Squirrels II

A couple months ago, I reported that the Nu Residence was experiencing squirrel problems. There were many suggestions for how to deal with the squirrels, but the best one so far was a suggestion from Green Thumbs McGillicutty--Don't Cat Squirrel Spears!

Don't Cat spears are really anti-cat devices, but also work against squirrels. The incidence of squirrel attacks have diminished greatly after I installed these spears, as witnessed by Mr. Nonny Nu. After weeks of sustaining attacks, the plants were getting depressed. But, recently, buds started appearing (9 gardenia buds and 2 lily buds), so this was an especially critical time to implement a new plan. Don't Cat Squirrel Spears were immediately applied to the planter and nailed down tight.

I am very happy with this!

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Squirrels

I have a squirrel problem.

We have a flower planter in front of the new Nu Residence. It originally had a few bamboo plants but, due to the townhouse being empty for quite a while before the Nus moved in, the bamboo had become bamdead. So, for the past few weekends, the Nus have been working to dig up the bamboos for removal. Those suckers are stubborn! Not only do they have pretty massive root structures, their roots also grow lengthwise so that they form a network just under the surface of the soil.

We were finally able to remove all of them so we bought some nice flowers last weekend and planted them in the flower planter. See how nice they turned out? There were Asian lilies, snap dragons, feathers, gardenia, and some other kinds of lilies.

But, all is not well in the Land of Nu. Why, you ask? SQUIRRELS. Look at what they are doing to my flowers. They dig them up--see the dirt on the edge of the planter? That dirt wasn't there last night when I went to sleep. The squirrels also chomp off the buds. Now, I don't mind if they ate the flowers, but they just bite off the flowers and leave them laying around to mock me. The thing that worries me the most, though, is the fact that the squirrels are exposing the roots of my plants. I get up every morning to find little piles of dirt on the ground next to the flower planter and pretty deep holes in the flower beds themselves.

What can I do about this? Cl. Panic suggested that I employ a bb gun, but I don't exactly want to hurt the squirrels. Just keep them out of my flowers. Does anyone know of anything that will keep squirrels away without killing or hurting them??

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So long, Backyard Petting Zoo and Castle...

Well, it's official, the Nus are completely moved out of the castle and into a cottage alongside a meadow. I turn in the keys today to the landlord. It was time to go, but still makes me sad. I won't miss the castle all that much, but I already miss our Backyard Petting Zoo. I don't think I've been sadder to leave a place before. I kept telling myself that it would be fine, but now that the time is really upon me, I am close to tears.

Last week, as we were moving in earnest, Slim came around and demanded to know what was going on. (We had tried to tell him weeks ago, but he never really got the message until things started really disappearing from the rooms.) At the time, I was the only one in the house (here's the last time Slim saw the Nu Kitties), so I let him in and let him wander around (he had done that before back in Sushi's time). I think he got the picture when he saw all the furniture, and the bear and kitties gone. I spent some time with him and petted him. So sad. Skitty was there, too. After all while, they did their usual sunning, but Slim also put on a floor show to commemorate the occasion. It will be really sad to look out the window and not see my Slim boy there.

We will miss you Slim, Skitty, Blind Kitty, Not Blind Kitty, Neighborhood Kitty, Possum Family, Raccoon Family, Skunk, Beamer, Mascii, and all the other kitties who visited sometime. Take care of yourselves, and don't fight. But, Slim is the most special of them all. He was there from the beginning. We will really miss you Slimmy, and we will always remember you like this:
Take care.

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The Most Dangerous Thing About Rabbits...

...is that they like to silflay. Here is an account of what happens when kitties are removed from the environment and rabbits are left to silflay without interruption:

(From Yahoo!)

Removing cats to protect birds backfires on island

By MICHAEL CASEY, AP Environmental Writer Michael Casey, Ap Environmental Writer Tue Jan 13, 9:18 am ET

BANGKOK, Thailand – It seemed like a good idea at the time: Remove all the feral cats from a famous Australian island to save the native seabirds.

But the decision to eradicate the felines from Macquarie island allowed the rabbit population to explode and, in turn, destroy much of its fragile vegetation that birds depend on for cover, researchers said Tuesday.

Removing the cats from Macquarie "caused environmental devastation" that will cost authorities 24 million Australian dollars ($16.2 million) to remedy, Dana Bergstrom of the Australian Antarctic Division and her colleagues wrote in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology.

