You Gotta Be Kitten Me

I have been very busy caring for and socializing the kitten, which has been quite time-consuming – spending several hours every day out on the back porch with her, and then in the house.  She has become very friendly with Maggie and I, and now Stevie.  And no kitten, I took a lot more photos.

Now that she and Stevie are together, I may experience situations such as this, seen in the left photo.  She is getting along great with Maggie and Stevie, playing with them both.  There is also a lot of chasing around.  I am still in pursuit of a name for her.  The top contenders are: Monita, Tres, Bitty, Sassy, Amor, Pebbles or Gata.  I would love any feedback.

It was 52 degrees, cloudy, breezy, and drizzling rain when I got up at 6:45 Saturday.  You have got to be kitten me!  Little kitty was huddled under the heat lamp, sleeping in her box bed.









By 8 am I got word that the outdoor pools would be closed again, so I did not have to leave for work in 30 minutes.  What a relief.  But now, what to do?  The gloom and cold did nothing to get me motivated.  I played out on the deck with the kitten, trying to get a selfie of us.

You gotta be kitten me, a selfie with a kitten is easier said than done.  It took me over ten attempts to finally get the above photo.

With the remnants of Hurricane Harvey passing through Tennessee, it was too cold to stay out on the back deck long, so I went inside. 

I decided to try and turn on the fireplace, but it would not light.  The pilot flickered for almost a minute, it then beeped and went out without the gas ever igniting.  Are you kitten? Ugh.









So, I heated up more tea, used a big beach towel as a cover, and snuggled in on the back porch swing.  I started a new Sue Grafton book and little kitty and Maggie joined me.  Again I attempted more photos.

Lots of reading, playing, and photographing occurred, and I even posted another (video).






























 





And we all eventually took a little cat nap.

Finally it cleared off, I walked the dog a few miles, showered, and then got ready for an early evening departure.  Shirley picked me up at 3:45.

We arrived at Hebbertsburg in plenty of time to get a seat.  Michele joined us a little later.










We danced all the fast songs, resting during the slow ones and while the Sweet Teas (cloggers including Shirley) performed.

The little town party - shindig, hoedown, or hootenanny (what ever you call it) was over at 8:00.  You gotta be kitten me.  So early.  So I rode with Michele to Red's to see what was going on there.  The Karaoke was hopping and there was more dancing to occur.







And then, because it was Michele's last weekend before heading home to California, I continued on with her to Mega-Bites.  We stayed there, dancing until late into the night.  I wasn't in bed until 2 am, no kitten. 

Sunday morning rolled around before I was ready to roll out of the hay.  I only had time for one cup of tea and a short dog walk before leaving for church, where I sat with Shirley.  It was a beautiful sunny day.  Maggie hung out with Stevie, inside for a change.














Once home from Church, I spent some time blogging and computerizing out on the back porch... and watching the kitten and dog (video).

Little kitty continues to feel and act better each day, and has become even more playful and trusting, and snugly.















I met Michele at the indoor pool at 2:00, where we tanned, talked, swam and sat in the hot tub until 4:30.  Home for an early dinner, I then hit the trail, hiking with Maggie in another section of the Hiking Marathon.  My night was spent reading and then sleeping out on the back porch, snuggling with the kitten.

Monday morning little kitty woke me up playing with my hair.  I got out of my sleeping bag, scurried around collecting trash, including used kitty litter, and hauled it out to the street before I remembered that it was a holiday and trash pick-up would be delayed a day.  So I brought the trash back in.

It was another enjoyable morning on the back porch, blogging, internet surfing, and hanging out with two of my three pets.  But I had been feeling sorry for Stevie so tried to spend some time inside with her.

What's not to like about these two.  Stevie still needed to get in on the action once little kitty was out of quarantine.

While little kitty was resting on my lap I noticed her breathing was still quite labored.  I tried to take a (video) to capture the sounds of her raspy inhaling, but it didn't work too well.






On our way to hike another marathon trail, I stopped by Mirror Lake to set out our chairs.  Are you kitten me, all the center stage hillside spots were already taken.  I squeezed our chairs in the back (near the red trailer) in front of where the cash bar would be.

