Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Amelia the cat is going to live on a cat!
(Amelia aka "pukey," "princess," "bossy," "baby bear" or "butthead.")
"What about the cat?!" Surprisingly, this is the 3rd or 4th question after "are you moving", "do you know how to sail" and "did you buy a boat". The short answer is, she is going with us.
(Yes, this is a very long post about a cat. If you are not a pet-person, then you can skip it, but I'm not sure why we're friends!)
Amelia was a stray who adopted us about 14 years ago. The vet thought she was about 2 at the time. I thought that would make her an old lady in cat years, but the vet says cats can now live to be more than 20 years old! She's always been an indoor cat, only going for a yearly car ride when it's time to go the vet (or taking a few steps off the front porch to eat grass when Daddy let's her--this is not authorized by Mommy). She can be cranky "princess" who usually hisses at people who aren't her Mom & Dad (yes, a little spoiled and an only child!) Vet trips have historically been embarrassing because in the car and at the vet, she has a blood-curdling scream and hissing combo that makes it sound like she's being tortured. (The kid's a talker and has some LUNGS). It's absolutely, incredibly embarrassing. Vet assistants don't want to go anywhere near her without a muzzle. "She's really very sweet. She's doesn't bite, just nips {smile}."
(Can I be in the picture?)
About 3 years ago, she lost a bunch of weight and we were worried. The specialist couldn't find anything wrong and put her on a prescription digestive and a gluten-free diet (Me: "The cat's gluten-free now." Husband: "Of course she is!") She's doing well and the nickname, "pukey" is used less often. Then she started pooping next to her litter pan instead of in the litter pan (YES, it's clean! She urinates in the pan & steps out to poo!) The vet said, "she's made at you." No kidding. (This makes house showings tricky. Somebody has to go home & do a "poop check"). Also, the idea of having terds rolling around a boat didn't sound fun (this is going somewhere, I swear). On her next vet visit, Dr. Julie didn't flinch at the idea of moving onto a boat with the Amelia, but immediately said "that's a long car ride. Let me give you some anti-anxiety medication." For me or the cat?
(Practicing for the road trip. She prefers the drivers seat.)
When we set our one-year goal for moving aboard, we had to address the real probability she would be going with us. Husband pleaded, "we can't leave her behind." Me: "But the car ride alone will be unbearable!" When I came home after a weekend trip, Husband had taken Amelia out to sit in the car several times, to the point where, at least the howling, had stopped. She was used to traveling in a carrier, so I bought a harness and leash (for Mom's peace of mind, really). Being out of the carrier helps a lot. We began taking practice rides around the neighborhood and successfully did a vet visit without humiliating Mommy. When the house went on the market, she became a regular passenger in the car. (It's very difficult to explain to people why there is cat hair on your dash). She even started going to the hangar with Dad every once in awhile (and started pooing in the litter pan at the hangar. Baffling little brat!) There's a story about a hole in a wall & the origin of the nickname "butthead," but that's for another day.
She's also become quite the socialite. She has let several of the guys at the airport pet her. She even let the house cleaners pet her (although I got a pitiful look of "do I have to tolerate this?") Then today, she let the lady at McDonald drive-thru window pet her (What? You don't take your cat to the drive thru? "Filet of fish--no bread & a milk, please. Yes, I'm cute. How are we doing on that filet of fish?")
(She's a back seat driver...)
So in summary, we're her people. Since we can't explain to her why we were dropping her off with family, we are taking her with us. She's seems to be adapting to all the change in the house quite well. Other sailors have moved aboard with elderly cats (Facebook page gatos del mar). Unfortunately, the best way to do it is gradually but that's not an option. SO, we will take our bedding from the house with us and lock her in the master berth while we unpack. We've switched to the Breeze litter box/pellet system so at least there won't be litter everywhere. She'll also be blogging, so stay tuned.
(Pillow fort!)
(Blogging is exhausting. I'll finish later.)
Friday, November 25, 2016
A pack of Running Dogs and Cat
 | |
| Cat in her Fremont Seattle workshop |
Green Lake is in Seattle. Its shores once graced by the open canoes of Seattle natives are now circled by a track that keeps active Seattleites fit and trim. Runners, walkers, mothers with strollers and kids on skateboards circle this once pea-green lake whose waters are nowadays so clear you can see fish on the bottom. That's good news for the eagles that hang out in the trees of Duck Island and drop by for a snack of fish or an unlucky coot.
 |
| Canoe and kayaks are stored above the workshop kitchen |
Paddling one day on Green Lake I ran into a family in a green canoe and stopped to chat. Cat with a quirky smile explained she had crafted the canoe's wooden gunnel herself. Later I discovered she has a workshop ideal for that kind of thing. She's a luthier. Actually she's not just a luthier; she's an exceptionally good and well-respected luthier. She repairs instruments, mostly guitars and she's in demand for repairing rare and valuable ones. Her workshop, Sound Guitar Repair,is in Fremont, Seattle.
 |
| Cat outside her workshop within a workshop, "Sound Guitar Repair" |
Rick sat at the other end of the canoe, quiet and confident. He eventually revealed that he also works in wood; he too is a luthier. He describes himself as a work in progress, learning how to build acoustic guitars, but that's only because as a true perfectionist he cannot be satisfied with the best. He moved to Seattle from Vermont where he played with race cars, built kayaks, instructed skiing and as a woodworker began building "Running Dog" guitars.
 |
| Cat Fox and Rick Davis |
Rick Davis is no amateur. Author Tim Brookes wrote his book "Guitar; An American Life" around him and his guitar building. Rick used to be the Executive Director for the Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans (ASIA). He was featured in the recent April 2012 Acoustic Guitar magazine in a double-spread article by Thomas M. Lell.
 |
| Rick's "Running Dog" guitars are masterpieces of custom workmanship |
He is a talented artist in wood. He can tap a board of wood and know its prospects as a guitar top from the sound it makes. He can then transform the rough board to release its full potential by tapping and chiseling, tapping and chiseling until the sounds from bass to treble ring out, and the board begs to be played. Then he'll bend all the other pieces of carefully selected wood together to create an instrument that plays like a dream and looks incredible!
 |
| Rick in his Fremont workshop |
Rick and Cat have their workshops together in a modern industrial building close by the Fremont Canal. Cat's space is built within Rick's shop, allowing each to work undisturbed when they wish. That is undisturbed when people like me don't come barging in to visit.
