Toby
Friday Unrelated Information
1. Brewvies has a feature on the last Sunday of every month in which a bad movie is shown and the audience is encouraged to act like the MST3K crew and heckle it. Does this seem like it would be a fun event, or does it seem like it would be incredibly awkward? The novelist in me is really curious.
2. A client has repeatedly asked for copy to be “more fun.” I am tempted to show them the next round written in LOLSpeak.
3. It’s the weekend! Follow Toby’s example and put up your feet tonight.
Toby Says:
Tuesday Project Roundup: Sewing For Toby
Toby had a brown donut that he slept in all winter, but the velour on the top was getting ratty. So I recovered the top in a plush leopard print for him.
I debated re-doing the entire cover, but there’s a zipper all around the bottom and a zipper going in a circle seemed like more effort than it’s worth. The new top does have piping around the edge, though.
He jumped right in and had a bath, so even though it’s been too hot to sleep in it, I think he likes it.
We Know How To Have A Good Time Around Here
Yes, just another exciting Tuesday evening sorting yarn and vacuuming the yarn basket:
(That vacuum is Thing #8, by the way. I’d better do another quarterly report soon!)
Happy Birthday, Toby!
Dear Toby,
Today is your unofficial birthday! I know you were born in June so I picked the third for you, same as my birthday. Here you are when you were a baby, before you came to live with me:
You’re three now, and you’ve been going outside like a big boy. I’m proud that you got so brave so quickly, but it hurts my feelings a little when you run away from me to go into the neighbor’s garage (or into the bushes, or into the other neighbor’s yard, or under the cars in the back parking lot, etc.).
Since you’re all grown up now, let’s make a deal like grown-ups, OK? You will stay mostly inside for the rest of the summer and I will find us a new place to live, one that has a yard with a fence and less traffic. It will have lots of rooms to explore inside, too–it might even have stairs! I know you love stairs. Almost as much as you love laundry:
Even when you get too excited by the outdoors, you are still the sweetest, cutest, and best cat. I’m so glad you came to live with me.
Love,
Mama
PS–Do you think you’d like a new kitty tower? A really tall one?
Toby Says:
“Look at me! I’m OUTSIDE!”
“I’m not in my veranda!”
“I can watch birds!”
“I can roll and do other cute things so my mama won’t suspect that I’m getting ready to chase the birds!”
(Karen says: No birds have been harmed in Toby’s outside adventures. But I feel bad that the quail are so tame after three years and now I have to shoo them off when he’s out. However, Toby > quail.)
Next Up: Stealing Money Out Of My Purse And Taking The Car Without Permission
Toby will be three in less than a month, so in cat years that means he’s anywhere from 18 to 28 (the internet has no clear answer on this). It also means that he’s suddenly decided he wants to go OUTSIDE.
He’s been an inside cat here for two years and his foster mom said that he had been inside before that, but he caught the call of the wild last Monday and started charging out the door whenever I opened it. In an effort to control the situation a little, I started putting a collar on him and letting him out for short bursts. He LOVES it.
[No picture because I am terrified of leaving him unsupervised for even 30 seconds.]
I am all kinds of conflicted–I always planned on letting him out (with supervision) when I had a yard with a secure fence, but the apartment is open in front and back to cars and other yards and more scary things. He’s being really good about staying close, but I think this tiny taste of freedom is going to go to his head. But I don’t think there’s any going back now….
Tuesday Project Roundup: Not A Pencil Skirt
I got a fancy new purse for spring and I didn’t want to just throw it in my wire bike basket, so of course I had to sew a liner for the basket. I just made up a pattern and used some fabric on hand–a big vintage print and leftover pillow backing fabric. (When everything you own is either aqua, turquoise, or orange, all your fabric coordinates!)
Now I can carry my purse and it won’t get wire marks:
And look what else fits in there!
I was putting it on and he came to investigate and jumped right in. No, I did not try taking him for a ride.
Two Years Of Toby
Today marks two years of Toby in my life! He’s the best cat and the best friend and very probably the love of my life.*
Here he is on day 3 (so small!):
And here he is on day 728:
I love this cat so much. Here’s to many more days.
*I’m also celebrating two years of being a crazy cat lady; can you tell?