Then Maggie and I set out on our three mile hike.  This is a cool cairn we saw, showing the amazing balancing act of the big rock on top of a little rock. 


It was plenty warm so I let Maggie go into the stream for a drink.

It took us just over an hour to complete the trail loop.

Maggie was dog tired when we got home, so tried napping in the sun.  But guess who wanted to play with her.  The dog was probably thinking, "You gotta be kitten me."




I did go out in the yard and work for about 90 minutes, mostly picking up sticks (blown down from Harvey's winds) and pulling a few tall weeds.  My surprise Lilies have bloomed, but really need to be planted deeper. 

Soul Soup, I would say the Glades favorite band, played at Mirror Lake Blast... and they were a blast, playing tons of great dancing songs and even going till 9 pm, an hour past their contract time.  Shirley, Michele and I sat together in the way back, but Michele and I were up dancing much of the time so had an up close view of the band.






Once home I did pet care, including a quick walk and serving them a late dinner.  Then to wind down I sat and read out on the back porch.  It was a lovely evening... until... I took Maggie for her bed time walk at 10:15.  At the end of the driveway, she lunged at and grabbed a skunk.  Are you kitten me?  Needless to say, she got skunked.

I believe she got a mouthful of spray, including some on her face and chest.  Once she peed, I left her in the garage and went to get a special cleaning agent for skunk.  By the time I returned to the garage, she had thrown up four times.  One huge pile, on the carpet floor mat, had a white slime in it that smelled stronger of skunk than she did.  So nasty.  After cleaning up the throw-up I spent 40 minutes sponge bathing Maggie's face and chest.  Then I left her to sleep in the garage, and I got in bed way late.

I woke Tuesday morning still smelling skunk. 😒  We were under a major storm system.  There was lots of lightening and loud thunder and it did not come as any surprise that the outdoor pools would be closed all day, which meant I didn't have to go in to work.  I sat on the back porch with computer, dog, and kitten, and watched it storm (video).

At one point the storm let up some and this Great Blue Heron came to do some fishing.  You can barely see him and his reflection in the right photo.


After another big storm had passed through, I took Maggie to walked Library Trail, to check for downed trees, since I am the trail monitor.


I had the pleasure of seeing not one, but two Eastern Box turtles.  The creek under the bridge was really full, but all was holding up well and the trail was unobstructed.

Then I took the kitten to the vet.  She has doubled her weight in ten days, tested negative for Feline Leukemia, and her fecal sample was clear of worms.

So I brought her home and let her meet Stevie.  There was almost no growling or hissing, just chasing back and forth as each was a little unsure about the other.  I took this (video) of Stevie meeting little kitty for the first time.  Maggie watched, but worried about the thunder in the distance.










I slipped in another quick dog walk when the rain had let up to a sprinkle and then Michelle and I went for a late lunch, enjoying a beer, pizza (with her coupon) and side salad.

I came home and spent more down time with dog and cats.  I am so glad there is no growling or hissing, just chasing back and forth as each cat is a little unsure about the other (video).   Then I decided to let the kitten in just our bedroom.  It was too cold to have the sliding door open all the way, so I put bubble wrap to insulate most of the air space, but had a small opening at the bottom.  Both cats could go in and out, which gave the kitten access to her hang out (the dog crate with food, water, bed, toys, and litter box).


The kitten thoroughly explored our room, but went out to her litter box when needed (a good sign), and to grab a bite to eat.  She and Stevie continued to romp, play, and chase around.









Michelle came over before 8 pm and we watched a movie, The Minions, which neither of us had seen before.  It was cute.  


I gave the kitten access to the bedroom over night.  She continue to explore the room, and played with (pestered) me while I read (video).  She did sleep with me part of the night.
















 

I noticed when I woke Wednesday morning that kitten was sleeping under the heat lamp
in her box bed.  Our bedroom was on the chilly side.

I did my computer thing in the bedroom where kitten and cat could play under my watchful eye I stuck little kitty back in her crate and went to Lady's Club at 10:15.  The food and conversation were great, but the business meeting and later the presentation both drug.




