Three Amigos In The High Desert!!!

[Sidewinder]

Just a few pics from this weekend:

 

[Sidewinder]

Well, I've agreed to rehome Tiger & Phoenix this Saturday, that way I can meet both of the folks and tour their home... they sound very nice, and their home has plenty of acreage, which in my mind is a plus. They live about an hour away, so I'll get an early start on Saturday morning, drive straight there and spend some time with the kittehs in their new digs before I leave. I imagine they're going to hide under the nearest sofa, same way they did when I first rescued them, but perhaps my voice and presence will help ease their transition.

Crackhead and I will certainly miss them, and I'm still trying to find a good home for Crackhead... life will be lonely without my cats, but I gotta get my life in order and I'm already committed to flipping the house. I wish there were some way for me to keep all of them, but I have to think of their safety too, and camping in the wilderness for weeks at a time is not the safest activity for cats. I've been so stressed out lately over this frustrating situation with the fake felony from CA, I gotta consider my own health as well...

Nobody ever said life would be easy, but I have to streamline things and figure out some way to rise above all the bull$h!t. I don't mind letting go of some material possessions when I flip the house, I don't need all of that stuff and I've already had plenty of use out of it. Those Zen Buddhist principles & proverbs make it easier to let go, I'm more concerned about my long-term prospects with this fake felony on my "record"---I had no record at all for 50 years on this planet, so I'm still figuring out how to move forward, ya know?

ANYWAY, HERE ARE SOME PICS OF THE KITTEHS, THIS THREAD WILL BE WINDING DOWN AS I PREPARE TO SELL MY HOME...



Well, at least Phoenix & Tiger are in excellent health, I've taken good care of them in the few short months I've known them. The home sure will feel empty once they're gone, but I still feel it's for the best, they'll stay together as pals and playmates... and I'm not likely to receive such a rehoming offer again. Crackhead is another story, he'll be a "hard sell" with the minor facial deformity and the "booger log" scene... he occasionally blows boogers out one nostril, probably due to the deformity. I wish a vet would adopt him and fix that problem, I just don't have the money right now, and my future remains uncertain. He's a good boy though, maybe someone will give him another chance and a decent home.

 

[Sidewinder]

Tiger & Phoenix sleeping in the walk-in closet, Crackhead on a slab outside:



Crackhead got in a fight with the neighborhood bully, so he currently has a little scab on one side of his nose where the other cat managed to ding him up a bit. It's healing, so no worries... look closely and you can see his snaggletooth, he's like an old pirate, LOL.

 

[Sidewinder]

More pics:



Crackhead & Tiger playing through gaps in the steps... the knucklehaids!!!

 

[Sidewinder]

Had some decent rain this weekend, including a steady soak which was really good for the plants & soil. The four fruit trees I planted are looking good, LOL. I snapped a few pics of kittehs riding out the storm:



Sharp-eyed Tiger saw some small bug on the wall and had to climb down to investigate, LOL.

 

[Sidewinder]

More kitteh pics:



That Tiger sure is a fool for chasing the laser dot... problem is, he's so fast that he's just a blur in motion, even the laser dot itself is stretched into a blurry line due to the limitations of my Canon Cam. If I'm gonna get a clear pic of him doing his wall-riding stunt, I'm gonna have to time the pic just right, as there's a slight delay with the shutter action and I have to catch Tiger at just the right nanosecond, LOL. Right at the top of his "wall ride" as gravity kicks in and he hangs there for a split second...

 

[Sidewinder]

A final round of kitteh pics from this weekend:



Little Phoenix must have been hungry, she outlasted Crackhead at a shared bowl of dry food... I give the cats separate plates of canned food for breakfast, splitting each can three ways, but I keep dry food on the table 24/7 for whenever the kittehs get hungry. Usually, one cat at a time will hit the dry food, but every so often there will be two or three kittehs atop the table. All that running around must work up an appetite, LOL...

 

[Sidewinder]

KITTEHS!!!



Aww, little Phoenix is such a cutie!!! I love this little girl, she's a real sweetheart!!! Tiger & Crackhead, well, they're knucklehaids... but Phoenix is my sweet little girl, LOL.

P.S. You can always tell a cat lover's house by the number of cat toys strewn everywhere... my home is a literal minefield of cat toys, LOL. I think Tiger is becoming addicted to chasing the laser dot, but he still goes for the other toys too... he's tremendously quick and agile, all that toy-and-laser-chasing is paying off handsomely!!!

 

[Sidewinder]

More pics, this time with kittehs in the weeds:



Checking out the pitcher I occasionally use for watering certain plants:



Tiger & Crackhead:



And more yard shots, including flowering weeds and a blossom on one fruit tree...

 

[Sidewinder]

Well, I have news for y'all... I rescued another cat, even though the timing isn't exactly stellar with a possible home flip in the immediate future. But this kitty needed a new home... the folks who fostered her were okay, but the cat was in a trailer with a dog and two tobacco smokers, and she appeared listless when I first laid eyes on her. So I said, "I'll take her, she'll have company that way in the form of other cats." So far, so good, just a slight bit of friction with Crackhead, who likes to think of himself as "King of the Castle." However, this cat is quite impassive, she doesn't allow other cats to rile her... if I had to choose one adjective to describe her, it would be "imperturbable."

