Brendan

Yes we have had to say goodby to Brendan. I know I haven't posted for quite a while. Summer has been very busy here and we watched as Brendan spent the summer saying goodby to the things he loved on this planet. He wasn't afraid to be leaving, though of course, we were afraid of losing him.

Since he was a Perfect Being he chose a perfect full moon night to travel to the Bridge, He had one day of telling us he was ready, he would not eat at all and he lay with his head down on the sofa. We called his gentle vet who had offered to help when he was ready. She called an experienced friend and they helped him go to sleep while he lay in his favorite bed. He was not afraid and he did not suffer.

He had already explained to Ramona and Harper that he would be leaving and they would be in charge of the Kingdom until we were all together again at the Bridge so the young ones have not suffered. Ramona has been with us every night, Harper is his usual happy go lucky self.

We miss Brendan very much and we will miss him the rest of our lives here. He lived a perfect feline life and I will post some more photos from that life soon. He landed with his brother, Finnegan, in a small, dismal shelter in Maine (long since improved), where he chose Olof as his person. He had a happy fun filled kittenhood wrestling with Finnegan, an adventure filled youth in the woods and barn next door, a peaceful and responsible adulthood caretaking his large property and an unexpected romance in his elder years that brought hin great happiness and comfort.

All his life he was calm, wise, amused at the antics of his humans, kind and tolerant to others.

If we are here on this planet to learn then Brendan only had a few things to learn that I could see. One is that ducks exist and it's ok. And the other is the sweetness of being part of a tribe. It took Harper and Ramona to bring out the caretaking parent in Brendan and we watched as Ramona won his heart and Harper his acceptance. When the kittens came home from their spay/neuter, Brendan planted kisses on both their heads to tell them it was all right. He brought them a live mouse to demostrate what they should do as house cats. And they often slept together in harmony.

All told, it was a perfect life lived by a perfect being and we are honored to have loved him during his sojourn on this planet. We will all be together at the Bridge.

A Few New Faces

Mr. T



Chester



Chip and Diamond (new to the shelter and still feeling scared)



Chester and Chuckles. I would not ever name a cat Chuckles. I'm sure he will get a new name when adopted.



Abby, isn't she lovely?

More Summer

"Do you see that Brother?"
"I do, Sister."
"Think we can catchy it?""
"If we be patient we can catchy it."



Ramona walks through the beans in the garden. And keeps an eye out for chipmunks.

The little guys are on their summer schedule. Morning brings Border Patrol and then they don't waste a minute of the day inside. They have discovered that Grasshoppers Are Prickly and Frogs Are Slippery. They know how much time they are allowed Out and raise a fuss if they are shortchanged. At 6:30 the door is closed and everyone has to be in. Ramona has a funny (she thinks) trick where, when I have put her in first and then I get Harper, she hops out the door as I enter and makes me chase her around the yard. Very funny. She knows it is time to come in and she will flop over and her back and laugh at me as I pick her up.

We call summer the Fourth of Julabor Day Weekend. In New England it can be so short that we try to get all kinds of outdoor stuff done in about ten weeks. This summer seems like it is cooler than usual and wetter. Everything in the garden is behind. And we have this major studio renovation going on which means we are doing nothing else. Good thing Elisa and Julian arrive from France next week and that will make us stop and smell the tomatoes. And the basil.



Mr. B has had a bad bout with a urinary infection that refused to clear up. He is now on some intense medication that zones him out but seems to be working. We've got ten more days to go on this and hope he will get through it. He spends his days on the porch watching Miss R run in and out. She has been giving him extra kisses.

A Day at the Shelter

Aren't they beautiful? I wish I could have another half a dozen. Why not? They're small.




Baby Lola



Chuckles



Dino



Chester



Chubby



Tuffy



Butterscotch

Brother and Sister

It's hard to start off the day on the wrong paw when you wake up to this.

We Interrupt This Broadcast

For a very important pre-election message from the Caturday Tribe...

