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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / June 2006Extreme cuddliness
The nights are getting colder and colder and Vino is getting cuddlier and cuddlier. Now that Dennis is gone, Vino has continued the tradition and is sleeping on my chest when I'm lying on the couch watching TV. Last night was the cutest though. He crawled up under the blanket I had over me and lay next to me, with just his head sticking out. He slept with his paws covering his eyes. After an hour, I had to pee so extremely bad that my whole back was cramping up and my kidneys were starting to hurt. Eventually I couldn't take it anymore and had to get up. Poor Vino lost his spot. Then, later on in bed, he slept on top of the covers, but he finds a good fluffy part where he really sinks in, like a nest. This is always on the side of me which is closest to the bathroom door. So, to get out of bed, I have to shuffle all the way to the other side of our king size bed and walk around the bed to the bathroom. Sigh, the thinks we do for our cats! Just this morning alone, I've gotten up at least a dozen times to let him in and out. He hates it when the door is closed and he can't come and go whenever he wants. I swear he's trying to train me to leave the door open a crack. Not happening as the wind blows in and right at me while I'm at the computer!  SignatureBritta Purring is an automatic safety valve device for dealing with happiness overflow. Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album > Just this morning alone, I've gotten up at least a dozen times to let > him in and out. He hates it when the door is closed and he can't come > and go whenever he wants. I swear he's trying to train me to leave the > door open a crack. Not happening as the wind blows in and right at me > while I'm at the computer! Maybe it's time to invest in a cat door? :) SignatureVictor M. Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com >> Just this morning alone, I've gotten up at least a dozen times to let >> him in and out. He hates it when the door is closed and he can't [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Maybe it's time to invest in a cat door? :) Can't put a cat door in a french door in a rental house. I have never rented a house before, only apartments, so I don't know if this is normal outside of Australia, but tomorrow someone is coming to inspect the house. They are checking for damage and to make sure the oven is clean and the garden is weeded. Yikes! Have been cleaning all day. SignatureBritta Purring is an automatic safety valve device for dealing with happiness overflow. Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album > >> Just this morning alone, I've gotten up at least a dozen times to let > >> him in and out. He hates it when the door is closed and he can't [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > -- > Britta Britta, send the Oven Police to my house. It might give me motivation to clean the #$%# thing. Sherry <--- Oooo. On second thought, thinking Britta better *not* send them >>>> Just this morning alone, I've gotten up at least a dozen times to >>>> let him in and out. He hates it when the door is closed and he [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Sherry <--- Oooo. On second thought, thinking Britta better *not* > send them I hear ya. As much as I love to cook, cleanup is a major PITA. You don't want to see my kitchen, trust me :) Good thing I don't entertain. Jill >Can't put a cat door in a french door in a rental house. >I have never rented a house before, only apartments, so I don't know if >this is normal outside of Australia, but tomorrow someone is coming to >inspect the house. They are checking for damage and to make sure the >oven is clean and the garden is weeded. Yikes! Have been cleaning all >day. Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice houses (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had someone inspect every 6 months when we lived in Wollongong (it's amazing how quickly 6 months can go by!). Interestingly, they disapproved of almost all the improvements we made to the garden, so after a year or so we gave up and learned to tolerate the vast expanse of lawn (which had to be mown *every week* in summer because it grew so damn fast - the reason we wanted to get rid of as much as possible of the danged suff!). We found that the folks they sent from the rental agency / real estate office weren't keen on doing a thorough inspection - they had a list of places to inspect and were keen to be in and out of there ASAP. A quick walk-through was usually all they did, especially if things were neat and clean and we were polite. We had told the agency that Ted was an outdoors-only cat (she was indoor/outdoor, with an emphasis on indoors), so we'd have to quickly shuffle her to the back yard when the inspectors were there (all of 5 minutes, usually). Tish > Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice houses > (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had someone inspect [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > *every week* in summer because it grew so damn fast - the reason we > wanted to get rid of as much as possible of the danged suff!). Why the hell would anyone care if the garden were weeded?! We have building inspectors here who want to see if the fire alarms work, if there's vermin and if the building is structurally sound (for the safety of those living here) That almost sounds more like those homeowners' associations I hear about in the US, who police neighbourhoods because the Jones' washline is driving property values down and the Smyth's fence is too tall. Ridiculous. Unless you're a threat to safety or the ability of your neighbours to enjoy THEIR properties, what you do on your own is your OWN business and imho, no one else's. If I had room for a washline, you can bet I'd put one up instead of spending $1.25 for each load in the dryer. --Fil >> Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice houses >> (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had someone inspect [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > neighbours to enjoy THEIR properties, what you do on your own is your > OWN business and imho, no one else's. Having been the victim of the Home Owners' Assocation nazis, I tend to agree. But to play devil's advocate, here in the US we seem to have a choice HOAs or zoning laws. In Louisiana we had zoning laws - you had to have a permit from the parish before you could build anything (to keep porn shops from opening up next to elementary schools), here in Texas we don't have any zoning laws so home owners had to create some way to keep things like this from happening. As in any area, however, power seems to go to people's heads and then they start dictating stupid little things just because they can. SignatureHugs, CatNipped See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/ > If I had room for a washline, you can bet I'd put one up instead of > spending $1.25 for each load in the dryer. > > --Fil > > Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice houses > > (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had someone inspect [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > --Fil It does sound like homeowners' associations here also. A city can have both zoning laws *and* homeowners' associations and both are applicable to the homeowner. HA's aren't created because of a lack of zoning ordinances. I suppose if I bought an expensive home and the next-door neighbor trashed up his yard I wouldn't like it. Still, though, I don't like the idea of an association telling me how to build a fence, or any other little thing. Fil, DH just put up a washline for me for the first time. I *love* it. I love the way the clothes smell. I enjoy being out in the early morning sun to hang them. Don't know why we didn't do this years ago. Sherry > That almost sounds more like those homeowners' associations I hear > about in the US, who police neighbourhoods because the Jones' > washline is driving property values down and the Smyth's fence is > too tall. Ridiculous. Unless you're a threat to safety or the > ability of your neighbours to enjoy THEIR properties, what you do on > your own is your OWN business and imho, no one else's. Right, but if you buy a house in a neighborhood with an HOA, it's not like you don't know about it. Signing the agreement is a condition of buying the house. You could always choose to buy a different house in a different neighborhood. It's not like anyone held a gun to your head. In our HOA, rules are discussed on some regular interval, and you can certainly get them changed. At least, in theory. I am mostly ignorant of the whole deal. We did look at some houses without HOAs, but we didn't like them as well. So we chose to deal. As near as I can tell, HOAs primarily exist because people hate confrontation. No one wants to go up to their next door neighbor and talk to them about their noisy dogs (see Pat's post from a few weeks ago). An HOA lets you deal with that kind of stuff, but in the "I'm so sorry, personally I don't care but the HOA regs do say that ..." kind of way. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > > That almost sounds more like those homeowners' associations I hear > > about in the US, who police neighbourhoods because the Jones' [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > -- > monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully Here, the HA's deal mainly with asthetic (sp?) things that aren't specifically covered by city ordinance already. One really exclusive neighborhood here forbids anyone who owns a light truck to park it in the drive. It must be garaged at all times. That's kind of dumb, considering some trucks cost as much as a luxury car and are quite nice-looking. My daughter was required to attend a HA meeting and ask permission to keep four cats indoors. (The limit is 3). There was no problem with it, but living the way I have my whole life, it seemed really odd. OTOH, her neighbor built this really bizarre contraption desiged to hide the trash can so he wouldn't have to push it back from the curb every week. It was hideous but more importantly blocked her view backing out of her driveway. She never complained about it, but the HA made him remove it. I guess that was a good thing. Sherry Sherry > Here, the HA's deal mainly with asthetic (sp?) things that aren't > specifically covered by city ordinance already. One really exclusive > neighborhood here forbids anyone who owns a light truck to park it in > the drive. It must be garaged at all times. That's kind of dumb... I find that outright offensive. God forbid anyone give even the slightest appearance of doing manual labor for a living. I guess it's the "slippery slope" argument: today, a brand-new $40,000 truck, tomorrow, a rusted-out junker on cement blocks. :) > OTOH, her neighbor built this really bizarre contraption > desiged to hide the trash can so he wouldn't have to push it back from > the curb every week. It was hideous but more importantly blocked her > view backing out of her driveway. She never complained about it, but > the HA made him remove it. I guess that was a good thing. LOL, and I suppose he initially built it in order to comply with a rule that the trash cans can't be visible except on trash-collection day? Joyce > As near as I can tell, HOAs primarily exist because people hate > confrontation. No one wants to go up to their next door neighbor and > talk to them about their noisy dogs (see Pat's post from a few weeks > ago). An HOA lets you deal with that kind of stuff, but in the "I'm > so sorry, personally I don't care but the HOA regs do say that ..." > kind of way. Noisy dogs, OK. But some of the things I hear about are just absurd, like what kind of flowers you can plant and whether you can park your car on the street in front of your own house. I think those rules also exist to protect people's sense of "we're not going to let the riffraff bring our property values down" as much as to prevent potential conflict. Some of these rules make no sense at all to me. Where my sister lives, she was not allowed to choose a certain color