First snowy day

Snow show outside this morning.  A welcome sight this time of year.

This afternoon I found time to sew a candy striped fleece hat with needle felted design.

BlackJack the cat is curious and alert. He only took one nap today.

Ubi spent much of the day being followed by the cat. She did manage a few brief naps.

How many gumdrops?

Thanksgiving Day

We enjoyed very nice company and an especially delicious meal with Tina and Kaz in Wellesley.  I had no intention of overeating but things got a bit out of control when I tasted the brandied, candied apple yams.  The great thing about Thanksgiving food is that it offers the familiar, comfort food appeal but also offers so many choices of combining flavors.  

Quiet day here on Moose Mountain.  Good day for felting and jogging and napping with the cat. 

BlackJack the Cat likes warm things. He has upgraded now, from his fleece bed in the sunroom, to upstairs in Ellie's bed.  He instantly approved of this move under the down comforter, next to the warm legs of a sleeping child.  His purr is loud like rumbling thunder. 

An examined life

Lately I ask myself, "What is it that makes family life enjoyable?" What should get my attention as mom?  How can everyone in the household move through the day in harmony rather than feel forced from one chaotic activity to the next? How do other moms do things in ways I admire or appreciate?

Home cooked foods.  Meaty lasagne and veggie too.  This is something to do with it.

A day into cat adjustments.

BlackJack is doing very well.  He loves his giant fleece snuggle bed made out of a big blanket on top of a quilt.  We tried to make him a little nest.  He didn't seem to mind having to sleep on his own in his safe room.  I guess he's never slept in a human bed before so he doesn't know what he is missing.  He hasn't mewed to want out at all yet.  He loves to peer out through the giant glass doors to see what's going on in the big room.  It's a nice set up, conveniently.  It is a lot like the humane society set up where his big walk in kitten cage was in the main lobby.  

Ellie is the cat's biggest fan.  She has forgotten all other interests and spent hours in the room with BlackJack.  She has learned proper petting technique and how to invite the cat over by staying still.  She mostly plays with him nonstop but today she did finally get him to come nap right next to her while she layed still.  

Ubi the dog is trying to adapt but she feels left out.  She wants to play and has a long way to go to understand cats.  It's strange to see her interest because if I thought she wanted a buddy, I might have gotten a puppy.  I think her interest will wane after a while.  

BlackJack has started to calm down at the sight of Ubi.  He understands the glass walls keep her out.  So now he goes right up to the glass and they look at each other, nose to nose through the glass.  That's a good step.  We don't plan anymore direct interaction than that until he gets his cat tree and has a vertical spot to perch.  I think he will figure out that Ubi is ground-ridden very quickly and that will help ease their relationship space-issues.

I have gotten a few minutes of petting the cat too, now.  His fur could use some freshening.  I don't want to wash it but I wonder what I might do to shed that "lived with 13 other cats in a cage for 3 months" look to him.  Maybe he will freshen himself as he settles into his new, larger life style.

He is curious to come out soon too, and see more of the house.  Maybe later.  Maybe tomorrow.  We're going with the flow.

Of course I really wish I had the other cat too so this could all be happening at the same time.  

Arrival of BlackJack the Cat

Here he is, BlackJack the cat.  He is a 3 month old kitten we adopted from the Humane Society today.  He will start off his home life in our heated, sunroom with all the things he'll need.  This is for safety of course, so he doesn't need to fend for himself against the resident dog, Ubi.  She is very eager to sniff BlackJack and learn all about him.  BlackJack the cat says he is not ready for this.  That's fine. No rush.  He seems happy to have his safe haven and doesn't mind us coming in and out to visit him.

Here is Julia offering BlackJack one of her goldfish crackers.  I suspect BlackJack has not seen this type of fish shaped cracker before.

We managed to sit at the dining room table for a family dinner (instead of the usual routine of feeding the kids first and catching our own dinner who knows when).  Julia finished her meal first and then offered the rest of us a little show of entertainment.