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.

A Special Kind of Love

Christmas 1964. That was a long time ago, especially in cat years.  What’s a “long time ago”.  Well let’s see….I can tell time as in dinnertime, snacktime and bedtime….but calendar time?! Not so much.  And mix in some math needed for the cat year calculation to define a “long time ago”…

Okay, yes, I cheated.  I asked "her". 

So given that one cat year is about the equivalent of seven human years that would make a “long time ago” exactly  322 years ago!

See what I mean – Christmas 1964, a long time ago, at 322 years in the past, would be considered old. And anything from that time…. an antique. And guess who that is in the picture?!

Yep. It's "her".

And the sister.

And "the cat".

So that would make the three of them antiques! Well in cat years that is (as if there is anything other than cat years).

And old things, old junk and antiques? Ah yes, how I swoon over them - full of character, imperfections and signs of being loved and loving (as well as not telling where I sharpen my claws). 

“She” tells me that’s why “she” has such a love of the old and imperfect too (not the sharpening claws part). 

But don’t go all wide eyed and jumping to conclusions. I did not sharpen my claws on anyone or anything you see in the pictures.  Especially the old picture of "her" cat. Nope, it was way before my time. 

Nor have I had anything at all to do with the condition of “her” current sawdust and fluff critters. Nope. That’s how “she” bought them.  I know scary to think that someone would pay money for some of these.  My opinion? Purrsonally, I think “she” is still pining over the loss of “the cat”.

You see, "the cat" is no longer with us.  And you would think that someone would get over it after 322 years.  But it was love. Still is love. 

“The cat” was given to her when “she” was born as a gift.  And it had a little wind up music box that played Brahm’s Lullaby. (Do they even still make those windy up things?) Apparently the lullaby didn’t put “her” to sleep fast enough.   I’m told that “she” would lie in her crib and pull out the fur on the poor cat.  

One of "her" current favorites. Gee, wonder why?

After some time, obviously, the cat ended up with some bald spots.  Quite a few actually. Probably more bald than furry by the time crib sleeping was over.  “She” even told me, that if “she” really thinks about it, she can still feel that course weave where there was no longer any fur.  (Wanna tell me that’s not pining for a lost love?) But it didn’t matter that the cat was almost bald. Nope, not the least. 

“She” loved that cat until it departed to the landfill one day while “she” was in kindergarten.  I know. The horror. The trauma.  But how many well meaning Mom’s toss out blankies and old toys?! No doubt more than a few.  Don't be sad, it wasn’t really the end of “the cat”. 

No, “the cat” is still here.

He lives in “her” heart and in her memory.  And yes, “she” still loves him.  Even named the business after him and called it (appropriately), the tattered cat.

That love is the kind of love that is Christmas. 

The kind that is true and never fades.

I know it’s the kind of love “she” has for me.  But honestly, I still wouldn’t mind too much, if one morning I woke up and had a few less tufts of fur.

I wonder, did you have anything you loved as much in your childhood?

In which I finally get "her" to do something...

Yep, I know, pretty darn amazing!!! I myself, am amazed at just how effective I was in getting "her" moving and productive.  It took many nights of laying on the pillow next to "her" and whispering in "her" ear....you are getting plump....purrhaps if you did some physical labor.....pretend it's not over 100 degrees out there.....I wear a fur coat and endure it just fine - no worries....really.....

It started one day last week here.....

For THREE days "she" sewed those burlap pillows in all shapes and sizes.  Stayed up late into the morning.  I sat outside the dining room on the sofa and waited.  For what seemed like forever....I mean I dozed off several times waiting.  So I left The Fluffy One in charge to ensure "she" didn't try and take off and neglect "her" responsibilities.  I mean, it was getting crowded in the office where the junk was waiting to be taken to the shop.  Multiplying like bunnies I tell you!  It was time...past due kind of time....good thing these weren't library books...."she'd" have to take out a loan to pay the late fees!

So anyway, Thursday I pushed "her" out the door and promptly locked it.  Told her to get to Lilburn and fluff up the Tattered Cat space and make it pretty and full again!  I challenged "her" old person memory and told "her" to remember to get some pictures - quality control being part of my supervision job description.....I think "her" and the camera were not getting along....not sure what's going on there.....

Lucky for "her", the wonderfully beautiful Rowann took lots of really good pictures of the space.  So this one time I guess I'll let "her" lacking camera skills slide.....this time.....if I get a few extra cat snacks....

Be sure and visit Rowann and check out the pictures taken by a professional!!!  And if you are in the area, we'd love to have you stop by for a visit!!!

Enjoy your weekend!!