The "what's On Your Mind?" Thread -2019

[segelkatt]

After looking at all the comments and criticism of this cat tree I decided not to get it although the concept is good. The trunk does not lend itself to scratching (no sisal!) but is slick plastic not meant for that. The branches cannot be replaced so after the cat has destroyed those you are stuck with a bare tree. It is also not as tall as the one I have which is starting to look a little shabby because of all the scratching.
I am thinking of getting branches, real or fake, from the crafts store, drill holes into the edges of the perches of the present cat tree and attach the branches there with washers and nuts. I'll start with the bottom shelf only and see how that works and how the cats like it. If they do I can get more branches. The shabby trunk will be covered with more new sisal which I had planned on doing anyway and I'll have the same thing, only customized.

 

[kashmir64]

That tree would last less than a day at my house. Plus, they'd be eating the plastic, which can't be good for them.

 

[Willowy]

Yeah, I thought about it but my little heathens would shred it all in a day, lol. I shudder to think of the destruction. But for an older cat who doesn't scratch or chew much (or scratches other things), I think it would be awesome! They could hide in the leaves and pretend to be a leopard. . .

 

[segelkatt]

Not only has it been cold here in SoCal but the wind has been blowing really fierce bringing the temps down even more. In Riverside and San Bernardino County, about 70 miles from here, where the passes are coming from the high desert two big rigs were turned over by the wind last night. I heard the winds howling here for the last two nights also with someone's wind chimes going off with every gust. Sleeping warm under two down comforters with three kitties cuddled up next to me. The wind calms down during the day but kicking up again at night. Just wish it would get warmer during the day, high 50s just doesn't make it here, I have to turn on the heat and I just got last month's bill (this place is all-electric) and almost fell off my chair, it's higher than I have had in the last 4 years that I have lived here including the one during the summer when it got over 100 for a week straight. Anything good about this? The sky is as clear as it can get, any pollution has been blown out over the ocean where it will settle eventually, visibility goes on forever.

 

[Alicia88]

So, about Aedan possibly having a lip tie? We saw the dentist today. They said since he isn't having issues nursing, they're gonna watch it and possibly cut it when he's 5 or 6 unless it completely rips before then. At this age, to cut it, they'd have to put him under because he's not gonna cooperate and hold still. Since it's not causing issues, it's not worth the risk associated with anesthesia.
And they said it's healing really well.

 

[Alicia88]

Aedan playing with Connor

 

[segelkatt]

Ever since the Mega Pawsitive Fundraiser page was discontinued there haven't been any posts here either. Where is everybody? Where have they migrated to? I miss all my cat loving friends.

 

[Alicia88]

It has been very quiet around here.

 

[NY cat man]

It was a nice day today, so Michele and I took a little road trip along the Niagara River gorge. I got some pictures from Devil's Hole State Park of the lower rapids. The waves don't look like much from the rim, until you realize the water is about 150 ft. below you, and the waves are actually 8 or 10 ft. high where the river narrows.

 

[kashmir64]

Ever since the Mega Pawsitive Fundraiser page was discontinued there haven't been any posts here either. Where is everybody? Where have they migrated to? I miss all my cat loving friends.

I'm kind of here. I've been dealing with pump issues and hauling water from a friend who has been kind enough to let me have some. I was busy today, re-insulating all my pipes in the pumphouse and in the wellhead case. There is no chance of a frozen pipe.
BTW, I was right, it is the switch. Now I just have to get my pump guy out here to fix it. I have no clean clothes and a sponge bath just isn't cutting it.

 

[segelkatt]

I'm glad to see that at least a few of the people are still here. I see quite a few people posting on "It's a beautiful day! 2019" which is sort of a continue of the Mega Pawsitive thread.
Glad to see that you have water back. We can do without food for quite a few days but water is a necessity just about every day and we, in the Western world can't live without clean dishes and clothes and a bath/shower every day although I'm sure having a bath/shower every day and clean clothes every day is not a necessity. See you all here, at the It's a beautiful day 2019 and at the New Years Resolutions thread.

 

[kashmir64]

Glad to see that you have water back.

