Tag: coon cat logic

Tuesday reportage

Tuesday. Gloomy, rainy, and cool.

Dithered around this morning with an outtake from Kin Right, which I’m expecting will become a chapbook along the lines of The Wrong Lance, while I printed out the current WIP which I will be reading (yes, again) since it appears that the sudden shock knocked the damn’ thing right out of my head.

I’m on my way to PT. I’ll hit the grocery after, come home, put groceries away, then head out for needlework.

The cats are sticking with me, with Rookie taking the lead in Administration — explaining to me when the cat bowls need refilling, demanding that I be to work on time, and guiding me back to Steve’s office, in case I’ve forgotten where it is, and accompanying me downstairs to perform my duties there. He’s also being sure to sleep with me, at least for a few hours, though not in Tali’s spot under my arm — he prefers to have a space next to my pillow.

Firefly has taken over lap duty. Historically, Firefly has been a Sit-With Cat, as opposed to a Lap Sitting Cat. Tali was *definitely* a Lap Sitting Cat, so it seems that duty has passed, at least for a while, until the human gets her act back together.

Someone had asked if “cat CPR” might’ve saved Tali’s life, and the answer to that is multifaceted. One — I don’t know. Two — I don’t know how to do “cat CPR;” in fact didn’t know it existed until the question came up, and? I would be terrified that I would have done more and more grievous damage, considering how much force has to be put into human CPR.

I do appreciate the people who have contributed to the cost of the lab work, and, yes, the cattery is helping.

Oh! A package arrived today via FedEx in an Unmarked Van, and the nice young man walked down the drive and handed it to me, since I had seen the truck and opened the door.

And now? I’d better get outta here.

Everybody stay safe.

Update, post-Tali

This is going to be … difficult.

Rookie did come to bed with me when I finally decided that I had to at least lie down, despite the fact that Tali most consistently slept with me.

Unfortunately, he got up in a couple hours and stamped around the house, calling, and going downstairs to bang on the two closed doors, which … was actually pretty smart. I got up, picked him up, opened the doors, and showed him that Tali wasn’t locked in anywhere.

He was present when Tali died, and I made a point of allowing him and Firefly to pay their respects before I put her in the fridge. I think Firefly Gets It, but Rook hasn’t seemed to put the poor dead kitty and Tali in the same sentence yet.

She was only here for 19 months, but she leaves a big hole.

I? have a raging headache, no surprise, and can’t see too well. Probably the smart thing to do, after I’ve managed to talk to a human at the emergency vet, is sit down, close my eyes and listen to music, or a book, or … something.

While I do realize that Tali — and I — were “lucky” that this happened so quickly, and apparently painlessly, just like Steve — and I — were “lucky” for the same reasons — it’s … a lot.

A lot.

I may be off-line for a few days.

Thanks to everyone for your care. The cats and I appreciate it.

Catching up Thursday with a dash of Friday, too

So, yesterday went a little pear-shaped. I had planned on an all-writing day, but Real Life intervened, which meant I got a couple hours of writing done, plus my duty to the cats, plus some little bit of embroidery while listening to Chanur’s Venture. I did chat a bit on Facebook, mostly about cats. To wit:

Answering the question that went past and now I can’t find it again: Is Tali the biggest Maine coon currently in house?

The contestants are:
Firefly, calico — 6 years, 11 lbs
Tali, orange tabby — 4 years, 13 lbs
Rook, black– 2 years, 13 lbs

Ladies and gentlebeings, we have a tie!

Biographical notations:
Firefly is petite, for a Maine Coon. She’s also an adult, by Maine Coon reckoning, and the most retiring of the present lot of supervisors. She’s affectionate, but easily overwhelmed, and can frequently be seen thinking. It is well to recall that Firefly has taken . . . many losses: Belle, Steve, Sprite, and Trooper.

Tali is the most compact of the three; when she lands on your lap, you know you’ve been landed on. She is the supervisor who demands the most lap-time. Very bossy, our Tali.

