The times they are a changing... in New Immigrant
- Aug. 26, 2014, 3:53 p.m.
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- Public
THE KITTENS are now one year old plus one month! Who knew Una would end up like a plump baby sausage. Still a small cat, but needs
dieting. Orange Tuco grows more beautiful daily and is still much larger than Una, as when she was born.
Una with her expressive face, always interested and ready for
action.
Sweet Tuco remains more skitterish as when she was wee, but
she’s a sweetheart and a lover, they both are. A continual
joy and having been part of their lives since their birth does
makes them special.
THE DAILY CHANGE here in town is our street being torn up and
replaced. This is the third week of work. My favorite part was
watching the hand-like movements on the back hoe functioning
from delicate, precise removal of concrete edges to a hearty “shake of
the wrist” to empty the bucket.
Apologies men, I know there are exceptions to our stereotypes,
but today with a large male crew working, a smaller Bobcat was
whizzing about moving asphalt. The shovelers and scrapers stood
close to his work, forcing the Bobcat driver to narrow its circle and
be watchful. Finally he backed up, with Bobcat beeping, and
a worker leapt from his path! Observing that, I feel
I’ve gained insight into a male’s handling of other males!
VIOLET IS IN COLLEGE and I’m going through the angst her family
feels. I remember the risks I took, the dumb things I did and can’t
help but be uneasy. This is her first week of classes and my mind is
buzzing with memories of my own hectic first week in 1963! In a
picture she sent she’s standing alongside one of her three roommates (they’re in a suite with separate bedrooms and common living area),
both wearing “Shoulder to Shoulder” t-shirts given them upon
their arrival. Visiting the UC-Boulder website was reassuring because
there was an emphasis on campus safety in several different sites.
JACK will enter Windsor Manor this Thursday. Fingers crossed. His daughter Jen is back from Colorado for three weeks and her Sister will be coming too.
LIVING IN THE CITY since May still feels different. A first since I
quit working in 1998. The time had come to work on this place and to
be with Tom and all the cats. The three non-traveling cats were
scared of me in May and it’s been a week-by-week pleasure to
renew their trust and have their affection once again. When I return
to the river, it feels right and good to be there, something I never feel in
town. We talk about closing the river place completely for the winter but time will tell.
THE FLOODING lasted well into the summer and made is easier to
stay in the city for I couldn’t visit “my marsh,” which was inundated,
as you see below.
On my few, brief visits the sunrises seemed exceptional.
THE QUANTITY OF MICE was also exceptional. Despite
visits with two of the best mousers (and many traps) the
problem continues. Apparently the cats operate on a
“catch and release” model. Several mice were caught
and swiftly lost. Nisa came closest to victory, carrying
one catch all the way to my pillow (I was awake and knew
she was coming). That is a “waker-upper” though!!
Now that the heat wave is over we will be heading up, hopefully to spend the majority of the Fall alongside the Mississippi.
I know it’s like a broken record to hear me say this
again, but there are some extraordinary writers and
big-hearted friends here. I feel gratitude for you all
and wish you well. I say this as someone who has been
in a nearly fifty year relationship and knows how wonder
never ends.
Carpe diem!
Last updated August 26, 2014
Beret ⋅ August 26, 2014
Always happy to see you here! Can't believe those guys are that old already. I hope you enjoy your fall on the river. I imagine it is beautiful! I'm seriously thinking of making a trip out your way towards the end of September. I'll fly this time. I've had my fill of driving that distance!
Tick Tock Tick Beret ⋅ August 27, 2014
If you could have driven to Hawaii you probably would have! You have put a LOT of miles on your vehicle this year! Fall is a pretty time to visit. Flying is a good idea.
Ragdolls ⋅ August 26, 2014
MageB ⋅ August 27, 2014
Boy, you and the cats have been busy. Yes, I too llike to watch the machines move and interact. Have a great day.
thesunnyabyss ⋅ August 27, 2014
a year already and wow college, it happens so fast,
the photos are all lovely and the cats are adorable,
good to hear Jack will be entering the home, fingers are crossed,
so understand that city thing right now,
big hugs and much love!!
Tick Tock Tick thesunnyabyss ⋅ August 27, 2014
Is there a humane society you trust to place Titan in a good home? Maybe not. I can't stop thinking about him. Good Luck, MomDog.
thesunnyabyss Tick Tock Tick ⋅ August 28, 2014
there are a few, I have been informed of a no kill shelter nearby too, this is just killing me :(
ODSago ⋅ August 27, 2014
I love the photo of the marsh and of course those of your cats--that is an expressive face. I don't have the energy for two homes, so really admire those of you who do. I have the wonder of what it must be like to have two homes, both in such different climates. By the way, how did you come to own the land on the river? Interesting story? My friend named her cat Bobcat by the way. Bob, her husband had just died and she took in the male kitten to keep her company and when a Bobcat did some work in the neighborhood...it seemed to fit the need for a name for the little yellow kitten.
