The Feline Fans

The OSU scarf works equally well for cats though it really is a little too big. The photos of the cats were much easier to take; they didn't enjoy the experience but at least they held still.

Pepper went first - not thrilled but she sat and posed for me:



Then I scooped up Kirby and forced her to comply - got this picture just as she was plotting her escape off the counter:



Beanie made no effort to hide his disgust at the exercise, trying to ignore me and pretend I wasn't right there in his face with a camera. He was not purring and he was not happy.





I didn't dare try to put the scarf on poor old Lucy for fear she'd launch into a fatal wheezing spell. Just didn't have the heart to do it.

Oh, and one last picture of a blind old OSU fan:



Kelly, I know if you'd have been here you would have jumped right in and had fun doing this ... there's no telling where else this scarf might show up in the future!

New Ohio State Fans - The Canines

I came across the Ohio State pet scarf that Kelly had bought some time ago, still in its packaging. Of course I knew what I needed to do ....

Pixie thought it was a big game - chewing, twisting, turning and finally pulling it off to run around the yard with the scarf in her mouth. Bad puppy.

Tyson behaved himself - though he didn't enjoy the process, he made sure to show me his best side with a nice smile. He's our only compliant child.

And Tango, well, she was so focused on playing ball that she didn't even realize that I had tied a scarf around her neck. The biggest challenge was to get her to sit still and stop staring at the ball at my feet. I finally got her to look up so I could take her picture, though the results weren't too terrific.

Kelly, I hope you appreciate these new Buckeye fans! You know how hard this was to do by myself! Now wait until you see the feline photos - they were actually easier to take than the dogs, if you can believe that!

They Don't Feed Me Any More ...

Or at least that's what the casual observer would think. Chris has stopped the morning routine of wet cat food (one small can, split between 4 cats - it wasn't much) and Kirby has just gone berserk looking for food. Evidently the dry cat food is no longer acceptable - the wet cat food treat (even though it lasted only a few months) was enough to spoil her. She meows incessantly in the kitchen, trolling for people food, jumping on the counters and has even lowered herself to munching on the dog food.

The other night she was making such a nuisance of herself while we were eating dinner that Chris gave in to her begging and gave her some ravioli - and she ate it! She also enjoyed some spaghetti sauce the other evening. She's really gone nuts in her old age!

Found in Winton Woods today: 2 Army men, one wounded, one on guard!

We helped with the Winton Woods Cleanup this morning, an annual Spring event to clean up litter and debris in the park. We were assigned to a team which was tasked with picking up litter out by West Fork Dam. It was no surprise to find water bottles, pop bottles, empty cans, old tennis balls and frisbees; some of the more interesting items were small toys like a My Little Pony figure, and these plastic Army men. And shoes. How do you lose a shoe in the park?? Chris retrieved 2 nasty tires (one with rim intact) and hauled them up a long steep hill to the road on top of the dam - painful hard work, thrashing through underbrush and trees since there was no path back to the top.

My parting thought - people, please STOP littering! Throw your stuff away in a trash can or recycling bin. Honestly. It would be nice if the parks didn't have to sponsor a clean-up day,

Happiness is A Cute Puppy

Yes, we've done it again - a new pet in the house! Meet Pixie the puppy, 12 weeks old and a bundle of energy and fun. (Except of course at 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 in the morning when she whimpers to get out of her crate to go outside ....)

She comes from an animal rescue organization, saved along with a brother and sister from "Death Row" at the Adams County Dog Pound. While I'm sure she misses her siblings a little, she has Tango and Tyson to play with and pester. Pixie is quickly learning her place in the pack, and Tango and Tyson are being good sports, tolerating her antics and puppy behavior pretty well. And while Chris and I are somewhat short on sleep this past week because of her night-time trips outside, we're happy to have her in the family!

It'll Grow Back!

Tyson on Friday, in the snow with his warm winter coat ...

Tyson, on Saturday after visiting Natalie the groomer. We had to do it, his coat and his tail were a mess, honestly. (We're not laughing at you, buddy, really we're not. But I think the cats are!) Isn't his piggy tail hilarious?!

Toilet Paper Terrorist

Such a sweet little kitten, so relaxed and loving. Purrs all the time, wants to cuddle and have a bit of a belly rub ..... isn't she the perfect pet?

When we're not looking, she has a wonderful time in the bathroom, bird-watching from the window sill and swatting at the roll of toilet paper just for the fun of seeing it unroll all over the bathroom floor. This has been happening daily and it needs to stop! Note to family: We MUST close the bathroom door whenever leaving the room! Lucky for sweet little Pepper that we love her so much. But this WILL come out of her allowance if she keeps it up....