Rook is a growing boy; easily distracted, very affectionate, and scary smart. He and Tali have formed a partnership — he keeps time and she registers the complaint.

More about Maine Coon growth stages here.

The above led to the question of which was the largest Maine coon we had owned, to which I answered: You know? I’m not sure. Hex(apuma) was pretty big, but lanky. I thought Mozart–our first Maine Coon–was Ginormous when I first saw him. I think he might’ve clocked in at 14 or 15 pounds. Trooper was 17 pounds FORever, and in her heyday Belle had a pound on two on him. Sprite was right around 15 pounds. To put all of this into perspective, a Bichon Frise (aka “the little white dog everybody has”–I finally asked someone what breed her dog was) will weigh between 12 and 15 pounds.

This answer led to the evergreen But I thought Maine Coon cats were HUGE! To which I answered: Breed standard for Maine Coons is females 12-15 pounds, males 18-22. So, yeah, I guess I’ve had small Maine Coons. Given that domestic cats average from 8-12 pounds, that’s big enough.

Maine Coon breed standards here.
#
All of which leads us handily into today, which I believe to be Friday–sunny and going to be warm-but-not-hot.  Tomorrow, we’re looking for the rainy rags of the nor’easter that’s been plaguing downcoast to arrive.

I had flat egg and Swiss cheese on homemade bread for breakfast, I am updating my blogs while I drink my third cup of tea, and will shortly be moving back to Steve’s office to accomplish some work on the WIP. For lunch, I have my choice of warming up a pre-cooked pork chop with … I think there’s carrots left over, or warming up leftover chicken pot pie.

Not a particularly ambitious day, but mine own.

And hoping yours is enjoyable.

Sunday wrap-up

So, that was a little more harrowing than I thought it would be. I’ve deleted thousands of emails–which would feel like more of an accomplishment if there weren’t thousands more to sift through. I finally managed to stop automatic payments on the last two of Steve’s accounts that had automatic payments, and got caught up with various bits of bookkeeping that I had let slide because — I don’t know? Because everything’s pointless? Something like that. Though bookkeeping, of course, is never pointless.

I finished listening to The Paladin and have Pride of Chanur lined up in the audiobook library. Still reading The Glass Cursed, and starting to get a little grumpy with it, but the voice is still interesting enough to keep me reading.

The “spaghetti” was good for lunch. Rook is insisting that it IS TOO Coon Cat Happy Hour RIGHT NOW. Alas that Rook is incorrect.

Tomorrow is book club. I guess I should stop at the grocery while I’m out, since the milk went over today, and I seem to be out of fruit, not to mention running low on wine. Also, I need to check the state of the ice cream supply. Won’t do to run out of the essentials.

So! Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.

Sunday morning IRL

Important things first:  Proofs of life, with coon cats here

Sunday. Dim and cool enough that I switched station air to “heat.”

I also put another blanket on the bed, ably assisted by the girl cats, who are now resting atop their labors.

Breakfast was a couple slices of last night’s baking and a cup of cottage cheese. I’m thinking lunch will be left-over macaroni dressed with red sauce, served with meatballs, which I’ll be calling “spaghetti,” thank you.

Today–or at least this morning–I will be catching up with all the emails and other business I’ve been ignoring for the last two weeks, and cleaning out my inbox of Stuff, which just keeps accumulating.

I have Notions about my two problems with the current WIP, but they need some time to themselves, hence today’s curriculum of tidying up IRL.

Rook is currently on duty in my office, positioned so that the warm air from the heat pump is flowing down on him.

I think that’s all the news that’s fit to print.

What’s for lunch at your house today?

Saturday with writing and bread

Saturday. Sunny and cool.

Wrote about 600 words this morning, and discovered that I twitched something that I should’ve tweaked, so I printed out the offending pages and will sit with them later to try to untangle the he-said/she-said.

