Homeless Cat -- Now Spotacus' Legacy

[Wanderlost]

On 18 Dec, a very large cat showed up at our house. It was late and cold, and he looked in the door and made it clear he wanted inside. Well, since we have two cats already and he was a stranger, we could not let him in the house. WLToo walked out and the cat ran to him, so he walked the cat into the garage and into the climate controlled room out there.

He was extremely hungry and thirsty, but in otherwise good condition and very clean. We fixed up a bed for him, set up the feeding and elimination stations, and went to bed.

Next day, we worked in the garage all day, while the big guy slept or supervised. We found him to be an intact male, no sign he's ever worn a collar, and he has a strong need to be in the general vicinity of humans. For an intact male, he's remarkably mellow - I don't think he was the alpha cat in his previous home.

Have had zero responses to the "found cat" notices around the area and online, so we'll be working with the local rescues to get him neutered and all his shots, then find him a home. We can't keep him because he's just too big for our two cats to share our small house. Alex would have another emotional meltdown, and I don't want to go through that mess again (long, ugly story).

For now, we're calling him Spot, not that he answers to it (does answer to "Kitty, Kitty"). No idea how he travels; we'll find out when we take him to the vet on Tuesday.

If anyone knows of someone who would like a large (about 15-18 pounds) cat who needs to be with people, please let me know. No cat novices, please; this cat needs someone who knows exactly how to handle an adult cat of this size, especially when he's feeling frisky.





We're at Canyon Lake, TX, so if there are any Winter Texans nearby who would like to meet him and maybe give him a home, that would be great.

[Wanderlost]

Don't know what it is about going off Daylight Savings Time, but I never do get that extra hour of sleep. Nope, instead I wake up several hours early.:R

There's a small possibility of rain today and tomorrow. Hope so. We trimmed two more trees and made a rather large pile that will need burning.

Also need to mow the King Ranch Bluestem, which is a bad invasive species. Sure is pretty, but nothing eats it and it takes over meadows unless it's mown down before it seeds out. Unfortunately, that means we'll have to mow the wildflowers, too, but they're more likely to come back stronger after we reduce the amount of KR Bluestem. We're going to replace the KRB with side oats grama and other native grasses that the deer will eat.

That means we have to figure out how to get under the Deere lawn tractor to sharpen the blades, plus get the push mower fixed, plus get more batteries for the weed whacker -- just one dern thing after another...

Then we'll need some crushed granite to put down everywhere we intend to toss bluebonnet seeds. This autumn is shaping up to be right busy, gardening wise.

Spotacus woke me up this morning, rather insistently. Normally, Alex gets us up, but Spotacus was very hungry. Then he piled back into bed and didn't wake up until we got back from the gym and fed them lunch. Well, he did pee in one of the bathroom sinks while we were gone, but that's almost normal now, and they're easy to clean.

I'm fairly sure that something got one of Gimpy's fawns. We only see the one with her now. She, Lassie, and their fawns were the only ones in the meadow this morning, instead of a big herd. Maybe rutting season is beginning to wind down here.

Break's over, time to saw more oak. Later, y'all.

[magnusfide]

Spotacus: great name for a cat! Glad he kept you.

[KLO]

Thank you Wanderlost,I have a good recipe for dark fudge so will give this a try at Christmas. I think a sprinkle of sea salt would be good to!

[Wanderlost]

KLO wrote:
Bacon fudge, did you say bacon fudge? Please share that recipe with us, pretty please!

Take your favorite dark chocolate fudge recipe. Add chopped crispy bacon. If you really feel daring, substitute bacon fat for a portion of the butter. Try not to eat it all in one sitting.:B I'll be making this several times over the holiday period -- my family is big on bacon and chocolate, so the combo will be quite popular. Sure beats all heck out of divinity...

A cold front came through yesterday, which was great for the humans, not too hot, not too cold, albiet windy. We were trimming lower limbs off the live oak trees beside the RV hookup where our friends will be spending the winter in their fifth wheel, so they could have a nice sitting/picnic area under the trees.

Alex found sunny spots in the house; didn't want outside. Spotacus had to see what we were doing, crawling under the piled limbs to see if it was a decent cave. Nope. Came back out to wind around his humans' legs, until we fired up the chain saw again. Then he retired to one of his favorite sunny spots.

