Look who decided to come in out of the cold

Yup. Little Miss Yipper.

I have been trying for a long time to get her to come inside. I would pick her up, bring her in (trying to avoid very sharp claws), and set her down next to her brother. She would stay for a short time, then wanted no part of inside anymore and wanted to go out.

Then I noticed that she was staying in longer. One night she was in and so quiet, I forgot she was in. When I went looking for her, she was sound asleep on top of the cushion I have on the dryer.

That night she spent outside, but it ended there.

Her brother Ralphy has spent every night inside since he came back. I guess she got tired of being outside alone at night and she knocked to come in. I went to bed thinking there would be a fight between Yipper and My Baby Girl. No fights. Yipper woke me very early to go out. Ralphy went out with her, but he soon was knocking to come back in to his favorite spot.

Much progress was made trying to get Yipper inside. But I think, being a typical cat, it was on her terms not mine.

My Baby Girl doesn't seem too bother about it.

Stupid question of the day

Back to work after a three day weekend is hard. Especially this time of year. Not to many people coming in my office or calling for that matter.

Anyway, my first and only person of the day, so far, was a contractor. The contractor asked me if I remember a job he did that needed our approval? Why yes I remember that job. It was for a second floor deck. Well anyway, the homeowner didn't pay him for the work, so he filed suit against them for his money. In turn they filed suit against him siting forgery. They are saying that he forged the applications to us. He asked what he could do? My answer was to contact his attorney. His next question was if I or my boss could write a letter that he didn't forge the applications. Did he have too much eggnog? I told him that we couldn't write a letter like that. The only thing I(we) could do would be to copy the approved applications for him. I told him that once I had the applications copied, I would call him.

He also tells me that the owners didn't like the fiberglass deck so he put vinyl over top the fiberglass. He said they didn't like getting wet when on the first floor deck. I now have some bells ringing in my ears.

After he leaves, I look up the application number and pull the file. There were three applications. When reviewing them, the second floor deck was supposed to be open. (We have a rule here in the Township that if you have a second floor deck over a first floor deck, water must be able to get through the second floor deck and get the first floor deck wet. If not, it is considered a roof and it is a whole new ballgame.) Now I'm in a pickle because we didn't approve what was built. Do I tell my boss when he comes back Wednesday? Would he do anything about it? Probably not. Or do I just let the chips far where they may?

Review of last week

Saturday brought us snow. Not fine by me, but I was staying in to make cookies anyway.

Shoveled once in the morning. Then it turned to freezing rain. Then turned back to snow. Shoveled again.

I must say that it was beautiful. Especially Sunday when I was making my way to the grocery store.

Monday night was ceramics. I put Ralphy out around 6:PM, telling him when I got home, he could come in again.

Because of the roads, only five brave souls showed up. It was a fun night, but I was exhausted from all day cookie making on Saturday and Sunday.

When I got home, I went to let Ralphy in. He wasn't there. A bit later, I got his and Yippers dinner ready. Went out and only Yipper was there. This was very unusually, because Ralphy never-ever misses a meal.

I yelled for him, but he didn't show up. I figured he would be there in the morning. No Ralphy. He wasn't around at lunch time either.

I sent out a couple of e-mails to friends in the neighborhood to keep their eyes open for him.

When I got home from work, there was a group of kids on my neighbors steps and one throwing snowballs at the house. I really didn't care about the snowballs because they weren't being thrown at the windows.

Because Ralphy still wasn't home, I thought maybe he was in the shed and couldn't get out. I decided to make my way to the shed. The group of kids was now at my neighbors back door trying to get in. I yelled over asking what they were doing. They took off running and I thought I heard one say 'do you have the key?' I came in and called that neighbor, left a voice mail asking him if he had hidden a key someplace and what he wanting me to do. I was at my front door when I saw two of the kids run into the house.

Ahh! Paula your ass is mine now. I called, told her what I saw and heard. She said that she heard them say something about a key also. Funny thing, they said it in the back of the house and there was no way she could have heard them. Anyway, she said that she punished her two kids because she sees and hears everything. I asked her if she saw her son throwing snowballs at the house. Silence. She told me that they put the key back where they found it. Under the mat. I thought this strange. I told her that I have a call into the neighbor to see what he wanted me to do. She said that she would get the key and keep it. I told her to leave it. Paul would let me know what to do.

