I’m sorry, y’all – I intended to do a post where I answered all your questions you’ve asked this past week and posted pictures of the house, but yesterday was a very busy one for me and so I didn’t get a chance. I promise you I’ll get that post done for Monday, and in the meantime here are some random pictures of the cats (not all of them, just the ones I’ve managed to take with my phone in the past week).
Maxi, showing off her teeth. Please notice her shaved leg (next to her face.) While the cats were being boarded at the vet, poor Maxi had a dental and needed to have four teeth removed. (She’s healing just fine and eating with no problems.)
Frankie, snuggling with me.
Archie, guarding the door between the front hallway and the living room.
Sheriff Mama goes for the stretch.
Sleepy girl.
Newt in the sun.
Sweet boy.
Dewey gives me the hairy eyeball.
Archie checks out the view.
This side of the downstairs is basically one big room separated by those built-ins and columns. We’re referring to them as the “front living room” (to the right) and the “back living room” (straight ahead.) The back living room is where we have a ton of cat beds, four litter boxes (there’s another litter box in Fred’s office, and I hear it’s a VERY popular (poopular) litter box), and is kind of a big mess. The cats love it, especially on sunny days. They’ve started expressing very strong interest in the doors to the rest of the house, so later today we’ll allow them free reign and see how it goes.
That area straight ahead, blocked off by a large piece of cardboard, is the fireplace. We’ve had to block it off because Khal, in his infinite wisdom, decided that the ledge over the fireplace (ie, up the chimney) was the best place to hang out during the day. And then at night he’d come out and leave little black footprints EVERYWHERE; Fred actually ended up giving him a bath yesterday (which went better than you’d expect, probably because I was nowhere around). This is an issue neither of us saw coming, so for now the fireplace is blocked off and the damper is closed. Hopefully Khal will find a better place to hole up once he has the run of the entire house.
The front living room, where the TV (and more places for cats to sleep) is located.
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Previously
2016: Creed goes home!
2015: The cat on the bag of cat food is all “That is a FABULOUS tail. I wish MY tail was that fabulous!”
2014: Sparkle will have none of your shenanigans.
2013: No entry.
2012: No entry.
2011: She prefers to stay fabulous.
2010: Buster, to be exact.
2009: Those Wonka girls have some LUNGS on them.
2008: Something has disturbed the Delmar.
2007: Miss Stinky Stakes Her Claim.
2006: Want to meet the new babies? You know you do!
2005: No entry.
There are these chain mail curtains you can get for fire places. Might be heavy enough to deter.
My mother had metal and glass doors that closed off the fireplace entirely. They come in everythign from very plain to quite fancy, and (at least ime) uncatable.
i love that big room!
My fireplace has those. Works great!
*gigglefits* Khal, you silly monkey.
Fireplace screens also serve the purpose of keeping random sparks from flying and are useful to have in general. The doors discourage cats the best, I’ve found.
The cats seem quite content with their new digs! So glad things are coming together. Of course, leave it to Khal to find a special lounging spot.
We bought glass doors for our fireplaces on 72 (University) and were very pleased. Near UAH, something Hearth and Home, I believe. On the south side.
I love that picture of Archie peering out the window. I’m glad they’re adjusting well!
I can’t even express how much I admire your complete silence about your move! I enjoyed reading all this week, loved how it was written, and you were so smart to do it the way you did, because: PEOPLE and ADVICE. I loved your home at Crooked Acres and I love your new home. I’m annoyed at the snoopy nosey pants HOA people at that one possible house (idiots) for you, and I’ve told several people about the names you gave the first couple (Jack and Jill Wagon. Kills me dead). I won’t bore you with how our indoor/outdoor cat, once we moved and I insisted on keeping him in until he at least learned where he now lived and didn’t try to go home to the old house, then decided being an indoor only cat wasn’t so awful after all. Old Mr. Cabin Fever who could not bear to be in the house, was outside all day long and came home every day faithfully at 6:15, once we moved, never asked to go out again. Oh. So, I did just bore you with that. Anyway. CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES ON YOUR NEW HOME!!!
