100 Pounds of Dynamite

Thanks 1800flowers.com

As of a week ago the kittie cats are here. They are two white Devon Rex cats, both girls, named Sophie and Josie, after my grandmothers.

Here they are, Sophie on the left and Josie on the right:

They are 3 months old and other than a slight heart murmur, which is common up until about 1 year old, the vet says they are nice and healthy.

They love to play and they have a great time with each other. This breed loves to be held, and really loves to climb:

They’ve been living in the same space since they were born, so at night they can usually be found snuggling up with each other:

They love to chase after the feathers-on-a-wand toy and we have a lot of fun getting exercise with it. They’ve also made it all the way up to the near the top of the cat tree, which is no small accomplishment for little girls this small.

Their personalities are still forming. When I first picked them up Sophie was clearly the more dominant and intrepid one. That seems to have flipped a bit now. Josie was first to climb all the way up the cat tree and Sophie has only followed her up most of the way. Josie also seems to have more energy than Sophie and usually tries to wake her up when she’s trying to go to sleep.

So far it’s been great to have them. They play when I’m here and mostly sleep when I’m gone. On the weekend they’ll play a whole lot and then they’ll start to slow down - shortly they’ll be finding the best place for a nap. That usually starts out on my lap. When they get sleepy I’ll put them someplace more comfortable (for me

The breed is also quite peculiar in that they’ve been known to play fetch. They haven’t been quite as consistent since, but here is a video of Sophie fetching one of those crinkly mylar balls.

After a wonderful Pad Thai at MarthaÂ’s house tonight, we made a pact. No more fancy cable. WeÂ’re both calling Time-Warner tomorrow and cutting down to the most basic cable, and that is just for reception. Corey and I are looking into some of the elgato products as a means for possibly avoiding cable entirely!

It’s kind of scary — I grew up with a television on almost all the time. We all figured that there is so much media out there, and we can watch movies and TV shows via iTunes and AppleTV, so who needs to let Time Warner molest us?

It’s also really exciting — I’d been watching too much TV anyway.

I suspect this is going to work out quite well

[or going overboard] (* updated 15 Jan - I’ve officially gone overboard
Although they’ll probably sleep on the bed with me, as their breed is known to do, They have a couple of beds… One covered, with a little dangling ball, and the other, open and very comfortable…

I bought some “pet grass” seed at the pet store and I’ve been trying to grow it, I thought it was supposed to grow faster… maybe I didn’t put enough seed down. I’ll have to give it a few more days.

Everyone needs a proper place to eat, so I’ve set up a little cat dining room. I have plans on putting a curtain there to dress it up a bit.

[update 15 Jan] - The curtains are up. I need to iron them, but I like the way it looks. The cats, of course, will have no idea that the curtains are there, but I like them

The astute reader might have noticed the cat hole in the previous picture. As it turns out, that has been here the whole time that I’ve lived here. The previous owners had a whole bunch of cats. This cat hole will be the the entry to the litter.

I haven’t exactly sorted out how the litter box will go, but I’ve got two, and plenty of space for them. I’ll only leave one out day-to-day. I’ll use the second for when I have to go away for a few days.

When the cats aren’t eating or pooping they’ll have plenty to play with. I’ve gotten them a box FILLED with all kinds of cat toys.

And a cat tree that goes from floor to ceiling. The two puffy platforms on the top are pouches so they can curl up.

There is also two pair of cushions that they can sit on. One set is by my desk, facing the window so they can hang out while I work and look out the window.

The other set is in the living room, next to the couch. These are going to be some spoiled kitties

[update 15 Jan] - Everyone needs to travel in style. I found a really soft throw pad that, when folded in half, fits exactly in the carrier.

I went last night and bought out Petco. Or at least it felt that way. It was fun to shop with the little kitties in mind.

I mentioned the cats to a colleague today and she pointed me to a couple of sites:

Armarakat - They have a bunch of cat trees, free shipping in the US, and some good sale deals.

