Musings on a Small Life

Oh, one freaking guess as to who rang my door bell a short time ago. @#$%^&%$!!!! Apparently there is a problem with the mother and kids on the other side of them, and my next door neighbour mother is upset, at a loss as to what to do. Seems the other family is renting and there is a question of neglect. (There's no father, just some guy the mother "hired" on Kijiji to babysit her kids.) I don't know what my immediate neighbour wanted from me. To vent? I said I can't be a witness (if that's what she was looking for) because I can't hear her neighbours, except when those two kids are outside playing. I told my neighbour that unless she wanted to get involved with the authorities, which she doesn't seem to want to do, the best thing is to keep her head down and not get involved, step back from the situation. (All four kids have played together, etc.) I suggested, tongue in cheek, that she sprinkle holy water around her door step and make...

Last night I dreamed that I looked out my bedroom window, saw the next door neighbours loading stuff up into their truck, and was thrilled they were leaving. Only to find out (still in the dream), that all he was doing was repairing the living/dining area floor and they needed to move things out so he could work. Well, crap. Even in dreamland my hopes were/are dashed. Worse yet, this afternoon's "20 minute" nap (which turned into 1.5 hours) brought a dream in which the mother came and stretched out beside me on my bed (yes, fully clothed, in case anyone was going to ask), while I was lying there, to chat about life stuff while the hubby and kids were out. Gaggghhhh! Bring out the crystals and sage to protect me! Heck, throw in a little holy water, too. Man, if my dreamworld brings anything else like that tonight, I might never recover. There's a story behind this little (okay, big) guy, or one like it, but I'll have to let Derry tell it on the...

Happy Canada Day to any Canadians who read this blog. Canadians tend not to flag-wave, but it's nice to do so for at least one day.  :-) I'm having a lazy day, had gone back to bed around 7AM and dozed off and on for a couple of hours. Now I don't feel like actually getting out of lounge clothes, getting dressed and going out. I'm sitting here hoping the neighbours will take the kids out, though. There's a lot going on downtown. But since I just overheard the husband/father saying he didn't f--ing need this and threatening to leave forever, well, I'm not expecting a reprieve. He doesn't shout at his wife, but it's quite obvious it's not a good relationship. No wonder the kids are so messed up. Anyway, I'm going to make a cup of chai, with some milk and honey, and settle in to read for a while, enjoy the afternoon as best as I can. I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

Apparently , when I got home today and let the cats out into the back space, the boy next door said he was going to "kill the cats." I did not hear this, his sister rushed to tell me right away.  I had just stepped out to refill the cats' water bowl, and the girl was "talking," the mother was talking, and I guess the boy was making comments too. The mother got upset, I told her I hadn't heard what her son had said and she replied, "Yes, you did," and I tried to explain that no , I really didn't, it was the daughter who told me. I can't hear over everyone's babble plus traffic noise, barking dogs, etc. In any case, I'm 98% sure the boy was just trying to push his mom's, and perhaps my, buttons. Doesn't work with me, and I told the mother this. That kid gets a rise out of her every time, and in my opinion, it's not a helpful reaction. (He'll often say something designed to provoke her, and her response will be...

Oh, sure, I'm busy video "taping" the sound of the neighbours insane kids, and the mother's bringing me leftover cake from their supper tonight (they had friends over). She didn't bake it, but that's neither here nor there. I think she's also passing some along to a couple of other neighbours; apparently it was a huge slab. Do I feel like the most miserable person on the planet? Yep. Am I going to stop "taping" the screaming tantrums, just to cover my a&&? Nope. Am I going to eat the cake? Yep, and probably with breakfast tomorrow. Not tonight; I'd never sleep. It was a kind gesture, no question. But does it give me the warm fuzzies toward them? Hell no! Which, as I stated, makes me the most miserable person on the planet, apparently.

