toasting whiskers and wood

You know how excited I was that it snowed early Christmas morn??  And there was no doubt in my mind that it was a gift from the heaven's above.  But Christmas is over, I'm ready for Spring, and what's this -- now we've gotten 8 inches of the white stuff.

Purrsonally, I don't think this is quite so special anymore.  I mean let's do a reality check okay?  If you remember, I like to go outside for my daily constitutional.  Call it a nature thing or call it wanting a little privacy. Either way, it's what I do and it's part of my morning routine.

Except when there is snow on the ground, eight inches deep and my....ummm....pee-er part is only eight inches off the ground.  Do you see the problem this causes?!  I could end up peeing on myself! How disgusting.  Really! And I can promise you that I would be on my own, cleaning dirty snow off my chops.  Anyway, sorry I went wandering off topic....what'd you expect from a crazed cat?!??!

The point of all this explanatory stuff is that it is not possible for me to go outside for my morning duties if there is snow on the ground.  Therefore, it also means that  any daily adventures are also out of the picture.  So here I sit.  Inside. No adventures. No privacy. Too much snow.  That didn't melt on the first day.  Nor the second day.  And will probably be here tomorrow - the THIRD day.

Can you say b-o-r-e-d?!?! 

And after a lot of boredom, one gets downright.....weird or something akin to weird.....yeah, I went looking for an adventure INSIDE.  Oh, this is embarrassing.....I went looking for an adventure....inside and actually found one! Yep. Sure did.  Oh I amaze myself.  Although "she" called it an act of desperation.

No problem, call it what you will.  Because I can properly blame "her" for my lowered standard of adventure time.  Because it was "her" that started up the fireplace and the lure of warmth.  I could smell it from the other room......warmth!

Did you know that warmth has a  most pleasant smell?!?  I'm talking about winter warmth, not sweat your buns off summer heat.  Big difference! One is called sweet aromatic and the other....body odor.  Just that simple and not easily confused.  Trust me on this one.

If you've never smelled winter warmth, oh you are sooooo missing out.  If you have a fireplace, get a good fire going.  And wait.  One of us furry ones will be around shortly to check it out. And once our fur gets warm, oh there is nothing more comforting than a face full of warm sleepy fur! Seriously! You gotta try it!

Onward....the adventure begins here......check out these corbels will ya?!?  Yeah, over there on the side of the fireplace.... "She" thinks they are pretty cool.  I think they are okay but not wonderful.  Why? Because it's impossible to get a good angle on them for claw sharpening.  Too bad really, because at 47 inches, I sure could get a good stretch and file going. I'd probably have tiger claws! What a waste of good old chippy wood.

Look up there, on top of the mantle "she" has a couple more corbels.  Although, they are not really big enough to be useful to me, but "she" likes them and they make her happy, so I guess I won't knock them off there.

Besides there are a few more pairs scattered around and I think I would rather push one of those on the floor.  You know from someplace where there is more room to get in there and nudge or lean.  It's not that I'm fluffy, it's that the mantle is just too narrow and no sense in taking a chance of falling.  That could be ugly.

But check out the front of the fireplace...now here we have a piece with great potential.  "She" leaves it on the hearth when the fireplace is not in use (I made "her" put it back for photo purposes).  A weakness for antique floor grates displays well in the coal holder.  Purrsonally, I think it would be better empty so that I could nap inside of it.  I would fit.

I think.

Maybe.

Okay, maybe not.  But I do know that Matilda would fit in there.  And if I could entice her to sleep in the coal bin, then I could have the best seat in the house......which is....the office chair, right next to the fireplace!

Is this me? NO! It's Matilda! But it should be me!!!

Seriously?!?  An office with a fireplace?!?  Not sure how "she" managed to pull this off, but "her" office was the den.  For many years now, it has been "her" office.  Don't you think it should be mine?!?!!  Me too....which is why I'm going to stay here.....maybe I can claim squatters rights or something......maybe I'll just hack up a furball on "her" chair.  Do you think that would do it???? Yeah, maybe I should think on this one....I'll get back with you later....right after my nap........