We got about two hours' worth of firewood out of the trimmed limbs, and about two hours of limbs to burn, when the burn ban is off again. Between working out at the gym, then sawing and dragging limbs, made sitting in the hot tub under a 3/4 moon a very nice experience. I only do the hot tub when the air temps are below 65, preferably in the 30s and 40s. It was around 60, still quite pleasant to sit on the porch to air dry after getting out.

We had to close up the house, but not turn on the heater, for sleeping. Both cats tried to sleep on me, rather than beside me. The low was in the 40s. When WLToo got up, they ate breakfast, then spent less than five minutes outside before joining me back in bed.

They're still asleep, and it's time to work on the tree beside the gate. The RV will be right handy today; we'll drive it to the gate, fire up the generator, and use that power to run the electric chain saw, since both gas powered saws are on the fritz. Again.

Later, y'all.

[KLO]

Bacon fudge, did you say bacon fudge? Please share that recipe with us, pretty please!

[Wanderlost]

Autumn just might be making its first appearance here. We turned off the air conditioner and opened up the house. There's been just enough breeze to feel cool on my legs. I think bacon fudge is in order.

MDL and Leoghaire came up early for breakfast. Haven't seen the herd since.

Alex barfed up breakfast, ate the rest of it, then barfed that up. Spotacus came inside early from his post-breakfast patrol and laid on the bed as though he didn't feel well. Then he slept the rest of the morning on the south porch glider. I'm guessing that can of cat food was bad, since they both ate lunch without incident.

Got confirmation that Mom, eldest brother and SIL will all be here for Christmas. Looks like the RV will be a spare bedroom. With our friends here in their fifth wheel, and sister's family coming up for Christmas dinner, gonna be quite a crowd.

It's time to warm up the leftovers (crockpot roast with carrots, onions, and Spätzle, all cooked in dark beer with seasonings) and make that bacon fudge.

Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

WLToo thought he saw a rattlesnake by the mailbox, but it was not rattling at him. So he thought he'd go back down there with a stick to see if it moved. I suggested he go with a pistol or a hoe instead...:R Luckily, it was no longer around.

Rattlesnakes don't rattle much in this area, because the wild hogs regard the rattling as a dinner bell and come running. Although we don't have any wild hogs in our immediate area, the trend seems to have moved into our own rattler population. Of course, with all the other poisonous snakes that have no warning sounds at all, not sure this is all that big a deal. Cottonmouths and copperheads are more aggressive, anyway.

Spotacus hollered a bit ago. He was standing beside the swimming pool, looking downhill, and all fluffed up. We didn't see what he yowled at, but decided he needed a nap inside, so whatever it was could go away. Alex paid no mind at all, being fully engaged in trying to sit on whichever human wasn't moving. They're both soundly zonked now.

The deer seemed to have calmed down somewhat. I expect the next round of rut to begin anytime now. It goes on until December, which makes for interesting observations. We're making great use of all our binoculars -- we have quite a collection.

WLToo just made sandwiches. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

I don't think it's "forever," Judy. It may take a long time to leech out of that soil, though. How long would depend on how much salt went into the ground, how much rain/snow lands on the spot to start the leeching process, etc. Best not plan on planting anything there until Mother Nature starts growing stuff there herself.

Leoghaire's daddy, the big 8-point buck, moved into our meadow with several does. He's been marking each corner of our fence line. Yesterday, as we drove up the drive, his head popped up out of the grass on the side of the driveway across from the garage. Great, he's napping next to the house. :R

Leoghaire came up by herself, looking for some corn. Luckily, no other deer were within hearing of me putting out the dish, so she got it all. Yesterday, Gimpy came up and pushed Leoghaire away. I went out to convince Gimpy to go away, and Leoghaire stayed. Gimpy's right rear leg is permanently damaged, but she still gets around okay.

Did not see Spotacus much today. He moved from one surveillance/napping point to another, with the occasional foray inside to grab a snack and a drink. The buck watches, but doesn't bother Spot. Now that it's dark, Spot and Alex are inside, trying to get us to feed them more treats. Spot's on the clean clothes on the bed (of course), and Alex is on top of WLToo's recliner back.

