dear santa....

I have been a good boy.

Really I have!

If you must skip our house though, I do understand.

I know you are very busy this special time of year.

And even more so as the big day draws near.

But hear me for just a moment purrlease....

Because I'm sure my case applies to many other kitties, both far and near.

You see I have no thumbs, although some kitties do.

And so there is no possible way for me to do those things, she tells others I do.

Yes, I am a good boy.  Loving, good and kind.

Ferocious? Oh yes! But never mind.

Because although its very true, I'd never hurt your reindeer or the little birdie in the tree (or dining room wreath or the deer under the glass).

Except maybe those voles, but they eat all her flowers, so only for her I do this, don't you see?

And though she may tell all kinds of stories about my adventures and such.

Please keep in mind that I have no thumbs and so really I can't do all that much. Especially to the Christmas tree in the dining room because the door is kept shut.

So I was thinking just today, because I have been a good boy, surely you had toys and tuna fish for me....

But please feel free to skip our house and deliver my toys to those kitties in need.

I have a warm and loving home, and more toys than I possibly want or need.

And good food a plenty, especially when her plate is full and I see it unattended.

You know too many are homeless, too many are unloved, too many are in shelters

and just as important though....

 I really don't want to be responsible if you take the lane to our house,

and slip and fall on your bum.

P.S. She made me do it.  You'd feel the same way if she tied a cold bell to your tail. Right?

estate of confusion

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day!  Mine was lovely.  The turkey was cooked to a golden brown, juicy and tender.  Absolutely purrfect!  And oh yeah, the company was nice to me too, so it was a good day!

However, had it not been for the turkey, I might not have known it was November.  Heck, I'm not even sure it's December right now.  The calendar says it is but..... well, it reached 72 degrees here today.  The fifth of December?!?  mEoW!!!!

Not that we haven't had 20 degree weather last month.  But even that was sandwiched in between days of 60's.  It's really enough to confuse and befuddle this handsome and furry man.  I mean seriously, one day I'm working on growing out my winter coat to it's fullest and the next day I'm outside rolling in the dirt to help shed it.

And I can't even begin to tell you how it's confused her.  Oh yes, very seriously confused.  No, no, not rolling in the dirt or anything.  Although I did see her shave her furry legs last week.  Does that count as an equivalent to the dirt rolling?

Anyway, for Thanksgiving, the pumpkins got a dash of winter greenery.  And then because the Halloween decor was gone in the kitchen, she thought that maybe a bit of a winter display would be appropriate.  It was cool after all and all the leaves had already fallen.  So bare trees equals winter right?

Well no, not exactly because the thermometer was all over the place.  The mercury would drop and then the next day it would go right back up by forty degrees. Something like you would see for Easter.

So due to the confusion (hers not mine) there were mixed decorations for Thanksgiving.  The images above are from inside the dining room.  This one below is just outside the dining room, inside the kitchen.  I suppose she wanted to share her state of confusion with our guests.  If they don't come back next year, there will be no question why.  Assuming that is, that her seasonal confusion didn't seriously damage their brain cells.  These kind of things can be contagious you know!

So then a few days ago, this display (above) changed to this one below.  She had planned on leaving this winter one (above) up through Christmas. (Confused yourself? Thought so.)

 Nothing wrong with the evergreens I know.  But they didn't match with this....

Her beloved not-so-white-anymore vintage tree.

I know you are thinking, so put the white tree in another room.  Well, this year, Dad, in an effort to prolong his life, agreed that there only need be one tree.  In years past, there is nothing short of a forest in this estate small house around Christmas. Green trees, skinny trees, big trees and small.  But only one white vintage one.

So when it came time to choose which tree to use, there was no confusion at all.  Well at least until she pulled it out of the Christmas storage facility and realized that it wasn't going to look quite right since they would be in the same room as the green stuff.  You know what a dilemma that causes.  All that coordination stuff that you humans are taught at an early age when trying to dress yourselves.  Glad I didn't get ruined that way. So anyway, the kitchen greenery had to go.

