Last night I not only was dreaming in color, I was also dreaming about color. I was choosing colors for something. I don’t recall what it was. But it was first and forefront in my thoughts when I woke up.
I also remember dreaming about being in a car that was going too fast and veering out of control. I took the chance of opening the passenger door and jumping out. I was not hurt in the dream.
So dreaming in color and jumping out of cars. Hm. Well then.
I’ve given Charlie his meds, had my cereal and coffee, and am sitting here in the semi dark. It is very overcast outside.
The only bright lights are the Christmas tree. Thank goodness it’s still in one piece.
Ivy:
Oh my word, Ivy got my window blind cords in a fix yesterday. I have three window treatments on the living room window. The mini blinds came with the apartment. The bamboo shade is over that. And then the curtains that I never close is over that shade.
I spent a long time trying to untangle them and never did manage to. Not only that but she entangled the string that holds a toy from her cat tree in with them.
She loves to look out the window. So I had put her cat tree up on the little table by the living room chair. But I’m coming to the realization that Ivy may be getting too big for this cat tree.
It may be time for a bigger and sturdier one.
You may recall my saying recently that I did not want to be one of those people who get big honkin’ cat trees that take up a lot of space.
Every time she makes a big noise on the cat tree knocking it around Charlie is on his feet barking at her.
Lawsy Pete.
The Cat Tree:
She knocked the darned thing into the window yesterday and I thought she would break it. I have to move it yet again. And I can’t figure out a good place to put it where it doesn’t get knocked into windows. Because the whole idea is to let her look outside.
She loves that thing. Once I brought it into the living room where I am much of the time, she plays on it a lot.
When she’s not knocking it over, that is.
You know I’ll probably end up being one of those old women with a bunch of cats. Well, not a bunch. I can only have two pets. I know many people around here don’t follow that rule. But I’m a real stickler for rules.
Okay, now you can see her interest in the Christmas tree. Ivy Lou, don’t even think about it!
Well, I guess her making noise on that thing keeps Charlie entertained anyway. If there’s a big noise Charlie is up and barking about it.
You can be sure Ivy has her eye on a bird out there among the dead plants. My poor ugly dead plants!
Right where you see Ivy is/was the beautiful purple sweet potato vine that grew like crazy all summer. Now it looks terrible.
The Pet Bosses:
About 11 a.m. Ivy will start walking across me meowing. It means she wants her soft food. I feed it to her twice per day and dry food in between. She seems to know what time it is.
She will continue aggravating me till I get up and go in the kitchen and start preparing it. Once she sees I have it ready she will run back to the bedroom and jump up on the yellow table. Because that’s where she gets fed.
Then around 3 p.m. Charlie will start fussing at me about his egg. It’s now 2 eggs because Ivy can lap it up faster than he can with no teeth. I hold her away for a bit so he can eat the bulk of it. But she’s rather headstrong about that egg.
Digging For Treasure:
This morning she had once again lost one of those spring toys under the chest of drawers I have my small TV on in the bedroom. I spend a good amount of time trying to get her toys out of nooks and crannies for her.
I got my yard stick and swished it around under there. Out came two springy cat toys, a toilet paper roll, a Christmas tree ornament, and fuzz.
My days are dictated by a dog and a cat. They direct me and I do their bidding.
I’m surprised I don’t dream about pet food.
Good Lord, Ivy is over there tangling up the window cords again. I’ll never get them untangled.
Hi. I’ve had dreams of being in A vehicle that’s going too fast and out of control, and I once read that such dreams indicate there’s some area of life in which you feel out of control. Like we really need a dream to inform us of something we already know!! There’s always something going on that is hard to cope with. But my good news is, we finally found a second cat after weeks of visiting the local shelter. He’s a year-old ginger cat who is docile and sweet like our six-year-old tuxedo Calvin and they are becoming pals pretty easily. They are sleeping side-by-side on the love seat in well under a day’s time. The new guy’s name is Dylan which doesn’t really fit and we are just calling him Little Bit right now. We like people names for pets so we will figure out something. It feels normal around here to have two cats again like we’ve had in the past. Hope you and your buddies have a nice day!
I think someone mentioned that cats and children can strangle themselves playing with cords from blinds. I have to bunch mine up with a rubberband and and get it up high enough that my kitty can’t reach it. I figure that she has lots of other safe toys and doesn’t need to play with the cords. It is extra trouble but worth the peace of mind. Now if I could just figure out how to keep her out of the kitchen cabinets at night. She opens them like a little person and goes exploring.
Which is against the house rules. Never had a cat do that before.
