Tuesday, I started moving things around in the garage. Monica was the only kitty who slept in that corner. The last kitty who spent time over there was Gracie, so it's been a while.
I took all of the blankets off of the table Monica had slept on when she could get up there (thinking back on it, she really didn't sleep there a lot the past few weeks, I just wrote it off to the heat). I got rid of one of the litter boxes, swept that area and moved the cat tree that was by the table where the litter box had been. I moved a few other things and I figured that now I would use the table for craft stuff storage, things I have in plastic containers that I don't often use. And the Big Shot Plus was moved over there as well. The embossing folders were moved out of the storage closet and are now next to the Big Shot for easier access.
Moving these freed up space at my little work area and now my under construction projects aren't in the way, but I have quick access to them. It really doesn't sound like much, but there's a big difference.
When Brian picked Pancho up from the vet on Wednesday, Monica's remains had already been returned. They have a new service now and this quick of a turnaround was pretty amazing. They also charged less. And the bag that held her urn had other thoughtful things in it. Her paw print, a couple of Rainbow Bridge cards, and a certificate I didn't open up. I assume it says she was cremated. All kitties are back home.
Pancho is happy to be home. But he is incredibly resistant to being medicated, just like Rocky. Rocky will hide under a tractor, so at least we know where he is. One of Pancho's safe places is under the pool pump.
This led to a bit of a heated argument yesterday. Mostly by me and I used a certain four letter word in my diatribe, more than once. I've been after Brian for years to block access to this area. When he redid the pool area earlier this year, he promised he would. He did not. When I asked him about it he said "if we need to get a cat out, I'll crawl under there and get it". Okay. So, with Pancho, I'm holding him to that, right? Pancho gets meds twice a day. Because of my hip, it's really painful for me to get on my knees, lay on my belly to look under the pump deck to see if Pancho is under there. Or, I can walk down the stairs (painful) and squeeze between the fence and this little decorative area with plants, to squat down (painful) to look under that deck. So, even if Pancho is not there, I'm still hurting from looking.
Yesterday morning was my breaking point. I once again reminded him that I had wanted it blocked. He fought back. I reminded him, in very strong language and with an, um, slightly raised voice, in fairly salty language, that he's the one who had promised to block it off, so don't try turning this around on me.
And I still wasn't able to grab Pancho for his meds.
But, after he'd taken his shower, he left to go get what he needed to block it off. Just a piece of plastic lattice, nothing fancy or special. And by the end of the day, he admitted it was hard for him to get under there as well. He has a bad shoulder and reaching hurts. He was resistant because the cats like to go under there and it's a nice cool spot. Like there's no other nice cool spot in the yard. We have the bank full of ferns, places to get behind metal drums, under the tractors, in the catnip, in the garage, geez, even in the house. They'll get used to not having access.
Pancho spent a great deal of the day next to me in the house.
Speaking of the heat, it's back. Nights were nice a few days the evening breeze a welcome relief after the heat of the day. We don't have lawn furniture, Brian's never been a lawn furniture type of guy. We have a cedar swing, but it's old and we dare not sit on it. Wood rots, yanno? My dad was. It makes me smile thinking about dad and all of his lawn chairs. He'd move them during the day from one side of the house to the other, following the shade. He had at least six or seven chairs that he'd move. But then, my parents were social people and we often had folks dropping by. We don't.
We have this really big liquid amber tree and it's in full foliage. It puts out a lot of shade (and those killer spiky pods as well). Yesterday morning, I went to the Walmart online store and searched for lawn furniture. I found some nice lounges and Brian says "too much money" and settled on a couple that were on sale. For $70.00, you get two. I ordered. Brian grumbled "now I'll have to move them when I mow the lawn". (Yeah, like he didn't move that heavy assed two piece cedar swing every time him mowed.) The estimated arrival date would be next Tuesday. I checked on it this morning and they'll be here today! Yay! I know where I'll be when the sun goes down tonight. Depending on the time of day they're delivered, maybe even earlier!
And my blue beads finally got here yesterday. They are perfect! Now, I can finish part one of that project. The Silhouette Design store is having a half price sale this week, I took advantage and bought a file that I hope will work for part two. I need to take photos.
And guess what? I'm behind in paperwork again! Hahahahaha! I started on it Tuesday and was going to work on paperwork while the Cameo did some test engraving (I found another tutorial for the fill in etching), but Sagwa insisted on laying next to me on the work table. I was able to get stuff ready for invoicing, but never got to the invoicing part. I still have accounts to set up and bank reconciliations to do, but business has been slow, so that shouldn't take long, once I get started. And if the weather doesn't get really hot again, it should be easier to do.
Last week, I got fed up with having to move that Ninja cooker every time I needed to use the stove (I made a meatloaf in it last week, the best one I've made in years, it was so good), so I started pulling old appliances out of the pantry storage. I kept at it and made room for the Instant Pot as well. Added to the recycle pile was a Hot Diggety Dogger (hot dog cooker), a small deep fat fryer (cooked twelve potato chips at a time!) and the outside portion of a rice cooker (from my mom's house, I'm pretty sure there's more to it somewhere). Slow going, because walking. Now there are no appliances on the counter. I miss being able to keep appliances on the counter, but we can't because cats. They have this annoying way of marking their territory.
It looks a lot cleaner.
And that's about it for this week. Summer is quickly coming to an end. Is the heat? I dunno. I hope so.
I have work to do and paper to cut. I'm looking forward to it all.
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