And she used the red and brown combination last year in the dining room and really loved it.  Although it was on a green tree in there.  Could have done the same thing here, this year and would not have had to take down the "winter greenery".  And she could have used a green tree. But well, remember I told you she was sure she wanted to use the vintage white tree.  And well all this coordinating and matchy stuff was causing serious mental confusion.  Especially when the vintage white doesn't match the new white greenery. (How about now, are you confused yet?)

So with a bit of help and a couple totes full of ornaments and fluff.....

Today the tree looks like this....

(sorry for the poor lighting on this one - hard to find a good photographer now days)

And so, even in this estate of confusion, the kitchen area is looking like Christmas.  Albeit, in her strange kind of decorating way.  And now at 9 p.m. the temperature here on the computer still says 68 degrees.

There is still the dining room to decorate and the living room.  I wonder what I'll find in those rooms when I get up in the morning. The Easter bunny maybe?

Further still, I wonder if today's color scheme will change and I will wake up and find myself in a tropical looking locale complete with pink and bright green lighted palm trees.  As if I'm not confused enough!

Hoping you're having a nice pleasant week filled with purrfect clarity.  If however, you're feeling low on confusion, just come on over and she will fix that!  Over here, at the estate of confusion.  A state of confusion.  Oh heck, just plain "confusion".

Purrs to all of you!

For today.....

....the living room is complete..... for today.

If you have followed me on my adventures, you may remember the beginning of

 the living room re-fluff.  

Industrial shelving was added and we raided her private inventory that previously had no where to go. We don't live in a house of castle size proportions, but she probably has enough collections and curiosities to fill at least a small castle. 

Adding shelves allowed her to dust cat fur off a few things and put them back into the light of day where they can be chewed on admired.

Acquiring collections is easy enough when you're in this business of junk

 for more than a few years. 

Acquiring a castle to display all of them in? Not so easily done.

So where was I....oh yes, small castles filled with creepy old things.  

And new furnishings.  

Late last year, was it October? Or maybe September?  The other sofa needed to go! It was decided to get a white slip covered sofa. And it was instant love for her. In love with a sofa?!?  Yes, it's true.  The reason?  That cover can be washed and washed and washed!  With older and special needs cats, this becomes VERY important.  She's in love.  With the sofa.

Still though a decision on what to do regarding a chair for Dad. The issue had become finding the chair that was "just right".  They looked and looked.  And they did find chairs.....that were too low, too firm, too small, the wrong color fabric, cat-fur-attracting fabric, and the worst - those with recliner capabilities that are sure to crush a cat if one is not paying attention....months and months, no chair.

During this time of indecision Dad had to sit on the sofa to watch the picture box.  However, after much discomfort and a sore butt Dad decided that as long as the sofa stayed where it was, facing the picture box, he could survive the sofa.  And after a time, he realized it was not the end of life as he knew it. 

She is not without compassion though, so to sweeten the deal, she proposed an ottoman. Ah yes, her wily ways worked on him. (She claims it was charm, not wiliness.)  So four weeks ago, an ottoman was purchased.  

And yes, a chair. 

Times two.  

And now after the final decision, and an additional short three week wait, the slip covers for the chairs arrived....

As I sit here and admire the recent artwork addition, I realilze something.  I'm not proficient at math but I don't really understand how one ottoman became....

..... one ottoman.....AND two chairs.... AND extra slip covers.  

But do you really think I'm going to point that out to Dad?! 

Nope, not one single meow from me.

Why?

I've been seduced by her wily ways too.  

Guilty. 

But happy with my new official position (wink). 

And besides cats shouldn't be able to count anyway, right?!

I know it's hard to believe that the living room is finally done.  Months and months of indecision.  But for today, it is done! And we are quite happy thank you very much.....especially Coltrane who can finally sleep on a sofa that isn't constantly be moved around..... well, at least for the rest of today.