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I love our pets. Not only are they all totally adorable and cuddly, but they offer hours of amusement.
One of the canine's favourite toys is Tiger Shark. You might remember him from earlier this year when Dora had a big quiet snuggle. He usually elicits grroows and grumbles when they pick him up as for some reason they believe there's more chance of the humans playing if they kick the cute factor up a couple of notches by talking to us. It, of course, works every time. We are suckers.
When a human gets involved, so must the Sister. And that can make for a bit of dangerous playtime in our teensy living room - especially if one is also trying to get some "action shots" as two big dogs play rough and tumble right under (and through) one's legs. So this the best I could do the other day. I think the psycho eyes caused by the baby camera's flash add a little something, something, don't you?
Dora ended up the winner and wasn't half smug about the whole thing.
Ms Dora has been quite playful the past few days, but primarily her goal is as much naptime during a day as possible. Exmouth had a few days of well over 90F (33C) this week and where was Mama's Dog? Snuggled under the blankie, of course. We are so cold blooded after living here for so long!
The couch has become the new dog nap place. Yes, we should be better about enforcing the "no dogs on the couch" rule, but, really, what do you think the odds are of that happening? Yeah, me, too.
I mean, c'mon, they are special after all.
And who'd have the energy since we'd also have to enforce the "no animals in bed" rule
I am aware that is not the most flattering angle possible for Lobo...it's either the angle or he needs to stop snarfing all of the kittie food each night, I'll let you be the judge.
I've been a good little domestic chica lately. I've cooked two meals in a row that were actually very good. Yay me. And there were leftovers from last night so that's even better. I love tacos, though they are so messy when I overstuff them with veggies. Lucky thing I have MatildaLily to tidy up any scraps that may have fallen on the counter...
Just a quick update on the Kitteh chapter. The new mom sent me a few photos last night & I gave 'em a little lovin' with my new Totally Rad Actions so I could share them with you.
I think it's clear that we were meant to be the middlemen helping this kitteh to find its forever home.
Mia & Patches
No doubt in my mind at all!
BTW - if you haven't yet, head over to my Kristin Anderson Photography Blog for another bright Exmouth wedding!
I sound like a broken record, but I just don't know where the week has gone! Suddenly it's Saturday again. Crazy how that happens.
While I've had many things on my plate this week, it doesn't feel like I've gotten much accomplished. I mean, I know I really have because I love making lists for the sheer satisfaction of ticking stuff off of and then gleefully balling up or shredding said lists before tossing them into the garbage can. It's not only cathartic but since some of my To Do Items aren't really tangible, it's concrete proof I haven't just been away in Fantasyland all week. So I totally know I've actually done meaningful stuff.
Yes, I would rather be a Princess eating bon-bons (actually, I'm not exactly clear what a bon-bon is, but it's what the pampered & precious are meant to eat, they say...) and watching my dedicated highly trained Tiara Shining Staff shine my tiaras, but that just ain't happening this week. Again.
So what have I been up to that has kept me away from reporting the thrilling minutiae of my life? Let's see, I've been working in the dive shop, out shooting sessions, working on print orders, editing and preparing images for clients, doing some accounts, tidying up some other projects and trying to keep my sanity as the lovely native birds chirp, chirp, frickin chirp incessantly outside my office window.
You'd think with three cats and two dogs that our backyard would be a bird-free zone, but it's exactly the opposite. I think every bird in Exmouth comes to hang out in our backyard. I've seen them eat out of the cat's bowl and hang out on the same chair one of the cats is sleeping in. Our cats are clearly not Great Hunters of the Cape.
I've also been playing with the new baby camera. All the images in this post (bar the trio of the bird above, which was with the Canon 100-400L IS mounted on my 1DIII) are with it and I'm having a ball. I love that I can slip it into the pocket of my shorts and I don't even feel it. The Fur Kids are thrilled that I have a new toy
Both Dora and MatildaLily have a thing for plants, though Til is the only one that chooses to also destroy them
The Girls have decided that the couch is once again fair game as long as we aren't physically in the living room. Dora at least has the decency to pretend that she doesn't see us when we come in & does a big production of ignoring us then being all surprised when we tell her to move. Tilly however acknowledges that we are there, but doesn't care.