Since I’m down to my last two slices of bread, I’m baking a loaf, which is in for its first rise. I’ve cleaned up the kitchen. Still need to perform my duty to the cats.

Nothing much else doing, except the observation that it’s apparently Tali’s afternoon to keep me Under Surveillance. Either that, or she just likes to watch bread being put together.

Oh. The question of When Can We Buy Kin Right, which has come up three or four times in the last week.

ANSWER: The last I heard from Baen was that Kin Right would be published in “Spring 2027.” So now everybody knows as much as I do.

Also! It’s “taking so long” because I needed 18 months, instead of our usual year, to write it, which meant I turned it in to Baen in April 2026, instead of October 2025.

The reason I had to “take so long” to write it is because my co-author died in February 2024, and the September 2024 delivery date for that book (Diviner’s Bow) had in actuality not been extended, as I had thought it had been, which meant that I had to scramble hard to turn it in on time, or, rather, only a little late. Which in turn meant that I was exhausted, and that Creative Well we all talk about was dry and I needed some down time before I pulled the next rabbit out of my hat. Files under “Writers are Human.”

I think that really is all.

How’s Saturday going at your place?

Proceeding in a Tuesdayish Direction

Tuesday. Trash and recycling set out and collected. The recycling bin is back in the garage. Breakfast was leftover leftover soup. Lunch will be … something.

Eleven hundred new words today, bringing the WIP to something approaching 53,490 words.

I was craven yesterday and did not attempt the Anthropic mess, so I have something to look forward to.

Tonight is needlework, and I’ll have to stop at the grocery on my way home — or perhaps I’ll do that tomorrow, since I have to be out early to a doctor’s appointment, anyway.

It occurs to me that it might be beneficial to find if there’s a sauna someplace near at hand. It might help with the ongoing aches and pains. I should also try to locate a reputable massage therapist. This is not a new thought, but every time I have it, I get overwhelmed by the “reputable” part. Well.

Oh. And I really do need to get a flu shot.

The cats are giving me a little more freedom today, so I’m guessing whatever it was that concerned them yesterday has passed off, so that’s good.

How’s everybody doing today?

Cats inna meeting:

 

One more thing . . .

So, a guy just rang the bell.

I didn’t recognize him, but he was looking kind of like he was lost, so I opened the door and asked if I could help him.

“Is this the Miller residence?”

“No,” I said.

He looked even more confused, looked around and said, “Where would that be, because I’ve got a package from — I dunno, dog food?”

And I said, “Oh. Yes, you have the right place.”

“Good,” he said, and fetched a much battered Chewy box out of the boot of his car and carried it inside for me.

I said, “The FedEx truck was in my driveway earlier today and left without leaving a package.”

And Howard — my benefactor’s name is Howard — said, “Well, I’ll tell you. That kid was in my driveway, an’ he was in no good mood. Pulled out in a hurry and that box fell right outta the door. I figured, y’know, dog food; the dogs’ll be wantin’ that, and the address was right there, so I brought it along.”

I thanked him profusely and he said he was just glad he could help me out.

So, that mystery solved.
#
Also!  Rookie’s vet has texted that Rookie is cured of his temporary inconvenience, and I hope I’m not alone in saying, “Let’s not do that again.”

. . . OK — two things.

Everybody have a good evening. I’ll check in tomorrow.

Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

Finishing up on Monday:

And that’s 2,323 total new words outta the kid from Chicago, who has finally run out of steam. I’ll tuck it away for a couple days, if nothing else explosive happens. Jethri is getting a day off, and I? want a nap.

Yeah, that’s gonna happen.
#
Well. Rookie suggested Guided Napping on the couch, and I took him up on it.

He’s really been working on his technique. Got a solid 45 minutes and feel human again. For values of “human” that include widowed writers beset by importunate characters.

I’ve got a few chores to do, but basically, I do believe I’m done for the day. I’ll read a few chapters of the bookclub book before it’s time to serve up Happy Hour.

Everybody have a good rest of the day. Stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.