Life is way different now

I am one of only two cats now. The Evil One died this winter, and had stopped being evil long ago. Our house now has more dogs than cats, if you can believe it.

Hot

Way too hot today. But it's cooling off tonight, so I am out making my rounds. I hope the mice are out, it's been way too long.

Wow, it's been a long time

Mom hasn't updated my journal for me in forever. She's very sorry about that.

It's very hot and humid lately. I am spending a lot of time lying in the shade and waiting for it to cool down. There's no point in hunting, all my prey is hiding too.

The hierarchy has changed sine Mom last updated. For one, we have a dog now, so The Queen of Evil and I have declared a tentative truce. For two The Eldest got sick, so the Queen of Evil now eats first. The Eldest went away yesterday. I don't think he is coming back. He had been smelling like death for a couple of days, and yesterday he was following Mom around and asking her to help him. And now Mom is sad.

Go me!

Mom was just sitting down to write today's diary entry for me when she noticed email saying that I am one of today's diary picks. She's excited about it and thinks it is really cool. I say that this in only as it should be. I am after all, an extremely handsome, interesting cat. Of course people want to look at my diary.

Better, from my viewpoint, is the fact that I managed to get out last night while Mom and Kathy were unloading groceries from the car (Dad brough in the only important thing - the 20-lb. bag of cat food). All the evil white stuff isn't gone yet, but enough is gone that I could get up the driveway, across the street, and go check out what the new neighbors across the street have done with their garage. (Mom is very happy we live on a cul-de-sac.) I couldn't get in, unfortunately, but I did have a very nice explore before Kathy let me back in.

This morning there were squirrels on the deck. They were eating some stale granola and other stuff Mom had thrown out for them. I tried to paw through the sliding door, but it didn't work. I'm sure I felt it bend, though!

And I've had cuddles from Mom and Dad, and a good wrestle with Hoover already today, so today looks to be a good day again.

[08:41 EST edit] I forgot to tell Mom that I brought her a present - a mouse that I hardly ate any of! It's the first mouse of the year! It's OK, though, cos Mom found it when she was going outside to take David to the school bus. The Mightiest Hunter in the Neighborhood is back!

Spring?

Mom says by the end of the week the evil white stuff might be gone. It was above 40 degrees (she says) yesterday and the day before, and is going to be today and the rest of the week, possibly with rain Satruday. I'm not sure what all of that means (except the rain; ick!), but no more evil white stuff on the ground will be wonderful. I am sure the mice and other creatures will have gotten lazy over the winter without me to keep them moving, and there will probably be more baby rabbits out there. Yay!

Mom's really looking forward to seeing her flowers come up, but until the catnip and chives come up, I'm not terribly interested.

Hmph

Mom forgot to write my diary entry yesterday. I realize she had doctors' appointments to deal with and she wasn't feeling well, but still!

Not a lot going on with me right now. I am impatiently waiting for spring. When is all that nasty white stuff going to go away? I am helping Mom clean the living room, though. Dad took out the cable modem recently and Mom has lots of cable to pick up, as well as some speakers to rewire because she moved the sound system, and I'm helping by making sure all the cords are truly dead. You never know, some of them might be faking, and then where would we be?

Brrr!

Today is definitely a day to stick close to home. Mom was standing in the back door, leaning out of it, so I figured it was a good opportunity to go check out the neighborhood, and there was evil white stuff on the ground again. Mom got a picture of me sitting on the freezer looking out the door and put it up here for me.

So anyway, I think I will spend today wrestling with Hoover and staying warm.

Just so you know

I just thought I would mention to my many fans (and if I don't have many fans, there is something wrong with the universe) that my parents observe Cat Day every Friday night and all day Saturday. Friday Mom spends all day tidying up and fixing extra-good food (not that I care much, I don't really like people food mostly, but it makes Hoover really happy) and then she lights candles and they sit down and drop food on the floor for Hoover and Roshi. Then the next day they go out for a little while and then spend the entire day sitting or lying down and reading or napping and petting the cats. Cat Day is a very good thing, and we all heartily approve, but it means that Mom won't be coming and writing anything for me on the computer until late, if at all.

Also, in the Spring there is Cat Week, which we really love. Mom gets all uncatlike in the extreme and cleans the entire place in a mad frenzy, which we don't like at all, but then she also gets rid of all bread things. No big deal, right? Nothing to do with us. But no - dry cat food is a bread thing, so we get canned all week - twice a day even, one can apiece. And Mom even stands guard over us so that Hoover and Roshi don't try to take my dish away. (Hoover is my best friend in the whole world, and I know he loves me, but he gets a little excited about food. Mom says it's because he was on his own as a kitten and he never got over it.)

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that so you wouldn't come looking for a diary update on Saturdays. I'll be spending the day helping Mom read or sleep.

Ha! Score!

I woke Mom up today! She was lying in bed sixteen minutes after she is supposed to get up, so I stuck my nose into the palm of her hand until she noticed me. She said "Hi, handsome," and scratched my ears, and then she got up, so it worked.

Oh, that reminds me. I'm worried about Mom. Last night The Mistress of Evil left her lair and approached the water dish. I'm not sure what she was planning, maybe she was going to poison it or something. But I was brave. I stood my ground and made myself huge and cried my battle cry, and she slunk back to the stygian depths from whence she came. But then Mom came downstairs and said that She Who Must Not Be Named is a nice cat, and it's mean of me to terrify her like that.

So, like I said, I am worried about Mom. Do you think The Evil One has mind-control powers?

And more rest

Today is shaping to be a good day. Mom was late making the bed this morning, so I stretched out on it while Hoover made himself comfortable on the floor. Whne Mom came in to make the bed, she stopped and petted me and scratched my ears for a while. The she threw the sheets and blankets over me. That's OK with me, in fact I love it. It's nice and dark and warm and cavelike. And after she was done, she pulled the sheets and blankets up on one side so that I could see out.

Ah, paradise! I may stay like this all day!

Or at least until I get a better idea.