I've only gotten a couple of sneak peeks up on my Exmouth wedding & portrait photography blog (Kristin Anderson Photography) - one baby photo and one wedding photograph - but I hope to get at least one full post up there this weekend so make sure to check it out.
There's also an underwater post there with some eels and you can see the full eel post that actually has eel info over at our dive shop blog Exmouth Diving Centre.
We have been going down to the beach a few nights when it isn't blowing 700mph. We've had the suckiest, windiest six or so weeks that we can remember. It's really put a crimp in our beach outings. But hopefully the weather is changing for the better. We're all sick to the teeth of the wind.
I am loving my new boots. I can go anywhere, over anything, through fairly deep water & my feet stay safe and dry. Here's the world's dorkiest photo of me in my boots...the water here comes up to almost the tops, I swear. And, yes, my white socks & the angle are kind of reminiscent of Sponge Bob Squarepants.
We went out to see the dead whale last night. It's pretty deflated and it now rolled up on the beach, slowly decomposing. Probably would have been faster to leave it to nature, but that's not really how some government departments do stuff, so, whatever.
As we were driving along the beach - me chanting an anti-bogging chant & Dave grimly forcing our Land Cruiser not to sink deep into the sucky sand coz this section of beach is really treacherous - we saw one of those things that just make you stop and wonder. A cell phone, trashed and just sitting there. It's like the lone shoe you always see as you drive along the freeway. Do people not realise they lose these things?
When we got home, I had to rescue a little lizard guy from the pets' water dish. No, I wasn't brave enough to touch it - I just dumped all the water out on the ground. Turns out, these little lizards don't really do so well with that method and it took the little blighter a few minutes to hack up the water he'd just been forced to ingest, but he was fine. Really.
I'm still plodding along on my new path of trying to be a little better to myself. I've been Coke free for about a month and I'm not craving it unless I'm having a really down day - which, thankfully, have been fewer and not quite as down-down since I started on my life changes. But I haven't caved. I'm saving myself for the joyful caffeine and sugar rush I'm going to get the next time I have a Barq's Rootbeer - oh, man, that's gonna hit me like a freight train and I can't wait! I may still have some issues ;)
Dave and I are doing lots better about making meals at home and I think he's enjoying cooking a little bit again. I hope so coz he used to have such a passion for it and he's awesome at creating the yummiest stuff. My skills are still at just past cereal & milk level, but I can make a mean veggie intensive pizza...it must be almost lunchtime
I want to thank you all so much for your comments, insights, support and opinions - this morning my inbox was overflowing (why don't more of you use the comments on the blog? No biggie, just curious! And I digress...)
Ever since Kitteh came into our lives we've been going along, introducing him (pretty sure it's a him) to the other Fur Kids but keeping Kitteh kind of separate, just in case we did decide to send him to a new forever home.
When we first brought him home, we (and when I say "we" I really mean "I" as Dave clearly had other ideas) had totally no plan to keep it.
Most of the animals did pretty well resigning themselves to the fact there was another member of the family - except Lobo who only this morning finally mellowed enough not to turn into a crazy, spitting, hissing, insane thing if he so much as caught a glimpse of the new-comer. Harry was completely mellow.
Tilly also had her moments - from the first day bolting under her hiding plant to the second day thinking it was EXCELLENT fun to bounce around to yesterday when she again seemed totally freaked out by it. I think her lightbulb is on, but it flickers...
Kitteh spent a lot of time in my office since I could keep a good eye on him and make sure he got lots of cuddle time. He very much likes sleeping right on my desk by the keyboard
When I had time or once Dave got home, we let him have the run of the house pretty much as between the two of us we can keep an eye on Tilly to make sure she doesn't get too excited about her new toy...erm...brother. Kitteh is very curious & loves to play and explore
So how could we consider giving him to a new home? Every person I talked to said "awww, you've gotta keep it" and "it definitely chose you guys, you have to keep it" I thought and thought. I backflipped from being sure I was going to give him away to being almost sure that I would keep him.
It was a horribly tough decision. I know Dave really wanted to keep him. I know that I was the one that was taking most of the responsibility. I know that I wasn't really sure I wanted a new kitten even though I already loved this little fluffbum. And I know that there was a very good home waiting for him and that a little girl would be exceptionally happy to have her first kitten. And I know that this little kitten would be the perfect first kitten for a small child because his nature is just lovely.
