As soon as

I'm so tired of saying "As soon as we get the house done. . . "  but there it is.  That is my life right now.  I didn't get much done yesterday because it rained all day.  Thankfully, I had been able to put the first paint and so seal the stucco on the front porch.  I didn't get it on the front corner and that stucco is quite wet.  Hopefully it will dry out and allow me to get it painted and aged before the rains come again later this week. 

I have a section of rock about 1 foot by 7 feet and a section of stucco about 18 inches square.  I also have a small kneewall to build to resolve a potential water issue and some painting and sealing.  It's raining lightly, but on the radar, it looks like this is the last band of rain for this go 'round.  I can seal and paint on the studio porch when the stucco dries completely seeing that it's all covered, but the rock has to be done when it's dry.  Louis finished all the soffits and trim and it looks great.  Now I must complete the surfaces.  We hope to have it inspected by Friday afternoon.  That would be a good thing.

Search for a Suitable Name Cont.

Why is it so hard to name the cat?  He's already wiggled, jumped, batted, chewed and purred his way into our hearts.  Little Cat isn't a suitable name at all.  There seems to be an acceptance window here that we may be exausting.

If he were grey, I'd name him shadow, for he certainly is attached to me at the feet.  Everywhere I go he follows, sometimes charging ahead if he can guess correctly.  But he never gets far enough ahead that he can't turn around and bat at my feet and trip me up.  I've stepped on him a couple dozen times already but never hard enough to really injure him - until Tuesday.  He cried repeatedly and ran to hide under the buffet where he continued to complain for awhile.  Eventually he made his way out again as a wiser, more cautious, yet no less clingy kitten. 

As stomach problems sent me flying into the bathroom with a hasty push on the door to keep the room to myself, he flew down the hall like a toddler, pressing himself against the door until he knocked it open enough to join me.  Like a toddler, "Go away" means nothing.  If I sit down for a moment anywhere but the dining table, he's in my lap unless he's in Louis' lap biting and licking and rubbing and purring.  Yet somehow shadow seems all wrong for a yellow cat.

It somehow surfaced that foot fungus tends to yellow and clings to the feet as well.  But that's a bad name for a cat.

Home Improvement?

My plan was to wake early, get everything ready, and head to the store for glue all or a reasonable substitute so I could get back busy on the stucco job.  I have the sunporch and front done and lack only the studio porch to be "free".

I had some other things I needed -cat dish that he can't carry all over the house, paint, something suitable for my standing rolls and rulers in the studio - so I thought I'd just buy a couple quarts of glue from the Supercenter until Lowes got some gallons back in.  After a few minutes of looking for an employee, I learned that they don't carry anything but the little project size of white polymer glue anymore.  "We have contact cement and liquid nails."

As I headed for the car after getting the other items I thought I'd just go home, but I realized I can't do any more stucco until I get the glue.  So I headed to Home Depot the "We can find it; you can help," people.  The helpful guy tried to convince me wood glue was the same thing.  No, it's not.  "I'm sorry, we can't help."

I headed over to Sutherland.  This nice man came right to my aid.  "Well, there's carpenter glue."  Looks like there's a space for glue-all, but no glue.  "This isn't my department.  The paint guy will know.  I don't see him right now.  We have these little bottles."  I need LOTS of glue.  "Well the paint guy is around here somewhere.  He's wearing a red shirt and shorts."  I smiled as sincerely as I could and headed out.

Yeagers is on the way home, so I pulled in.  Low and behold among their tight, cluttered isles is Elmer's Glue All in gallons and beside it sits Elmers Masonry Glue in gallons.  After reading both labels, I decide to stick with what I know and buy 2 gallons of Glue-All, all they had for now.  Squealing "Yea - -"  I hurry to my car. 

