A Weekly Update + Porch Plants
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It has been cold and rainy here all week. I can’t recall a time when it was cold this late in May. But here we are. And I’ll take it, because it gets hot and stays hot for quite some time here.
On Monday, I had a root canal. They drilled through the bridge I had put in in the late fall. So now the last tooth on the bottom right has been dealt with and filled.
It’s now been four days, and I hope the worst is behind me. They said the most painful days might be days 3 and 4. I’m on day 4.
But I have more dental work ahead of me, for at least three teeth that I know of on the top right side of my mouth. Out of pocket, I’ve spent around $ 9,000 on dental work in the last 8 months. Ugh!
Well, at least I only have one more payment on the washer/dryer in June.
The Look of My Couch This Week:
I changed the look of the couch again this week, with a different quilt and pillow covers.
One of these days, I’ll have to do a post on the many looks of the living room couch.
The Family:
I guess Kendra’s doing okay since her tooth extraction on Monday, as I haven’t talked to her since. She had a hectic workweek ahead of her, I know.
She’s still working on the hoarder house. I think she was closing on Riley’s house this week, too. At the same time, she is working on houses she’s contracted with people to renovate.
Kasi has been in Chicago on business. She works from home for an insurance company called HUB International.
It is a leading global insurance brokerage and risk management firm that provides property and casualty, employee benefits, life and health, investment, and wealth management services.
It is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and it operates hundreds of offices across the United States and Canada.
Rhonda:
I haven’t seen Rhonda for a few weeks. Her mother has been in the hospital, and that has kept her busy. Plus, her dog is having eye problems, and she’s been having to take her to an eye specialist.
Her sister has come from out of state to help out, so hopefully that will take some of the load off of her.
The Kitties:
Never, ever, split up bonded kittens!
The Bonded Bobbsey Twins
Daisy has figured out how to open the kitchen cabinet doors. I wonder where that will lead? I don’t want to hear glass breaking. Or food being taken out of the pantry.
At night, when I’m in the bedroom watching TV, Simon has started leaping from the dresser that the TV is on to the nearby built-in shelves. A span of at least 3 feet, and he jumps to one of the top shelves. So I don’t dare put anything up there.
As for Ivy, she has decided that she likes the baby comb that came along with the baby brush the vet told me to order. She reacts much better to the comb.
If I leave the baby brush out, Simon often drags it to parts unknown. The kittens seem afraid of being brushed. Maybe Simon sees it as an enemy.
The Outdoor Kitties & the Container Garden:
A little while ago, I went out to the porch to check on the plants, and I’m happy to see that they’re looking much better. Usually by this time in May, the flowers are in full bloom. But this year we’ve had more cold weather.
I’m having trouble feeding the outdoor cats because a flock of dark birds is feasting on the cat food I put out. I wish they’d move along. This morning, I put the food out, and the birds came to gobble it up.
Then one of the orange cats came up to the porch while I was out inspecting my plants, and the bowl was empty. I came inside to get more food. Then a bit later, the black and white cat wandered up to an empty bowl. So by 11 a.m. I’d put cat food out three times.
Does anyone know how to dissuade those birds? I think they’re common grackles. Furthermore, my porch now has bird poop all over it. I keep having to use the hose to rinse it off, and it doesn’t come off easily. That stuff is like glue.
It sure is overcast out there. There’s just a slight breeze ruffling the leaves on the tree next door. I can see it through my front window, where Daisy lurks waiting for those birds to arrive.
I guess we’re in for more rain.
Daisy Behind the Sideboard:
Here she is in her favorite spot, waiting for those silly birds, which are quite noisy. She likes to get down on the windowsill and watch through the slats of the settee out on the porch.
When she sees them, she makes a sound low in her throat that kind of sounds like yodeling.
My container garden seems to delight in all this rain. It’s probably better than expensive fertilizer.
I’ve lost 2-3 plants to the unseasonal cold. I hope I remember next year so I can protect them better. I don’t remember this happening before. It’s frustrating because the prices have really gone up this year.
Your cats are a hoot! I enjoy hearing about them. Sadie Mae, my 2 year old with 1 eye, loves cabinets. She is the most curious cat I’ve ever had. She’s jumped up in the refrigerator too. I really have to be careful when I open cabinets since she is gray and sneaks in like a thief. She doesn’t mind being in the dark for a bit but that’s more cleaning for me.
I know what you mean. Normally, I would have bought plants in the middle of April, but I got them later. Here, it has been pretty cool in the middle of May. Cats are hilarious! So fun!
I have a gas line that runs across the back of my yard with huge pine trees on it. Every spring the grackles arrive and the patio is strife bombed with bird droppings. This year a stray cat arrived and adopted us and magically the grackles moved on. This feral cat jumps about 4 feet in the air while hunting so I assume their departure was a matter of self preservation. I do not miss their mess!
I guess this horde of grackles isn’t afraid of the stray cats.
My parents had hords of outside cats…all dumped on them from other people as they lived in the country on the edge of town. Sometimes someone would come and select one to take home, but mostly they fed them. However, early on, when the cat crowd was few, the chickens got the upper hand and if those cats wanted to eat in peace, my mom had to feed them after dark. Your outside kitties would learn to come later I would think…however, if you have a gob of raccoons, skunks, or possums…that might not work. If you fed them inside something that had a small opening, do you think the birds would come inside it? Usually birds are afraid to go inside things that are on the ground…
The neighbor had an open cage to catch a cat for neutering. They went inside the cage for the food.
Brenda, happy Memorial Day weekend. The kitties are adorable and I always love pics of your container garden…as for the birds, I googled how to deter birds, this sounded feasible…To protect the food from birds and the weather, it’s advisable to find a sheltered spot, or build a canopy to cover the food. Suitable feeding stations can easily be fashioned by someone with basic carpentry skills or made out of large plastic tubs or trashcans, cut to permit access by the cats.
Maybe a $store DIY…good luck
I’ll have to do some DIY googling, I guess.
Good Morning Brenda,
I have the same problem with those birds! They seem to show up in large groups too. I’ve tried everything to deter them. They just keep coming. They can empty my 6 bird feeders in less than a half of a day! I suppose they serve a purpose but dang.
The kitties sound like a couple of 2 yrs old children. Always into something for sure. My dog Zoey is the only dog I’ve had that seems to be into whatever mess she can find. Can’t keep this one clean she’s such a tomboy!
Yes, that sounds accurate. Two-year-old children. That sounds like the kittens.
Hi BrendaAlthough i don’t always comment, yours is one of a very few long-time blogs i continue to follow!
My suggestion about your cats doing things they should not is use a spray bottle filled with water.. it will not hurt them in any way!
After a few times of being sprayed, they quickly learn the sound of the bottle being shaken, and will immediately stop their antics, look at you to see if another .spray is coming!
Sometimes a second shot is necessary.. but usually the sound of the bottle being shaken is deterrent enough!
I keep several of these small Dollar store spray bottles sitting around in various yet handy places.
This method has been my #1 way of deterring unacceptable feline behavior for years..and it works!