Category: Cat

Monday’s Theme Music

It’s a draggin’ Monday. Speaking personally. How else can I speak. Also, it’s a metaphorical speaking, cuz I’m writing.

Monday. March 20, 2023. A series of depressing dreams left me depressed. I feel tired from it all.

The sun managed some light between clouds and rain at 7:14 this morning. Temperature is 36 F with a high of 56 F stealing in. Ashlandia’s sunset, famous around the world for its stupendous resemblance to other landlocked places surrounded by moderate mountains, will be at 7:23. Other than when people are up at one of the mountain wineries sampling a flight, folks rarely mention our sunsets, except for those times when wildfires’ nasty air rewards us with interesting colors.

It’s been raining, and it’s going to rain. As can be expected, it’ll also be mostly cloudy.

I thought I needed a little goofiness infused so I challenged The Neurons to come up with something. They gifted me “Don’t Let’s Start” by They Might Be Giants. The song was released in 1977, but ten years later, in Germany, Bob and I were discussing it at a party, pleased that we knew the song. The convo started when Bob said, “Don’t, don’t, let’s not start,” referencing work, and I replied, “Don’t, don’t, let’s start, this is the worst part.” He told me later, he felt it cemented our friendship.

Alright, coffee is here, and Papi is back in the house, after checking the weather outside — the sun is actually now out, he says, but it’s boring. Stay pos as best as you can. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Sunday’s Theme Music

His royal floofness was not happy. “Meow,” he thundered quite harshly.

“What is it, my ginger liege?” I asked. Then I petted him and discovered the source of his displeasure. His floofship had been outside and guess what? Yesterday’s vigorous sunshine was replaced by a light but steady rain. No, my flooftator was not pleased with the circumstances, no, not at all. A towel was employed to dry the royal fur. Treats and catnip were administered as salve for his wounded soul.

At least it’s but 44 degrees F. No snow expected, just plentiful rain, about .19 inches, Alexa tells me, if she’s to be believed. High of 46, a drop of twenty from yesterday’s experience. Ah, weather. We can always count on you to change in Ashlandia. Probably having rain now because the sun popped up at 7:16 AM and saw its shadow. So claims Ashlandia lore. Frightened, the sun will hide from itself until it sneaks out of the valley. Weather gnomes say that’ll be 7:22 this evening.

Lovely day for reading, writing, maybe nibbling some food, perhaps napping, perhaps a walk. A day of shying away.

Well, with that, I have “Shy Away” by Twenty One Pilots, a bopping tune from 2021, stuck in the morning mental music stream, replacing the previous occupant, “It’s Raining Again” by Supertramp from 1982. We’re no longer in extreme drought in our county. The net verifies we’ve dropped to moderate drought, which is how 77% of Oregon is classified.

Onward, to things. Stay pos and be cool. I’m up for coffee. Need anything from the kitchen? Okay, here’s the music. Cheers

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Floofguistics

Floofguistics (floofinition) – The study of animal languages, including the nature, use, structure, and modification of language.

In use: “Like many housepets, Hilda longed for a good course of floofguistics for her human friends so that they would quit trying to feed her when she asked them what the weather forecast was, and the like.”

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Saturday’s Theme Music

Earth’s shift and clear skies has sunshine booming into the main bedroom. The room is on the northeastern corner, which is to say, the rear. Stunning to wake up to such golden light again. But the shift means that other house bits are darker again. Always adjusting…

It’s Saturday, 3.18.2023. We’re mourning for our friends, who’s beloved Purdue Boilermakers, #1 seed, fell in March Madness’s first round and is eliminated.

It’s 36 degrees F outside but the weather wicca tell us that Ashlandia highs will crest 65 F today. Was mighty fine yesterday, let me tell you. Spring fully ascended in all senses. Today’s sunrise was witnessed at 7:18 AM and the last of the sun in Ashlandia will be seen at 7:21 PM.

