on days like this

olivia

I am home from a half day of work, typing on my new computer WITH THE INTERNET.  This is a big deal.  I have been internet-less (gasp) for quite some time now so you can expect really big things on this blog.  (not really)

I am in a monday funk.  After a weekend of playing music, hiking, and drinking really nice beer, this Monday is just not adding up-- even with the half day at work.

Instead of falling down the hole that is my PMS cycle, I realize now out of experience that I really just need to take a shower, blow dry my hair, and pick out a cute outfit for tomorrow and start all over.

Enjoy this photo of Olivia.  

xo  

Cat time

I have an insatiable desire to title every post I write

WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?

This desire also arrises when I am on the blue and white land of Facebook.

It's all I think of when I see that little box.

WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?  And I sing it in my head when I imagine writing it.

And speaking of cats and what's new with them.....

Olivia bit my hand quite hard this past weekend.  I am now ready to talk about it (unless you saw me in person and I put my hand in your face immediately and started telling the traumatic story)  But like my Dad always told me, when you have a great cat story in the palm of your hands you must tell the world.  The world.  And the world wide web. 

I was brushing Olivia on Saturday morning.  The sun was filtering through the window and we were sipping our coffee about to start our day.  

Olivia looked like she need a good brushin'.  So I grabbed my hair comb (we share, and it's okay to judge me.  I was also once caught bathing with Olivia by a roomate who shall remain nameless.)  In normal cat fashion she was all into it.  Her butt was in the air and she was lovin' some brushin'.  

Then a cold wind swept through the room.  A cloud rolled over the bright sun and darkness fell upon us.  Olivia got that look in her eyes.  That look that says, "I'm 'bout to EAT YO HAND MOTHER *&*(&.  ( I apologize for her vulgar mouth.  But that was the human translation to her facial expression)

I put my feet up in the chair an assumed position.  We've been down this road before a time or two.  Andrew stood by murmuring the school yard "ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  you're gonna get ittttttttttt".

No way.  Baby cat loves me fool.  

But little did I know that baby cat had transformed into KILLER cat.  

I mistakenly put my hand back down in front of her.  The killer claws came out and latched to my hand.  Her saber tooth teeth sunk into my hand.  

This was the bloody Sunday (er Saturday) aftermath.  

 I know.  It's hard to look at.  

Andrew went after Olivia with a small wooden American Flag.  Don't tread on us. 

She stood eating her food in her bowl and did not move and inch or stop eating while Andrew gave her a good whack.  Cat has some meat on her bones. 

As her mother, I instantly forgave my child and blamed it on her feral upbringing before I took over. 

Then I started to swell up.  

 And I ended up getting meds at Rite Aid for my animal attack bite. 

We are all on the path to healing, one day at a time.

And that's what's new pussycat. 

March, Secret Forts, and a Pimped Out Dish

Oh March.  I'm so excited you are here because that means that we are closer to spring and it's my birthday month!  It's also my Mom & Olivia's Birthday month.  woo hoo!

Hopefully March will bring us more spring teasing days like it was this past Sunday.  I have been so busy lately and haven't spent much time on the farm or with my love, the pups, or baby cat.  I think I smiled the entire day.  

I am so content in my little home, on this little hill in the world.  We are so blessed to have nature at our doorstep. 

 

We took a family walk down into the woods to our future "Forest Garden".  Andrew has been studying permaculture for months and months, reading everything he can get his hands onto.  I am so excited for what things will look like come Spring.  Lilly(above) is a big fan of the Forest Garden--and walks in general.  

Hunter and Charlie are quite the pair. Their favorite things to do together?  Wrestle and fight over sticks. 

 

 Olivia always joins us for family walks to the Forest Garden.  We start down the path and the pups run in front of us and then we call for Olivia.  I will have to video tape her walking down the path one day.  I seriously think she has an identity crisis.  She completely thinks of herself as one of the dogs. 

