The Reason for the Uproar

Home, sweet, too-noisy, home

I waited to ask if it was all right to tell what was going on Wednesday and it is so....

The call from economic development was about Universal Pictures wanting an old house for a location for an upcoming movie. I am assuming that the highway and train noise cancelled out our chances of being chosen, but we had a representative of the studio here taking pics of the place, which was really pretty much fun.

Except for the cleaning part, of course. If I liked to clean, we wouldn't have had to clean, if you get my drift.

Had Northview been chosen we would have had to deal with moving out for two months and assorted attendant hassles. Considering how much stuff we own, and little matters like dogs and cats and running a business which requires our continuous presence, that would have been a pretty staggering prospect, so I am cool with the too-much-noise conclusion.

I get to tell a fairly amazing (and amusing in retrospect) story while staying in my messy, but comfortable home. I can live with that.

Housekeeping Triage

Or how I spent my day.

I was in hot pursuit of the Farm Side deadline, (which I never did make, sorry boss), writing about apples, which I love, and having a grand old time.

Phone rang. Unknown name. Unknown number. Almost didn't answer.

But I did. Yowsa. Complete strangers wanted to visit and take photos for reasons I will let you in on later.

I am probably not the world's worst housekeeper, but I'll bet I could hold my own against some pretty serious competition. (One reason I keep border collies is to herd the dust bunnies.)

I cleaned.

Emergency style. However, the first visitor arrived well before I accomplished anything of note. Thus there are photos floating around somewhere of the dining room table weighted down until its poor oak legs cringe with half of NFO's national paperwork (I swear) because Liz stores it there. Photos of curling wall paper, and the boss's giant piles of newspapers and farm magazines.

Pics of clutter, clutter, clutter, two families, the boss's folks and us, worth of accumulated what not and who knows what not. Not neat that's for sure. Argggghhhh......

Visitor number one left, with visitor number two still in the offing. Liz came home and pitched in like only a young person who does not have a broken foot can. We dusted, we swept, we shifted junk from one place to another. I boiled some vanilla and cinnamon on the stove to try to cover up the pervasive aroma of dairy air, which I am sure city folks notice when they stop by.

Visitor number two arrived, camera in hand, and took pictures of even more places, including our bedroom, which is neat but dusty.

Alas, all our labors were probably for naught. The Thruway is too noisy. The trains are too noisy. Noisy, noisy, noisy.

Tis true dat. They are annoying as all get out, and supply a constant susurrus, often ramping up to din, of horns and tires and engines and Jake brakes and train whistles, day and night.

When we know for sure (if we ever do) I will tell you who our visitors were and what they wanted. I'll bet you will be almost as surprised as I was.

Meanwhile the house looks half way decent, so if you want to stop, by give me a call. I'll put the vanilla and cinnamon on to boil and brew up some instant coffee. Maybe even some cookies?

Halloween Sky

Not the Halloween sky, just a cool sunset from the other day.

Shortly after the day started the horizon turned an eerie yellow with clouds like purple bruises looming down from above and lacing their fingers through it. Like skeletons sifting through thrown out pumpkin pie......It was spooky and not pretty and set the stage for the where-did-the-cat food-go-puzzle we are now pondering.

We lost our Elvis cat week before last in a tragic accident. He had a big personality, a lot more than cat-sized and we miss him very badly. Within a short time I found that I really needed to fill the hollow he left. It was a huge cat-shaped void that echoed at feeding time and had me seeing cats under all the furniture and all around my feet. It made my chest hurt from him not being there....such a big empty place right in the center. I had to put a real cat into that place before I lost it...I was really depressed.

I woke up a few days after Elvis left us with the decision made in my mind to adopt a cast-off cat rather than begin again with a kitten. Figured I would tap the Want Ad Digest for the cat of someone moving or entering a nursing home or some similar circumstance.

By the time I had been awake for two hours I had heard of one. Simon was a mill cat who took up pulling warp off the looms. He was facing urgent relocation in a pound-ward direction if he didn't find a new home. (Thank you Matt and Lisa) Alan brought him home that night.

Simon is a big guy. Twenty pounds worth. So far he has been a pretty good boy, but when I am not inside and able to keep an eye on him he stays in a dog kennel....that whole clawing thing you know.

Thus last night he was in the kennel when I went to bed (he doesn't seem to mind, being a very sedentary sort of fellow).

Meanwhile, Gael is fading fast. We brought her in from her bed on the porch at supper time last night to give her a can of cat food and her antibiotic. I gave her the pill but I didn't see her eat anything. Liz put her back to bed before she left last night.

This morning (under that spooky Halloween sky) that dish was empty and licked clean. Gael was still on the porch. Simon was still in his crate.

And I am still wondering. No other food was touched. There is butter and bread on the counter. Steak bones from dinner waiting to go to the other dogs near the sink. What the heck ate that cat food??????? I really hope it was Gael before she went out....or maybe somebody had Simon out after I went to bed......otherwise.....

Simon