Barking Mad

So Much for My Coffee Table Books!

Mind you, I've had conversation after conversation with Miss Gracie today and tried to explain to her that I don't think Martha ever mentions using cats....real live ones anyhow, as decorating accountraments.  Do think Gracie has paid any attention to that?

NOT!

Silly cat.  Griffy is happy enough to lounge about on the loveseat, or spread himself out like so much melting butter across the kitchen floor (and pray that I don't trip over him), or hang out in the window sills.  But Gracie is proving, after the first 24 hours with us, that she's got quite the dramatic side.  She talked Gareth and my ears off last night...just hopped on my lap whilst Gareth and I were downstairs watching telly and started meowing away.   She's really coming out of her shell.  She's quite the love bug too.   She's not quite as accepting of Gaby yet, but perhaps in time.  She did let her pet her for a while tonight. 

Griffy on the other hand....Lordy, what a huge lug that cat is!  Decided he was king of the California King size bed last night he did!  Tried to push me towards Gareth's side so he could have the fan all to himself.  Bed hog!  And lemme tell ya, sleeping with a big ole 22lb ball of orange fur is a tad on the warm side.  He's every bit as exothermic as Gareth is.  I was sandwhiched between two mini-space-heaters last night and just about slept in one of the guest rooms.  Oi!    Griffy is also quite content to let you know exactly where he loves to be scratched and scritched and didn't waste any time guiding Gaby's hands right to the spot.  Unlike Gracie he doesn't get in your face and rub all over you, he's more subtle about it.  He comes over, flops right down next to you, looks up and revs the pur motor.   What a goofball.

He follows Gareth and I everywhere and in the middle of the night last night when I went in to tend to a screaming baby and stubbed my toe on the way after which I let out a massive holler, he came running in and plaintively meowed as if to ask me if I was ok, and  rubbed against my legs.   What a big softie. 

So yeah, we're lovin' having the kitties.   They are nice additions even if they do fancy themselves decorations.

As a rather funny aside...ok so maybe it's not hilarious, but a tad amusing just the same, this is what happens when Gaby realizes that the fur babies have had enough and escaped downstairs....

Pathetic really, especially as she stands there and howls; "Grebbyyyyyyy, cat cat cat...where ard jewwwwwwwww."

Someone, hand me a tissue, would ya?

We Needed a Ladder...and This is What We Got!

The large orange ball of fluff is Griffy!

And the dark grey and silver (these pics do not do her justice, she is GORGEOUS!) little shy and aloof girl is Gracie.

So, how does one make the leap from ladders to cats you ask?   Anyone that knows Gareth knows that he has this uncanny ability to charm just about any cat, any where and it was only a matter of time, now that we own our own home, before we got one, or in our case two. 

Gareth just loves cats and doesn't consider a house a home until you have a roaming tumbleweed or two stalking your hallways, pouncing on your unsuspecting feet as you walk across the room, or cuddling up to you at night.  We'd been talking about visiting a couple of shelters and yesterday, being that we were sick and tired of unpacking and dealing with the heat and humidity, we decided to take a drive down to Kennebunkport to check out one of the shelters that was open on a Sunday.  We had mentioned the need for a ladder earlier in the day in order to hang some pictures and a ladder is just a very handy thing to have, you know, being homeowners and all.  *lol*

We had been out to the website earlier and picked out 12 cats we'd like to look at.  Little did I know though, that within 5 minutes of walking in the door that Griffy and Gracie would choose us!  We looked at so many cats and it was so hard, but yet we kept going back to Griffy and Gracie.  So after spending about 20 minutes with them we made the decision to bring them home with us welcome them into our home.

We still need to go get that ladder.

Now That I am Done Reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows....

I picked up my copy on Saturday night and began reading after putting Gaby down for the night, around 8:30PM.  Read until about 12AM Sunday morning and off and on throughout Sunday and then finished the book at 11:42 Sunday night.   I'm still digesting it, but overall I guess it was a satisfying end.  I am a bit melancholy that it's the last book and even debated putting off reading it - perhaps I was in denial, thinking that if I didn't read it, then it really wasn't the end.  But I knew that sooner or later some big-mouthed numpty would ruin it for me if I just didn't get on with it.

I won't say much so as not to ruin it for those who have not yet read it...but I will say this, have a box of tissues nearby, you will defintely need them.