"Our study shows that between 2000 and 2007, there has been widespread ecosystem devastation and decades of conservation effort compromised," Bergstrom said in a statement.

The unintended consequences of the cat-removal project show the dangers of meddling with an ecosystem — even with the best of intentions — without thinking long and hard, the study said.

"The lessons for conservation agencies globally is that interventions should be comprehensive, and include risk assessments to explicitly consider and plan for indirect effects, or face substantial subsequent costs," Bergstrom said.

Located about halfway between Australia and the Antarctic continent, Macquarie was designated a World Heritage site in 1997 as the world's only island composed entirely of oceanic crust. It is known for its wind-swept landscape, and about 3.5 million seabirds and 80,000 elephant seals arrive there each year to breed.

The cats, rabbits, rats and mice are all nonnative species to Macquarie, probably introduced in the past 100 years by passing ships. Authorities have struggled for decades to remove them.

The invader predators menaced the native seabirds, some of them threatened species. So in 1995, the Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania that manages Macquarie tried to undo the damage by removing most of the cats.

Several conservation groups including the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Birds Australia said the problem was not the original eradication effort itself — but that it didn't go far enough. They said the project should have taken aim at all the invasive mammals on the island at once.

"What was wrong was that the rabbits were not eradicated at the same time as the cats," University of Auckland Prof. Mick Clout, who also is a member of the Union's invasive species specialist group. "It would have been ideal if the cats and rabbits were eradicated at the same time, or the rabbits first and the cats subsequently."

Liz Wren, a spokeswoman for the Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania, said authorities were aware from the beginning that removing the feral cats would increase the rabbit population. But at the time, researchers argued it was worth the risk considering the damage the cats were doing to the seabird populations.

"The alternative was to accept the known and extensive impacts of cats and not do anything for fear of other unknown impacts," Wren said. "Since cats were eradicated, the grey petrel successfully bred on the island for the first time in a century and the recovery of Antarctic prions has continued since the eradication of feral cats."

Now, the parks service has a new plan to finish the job, using technology and poisons that weren't available a decade ago.

Wren said plans to eradicate both rabbits as well as rats and mice from the island will begin in 2010. Helicopters using global positioning systems will drop poisonous bait that targets all three pests. Later, teams will shoot, fumigate and trap the remaining rabbits, she said.

Some of the earlier critics are now behind this latest eradication effort, saying it should help the island's ecosystem fully recover because it would remove the last remaining invasive species.

"Without this action, there will be serious long-term consequences for the majestic seabirds which nest on the island including the four threatened albatross species, and for the health of the island ecosystem as a whole," said Dean Ingwersen, Bird Australia's threatened bird network coordinator.

"We believe that the process they are going to follow uses best practice for this type of work," Ingwersen said. "And that all possible ramifications have now been considered."

(emphasis added)

tsk tsk...

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Crime Wave at the Nu Residence

The economy's downturn has created uncertainty and unrest in the citizenry. The Nu residence has not been immune to this, as we experienced a crime wave in our neighborhood recently. For example, we have noticed suspicious people (one man on a bicycle and another fat lady in a Lexus SUV) sneaking a peek at our neighbor's flowers across the street. Flower thieves? We think so.

Most troubling is the bad influence these degenerates have on the local children. One morning, I discovered that our happy home was burglarized and the criminal later returned to the scene of the crime. In an attempt to curtail further burglaries, the Nus now store their non-can items of interest on top of the fridge, out of the reach of certain individuals.

Finally, the Nus are also taking a proactive approach by profiling--individuals who are known to have a propensity for committing assault and battery are being detained indefinitely (67 at last count).

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My Cry's Adventure

As you all know, Mr. Nonny Nu went into crisis mode on Friday because the living room's TV went out. Kaput. It just shut down. And, besides the TV, he only has us and the Nu kitties to keep him company during the day. Understandably, he went nutters.

Anyhow, the old TV we had was a Sony Wega XBR that we got in 2000 for around $3000. It has gone through one cross-country move, one cross-state move, and one cross-floor (from upstairs to downstairs) move. The one thing that I absolutely hated about this thing is that it was SO FUCKING HEAVY. The TV position is in a corner of the living room, and every time we added a new video or audio contraption to the set up, I'd have to squish back there and try to get everything plugged in.

