New York Renovator

It seems like I never have my “big” camera around these days (I keep it in a drawer for safekeeping) so I usually resort to the cell phone camera. Unfortunately, the phone camera is not so hot, but hey– it’s a photo!

I was laying in bed one morning, shuddering under the mountain of blankets (we not running the baseboard heaters upstairs this year) and listening to the mice chewing in the walls. I tell you, these walls in this old 1855 house are so thin. I can hear every critter that creeps around! Anyway, I was laying in bed, trying not to think of all the stuff I had to jump into that day, when I heard a lap-lap-lap behind the curtain. It was Livvy. She had hopped up onto the moldy windowsill and was lapping up the water condensation on the old windows. Eww.

We really need to renovate the upstairs soon. We got the windows (haven’t installed them yet) so those come first. I am chomping at the bit, though, with these walls. They are uninsulated and cracking. The walls get freezing cold all winter long, it’s painful to touch them. They develop condensation and the water drips down the walls, can you believe it?! I really need to insulate. I also need to rewire the place. Two bedrooms have only one outlet right now, and the lights for another two don’t work. All in good time.

Have a great weekend, friends.

Goofy is my mascot. He’s a small resin character and he sits in my desk. He tends to flop over easily. But I still love him.

This morning, Livvy hopped onto my desk and sat in front of my computer monitor as she usually does 200 times a day.

Goofy seemed a little miffed. He trotted from his place at the back of the desk to oppose Livvy.

Humph says Livvy. I belong here, she says. Move.

Livvy 1, Goofy 0.

A glutton for punishment, Goofy made another stance to defend his territory.

WAP.

So guess who’s king of the desk now? I miss Goofy. He was a lot smaller and I could see the monitor when he was here…..

Livvy the Half Siamese Cat has acquired this new penchant for super-duper, fresh spring water. Can you find the kitty?

She’s so cute. Whenever we open the door to run water from the spigot, she reaches in, between the door and the fridge, with her paw to “catch” some of the water. If we dare leave a cup of water out on the table, this is what she does:

I don’t really know if this change in drinking habits is a cause for concern. Maybe you guys can lend me some advice. I really don’t want to drag Livvy to the vet. As cool as the discount medical uniforms and office furniture really is, I just don’t like the vet atmosphere and neither does Livvy. I can’t say that she is drinking more than usual… maybe she is. She seems in good health, otherwise.

Have a great weekend, friends!

We went on a two-day trip and left our half-Siamese baby, Livvy, alone in the house. Well– we also left the two Yorkshire terriers and the cockatiel, too, but they are mere pets. They are also contained (the dogs in a large penned area and the bird in a cage), so Livvy has the rule of the roost while we’re gone.

I have several “pet cams” set up around the house to keep an eye on the critters whenever we are out of town. Previously, we’ve always taken Livvy with us when we travel but this time we decided to leave her home to watch over everything. The surveillance camera monitored all the activity in the house, and we were able to get a good idea of what exactly Livvy does while we’re away.

The first thing she did was hop in my desk chair and snooze. She always sleeps in my desk chair when I’m away.

After a few hours, she realizes that we aren’t back yet. She waits for our return.

Nobody comes in. Hm. She saunters over to the Yorkies. She seems very pleased when they go bananas in their typical Yorky way. They bark, they spin in circles, they crash into each other and trip over the food. I can’t see her on the camera, but I just KNOW she is snickering at them.

We left her PLENTY of food, but she does like her meals “fresh.” She she tips over the cat food bag for a quick bite.

Hm. Nobody comes running to sweep it up.

WHAT IS TAKING THE FAMILY SO LONG?!

She inspects the camera.

“I’m going insane!!! It’s booooring around here! Don’t leave me alone with these nutty dogs!!!”

Unrecorded on any camera, Livvy wanders upstairs. She ferociously gnaws on the white cords to my window miniblinds. How do I know? I come home to find the blinds all mangled and chewed beyond repair. It was her only bad deed but FOR PETE’S SAKE she’s eaten through seven miniblind sets since the summer!!!!

FINALLY we arrive home, and she’s all happy and love-y again. Happy Face.

Oh we haven’t had such a cute Find the Kitty Friday photo in a long time. My daughter got this shot with her cell phne (which explains the grainy-ness of the photo).

I love it when she makes that “peekaboo” face. CUTE!

She’s been in a “hiding mode” lately. We have to constantly check for her, because sometimes *someone* leaves the basement door open and I’m terrified she’ll go down there and through the hatch that leads to the outside. Gotta get her an rfid chip or something. I’ve had too many close calls.

…Just a thought– why don’t cell phones come with better cameras? Even the slick iPhone 4 has a measly 5 MP camera. Is this some purposeful attempt to keep the digital camera industry in business? You know, if I had the choice between a 10MP cell phone camera and a 10 MP digital camera, I’d go with the cell in a second. I wonder if that’s why they don’t improve cell camera technology?

Anyway, have a great weekend folks. Be sure to hug your kittehs.

What IS it with cats and laundry? At least, with THIS cat and laundry.

She’s always skulking around the dirty and clean clothes. She likes to hide behind the mounds surrounding the washer. Then she likes to try to hop in the dryer while I’m pulling them out. Finally, she jumps in the basket of warm unfolded clothing or plops on top of the piles of folded laundry. What a silly girl. Somebody find her an anniversary gift or something to keep her outta my hair while I wash the clothes! LOL

It’s hard to believe she’s 3 1/2 years old now. She’s still such a baby. A big baby. A big laundry-loving, laundry-mooching baby.

We’ve been chipping away, little by little, at the spring cleaning chores I never finished. Livvy always like to lend a paw.

Happy weekend!

…and what’s yours is mine, too.

Livvy! I was going to drink that!

I wasn’t planning on having any Find the Kitty post today, because she’s not been hiding AT ALL lately. It’s been so hot that usually she’s sprawled entirely across the floor, stretched out so every bit of fur is not sticking to another.

That makes me wonder– do cats sweat? How do they perspire extra heat??

Anyway, here’s the photo. Can you find here?

Sorry it’s so dark. You probably need bushnell binoculars to see her, eh? She caught me quite by surprise in her new hiding spot, and even stood still for a few seconds to let me snap the photo!!!

Have a blessed weekend, folks.

Livvy hasn’t felt like playing much this week. And I haven’t felt like following her around with the camera, either. It’s been blazing hot, and I think Liv hates the heat as much as I do. She’s rather morose, laying here or there. Not her usual perky self.

So I have a “rerun” Find the Kitty for you today. Sometimes when I am feeling low, I look through her old baby pictures. OOOOO she was so cute!

This was one of the photos that started the Find the Kitty series.

Here she is, before we renovated the kitchen. To remember how it was gives me the heebie jeebies.

Here’s a video when she got her new litter box. We had to teach her to go inside the box. She was fascinated by the flaps.

Have a great weekend! Stay cool!