Well Rested

Hi Friends,

No post yesterday because it was mostly a lazy day of recovering from Saturday's horror. But oh yes, there was napping.

World's most comfortable couch for the win

Also, I am happy to report that G, while still somewhat itchy pants, is not nearly as itchy pants as she was last week. She is still shedding, but no longer scratching as often or having to rub her back all over various pieces of furniture and doorways.

I have been giving her so much attention that yesterday when B came over for some cuddles, Groundy immediately and insistently inserted herself between us.

We DID attempt a Carl's run. I think this could work in the future but the line was LONG. It was so long and we wanted ice cream so much that one of us, and I am not naming any names or pointing any fingers, couldn't control herself. There was drooling and a bit of yelling and some invasion of the personal space of our fellow patrons. Again, I'm not saying who...I will say that I made the executive decision to go home and made G a homemade doggy sundae complete with dog treat toppings.

And look:

Okay, admittedly, G and I don't take a great selfie, but it's nice extra proof that all is well and she is quite a happy lady. It also seems worth mentioning that if you crouch down next to her, she will immediately lie on her back for belly rubs and act very confused when you instead put a camera in her face. Also, she will probably lick your chin if you aren't looking.

 

In kitty news: P wins the award for best sleeper. He is so still and barely stirs all night long BUT he loses some points because he is also the one who tries to make first morning happen earlier and earlier. This morning he was angling for 4:30. He was quite mistaken.

 

The boys have a very cute new tradition wherein they hang out together like this while G and I take care of various second morning chores.

 

It's almost like a meeting, except B is facing the wrong way and P is on the conference table. But besides that, I am sure they are discussing very important matters.

 

My girls have not pulled down any more blinds and still seem okay with my absence. Mostly they are just fascinated by my shoes whenever I go feed them.

 

We hope you have a cool and lovely afternoon!

 

Groundy, Grammy and Amanda's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Saturday Morning

Spoiler Alert: This story has a happy ending.

Warning: This story is not for the faint of heart.

Yes. That is poop. 

So, everything started out normal. First morning came and went, as did second morning, complete  with a nice long weekend walk. I set up the gate because Grammy was coming to garden and went and started the coffee.

Grammy came and greeted G and after a bit of chatting, I went inside to fix my coffee and left G on the porch (note: this was a huge mistake).

I was inside for maybe 3-4 minutes when I heard: SRABBLE SCRABBLE SHUFFLE SCRABBLE

I thought, "What kind of weeding makes that noise?"

I went out to investigate and that's when I saw it: G's body was on one side of the porch railing, while her face was in Grammy's hands on the other side. Apparently, her zeal to help garden coupled with the fact that she's convinced she's a cat, led her to try and leap through the lattice part of the railing, but it turned out much more like this:

She was twisting and trying to pull herself out, so I pretty much laid down on top of her back end while Grammy continued to hold her head  and we tried to calm her down and we. Did. Not. Know. What. To. Do.

Picture this dialogue whilst frantically staring at each other:
Grammy: "What do we do?"
Amanda: "What do we do?"

After a while of that conversation, Grammy went across the street and got Jeff (note: he is the hero of this story...and probably life in general).

Jeff came running back with a bucket of soapy water (convenient, as I was going to bathe her anyway today) and soaped up her head and the railing. We tried to gently twist her head and VERY gently pull it back through but it was really and truly stuck.

[It should be noted that at this point, I was trying to think of how I would explain to you that Groundy now lives on the porch.]

While I was panicking and still lying on top of your dog, Jeff went back to his house and got a saw.

You guys, I am not going to lie: this was scary.

Grammy and I held G VERY VERY VERY still and whispered sweet things to her and Jeff, skillfully and not unlike a superhero, cut her free.

G celebrated her freedom by running and jumping and pooping and seemed relatively unfazed. I cannot say the same for the humans.

Here she is with her soapy head right before I gave her approximately 10,201 treats.

I picked up the poop and Jeff is mending the bit of porch and Grammy got the weeding done. Later, I will be making Jeff cookies. All of the cookies. And even that will be woefully insufficient.

The whole situation lasted maybe 7 minutes start to finish. 

Lesson Learned # 1: G does not go out on porch alone. EVER.
Lesson Learned #2: G is not a cat. (She may still need some convincing on this point).

The actual cats spent this whole time casually wandering around and sunning themselves in the driveway.

Lesson Learned #3: Animals are not as helpful as the hundred acre woods would lead you to believe.

Lies.

Your Pets Sure Are Cute

Wednesday was a very big day for Groundy--Tammy came AND she had her first Grammy sighting. Predictably, she went crazy for both visitors. Grammy found the perfect scratchy spot and G did that thing where she looks off into the distance and licks the air.

