Puss 'n Boots, Roots, and Toots

Oh Ferris, how you've grown! Kitty is thriving, and surviving. He is turning out to be quite the energy bundle... bouncing, springing, darting, and sprinting in every direction. Max and I were discussing the fact that neither of us has ever seen Ferris sleeping, bathing, or in the same place (other than his food dish) for more than two minutes. At fourteen weeks he is a brave explorer, eager to slip outdoors at any opportunity... through out the day there are cries: Help! Ferris got out! And we all spread out in the garden to try our hands at cat herding. Ain't a feeling like it in the world.


Obviously Ferris is wriggling too much for a focused shot, but as you can see, Chango is focused... on Ferris, and making sure we are at least trying to discipline the little usurper. Both Chango and Benjamin have been patient, tolerant, and mature. Unfortunately, Ferris is fearless, which is really trying Chango and Benjamin's patience, tolerance, and maturity.


I am not sure why, but the original water main to our house was laid out with a cut and an angle, under the asphalt driveway. The roots of the two pine trees were definitely contributing to the break, and the joint was the likeliest weak point, and once Geoff bisected the angled and leaking section, our eight-thousand gallon leak stopped flowing. I am grateful for all the things it wasn't (sewage, under the house etc...) but still a bit bummed that the last two days of our vacation were spent working on this, instead of sipping exotic drinks by the pool, or reading trashy novels on the beach, or getting pedicures at Chez-Fancipantes.


Some home improvements are more fun than others. A water main gets fixed and buried, and there is not much to show for it, except it working like it is supposed to. But a barn raising... now that is a fun improvement. And it is especially fun, when many hands are together making lighter work, or making light of the work.

As a birthday celebration we met at Ruth's house to help her with some household improvements, and assembly projects. Her place is beautiful... spacious and pretty, and very nicely decorated. Together Ruth and Holly have a gift for making a house in to a finely feathered nest.


After the cute shed was assembled, we moved on to rose pruning, furniture assembling, and blind hanging. Oh, and eating Spam musubi. And cake. And pie. And sangria. Gee, no wonder barn raising is more fun than repairing water mains... we forgot to make it a party!


Happy Birthday Toots!