Okay, back to the story. When I got home Friday night, we just decided not to succumb to the mass hysteria, and to take our time getting the right TV for us. We got dinner and watched Taxi on his iMac. It was great, actually. Then, we went to bed and watched TV on the old standby in the bedroom. It wasn't too bad, even though Mr. Nonny Nu pouted the whole way through.

The next day, we decided to just get an interim TV which would replace the bedroom TV when we got the real McCoy. I wanted to go to Best Buy, Circuit City, or Costco. Instead, I was sent to Cry's. Now, you all know how I feel about Cry's. This was an unforgivable wrong and a complete betrayal of my trust by Mr. Nonny Nu. And, to do what? To do a guy's job--haggling for electronics. You know how your mom always puts the whole family through some sort of hell around the holidays and, because it has become evidently inevitable, the whole family becomes resigned to it and just "let's it happen?" This is how I felt. It is like when a deranged but proud parent who overestimates their kid's ability and charisma keeps pushing the kid to perform in public. That's exactly how it feels.

So, off I went to Cry's. I find one that looks pretty good--the Toshiba 37HL67. Mr. Nonny Nu confirms that it has good ratings on CNET. It's at a very good price ($728), but the only one they had left was open box. And, guess what? They won't give a discount for open box, even though it was bought, opened, and then returned. And, out of curiosity, I ask about floor models. Oh, that would be a 5% discount on those. So, I ask the salesman, "You mean you will give me $36 off on an item that you've been using 24/7 in your showroom for months?" The salesman applied in the affirmative and explained that it was "policy," but I detected a crack in his signature Cry's "we can't do anything for you" mask.

Under Mr. Nonny Nu's instructions, I requested that the TV that I was going to buy be brought up to the sales floor and set up to verify that all the accessories were present and that it really did work. And, who does the salesman get to do this? Another salesman, who happened to have a gimpy leg. GREAT. Can you believe this shit? Now, the gimpy salesman is the only person I like at Cry's. He was very nice and did all of the assembly himself. I wasn't going to touch the thing since I didn't want any liability. But, I wanted to help so much because of his leg. This really killed me. I am a shamed rabbit.

Everything checked out. The TV came with a stand and it looked like the packaging for the stand wasn't even opened. The packaging for the instructions and the remote was also sealed, so it really did look like someone just brought it home and changed their minds. Of course, we'll never know if they dropped it between the car and their house, right? But, the box didn't look like it was dropped. I just don't know! Anyhow, there's a 30 day return policy on it.

So, we put the TV back in the box (I couldn't stand it any longer and just had to help out) and I wheeled it to the registers. As I was paying for the thing, I ask the clerk for help to my car, since is a rather larger rectangular box that is thin and being wheeled on a cart that has no tie-downs. She presents me with a release of liability for any damage occurring during the transport and loading of the item to my car. I ask her, "So, if I don't sign this, you guys won't help me to my car?" Obviously, the answer should be "Yes, if you don't sign this, we won't help you to your car." But, she hems and haws and invokes the "policy" again and says stuff like, "You need to sign this so we can bring the TV to your car." As if I am the one holding us up. What kind of store refuses to help their customers to their cars unless the customers release them from liability? And, if their clerks drop my TV on the way, is it really fair that I eat that?? OMG, I was about to go ballistic.

Rabbits don't do well in these sorts of situations. And, when I say, "these sorts of situations," I'm referring to situations in which I am creeped out by the personnel and feel like I'm getting shafted. What they don't tell you about the flight or fight response is that one can only fly so long. So, I start to raise my voice. I ask the clerk exasperatedly whether I am reading the language correctly, that if their people were to drop the TV I just now bought for $800 (including tax), then I just have to eat that. By now, there were quite a few people in line and at neighboring registers listening in on the conversation. Her response? (You're going to love this.)

"Madame, you did not pay $800 for the television. It is only $799.82."

HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAAA!!!!!!!!