Love

We're wordless.
Sleep well, B and Mrs B.

Sleep Is Important

After running around the yard for twelve hours straight, the divine Miss R collapses where she lands.



So does her brother in his usual laid back style.



One night the whole tribe, (including two footers) were so tired we all hit the bed at 8PM and skept through until 6. We woke to this arrangement.



And today, B and the missus enjoyed a nice lie in until 9.





"She a babe , isn't she?" says B.

Three Faces

This is Junebug



Maybelle



and Mugsy

Three little shelter kittens. They all have applications filed and should be adopted out as soon as they are old enough. Wicked cute, aren;t they?

Mr. B

I had to take Brendan in the vet on Sunday. Brendan showed me there was blood in his urine again, like at Christmastime. The vet said he should get better. He had some fluids and some shots and I am giving him Clavamox, Cosequin and the Chinese herb mixture. I didn't know this, but Cosequin is good for our old fellows with kidney issues. It helps the lining the of the bladder.

He was up to inspect the builing progress with Olof and he did walkabout in the fenced in territory and now he has gone upstairs for his morning nap. His appetite is down a bit but he seems ok.

He's old, yanno. Our vet says, ":Brendan is happy but he's tired." When you think of his age in people years you realize he is very old. In cat years 17 and a half, going towards eighteen. In people years, what, 90?

He is such a wise being and all of you who read Caturday I think get a feeling for what this special creature is like. A while ago he was napping with his head on Mrs. B's butt.

I take Brendan to the vet, it's a 45 minute drive. I just put him in the seat in his car seat and he looks out the window with calm curiosity. He's calm at the vet but of course he doesn't like getting shots. He doesn't get fearful, though his eyes were quite large the last time we were there and a Great Dane was woofing away near us. Still, he has been with us since he was eight weeks old and all he has known from people is kindness. It's a perfect kind of life. He's been lucky and we've been lucky to live with him.

It's not over yet and we'll take the best possible care of him and watch over him.

I was reading a new story over at

Then There Were Four

about what happens to us when we lose a Beloved animal companion. I think he really hit it in this one. It just tears a chunk out of your heart but I love the way he describes it as a cord that keeps us connected. Pop on over there and read it.

Where the Wild Things Are

The door is open all day long and the kittens (young cats now really though they still act like kittens) run in and out. Ramona cries when the door is shut around 6 PM.

"I'll never be Out again! I just know it!"

Then she collapses and crashes out until the next morning. She runs up the apple tree and hides under the bushes and stalks little creatures. Harper and Ramona chase each other through the vegtable garden. She did get out one more time and then I added some fencing around the few trees we have the fence staked to. And a raccoon got in once so we check the perimeter every morning.

Brendan goes out too. We had a down spell with him and we gave him fluids for a week and that has really perked him up. Also we found a new food he just loves so he has put weight back on. It's the new Fancy Feast in the blue cans. He is nuts for it. It probably isn't as good for him as Wellness but hey, I'd rather he eat.

I went home to Cape Cod to see my family. Did a little research on the ancestral mansion which was built in 1845. Found out some fun family tree stuff like the town my great great and so on mother was born in in France and that the father of that same period was from Prussia. I wish they had all left journals!

We're still working away on the studio remodel. Everything is upside down. And it's going to be a real international summer with guests arriving from Ireland, France and Sweden. It''ll be fun.

This time when I got back Harper let out one loud meow "You're back!" He didn't forget who I was like last time. Then he slept next to me with his paw around my neck. He's a love.

I figure Harper and Ramona are my consolation gift from the universe for losing Fergus. They are both sweet and very comforting companions.

Breakout!

This just in from the A.P

There was a breakout at Caturday Lane yesterday. No injuries were reported.