I got the car unloaded by 11:30.  I have a class at 3.  I fed the little nameless cat climbing my leg, put away the groceries and scarfed a little food.  It's noon.  I'm beginning to feel cornered, claustrophobic.  By the time I change clothes and make up the muck I might not have enough time to spread it before I must get ready for my class.  I head for the back porch and see the cleaning job I began yesterday in my studio.  Sigh.  I put together the frame I bought to hold the stuff I piled on the tables.  It's close to 1 PM.

I had a plan.  Really I did.  It was not my intention to blow a whole morning.  This is home improvement!?

to an awesome guy

I am married to an awesome guy.

Last Valentines Day he came in after his post work shower to find me slaving over a graphic job in my studio.  "Do you have time to stop for a while?"

I growled that the job had grown and the person was coming later that evening to pick it up.  Kindly, he said "What can I do?" and got to work helping me.

Later, after the person told me she'd forgotten that this was Valentines Day and she'd just get it tomorrow, I learned that Louis had bought tickets to a special dinner for us.  He was kind about it as I ranted.  I felt horrible - on all counts.  I sat by my computer feeling sad, ashamed, frustrated, tired and began to write.  I thought I'd share it here.

While I serve others, you come up short

as I neglect so many things

But you are always a good sport

and take with patience what life brings.

I love you so and never mean

to slight, ignore or turn away

And still I take on more it seems

Each time we face a special day.

So thank you for the grace you give

While I complete just one more thing

And in the future as we live

Perhaps some joy for you I’ll bring

So for today, I work and wish

That I was freer for some task-

Brownies, meatloaf, chocolate gifts-

To give you more while less I ask.

The picture was taken in North Carolina by one of my daughters.  I cropped it.

Kingly names for a cutie

There are kings I would not name my cat after for a variety of reasons.

Alexander - between the dying young thing and the rabbit, no.

Ceasar - he was an emporer.   He was a substance abuser who tried to say his seisures were devine trances.   Anyway, it fits a dog better.

David - for the sake of honor, no.

Ahab - coward, unmanly, wicked, no.

Soloman - the cat is smart, but wise?  I hope to have a name before I know.

Caligula - hard to say and a despicable, cruel character.

Peter the Great - just not a cat name.

George - - - - - no!



I would consider Hamurabi, Abimelek, Ivan, Asherbanipal.

Shirkhan is another thought -tiger speaking.

I just can't make up my mind.

Search for a Suitable Name

  I got a kitten a week ago Wednesday.  We haven’t named him yet.  I thought about Simba because of the whole yellow kitten playful sassy thing:  “I just can’t wait to be King.”  Eh!  Maybe not.  It’s really cute.  My 21 year old said it fit him, but not me.

  I’ve never been one to pick pet type names for my animals.  I’d never name a cat fluffy even if it was the fluffiest cat in the world.  I’d never name a dog spot or duke.  My last cat was named Dustin and was called Dusty all his life.  People thought it was because his long hair carried dust.  I’m not that shallow, though as a kitten he did have a grey spot atop his head that seemed like dirt of some kind.

  We toyed with the name “Spud.”  The kitty loves laying on the couch and watching TV.  But Spud seemed more of a dogs name or something you’d call your brother when you weren’t convinced he had proper parentage.  Tater was related, but seemed too country cute.  I don’t care for country style, so I haven’t really given it a chance.

  Louis flips cereal at him and he chases it and eats it, I haven’t ruled out Cheerio, but it reminds me of when I named my Dog 'Phizgig' because of her resemblance to a creature in a movie “The Dark Crystal.”  My grandchildren called her “Biscuit” and everyone said “How cute, does she like biscuits or is it because of her size.”  I’m thinking “Who would name a dog Bisquit?”  But then, my friend named hers Muffin.

  Boomer: short for boomerang, seems somewhat appropriate.  But it’s so localized.  Most yellow cats I’ve known are energetic, inquisitive kittens but mellow extremely upon adulthood.  So while he bounds back when you throw him now (off the couch, off the table, off the bed, out of the room), he probably won’t be so inclined when he’s mature (fat).

  So I listen to myself and watch the crazy little thing and think, ‘How long will we say “Little Cat, commeer”?’ 