I'm doing the final wash on nine afghans, before donating them to the Veteran's Affairs support section of Soldiers' Angels. The active duty military hospitals can't take crocheted or knitted blankets, as they tangle in the bedside equipment too easily, but the VA is happy to take them. My winter project will be to crochet more and clear out several boxes of yarn, and then not replenish the yarn unless I have a very specific project. I will continue to clear out the fabric stash, and eventually we should be able to actually use that garage room, instead of just storing stuff in it.

It's late, so I'll say good night. Later, y'all.

[CA_POPPY]

Question for you: Will a longtime salt lick location forever sterilize the soil under it? A relative inherited a cabin and noticed everything green is dead under and near a deer salt lick that has been going for decades. Thanks!

[Wanderlost]

I spent some time today re-inputting some earlier photographs that were no longer viewable because Photobucket changed something. Sigh.

Spotacus wedged himself into a small box inside a bigger box. I thought it was cute enough to take a picture:


Swimming pool was too cold to swim, but WLToo heated up the attached spa just enough to have a nice soak in a cool tub.

Another beautiful evening. We have the windows open and the breeze is lovely. Think I'll go outside and enjoy the stars.

Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

We're in the 80s daytime and 50s-60s at night. Spotacus is not so used to the cool, and is plastering himself against us. Two nights ago, he started the evening with his head under my chin on my pillow, and his front paws tucked into my throat. At least he didn't knead biscuits, which would have hurt. Then he moved during the night to curl around the top of my head. He was comfy and warm -- I was hot and sweaty.

Last night, he was asleep on my chest when WLToo came to bed. Later, I woke up to find him on my head again. Then WLToo woke up with him between WLToo's legs, curled into as tight a ball as a large cat can do.

I guess he really does prefer the 90s and 100s... At least he stopped barfing during the wee hours (knock on wood).

Lassie came up while we were making dinner. We had quite a few corn tortillas, so I gave her some -- she absolutely loves them. I saved one for Leoghaire, who sniffed it and looked at me like I was trying to poison her. Lassie ate it.
They're both laying down next to the pool deck now -- I saw their eyes when I looked out the door to get Alex back inside.

No hummers at all, so we're cleaning up and storing the feeders. Lots of butterflies, and lots of wildflowers for them to dine upon. I just wish I could fully identify all those yellow wildflowers -- so many different kinds. We bought a pound of bluebonnet seeds and will try to get them going. Once established, they prefer to be left alone -- definitely our kind of flower. The mountain sage is doing well, and we'll be planting mountain laural as soon as we decide the prime location. That's about it for gardening for a while.

Pill time for me and Alex. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Well, I was wrong. Oh, so very wrong. The vultures were congregating on the roof because a tree was completely full of them. That tree was near a body.

WLToo went down to see, and said it was a spike. He couldn't see any obvious signs of what killed it, but it was near the fence, and the fence looked like it had been yanked about. We think the spike got caught in the fence, managed to get free, then died, or died while tangled and it fell free after death.

So for the last few days, we've been vulture central, as they clean up the mess. Yesterday, I even saw a red-headed vulture joining in, and the black headed ones did not bother it.

My biceps finally stopped aching on Saturday. Today we worked on shoulders and core, and I'm fine. So far.

It rained on Saturday (this morning, too). Spotacus was outside for a good long while, and came in rather wet. He jumped up on the bathroom vanity and left muddy tracks in both sinks, while doing the "I'm such a cute kitten" routine. Huge cat doing kitten cute -- it's so funny I forgave having to clean up after him.

Unfortunately, he's been throwing up every other morning for a week now. At o'dark thirty, I hear him barfing. I know it's him, because Alex is plastered against my back. If I have to get up in the dark (I'm at the age where pulling an all-nighter means not having to get up and pee), I use a flashlight so I can avoid stepping in it before we clean it up. Each time, it's just been bile and a hairball, so I know he's not sick. Guess we'll have to hold him down and use the Furminator. Sigh.

Interesting how I can sleep through thunderstorms, WLToo's snoring (doesn't do that with the BiPap anymore), telephones -- but let a cat start barfing and I'm instantly awake.

Alex got lost in our bathroom this morning. He sat in the shower and talked a lot. WLToo had to look in the door and talk to him before Alex figured out where he was and trotted out. We went through this with his best buddy, Klaus mit der Krallen, so many years ago. At least Alex isn't sitting on the bed and yelling at the top of his lungs (Klaus was mostly deaf by 19; Alex is 18 and hears just fine) until someone reaches up and pets him.

