We don't need Christmas decorations--we have Christmas cats! Bubbie is the main one that is up in the tree, simply because his mommy is too heavy to be able to climb easily. But doesn't he look like he lives in the lap of luxury in all of these pictures?


My daughter's new bed/mattress set and chest of drawers arrived last week. It was almost impossible to make the bed because the Princess had to help. When we were done, it was so cute: all three of the kittens and my daughter were stretched out on the bed. I told her the kittens thought she bought the bed for them. See more pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/rose.swalls



I spent about 5 hours at the Emergency Room Thursday night with my daughter--she has a torn muscle. But her leg was swelling and we were afraid to wait because of the possibilities of it being a blood clot. She can walk with ease and the calves of her legs only cramp occasionally now. Not even sure that the right one is cramping at all...it was the left one that was swollen and also it cramped the hardest. It hurt to touch the calf of that leg when we were at the ER.

I have been sewing a little...but not finishing anything. Every time I try to set and do this one binding one of the cats ends up trying to help me and I just put it away. That quilt has been cat tested and approved already.

It was not too cold here today, but this afternoon the wind has started and has been howling. Coming from the west/northwest. I can barely open the back storm door. It is the type of wind that makes Shelby, our dog nervous. I suppose she will want to be able to be close to me the entire night. If she can't be close to me, she whines.

This is Chunky Monkey hard at rest! He does lay in some of the most contorted positions I have ever seen a cat lay in. This one is not bad in comparison to some I have seen. Sometimes he will have an arm so out of position that I think he about has to be double jointed.

This weekend was fine entertainment from them. Sunday morn, husband got up to go to the potty and came back to bed. Normally I lay there with my eyes closed, but for some reason I had them open and seen him come around the end of the bed--one of the cats was under the bed and grabbed him! I laughed till I cried at his expression and the way he jumped.

Then there is the little girl, who is sometimes a little princess and sometimes Puss Puss. She loves Roger--when he comes home from work, the first thing he is supposed to do is pick her up and pet her a few minutes. Then when he puts her down, she helps him take off his work boots, followed by a quick dash to the bedroom for a romp on the bed.

She will come get in bed with us, and she peddle pushes/kneads with her paws. And will go in and out from under the cover numerous times. Well, I went to bed just a bit past midnight Sunday night, leaving the kitties all asleep in the living room and dining room. I had not been in bed but a minute when up over the side she hops. Goes straight to husband to peddle push for a few seconds, then is in and out under the cover I don't know how many times.

Then she comes and gets on my chest and peddle-pushes for a bit then lays down and I think she is settled down good. I continue petting her all the time thinking we have got it made--we can just lay there and go to sleep, or back to sleep as in the case of Roger. But she only lays there a few minutes and hops up and goes over on his pillow to peddle push with her face right in his face, and purring loud enough to wake the dead. By then I am laughing so hard I am shaking the bed, so get up, grab her and sleep on the couch. He can't stand it cause her whiskers tickle his face sort of like walking through a spider web.

Mama cat is so settled in...I think she fully realizes she does not have to worry about anything here. I have not had her hiss at me or heard her hiss at anyone since about the first week. Can about sit down on her and she won't move. So different to when she was at her other home--she would not stick around for anyone except my daughter. She was constantly in the defense mode.

Aren't they pretty?

No matter how hard I try, I just cannot seem to get in the mood for Christmas...looking at these presents from a couple of years ago should inspire me. But all I can do is look and think, 'Wow--I made those bows.' I have three presents bought for two people, and still have more shopping to do for those two people. I have not idea what I am getting anyone...I can always buy for my older daughter. I seem to be able to choose clothes she likes, and can always find a dozen things she really likes.

My younger daughter is a different matter however--she just doesn't seem to want a lot of anything. Her husband is the same--he loves working on cars for fun...year before last we bought him a whole bunch of tools...and my older daughter also bought him a socket wrench set, then last year we bought him a battery drill set that also had a saw, and a palm sander...plus extra battery pack...so he is basically set for tools. Oh, we also got him a vise. He has an engine hoist...so just not much else that he needs. (His mom or grandma have bought him other tools)

Then there is my quilting buddy who is taking a LONG break from quilting...she has been crocheting and knitting some but since I do neither I would have no idea what to buy in the yarn dept...

I had wanted to machine quilt a couple quilts but with older daughter moving back home for a bit, I just cannot seem to get in the groove and get things done. She brought her two cats with her, and I already wondered just how I would get a quilt sandwiched with the two cats I had. Now it would be next to impossible.

OH, BTW, the picture that is in the header is one of mine that was scanned in from an old photo! It is one of my favorite pictures! It is in Tennessee from the winter of 1978-79.