  A visitor to my studio this week told Louis we should call him “Taco.”  Taco?  I turned my head to cough politely as my eyes and nostrils flared and almost coughed up a hairball.

  The whole "king" thing still has me intrigued.  Elvis?  Louie? (Not there!) Henry?  Hannibal?  Nabopilasser?  Ludwig? (Yeah: hey Lude cat.)  Ferdinand?  That’s not a bad one but how do you shorten it. (Here Ferdi, Ferdi)  Sargon the Great seems cool, but then there is a close resemblance to the bad guys in Lord of the Rings.  Of course, Sargon’s related identity might be good.  Nimrod.  “Nim witt” “Hot rod”  I could do this if I knew he’d make it to “mighty hunter” stage.  He does toss and chase the play mice with rattles inside.

  Sigh!  "Here, here, Little Cat."

Let it happen

Most times it's hard for me to change.  I have my set of ideas and experiences and they're great as they are, but often I find myself trying to put the present into yesterday's jars.  It doesn't fit.

We planned to go to the lake as we often do, but there were so many obstacles.  Friday night meeting, Saturday ball game, responsibilities at church Sunday morning.  It looked like we'd be running back and forth all weekend.  But we went ahead with the plans thinking "We can do it."

Finally Rhonda, whose family was going with us and who had her own set of complications, said "I just don't see it working," so we traded Friday through Monday bumping around at the lake for Sunday and Monday at the river, a cave and a hike to a place called "Glory Hole." 

We got to the Buffalo National River, where we camped, later than we hoped.  Visitors, phone calls, building a cat cage all took time.  When we got there it was time to fix supper, put the babies to bed and go to the cave.  I skipped the cave due to sore joints and a little stomach upset.  Gas in the forest is not much of an issue, gas in a cave?  No.  So after a little clean up, I took my kitten and Jacob whose lack of body mass won't allow him to cave much and went to my tent.  The kitten was so glad to be out of the cage, he entertained us mightily.  I dosed off with Jacob and the kitten playing happily.  I awakened breifly when the others got back from the cave and helped secure the site.

I woke before dawn.  The cavers got back 2ish and were not appreciative of the event.  I made coffee, a fire and pancake batter.  The kids began to wake up and come out of their tents.  The younger kids had gone to bed 8:30 - 9ish and weren't real tired. 

We were supposed to be packed and out by 11.  It wasn't going to happen.  Finally Louis stumbled out of our tent.  The babies began awakening and Rhonda appeared.  The middle group of kids had begun breakfast, helping the young ones with hot cakes, bacon and syrup.  We got it cleaned up and were out about 12:30.  Phil made arrangements with Ranger Billy.

I've always heard of Glory Hole and thought someday I'd go there.  Well, this was the day.  After a 40 minute drive, we ate lunch at the trail head and headed out in a variety of groups.  Sarah and her friend were at the front as were Cody and Daniel.  If I'd known what was there and how quickly they'd reach it, I'd have been concerned.  Ignorance is bliss.

Not too far into the hike, I began seeing the mushrooms.  Colors and  shapes I'd never seen before were all so conveniently placed along the path.  I took up disk after disk of pictures.  I even took a few of my people!  Jacob and Jessica were happy to hunt the sides of the trail for specie we might miss.

I've wanted to try a technique I've seen on another page and so I took several of what I hoped would become stereo pictures.  I came up with 5 sets that worked out of 7 tries.  Eventually we caught up to Rhonda and Hannah doing the same thing: photographing the mushrooms just up trail from the main attraction.

Glory Hole is a large funnel cut in the rock.  It had no water running through it that day, but you could see the force the water had held through time.  I took one stereo set there and am pleased with the result.  Then we took the trail to the bottom.  Looking up was almost as awesome.  We've discussed going back during the high color and in the spring when the water would be running.

Once more, the familiar was replaced with an awesome present.  New things always surprise you if you let them happen.