This is one of my favorite things.  It is our secret fort.  Right next to the Forest Garden I spied a pile of fallen trees and branches and my inner child was set free.  A FORT!  Not only that...a SECRET FORT.  We spent an afternoon clearing around it and adding sticks to the top to create a tiny shelter.  I will have to get better pictures of it but it is going to be my favorite hide out on the farm, I can already tell!

I also spied with my little green eye the most trailer-rific thing on Sunday.  I don't know how I didn't notice it before (shows you how crazy life has been lately) but we have a new addition to our rooftop.  We wanted cable---we got cable, and a new pimped out DISH!  Andrew felt so bad when he was explaining WHY it had to be placed above our beautiful door.  I guess it was the only place that would pick up reception.  Oh, just add it to the story of our trailer love.  xoxo

The month I can't spell!!!!

HELLO FEBUARY! I mean, February. Thank goodness we got that whole January mess over with.
February, treat me right baby, treat me right.

I'm out of the depths of despair. For reals. But I have found myself super busy. My days have somehow stretched from 6:30 a.m. to about an average of 7:00 p.m. That's a long time away from the farm....and I don't like it. BUT it's for good reasons and at least it is keeping me busy during the dark days of winter.

Not much else has changed on the home front, but Olivia has decided that she wants to lounge on the counter top--which she has never been allowed to do before. She is a persistent booger. But we figured out why she keeps getting up there.

HANK. The barn cat is creeping up to the window and making goo-goo love eyes at our Olivia. Hankerpants, as I affectionately refer to him as, watch it. Olivia might have a whole lotta lovin' to go around---but you are a barn cat. She, is a well-bred, long haired, sassy pants machine. We just can't have any messin' around going on.

Hank (Hankerpants)- Barn cat/Olivia stalker

Happy Febuary.

a wildly happy situation (written this morning)

I'm sitting in my living room (so maybe I'm in a fold up outdoor chair).

I'm watching my favorite movie in the world, "Fried Green Tomatoes".

Getting ready to sing here.

Blogging.

Eating Frosted Flakes.

and hanging out with my baby cat Olivia,

I think she has adjusted from the move.

teacher's pet

Today I rode in my first riding clinic. It definitely took my mind off of things for the day AND it means I have the best instructor, Andrew's mom Debbie. She is like the Yoda of horse training.

My bum hurts a tad but I am really excited about learning how to ride.

I drew a picture on microsoft paint of where I was hurting, but it just didn't turn out quite appropriate. Maybe one night I will expose some of my XXX microsoft paintings.

I rode shotgun with Andrew the rest of the afternoon helping with chores. We went to pick up straw, filled the water trough and hayed the fields. And then we had a barn night.

Barn nights are where we play some music, get down and dirty and work on both of the barns. I love watching the sun go down and the sky turn dark. It's so quiet up there. It's become one of my favorite thigns to do.

Olivia also came up to the barn to visit. (see above night-vision-ish pics from my phone camera). She is still warming up to the horses but she definitely did not warm up to Tarzan.

All this guy had to do was give her a look. He's one tough barn cat and he doesn't like anyone on his turf.

I'm off to stretch my legs and hope to be able to move in the morning. Night ;)

Soo.....whatcha been doin?

my list of new things:

Country time- Andrew has had to repeat to me over and over again "you can only do so much in one day". I'm still on city warp speed.

Weather talk- I think I have talked more about the weather this winter than I ever have in my life.

New Job- Full of nice people and close to home!

Chores- You can't live on a farm without chores, inside or outside of the house.

Puppy kisses- His name is Charlie. He is the niece and nephews new puppy. I am seriously trying to concoct a plan to steal a 4 and 5 years olds dog (after he is potty trained at his house, of course).

Weekday lunch dates with Andrew- Our spot: Subway at the Bp gas station. Sometimes, if you come on the wrong day and the wrong people are working, they will make your sub with hate. We always wind up laughing about our hate subs on those days.

