in there without me seeing him, I have no clue! But the space is a bit dim, and he is perfectly camouflaged in dark spaces. He must have slipped past me when I wasn't looking.

I am now feeling less than an inch tall, apologizing profusely to Rocky and ESM about locking him up accidentally. Luckily, he is none the worse for wear. He immediately came and ate his wet food, ran back downstairs and went to the litter box (shows you his priorities!) and then had a nice long drink. Sorry Rock-star!

We decided we'll open the door and leave it open for now, so that doesn't happen again. The sump for the basement is in that room though, and I really didn't want them getting in there. So, we have some kitteh-proofing to do first. Stay tuned!

--Sundown, Out

The Horde!

It's late and I'm tired, but thought I should give everyone a quick update.

"The Horde" is fine as frog's hair. Leo and Rocky are continuing to settle in, and they have figured out that morning is the time for wet food. The cacophony that comes from the kitchen as ESM is getting the food on the plates is almost more than we can stand at times! ESM and I have learned to feed them as a team, to keep the "feeding frenzy" from getting out of hand!

Treelo is beginning to understand that these two are here to stay. There is still a power-struggle going on, but the two boys are learning that Treelo's "bark is worse than her bite." *groan*

We did have our first "injury" on Monday. Came home from work and found that Treelo had a big scratch across her nose. Not bleeding, but I'm sure it hurt! If it helps her along the path towards peace though...

ESM and I are getting ready for a "Board Game Night" on Saturday with a few friends of ours, then having my family here for Thanksgiving. Looks like we'll have nine for dinner this year. In a weird, masochistic way, I'm looking forward to it! *grin*

Have a good night!

--Sundown, Out

First Night Out

Well, "da boyz" (and Miss Treelo) survived their first night out in the house. No scratches, no blood and most importantly, nothing broken or knocked over! *grin* So, they have successfully transitioned into the main part of the house permanently. That's good, as we need our guest room back here soon! We have family coming for the Thanksgiving holiday.

So now that Leo and Rocky can stay out at night, we can go through and get the guest room clean. Not that they "messed it up" mind you, but with all the kitty hair, litter kicked out of boxes and that general "kitteh funk" generated when two cats share a small room for three weeks, it needs to be freshened up a bit. "A bit, yes, a bit..."

Treelo and Leo are beginning to work their relationship out. There is still some hissing once in a while, but they have touched noses without incident several times as well. So that seems to be going ok. Now, Treelo and Rocky? That's a different story. She still growls at him anytime he gets near her. We think it is because he is still a bit of a kitten, and tends to go wildly careening around the house at times. I think it worries her some. What to do, what to do?

Well, we decided it may be time to put the bells back on Rocky and Leo's collars. The collars we bought for them when they came to join our merry band had little bells on them. We took them off, as we know from experience that will cause Hubbard to run the other direction if he hears a kitteh bell coming. We wanted Hubbard to meet them a little more "up close and personal." But, now that they are downstairs more (except for the occasional jailbreak where Leo goes over the gate), Hubbard is not the big concern now. However, if they have their bells on, Treelo will know when they're coming and maybe they can't sneak up on her (which I've seen them do, repeatedly).

Does Hubbard get along with them ok? He tends to leave them alone, and they are beginning to understand he should be left alone. So, everyone is more often ignoring one another. Since that equals peace, quiet and no bloodshed, we're happy.

ESM snapped this pic earlier this week of Hubbard wondering who that is eating his kibble.

Finally, A New Update

Sorry about the delay folks. Two new kittehs is a little more work than I think we expected. Not that we're worrying about such things, and they certainly aren't going anywhere!

First, about their names. They came from the shelter with Leo and Rocky. But, we have expanded on those names, coming up with full names.

Leo is short for Leopold Gustav, in honor of another handsome orange kitteh who got a home through Hubble Space Paws recently. Head over to her blog (hubblespacepaws.blogspot.com) and search for Gus...you'll find him.

Rocky is short for Roquefort Rococo. Does he like French art and elegant room design? Don't know really. He is rather elegant and has a naturally flowing design...but Rococo came more from his name just rolling off the tongue as "Rocky Rococo." Roquefort? Does he like cheese? Not so much, but having a cat named after a cheese just seemed to fit. *grin*

Rocky also has many aliases. Rocky Ricardo (a favorite of my wife), The Rock, Rockstar, Rock and Roll, and Rocky Gibraltar (referenced in Looney Toons, I believe...can't find it on the intertubes though).

Rocky is the most "cat-like" cat we've had. He likes us, but only has to come see what we're doing occasionally. He can go off on his own and do his "thing" and he is happy as a clam. Leo, on the other hand, is like most large cats we've had in that he wants to be where you are. He has to be close by or he gets upset. And TALK! OMG, there are times when he just won't shut up! *grin*

Leo and Rocky are getting settled in nicely, though. They already got along where they came from, and that has not changed one bit being here. They have been good company for one another during their "unfortunate incarceration" in the guest room. I have seen them even wrestle several times with one another...never aggressively, obviously just playing. That is an oddity around here, you understand. We're not used to that kind of stuff!

Treelo is not happy about these new interlopers in her territory. But, with a liberal application of wet food and four bags of kitty treats, she is slowly adjusting. We can already see she is following them around, seemingly wondering, "WHAT are they up to NOW?!?" That was the way she was with Ziggy. And that is what helps keep her in shape, which is another reason we adopted da boyz.

They have both had recent FIV/FeLV tests which were negative, but we will be testing them again in 60 days, just to make sure. None of us wants a repeat of what happened to our poor Mr. Ziggy.

They both got a clean bill of health from the vet, other than Leo having conjunctivitis or "pink-eye." With the application of some eye ointment for five days and an antibiotic vaccination, he is recovering nicely thank-you-very-much!

They are both enjoying being out in the house most of the day, but we still return them to the guest room at night. We still don't trust Treelo yet. Maybe this weekend we'll let them stay loose one night and see how they get along.

What does Hubbard think of all this? He is typically grumpy, and there has been much paw-waving and hissing, when he thinks they are around. But, since he has trouble seeing, no blows have landed yet. He seems to be trying to tell these two whipper-snappers who's in charge...but not succeeding. Mostly, he just sleeps on the bed or in the window, trying to ignore them as much as possible.

Below is a collage of photos I put together for you guys. Enjoy and I will attempt to get more posts up soon!

-- Sundown, Out

New Kittehs Will Keep You Busy!

Boy, ever since the arrival of our two new fur-babies, we have been BUSY! I'm at work, so I'll give a quick update and get you more details and pictures tonight.

The two boys are doing well, although Leo had conjunctivitis in one eye we had to clear up. But even that is doing much better after the application of some eye ointment for a while. And no one else caught it, thank goodness.

The introductions are going about as well as we can expect given Treelo's known bad attitude towards interlopers in her space! The boys are spending days out and about in the house now, and only getting closed in their room at night. So far, so good. No bloodshed, yet.