Sunday, September 9, 2012

No Rest for Cat Lady

Just in time for the rainy season, we cleared up our pool problems.  The main culprit of our poor circulation (and therefore algae growth) was the clogged filter.  Pool guy cleaned up the algae and also replaced a gasket somewhere in the tangle of pvc pipes next to our house.   And he informed us that our pool was designed to use a pressure cleaner instead of the suction cleaner (which we have been using).  We will have to buy a pressure side cleaner, at a cost of approximately $300 to $400.   We are going to sell (i.e. eBay) the suction cleaner we have now to offset the cost of the new cleaner.

I finally finished that hat for my brother!  I was able to piece together the pattern (after it was blocked by the original author).  I actually knitted it twice because I was unhappy with the first attempt.  The second attempt is the one I will send to my brother (Surprise! if you are reading this).  I made it with a wool yarn but it's not scratchy and actually pretty soft.

Sneak Preview
I am finishing a crocheted chemo cap.   I should have it done today, which will make four hats (so far) to donate to the local hospital.

Very  Quick Crochet
Two of our three cats are overweight (both Macy and Tigger come in at 11 pounds).  We've made some changes to the diet:  1) switched wet food  to a pate version, which means one can can stretch into two days between all three cats; (2) switched dry food to the highest quality on the speciality market and free feed only about one cup per day for all three cats; and (3) try to integrate play time for the fat cats (Mace and Tigg) every night.  

It's really too soon to tell if the diet is working but I can tell you what is not working.  The drama level in the house has reached an all-time high.  The cats all behave as if they are starving.   This means that mornings are crazier than ever.  This morning (Sunday) I was tag-teamed by Tigger and Delilah.  Both of them started about 5:30 or 6:00 (I'm not very sure of the time because Mr. Grumpbump was blocking the clock on the nightstand).  Tigger purrs so loudly and he sits on the pillow above my head and occasionally tries to eat my hair.  I swat him away, but he lies down next to me and head-butts my hand, alternating between licking it and biting it.  He leaves or I manage to fall back asleep when I realize Delilah has now taken the pillow spot above my head.  She simply licks my forehead, with no biting, but then she will walk down my back and over to bother Mr. G.   It's not so bad when 7 lb Delilah walks on you (unless you have to pee) but heaven forbid Tigger do that.  He's a gut killer.

I finally get tired of the constant movement on the bed and get up.  It's 7:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning.  I have no choice once they know I'm awake because the chirping and meowing begin.  How Mr. Grumpbump sleeps through that assault, I don't know.  I make sure to bang enough cat bowls and the like in the kitchen to awake him up, even if he doesn't bother to get out of bed.

I can't resist taking pictures of sleeping cats

Macy showed me what she looked like as a kitten


Finding My Treasure

Now that my shawl is complete (yarn purchased during the Orange Blossom Yarn Crawl in March), it is just hanging out in my foyer until I de...