I got home to find Joe home from Illinois, but asleep on our bed.  I moved the kitten crate into the living room because the day's high was only to be 65 and the evenings are just getting way too cold.






Do you see (above) who is hiding in the kitten cage?  Stevie, seen better in right photo.






I sat for a long time and watched as the kitten explored the new territory and interacted with Stevie and played with her cat toys.



















Maggie also got in on the action.








I weeded in back for about 90 minutes, causing my back to feel quite sore.

You gotta be kitten me, this looks like poison ivy, and has completely taken over the large bed across the back of our yard.  I used gloves for a change and was thankful it was easy to pull, if I had a hold of each stem.









I didn't finish the whole bed, but made good headway.

I took Maggie to the Overlook trail and we walked this two mile section of the hiking marathon

At a distant glance, these white leaves look like trash on the trail.  Not sure what they are and what pigmentation gives them this white color in the fall.










It was 7 pm when Maggie and I got home. (Joe was at a poker game.)  Dinner for four (counting pets), shower, phone calls, dishes, laundry, and packing were completed before I sat back down here to catch up with life in the cyber world and make notes for this blog, but it was getting late and I was too tired to accomplish much.

I worked the opening shift Thursday.  The water was 67 degrees, but warmer than the air.

I only had three customers all morning, and joked that these vultures were circling overhead, waiting for one of them to jump in the pool and freeze to death. 

Mike came to work early so I could get home and ready for Shirley and Judy to pick me up at 1:30.

I was ready to go, ahead of schedule, and our drive to Nashville was unhindered, so we had plenty of time to kill before the show.  We went to the Opry Mills Mall to look around and do a little shopping.









This hunting / camping store had a huge aquarium and nature display that I enjoyed.

Then we ate an early dinner at the Rainforest Cafe in the mall.  It had a huge aquarium at the entrance.


It was a wild, sometimes noisy place to eat with real looking vegetation and rainstorms every half hour that made the forest come to life with thunder and lightening, roaring tigers, trumpeting elephants and rowdy gorillas (video).

Finally it was time to make our way to the Odysseo Horse Show, by Cavalia.  We were still plenty early and had an hour wait. 






We went into the VIP entry area and sat there waiting for Courtney and the doors to open.


Courtney arrived and there was more picture taking.







Once inside, under the big top, we looked around the gift shop and at all the art work, sculptures and paintings.

The Odysseo show was absolutely amazing.  It combined awe-inspiring equestrian arts with imaginative stagecraft, amazing acrobatic feats and cutting-edge technical effects.  



I illegally took the two lower photos which don't do the show justice, but give you an idea where we sat.

The rest of these photos, this Odysseo by Cavalia Trailer, and the italicized descriptions I got off of the internet.















This multi-million dollar extravaganza expands the definition of performance into a mythical yet soulful theatrical experience.

The show takes the audience on an epic journey to some of nature’s greatest wonders. It is an absolute feast for the eyes that succeeds in delivering the spectacular with soul. 
















During an African scene with these guys, they got the crowd to chant "Owalu-guere-mufan,"  a phrase in the Susu language meaning "No more war on Earth."

And I must agree with this web site, that "the most endearing aspect of the production was when things just went a tad off-kilter; it was nice to be reminded that at the end of the day, horses are still horses. Not every horse formation was perfect, and once or twice during a movement a couple of horses went off on their own. But that added to, rather than took away from, the show as a whole. It showed how trainers could calm horses with a gentle touch, and that horses are spirited creatures."   


















There were many great acrobatic numbers and trick riding acts.





There were majestic special effects and the special relationship between human and horse was portrayed often.

We four girls left at the end of the show, feeling completely amazed.  We are so thankful to have seen this performance.

Back at Courtney's, we chatted some, with Mike and each other, before turning in for the night.



Shirley, Judy and I were up Friday morning and to IHOP after Courtney and Mike had already left for class and work respectively.  We got home at 11:30 and all was well with the cats and dog.

Thanks to Joe for caring for them and helping fund our little get away.

I worked 12:45 - 5:15, came home and laid down on the couch, not feeling well.  You gotta be kitten me, not a fall cold already.  I did a nasal treatment that helped my sinus congestion a lot, and went to bed before 8:00.