Not yet. Not until he gets his butt in gear to fix the thing.
I do have water, just not running water.

 

[Katie M]

My new schedule is kicking my butt. I leave the house at 8, ride the bus until 9:45, have class from 10 to 12, work from 12 to 4, then ride the bus until finally getting home after 6.

 

[Graceful-Lily]

Aedan playing with ConnorView attachment 269242

I love how he smiles directly at the camera in what seems like the majority of the photos you've taken of him. It's so adorable!

 

[NY cat man]

Not yet. Not until he gets his butt in gear to fix the thing.
I do have water, just not running water.

Consider yourself fortunate. Where my parents lived, it was all well water, and the people across the road from us had water that was literally black with sulfur. The only thing it was good for was flushing the toilet. For everything else, they would go to our next-door neighbor, who had an outside faucet, and haul buckets of water back home. This went on for over 30 years before the town put in water lines.

 

[kashmir64]

Consider yourself fortunate. Where my parents lived, it was all well water, and the people across the road from us had water that was literally black with sulfur. The only thing it was good for was flushing the toilet. For everything else, they would go to our next-door neighbor, who had an outside faucet, and haul buckets of water back home. This went on for over 30 years before the town put in water lines.

Your story reminds me of my grandmother's cattle ranch in Oklahoma. There was a well, with a pump handle type of faucet (outside). We had an outhouse, so no toilet to flush. Took baths in the creek or river. Hauled water to heat for dishes and the old wringer type washing machine.
But, my pump guy just called and he's coming out this morning. If he doesn't bring a new switch, I may hurt him.

 

[NY cat man]

Your story reminds me of my grandmother's cattle ranch in Oklahoma. There was a well, with a pump handle type of faucet (outside). We had an outhouse, so no toilet to flush. Took baths in the creek or river. Hauled water to heat for dishes and the old wringer type washing machine.
But, my pump guy just called and he's coming out this morning. If he doesn't bring a new switch, I may hurt him.

You should- badly.

 

[Alicia88]

He's a little ham. He sees the flash and looks up at the light and busts out that huge smile. I love it.

 

[segelkatt]

My new schedule is kicking my butt. I leave the house at 8, ride the bus until 9:45, have class from 10 to 12, work from 12 to 4, then ride the bus until finally getting home after 6.

I can relate to that. Many years ago when I did not have a car or a regular job and in my neighborhood there were no decent jobs I worked for a temp agency which sent me to another county for a long-term job. This meant getting up to catch one bus at 5:45, rode that until 7 where I caught another bus which brought me to my assignment at 8. Got off at 4:30, walked to the bus stop where I caught the bus back to my connection point where I arrived at 5:30. Next and last bus did not come until 6:30 and brought me home by 8 pm. I did that for over 6 months with my only social life on weekends where one day was taken up with doing laundry. Needless to say my social life was zero. Local jobs paid minimum wage which was about $7.50 and this long-term temp job paid $12.00, at least I could pay my bills and I was sharing a girlfriend's home so my rent was cheap. I do not recommend this for anyone but sometimes that is all you can do. Eventually I got a job with the State where I stayed until I could retire and I did not stay in that county where there were no jobs, everybody commuted as much as 100 miles one-way.

 

[kashmir64]

Boy was I arrogant. I can admit I was wrong. Not only did the switch fry, but almost every pipe was frozen, and two of them were broke. However, I didn't notice those two under all the insulation and since no water was getting to them, they weren't leaking.
Oh, and remember the 'plug' that went missing? Apparently, there isn't supposed to be one there. It's part of the pressure release valve. When there's a blockage in the pipes, water comes out there so as not to blow anything. But, the valve was bad also.
Anyway, after 5 hours of work, part of which, he dug underground about 2 feet (my underground pipes are 4 feet down, but part of them come up to go to the pump house) he insulated those and put the dirt back on) insulated the pipes in the pumphouse the way he wanted them - I have water again.
He's such a great guy. He replaced parts, replaced pipes, spent 5 hours working on my water and only charged me under $350 so I can still make my mortgage and buy propaine.
He's definitely getting a 'thank you' check when I get a little extra money.