Sewing Draws a (Feline) Crowd!

I finally have weekends again now that my big project at work has launched! Huzzah! Time to catch up on chores and sewing!

I will admit, though, as many sewing projects as I have scheduled this year, I sometimes have a difficult time actually getting started. It's so easy to sit on the couch and pet the cats and watch tv. However, I DID manage to get in gear a bit over the weekend, and I had lots of help!

Zissou has always loved the sewing table. I don't know if she just likes the sound or vibration of the sewing machines or what, but the second I turn on the lamp above my sewing area, she jumps right up. Turns out, Mr. Burns can't be left out of ANYTHING. He has to be part of every activity, and sewing is no exception. He bites at thread (a little irritating), he paws the flywheel while it whirs, he sits and watches with that odd little expression. And then there's Ozzel. He sometimes is into the sewing thing, but not consistently. However, now that there are two other cats hanging out, he fears that he will miss something or that I will use up all my love and have none left for him. So now, he's regular as the sunrise. :)

The really great thing is that it's great motivation to get work done. I mean, who wouldn't want to hang with three fabulous cats?

Mr. Burns - Out and About!

Well, our new little pal is doing fantastic. He is cleaning up pretty darn well. We still have some work to do - he's still got stains from whatever gloop he got into when he was out in the world alone, but he looks a lot better already.

He has now had time to run around the house will all but one of the resident cats, and I'm thrilled to say, things are going well. We've had a stack of three baby gates between him and the rest of the crew for the last week and a half so everyone can smell each other and interact if they so choose. That's really helped get everyone familiar and has allowed them to interact in a very safe way. Ozzel seems to really like him (they have played chase and pattycake), Zissou is ok with him being around as long as he's not too assertively friendly, and Jiji seems aok. Now we just need to get Veers on board! That could take some time... we'll see what happens!

Mr. Burns has come home

In a surprising twist, the cantankerous cat I met at the shelter completely vanished when I got home with our new baby, and was replaced with a total sweetheart who throws around headbutts and purrs like they were going out of style.

He really just hates being in a cage.

Mr. Burns is settling in slowly, and he is being a very good boy so far. He is very calm and gentle around the other cats - we now have a wall of baby gates between him and the rest of the crew, and so far he isn't hissy or aggressive. Just a curious gentleman who is happy to touch noses.

He did not enjoy his bath two nights ago, but he did jump in the shower with me this morning to bite at the water stream and play. This little guy keeps surprising me.

Incoming Foster!

Well, the Rex I mentioned in my previous post is going to come stay with us as a foster, and we'll see how things go. He needs a lot of TLC, but I just know that once we have him in a good mental/emotional place, he could blossom into something spectacular.

Fingers crossed that all goes well!

The Latest Cat Conundrum

Ok, I have oft said that if I were to actually spend money on a purebred cat, I would get a Devon Rex. They're such delightful little things. Their odd features and sweet dispositions have always charmed me. When I see a Rex at a cat show, I get all gaspy and excited like a child in awe of something sparkly.

As it turns out, a cat rescue group that I have ties to has recently taken in a Rex... and offered it to me with a waived adoption fee. He is adorable and sweet and I suspect he needs the comfort of a home ASAP. I don't think he likes being in the adoption system very much - like many cats that have been rescued, he could probably use some stability, STAT.

I have plenty of kitties already. There is no way I could argue that I need another cat. I don't want to upset my husband or my creatures by forcing a new addition to the family. At the same time, I will probably never have another chance like this, and cat rescue is something that I feel really passionate about. Being able to give this guy a forever home and a life where he would be fawned over and adored would add another level of joy and fulfillment to my already happy life.

It's hard to think of taking him, hard to think of not taking him.

Calendar time!

I *heart* calendars. I mean it!

While I've had my 2009 calendars since September (no, I'm not joking) I'm so excited that now it's really time to start putting dates in them and customizing them and making plans for the year ahead. I love New Year's Day. I love the sense of renewal and hope, that feeling of having a fresh start. I think it's fantastic. While I don't encourage anyone to wait until a more or less arbitrary date like a holiday to make positive changes in their lives (change can happen any day of the year - any day you say so!), I do encourage people to take advantage of a new year to really focus on what they want to get out of the next 12 months. Think in specifics, not generalities. Make action plans that are quantifiable and solid rather than nebulous. Instead of "I will get in shape!" it's more realistic to say "I will exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week."

Just food for thought.

But more importantly: Squeeee! Calendars! Stickers! Markers and metallic pens! I love to plan!

People who bitch alot piss me off.

Ok, nothing remotely cat related today, just venting.

So, I am currently working on a huge project at work. I am just one tiny cog in the machine. And I HATE one of the other cogs.

Actually, I should amend that. As a person, I am ok with this other cog, though he's not someone I'd go out of my way to spend time with. But as a coworker... ugh. He is toxic. He fights with our bosses, he complains to everyone about how unfair everything is, he acts like he is the only one who is working their tail off to get this thing launched. It's irritating as hell. The irony is that compared to other members of the team, he has it easier than most. While all of the programmers and technical crew were here all weekend working, he had that time off and was just on call.

We are all working through the holidays, and this has been told to us over and over for the past year, yet he claims that no one ever told him this. Ugh. I have been in meetings with this person where the topic was discussed at length, so I KNOW he was told about it.

Grrrr. Arrrrrr.

Intellectually, I know it's foolish to let this one negative person drive me crazy, but my childish side is being totally reactive right now.

Blar.