Leoghaire is playing on our pool deck. She stomps on the boards, snorts at them, dashes off, comes back and does it again. A couple boards need replacing, and they bounce a fair bit, so she really favors them. Not much in the way of rhythm, but she's enjoying herself. Wonder if she'll have as much fun when we replace the whole deck and add on.

WLToo just announced supper. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

WHAP! Rustle, rustle... WHAP! Rustle, rustle... :R

The black headed vultures are congregating on our roof again. Don't know why they like our roof so much. We don't even have anything dead in the meadow.

We did last week, though. WLToo noticed flies near one of the rain barrels. Found the screen pushed inward and something was very dead. At first, he though it was someone's cat. Hauled the barrel out into an open area, where the vultures would find it, emptied it, and found it was a raccoon. No idea what it tried to walk on top of that screen, but its weight was just too much. We never heard a thing. The vultures arrived not ten minutes after the dump, and it was completely gone within an hour.

Alarmed us enough to put wire fencing on top of the screen, after we cleaned the whole thing with bleach, so whatever critter decided to stand on it won't drown in the future. Can't take a chance on Spotacus chasing Alex and he jumps on a barrel.

Alex visited the vet this week. Had a huge skin tag looking something growing on his cheek, and I was concerned that it would interfere with his vision. The vet poked it with a needle and yep, it was a cyst. Cleaned out the goop, gave him an antibiotic shot, pronounced him in very fine shape for his age, and he's so much happier now.

I was feeling so good on Monday that I really overdid the bicep curls (not weight, just too many). Did core and legs on Wednesday, but my biceps were not better. So yesterday I started applying heat and Absorbine Jr. Still was sore this morning, so I skipped the gym (all those weight machines and dumbbells would have been too great a temptation) and just applied more heat. Starting to improve now, so I should be back in the gym on Monday, but will be a lot smarter about what I'm doing... I just get way too enthusiastic at times.

Leoghaire has a big patch of skin scraped off her right rear leg. She's limping, but seems to be getting better. Then Gimpy showed up yesterday with yet another scrape/gash on her right rear leg. She needs to stop jumping the fence until she's healed enough to get completely over. Besides, she can just walk through our gate pretty much whenever.

We heard the clacking of antlers last weekend, and watched the dominant stag fooling around with a younger buck. It was pretty obvious he was just messing with the younger one, not a serious fight at all. But it does kinda indicate the bucks will be quite rowdy any day now.

My best friend is flying in for Thanksgiving and the Texas Renaissance Faire. Looking forward to putting on costumes and eating way too much, whilst watching all manner of interesting shows, displays, and people. It's also a good excuse to take the RV somewhere...

Time to go food shopping before the weekend crowds show up. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Had a request for a description of my first ablation. Found that email, so here goes:

The surgeon (a Cardiac Electrophysiology or EP doctor) goes in through both large groin veins, maps the two upper chambers to locate the offending nerve endings, then uses either heat or cold to treat the openings of the pulmonary veins in both upper chambers. With time, the treated areas form scar tissue, which blocks abnormal electrical impulses, so the fibrillation doesn't happen.

Preliminary work consists of a blood test (a week before), then a CT scan with iodine IV -- that takes about 15 minutes, and was done the Friday before the Wednesday procedure. Then fast from midnight until the procedure. Before the procedure, I had a chest x-ray and an EKG, IV port inserted, then waited until he was ready. Then the anesthetist injected a "relaxer," and I drifted off.

After the procedure, you have to lay perfectly flat for about six hours, with fairly heavy weights on the groin area. If you react to general anesthesia like I do, you'll mostly sleep through that period. I still had an IV port in one arm, but no IV. I was hooked up to all kinds of heart monitors. Was encouraged to eat and drink as soon as possible, which I did. I also spent a lot of time coughing up bloody goo from the intubation tube and oxygen - if they offer you a pneumonia shot, take it. For at least six hours, you're trying to cough up goo laying flat - hard to get it out.

After six hours, I got up and went for a walk, just me, the nurse, and my Foley catheter (not all surgeons insert a catheter, but that might be more a female issue). After a good three circuits of the ward, the catheter and pressure bandages were removed, the blood cleaned off, groin re-bandaged, got hooked up to the monitor again, and could sleep in any position I wanted. So I did. Woke up for the 0500 vampire to snatch more blood, got another EKG, then slept like a stone until 0800 and breakfast (inhaled it - Southwest Methodist has good breakfasts). Got released about lunchtime.