Sensing that I was about to jam my pen into the clerk's left eye, the manager comes over and asks if he could be of any help. So, I explain to him that I think I have interpreted the release language correctly to mean that any damage caused by Cry's clerks to the TV between here and my car will be on me. He says that this is a correct interpretation. I ask him the question that I asked the clerk:

nn: "So, if I don't sign this, you guys won't help me to my car?"

manager: "That is correct."

nn: "Is your personnel going to take the TV into a loading elevator in the back or something? Because the TV box isn't really stable on this cart."

manager: "No."

nn: "Well, which route are they going to take to get the TV to my car?"

manager: "The same route you would take--out the front door."

nn: "Oh, you mean they are going out the front door, then down the first ramp, turn, and then down the second ramp? You mean that route?"

manager: "Yes."

nn: "Hm. Cry's designed this building, right?"

manager: "Yes, we have a different theme for every location. This one is the Egyptian theme."

nn: "We are on the second floor, right?"

manager: "Yes."

nn: "So, let me get this straight. I think I know the answer, but I just want to hear it from you. Cry's designed this building so that the entrance and exit will be on the second floor and, in order to get to the parking floor, all customers would have to walk down two ramps that have a turn in between them. And, and even though this box has nothing to secure it to the only cart you provide for your customers, the only way that you will help me navigate this $800 television down the two ramps that you made necessary is if I pay for any damage that your people do to my TV on the treacherous route that you designed?"

manager: "Um, yeah. It's policy."

I could not counter his logic. Alright, by this time, I was ready to go home. Actually, I was ready to go home when I parked the Dolly, but who's counting, right? So, I sign the release. Why? Because I'd have to do it myself otherwise, and I'd rather have two helpers that I can supervise than nothing at all. By this time, the helpers had arrived so I put the receipt on the cart's small upper level babyseat so that I can use my hands to stabilize the box as the helpers wheel the cart. As we go toward the door, the cart begins to slow down. I wonder why, and look up in time to see the receipt inspector approach and take the receipt out of the babyseat.

She starts checking off the corn nuts that I bought. Then, she starts to look for the TV box's zebra code to check that off. In the meantime, I ask what she is doing. She ignores me.

No...she...di'unt, did she? This time, I put my hand over the portion of the receipt that she's looking at and ask her again.

nn: "What are you doing?"

inspector: "I'm checking you out."

nn: "I'm sorry, I was already checked out. I paid for this item at register 29. This is why I have a receipt."

inspector: "But, I still have to check you on your way out. It's the rules."

nn: "Oh? That sounds official. Which California or federal statute requires this?"

inspector: "Oh, I don't know, but it's our policy."

nn: "Oh, so it's not a law?"

inspector: "No."

nn: "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

At this time, I snatched the receipt back before she could check off the TV box. I'm not normally this rude, but I guess I just had it. Good thing is, the guy behind me breezed past the inspector and told her, "No, you just said it wasn't required by law."

By this time, the helpers just wanted to get me gone. So they said that they'd handle things from here and suggested that I drive my car to the bottom of the ramp. I politely declined and explained that I would be accompanying them the whole way since I just now signed a release saying that if they were to drop the TV, I'd be eating it. They understood, and we went on our merry way.

Do you guys see why I hate Cry's?

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Unicorn Meat

I'm sure all of you have heard of unicorns. They are mythical horses with a single horn on their foreheads (one forehead and one horn per unicorn, please). Unbeknownst to me, they come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, not just white. Some have wings. Some are black and some are striped and wear bell bottoms.

Long ago, unicorns were kept as pets by humans and were penned up near a tree because they like the shade. But, the advent of the teddy bear really got the unicorns in an uproar (they are narcissistic creatures and want to be the apples of their masters' eyes--one apple and two eyes per master, please). In the 1337 Unicorn Uprising, the unicorns relentlessly pursued the cuddly teddy bears and impaled them Vlad-style upon their horns. The public could no longer turn a blind eye to these blood thirsty creatures (one eye per public, please), and was forced to round up all the unicorns and exterminate them. Now you know why unicorns no longer exist in the world.

But, we at the Nu residence have brought back the unicorn with the help of linguistics and our own imagination. One of the restaurants that we like to order from is a Persion place that serves "koobideh," spiced ground meat that is shaped into a thin log, skewered, and then barbecued. At the Nu household, this dish is called "unicorn meat." Why? Because it is mystery meat that tastes good. That's the nuance that everyone should fully understand. Not all mystery meat can be unicorn meat. Only ones that taste good are elevated to the level of the unicorn.

Koobideh is often served with plain basmati rice (with a little saffron basmati for decoration) and roasted tomatoes. When we order the stuff, we get the rice, tomatoes, unicorn meat, yellow unicorn meat (from Asia), and actual chicken skewers:



Here's the completed plate:



Yum!

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No More Starbucks Runs!

