Talk About Tuesday

In Which I Talk A Lot

 It's been... quite the February.

For the last week or so, we've been watching my grandmother's animals because she had to go to the hospital, and having undergone surgery recently, cannot be taking care of her pets right now.

Her dog is big, not trained, and several handsful of misbehavior and neurosis. We were not at all equipped to care for him, so most of last week was spent trying to either get a handle on him or at least put him in a kennel we know can give him the best possible care. It was hard because there were issues at first trying to get him into the kennel. He hadn't had 100% of his vaccinations, but thankfully we were able to get him the meds he needed and he went off to his doggy spa vacation.

I feel bad about it because he's a needy fella and we couldn't give him what he needed.

HOWEVER.

He also was a menace with the cats, both my grandmother's and mine, and at one point he tried to stomp on one, so it was not a good situation. He could absolutely not stay here for their safety.

My cat is a very chill but slightly nervous critter. She likes to have a full house, yes, but she also likes to be able to walk where she wants when she wants, and that wasn't possible with the hundred pound hump machine (did I mention he had a thing for blankets?) on the loose. She isn't very big, either, so it was a super bad combo.

My grandmother's cat is a bit of a chonker. Her tummy is a little too big, and she's got this ridiculously muscular, almost prehensile tail that she uses to smack things to get your attention. She's a talker (likes to meow a lot more than mine does!) and she's... well... she's a beggar. She'll saunter up to you at mealtime and try to pull herself into your lap from the floor, meowing and staring. It's only slightly more polite than my cat, who'll hop on the table and jam her face into your plate if you don't stop her.

This new cat also likes to eat my cat's food, which, if you remember my fears a year or two ago from before her surgery, is super not okay. Evie needs her food.

We think that even her birthday treat (extra fancy shreddy food in tasty gravy!) was stolen this year.

And the new cat likes to sit on my mother for cuddles, rub on Evie's usual rubby spots, and play with Evie's toys.

We're fine with her taking ownership of the catnip toys, since Evie literally could not care less about those.

We're less fine about her taking over Evie's beloved mice.

But she's a guest, and she's not a hundred pounds of nervous energy, and it's nice to see her relaxed.

Even if she kinda bullies my cat.

So that's been my week - adjusting to new pet dynamics and not getting much sleep (I was convinced the dog was going to eat one of the cats the few nights he was here, and I did not sleep at all). I also managed to corrupt my bonkbubble art somehow (thanks windows updates...) so I had to start over. Thankfully, though, this time I know more tricks and it shouldn't take me several weeks to get back to where I was lol.

As for writing, I have to admit, I haven't been doing much of that, though I've been coming up with more ideas (oh no, not those!) and new scenes for the current project (a much more reasonable thing lol).

I did more crochet on the stocking today, and I hope to get even more done by next Monday!

Here's my plans for this week/weekend:

• Thursday I should have some progress to report, if not some sketches to show off
• Maybe I'll get back to tea at some point? I kind of switched to the comfort of coffee while the pet drama was going on, so I haven't been teaing it up as much. I hope to get some chamomile or peppermint in tonight though
• Monday will be more Stocking Updates
• Next Tuesday will hopefully be less dramatic and more creative lol

The inclement weather has hit us up here, now, and my deck is coated in a half inch of slush. I can hear snow-removal going on out on the roads, the squeal and screech of reluctant metal, the roar of a plow, the hum and rattle of a sander. I can also hear rain and ice splattering down from the heavens. Ugh.

I can deal with snow, but ice is trash.

It's a bit brighter now than it was before, but the sky is still gray, gray, gray, and it's around 32℉ (0℃) out there right now. I can see the soggy, slushed-up pine boughs waving and my window screen is wobbling so I know it's windy on top of the gross wetness. I hope everyone stays safe.

I hope that, if you're digging out after your storms and aren't used to this sort of thing (Louisiana, Texas, etc), you're okay. I hope the power comes back on soon for those who've lost power, the pipes thaw without incident, the snow and ice recede without flooding. I hope you're alright.

If you are, then...

Go Enjoy Something!

FC