Funny thing is, this cat might very well be the mother of Phoenix, she looks very much like her, just an older and somewhat fatter version. The new cat also has Tiger's eyes, which makes me wonder if they share an ancestor. You see, all these cats came from an area near the "lower Circle K"---lower in elevation in the San Pedro Valley, compared to the other Circle K in town. I remember the gal at the shelter saying that Phoenix & Tiger had been picked up in that area, and that's also where I picked up this cat. Both Phoenix & Tiger are curious about the new cat, while Crackhead is growling and hissing a bit in his usual fashion, putting on a show for the newcomer.

I was told this new cat's name is "Princess"---too effeminate for my bachelor pad, so I reckon I'll call her "Boots" (due to the fact that she has the same white "boots & gloves" that Phoenix has). I can call her "Bootsie" in softer moments, and "Schatzie" after a few belts of hard liquor, LOL. She's a demonstrative and affectionate cat, but not very vocal, though she makes that same trilling noise that Phoenix does, possibly another clue to family ties? She doesn't seem afraid of the other cats at all, nor does she exhibit any serious aggression, though she returned Crackhead's growl on one occasion. We'll see how things go... in the meantime, here's "Boots!!!"



That last pic shows Tiger peering around a corner at the newcomer (who is partially hidden in the chair).

 

[Sidewinder]

Here are some shots of Tiger's luxurious fur, it is so glossy and sleek! Makes me wonder how it'd look if I occasionally added a little egg to his diet...



Here we have Tiger in the weeds... he blends in well with his coat, LOL.



Caught him mid-yawn in the last pic of that set, LOL.



Those Krazy Katz like the weeds so much, I left 'em up awhile longer... the cats stalk and chase each other through the weeds in such high spirits, I decided to let 'em play lions & tigers a bit longer before I whack the weeds.

 

[Sidewinder]

I experimented with the camera during one of Tiger's wall-riding sessions, and I even took some video using the Canon cam, but I'm not sure if the video made it through the transfer, if it did I'll have to find it on my computer, as it doesn't appear here with the rest of the still photos. But let's start with these shots... I must say that it's difficult to time the pics, since Tiger is moving so fast and his wall rides don't last long. First, I have to move that little table so that Tiger has a clear run at the wall & corner:



Here's the "bowl" in the corner, the run in is about 20' if Tiger starts near the wall behind me:



Here we have a couple low-level runs so Tiger can warm up, LOL:



I was a bit too quick on the trigger, there's a slight delay between pressing the camera button and having the shutter open, so I tended to press the button too soon and only catch the ascent of that end wall, not the cat's transition to the wall on the right. That's why I eventually switched to video, it was too hard to try and time Tiger while he was moving so fast. Hopefully, I can find those video clips after I post these still shots. Below, we take a short break to play with "the tail thing" and scrap with Crackhead:



Next, Tiger goes BIG on the end wall:



These shots show how he "carves" into the corner, beginning his ascent on the end wall and arcing over to follow the laser dot through the corner:



The video clips are much more impressive, since they show the entire carve as Tiger bounces from one wall to the other. Just in case anyone's interested, here are some close-ups of the wall art, a Reynolds Thomas work and some travel posters from the late '60s, LOL:



And here's Tiger taking a breather after his wall-riding session, LOL:



Now, lemme see if I can track down those video clips on my computer, I'm thinking they were shunted into a different file folder.

 

[Sidewinder]

Having trouble uploading the video clips, site says the files are too large? Gonna see if I can put 'em on YouTube or Vimeo, then provide a link...

 

[Sidewinder]

Okay, maybe these links will work. The clips are short and Tiger was kinda tired at the end of his session (when I finally figured out how to shoot videos with my Canon cam), so he doesn't get as high on the wall as he did before, but I'll catch him fresh next time and take some better video, LOL. Here we go:

 

[Sidewinder]

What a difference a day makes! I mentioned that the new cat "Boots" was rather listless when I picked her up, but I think she was simply jagged from living in a trailer with a dog and two tobacco smokers, no feline playmates around, yeah? I even thought that her personality was so dull that she didn't enjoy playtime, but boy, was I ever wrong! She's more of a laser-chasing fool than Tiger, running back and forth the length of our home... good exercise for her too, she looks as if she needs it after being cooped up in that other trailer. There's still some minor friction between her and the other kittehs, particularly Crackhead, but that's to be expected... the youngsters already know she's not aggressive, but she WILL stand her ground if challenged, kinda like one of those "passive aggressive" types ya hear about in analytical psychobabble, LOL.