for her house, not because it wasn't an approved color, but because there was another house painted the same color too close to hers. WTF? It's true, nobody forces anyone to buy into such a home, but the kind of people who want to dictate to each other to such a level give me the creeps. Joyce > Noisy dogs, OK. But some of the things I hear about are just absurd, > like what kind of flowers you can plant and whether you can park [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > kind of people who want to dictate to each other to such a level > give me the creeps. Well, again, typically the members of the HOA (ie, the homeowners) can change the rules if they want to. So to some extent, if there's a ridiculous rule in place in your HOA, it's your own fault that you didn't prevent it or have it changed. That being said, obviously it takes effort to make that happen. I'm not a huge fan of HOAs; I just think that often we overstate their power and frame it as "us vs. them." The HOA *is* us. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > Well, again, typically the members of the HOA (ie, the homeowners) can > change the rules if they want to. So to some extent, if there's a > ridiculous rule in place in your HOA, it's your own fault that you > didn't prevent it or have it changed. But doesn't each person have limited influence? What if the majority votes against you, no matter how hard you try to change it? Is it your fault if you don't succeed in changing everyone else's minds? I mean, you can present your arguments as best you can, but you can't force anyone to do what you want. Joyce > > Well, again, typically the members of the HOA (ie, the homeowners) > > can change the rules if they want to. So to some extent, if [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > I mean, you can present your arguments as best you can, but you > can't force anyone to do what you want. Well, true. Therefore "to some extent" ... That being said, here's how I've been told it works in our HOA: Typically not all that many people show up to a meeting. If you really want to push something through, you can talk to your neighbors and get enough of them to agree to either show up or, preferably, give you their permission to vote for them by proxy. Most people simply don't care enough about most of the issues to actively work against a change. If the majority votes against you, well, isn't that democracy in action? Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > That being said, obviously it takes effort to make that happen. I'm > not a huge fan of HOAs; I just think that often we overstate their > power and frame it as "us vs. them." The HOA *is* us. There's always those HOAs busy-bodies whose whole life's purpose seems to be harrasing their neighbors for stupid things like their lawn is 0.1 inches longer than allowed or there is a sign on it. We would never live in a place that had HOAs, I think the negatives outweigh the positives. Cheers. Victor SignatureVictor M. Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com >> That being said, obviously it takes effort to make that happen. >> I'm not a huge fan of HOAs; I just think that often we overstate [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > would never live in a place that had HOAs, I think the negatives > outweigh the positives. Sometimes, certainly. Often, maybe. Not always ... the only note we've gotten so far is because we let the weeds in the rock bed on the far side of the sidewalk get three feet tall. It looked awful. Can't really argue with that one. Frankly, I did look for a place that didn't have HOAs, but the only ones we could find were older than we'd care to be saddled with as a first house, or far too expensive for us. The commonality, I think, is that they all had large lot sizes, so neighborly hijinx are less visible. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >>> That being said, obviously it takes effort to make that happen. >>> I'm not a huge fan of HOAs; I just think that often we overstate [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > is that they all had large lot sizes, so neighborly hijinx are less > visible. I like older houses, there are several near me that are well over 300 years old. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk >> Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice houses >> (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had someone inspect [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > If I had room for a washline, you can bet I'd put one up instead of > spending $1.25 for each load in the dryer. In theory I agree with you. In practice I wish we could get rid of the neighbors across the street. They are just plain sloppy and the mess tends to spill over into view. We were relieved when the property owners gave up and hired a yard service so it at least isn't totally overgrown. And I'm grateful for the six foot fence that pretty well hides the back (junk)yard. Jo > In theory I agree with you. In practice I wish we could get rid of the > neighbors across the street. They are just plain sloppy and the mess tends > to spill over into view. I can see that. I just...don't care, myself. As long as their stuff isn't flowing onto my property, and they aren't otherwise annoying me, I couldn't give a rat's arse what they do to theirs. In fact, I would rather have neighbours that paint their house pink with green polka dots and have a permanent yard sale on their front lawn than deal with neighbours like the idiots who played their music so loud in the middle of the night. My dad hates the way his neighbour down the county line is always leaving implements out in the rain and has cars up on blocks and stuff all over his yard and part of his field (and of course his implements look like crap since they are out in the snow and rain) but he'd never dream of SAYING anything about it. His neighbour doesn't say anything about the way my dad puts all his stuff in the driving shed every night...so my dad doesn't say anything about having a farm near the place that looks like a cross between a used implement dealership