Invasion of the Body Snatchers

When we lived in Vancouver we kept our cats Spike and Alley strictly indoors to keep them safe from the dangers of the neighborhood (traffic, other animals, sketchy humans). During our first months at Farcical Farm we let them out during the day but we locked them in after dark. Then Alley didn't come home one night and we never saw her again. David and I adopted her from the SPCA together in April of 2000 and we lost her in April of 2007 -- a failure I still find hard to swallow.

Since then we have kept the house cats (Spike was joined by Hazel in August of 2007) strictly indoors again. Neither seems to mind, but both make the occasional bid for freedom through an unsupervised door or window.

Sometime around 0500 this morning I became aware of Hazel making a fuss in the living room. Spike was not on the bed with us, which was unusual. Sometime around 0600 this morning Hazel started yowling as if someone was peeling her alive. When David went out to investigate he found Spike out on the deck and Hazel giving him hell through the kitchen window. And ever since his return to the fold Hazel has been treating Spike like an unwanted stranger, not like her buddy of the past two years -- low growling whenever she sees him, hissy fits if he looks at her askance, and full-blown warfare should he get too close. We have no idea when or how he got out last night, but alien abduction is our working theory.

Pester and Ye Shall Receive

I should preface this post by saying (1) it has nothing to do with the blog in general and (2) I completely suck at Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). Furthermore, I did not practice at all today because I was too sore after yesterday. It is interesting and kind of pathetic that they use this as a way to motivate kids to exercise.

First, here is my Mii. I got far enough that I unlocked the option to use my Mii instead of one of the pre-programmed characters, but I did not get to choose an outfit for her. It was either jeans and a hoodie (not unusual for me, but that outfit was meant for boys and it gave my Mii an...er...package) or this getup. Please know that I have never worn pink a day in my life.

And here's the much-less-flattering real thing in my new penguin pajama pants. I had to ditch the matching shirt because I was getting too hot. For some reason (other than actual pregnancy) I appear pregnant, but I think it is a combination of the slightly blurred action and the turkey dinner. Hazel, as usual, appears deeply disinterested.

Cat Tastrophies

The bowl of cat kibble I left in the garage last week is disappearing slowly. With rat-like speed more than a cat-like speed, I'm afraid. I have not seen our little feral and nor have our neighbors. They are currently siding the shed under which she seemed to be living, and David hopes that she has simply moved to quieter grounds. I am less optimistic.

Hazel has been hopping around the house on three legs, rarely taking weight on the front right. I think it might be a problem with a claw as she keeps scratching at things, but she is not one to allow close examination of her paws without fierce retribution. She is otherwise her usual self doing all of her usual things, and seems better this morning. We may be off to the vet after Christina comes to trim the horses this afternoon.