August 15, 2022 Monday--12:15pm Big News!!

Good afternoon!

I won't leave you in the dark...no chronological order to this big news because it's been in the discussion works for a bit.  I mentioned a couple of months ago that Dagan and Leah were planning to finish off their basement next...well, they are going to make a MIL apartment...for me!  When it is finished I will be moving in with them.  Alley, too, of course.  

We've been over the pros and cons.  Lots more pros then cons.  Last week Dagan, Leah, and I had a video call and we officially made the final decision that--yes--I would move in with them and the project would begin.  Needless to say, this is down the road with construction being what it is and all.  They want to do as much as they can themselves and with the help of friends and family...kind of like they did with their deck.  Not all of it, of course, but as much as they can.

So the texts and emails have been flying between Leah and I.  Throwing out ideas for the kitchenette...where a washer and dryer might go along with a cat box for Alley (probably maintenance room)...would I like to go with a wardrobe & drawer units/dressers vs. a closet (yes)...what would I like Leah to sell on Facebook?  This puts a completely new light on downsizing and purging!

Anyways, was a good week!  Alley has been feeling more and more at home.

Monday

I finally called when someone was in the office.  I said I had all the paperwork on the new cat and she said I had to fill out a form and she'd clip it outside my door for me.  Okay.

What a joke! (can click to enlarge) 

It has nothing specifically to do with a pet at all!  Said nothing about needing a letter from my doctor--nothing.  I filled it out--wrote about having been approved years ago for a companion animal--and enclosed copies of the letter from Dr. Kessler and Alley's vaccinations.  Walked it down and the girl I have dealt with was just walking in the front door (another coincidence?) so I gave it to her.  Done and dusted--as they say on my British shows--LOL!  At least I hope that is the end of it.

Tuesday

Was the first night Alley didn't wake me up at all!  And she hasn't since!  She has quit looking for her old home and seems to have adjusted to me being a night owl and not a lark--LOL!

Went out to water on the patio.  Was deadheading before I got the hose out...went to step backwards to set some dead geranium blossoms on the chair out there...and tripped on the foot of the chair...didn't want to fall backwards onto the hard arm of the chair so twisted myself in the air to land on the cement in front of the chair...right on the left knee that has been bothering me, of course.  I think I also hit my right shoulder on the planter because it was very sore the next day.  Still is.  So is the swollen knee.  But amazingly--no bruises!!?? 

I got myself up, caught my breath, finished deadheading and watered the plants.

The most embarrassing thing is one of the routine questions they are always asking at the clinic--have you fallen in the past year?  Now I will have to say yes.  Duh!

Obviously you can tell I am still falling in love with Alley.  I'm so pleased to see her getting so relaxed around here.

I have snapped pictures all week but don't know on which days--but these are chronological.

Alley will sleep wherever on the floor.

She will follow me into the kitchen and is relaxed enough now to lie down to observe what I am up to.

I can't remember which day my big hourglass shaped pour-over coffee pot fell over and broke.  Had it seven years!  I ordered a new one--completely different shape and with a handle!  I really like it even if it has a little smaller capacity.  Easier to clean, too!

Alley still does get a bit nervous when I go out to get mail or go to the dumpster or garage...any time I leave she must still wonder if I am coming back.  She's now coming up for a bit of petting, reassurance, and happy time when I come back in the door.

Thursday

One of the times we were doing a drop off and/or pickup in the parking lot--before the boys were told about me moving in--I was telling them that by the end of the month (after they go to the Renaissance Fair and we wait like 5 days) we will probably be in the same bubble again and be able to visit each other without masks.  The first thing Ian said was--"Gramma Days!!"  (My heart swelled so that it almost oozed out my eyes!)

Well, Dagan and Leah told the boys about me moving in downstairs on Thursday morning and I had a video call with them over dinner that night.  Ian can't believe I would be that close for Gramma Days--LOL!  And--since I haven't been able to sleep in a bed for several years--the "bedroom" will be the studio!!  I will be able to have a lot of my art & craft stuff still in there--tada!!  Which means lots of stuff we can do on Gramma Days and Liam will be able to have Gramma Days, too!  ;)

That night I had a video call with Leah (and Dagan popped in, too, a couple of times).  We keep thinking of more positive things all the time about the move.  Leah and I keep going over how to set things up and I keep thinking of things I can get rid of--either sell, give away, or toss.  She is doing the same at her place.  It's good for both of us.  ;)

Friday

I made a trip to the dumpster and to the garage.  Got Annie's old catnip and her favorite bed.

