Not alot of news since I went sightseeing around Oklahoma City, have enjoyed meeting up with my friend Sarah and her family, and I hunkered down thru their cold spell…and then roasted in their heat wave and good grief – have now wondered if my friends in Indiana and Kentucky made out ok thru all the tornadoes yesterday. Learned my friend in Illinois got only wind damage and they feel very lucky.

Now I came thru the midwest & plains in the Fall, as I didn’t think I would have to deal with tornadoes and such. I haven’t, but the fact they are just as dangerous now as they are in the spring, you got to wonder what’s going on with the weather these days. It was rare to ever see these big storms in the Fall, no longer true.  As it is, old man winter has been knocking on my back bumper since I left New Mexico. It seems the maximum I can stay any one place is 2 weeks, some places have been less.  Nonetheless, each place they get a winter teaser that puts the itch in my britches to get moving.  This is no less true for Oklahoma City.  The little cold snap last week was just a harbinger of what is coming in later this week, disregard it got up to 80 on Sunday. (just about died in that heat… ).  So I’m heading out on Thursday, at the latest. I’m leaning on leaving earlier, but may just stick it out. Who knows what I will do..  but I’m heading for Arkansas.  And its not necessarily warmer…

I decided to take a few pictures of my boys…  The first one is Tucker, the youngest and my biggest cat at 7 years and 13 lbs. He still has big feet, does that mean he’s still growing? Hope not.  This bed, his bed, a bed he will kick Norm off of anytime he sees him on it. This bed is their two cat carriers (for vet visits) broken down and filled with music cd’s, a pillow, and miscellaneous cat toys, cleaning supplies (sponges, dust cloth, etc).  Then I cover it all with a fleece throw. He prefers this golden throw one over the purple one. Ridiculous, I know, but he will remove the purple fleece every time I put it on. So I don’t any more. And when I wash it – you would think I had destroyed his world, but since he is my OCD cat, he acts like its catnip coming out of the laundry. Just relishes the cleanliness of it all.  Tucker, doesn’t know how to play with cat toys, is indifferent to flies or spiders, is my guard kitty – very much aware of what is going on outside the rig, barely makes a sound when he meows and loves to pin me down in bed at night.  He also does a complete race around the rig each night and heaven forbid if you get in his way… he hates dogs…

Tucker soaking up the sun!

And Mr. Norm… he’s 10 years old going on 11 and weighs 12 lbs. The vet tells me that 1 pound difference on the cats is like 20 pounds difference between humans. And let me tell you, Norm is a pure lightweight compared to Tucker.  Norm is my lover boy. Norm is my expert spider, insect snatcher. He loves to play with feathered toys, catnip and anything that moves in his eyesight – such as shoe strings, belts, yarn, etc. He eats yarn and L-O-V-E-S to play with Mom’s yarn. Innocent, he is not.  He gleefully seeks out visitors who are cat lovers… they give the love and attention he so rightfully deserves, you know.  He is absolutely terrified of thunderstorms and lightning – ever since our house got struck by lightning when he was a wee kitten, he’s been this way.   Poor kitty.  Last year, I thought I was losing him and I changed his food to non-grain (Blue Buffalo brand) and I now have a youngster on my hands. Thank heavens. Norm’s the man in charge and dictates what Tucker is allowed to get away with upstairs. Such as, only one cat is allowed (according to Norm) under the blankets with Mom when its cold. You can imagine which cat that is.  But Tucker is learning to be very quiet and sneak under when Norm is not paying attention.  Norm grew up with a Bouvier de Flanders herding dog – which he ate with, slept with and was willing to be carried around by his head by the said dog. So he likes dogs… if he could just get Tucker out of the way… he could check those dogs out a little more.

Norm soaking up the sun

Tucker was so comfortable, he did not blink when I took this picture.  This is the first time I have ever seen the cats get into this cat tree, on it, but not in it. Since this picture, if Tucker isn’t soaking up the sun, this is where he’s hiding.  Its right next to my loom. Norm is on top watching me, and Tucker occasionally sticks a paw out to say hi.

Tucker curled up in a wee ball

And a little surprise for my friends… many know I hate my picture being taken… so my friend Linda insisted and here it is. A real honest-to-goodness picture of me. Thanks Linda and also Leland for taking a decent picture. Laughing here.

Melinda & Linda

This was taken on the cold crispy morning, the day I left the cattle farm.