Today, we got a Nespresso D290. Starting tomorrow morning, Mr. Nonny Nu will make his own caramel macchiato's! What does this mean? This means that I will have 20 more minutes of peace and quiet in the morning to watch my BBC shows or harass the Nu kitties. I may even spend 10 of those extra minutes on the stationary bike (totally 50 minutes). I got to sample one coffee tonight. It wasn't too bad. We have to learn how to fiddle with the settings, but I think this will work out just fine. And, now that I imagine the coffee with a couple slices of Safeway's almond poppyseed pudding ring (yes, that's really what it's called!), yummmmmm... Just think. With venti Starbucks caramel macchiato's costing $3.95 a pop, we will be flush on cup number 125. That's not even 6 months away.

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BBC Series (My Anglophilia)

Am I the only one who watches these?? Maybe this is (one of) my dirty secrets, but I just LOVE the old gossipy serials! I started off watching Upstairs, Downstairs.* After I got through about 2.5 seasons, I went on to watch stuff like Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Chancer (season 1), and various Catherine Cookson shows. Recently, I got into watching The Duchess of Duke Street (about a female cook at the turn of the century who made a name for herself), starring Gemma Jones (a.k.a., Bridget Jones'** mum). I am concurrently trying something more modern--Monarch of the Glen (about a London restaurateur who has to go back to his struggling highland estate to whip it into shape).

Now, the BBC stuff that depicts the olden days have all been very good from the beginning. I mean, right off the first episode, I am hooked. But, the modern stuff is, well, kinda cheesy sometimes. For example, I had to talk myself into giving Chancer a chance, even though it starred Clive Owen. Same with Monarch of the Glen. But, once I give it a chance, it always grows on me. There's just some cheesy charm to these things. I'm only on disc 2 of the first season of MotG, but it's safe to say that I'm hooked.***

I just don't know what it is! I guess my love for England is making me want to have a piece of it in my own home. Honestly, these programs are rather soapy. I'm sort of ashamed to even admit this, but trash TV is a mainstay in my household (including but not limited to MTV, VH1, E!, A&E, TLC). I just have to let my brain veg for a bit when I get home, you know? I really love those set in earlier times, though. It's just neat to see how people lived back then, what they wore, how they behaved, and how they spoke. If you've never tried, you should really give it a go. I recommend The Duchess of Duke Street or Upstairs, Downstairs for your first attempt. It's really super fun!



* This one was my first because I loved Gosford Park (watched it about 20 times and have read the script), but ever since UpDown, I have been hooked on BBC stuff. Trivia: Jean Marsh plays the head housemaid in UpDown, but she also created the series. You might be thinking, "Where have I seen her before?" Jean Marsh also starred in a 1959 Twilight Zone episode entitled, "The Lonely," in which she played a robot sent to keep a convict company on a deserted planet.

** When I first watched Bridget Jones' Diary, I hated it because I couldn't understand what they were saying (same with Trainspotting--btw, if you like Kelly McDonald from Trainspotting and Gosford Park, she appears in No Country for Old Men with a dead-on Southern accent!). But, I have to credit my love for England to the second Bridget Jones movie (Edge of Reason). OMG, Colin Firth = *swoon*. Ever since then, I have been watching and reading British stuff (like Jane Austen novels and adaptations, Jasper Fforde books, both Bridget Jones books, movies with Emma Thompson and/or Alan Rickman). The one thing I can't get into is listening to the BBC station on my radio when I'm driving around in Dolly. I don't know. They just sound so serious on that station. Cripes, just look at the line up.

*** Okay, now that I think about it, there is one exception. Spooks. That one didn't grow on me even though I watched an entire season. Here's the reason. Spooks is about MI:6 (or MI:5--can't remember), so it's kinda like Alias without the stupid wigs and bad acting. The main character was played by Matthew Macfadyen, who was wonderful in the recent film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Anywhoo, his girlfriend in the show didn't know that he is an undercover MI:X agent and he tells her that he's some computer specialist. Of course, she gets suspicious. Long story short, he wants to marry her and, in the course of proposing, he tells her the truth.

