Christmas 2013 and Carpentry

Well I survived the weekend before Christmas just fine. GrandDaddy checked on me and gave reports back to Whitney. When she came home though, she smelt like a cat named Harley, dogs named Khloe and Gracie, and the Denver airport. I made sure to sit on her to make her smell better. 

Yes, thank you for that. I really do love it when you sit on my hair and paw at my face, I feel so loved. 

I know. That's why I do it. 

... I have no response to that.

Anyways, Santa brought me a feather toy on a stick that has an amazing handle that I like to bite since that's the far superior end to play with obviously. 

Last night Whitney and I watched Netflix as she tried to take apart a pallet to use in making me a cat tree. I decided a better use of our time would involve sitting as close as I can to her face and browsing Pinterest instead. We found a couple of DIY cat trees and ideas. We're going to ask some experts (GrandDaddy and some handyman cousins) about the plausibility of some designs. I now have my very own board on Pinterest too! 

Yes, we did attempt to take apart a pallet to use in a cat tree design, but since I have little to no carpentry skills, I'm going to pause that idea for now. There are a couple of ideas that I found on Pinterest that I'd like to try before I return to woodworking. Hopefully Charlie will like them, if not there are so many ideas on Pinterest that I can use as plans B through Z.

Oh yes. While I have my entire queendom's attention: I have a cat-nip filled scratching pad, but I won't say no to any other cat-nip treats. 

Is that your idea of a subtle hint for more cat-nip toys?

If "subtle hint" means royal decree than yes, yes it is. Thank you. 

What's Texas?

Whitney keeps talking about going to Texas for Christmas and seeing her cousins and aunties and uncles, but I never heard anything about me going along. Rude. All I know is that GrandDaddy is coming over every day and my food is prepackaged into portion-controlled baggies. Which means I can't beg for more food at 4:38am again. Double rude. 

Yup, Char, it's finally time for me to head to Texas for Christmas, and unfortunately I can't take you with me. Although I'm sure you could convince the airline pilots to let you fly! 

Oh of course! 

Alright, it's time for us to say goodbye for the weekend, are you going to be good?

Am I ever not good? I'll be ruling my queendom.

Cats are like toddlers.

I was all ready to post about how the only bad thing Char did all day was hit the alarm clock off of the nightstand this morning. She then laid on my shoulder and purred in my face for 10 minutes until my arm fell asleep. 

It's called cuddling! 

It is, but you are on a computer ban right now because you can't be trusted around anything. 

But, but, but... 

Yes, you are a butt. 

Anyways. Tonight I am working on a paper when I look over to see Charlie using the carpet and my old sweats that I kicked off before bed last night (oops! missed the laundry basket which won't be happening ever again) as her new litterbox. After living with a female cat since 4th grade you can easily recognize the turn-in-circles-and-squat sign that what ever is beneath them is now a cat port-a-potty. I went over and picked her up and plopped her into her real litter box, and called her some not-so-nice names. I then went and started the clean-up process- thank goodness for carpet cleaner and a vacuum! I think Char could tell I wasn't happy with her because she followed from a distance when I didn't carry her around with me when I went upstairs. 

Cats are like toddlers: they have no idea what sleep patterns are, have no respect for personal bubbles, and still need potty (re)training sometimes. 

Dead Week Shenanigans

Apparently humans attempting to get a degree at a University have to endure what they call Dead Week followed by Finals Week. I'm gonna call it "Lots-of-books-to-sit-on-and-Whitney-is-either-easily-distracted-or-completely-ignores-me Week." 

On Monday, Whitney still left me at night but when she came home she smelled like another cat named Shadow. Not acceptable. 

And then on Tuesday we watched her online Environmental Law class lectures, which involved a lot of cuddling on the couch and learning. 

On Wednesday I was really really good. I only got into a few cupboards and didn't break anything, and when I tried to jump into the oven it was already cooled off after making Monkey Bread. Whitney wasn't as lucky: when she pulled the pan out of the oven her wrist hit the oven frame and she has a mark right next to her kitty watch. 

On Thursday, we got to sleep in a little bit and then when she came home from class, this strange lady she kept calling Momma came over. This Momma lady gave me a manicure, which is not my favorite form of pampering. 

Friday was a work all day long day so when she finally got home I had to fit an entire day's worth of attention into 4 hours. I pointed out my favorite picture frame and suggested a better arrangement. I took up 2/3rds of the couch cushions and made sure that I was as close to Whitney as a kitty can get. I also jumped all over the closet and got into all of the doors and drawers. 

Today is Saturday and it was super duper special! Since Whitney had to take her online Environmental Law test I got free reign of the house so my demanding meows wouldn't annoy and distract her. So naturally, I sat on the couch right behind her and meowed when she got distracted. 

Finally I'll leave my adoring subjects with a couple photos of me as an early Christmas present. 

Taking selfies while in "lecture". I am prepping to go to college! 

Just typing on the computer. All in a days work :) 

Cuddles on the couch. I know how to occupy a lot of space. 

Peace and love, 

Litterbox Lectures

Guess who is a major snot. Yup! That would be Charlie. I was attempting to clean her litterbox after class and since it's Wednesday, there are two steps. The first is to scoop poop and the second is to change the liner pad beneath her super nifty potty. (Thanks Jeff for picking a good box!) After I pulled out the tray to swap the liners, Char thought it'd be a great time to attempt to use the litterbox. I had to use some ninja skills to keep from having a bigger mess. 