Do you know I have added a day to day diary, ODSago is its name and I hope you visit me there.
Tick Tock Tick ODSago ⋅ August 27, 2014
Well, I saw that about ODSago but am slow on the uptake, you know. / Love that your friend named her yellow cat Bobcat! All sorts of those whizzing around our street, exactly like a kitten. Is she finding her cat a comfort to her? / If we weren't slovenly to the point of neglect, we couldn't manage. We used to be dutiful and the river place door was never closed after a visit until everything was perfect, but now we are slipping. Stopping the mice entry and exit points is top on the agenda! Our places are only two and a half hours apart though. How we bought the river place? I never wanted to stay in the Midwest, having grown up here. Our years in the Philly area were exciting, beautiful and relished. Tom would not allow me to talk to potential faculty after I asked, "Are you SURE you want to come to IOWA??" a few times. In 1994 I went to visit my Sister in San Francisco and returned feeling I couldn't tolerate another minute here. That all changed when we took a trip north along the Mississippi that summer. I was enchanted with it. We searched, talked with realtors, visited and I found our place while looking at another nearby house. I literally raced back to Tom (asleep) in the motel about 15 miles away. Remember looking down and to my alarm I was driving 70 mph on windy, hilly roads! I slowed down, forced myself to take deep breaths, walked in to see Tom trying to be calm, announced we were to meet the local realtor at our place at noon and by 4:00 PM we had put in our offer. That was a life changing, unforgettable event in my life. Five years later we purchased our 28 acres of woods and pond (half hour from our river place). Miraculous! All of it. Best decisions we ever made! Thank you for asking. Next time I'll tell you about my first visit to the pond property but Tom needs to run so off I go.
ODSago Tick Tock Tick ⋅ August 27, 2014
I love your reply! Love the story and I really believe in that kind of momentary knowing what to do and doing it! Looking forward to your next reply ... part two!
Tick Tock Tick ODSago ⋅ August 27, 2014
Tom's uncle had a farm pond which his family of ten children plus Tom used regularly every summer with the fondest memories. It was love at first sight when Tom took me there and I decided I WOULD have a pond. I'd been looking throughout our river county for acreages when I chanced on a "For Sale" sign on a gate. Rightly or wrongly, I treated such signs as "Enter Here" and took off walking. The entry driveway is even steeper climb than our river one so you can't fully see the top. As I walked, everything was gradually revealed. It was enchanting when the dirt road leveled off amidst an arch of trees in a wooded, flat area. At the end of that was an open area, cleared except for a couple trees and a firepit (the area where our cabin now sits).
Then the road began winding down a hill amidst the forest.
When I was halfway down I thought I heard something....
Water? Uncertain, I walked on and YES, it WAS water! A beautifully tended, park-like valley was revealed at the bottom of the hill, a valley with not one but FOUR ponds! I was in love! I walked that woods over and over again that summer. Finally I got Tom to agree to see it and he liked it too so I called the realtor. "Sorry," she said, "that property has been sold." Regret and sadness shook me. Shook me as totally as the realtor's voice six weeks later telling me "The deal fell through." Although we have learned the hard way never to buy a property in the valley of a major watershed, and the stream feeding those ponds no longer connects to them (due to annual washouts), we have had the time of our lives living in nature. Our deepest and most profound joys have been shared there.
ODSago Tick Tock Tick ⋅ August 27, 2014
That's wonderful. Dreams do come true. Toddling off to read in bed now but so glad that dream of yours came true--I'd love that myself, although now it would be a bit much for me, alone as I am.
ODSago Tick Tock Tick ⋅ August 27, 2014
Oh, meant to say that the kitten did fine but my friend has memory problems and is living with a grandson's family now. All the way across the country from me, but I do hope Bobcat went with her.
BentnotBroken ⋅ August 27, 2014
Carpe Diem,indeed. I try to operate on that model. Can't believe your fur babies are a year old already! How time flies. Lovely pictures. :-)
Tick Tock Tick BentnotBroken ⋅ August 27, 2014
Glad you enjoyed the picture. Thanks for stopping by! I'll be by before long. Hope you are doing well.
NorthernSeeker ⋅ September 01, 2014
It's great to see that the kittens have become cats...nice looking cats. How is Mama Cat doing?
Tick Tock Tick NorthernSeeker ⋅ September 01, 2014
The vet found Pyewackett has bad teeth, had already lost several and they pulled three more. After that she changed dramatically, now she outplays her kittens. Actually, I have her up at the river with me tonight, only her, and we are both loving our one-on-one time together. We rub each others noses like she rubs her boyfriend Spot so it's evident we are in love, too.
At first the emphasis was on what a great momcat she was with the attention primarily directed at her kittens. A few months ago Pye herself, came fully into focus and we appreciate the marvelous, friendly, beautiful, sweet cat she is quite apart from her kittens. She's a gem.
Aren't you sorry you asked? Thanks though.