[needless domestic drama]
She has doubts about him because he has kept this from her for so long (since they first met), and refuses to marry him. She has to think about it.
[/needless domestic drama]

So, I'm sitting here thinking, "Um, okay. Your undercover CIA agent boyfriend tells you that he wants to marry you, and you're here hemming and hawing about him not telling you about his real work before?? Tell me, what are the chances of you, a single mother and waitress, doing better than this chap?" (See, I get all British with my word choices when I talk about these TV series.) I'm not even British and I can understand why an undercover MI:X agent would keep his true identity a secret until he knows for sure that he wants to spend the rest of his life with some chick. If Mr. Nonny Nu were to tell me that he's actually an FBI agent, I would be completely fine with it. I would be understanding about it (because, don't widows of FBI agents get good compensation?).

Anyhow, this part of the plot just turned me off to the whole thing. However, I have just found out that Gemma Jones (of The Duchess of Duke Street fame) is starring in the most recent season of Spooks, so I might go back to watching it. In fact, the Matthew Macfadyen character is no longer listed as being a part of the current cast, so maybe they killed off his stupid girlfriend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

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What the hell, Congress?

This morning, I got up at the ungodly hour of 7:00 am to work out and get ready for some people to show up at my house (more on that later). People, it was PITCH BLACK outside. At 7am?? That's just not right. Little kids are going out to the bus stop for school at that time and it's like the middle of the night. I don't know whose idea it was to push Day Light Savings back, but they pushed it back too much. Any early birds having this problem?

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Wanted: One Kitten Name

I went to the Humane Society of Silicon Valley today and adopted a very cute kitty for myself. Her papers say that she is rambunctious but also likes to sits on laps--exactly what I wanted! She's a cutie, isn't she? She doesn't have a name yet, so I'll need your help on this (more on that later).

NoNameKitty (hereinafter, "NNK") is 2 1/2 months old and has five brothers (she's the only girl of the litter). When I visited her yesterday, she was mostly sleeping with her brothers in a heap, leading me to *almost* choose another cat. When she and her siblings finally woke up, I played with them for a little while. When I tossed a piece of fabric onto her paws, she jumped back, startled, and promptly went all the way to the back of her jail cell behind all of her brothers! This morning, as I was waiting for my adoption info to be input into the Humane Society system, I heard that the other cat that I thought was a candidate was being adopted right at that time. So, it was fate--NNK was for me.

She did very well on the ride home and took only about an hour to adjust to her surroundings. But, Kash gets a huge gold star today for being a perfect gentleman. He seemed to understand that NNK was going through what he had to go through last Tuesday when he first came home with me. He just followed her around at a distance, even though she periodically hissed at him. He was very friendly without being aggressive, and he just patiently kept at her and made her feel comfortable. In no time, she was and they were rastlin' like brother and sister:
Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 Pic 4 Pic 5 Pic 6 Pic 7 Pic 8 Pic 9 Pic 10 Pic 11 Pic 12 Pic 13 Pic 14 Pic 15 Pic 16 Pic 17

After romping around for a while, Kash takes NNK to the food bowls and they eat side by side. Fast friends, yes? Kash is such a gentleman. He showed her where the bathroom was and everything. Then, they played some more. Finally, after hours of playing, they took naps. Kash chose a comfy position on the sofa, but NNK chose a rather peculiar spot--on top of a Converse shoebox on a window sill. Go figure.

Anyhow, here's where you can help me out. Judging from these and future photos, what do you think her name should be? Below are the ones I am considering. Vote now, and you can change your vote later as you discover her personality with me! (Disclaimer: This is not a guarantee that NNK will be named whatever name is most voted for in the poll. This is just to help me figure out a name for her.)

What is a good name for No Name Kitty?

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Guess Who's Coming to Dinner! [Updated 10/18 with additional photos of Kash]

[Update]

Here are some better photos of Kash. You can see his blue eyes and beautiful markings.

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It's true, folks.

What the Sush said about talk amongst the Nus about getting a new kitty...it's true. We did talk about it this weekend. I am so ashamed. It's just that, as I walk throughout the house, I just see all the places where Sushi Cat used to be. I never really understood how much a part of my life this little kitty is. Everything reminds me of her.

Bright and early each morning, she meowed me awake and I'd go downstairs to feed her breakfast. Then, she'd visit one of several watering holes, either downstairs, upstairs, in Mr. Nonny Nu's shower, or (if I was showering at the time), she'd jump in with me. She was my shower gargoyle and would sit on the rug outside my shower and stand guard. Then, I'd head downstairs to go to work and she'd say goodbye at the door, or she'd sit in a window and wave to me.