Now Paula has her two asses come to my house to apologize to me. I asked them why they were apologizing to me. It wasn't my house they were trying to break into and when Paul came down, they better march their asses over to apologize to him.

Paul called back and told me he had the key hidden in a secret spot in the shed. He asked me to get the key and hold it until he comes down. I told him I would and check to may sure nothing was damaged.

Next thing Paula's knocking on my door telling me that she asked her daughter where they found the key and 'my daughter would never lie to her mommy.' She said her daughter told her they found the key under the mat at the front door. I told Paula there is always a first time for a daughter to lie to her mommy and now is the time. The key wasn't there. It was hidden in the shed. Then she tells me when she looked out, she saw her daughter shoveling Paul's front step. I asked her why. What? Why was your daughter shoveling Paul's front step when he wasn't even down. Why wasn't she shoveling her own steps that haven't been shoveled yet?

She then tells me that she tracked the kids down and told them that they were boarding breaking the law and if they had went in the house they would have been. She tells me she told them the police were called. I said 'whoa. I didn't call the police. And if something happens to any of my property, I was coming after her and it wouldn't be a pretty sight.'

She told me that her son is eight and trying to fit in. No one wants to play with an eight year old. Not my problem. And it seems that he picked the wrong friends and it is your responsibility to teach your kids right from wrong.

She asked if her kids came to apologize to me. I told her they did, but questioned why? I wasn't my house. They, including you, better apologize to Paul when he comes down.

She kept saying how embarrassed she was. I couldn't help myself. I had to ask her if she was embarrassed because her kids were part of trying to break into someones house or because they got caught? I didn't get and answer from her, but that was the answer for me.

So if it wasn't for Ralphy being missing, they may have gotten into the house without my or anyone else noticing.

Then I visited a couple friends house that night. My one friend knew how upset I was that Ralphy wasn't around and told me she would say a couple prayers that he would return safe.

When I got home, I went out calling for him again. I couldn't hear any mewing like I normally would if he was around.

I am not one to pray, but I said to the angels, 'I don't ask for much, but please bring my handsome boy home to me safe and sound. It's been more than 24 hours.'

Laying in bed, I heard a noise out back. I wasn't going to check, but something told me too. When I turned on the light, there was my Ralphy. I don't think that door ever opened so fast. He came running in with me scooping him up in my arms. I fed him. Which he inhaled. He slept in bed, plastered against my leg purring the whole night.

I still don't know where he was. Where ever he was, it was someplace I couldn't hear him. A place where he wasn't being fed. Now, when he hears or sees people, he starts to panic. So I think maybe he somehow got locked in someone shed or somehow someones house. He has been sticking close to home and spending more time inside. Fine by me. I wish he would stay inside all the time.

I have been trying to get Yipper inside too. Little by little I have been able to do so. Hopefully soon, I can get her to be a primarily inside cat.

We all had a good Christmas. Bobbie gave us a PetSmart gift card. I used it today and all my kittens are very grateful to her.

Christmas Day brought me a couple of Tufted Titmouse.

Best Christmas gifts of all.

My Baby Girl (right)

My Ralphy (left)

Yesterday brought us heavy rain for most of the day and the loss of electricity for three hours. At least is wasn't bitter cold, though I had to turn the fireplace on to get the dampness out.

Today is finally sunny and warm. Going to the store showed more flooding.

My friend told me the end of her street is flooded. The Township sandbagged, but there is just too much water.

Please wish us sunny-dry weather.

Our first snow of the season

We woke up to our first storm of the season. When I went out, there was a couple inches.

Later the temps warmed up and we had freezing rain. Now back to snow.

I didn't go anywhere today. Today was cookie baking day.

Woke up earlier then normal this morning and went through my daily ritual. (I am a creature of habit. Change my routine and I'm done for the day. I feel uptight inside.) Make bed. Go to bathroom. Feed Baby Girl. Get cup of coffee. Watch weather channel. Get second cup of coffee. Go fed kittens.

