Hood ornament or road pancake???

You know how sometimes you let a cat (or a child, for that matter) do something that you know is intrinsically dangerous, but it's "cute" or funny so you sort of "allow" it to happen again and again???

Well, this is Bella, climbing up to the roof of my car.  She loves being up high - she is the ultimate snoopervisor and being up high allows her to check on all nature of things.

The Shepherd generally gets home just a little bit before I do (I work until 6:00) - He feeds the wooly units and works around the yard until I come home.

As I would drive through the drive way, if he was out by his truck, I'd stop, roll down my window, and turn off my car to visit and see how his day had gone.

Before you could Blink, Miss Snoopy would be up on the roof of my car, checking things out.

Then after our visit, I'd start the car back up and drive to my parking spot.  Guess who would come along for the ride - - -   ???

She is actually quite good at it - balances up on the middle of the roof and goes for the ride down the driveway - like a Parade Princess - she's just missing the tiara...  and that wave...

Then she sits up there and makes sure I get everything I need out of the car, etc. etc.

Well, last week while I was off work, "working" on the church stuff, I had run to town to do some errands (should have made a list) - I stopped and visited my friend "Jack" (in the Box) for lunch and headed home.  I got to our driveway and realized that I had not gone over to pick up the patch for the minister's stole that I was making.


So, I parked, turned the car off, sat there listening to the radio while I finished my sandwich.

Sandwich finished, I started the car back up, and proceeded to leave.  I got to the gate and paused to let a neighbor go by before I pulled out.  But to my surprise, he pulled off the road in front of my car and stopped!

Oh, he's going to visit a minute, I thought - I rolled down my window - "Hi Rick", I said as he got out of his truck.


"Did you know you have a passenger?" he asked.  as he walked over to my door - I'm, like, very puzzled..."HuH?"

"The cat on the roof of your car" - he said - "did you know it is up there?  Is it yours? Shall I get it off?"

"Oh, YES!" I said. 

Oh, my gosh - unbeknownst to me, that darn Bella had gotten up on the car while I was finishing my lunch, and like always, she thought she was just going for a little ride down the driveway...


Normally, I would have stopped to close the gate, and would have seen her up there.  But because I was just going to be gone for a few minutes, I had decided to not bother.  Who knows what would have happened, had the neighbor not stopped.  I'm sure it would have ruined my day (and hers) had she tried to jump off as I sped of down the road to finish my errands. 

What's the big deal???

So thanks, Neighbor Rick, for "saving the day" and keeping Bella from certain harm.

The next time, I'll check up there before I take off. 

Contemplations on Working Cats

Sometimes I feel like that old commercial - "Parents - it's now 9:00 - do you know where your children are?"  

Our kitties are farm cats - they have a job, and that is to keep the rodents and bunny units out of the garden and the barn area.  So far, they seem to be  doing a pretty darn good job of it by the carcasses that they leave laying around (although I do wish they wouldn't bring froggies into the house!!!)

I really try to make sure they are inside at night – that’s when a lot of “bad things” happen to good cats – run-ins with hungry coyotes or raccoons, fights with neighbor cats looking to enlarge their territory -   When it is rainy or cold, not so much of a problem – but these spring nights are getting to be warmer and they stay out later and later – not coming when I call.  

Often, it feels like the blood rushes from my head – my ears hiss with my distress – How I managed to keep Sinda for 21 years is a mystery to me sometimes – she spent most of one summer across the street at a neighbor’s and after I would call and call,  she would come back home, but she used to actually lie down in the middle of the road – like she was daring the cars to run over her – I’m lucky I didn’t get hit by a car that summer in my efforts to “rescue” her!  

So, I give them over to their guardian angels –(and our fenced yard to keep the dogs and coyotes out) -  and breathe a sigh of relief when I feel Gracie jump on the bed to sleep with us or hear George jump up on the TV table,  With their feral beginnings It would be cruel (and impossible) to keep them inside  - George most certainly would tear the house apart trying to get out – we learned that last summer.  Inside/outside suits them fine – me, I still worry  

Glad THAT'S Over!!

Whoa baby - yesterday I felt like we were living in a war zone! We are very close to the Lummi reservation and they have a lot of fireworks stands out there. So that's where the neighborhood kids go to get their fireworks. They are, of course, not the wimpy legal kind - we're talkin M80's and bottle rockets, folks.

I was very surprised, because both Sinda and Mr. Neelix seemed to be taking the day fairly calmly - even tho there were lots of BIG booms, and hisses & shreeks, they didn't seem to be running around nervously or anything. Til just before dark.

They BOTH disappeared!

I didn't really notice until after we watched the Seattle fireworks on TV. So, I waited until after all the booming had slowed down (11:30 or so) and called and whistled - they normally will come very well to my whistle - No Neelix - No Sinda. By this time, I'm fit to be tied and ready to write letters to the County Executive and all the County Cuncil members demanding that they ban ALL personal fireworks - there's got to be a better way for people to have fun!

I go out the back door and call & whistle - I go out the front door I call & whistle - DH has gotten too much sun, (probably heat stroke, judging from how he felt today) and has gone to bed early. No kitties -

Now, there's one thing I don't know if I've ever mentioned - but Sinda talks alot, and is very loud - you can hear her coming from a ways away. Neelix, on the other hand, had a very bad cold when he was a baby, and he doesn't meow - he kind of trills. Not very helpful when you are calling and calling - listening very carefully for little trills - Pretty soon - out the front door -MEOW! Here comes Sinda - her eyes are about the size of saucers. She runs and has a little chow (some of our cat friends would call it "stinky goodness"), scolds me like crazy - after all, all that booming WAS my fault, you know. She finally calms down, and I decide, that I need to get to bed, as it is almost 12:30 and I have to work in the morning.

I console myself with the fact that he stays out late quite often. (It's like having a teenaged son, with an attitude...)

Sinda stuck to me like glue all last night - a 12# deadweight on my hip all night long. At least I knew where she was.

This a.m. when I got up - still no Neelix. I put out their breakfast, called, whistled, clanged on the cat food can with a spoon - no Neelix. It's getting late, I'm going to be late for work. I get a call from John that he's coming home from work, he still doesn't feel well. It didn't even occur to ask him if he'd seen Mr. N. - I go to work with a heavy heart.

Tonight when I came home from work, Neelix did not meet me at the front gate like he always does. I came in the house and asked John if he's seen Neelix today - "No," he couldn't say he had. Hmmm - I had a bad feeling about this. I stand on the front porch & call - I stand on the back porch and call. I start dinner. The phone rings and it is Kathy from Sheep Thrills Farm . "I can't find Neelix, he didn't come home last night" I told her. We talk for a few minutes - "You better go & keep looking" she says and rings off. I'm still alternating between front and back yards - suddenly it occurred to me -

THE SHED

(with appologies to Marsha our shearer, this was the only picture I could find - See the door that is out at the corner of the barn-)

"John, did you have the shed open yesterday?"

"Well, yeah, it was open all day - I shut it at about 8:30 or so, why?" I open the cupboard, grab the key and race out the door - it's been really hot today (OK, so, not over 80 degrees, but there is no vertilation in the shed, it's just not a nice place to be when it's hot. )

I opened the door and Neelix shot out like he was propelled by one of last night's bottle rockets.

"Hey buddy - how are you doin?" I ask - he doesn't even wait for a head scritch... "Mom, where have you been? I'm Hungry & Thirsty" - he trills as he's headed for the house - dinner and a drink of water.

Whew - he may not have used up one of his nine lives, but I think he used up one of mine. I'm so glad you're safe, little pal. NOW, STAY OUT OF THAT SHED!