Today Rick is working on small parts. His binding and inlay work is impeccable. He indulges me when I ask to see a baritone guitar he has already completed, and he open up the velvet-lines case to reveal a long-scale instrument with an oval sound-hole. Releasing a chord that breathes deeply into air I'm astonished at its rich sonorous voice.
 |
| Rick demonstrates the rich deep notes of his "Bear-itone" guitar |
Sometimes Rick builds a guitar just for himself that he's reluctant to sell until his relationship with it has had time to mature. But mostly he builds custom guitars for others, tailoring the sound and the desired appearance to the customer's playing style and desires. Each piece of wood is specially chosen for its qualities with the desired end in mind. I'm fascinated.
 |
| Somebody who canoes, kayaks, plays guitar and drinks espresso can't be bad! |
When he's not kayaking or canoeing, Rick keeps fit by fencing. That's not the pounding stakes into the ground type; it's the skewering of opponents with a foil. He leaks from various ouch places in his legs where he's failed to be quite as nimble as he'd like to be.
 |
| Cat keeps her rubber corvid muzzled... |
Cat Fox in her box; in her room within a room, is preparing for an upcoming presentation she'll give on keeping chickens… a fowl past-time of hers that seems decidedly wrong for someone with her double-predatory name. On her bench beside a life-like black rubber crow is part of an old Gibson harp-guitar, probably almost 100 years old. She opens up a large case and takes out the reddish full body of the instrument itself, minus its strings and a few other bits. It'll take time and patience to repair and reinforce this giant and to tune it back to its original state, but she'll do it.
 |
| One of Cat's current restoration projects, a Gibson harp-guitar |
Instruments that pass through her hands are as good as new, and in some cases look and play better than new.
I have to leave Cat and Rick to let them work, but I leave with the rich sound of the baritone guitar in my head. It's a wonderful instrument I'm drawn to not only for its voice but also for the wonderful inlaid portrait of a bear that glows like ice from the guitars head. It is as Rick points out the "bearitone" guitar.
And I leave with a taunting aside from Rick… he'll soon have a used Running Dog mini-jumbo passing through for sale… at an insanely reasonable price. He turns his head sideways with a quizzical look to see if I'm tempted. Of course I'm tempted… I'd love to have a room-full of his guitars! Dreams, dreams, dreams! But I am already proud owner of one Running Dog guitar… maybe I should work toward a pack?
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Knowing Cat boat plans
In such a writing the majority of us will obviously enable go for a advantageous benchmark dependant on exploration involving latest content Cat boat plans likelihood controversy due to the fact a lot of website visitors just what people are searching for that once more. for benchmark Recovering everyone benefit from an array of the search engines below are images that can be related to Cat boat plans .
Cat boat plans - that can help build the interest your readers are extremely pleased to generate this page. enhancing the caliber of the content will probably most of us put on a later date that allows you to quite figure out after reading this post. Last of all, it is not necessarily a couple written text that need to be designed to persuade you will. yet as a result of limits regarding terminology, you can merely found your Cat boat plans chat away at this point
Monday, August 29, 2016
Power cat fishing boat plans
Power cat fishing boat plans is normally one in every of this inside of the at present Could through the file yahoo and google So that they can give priceless information and facts to the subscribers we have attempted to locate this most adjacent importance graphics all around Power cat fishing boat plans Plus listed here you're going to find at this moment, these kinds of photos are already obtained in the top source.
Power cat fishing boat plans - this has been recently put up aided by the expectation that is certain to you can easily stimulate fantastic a person. This text are able to help being useful resource while you're lost to choose the ideal instruction The Power cat fishing boat plans blogposts could possibly be your very best self selection that should be ascribed to art arrange, because contains specific to it schedule might believe alot more convinced Power cat fishing boat plans - Valuable suitable for you accordingly everyone are trying to look for a trusted supply that will help you get encouragement not having turmoil. never forget to help you store this site, given that could be someday you may need it all to come back like any inspirational choices.
Monday, August 1, 2016
14 ft hobie cat sailboat
14 ft hobie cat sailboat will be fad from the present widely used articles and other content, we all know in the evaluation from the internet search engine that allows you to feature precise highlights most of us look at looking for graphics relating to that 14 ft hobie cat sailboat . as well as the final results you can view under take note a number of the images is just an illustration.
illustration 14 ft hobie cat sailboat
14 ft hobie cat sailboat - this has happen to be uploaded with the hope that we can inspire useful to you. This information could provide as being a reference point when you are confused to choose the right guide The 14 ft hobie cat sailboat content could be your better alternative to get used on the project prepare, considering that it comes with its own arrange should look and feel a great deal more completely satisfied 14 ft hobie cat sailboat - Extremely helpful for yourself as a result we all are attempting to locate a reliable form which inturn will help uou uncover enthusiasm devoid of bafflement. never forget to help you store this site, for the reason that might be sooner or later you need them backside because your own inspirational suggestions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