Modern Cat Blog - Their “About” page says it all…

Why does it seem like everything for cats has to be purple? Many of the pet product development companies have defined the stereotypical cat owner as someone who canÂ’t get enough purple, lace, frills, and faux fur. If you prefer a more modern aesthetic, youÂ’ve probably had difficulty trying to find items for your home that accommodate both your cat and your personal style.

This blog is a resource for cat owners with a modern style. I seek out the newest products for living with cats in a modern home. I try to identify not only products that fit a modern aesthetic, but also items that are truly innovative and that make living with cats a more enjoyable experience. Moderncat combines product reviews with other useful information for cat owners in a clear and concise format.

I’m really glad for the last one. Most of the cat furniture that I’ve seen in the stores is just ugly. Their climbing and perching tagged posts has some neat furniture and some examples of DIY work that people have done.

For the last 3 years the only thing alive in my house has been me. That changed a few months ago when I started classying up the joint with some plants. So I’m still the only ambulatory living thing.

Shortly after 31 January that will all change. I’m going to be getting two beautiful Devon Rex cats from a breeder in Siler City, NC.

I’m kind of surprised at how excited I am to have these two girls come to live with me. I never thought of myself as a cat person, but I’ve met a few cats in the recent past that have cozied up to me, so my mind started changing.

I went on a Google hunt for cats that don’t shed and after passing by the hairless cats I found the Devon Rex breed. Anyone who knows me will know why the Wikipedia entry piqued my interest:

The typical Devon is active, mischievous, playful, and very people-oriented. They have been described as a cross between a cat, a dog and a monkey. They are high-jumpers and will try to occupy any space large enough to admit them. With this trait, they are often found in odd nooks and crannies of a closet, shelf, or laundry basket.

A cross between a cat, a dog and a monkey? I’M IN!
After doing some more research and looking for rescues it seems like there aren’t a whole lot that need rescuing.

So I found the breeder and went to her place yesterday. The cattery was immaculate and the family was very warm and welcoming. I went into the cattery, sat down on the bench and had two Rexs jump on my lap instantly. Later on she brought out the kittens and while I was holding one she nuzzled and then climbed up onto my shoulder.

It was love instantly.

They still need to grow a bit more and finish getting their shots so they’ll be ready to come home with me at the the end of the month. I’m really excited.

Seeing as they are a couple of white haired ladies I’ve decided to name them after my grandmothers… Sophie and Josie. (Unintended bonus points for the Josie and Pussycats tie in
** Update ** The breeder looked at the wrong schedule - The kitties will be ready to come home on the 17th (which just happens to be my birthday :-). Since I’m leaving for Lotusphere on the 19th, I’ll pick up the girls on 26th.

So.. “Poppy” - my grandfather - apparently decided that he wanted to refurbish a jacket that was getting old. The solution? Paint it black. “You painted your jacket?”

“Yeah - ohhh it looked so shiny”

The downside? It left little flecks of paint all over the seat his new car.

6:00 pm
One of my relatives: “Hey everyone, lets watch a movie… What’s on? How about this? What about this one?”
Me: “What about the show that is on now?”
My relatives: “No I want to watch a movie…”
Other relatives: “Yeah - let’s put a movie. How about this one?”
Another relative: “OK good - I’m putting this one on.”

6:15 pm
[I'm sitting alone in the living room while everyone else has gone off to do something else]

7:15 pm
[I'm half watching the movie and an important part comes on]
A relative: “Frank - Who is that actor? What is going on? Whats happening? What is that all about? I have a funny story to tell you. Do you remember the time when…?”

Oi vey.

Not to be outdone by the 2006 holiday card. Here is this years…

On the back it reads “Awww… The kids have their father’s eyes”

Want in on the print version of next year’s card? Send me your address: fjania AT gmail DOUGHT com

I just got back from seeing the Tori Amos concert in Charlotte, NC. It was AMAZING. I forgot how much I love her music and that I haven’t been to a concert in some 10 years. (I also haven’t been to one of her’s ever - but this won’t be the last time.)