Cat Tree

Robert had been project-less for some time when a perfect opportunity presented itself: a cat tree for Linguini. Robert got the idea almost as soon as we brought Linguini home and was chomping at the bit to get started for days. So, he hopped on the Web to do some research before charting out a plan.

Linguini was keen to help.

This was the first draft, if you will, and Linguini was quick to check it out.

He seemed to like it pretty well.

But he liked the improved version even more.

The cat tree turned out to be an excellent way to use our leftover carpet pieces. Unfortunately for my nose, however, Robert also used oodles of sisal rope. I understand that it's necessary for the claws and the scratching and blah blah blah but it smells like burning tires and my nose is a most unhappy protuberance. Robert didn't (and still doesn't - he's a robot!) notice the smell but he still wasn't a fan of working with it.

"I hate this rooooooooope!!!!"

This was the first time Gweenz climbed up to the top by himself and Robert was tickled pink.

He seemed to find the rest of it to his liking, too. :o)

It took longer to complete than Robert would have liked but since he was only ever really able to work on it on weekends, I think he did it pretty quickly. He is his own harshest critic.

Here is the finished product. Gorgeous!!!

I think Robert should whip some more up and sell'em. He's quite the craftsman!

The Three Amigos

Well, sort of. Quigley and Linguini got off to a bit of a rocky start but by the end of the day everyone was okay sharing the couch. :o)

Caught in the act!

An Ear-Cleaning Olive Branch

Are Linguini and Garfunkel getting along better? Yes. Are they getting along WELL? No. Funk is still making his displeasure with the interloper known and it's beginning to worry me a teensy bit, if I'm completely honest. I don't know how to make Funk like Gweenz! And Funk's funk is a bummer. :o(

Here's a video of them during a rare moment of sharing the same couch cushion:

It's Linguini McCauley!

Yes, I have returned. I think it goes without saying that this quarter is kicking my ass and that is why there have been no posts but just in case you didn't quite pick up on that, THIS QUARTER IS KICKING MY ASS. Ugh. I have a big ol' stream of consciousness-type post in the pipeline but as a small step back into the blogosphere, here is a post on the newest member of the family: Linguini McCauley. And he's a cat. Yes, you read that correctly - a cat. I know, I know, I have never been a big cat person but I couldn't help it! He was abandoned and needed a home. I have a home. What could I do?

Here's the poop: My friend, Amy, interns at a clinic where, on April 1st, a box of 9 newborn kittens was dumped on the doorstep. Amy wound up fostering 2 of them and she brought them to class with her for a couple weeks to feed them on schedule. Here I am with Linguini when he's about 5 weeks old:

I told Robert all about the baby kitties, of course, and showed him some photos of them with Amy's dog, Rocko. Well, for some reason the photo of the kittehs with Rocko sent Robert into LaLaLand and the dude wanted to snatch himself a kitty! So, I jokingly told Amy that Robert wanted one, she was all excited about it at her birthday party (a later post) and voila! We became proud owners of a domestic shorthaired kitten of unknown origin*.

Rocko and Linguini

Robert is absolutely goo goo for Linguini, it's ridiculous. I know I have said this many times over the past couple of years but I had NO idea back in high school that Robert would turn out to be such a... well, pushover smoosh. I love Robert dearly and while it is of course nice to have a man who is unafraid to show his tender side, it's sometimes off-putting to see your husband refuse to wipe goop off a kitty's nose because "he's so small - I just don't want to hurt him!" And forget about discipline. If this cat is going to learn what is and is not okay, it's going to be from me and me alone!

But enough about that. Here are some fabulous photos of the little guy for you to "ooh" and "aah" over. Oh, and his name is Linguini because I love all things Ratatouille and, as you know, Robert and I have a thing for long pet names. ;o) We call him Gweenz for short.

Hangin' with Amy

Napping with his brother (now named Simon)

It took Robert 0.2 nanoseconds to decide he wanted the kitten during his trial home visit. (We had to make sure Funk wasn't going to eat him...)

On his way from his foster to his forever home

My parents are most definitely NOT cat people but Linguini was able to work his magic and charm them both. Niiiiiiice.

Pretty comfy on his first night as Casa de McCauley

Kisses

Watching some TV

Nibbling on Funk's ear

Little lap kitteh! :o)

Sleepytime friends

He has taken to sleeping in Funk's bed, something Funk does not appreciate. We're working on getting him to sleep on his own bed.

* A wonderful selling point to this whole affair - not that we really needed one - is that Amy's clinic is going to provide all of Linguini's kitty vaccines as well as neuter him for free! Woohoo!