No, I didn't make it six days without chocolate. I had a yummy small piece of dark chocolate caramel with sea salt (I hear Old Kitty saying "Ewwww" to the caramel), then a small piece of espresso dark chocolate. And already I feel better. :-) No mistaking that it's Monday, by the way things are going at work today. But the morning bus driver had some sage words. I was joking about staying on and doing a full loop, to end up a home again (rather than go in to the office). She laughed and told me the hardest part of my day was over already -- getting out of bed. She was right. A couple of recent morning sky pics. I don't think I've posted them, but apologies if I have. Back to the Monday work "stuff." Have a good day, everyone. P.S. Still no sign of the little black girl kitty.

Five days without chocolate...There ought to be a universal rule that for every day you don't have chocolate, you lose a pound . It's not been intentional. I went three days, then realized it was, well, three whole days since I'd had any. Yesterday and today have been intentional, however. I could stand to "de-tox" for a little bit. Payday is Friday the 29th, I can stock up then.  :-) I haven't seen hide or hair of that little black cat since Wednesday. She came with Toby just those two days. I think she was looking for a daddy for kittens and when Toby couldn't help her in that regard, she took off with the other short-haired tabby I saw on Wednesday. ::Sigh:: Yet another young cat will be having more unwanted babies, and since she's so thin and malnourished, I can't imagine she'll be in great shape to nurse them. I'll keep my eye out for her all the same, though. Today is Derry's birthday . Well, today is the birth date ...

I thought I heard her distinctive, grating (lol) yeowl around 3:30AM, but there was no sign of her at all a short time later when I went downstairs to feed everyone. Only Toby was waiting for me on the step, though all the kibble had been eaten. That could have been any one of the roaming cats, though. I had hoped I'd see her this morning, had a plate of Fancy Feast for her, but Toby ate it instead, along with his own canned. Well, she knows where food is to be found, and she's beyond thin, so I imagine she'll be back. Nothing else noteworthy, other than we're in our first summer heat wave. What would we humans have to talk about if not for the weather? It was 31C/88F in my bedroom last night, ugly. 28C/82F downstairs on the main level, and blissfully cool in the basement. Today the humidex is up to 38C/100F, so I can imagine the house will be worse. It takes a long time to heat up, but when it does, it stays hot. Good thing we're getting a br...

4:50AM: Well, she was with Toby again about an hour ago. Ate half a large can of food, quite daintily, before deciding she'd had enough. I sat beside her the entire time, talking to her and to Toby. No obvious teats, definitely no sign of testicles. Young, I'd say less than a year old, but I really don't know. VERY thin, and if she were more brown than black I'd be looking at Annie all over again, because Annie was nothing but fur over bone when I adopted her. Oh, and I'm pretty sure this little one is in heat too. She's very friendly, let me rub her head and give her scritches. Yeowling like crazy. Went off, followed by another cat (presumably male), a grey-ish short-haired tabby with white paws. He wasn't interested in the treat bag or food, just her. If would be great if she could be caught before she's really nursing kittens. I can try with a carrier, if she keeps coming around, though I haven't any work gloves. I'm sure the ...

This black cat -- I've seen "her" a few times before, at a distance, in recent weeks. She's not approached until this morning, but I assume she's been eating some of the food I've been putting out for Toby. Anyway, when I got home from work this aft, the neighbour mom was outside and mentioned that this cat is hanging around with Toby when she gets home from work (part time evening/early night shift at a local grocery store). Last night the cat was meowing at her, presumably wanting food. The neighbour said the cat looks in bad shape, is emaciated. And asked that I start putting food out at night again, so "she" can have something to eat. The neighbour said she'd buy food, but she didn't want to start feeding the cats on her doorstep. No, of course she wouldn't want to do that. (Husband and/or son supposedly is/are allergic.) Here's my guess: The cat was fairly recently "owned," wasn't spayed, got pregnant and ...

Yep, another kitty on my doorstep this morning, a small long-haired black one, with a fluffy tail. Or looks black at 4AM. I've actually seen him/her before (as well as a short-haired black one), but s/he has never approached until today. I stepped out and put Toby's wet and dry down, and he had just started to eat his canned, when up came the other cat and settled in beside him, eating the dry. Toby left his own food and came to me, and when the other cat moved to his canned food, Toby let him/her eat it. Which meant I went back in for another can of food and another plate, specifically for Toby. I have no idea if he actually got to eat that serving, so when I was leaving for work I put a third can of food out for him. By then the black one had gone. Obviously this little black one isn't feral, or s/he wouldn't have come up on the step with me right there. But whether s/he is a stray or someone's roaming kitty, that I don't know. There are some cats...