I don’t really know if I dream in color or not. If I do I’m not particularly aware of it one way or another–I mean versus black and white. I have dreamed in Spanish, though. I minored in Spanish in college and one summer I went to Costa Rica with a work camp group and while I was there I started dreaming in Spanish. I was fairly fluent by then but it still surprised me when it happened.
Ivy Lou sounds like a whirlwind! And looking at the picture of the cat tree it does seem like the pole to the top is not very big around for it’s length. I can definitely see Ivy getting it to teeter and fall as she gains weight. Maybe you could just let her lie on the table by the window and look out. You don’t want that tree crashing through the window for sure. I know cats like to get up high but she’d just have to cope if the tree disappeared!
Cold, cold, cold here. And cloudy, cloudy, cloudy. Yesterday was bright and sunny with blue skies–for about two hours! I’ve decided to just take a “hunkered-down” attitude and meditate on the flowers I’m going to plant in the Spring. Actually, after the holidays I am planning to work really hard on the clutter clearing that needs to be done. Hopefully, I’ll have it mostly conquered by the time I am able to get outside and play in the dirt again. That’s my plan, anyway!
The photo of Charlie makes me think “long suffering” regarding his tho’ts about “that crazy cat!” I bet he thinks “What is wrong with her, anyway?” Dogs can be pretty destructive when they are puppies but I don’t think most of them are quite as mischievious as kittens. They are a law unto themselves as you are witnessing with your little mischief-maker. Well, hang in there, you and Charlie, she will grow up eventually!
Weekend’s coming up again. Seems like it was just Monday! Hope yours is cozy and warm. Take care.
I see that others beat me to telling you about Ivy and the blind cords and that you took care of it. Whew.
I have a big cat tree (3 staggered round beds) in front of our living room window. It must be quite sturdy because Monkey is a huge, heavy cat (about 15 lbs) and he jumps straight up to the top bed without the thing falling over.
Oh yes, cats definitely know what time it is when it comes to feeding time! It’s amazing how they can “tell time” and come looking for you and meow at you.
I dream in color, too and I’ve had the same dream you’ve had (quite a few of them, actually) about being in a car that was out of control. I’ve read different dream interpretations on this one…that your life is out of control or that things are moving too fast or chaotically for you. You jumping out of the car in the dream seems like a good thing to me – it sounds like it means that you took over things that were seemingly out of control; that you weren’t going to let those things control you.
Just make sure that she can’t strangle herself in the cord. She sure is a beeler!!! I remember when my two cats were young (long gone now) and they got into everything! They sounded like a herd of elephants running around the house.
Cats are amazing ,I have owned one all my life .They are all different but can get into anything if they want to .
Ivy Lou is a riot and she certainly keeps Charlie on his toes .He will probably outlive her .He needed her as bad as you did .
Your life is never boring with those two around !
Glad you are enjoying your lovely tree and decorations ,I sure hope Ivy doesn’t tear up the tree skirt inside the container but hey if she does it is not the end of the world !
Just roll with it that is what I am learning to do with all the changes in my life !
two lines that may say it all.
Cats don’t have owners, they have staff.
Cats don’t have owners, they have clients.
When I read your latest post I looked around and thought of my own little cottage in the woods. Raskle, my black Shi Su, is asleep on the couch. And my two kittens are on the poarch, playing with the cords of our mini blinds through the windows. It is dark here also. You see, we are expecting snow. My husband and I live in the middle of the Watchata National Park. Our home is nestled in the mountains on a dirt road that is rarely traveled. When I walked into the woods this morning to release my chickens from their pen small little crystals were already dancing around in the cold morning air. The girls, as I call them, are always ready to get out and this morning was no different. They don’t mind the weather but I hurried to gather the eggs and return to the warmth of my kitchen.
The apple butter that is simmering on the stove smells spicy as I give it a stir. This will make great Christmas gifts for my friends and family.
I truly enjoy your blog and look forward to you next installment.
As always, Vera
Ivy sure keeps you hoppin and entertained. She has such a curious personality.
Little Charlie looks so cute in the picture.
I am not liking seeing all the dead outside my windows too in the garden. Wish it were summer again and plants and flowers everywhere instead of dead leaves and plants.
Happy Thursday.
Kris
I know. It’s so sad to remember how beautiful all the plants were.
I cannot stop laughing about Ivy! She has turned your world upside down! For the life of me, I don’t know how you get anything done, it sounds like you are constantly having to keep her out of trouble! Poor Charlie, I would just love to know what goes through his mind…LOL
Well, your dream sounds as bizarre as mine…I dreamed that I bent an iron in half…while it was hot and then tried to use it and it scorched my shirt…LOL
Love and hugs!!