Well, excuse a moi! I thought I should show some appreciation for the freshly cleaned box. You seem to not like it when I do certain things. All I hear is "Charlie, do you think that jumping in the dishwasher is a good idea?" "Charlie, the stove is hot so you can't sit there!" "Charlie, can you choose a different spot to sit, I am trying to eat." "Charlie, you cannot sit in the shower when I'm trying to shower." "Charlie, can you not hide under the couch when the foot rest is opened? I might forget and then shut you inside." It's like you don't want me to have any fun! 

Okay sassy pants. I'll shut you in the dishwasher, let you burn your tush and tail, drop dinner on you when you sit between my plate and I, turn the water on you, and shut you into the couch...

I guess you do have a point. If I'm locked in somewhere I can't sit on your lap and watch online lectures with you. And if I get food or water on my fur I will not be a happy camper. (Do you realize how long it took me to clean my tummy after the rafter incident?)How about I choose a different favorite upstairs sitting spot and you double check to make sure I don't get locked in places. 

Sounds good! But what about the litterbox? 

Ninja skills. Practice those ninja skills. Maybe Jeff can give you lessons the next time he's in Lincoln. 

10 pounds of love

Well hello again my most loyal subjects. 
Tonight Whitney felt the need to hold me captive and tried to weigh me so she could be sure to feed me "the right amount so I stay healthy." I thought the best way would be to feed me on demand. But that wasn't how she saw it...

Well excuse me for trying to keep you healthy. You won't be able to jump very well if you have a tummy in the way. I am just looking out for your best interests. I promise! 

Oh... well... I love jumping all over my queendom so in that case... I guess I shouldn't have been so difficult when you were trying to weigh us. I didn't understand why you had to hold me still and mark the scale.

Well, Char, what I did was weigh you and I together and then after I released you I weighed myself and then subtracted my weight from our weight to get your weight. You weigh 10 whole pounds more or less! 

So is that why you were checking the bags before throwing them away after you emptied them into the new snap-lid container that I can't get into? 

Yup! The new container is my way to try to keep you out of the food supplies so you don't overeat and make yourself sick. Do you think you'll be able to resist the temptation of trying to figure out how to open it? 

Probably for a little while, but food will always have a special place in my heart. I guess the toys that Jeff sent from home could entertain me for awhile. And then they'll get lost under the couch or sucked up into the vacuum cleaner or something. AND THEN I'll get new toys! I would like so cat nip and toys that involve food if that is an option. 

Would you like to put that on your wish list for Santa? When I was getting a scratching pad for you I learned that we can visit Santa at PetCo. All you need is your best behavior and a leash!

I do have leash and a collar I've been wearing but are those creatures called "dogs" going to be there? I don't like those things. 

Seeing how most pets that are leash trained are dogs, I think there will be a lot of dogs visiting Santa. 

Ewwww.... Dogs. Gross! I think I shall stay in my queendom and Santa shall have to accept my wish list via email. It is now law.

Whatever you say, your highness. I think it's time for us to say goodnight to your "loyal subjects"

Goodnight most loyal subjects! Have sweet dreams of catnip and all you can eat food buffets! 

Adoption until Now

Hello, My name is Charlie and I am a calico cat. I was born and spent the first few years of my life in Rapid City, South Dakota. I lived with Jeff and I was adorable. However, I need to be the center of attention 24/7 and don't care for those creatures called 'dogs' so I moved to Nebraska to live with Jeff's niece Whitney. 

Hello! I'm Whitney and I will be typing up our adventures. I adopted Charlie during Thanksgiving break of 2013 and have had Charlie for about a week and a half. I was very excited to adopt Charlie even though she can be a stinker sometimes. 

I am not a stinker. I am an adorable ball of fluff who likes to eat and doesn't like it when you put my food into tupperware or in other rooms. It's not kind to deny me a full service buffet all day long. 

So how did your tummy feel after you knocked the big tupperware down last night and ate until your heart was content but your tummy wasn't? 

The result of Charlie wanting to get a snack

If we ignore my little "gift" for you, it was wonderful! 

You mean your "gift" of already been eaten cat food? That was really wonderful. What have you done since then?

I like to meow at 4 or 5 am, sometimes I'm nice and I'll wait for 6am. I need my food first thing in the morning. I like to scratch at the door to be allowed access to the rest of the house, where I can try to add my mark to the house (Gramma is okay with cat hair right?). I also like to jump up onto things- I'm just helping to dust everything, like the kitchen sink, the rafters in the bathroom... 

Charlie investigating in the kitchen

Would you like to tell the rafters story?

You mean when you were getting ready and I jumped up onto the dresser and then to the filing cabinets and then into the unfinished basement rafters? Not particularly. I'd rather talk about my favorite sitting spot in my room. 

Okay, I'll play along, tell everyone about your favorite sitting spot in our room.

I don't know anything about "our" room, I obviously rule the entire house, but to appease the giver of food... In our room there is a red chair that I love to sit on and there is a penguin pillow that has finally achieved the right amount of cat hair and the little turtle is a good cuddle buddy and doesn't fight back when I kick him out of the chair. And the chair is right under a heating vent. It's basically the best spot in my entire queendom. 

Charlie and her favorite spot

Is there anything else you'd like to tell your adoring subjects?

Only that I love the attention, and wouldn't say no to any food treats or scratching posts.

Well, Char I'm going to go study so stay out of trouble!