How I Spent the Holiday

People like different things. That makes life interesting. Some people like animals. Some people like kids. Some people like kids and animals. Some people like neither. Some people like vanilla ice cream. Some people like chocolate ice cream. Some people like both. (me!) Some people do not like either one. Who are THOSE people? They are just wrong!

I remember when one of my nieces was about 8 years old, she 'accidentally' marked on the headliner of my car. It didn't bother me. One day, my sister noticed it and asked me who wrote on the headliner of my car and I told her it was her daughter. She asked me if I had scolded her for it and I told her no, that 'her daughter' had explained it was an accident and I had accepted the explanation. My sister gave me a smug look and said "I am glad you do not have kids. They would be in prison by now." In other words, apparently, I am a 'suckah'. I am. I freely admit it.

If I was a 'suckah' with my nieces, I am a complete lump of mush with my kittens. Do they ever do wrong? You bet! They can tear up more than I can shake a stick at. Do I ever punish them or scold them? I might scold but only rarely. I never punish. Usually scolding requires their involvement in something dangerous like trying to jump on the cook stove when there is an outside chance it could be hot. I only turn it on about once a year so that is not likely. I am constantly looking for hidden dangers to them in anticipation so we can detour around it before the situation crops up.

One thing cats love are strings. Some cats are completely in love with strings so much that they would forsake a Thanksgiving turkey leg for a two inch long piece of crochet thread. I do not understand it but they love to chew it then they love to swallow it. I do not have to tell you that eating any type of thread is not good for the digestive system of any animal. The thread has the same effect in the gut as creating a puckering binding of sorts. Thread has been fly in my ointment ever since I began caring for cats. It has caused so much pain and suffering for me and them that  I am ever vigilant searching for thread or strings or anything that might remotely even resemble said objects. Even if I tout myself as being a 'cat whisperer' understanding the minutest nuiasances of the feline mind, I cannot anticipate how the world appears through their beautiful slanted eyes.

I mean, who would have thought this would have been so enticing? Who would have thought this was string nirvana? I should have seen it coming a mile away. Afterall, it is my specialty.

These new blinds had hung unharmed, oh, for about a day. I woke to find them like this. I felt sick but far more worried than any other state of mind. Notice the string is gone!!! My mind was filled with nightmarish visions of surgery,prolonged hospital stays and possibly worse. Fortunately, we may be passed that because I think the string 'passed'. YAY!!!

What could I do to repair this damage though? There were several possibilities. I could sew drapes. Again, not good with cats. That makes the adventures of climbing almost impossible to deny ones little feline self. I could buy more blinds. Isn't that the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results? Okay, so what to do? I decided to repair them myself and 'cat proof' them. Okay, don't laugh.

Using my sewing skills, I created a makeshift blind 'ladder tape'. Admittedly, it is a bit lopsided but this was my first time doing this. I did get them functional again which was the main goal. Then, to cat proof. Again, don't laugh.

If he (Nigel) can figure out how to get those strings out of that, I will eat my hat. But who knows? He is very smart! I mean, look at how he makes me work for him. And by the way, I don't wear a hat so I am not in danger. ;)