I was going to take G to work with me today, but they are cleaning the carpets and wouldn't let me in--I am not going to complain about a long weekend. I think I will take her to the dog store tomorrow and let her pick a new toy or maybe a sweet potato hedgehog.

The boys are both being total cuddlers. And poor B really REALLY wants to play with P, but P isn't interested. I keep trying to get a video of it and then as soon as my camera is on, they stop.

I love when they both hang out in the tree house

 

 

This guy....

 In Smidge and Lu news: this morning I went over to feed them breakfast and found that one of them (ahem...Smidge....) pulled the blinds completely off of one of the living room windows and dragged the whole thing into the TV room. I am not sure how she managed it because it was a fairly heavy piece of plastic with strings and things but apparently S decided the whole affair was actually scary and so she hid in the bedroom all day. Crazy creature.

Hope you guys get to spend some time with crazy creatures in Bath.

Happy Birthday, Julia!!!

Lots and lots of love and wishing you a completely spectacular birthday!
xo
A, G, P, B, L, & S

Two Birds, Two Grandparents and a Flying Creature

Hi Friends,

We're back from our short hiatus.

Here's a rundown of all the happenings since the last update:

Still no more Jack sightings, which is disappointing and also makes me feel like maybe I made him up. An imaginary puppy? Like Snuffleupagus? I don't THINK I did, but one can never be sure.

His Royal Highness has really gotten into the hunting spirit and brought me not one, but two birds yesterday. There were feathers. There was pride. And now, whenever I let him out, the birds around your house go totally crazy and start screaming and flapping.



I picked up your grandparents from the airport last night. G hasn't gotten to see them yet, but I imagine there will be A LOT of jumping and leaping and barking. You know, general Groundy merriment.

Before I left last night, I got this face smooshed up against my knee:

When I got back it was dark and I'd left the porch light on for myself. All the pets were in and some kind of small winged creature flew through the door with me. P was untroubled and mostly wanted his yuks, but B completely. Lost. His. Mind. He went careening through the house to catch the bug. I have never seen a cat move so fast. At one point he jumped onto the comfy couch--or rather a throw pillow on the couch--with such gusto and with his claws out, so that he actually ended up lifting the pillow backwards and doing a kind of awkward back flip off the edge. I am not sure if he actually ever caught it because I was tired and went up to bed, but this morning there were remotes and pillows all over the floor.

    

I will try and take G with me to work on Friday.

Otherwise, not much is going on here. Our lovely cool-ish weather has returned to the humid hotness of a usual Virginia summer. Poor G is a total itchy-pants mess, and if it turns out that I did imagine Jack, I could probably fashion some kind of representation with all of the fur she's shed. But I probably won't. Because that would be gross.

And Now: A Brief Message From Our Sponsors

Thank you for your patience. We'll be back to our regular posting tomorrow night.

--The Management

Privet and Hallo!

According to the blog stats, we've had three page views from Russia and FOUR from Germany. We're basically an international sensation.

Today was perfect and rainy.

We breakfasted on the porch to enjoy the drizzle:

 Then, the Aged P noticed my cereal bowl

And he nuzzled my foot and circled the rocking chair and put his sweet little paws on my knee and looked right at my face with his big eyes and...

How could I resist?
(and don't worry, G swooped in shortly after this photo and got some too)

Bosie decided to stay inside and has been sleeping in various places all afternoon. 

And look at who's finally giving me big smiles:

What a sweet face! It's a nice way to finish the weekend.

First Full Week

Check out G's hairdo after a particularly excited sneezing fit

No Jack sightings this morning, but at the top of your street we heard the unmistakeable sound of P trying to accompany us on our walk. We had just turned around to try and coax him back to the house when an orange bully cat jumped right in front of us. I am not certain if it was "the" orange bully cat, but this cat meant business--he arched his back and made those horrible cranky noises that angry cats make. All three of us chose instead to walk down the middle of the street and avoid him. P kept very close and went right inside. The non-sweet-faced-Bilbo orange cats on your block are real jerks. I didn't get a picture, but here's an accurate approximation.

Typical nighttime arrangement

Cool-ish and cloudy, which is a pretty good surprise for the first official day of summer. We spent lots of time on both the front and back porch today AND worked on a art/craft supply zone in the basement (because YOLO). Now, G is snoring and B is trying to help me write this post.

It was a very nice first week and I will try and get more videos (hopefully with sound) next week. I will also bring G over to see my monsters.

Miss you guys and sending our love!
A, P, G & B

There WAS a Snake

Thanks to the lovely storm yesterday, it's much cooler out and everyone is in better spirits.

Still haven't seen Jack again, though tomorrow we might become full on stalkers and try a different route. I might be holding the leash and camera, but G is just as into the stalking as I am. She told me so.

Tammy came today and OH. Hogs. Was. Thrilled. (As was your living room rug.)
Lots and lots of happy sneezes and she ran back and forth between us many times. (G--not the rug).