and a dump. Of course, I am somewhat eccentric so I'm certain I could freak out/piss off a HOA despite my best efforts not to. And I'm used to living in the sticks where no one cares. --Fil >> Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice houses >> (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had someone inspect [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > --Fil Yes, this weed thing really got to me too. First of all, I know nothing about gardens and plants and can't tell what a weed is and what isn't. If it's green, it's a plant and I like it. Who cares if I let the garden get overgrown? As long as we have it all nice and looking good by the time we move out, it really shouldn't matter. Well, they will be here between 9 am and 2 pm. I'm sitting here waiting... SignatureBritta Purring is an automatic safety valve device for dealing with happiness overflow. Check out pictures of Vino at: http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album >>> Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice >>> houses (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > Well, they will be here between 9 am and 2 pm. I'm sitting here > waiting... My garden isn't the tidiest around and that's deliberate, messy gardens are a lot better for wildlife, what is a weed to some people is food or shelter to some insect or animal. This time of year especially birds need insects and their lava to feed their young. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > >>> Unfortunately, quite common in Australia - especially for nice > >>> houses (they don't bother to inspect scummy houses). We had [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > Cats leave pawprints on your heart. > http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk I'd want to be your neighbor! We have patches of milkweed all over that we don't mow because monarchs lay their eggs on them. I'm sure a neighborhood association wouldn't like us. Sherry > Why the hell would anyone care if the garden were weeded?! Ooh, I'm very lucky that my landlord doesn't care whether my garden is weeded. I was just sitting outside enjoying the morning air and watching the cats in the enclosure, and the dandelions sprouting all over the garden, and all the other weeds that I don't know what they are but I think they lend the garden a nice lush look. :oP I've heard of landlords and -ladies inspecting their properties every now and then, but in twenty years of renting, I've never had anyone do regular check-ups. The law here says the owner can't just show up and demand admittance, they have to inform you beforehand. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > > Why the hell would anyone care if the garden were weeded?! > > > Ooh, I'm very lucky that my landlord doesn't care whether my garden is > weeded. I wonder if this is common outside the US? As far as I know, it's not normally a condition for rental in the US, and I've been a renter for a long time. Sometimes yard care is part of the deal, and the tenant gets something off the rent in exchange. But I don't know of anyone who's had to pass an inspection on a regular basis, particularly for the condition of the outside. My landlord is pretty laissez-faire when it comes to how I keep my apartment. He hardly ever comes over here. On the other hand, he also hardly ever fixes anything, unless it's required by law (such as a non-functioning toilet - plumbing is an ongoing problem in this house). Still, on balance, I'd rather have a landlord who doesn't fix stuff and who leaves me alone than someone who puts a lot of energy into keeping up the property and is always checking up on me. Joyce > Then, later on in bed, he slept on top of the covers, but he finds a > good fluffy part where he really sinks in, like a nest. This is always > on the side of me which is closest to the bathroom door. So, to get out > of bed, I have to shuffle all the way to the other side of our king size > bed and walk around the bed to the bathroom. Sigh, the thinks we do for > our cats! I do this every night and every morning. Smudge is usually the culprit, as she sleeps next to me while the other two are usually further down toward the end of the bed. She'll sleep on the outside of the bed (I have mine against the wall), so I have to go through an elaborate process to get out of bed without Disturbing The Cat. It usually happens once in the middle of the night, and again when I get up. Joyce >The nights are getting colder and colder and Vino is getting cuddlier >and cuddlier. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >hurt. Eventually I couldn't take it anymore and had to get up. Poor >Vino lost his spot. Awww, I'm a sucker like that, I can't bear to move Stinky when he's comfy. >Then, later on in bed, he slept on top of the covers, but he finds a >good fluffy part where he really sinks in, like a nest. This is always >on the side of me which is closest to the bathroom door. So, to get out >of bed, I have to shuffle all the way to the other side of our king size >bed and walk around the bed to the bathroom. Sigh, the thinks we do for >our cats! But he's such a cutie! You're a good slave. ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh Make Levees, Not War >I can't bear to move Stinky when he's >comfy. When I came up to replace the sheets on my bed this morning, Will was extremely comfortable and unusually tight asleep right in the middle of the bed. I pulled out corners and bunched things toward the middle for a while, thinking he would wake up and participate in his usual fashion, but he was still zonked when I got ready to pull off the blanket and carry away the sheets. I hated to disturb him, but I had to get the job done, so I gently rolled him off onto the mattress pad. About that time he began to be aware that interesting things were going on around him, but it actually took two more times of rolling him onto the fresh sheets before he was awake enough to deal with the fresh-sheet greeblings. Now I have to wonder what he got up to last night. SignatureWayne M. |
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