"I don't know what happened," said Mrs. Brendan (aka Miss Ramona), ""my brother and I were in the from yard watching chipmunks. They were stealing seed our people put down and we were warning them away. I had my nose to the ground and suddenly the Boundary slipped over my head and I was Outside. Brother followed me at once to assist. Then we realised we were Outside and we couldn't get back in! Brother said we should follow the Boundary until we found a way Home. We were doing that when our people called us. Brother was rescued by Herself and I ran to the Very Nice Space with the Big Things that go down the road are kept and I yelled at the door until Herself came and let me In."

"It was verwy scarwy.""

All were reported safe and resting up from the ordeal.
The Boundary has been reinforced with extra protection.

Spring comes to Caturday

The fence went up, the old shed came down. The garden went in and the cats went out. Yup, May flew by in a rush of activity. I'm down to two maor studio projects and about a zillion outdoor projects.

First, the fence. It is a black plastic deer fence with long steel stakes you pound into the ground and attach the fence to with those plastic pull tie things. There are stakes to fasten the fence to the ground and you can pile rocks on it in places where you can't get stakes in. Below is the web site for the company I bought it from. They are on Cape Cod but they ship the fence from a warehouse. You might be able to find the same stuff locally. Because it is so thin it is hard for a cat to climb and when you put it up you can leave the top kind of loose so there is no footing for a houdini. We stapled some of ours to trees and left the top loose. If you put it on the front of the tree it is hard for a cat to get his paws through the fence to climb. Our guys so far show no interest in trying to get out. They have enough to do inside their yard. And they tend to stay right around the house if we are not out in the yard. Last night we saw a raccoon in the yard so Olof followed him. He had no problem climbing out. But the cats wouldn''t be able to do it as easily. And the fence is black to it blends in against the trees and you hardly know it is there.

http://www.invisible-deer-fence.com/



Ramona walks over the cat sized bridge that crosses the creek between ponds.

Being able to go out has made a huge difference in the cats well being. Before they were content. They slept during the day and ran around at night hunting for mice. (and often finding some). Now they can't wait for the cat door to open around 7 AM and they spend the entire day running in and out until we set the door to in only around 6 PM. They will come in on their own by 6:30 if we are in. Then they sleep like exhausted children. Life has become exciting for them. They get to fufill their inner tigers, stalking frogs (usually rescued by me), bugs, leaves and the occasional rodent. Ramona springs up the apple tree and sometimes just lies in the tall grass napping. They used to cry when we finally shut the door at night but I think they have learned the routine. Cats like routine. And Harper used to yell in the morning trying to get me to open it but today he is still asleep. I generally walk around the perimeter when I let them out because we do have bear and moose here and either of them could simply crash through the fence. Though Olof saw a bear a couple of weeks ago put his nose to the fence and walk away. So it also keeps out creatures we would rather not have in the yard.

We've got a lot of other projects underway, the biggest being a complete renovation of our studio building.



Yes, it is big. The room with the big windows up top is our new editing room. It will be really really nice with a fantastic view. A nice place to sit if you are working on something. Yesterday Olof and I put that horrible fiberglass insulation up in the roof and half of the walls. We'll finish this morning. But there's still the rest of the garden to plant too.

Tales from the Outside

Don't let them fool you looking sad, they get to go out too. This was just taken early one morning when Brendan was on Dawn Patrol. I don't want the kittens to learn about Dawn Patrol (the 5 AM out the window to check the territory thing)



This is the gate to the Land of Happy Cats. Olof built it from fencing. We still have a roll left which we will use to connect the two buildings (house and studio) when Uncle Sid moves in next door. I'll have to post some photos of the studio under renovation. It is a huge mess at the moment. Big hole dug for the garage, roof partly on and stuff all over the yard. It is easier to build a new place then it is to tear an old one apart. At leas it is neater.



The kittens are just thrilled with Outside. They have expanded their area and go up the hill to the vegetable garden and to the edge of the woods behind the compost. Today it is pouring rain so they were out for a bit and then I shut the cat door and Harper started yelling like only a Meezer can. "You gave me Outside and I want it back! Now! Now I say!" Imagine a Meezer saying this and you get "NEEEAAAHHH NEEEAAAHHH!!!!" I opened the door for him (probably a bad idea since I just taught him how to get me to open the door). He went out and sat on the porch and looked at the rain coming down.