The weather pleases the housefloofs. Both are outside harvesting rays and grooming. Tucker’s thick white ruff, like a wondrous garment, shines in the light against his black markings, but Papi’s ginger and cream, marked with orange swirls, are pretty, too.

I have “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”, by Bob Dylan, in the morning mental music stream. A dream thing, an editing and writing thing, an admonishment to self, don’t think twice, stop overthinking matters, yo. One of my worst habits. Have a whole catalogue of them. I started with the Peter, Paul, and Mary version. Then, thinking about it, I recalled Willie Nelson singing it, so I went hunting for it. Then I found a live version with Bob D. and Eric C. I decided I’d go with it, so here you are.

Stay positive. The day is full of great possibilities. Got my coffee. Time to go do some things. Stay with it. Here’s the tune. Cheers

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Extrofloof

Extrofloof (floofinition) – 1. A normally shy or withdrawn person who becomes more outgoing and friendly when they meet animals.

In use: “Becca usually hung to the wall on the rare occasions when she accepted invitations to another’s house, but whenever she met family pets, she bloomed into an extrovert, playing and talking with the animals like they were old friends.”

2. An energetic, outgoing animal.

In use: “Goober was fearless and friendly, an extrofloof to the core, excited to meet animals and people, always pleased to have a new acquaintance.”

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Thursday’s Theme Music

Light and shadows tangoed on the bedroom walls. The wind had come up and at 7:24 AM, the sun showed it. Working together, they had the trees dancing.

It’s Thursday, March 16, 2023. A Sunday pizza party is on for a few friends. One of them likes organizing this about every five to six months. Just a get-together to eat, chat, and see faces. Three couples, six faces.

It’s 42 degrees F at my Ashlandia place. Blue skies. Sunset will be at 7:16 this evening. Till then, the temperature will go up the numbers until finding 44 F.

Just finished reading a couple books — We Are Legion (We Are Bob), The Chalk Circle Man — and am starting The Thursday Murder Club and Full. Contacting contractors is in the to-do list for various house improvements and repairs, since it’s March and the weather should become acceptable for these things to be done, like painting the house and repairing a window. And isn’t it interesting that ‘contractor’ is one of those words that end in ‘-or’ instead of ‘er’?

The cats are out. They like the sunshine and warmer temps but dislike the wind. Neither are wind fans. I expect one to start beating on the door at any moment.

“Nowhere Man” by the Beatles (1965) is stuck in the morning mental music stream. I don’t know if The Neurons desposited them or some other agency. No clue as to the why it’s playing. I’ve used it as theme music before and wrote about it then so I’ll not re-state all that. Just seems to fit some mode today. Maybe I feel like I’m nine again on some level. I chose this video they took about doing the song and then perform it in a ‘live’ setting, comparing it to the notes ingrained in my head. I’ve always been intrigued by the differences between studio recordings and how the band play it live.

Some of the catalyst for “Nowhere Man” might be the text exchanges with Mom. I’m asking her about the inspiration for her children’s names and the story behind my own. Michael wasn’t first choice. Anyway, I’d known a few of those stories and was surprised that the story was different this time. Did I mis-remember or is she telling it differently? I go with the latter. Either way, it’s a little bummer that what I recall isn’t what I hear now, because one of us is changing their tale.

Here’s the music. Hope you enjoy it. I’m off to let the cats in and get coffee. Stay pos, and carpes Thursday. Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

The wheel has turned. We’re on Wednesday, 3.15.2023. May be a repeat for all I know. Could be a single, moi on his own repeating the day, or a mass repeat — a group, region, tribe, nation, world, see if the outcome changes. We won’t know. Not at our level.

After the rain became snow yesterday, it snowed for nine hours without relief. With temperatures flexing between 33 and 36 F, the very wet snow layered but accumulation ended up as a few thin inches. Rows of slush developed on the roads. I worried about them freezing in place. Even though the temperature drooped to 28 F, the problems didn’t emerge. Now the snow has iced over, sketching patterns on the roads where vehicles traveled.