Throughout the day (on weekends, I'd get to see her do this, which was such a treat), she'd lay in the sun either on the floor upstairs or downstairs, or look out of the upstairs window. She loved windows and chairs, and nooks and crannies. Sometimes, I'd jump in there with her. We'd stare at each other for hours. I'd pet her and I'd pull on her ears. She also loved to scratch on her three scratch pads. And, everytime Sushi went outside, she would make it a point to walk behind these shrubs (because she knew that those were the ones I'd have most trouble getting her out of).

But, Sushi's favorite, by far, were cushioned areas, like:
chairs in the dining room
her couch with her very own bedspread
our bed (it belonged to the three of us)
throw blankets
laundry baskets

We even caught her sitting in the freshly dried laundry in the drier!

Then, after work, when I came up the driveway, I'd look up to the second floor window or to the stairwell to see Sushi waiting there for me.

Of course, she's nowhere to be found these days, even though I see her tracks everywhere. After we put her to sleep, I saved some of her fur, a toe nail, and a whisker. I put them in a box, and now that box sits on my bedside table (it's black and grey, just like Sushi).

Sushi was such a big part of my life. I never really understood how big until now. On the one hand, I think that having another cat in the house will do us good. But, on the other, I feel like I'm betraying Sushi because it's so soon. I don't think she'd approve.

Is it too soon?

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Doubt it. by Sushi Cat (guest blogger)

Haaaaahhhhh!!! Purrrr.....

Just got in from a breathtaking hike with Cotton and Happy, and am now sitting down to a meal of trees. Thanks to everyone for keeping mom and dad company. They are such babies, aren't they?? Imagine having to herd them around everyday. I tell ya, that was enough to do me in! (Just kidding, but not completely...)

Anywho, let's get to the point here--I am irreplaceable. That's just a cold, hard fact, so there's really no sense in debating it. I understand this to be accepted by all. But, amid the tears and frowns this weekend, there was talk about replenishing the kitty population at the Nu residence. Can you believe this, folks? I'm not even cremated yet, and those two doodooheads are already talking about a new cat. Maybe even *gasp* multiple cats. I am appalled. "Friends" and "family" (I use those terms losely and sarcastically) of the Nus have broached the subject. Mr. Nonny Nu's brother went so far as actually finding a specific cat in Florida for them. The rationale is that I wouldn't want them to be uncared for.

Well, I'm here to set the record straight. That is pure speculation. As we all know, only I am entitled to any and all kitty-related attention from those two dumbos. Will the new cat(s) replace me? Read the title of this blog entry. Will the new cat(s) be as witty, hilarious, and judgmental (in a cute way) as me? Again, read the title of this blog entry.

No, any new cat(s) will inevitably lead to comparisons with me and, unfortch (Bubba, Ghetto FOBulous' rabbit, taught me that one), I will continue to reign supreme. In time, I will overlook this transgression. Right now, I have some trees to take care of.

Ciao, amici!

Sushi Cat

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For Our Brethren in Boston: Leaves Change, but Paint Signs Don't.

Hi, peeps!

Here is the latest update on what you are missing from home--the arrival of Fall! Look here, the leaves are starting to change and we have had milder weather:


The Nu residence has been ice cold in the past month and our energy bill has gone down by 66% because we (read: Mr. Nonny Nu) haven't been using the A/C at home much. One of the members of our Backyard Petting Zoo has added a new floor show to the Fall line-up. Here's sneak preview for you all:





In other news, the parking lot doors are still being painted (I guess it takes an entire month to paint doors nowadays):

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Look Who's Eating the Cat Food!!

^^That's a giant raccoon eating the cat food on our back deck, folks! This thing was huge. Almost as big as a pig (a regular-sized one, not those gigantic freaky ones). It was so cute and fluffy!!!!

BTW, today, I received an email from a neighbor in the condos next door asking whether we own the cat who likes to sit atop a fence that separates our yard from the neighbor's yard. Said cat apparently visited the neighbor's back deck and, when startled, trampled some of the neighbor's new flowers. I told the neighbor that I didn't own the cat, and that my cat is an indoor cat who does not leave the house. Of course, I said nothing about knowing anything about the trampling cat or that it may be a part of my backyard petting zoo. Methinks it's either Slim or Skitty...