"No good. You fix it"

So they understood Outside was No Good today. Tomorrow is another day.



Ramona still loves her apple tree. And it's blossom time.

Outside

We can go out? Really?



Yes, kittens, out is yours. Three of us worked on Saturday afternoon putting up the cat fence. It goes all around the back yard, and the vegetable garden. When Uncle Sid moves in next door it will be extended to the walls of that house. The cats are safe from the road and other animals. Jakey the Barn Cat next door is fenced out. Brendan thinks it is cool.

And yesterday Olof was sitting out by the pond when a bear popped his nose up over the bank and into the fence. It was enough to make him change his mind. A bear could easily knock the steel bars holding it down but he'd probably need a good reason, like when the plum tree has fruit. Until then all shouldbe well.

The fencing we used is called deer fence. It is a sturdy black plastic seven feet tall. You install it by pounding steel stakes into the ground and tying those plastic wrap ties to it. You can't even see it along the trees. I can never remember the name of the company we bought it from but I will look it up and post it if anyone is interested. I really recommend it, it is a great peace of mind to have the cats running around exploring and having a great time and not worrying about them. It is good for Warrior cats too (Magoo, I'm thinking of you here) because your territory is fenced off to intruders.



Ramona just loves the outdoors, even more than Harper. They have spent the last two days of beautiful weather outside and then they were exhausted by TV time, when the pride all gathered together.

Home Again

We have been away and now we're back. It's finally spring and there is so much to be done here. Olof is tearing the studio apart for the remodel and my keyboards are all over the place. I am trying to get some video projects wrapped up and that long audio script. Today I am just wiped out from not sleeping so I am going to try to take a nap and then attack the housework and work work.

When we got back to Portland the kittens didn't know who we were. Brendan of course knows that we return. But the little guys, as far as they knew we had been eaten and were lost forever. I picked Harper up out of a deep sleep and he just didn't remember me! But then, twenty minutes later, I lay down for a nap and both of them arrived and the Big Purr began. They had been in Portland for six days.

When we got home everyone was wiped.

Things will get back to what passes for normal around here soon. We did start planting the garden anyway. And one thousand feet of cat fence is arriving to make the entire back yard and garden safe for felines. Good thing, since Mona really wants to get out there.

One thousand feet of cat fencing. Twelve hundred dollars.
Knowing the precious ones can be out in the sunshine, happy, safe and secure.

Priceless.

Call Me Irresistible

This little girl, six weeks old popped up at the shelter on my last visit. She's got the personality to match. Her story is a little odd, two women had to surrender their cats and they also knew about this one, stashed in a car somewhere. So they brought her in too. She's been taken from her mommy way too early but she is the happiest little thing you ever saw, playing with balls and huggy toys and eager to be picked up and played with. Not afraid of anything, she stares right at you. Her nose is raw from pushing against the wall of a cat carrier she arrived in. It will heal and be pink.

Reminds me quite a bit of a rascal named Fergus.

I asked Brendan if he'd like another little girl kitty.



Surely you jest, says he.



These two wouldn't mind though.

Sigh. Yeah four is probably a bit much right now. Though we have wondered if Ramona would mother a kitten the way she looks after Brendan and her brother. This little girl will have no problem finding a good home though. Everyone at the shelter is already crazy about her.

I've finished my audio script. It is almost fifty pages long. I'll have to see how long it takes to read. It has to fit on one cd. After typing all day I wasn't exactly up for blogging. And then we were right smack in the middle of this storm. I didn't lose power but my in-laws in Portland did. Their house got down to 40 degrees. And friends here had their road wash out so badly it was impassable. Ours is washed out enough to require some repair.

I think watching the rain and snow pour down for days on end kind of does you in. And the school shooting just makes me wonder where we're going in this country.

I am heading to Florida to meet Olof and do some video shooting in Georgia.