"The Writing Initiative"- I'm going to really try and keep up with my personal journal entries, song writing and work on being less critical of myself.

Internet neglect- I have not been so disconnected from technology in my life. Some days it feels really nice and a lot less stressful, and then other days I miss connecting with so many people and all of my friends and just browsing through the news on a short break. It's really made me notice how much of my life, our lives, start to revolve around the internet. I don't know where I am going with this but I miss it as much as I love the freedom of being away from it. "Deep thoughts" by Valerie McQueen.

Farm cat Olivia- Olivia has taken over Cool Breeze Stables. Well, she has taken over the house anyways. She comes and goes inside and out and loooooooooves it here. She has even lost a few lbs. Now if I could make sure she stays out of the burrs when she goes outside....

That's what's new with me! I'll be better at posting from here on out! Just had to give an update.

love.

FOUND:

The creepiest Santa around.

We found him while unpacking christmas decorations.

Of course I wanted him to be on main stage display in our room.

And then I made Olivia have a christmas photo shoot.

man down.



She doesn't look like she enjoys this. But I think she secretly gets into the Christmas spirit.

And now creepy santa will send you off to sleep! Good night!

"If you don't like cats you don't like me"

While we are on the topic of therapy and self help and random cat cartoons, I believe that animals are a huge stress reliever. If I ever had a bad day I would just come home, scoop Olivia up and hug her until she got that look in her eyes like, "girl, i'm 'bout to bite you" (I believe that if Olivia could talk she would sound like Vivica A. Fox or Wanda Sykes). And I would always feel better.

I miss that 14lb love muffin (so she might be a little big boned).

Olivia has been living with Andrew for over 3 weeks now. I was going back and forth too much and she started to rebel here in Richmond. He says she is such a happier cat. She gets "turn out time" everyday. She runs around and plays with his moms shih tzu pups. She gets to be sassy and flirty with the big dogs (she has a way with large canines. It has been documented). She is so happy that sometimes she just up and decides to poo in Andrew's bathtub.

(There is no rhyme or reason behind her pooing in the bathtub. She just does it sporadically. The same spot. For no reason other than to say "Every once in a while I like to take a poo in the bathtub. So what? What you gonna do about it?" There is nothing wrong with her box.....sometimes she poos in it, sometimes she wants the bathtub. Any suggestions on what to do?)

She is a sass pants cat and she doesn't miss Richmond one bit. Problem is I miss her terribly. I stumbled upon this video that I took one night practicing my mad guitar skills (oh yes, A-E-D...gotcha down boys, gotcha down pat). Watch for the Olivia cameo.

You are my sunshine from Valerie McQueen on Vimeo.

I love her little face. I miss her little face.

in case you didn't know

and I AM crazy cat woman.

trouble was a brewin'

My porcelain thrown was hugged tight last night and I wanted nothing more than to NOT be by myself.

See, I love living alone...except when I get sick.

Not sure what's going on with my tummy but sickeness, alone in the dark, is horrible. Even if I know I am just going to throw up, I still have a flash of panic that this is my last hoorah.

This is it.

I am going to die alone, next to my toilet.

To cap off the night, after round 2 at 5:00am, I heated up some water for camomile tea (and found out I had none...perfect) but decided to sip on the hot water. That would have been great except I proceded to spill half of the NEAR BOILING water all over my chest.

Thank goodness for my Florence Nightingale, aka Olivia. She stayed up with me, kissing my nose when I got back into bed, curling up beside me and purring throughout the night.

I love my little cat.

i can't resist

sweet dreams.

Olivia, meet Hayden.

Fact: Soft, furry, black and white cats are afraid of horses.

Olivia, Queen of Hairballs:

She has a hairball problem

I have a problem with her hairballs.

and if you couldn't tell/didn't know, I am especially talented at Microsoft Paint. The paws were tricky...but I think the shading helped give life to this piece.