Orders were to take it easy for a week, no lifting anything over 10 pounds, no driving for 72 hours, no squatting or swimming/hot tub for a week -- all this to prevent the groin insertion points from opening up (no stitches). Plan on picking off a lot of adhesive from all those electrode patches. I found some even three days later...

Over the next few weeks, a-fib will decrease to nothing as the scar tissue forms. I'm still on the anti a-fib medication, plus a blood thinner, until the doctor decides all is good and I can be weaned off both.

Unfortunately, three days later, my right leg was in so much pain that I thought it was a blood clot. Off to the ER, where they checked me out and said no clot, that the bundle of nerves near that vein was inflamed. Heavy doses of OTC painkiller and I was fine by that night.

The cousin most like me had to have it done in 2008 and 2010, but now she only takes a baby aspirin. My best friend could not be controlled by any known medication, so he had it done. All was great, but now he's starting in again, and figures another procedure is necessary. I hope that will do it for him, like my cousin. I think WLToo's might be similar to my friend, and I do hope he has it done -- for my peace of mind, if nothing else.

Interesting that his cardiologist is not so fond of catheter ablation, considering that my cardiac surgeon is the one who trained him… It's very common, a rather inexpensive procedure, and quite safe.

I've only had four days, but I can feel the difference. I recommend this wherever possible. Total cost is so much cheaper than the anti a-fib drug costs over time. My anti a-fib med is not one of the really expensive ones, but it's still $290.54 at Costco each month. The ablation total cost will be recouped in 2 years after I stop the medication. My part of the ablation cost will be recouped two months after I stop the medication. It's so worth it to me.

In reply to a question about whether or not a friend should request the procedure, I said:

Generally, if the medicines do not control the a-fib, then it's the best method. Or, if you tell your doctor you are tired of medications, tired of being tired/breathless/just feeling off, it's a good idea. Some doctors have not treated the a-fib, as WLToo's case, because they are more concerned with thinning the blood so it lessens the stroke factor.

However, a-fib not treated does not take care of all the fluttering in the upper and lower chambers, which does not allow for all the blood to leave the lower chambers, thereby creating the possibility of clotting/stroke, in spite of the blood thinners. Which is why WLToo's doctor is bugging the******out of me, being hesitant to recommend what is a very common procedure. So as soon as my recovery is complete and I'm off the medications, I'm going to push for WLToo to have the procedure, too.

Three months after the procedure, I was taken off all prescription medications. Didn't even have to take a baby aspirin.

But life got in the way, and WLToo still hasn't had his procedure. Then 8 months after mine, the a-fib flared up again. This time, it was constant, like WLToo's, rather than episodic. I do not understand how he can tolerate feeling like that. I hated it intensely, and got scheduled for the second ablation as soon as possible.

Ways to entertain yourself while laying still on your back for six hours, if you're not able to sleep:
Ask for the heart monitor to be placed where you can watch it. On my second round, when my heart rate was so high, I thought one of the graphs looked just like a helicopter flying nap of the earth over the Ozarks. I experimented with deep breathing exercises and almost-meditation to see if I could alter the heart rate, with varying levels of success.
Play with the text sizes on your e-reader -- never mind actually reading the story. It can be highly amusing.
Turn on your TV to a news channel you don't like, a shopping channel or an infomercial and heckle it (quietly, don't want to disturb your roommate, if you have one).

That's pretty much it. For more details, I recommend Mayo Clinic on a-fib

[Wanderlost]

I'm baaaaaack...

Things got right interesting since August. We still have a garage full of WLToo's mom's stuff to sort and figure out what to do with. He had to go to court in two different locations to probate both his parents' wills, since his mom never probated his dad's and so never got two properties transferred solely into her name. But now he has the testimentary letters and can get rid of those plots, plus do all the stuff to close out his mom's estate. He'll be busy for a while, but I think within six months or so, we'll be utterly free of ever having to go to Houston again.

I had another catheter ablation, which started out fine, then not so fine. The procedure went well, but took over 4 hours, as the EP mapped every square centimeter of my heart, saw that some areas he'd treated last time had not scarred, but healed up, and so had to zap a lot more area this time to get all the misfire areas treated.