In other news: guess who caught a snake? 

Yes. Him. Turns out Mr. Pump is very afraid of snakes--even dead ones--but with a variety of "tools" the snake is no more. I've since informed his royal highness that I'd really rather have snuggles. But, I guess it's the thought that counts.

Off to the porch.

We hope you guys get some nice cooling rain soon.

Say Cheese...

or not.

I have been having a really hard time getting Ghog to smile for the camera. As you mentioned, she looks very sad in all of her pictures this summer. So far.

Then I found something pretty spectacular on the dishwasher.

So, I tried it on:

Much like her response to father's day, she was far too stoic. (Nice almost-photo bomb, P.)

And then I thought, maybe if I angled it to the side--added a sassy attitude to the jaunty little hat?

She was not impressed.

...we may try a Carl's run tomorrow.

Super G

Today, second morning was interrupted by a very angry Purrcy yelling from the driveway. I looked out, saw an orange kitty and THOUGHT Bilbo was fighting P. P was majorly distressed, so Groundy and I went right out and G, being the superhero that she is, ran to P's side. At that point, the orange cat (who I am going to call Dirk because that sounds like a good name for a bully) ran away and B ran out from under the van. G got many hero treats and pets. I hope Dirk learned his lesson and stays away from here on out.

In more triumphant news, yuk time has become a much more civilized affair:

*Not pictured: the euphoric moment when G got the go ahead and feasted on the remaining yuks--pushing the little plastic bowls all over the kitchen. 

It's the small things...

Lu continues to be unfazed by my absence and Pigeon continues to obsess over the new smells.

And please tell Grammy that this guy (though currently flowerless) is still alive:

Mr. Baggins Says It All...

Sleeping and Supper

An average day here. Tragically, it's gotten quite hot again, so we're all moving slow. B has been sticking very close to home and spending a lot of the day inside. P, on the other hand, has been going out in the morning and staying out ALL day. This, of course, makes me anxious each evening until he comes sauntering home for supper.

Speaking of supper, here's something familiar and pretty adorable:

If it wouldn't end disastrously (read: disgusting) I would put Groundy and Lu in some kind of eating contest for pets. I have never met two animals who get so extremely excited about meal time--without fail.

Nights here have been pretty funny so far. His majesty always gets the spot by my feet where he makes sweet sleeping noises. Mr. B pulls a Shmu and tries to walk on top of me as gingerly as possible, but that's basically IMpossible with pokey little cat feet. Last night, B ended up stretched out right beside me, which was cute, if a little warm. Ghog is the funniest. She is just so hopeful and so starting around 3am, every time I move she gets up and does some kind of tapping/wiggle dance until she realizes it is not first morning and then she settles back with a BIG sigh. Lots of drama, and I have to say, as early as first morning occurs, I am met with such euphoria from all three pets that it's kind of worth it. Also, second morning.

Hope you guys are sleeping well and with the windows open! Also, if you come up with some kind rules/guidelines for a eating contest for pets, I will give it serious consideration.

*OH! I almost forgot! Exciting news: we met G's puppy twin this morning! His name is Jack and he looks EXACTLY how G must have looked as a puppy. I didn't have my camera but will try to get a picture of him. G noticed him from half a block away and wouldn't move until she got a proper greeting. 

Father's Day from the Pets

And now some outtakes:

B thought it was a video and started to speak

G misread the spirit of the holiday

P was done

And We're Back

The only adequate way to describe Ghog's level of joy when I returned from the airport last night is frantic.

And so today, we have a lot of this:

"Sunbathing"

Everyone seems to be adjusting okay. Purrcy REOWWWED me awake this morning and has been out for most of the day. Mr. Baggins, however, is sticking closer to home (see the new header picture for the blog). He tried to take a walk with G and I this morning but I made him stay home and then I guess he was testing my commitment to this pet sitting gig by going in and out no fewer than 20 times before he curled up and took a long nap.

I am sorry to report that there was no order to the morning yuks. Neither P nor B could decide on a bowl and kept nudging each other out of the way and then G ran right in and decided for them (ie: ate everything that was left). I will have to supervise more closely this evening.

Due to the derby, I had to take a kind of crazy route back to my place where I was met with two pretty suspicious cats. Lu was fine once I fed her, but Smidge smelled everything so thoroughly that she had a sneezing fit--it was gross. I will start bringing Groundy with me in a few days when we all get used to the new routine.

It is lovely and cool(ish) here today and the new awnings make the front porch a pretty magnificent reading spot. Picture G and I out there with tea (probably no tea for G. Probably).

We hope you all are having an amazing time on the cliffs of Cornwall/at the concert. I think I can speak for all of us when we say that we miss you guys. As the sole member of this group not merely interested in sitting on my laptop, I will keep you posted on all of our summer "adventures."

xoxo
A