I headed out to one of the marinas and waterfront walks this morning, felt the urge to take some pics with the Fuji. Nice to have that desire for a change. I always carry the little Canon Elph, of course, mostly for floral macros, but actually going out with the sole purpose of taking snapshots is a bit different. It was the perfect morning, hot and with a good, strong breeze churning up the waves. I was lucky to see this gorgeous ship/schooner, presumably heading for the downtown marina. Maybe she takes tours--I'm not sure. It looks like she's flying our City flag, though. I'll post more snapshots from the outing in other posts. BTW, it was nice to be down there during good weather, not out there in January or February, freezing my butt off. Oh! And that reminds me -- I was waiting at Coach Canada for my bus transfer, while on the way home, and two young women were there waiting for their bus too. One was a teen, I think, one a bit older. The older ...

That was the mother late yesterday afternoon. She was out in her back space, doing some "garden" clean up and wanted to borrow my pruning shears. I had been out and in, out and in, scooping litter boxes, refilling water bowls, feeding the boys, sweeping, starting on supper, watering plants, etc. Doing some of the million and one things that have to be done. Maybe she didn't realize I wasn't in the back space anymore when she called out to me, that I was inside working . It's kind of funny, actually. I'm happy to lend her what she needs, if I have it, that's not an issue. It's just that I do have things to take care of. I'm not sitting out back just waiting to be beckoned. Especially not yesterday, since her kids and the kids that are next door to them were over there, playing out back, and were shrieking and shouting as only young kids can do. As tired as you guys are of reading about my neighbour "trials and tribulations," I...

No question what I want: A minimum $1.5M (CAN) lottery win, so I can find a lovely small bungalow with a huge backyard in a quiet neighbourhood, and get the hell out of the townhouse complex. Plus have retirement income, reno money, and money to have fun donating/giving away, of course. Barring that, a lotto win so I can at least clear my debts (again), have the high density cellulose blown in between the adjoining unit walls, and do the renos my own unit desperately needs. Plus have a year's income saved in case of emergency. Say a minimum of $100K (CAN). I think most of us would love to have a lottery win or other windfall--at least those of us who are not financially secure. But what do I really need , with respect to the neighbour situation? Instead of fantasizing about that impossible lottery win, yesterday I asked the Universe for whatever I need to endure them and maintain my sanity--and for Derry to maintain his too. Because I don't know what I need...

Yep, so much for the relative peace and quiet next door. The boy was at it again yesterday, much of the afternoon and evening. I first heard commotion during the mid-afternoon, when I was trying to settle down and nap. I had my bedroom door mostly closed and the air purifier on, but could hear shouting from downstairs. Tried to get the sound via my camera, but it didn't come out well from the upper level. Later, he was on about something again. I did get some whining, typical mouthy kid stuff, really, while I was outside taking pics of the flowers, but in the early evening it was a bonanza. The boy and mom were in the basement, having a screaming match (the father was home), and I stood at the top of my basement steps with the camera on "video," getting the sound. You have to crank the volume up to the max to hear them, because of the static my camera makes and all the pounding (up and down the basement steps, slamming doors, etc.), but you can hear them, quite w...

There were four siblings up for adoption at one of our local PetValu stores. One already had been adopted, leaving these: The brown tabby, food motivated already and into everything (shades of Nicki). I couldn't get a pic of his/her face. This little grey girl, who was a wild thing:  Note her half-moustache.  :-) This sweet tuxie who fell asleep perilously close to someone's feet, right in front of the cash area: And this little grey tabby, who showed up as I was leaving. S/he reminds me of a small Derry: It was nice to see them all running around free, as the other PetValu keeps their adoptable adult cats and kittens in tiny cages at the very back of the store, no roaming. I think it's better for them to roam and interact with the visitors, as well as any other animals that come into the store. Makes for better socialization. You know, it's impossible to be in a crabby mood while watching kittens play. Well, unless they're in y...