We left our two cats, Tuffy and Smidgen, with a friend in Tennessee while we went on to Nebraska to my folks for Christmas (years ago). As we found out later, Virginia called Bill’s folks (they live in the same town) in a PANIC late the first night. She couldn’t find Tuffy. She was positive that there was no way that Tuffy could have gotten out, but she was no where to be found. Bill’s dad and brother came over to help with the search. They finally found Tuffy in the fireplace. She had gone up the fireplace and the damper had closed after her. Let’s just say that the fireplace got closed off for the rest of their stay.
We do have the chainmail curtains for our fireplace. Of course it is gas and there is no real chimney. Bella has climbed in a couple of times, but for the most part leaves it alone. We turned on a fire last night. Neither Andre nor Bella were that interested in it. I think it spooked both of them.
I can tell by the pics that the cats are thoroughly traumatized.
Love those pics of Archie and Frankie. Frankie is such a sweetheart. I hope that Archie will continue to guard against deadly kitchen towels!
Would love some pics of the best ther residents, where’s Jake and Dewey? Want some smiling joe bob and Alice, loving her daddy.
Robyn, your new house is heavenly — I’m so excited for you and Fred!
No pics of the black pawprints all over??
Robyn, no apologies necessary. Give yourself (and Fred) a break for goodness sakes! You just moved, have a ton of stuff to do in your new place plus all the regular stuff you and Fred have to do with your lives everyday, plus it’s the holidays. Not to mention having to bathe ‘Chimney Cat’ and make yourself scarce. So, kick back and relax on your new deck (if it’s not already covered in snow) or take a nap with one of your kitties.
Answering questions from your ‘nosy parker’, ‘Gladys Kravitz’ blog fans should wait until you have time. No post for the day? Or didn’t get around to what you thought you would do? No worries. We enjoy whatever you blog about. We’ll still be around to enjoy when you get to it.
Love & Hisses withdrawal symptoms folks? Click on one of the links to some of the previous years posts for a trip down memory lane. Some of them are hilarious!!!!
Thumbs up times 10! 🙂
What Deb said (and what Katrina did) 🙂
That picture of “sweet boy” Newt instantly made me think of Spot. Miss that “meh” boy.
I’ve wanted a fireplace for years, maybe one day I’ll have one. Never even thought of our cats getting up the chimney though. So maybe I just get one of those entertainment type fireplaces. Hmmm
Fireplaces are beautiful but need a lot of maintenance and have a lot of pitfalls. If you’re looking for a heat source, consider a pellet stove.
Yeah, everyone I know who has one has told me about the annoyance being worse than the enjoying of it. I like pellet stoves and wood burning stoves too. We just looked at some entertainment fireplace units over the weekend. I think that’s what we’ll do. Eventually that is.
That looks like a fantastic house for cats! Lots of places to jump onto and lots of low windows to look out of! I’m sure that’s all stuff you noticed when you were looking! If it were me that would have been a definite buying point!
Really enjoyed the story of the the “perfect house”. This place looks like you hit the jackpot.
I have the chain mail on my fireplace and my pure white cat decided it needed an inspection. She pushed it aside twice and I had to put paper clips on the bottom. It ain’t pretty to see the “Princess” change her colors. She did not like all the scrubbing. Did I mention that she is a Princess !
Might be just the lighting, but it looks to me like Frankie and Newt have been spending time in the fireplace with those sooty paws!
We were painting and I found paw prints in the living room and I freaked thinking someone got into the paint, but it turned out to be clay from the litter.. someone had stepped in some wet litter and left little gifts for me.. I can only imagine how you felt when you found little black paw prints 😀
kudos to Fred for taking on that bathing chore..
I don’t know that I like you being stressed any more than the cats. But the cats look like they have settled in, hopefully it will be downhill from here for you and Fred as well.
“poopular” -love it! And love the house -absolutely gorgeous (not that my opinion matters the tiniest bit :)). Will you be joining Fred on some of the mountain hikes?
Awe Dewby in window pic”…….they are looking more comfortable