I was in sinus rhythm when he finished. Woke up in recovery to see him looking down at me, saying I was in arrhythmia and needed a cardioversion (shock me with the paddles). I groggily said, "OK," and he said they'd use a short term anesthesia.

Imagine getting bitten by a fire ant. Now multiply that by 1.5 million. That's what happened in my hand and arm as they injected the anesthesia drug. I managed to say/shout/think (don't know if my mouth actually got the words out or not), "Holy crap! That hurts like h#((!" and then nothing. Woke up later wide awake and stayed that way for 36 hours.

So now my heart is in sinus rhythm, but it's going at 150-160 beats per minute. Yeah, that's not good. So the doc puts me on a particular medication that requires a three-day hospital stay to monitor the dosage and effects. Well, shoot. Absolute boredom for three days...

No, not really. Heart calms down within 12 hours of getting the first dose, so that's feeling better. Now my sinuses decide to swell tight, with mucus so thick I can't even cough it out. Can't take antihistimines, just snort salt water and hope it works (didn't). Should have bought stock in tissue companies.

When I'm finally allowed up, I take the nurse on a road march around and around the ward, until he gets tired. I'm not tired, I'm all swollen up with fluid, and I'm not comfortable laying around. I went through every nurse and aide on each shift, trying to walk out the excess fluid, in between bathroom trips. They finally decided I could walk by myself. Ahhh, much better.

When I finally tired a bit, I sat in the visitor chair and re-read Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" ("Cross Stitch" in British Commonwealth) for the umpteenth time. Turned out most of the night shift was just as into the Starz TV series as I was, and we all lamented missing that Saturday's episode. But the hospital did have BBC America, so we watched Doctor Who and enjoyed that, too.

Finally, Sunday comes and I go home. Can't sleep laying flat, so I spend several nights in our reclining chair and a half, with two cats keeping me company. Something's not quite right, though, since I'm still all swollen up, and my sinuses are taking their time in responding to the netti pot and thyme/rosemary tea.

Sister's been checking up on me every day (she's a cardiac nurse, but would have done very well as a professional interrogator). I mention the edema, she has me do a few tests, and now I'm enroute to the ER. They give me a diuretic through an IV, plus a week's prescription, and I lose 17 pounds of water in a week. That was good. Cardiologist says ok, weigh myself every day to monitor that, and if weight starts piling back on, call him.

It's now a month later. My sinuses are finally clearing up, sorta (one of my meds has sinus congestion as a side effect, and I think that's part of the problem). At least I can sleep just fine, and only need to netti pot first thing in the morning. Heart's doing excellently. Got clearance to go back to the gym a couple weeks ago.

Bummer. My personal trainer moved away. I will miss her. Tried out the new trainer this week, and we think very much alike, so that's looking good. Broke a few weight records on Friday, so I know things are going well in the gym.

It's October and the swimming pool is still in the low 80s, so I can keep swimming. Now we just need to move on our winter project: a garden shed with solar panels on the roof to heat the pool.

As for the critters, Alex is having good haunches days and bad. On the bad days, he can't quite squat, so he pees in our shower or the bathtub, where he can just stand and let rip. At least those are easy to clean. Otherwise, he's in fine fettle for an 18-year-old cat.

Spotacus is learning how to open the velcro screen on the wooden door to get in and out. It's really funny to watch him sit and study it before figuring out (again) how to push through where the magnets hold the two pieces together. He's also in fine fettle.

Mama Doe Lassie's fawn is still quite bold, coming up on the porch and looking into the windows to see if we'll feed her. When we spend time outside, she's leery but not actually afraid. If she does run away, it's not far and she comes right back. I think I'll call her Laoghaire (pronounced leery).

It's rutting season, so the bucks are coming into the meadow more and more. Very soon, we'll have to look carefully out the door before we go outside, as they will even hang out on our porches, sniffing for the does. Laoghaire's dad is the alpha buck, and a right beautiful one he is, but he's annoying to have hanging out when we're trying to get things done outside.

Mama Doe Lassie has begun doing the deer raspberry sound when she finishes her corn. Not sure why, but we're taking it as a thank you.

Well, Spot has just announced that he's coming up for some love, so I have to clear the laptop off my lap.

Later, y'all (but not such a long later as this one was).