Fair's fair, show you the pretty, now the un-pretty. One of the catboxes. Moby seems quite happy to have two toilet areas. We would like the same, can't blame him. He does love to scatter it about, though. It's right next to the basement stairwell.
And this is what that pink insulation foam panel looks like. Very lightweight, I usually just drop it on my head and place it as I go downstairs. Not letting Moby down there, too much dirt of unknown composition, inadequate lights, and I'm not entirely sure there aren't any ways out for a cat. He's managed it a couple of times, and I've brought him up quite un-ceremonially. Last time I had to grab him by his tail, and clean him off after. (Some spray on cat-bath stuff we'd gotten years ago, and only used once before. He did not mind it anywhere near as much as I would have expected. But then, I think he can tell when I'm simply Not To Be Challenged.)
More ivy abatement today, another garbage bin full, at which point I had to stop. No more room to put the debris, no more oomph left to do more. Although I did go out and mop a bit of dirt off the windows on that side. Not a shiny job, but it lets more light in. One kitchen window needs to be re-caulked. The ivy is to be blamed, or the previous owners. That will be a job for another day, with a ladder and another set of hands. Going to try borax on the roots pushing up between the now-visible sidewalk and the foundation. That, and my diligence, may work in time. Eventually, the ivy will recycle the house, but not now. I'm checking the entropy.
All about paying attention, waking up. There are times to dream, wish, sleep, drift. Out minds need to idle and drift. Seductive, though, to stay there. A time to grow, a time to rot. Then it's time to attend, stretch out every feeler, really look, stay aware. Joining a local community gardening group, signed up for a seminar in March. I can use some good, basic information. Have not ever had my own garden, only working in my mother's as a kid. In Michigan. Very different circumstance. She grew rhubarb and tomatoes & cherry tomatoes, radishes. I can't remember anything else.
At the moment, I'm having some tea to sooth from the ivy dust. It's been very rainy, so the particles were minimal, but I knelt down in there. Washing everything I had on. Later, more sweeping, the music room and the catbox near the basement. Whole lotta litter all over. Moby is an industrious digger. As seen above.
10 comments:
(o)
Mm, I like to drift, but you're right, it's too easy to do it too long, then it isn't really nice, just sticky. A small push to action can do the trick, but then occasionally I find I actually get stuck in action mode, and grow tired and inefficient and oomphless but don't know when to stop.
This always rather pleasantly surprises me when it happens, as generally I consider myself lazy and not driven enough, but it can counter-productive, as it makes it harder to find the will to act the next day, and sours the experience.
This is all about being self-motivated, of course, matters of home and garden usually. So much easier when external forces are there to keep me in line.
Hey there. Long-time reader, first time-commenter (I think). I enjoy your writing tremendously, but the point of my comment is a cat litter tip. My cat was always trying to dig to China and covered the entire laundry area with cat litter every single day. Drove me nuts. He also had a second litter box, so I experimented with changing the laundry area box to one of those Breeze system boxes. It has a tray in the bottom with a disposable pad to soak up urine and pellets in the top section. He still tries to dig to China, and sometimes pellets get kicked out onto the floor, but it is so much less messy than litter. He didn't object to the change, so I changed the second one out too. I can't recommend it enough. The initial expense was a little steep ($35 or so, I think), but ongoing costs are about the same or a little less than with regular litter. The pellets last much longer than litter.
Also, congratulations on the hearth and home front. I bought my first house when I was 45, and it has been an ongoing source of comfort and joy and struggle and education, among other things. Enjoy.
Lucy,
Yes, I get that momentum thing as well, especially with big projects - like moving. I have to make myself stop. I'm glad I have the limitation of the size of the bin for the debris.
Lisa,
Good to know I'm not the only one to look at a 30 year mortgage and wonder if I would still be alive by the time I was paid off.
Moby's usually not that bad, and he likes the wheat litter. He has had problems with other commercial litter irritating his paws, so we are going to stay with what we know doesn't bother him. And it's reasonably easy to clean up
It is a lot of effort to leave simply a (o) when I have to figure out that tiessuf eornee is what is being asked of me to type, but alas, here it is: (o)
Phil,
Understood and appreciated. The new WF sucks.
(0) Yes,Phil, and penesti nforica is also a bit laborious for a stone!
Will Moby get outside eventually? Or is it not safe where you are? Indoor cats are quite unusual here.
It all looks lovely. So happy for you.
(Good grief, see what you mean about the funny words. Will have to get a different lot - can't read the ones I've got.)
All those creeper plants, ivy, morning glory,etc. are like eating an artichoke. There's more left at the end of the meal than you had at the beginning. And how that dust itches!
I hope you enjoy the gardening group. Gardeners are usually willing to share advice and cuttings. It's a friendly garden when you know where your plants' ancestors live.
I also like gardening because there's always next year if you screw it up this year.
Isabelle,
Indoor cats are more common here. Given how many times we've moved since we got him, it's good he is used to an indoor territory. We are figuring out a way to give him a safe outdoor space, probably with netting. Also, there are predators here, in addition to traffic and a lot of dogs. We've had him seven years, and want to keep him going as long as possible.
ER,
I figure if anything actually produces a crop this year, I will consider it a success.
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