Time Warp Tuesday

So, as I am frantically cleaning the carpet in my house because we have two dogs and I have a meeting here tonight, I was thinking about when I was growing up - we had cats. Cats do not put huge muddy footprints all over your carpet. Cats might leave you dead things on the porch, but you don't have to steam clean a porch. Besides, we always had cool cats. Growing up, we had a black and white cat who was part siamese, part alley cat. His howls once scared off someone who had broken in our house because he sounded like a baby crying. He died, and my mother swore she was going to get one, beige, female cat.

 We ended up with two, black and white male litter mates. Boots (on the left) and Spats (on the right). Boots because he had white boots, and spats because he looked like he was wearing them.

They were loving brothers their whole lives. Boots was so big and rather fierce towards the neighborhood dogs. They would walk AROUND him on the sidewalk. Spats would lay on top of the fridge, hang over one corner and look like a gargoyle. We also trained them to dance for treats, and they loved the little sticky octopus things that would walk down a wall. They were great cats.

They also would do things like jump on the table, or rub the ribbon edge of a blanket on their teeth (right next to your ear), leave me dead things on the porch while I was running to catch the bus in high school, meow to go out and come in (They were indoor/outdoor - out as they desired during the day but in at night). They did love this scratching post - and would sleep in it often. 

When they were older, my brother moved back home and brought his two cats. A large, white, dumb cat named Turbo, and a small, multicolored pscyho cat named Shadow. Boots and Spats tolerated them, but they definitely still ruled the roost. 

Spats died first, and then boots later on. My mother spoke about getting a kitten, but never did. We tend to have long lived cats in our family, and I think she was worried it would outlive her. 

I really want a cat. My youngest really wants a cat. Instead, I have two boxer/hound mixes, who are loving and wonderful in their own way, but I really, really want a cat. Or actually, what I really want is my cats, back again. 

Mid Terms

So this week is mid terms at the high school. So I have two rather stressed young men.
They will survive and so will I, I think.

Just a quick note to say I'm here, we are all done with Christmas, although I keep finding decorations that I forgot about - like the santa in my window.

It's going to be one of those weeks, meetings every night and then a seminar to give on Sunday. WOWZA.

Nothing too new to add. Tomorrow I'll have a post up about time warp tuesday, sponsored by Jenn at Juggling life. Oh, wait, we did get to go out to dinner with another couple this weekend - wife birthday dinner, at a very nice downtown restaurant. I had salmon on goat cheese grits and some green leafy thing. Very good, but oh so pretentous. The creamer for our coffee? Silver, wedge shaped and didn't hold but a smidgen of cream. Funny. Good food though. And fun to be grownups.

For today, it's raining. We need it, so I'm not whining, but it's also like 65 degrees. Which is just too weird for words. And my dogs don't like the rain. The bigger one looks at you like you have done this on purpose just to torture him.

Well, off to work I suppose. My enthusiasm this morning is a bit lacking. But I must go, and then come home and frantically clean for a meeting here tonight. I've already cleaned the carpet to get the dog footprints up. That should last about a day.