Go out to fed the kittens and they're not there. I call and Yipper comes running. Then I hear a pitiful mew. I call for Ralphy and hear the pitiful mew again. Now every mama knows the sound of her young. And when we hear distress, we kick into action. I grab the flashlight, (because it is before 6 in the morning), and going running in the direction I heard him. I'm calling for him and hearing the mews. I am fighting bamboo, holly tree branches and leaves to try and find him. Can't see him. I jump in my car and drive around the block, (if I ran over or tried to jump the fence, I would probably die before I got to him). I run into the back yard and fighting bamboo and holly again, start looking for him. I don't see him, nor do I hear him anymore. Come back home and can hear the pitiful mews again.

Now I have to get back to my routine. I jump in the shower (one must be clean when on a rescue mission) and rush through that. After I'm clean, dressed and shoes on, out I go again. Now we have some light from the morning sun. In the holly tree I go again calling for him. I part some bamboo and he mews. I look up and there the sucker is on my neighbors garage roof. Here I was thinking he got into a fight during the night and was laying hurt and bleeding. I grab the ladder (it's a four foot number) and back to my neighbors I go. I knew the ladder wouldn't be tall enough, but I thought he would come over to me and I could grab him. What does he do? Runs to the other end of the roof. I try to get around that side, but my neighbor has so much shit there, I couldn't get anywhere. Over to the other side again. I somehow make my way through the tangle of shit. What does my handsome boy do? Jumps into another neighbors tree, makes his way down the tree and runs back into my yard.

I know that he could have gotten down himself eventually, but that damn mama instinct kicked in and I went into protection mode. He's safe and that's all that matters.

Some flooding pics

Library parking lot. Not too bad now. It was higher earlier in the day.

This is Evoy's. They have a lake, but the lake has overflowed. The ducks are loving it.

Again with the weather

Well we got hit with another storm during the wee hours of the morning. High winds and rain. Woke me up a couple times during the night. Woke me up for the last time around 4:30 this morning. I just stayed up made coffee and fed the fur babies.

The ground is so saturated the water has no place to go. Everything is soggy and squishy. The intersection and library parking lot are flooded. A short ride around town showed a couple of properties with standing water. We have been getting quite a few calls in work that properties are flooded. Well no offense, but no shit. What do they expect with all the rain we've had. And what to they expect us to do? Go out there and suck the property dry. Sorry I vent.

I watched the weather channel at lunch and they said the temperatures are going to drop and high winds will start again. Because the ground is so saturated, take precautions for falling trees. What does that mean? What precautions should I take. Cut down my trees? Move my house? Ugh.

Anyway, on another note. I've been watching the food channel. I watch what they make. If the recipe appeals to me, I go to foodnetwork.com and get it.

What I really wanted to say here is - they always taste what they made. How come they always are like ooh-um this is so good. Just once I would love for them to make a sour face and say, 'this tastes like shit. I put too much such-in-such in. That happens when you cook. It can't be perfect everytime.'

Wacky weather

We have had more cloudy-rainy days then sunny. Yesterday was no exception. They were calling for heavy rain and high winds. I must say that this time the weather people were right.

The rain started yesterday afternoon. On and off. I went to ceramics and by the time I left, it was pouring. Ralphy, rightfully so, spent the night inside. Yipper still won't come in, so the brave little soul she is, braved the elements. When the wind picked up, it slammed the side of the house. Nothing like wind driven rain to keep one up. Then later, after I had fell asleep, the gusts started. Now I can sleep through just about anything. Well some of the gusts slamming the side of the house, woke me out of a dead sleep.

I checked the rain gauge this morning. We got three inches of rain last night. Honestly, I thought it would be more. I haven't checked my property yet, but I don't think there was any damage. One house in the neighborhood lost a gutter and down spout. Considering the wind, this was minimal.

One good thing is the sun is shining today. And according to the Weather Channel, we are supposed to have record high temperatures today. Close to 70 degrees. This I can believe. It is already warm. Hard to believe that it is December. However, the temps are supposed to plummet to 36 degrees tonight. More December like temps.