At first, I thought it would be Slim, because he's extremely naughty. But, come to think of it, he's too big to sit atop the fence and he isn't easily startled. Skitty, on the other hand, is very easily startled and I have seen her while away the days along the top of our fence. Might be her, but I won't turn her in. These might also be the complainy* neighbors who asked us to stop feeding the birds. *roll eyes*

*Yes, I know this isn't a word, but it should be, don't you think?

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Birthday Bear!!

Mr. Nonny Nu pictured at left; Nonny Nu in one of Mr. Nonny Nu's old suits; Sushi in another of Mr. Nonny Nu's old suits peeking out from behind the cake.

May your days be filled with snow, pre-pounced seals, Nonny Nu, and Sushi cat!

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Nightly Dinner Ritual

I forgot to take out some Magic Kitchen stuff to thaw this morning (btw, we are expecting another order to arrive tomorrow *nods*), so we have to eat fake food tonight. Generally, the nightly ritual starts off with me emailing Mr. Nonny Nu about it being quittin' time and asking what's for eats. The conversation ultimately heads onto a dead end road where neither of us are willing to make a U-turn. Starvation ensues. As an example, here is tonight's exchange:

Me: coming home now. din?

Him: yes, i'd eventually like to have some. (aren't i just hilarious?)

Me: yes, very!! now, what should i bring home and how are you going to pay me?

Him: i have only my body >o:3 what do *you* want?

Me: not your body, but i will take some gallo prison.*

Him: "not your body" >o:3 i'm not that bad! (i don't like you.) gallo? -=sigh=- well, okay. whatever you wish.

Winner: haha! i win. two nights in a row...

Non-Winner: hmph.

Come to think of it, that wasn't much of a dead end road. Normally, we just go around and around, though, and it takes much more than 12 minutes to decide what to have for dinner. I promise (cross my heart and hope to die) that we usually argue a lot more. Well, as soon as we get our shipment of Magic Kitchen tomorrow, this will all be a dream.

*"Gallo Prison" is Nu-speak and coined by Mr. Nonny Nu for Sonoma Chicken Coop.

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Maids

OMG, I'm bidding on this watch right now. There are only 3 mins 37 seconds left. We'll see.

Okay, do you guys think I should get a maid? You know, someone to come in once every other week to tidy things up. Don't get me wrong. I just love to clean the house after working 60hrs a week. It's so relaxing...BARF. Yeah, remember when it was trendy in Hollywood to clean one's own house? I think that Sharon Stone and Gwyneth Paltrow said that they liked to vacuum. Please. I can understand if Paltrow found it novel. But, Sharon Stone? According to IMDb, her dad was a factory worker.

OMG!! I won the item!!

Anywho, that "I love cleaning" trend was pretty short-lived. Probably because people could smell the poop dribbling out of the corners of their mouths. EWWWWW. I need to chew a stick of Orbitz gum now.

The thing is, I don't really like people rummaging through my stuff. I just get the feeling that I'm going to have to screen the area before the cleaning lady shows up. And, nobody cleans house the way I do. Well, except for my sisters. I don't know. Does anyone have any experience with this?? I also don't want to hire someone who also cleans the house of other people I know. Don't want any of my secrets being leaked, you know? Advice? Comments?

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For the love of all that is holy...

Every Tuesday is trash day at the Nu residence. So, Monday night, everyone in the neighborhood wheels their trash cans out to the curb. It's understood that the condos to the right of us use the curb to the right of our driveway and so we use the curb to our left. Yet, for the past four weeks, some jackass has been parking a van at the curb to our left on the night before trash day. GAH!!!

It's not like these people don't know it's trash day. I've seen the van parked in a condo parking space so it's obvious that the owner stays in one of the condos. You know, we've tried to be neighborly. We used to feed the birds on our back deck but when some neighbors came by to ask us to stop because we were attracting pigeons, we stopped. Now, there's one less type of animal in our backyard petting zoo.

So, what is up with this van business?? Mr. Nonny Nu says I should just be neighborly and put the trash right at the entrance to our drive way. Since the trash guys come by super early every trash day, the trash cans will be empty by the time I leave for work and I can just bring them back in at that time. But, I don't like to block my driveway like that. This is the last time this happens. Next week, I'm putting my trash cans out early and I'm going to use the curb to the right of my driveway. Then, whoever drives that van can get the evil eye from one of his/her condo neighbors. What a jerk. I hate when people are like this!!! My niceness is so tested right now. I repeat, GAH!!!

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