Anyway, here are some recent pics of all the kittehs, we've had a wonderful rainstorm all morning long, a good steady soaker as opposed to a monsoonal downpour, just what this parched high desert country needs. There IS a "Flash Flood Warning" in effect, but I don't have to worry about it, living high on a hill the way I do. This morning, I shared some quality time with all four cats---I'll have to change my thread title to "LOS CUATROS AMIGOS!!!"---and we made progress with the introductions between cats. Hopefully they all settle down in the days ahead, this new kitteh isn't so bad, she just needed a new home... she's already acting happier than she was when I picked her up. She's crazy for the laser dot, runs as fast or faster than Tiger, go figure, LOL.



There's "Boots" chasing the laser dot on the chair, photo's kinda crooked, LOL. It was such a pleasantly cool morning with the rain coming down, I actually brewed a cup of Twinings Earl Grey Tea and enjoyed it while sitting in a camp chair, the kittehs all around me. In that first pic of Boots and the empty teacup, you can see the youngsters in the background, "Riding The Storm Out" in REO Speedwagon style, LOL. And Crackhead is staring at Boots in one photo, the knucklehaid hasn't gotten over himself yet. Boots is really quite calm in disposition, but she won't take guff from any of the other cats.

 

[Sidewinder]

Here are some more pics:



Those crazy fool cats love playing on & under the stairs to the deck, I purposely left the stairs & deck open underneath after tearing off the plywood sides, otherwise varmints would get under there. Whoever built the deck wasn't a carpenter by trade, but it's sturdy enough now that I've shored it up... I was originally gonna tear it all down, but the view of the Stronghold from that level is amazing when I'm sitting in one of those camp chairs. There's Tiger in the last shot, I keep the pool table covered when it's not in use, that way the cats can lounge or sleep atop the table without scratching the felt, LOL.

P.S. I'm ratcheting up my job search here in town, as I'd rather stay here than move... this home still needs work but the views are spectacular, and the kittehs are already comfortable here. Besides, moving the 8' pool table is always a PITA, LOL... so I'm back on the hunt for a decent job in this area, I'll just pay back the small loan from a family member to keep things going here.

 

[Sidewinder]

"Boots" wore a grumpy expression this morning, so I temporarily renamed her "The Notorious B.N.G."---the initials standing for "Boots 'n' Gloves" (LOL). She's actually doing well here, even Crackhead touched noses with her, though he hissed a bit afterward, the knucklehaid. He's such a poser... he's tough in a scrap, but he never really wants to fight, he just wants to be known as "King of the Castle." Tiger & Phoenix have already accepted Boots for what she is: a mellow older cat who is simply trying to find her place in my home. I think she's doing quite well, she has even been outside in the fenced part of my yard, which is a veritable cat heaven right now: plenty of sweet juicy grass after the rain, plenty of flying bugs to chase, plenty of birds to watch at the feeders, etc. Anyway, here are some shots of Boots resting on a pillow next to me, she almost blends in with the camouflaged sheet & pillowcase, LOL.



Here's Tiger hanging out nearby for a moment, eventually turning away to go find some action:



Meh, he's young and full o' beans, so a sleeping Bootsie is not enough to hold his attention, LOL.

 

[Sidewinder]

Boots enjoying the outdoors on a beautiful morning, Crackhead under a young fruit tree in the background:



There's Boots rubbing up against my legs as I sit in a camp chair on the deck... she has also discovered the joy of rolling around on the concrete slab below the deck, LOL. Here are some shots of Tiger entering the scene and having a convo with Boots:



And Boots in a chair in the dining room:



I need to redo those ugly chair seats, a back-burner project for later... I have some primo tartan cloth from Scotland to swap with that ugly old floral pattern. I only bought these chairs from an antique store in Show Low because I loved the huge frames, NFL ballplayers can sit in these chairs in absolute comfort, LOL. Back in a flash with some more kitteh pics!!!

 

[Sidewinder]

Here's Tiger lounging in the morning sun:



Following Crackhead:



Flowers after the recent rains:



That ocotillo on the northern terrace is doing pretty well too, its branches are covered with little green leaves. And as far as the flowers go, here in the high desert one has to enjoy them whenever & wherever they pop up from the soil. Here are a few final shots for the day, with Tiger and Phoenix indoors:



Tiger sure is a handsome boy, but Phoenix is a little cutie too!!!

GUESS I'LL HEAD BACK TO THE OL' HACIENDA... HASTA LUEGO!!!

 

[Sidewinder]

Boots has found her new spot for catching some morning sunshine, those extra-wide Coleman camp chairs are supremely comfortable for the kittehs!!!



I sure have gotten my use out of those chairs, I bought 'em years ago while me elderly mum was still alive, specifically so I could take her down by San Diego Bay to watch the "Tall Ship Parade"---I set up a big ol' beach umbrella and we sat in the shade on a grassy lawn down near the foot of Orange Avenue in Coronado. Since that day, I've used these chairs countless times while camping, and I now leave 'em on my deck because they're so comfortable. The cats aren't complaining, LOL.

Here's Tiger on a step outside, and playing with "the tail thing" indoors while wrapped around one leg of the pool table:



The knucklehaid!!! When it's not in use, I keep the pool table covered with that blanket and a large carpet remnant so the kittehs can't scratch the felt, but the blanket hanging down also makes a pseudo cat cave, LOL.