  Seemed wrong to give her Annie's favorite bed of 17 years, but Alley hasn't slept in it yet, anyways.  But she sure likes catnip!  I filled a couple of catnip toys (have a ton of toys from Annie) and she played and played.  

Alley did decide she liked this one bed I bought...but won't go near the other two or Annie's.

So, I sprinkled a little catnip in the other cat beds...no go.  Not Annie's or the super fluffy one...

...or the other big soft bed.

 She smelled them, licked off some of the catnip, but barely wanted to step in them.  Not even catnip would entice her to like these beds--ROFL!

I wondered if it was placement--you know--location-location-location.  But I switched them around and she will only sleep in the one bed--floor or chair or wherever.  So, if she doesn't ever take to the other beds and Leah doesn't want them for Blink...I'm sure Cat's Cradle would love them.  ;)  And, yes--that bed looks the most similar to the one she was in at Cat's Cradle.

I did laundry and Leah and the boys dropped off some cat food in a parking lot exchange.  I had packed up over half of Ian's bookcase--a lot of puzzles and workbooks.  Wanted them to use them before they're too young even for Liam, you know.  A lot changes in 2 1/2 years!  

Mostly what's left is art supplies.  (Ignore the dying spider plant--not sure when Leah will be able to come over to transplant my house plants with so much going on.)

Anyways, the boys had picked out toys for Blink at the Natural Pet Shop.  When I was telling them how much Alley likes catnip they decided (Leah's suggestion) that they'd give Alley a catnip toy.  Ian made me promise to make a video of Alley and her new toy.  I told them she was catnipped out today so I would wait a while.

Sunday

I brought the catnip toy over next to my chair and she smelled it before she saw it--LOL!  Fresh catnip makes all the difference, I guess--LOL!  Here's the promised video I made for the boys.

What an exciting last couple weeks!!  Changes!  Changes!  My mind just tumbles with ideas and plans and questions and imagining.  I have never had a "forever home".  It's a brand new feeling.  And been a long time since I lived with family, you know?  But I will have my own "home", too--my own separate space.  Will likely be a year at least, I figure.  Dagan hopes to have it done by the time my lease is up end of June next year.  That seems hard to imagine with so much to do.  But a friend of theirs has already been over yesterday to discuss building the kitchenette!  So-who knows?  When there are plans to share I will show them to you.  Whoohoo!!

Meanwhile--besides not waking me up off and on all night or at the butt-crack of dawn...Alley has passed another hurdle this past week.  She has adapted (most of the time) to letting me be in my chair with my pillow and lapdesk stack on my lap so I can write letters or work on crafts or whatever.  A big deal for me.  She can relax and watch the birds on the footrest.  

Annie always took it as rejection of her and would never, ever sit up on the chair with me if I had the pillow and lapdesk there.  So I had always felt guilty, you know?  

And Annie had a hard time with the laptop table.  She had a low tolerance for noise so if I had a video on--she usually left.  Alley has been okay with my typing and videos, too.

This is a huge part of my life, really.  So, Miss Alley accepting it as tolerable--priceless!  She does let me know when she's had enough and wants some lovin' up and personal attention, though...and that is fine with me.  She's also okay if I am typing like I am now...but if it is too wiggly for too long ser she moves down on to the floor.  Which is where she is right this moment.

Oh, and look who just came by for some water!

OMGosh!  I am still just amazed by technology!  I can share what I am seeing right now...and even in video!  My grandsons will never know what it was like to take pictures with a camera and drop off the rolls to be printed...getting them a day later (at the fast places) only to find so many of them were blurry or people's heads were cut off--ROFL!  What a world!  We live surrounded by small miracles!

Have a fabulous day!!

Till next week.  :) :)