Benita, you are goofier than me and that’s saying something! You’re right. I’m helping pets more than getting much done.
Brenda, I know what you mean about the cord from the blinds. I have a bedroom window, close to my bed, and the cat can walk from the bed to the window sill. When we moved in, I thought nothing about that cord, until she too, got caught in it, when she was standing on her hind legs on the window sill, to “attack” a squirrel, that was outside running up a tree next to the window Anyway, I tied the cord in a couple bows, to shorten it up and she can’t reach it now. The cat will meow too, or ask in a certain voice, for her wet food that she gets twice a day. I always have dry food out too, so she eats whenever. Her favorite treat, and she gets MANY during the day,..is now people food, When I fry up bacon, I crunch two pieces up in tiny nibbles, and she gets a few, on the floor,next to her wet food, which is in her dish. The bacon always goes first. How did I find out she likes bacon…Ha, ha, you ask..When she was younger, (and not fat) I left some out on the kitchen counter, that we hadn’t eaten. I say younger, because she could jump up higher then. Wondered for a few moments, how that bacon disappeared..Too old now, to do any jumping, but that nose of hers can still sniff out the bacon, when it’s being fried. Hugs to you Brenda, and to Charlie and Ivy.
I have the cords far up with clothespins around them.
Maybe Ivy is good for Charlie, entertaining him and keeping his spirits up! He has to sort of help take care of her, so she may be good for his mental health. She is keeping him and all of us entertained!
I do think she’s good for him. But earlier he was walking down the hall and she pounced on him. Poor thing. That short hall is where all the action is.
Ivy is probs looking at the Christmas tree to get another orn down cuz you said she already hid one underneath the chest of drawers. Never a dull moment with Ivy!?
Charlie must be feeling better cuz he’s making sure she doesn’t get in trouble.
That’s a good sign!
I hope your having a better day than yesterday Brenda! J x
He seems a bit better today.
LOL!! I needed this today so thank you. You might as well remove that white netting from around your Christmas tree as Miss Ivy Lou is going to figure out a way to get her little paws on it. I once had a cat that would scale the curtains (it’s a wonder I got my deposit back when I moved as the curtains were just riddled with prick marks from her claws). It’s like having a 2 year old toddler in your home along with a 10 year old child and the older one is always ready to report the younger one’s bad behavior to momma. I just love it! Charlie looks like he is feeling good and don’t let Ivy get his fair share of the egg since Charlie does enjoy that little treat. Yes, we are slaves to our fur babies; my Molly is spoiled rotten. Enjoy your afternoon.
Carol and Molly
xoxoxo
I make sure Charlie gets the bulk of the eggs. Yes, I don’t think she’s ever going to leave that netting alone. Nearly knocked the whole thing down earlier.
Ivy Lou will get that netting, just you wait and see!
Hi Brenda, You should loop those cords around the top, out of reach.
Ivy could very easily get tangled, and choke.
God forbid ,but it is a very terrifying possibility.
Good Luck.
You’re right. I didn’t think of them until I moved it over there yesterday. I’m moving the cat tree anyway.
Someone emailed that I should clip those cords up away from Ivy and that’s what I did.
Good morning! It sounds like you have had a busy morning with the pup and the cat, my pups dictate my life as well. But that is ok. I hope that you are having a great day! Thanks for sharing your cuties, I love seeing them.
Oh, but we love them so much we don’t mind, do we?
Maybe the base of the cat tree is too small. Could you possibly have your handyman cut out a piece of plywood about twice the size of the original one and screw it to the original base? I am thinking that Ivy is making the tree top heavy and that is why it’s falling over. Just a thought.
That would make it even more unwieldy because it’s the screwed together parts that are wobbly. I’ve decided the round pedestal at the top is much of the problem. I moved it against a wall and she knocked it over and almost knocked the Christmas tree over. Scared her so bad she’s hiding in her cat carrier and won’t come out.
Oh my gosh, Brenda, these Ivy stories crack me up!!! She’s quite the little crackpot, and no doubt she keeps you busy, busy, busy!!! She is so lucky she ended up with you, where she can be loved and spoiled. Maybe you should look into getting her a cat cave – they have square ones that she can hide in but also sit on top of to look out the window – she would have a harder time knocking that over!
I’ll check them out.
So much cute entertainment happening in your home! Enjoy!
Who needs TV?
Oh my Brenda, That is too funny! I love to hear about Ivy and Charlie. I wish I had a few pets, but no time… Maybe when I get to retire I will get me a couple. 🙂 I hope you have a great day!!
Angie
They are funny pet kiddos.