Kitties, Libraries, and Football

 

1.) Sterilized Kitties

Well, two or three litters of kittens down the road, we finally managed to get our two adult female cats spayed (the adult male  eluded capture). 

Having a colony of slightly feral cats on the place has been a good thing overall. We have WAY less rodent issues now, and less property damage as a result (we will never forget the great plumbing fiasco of winter 2019). But we also don't want to end up overwhelmed with animals-- I've seen that episode of Hoarders. 

So we picked up our one tame cat and put her in the carrier, and caught the somewhat wild female in a trap. Then I woke up early the next morning, made the drive into the city with two cats, a 3 year old, and a baby in tow, waited in a long line outside the vet office to be admitted (shout-out to the lady with the little brown Pomeranian, you were an absolute lifesaver helping me with those carriers), and then Chris went and got them after work that afternoon. 

We still have three or four female kittens we're going to have to do something about soon (the male kittens went to a relative with a severely inbred cat colony on their property) but at least we've made a start. 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little icky about taking them in. Spend enough time researching pro-life issues, and the rationalization for sterilizing animals sounds awfully familiar ("Spaying and nuetering saves lives!!"). Perhaps that's the point though-- we've started confusing animals for people, and so the things we do to animals  seem ok to do to people now. 

Or maybe I'm thinking too much about this. I'm good at that. 

2.) The Return of the Almighty Football (All Hail the Pigskin!!) 

Ladies and gentlemen, high school football season is upon us, and the community is once again gathering in the stands to enjoy the show. 

It's a post covid world, so it's not quite the same as it was two years ago. The first game of the season is today, and the opposing team comes from a district experiencing an uptick in covid cases. They're not sending their band to perform, and it's possible the game will be canceled last moment. 

But it's still a big return to some sort of normalancy to have a real prospect of there being a game. Football is a huge gathering place for the community, and having that touchstone even partially back in place is a hopeful sign. 

3.) Homecoming week

The game after this week's will be homecoming, which means everyone dressing up to a different theme every day. 

This year's themes include Disney, safari, and "generations", whatever that means. I'm hoping to head to a thrift store this weekend and figure out what we're doing for Chris. It may involve shaving off part of his beard so that he has big, bushy mutton chops. 

Hopefully epic costume post incoming. 

4.) Routine 

We are finally more or less settling into a routine. 

In many ways it's wonderful having Chris home from work all summer, but in other ways it's really difficult having two adults trying to run the house at once. We both have valid goals and viewpoints and end up getting in each other's way a lot. We talk, discuss, and try to work together as best we can, but it's still a process we have to go through. 

So now that it's just me and the girls in the house, I'm able to set a singular agenda without having to coordinate with someone else as much. 

I'm sure the novelty will wear out shortly, but for now I'm enjoying it. 

5.) Another Icon

I came into possession of this prayer card awhile back and decided to make another of my "icons". 

Simpler than past ones, more just a frame than anything else, but I think it turned out well. 

6.) The Young and the Old 

I've finally gotten to a place with Bitty Baby and with the house where I feel comfortable doing stuff outside the house regularly again. One of the things I'm trying to commit to is weekly storytime at the library (which Little Girl really enjoys), another is visiting my grandmother every week again. 

I was a little worried about juggling a baby while doing it, but I shouldn't have. She LOVES Bitty Baby, and holds her as long as I'll let her. I think it's good for her and baby both: BB loves the attention and my grandmother seems to be a little more alert and coherent when she's holding her. 

7.) Library Storytime

Speaking of storytime...some interesting characters pop up there. 

For context, our local library is named after a local paleontologist. Several of his more impressive finds are displayed in glass cases in the children's section, including a Mammoth leg and shoulder bolted upright to the wall. 

Conversation I had with a grown man:

Him: "Hey...is this a dinosaur leg?"

Me: "No, it's a Mammoth leg."

Him: "What's the difference?"

Me (every science nerd homeschooled bone in my body screaming in disbelief): "They're mammals. Dinosaurs aren't."

Long story short, the women with him said, "we should watch Ice Age" and convinced him to not teach their children that Mammoths are dinosaurs. 

People are weird, man. 

See the rest of this week's takes here.