As far as the movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...I'll retract what I said about it sucking.  It wasn't brilliant though.  It's saving grace quite simply was Imelda Staunton's portrayal of Professor Umbridge!  ABSOLUTELY FREAKING BRILLIANT!!!!!  She rocked the movie.  And I didn't think I was going to like the girl who played Luna Lovegood but she was awesome.  Totally how I'd imagined her when I first read OOTP.

However, there was simply too much missing from the book that connected events together and some of the mesmerizing magic that was present in the book was sadly neglected in the film.   Yes, I know the book was long and to include much of it would have made the film 10 hours long, but some things could have been added that would not have made the film too much longer.   I will say this though, the fight scene in the Ministry of Magic was unbelievable!  Kudos to whomever did the special effects for the film, it was quite good.

Enough of my blatherings about all things Harry Potter.  I mean it's not like I don't have an entire house to unpack and set in order.  Yeah right, like that's going to happen anytime soon! 

Oh and expect a PP post shortly.   Certain things that have happened in the last month have ignited another explosion and sooner or later I will need to vent about it, and short of locking this blog down, PP is my only outlet at present. 

Tootles!

Complete Media Blackout....TV, Newspapers, Internet, and if I Have to, TALKING....

....Until I get my hands on my copy of the last Harry Potter book and have read it, from cover to cover that is!

If you've read it, don't call me, email me, or even think my in my general direction until I'm done.  I don't want this spoiled for me. 

It's bad enough that we went and saw HP - Order of the Phoenix the other night and it SUCKED!  Yeah, major disapointment.   

And yes, I know I need to update everyone on the move, the kids' visit and all that other stuff.  I will.  But for now, until I'm done reading Deathy Hallows, sayonara! 

I'm out!

Meet "Chuck"

Now I know what you're all thinking....."Audrey, step away from the animal, it can't be a good thing that it's so close to your house."  And I know, after the bird that got stuck in the living room in April, the squirrel in the Christmas tree, the dead mouse in the toilet and the chipmunk in the study, it can't possibly be a good omen that we now have "Porch Puppies."

Let me clarify.

A couple of weeks ago Gareth and I were sitting in the front room just chatting and watching Gaby play - who, by the way, was looking out the front door.  We have a glass storm door in front of the heavy door and she loves to stand there and look outside and talk to the birds (which she calls 'ducks'), or meow at passing cats and bark at passing dogs.  All of a sudden she starts barking and meowing really enthusiastically and saying; "dogyyyyyyy, tac tac" (her word for cat) and she starts to bark and meow.  We weren't sure what was up but decided to have a look because she was goin' nuts.   Of course I didn't have my camera anywhere near and by the time I went and got it, the "animal" was gone. 

What was this animal you ask?  A woodchuck.  A big, fat, furry woodchuck.   

So, a couple of weeks pass and Gaby is standing on the couch this morning looking outside and she's getting really excited and leaning over and telling me; "mama, dog, doggyyyyy, my doggyyyyyyy" and there on the grass is "Chuck" munching away on grass clippings.  Sorry the photo is so dark....

So I grab the camera and start clicking.  Gaby is really excited about the "doggy" and I kept trying to tell her that it wasn't a puppy or cat but a woodchuck.  She could have cared less.

Then we hear some noise by the front door, and Gaby goes running for the front door and starts yelling at the top of her lungs; " mamaaaaa mama mama mama  MINE MINE MINE  my doggy my doggy doggyyyyyyyyyyy!" 

At the side of the front porch steps is a huge hole and that's where Mr. Chuck lives.  Well I thought it was Mr. Chuck until I opened the door (I know I know, you're all screaming; "No Audrey YOU DIDN'T OPEN THE DOOR!!!!! and now you're looking for the saga about the runaway woodchuck in my house...relax!  That didn't happen) to try and get a better shot and saw Mrs. Chuck and FOUR baby chucks all go running for the hole.   That's one BIG hole!

Without further ado, I'd like you all to meet, 'Chuck', Gaby's "porch puppy".....

I don't know what it is with me and wild animals, but it looks like Gaby has inherited whatever it might be, because Chuck isn't the least little bit frightened of Gaby and he seems quite taken with her.   Just the same, we'll keep our distance.  Yes I'm fond of wildlife.....from a distance.  It's just that often times, wildlife is fond of me....upclose!