Several interesting factoids emerged about yesterday’s snowstorm. Mid-afternoon, we queried Alexa about when the snow would stop. She claimed that it was “39 degrees and mostly cloudy. It might rain.” Fifteen miles up the road, friends reported it rained but they didn’t have any snow. Traffic cams confirmed it.

This was all part of an atmospheric river that came to us from down south in California. Watching the radar, the storm shifted east northeast and fragmented.

Sunrise was 7:24, buttery with warming light. Sunset will be at 7:16 PM. 31 F now, a high of 37 F with freezing fog is the forecast. The cats are out, checking. Young Papi trotted on out. Tucker approached the open door and stopped to stare outside. As I began closing the door, Tucker moved to see something, a motion that shouted, “Wait, wait, what’s that?” I saw nothing and figured it was probably sleight of floof to keep me from closing the door.

The Neurons tossed “Spin You Around” by Puddle of Mudd (2004) into the morning mental music stream, a response to my wife and I talking, and her comment about the weather spinning us around.

Coffee is consumed, black, no sugar, French roast. Stay pos. If this is a do-over, try to do your best to shift us toward a more positive direction. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Tuesday’s Theme Music

It’s 3.14.23. Let’s celebrate with a little pie. My favorite is blueberry. How ’bout you? Reminds me of the wonderful blueberry tarts I used to buy at The American Bakery on Okinawa.

This is Tuesday. Our whiff of spring the last few days was wonderful but today demonstrates they were interludes. Yesterday only reached the mid-fifties, ten degrees short of forecasted high. Rain started during the night, intensifying this morning. With thermometers reading in the low thirties, rain progressed to slush. Heavy flakes finally showed up. Accumulation is beginning. Still, a wet snow, and the temps are expected to snake a little higher by this afternoon. It’s pretty, most exclaim, along with surprise, because it’s been so nice the last several days. It looks like mid-December out there in Ashlandia.

Sunshine on the scene was limited by the situation but was still noted at 7:25 this AM. 7:16 PM will see sunset.

I must confess, I’ve been spoiling one of my cats. He’s an old fellow now. Tucker was one of those who showed up at the door in hungry, desperate circumstances. We took him in, nursed him back to good health, searched for his people. No one ever claimed him. Now he’s my oldest. He loves chicken and luncheon meat. I’d indulged him a few times. Now he’s trained me. I’m buying lunch meat just for him.

I typically buy sandwiches and don’t keep lunch meat in the house. My wife made something with cranberry sauce and suggested I pick up turkey so I can use up the cranberry. I bought the hormone free turkey, along with provolone cheese and dark rye bread. Rye is my second favorite bread.

The sandwiches were great but of course the Tucker toll was paid. I can’t resist. When he sees me with chicken or lunch meat, his demeanor becomes instantly alert, eyes wide and shiny, whiskers spread in hope, ears spearing the sky with their straight up attention. If I start eating without first sharing with him, he steps closer and releases a plaintive wail. I laugh and surrender. Short story made long, I need to pick up more lunch meat.

Today’s music is by Tame Impala. The Neurons suggested this song after they played “That Was Yesterday”, a 1985 song by Foreigner, in the morning mental music stream. While I was thinking about the Foreigner song and contemplating my overnight dreams, The Neurons delivered “Lost in Yesterday” (2020) by Tame Impala. I knew of Tame Impala before this song, but a friend’s daughter introduced me to this particular song. Following her suggestion, I sought the music video later and enjoyed it, as she thought I would. It’s subtle and not subtle. Hope you enjoy it.

Yo, be positive. I have coffee in me, and the positive level is pretty high. Here’s Tame Impala with the music. Cheers

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Barkalounger

Barkalounger (floofinition) – Place where a dog enjoys relaxing.

In use: “The sofa was the dogs’ favorite barkalounger, gathering on it quickly when it became available, jockeying for the best spot, but the cat often beat them there, and nobody messed with the Queen.”

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