It was the not being totally sure I wanted to have a new kitten in our lives that tipped the scales. I feel in my heart that if this would have been OUR kitten then I would have known it, felt it, something. But I didn't feel that strong bond. I hope that doesn't make me sound like a cruel, cold, heartless bitch but without that bond, I felt the best thing to do was to let Kitteh live with someone who WOULD have that special bond.
So I delivered Kitteh to his new home and his new humans this afternoon. They seem a very sweet family and the older girl, Mia is just a joy. Kitteh is to be her cat if she can pry it away from Little Sister, and I think Mia will be just exactly the right human for Little Blue Eyes.
I'm sad that we don't have the little bundle of fluffybuttedness frolicking around the house any more. But I'm very happy with my decision and know that as hard as it was, it was the right choice.
Please don't be too hard on me for deciding to give Kitteh to a new home :(
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This is the question that is plaguing me today. Dave really thinks we should keep the little darling. I am not so sure. And it's causing me a great deal of angst.
Yesterday I was determined that we find a new forever home for the fluffball and so I made new signs, stopped people on the street and in the stores to tell them how wonderful this kitten is and to ask them to please pass the word that it needs a new loving home.
Today, I woke up not knowing if I really truly wanted to give him/her up or not. I think I do. But what if I don't but I do hand him/her over to a new mom?
We have a lovely family lined up and waiting eagerly for us to make up our minds. They could give Kitteh a loving, fun, happy, safe home. I know Kitteh would be happy there.
Dave thinks that the kitten came to us - more specifically, to me. He, and several of my friends, believe that pets choose their humans and clearly this kitten came to me for a reason. I believe this, too, in fact.
I'm just not sure that the reason was for ME to be its forever human. Perhaps it came to me to keep it safe, snuggled and loved until we could find its real forever home. Maybe you don't believe any of that hoo-ha about cats, and think I'm just a little crazy. That's OK, I believe that, too.
There's no denying this PurrMonster is cute, friendly, enganging, playful and just generally exactly what one would want in a cat. There's definitely a bond.
We have a good home, we have the resources & stability to care for it, the other animals have more or less accepted that there may be a new family member with varying degrees of grace.
But should we? Or should we fondly remember the few days we had with this special kitten and pass him/her on to a family who doesn't have any pets yet but has two little girls so they could grow up together and form that special bond you do with your first pet?
How do we decide?
What say you, Internet? Don't be shy - use the comments or drop me a line.
My newest toy arrived yesterday (thanks, Dad!) and it is simply too cute for words
This little Canon SD 1200 IS (Canon IXUS 95 IS for those not in the USA) is smaller than a business card, weighs almost nothing and so far is excellent fun to use! I know what you're thinking "don't you already own a camera or two?" Well, yes. But not one as cute as this since the ancient Sony 2MP disappeared into the void that is my office. So I needed another cutie-cam (and the Sony really struggled with image goodness anyway, so even if I could find it I felt it was time to upgrade...yeah, that's it...). Size was my primary goal - it had to be as tiny & light as possible and still offer reasonable images. I've only used it last night at the beach with the Girls, but so far I'm happy with my choice. No doubt I will feel the need to share more of my impressions on this camera as I use it in a variety of conditions and you'll be reading all about it here (or skipping over the boring bits and just looking at the photos more likely)!
Here's Dave coming off SeaZone at the Marina. I don't know why Dave put this hat on me
Tilly loves having her head out the window and I got some funny looks as we were driving down the road hanging out the front window trying to shoot back towards her (Kids, don't try this yourself. I'm a trained professional.)
Dora is all like "Fantabulous, Mom has a new camera. Oh joy. Oh rapture."
I didn't do a lot of experimenting but here's a shell - full frame on the bottom and two crops. I thought for a quickie that the image was pretty sharp and the massive crops are pretty good considering the limitations of this class of camera. (For those looking hard, there is some funky stuff happening due to the resizing for web, next time I do one of these I'll be more careful but I can't be bothered doing it for these, sorry ;) )
And just us having a little beach cuddle
