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Saturday, April 6, 2013

One more time

Did you ever feel like you had been trying hard to do everything right and after some real progress you were about to take a major step forward? All of a sudden something comes at you out of nowhere and hits you so hard it knocks the breath out of you. This time I am speaking figuratively, although it has happened in a more literal sense before. I am talking about spring. There were big patches of brown grass starting to show, the driveway was clear, and everyday a little more was melting was lifting my spirits. This morning negated all those good feelings with just a couple inches of snow. It's later now and at least 6 inches have fallen with no sign of letting up.

Not that this hasn't happened before.  You see, about this time of year, as the days grow longer, I wean myself off my winter "happy pills." Not too abruptly, mind you, but I really don't like taking any medication that isn't totally necessary. Forty years ago that was not the case. It used to be "I wonder what will happen if I take one of these?" Or, "what if I smoke a little of this?" Of course I don't think it had any permanent effect on me effect on me effect on me, but I don't know of any definitive studies done to determine the long term results of this short term behavior. I guess we make our choices and learn to live with whatever the results are, but it was awesome being indestructible, at least for a while.

So as a diversion from this April hell I got out the camera and took hints from my contented, well mostly, creatures in my immediate vicinity. My buddy, Orange Ruffy.
Then there is our token dog, Mandy who we adopted last fall. She adores me although it was not the intention for me to be her person.
Cotton is our furry version of Clint Eastwood's spaghetti western character or Dirty Harry. "Go ahead punk, make my day."
Then there is Cotton's sister, Princess Puffy Pants, doing something she does very well. God, I admire her ability to sleep through hell and high water.
Then there is Bella. She is the most confident cat in the house (there are 12 of the little furballs). We adopted her last year. She is diabetic and requires insulin twice a day, but deals with it very well as she gets special treatment that she obviously deserves. Here she is in her cube giving me "stinkeye" for invading her space.
The real reason I stayed indoors for most of the day is this stuff. Not that is as unexpected as I make it out to be, but damn, it gets annoying. While it is beautiful in some ways, it is not always welcome. It reminds me of an old Star Trek episode where the women of the planet, who ran it  BTW, were referred to by the men as "the givers of pleasure and pain". Nothing new under the sun, is there?
I guess we'll see what happens when daylight comes tomorrow morning. I may have to get the tractor out to clear the mess as I doubt it will melt fast enough for my liking.
I hope spring springs eternal for all of you.

  





15 comments:

  1. Any snow after February is tough to take. It's even tougher if you've gotten a whiff of warm air and spring.

    Love the cat pics! You have twelve of them? You may have my boss beaten...I lost track of how many he has!

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  2. Petting a cat is great therapy for depression.

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  3. As always, beautiful photos of the cats.

    Can't believe you still have winter so badly. Having said that - we have only just got out of it here in the last 2 days. It has felt a very long one (and in fact has been the coldest March for about 50 years - not fun for running training). I suppose the positive spin is that it will make you appreciate even a little bit milder weather so much more!

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  4. Your pets are beautiful. Thanks for sharing these photos -- I like the "stinkeye" look from Bella.

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  5. Around these parts, when most of the snow is gone but we still have those sad, dirty piles left from the plows, we like to take the shovel and spread those piles around so they melt faster. It's a mind game, but it's also good exercise. However, it's a little difficult when you've got a fresh six inches everywhere! Ah well, it will melt fast this time of year, one hopes.

    Beautiful cats you have there. Will there be pictures of the rest of the mob?

    Came over from Pearl's place :)

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  6. PP, yes it is getting old and yes, we have twelve. It wasn't intentional, but I am not good at saying no.

    Donna, that is probably why I have so many. There is always one nearby when you need one.

    IrbiI, I might be swinging through your neck of the woods come July. I hope it warms up by then. When I lived in Minneapolis about 35 years ago I ran all year. I don't remember the cold, but I am sure it was.

    Ahab, thanks! I think Bella practices in the mirror when I am not home.

    Thanks Kay! And thanks for the latest Maher video you posted.

    jenny_o, thanks for stopping by. We had another inch or two this morning just to freshen up what was already here.

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  7. While you're griping about the snow I'm down here dreading summer.

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  8. And we're getting 8-12 inches of new snow Wednesday through Thursday!

    AI-Yi-Yi!

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  9. MP, but he was sooo cute as a kitten. Did you know he has a 13" tail?

    Mr.C, I understand snowbirds much better as I age.

    Batty, the thing is this used to be fairly normal thirty years ago. Climate change has been spoiling us northern types.

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  10. I love all your animals!

    I am down in the dumps about the weather. We don't have the snow you do, but we still have snow and today it's freezing rain, ice pellets, and snow. I am ready for some sun and warmth. Hope yours melts SOON and spring springs for real!!

    Lovely animal photos!

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  11. Gorgeous cats! They have such personalities.

    I, too, recently weaned myself off happy pills, after many years of taking them. They just weren't doing much for me anymore. But they really, really helped for a time - I don't regret it at all.

    Here's to spring! Cheers!!

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  12. Just noticed your comment - let me know if you are coming to the UK and need help with planning - would depend on the area but happy to help if I can!

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  13. I hope we find homes for our kittens or we will have six cats instead of two.
    I have been on the pills for 15 or 20 years. They do nothing for me but I find when I take them other people don't act like complete assholes all the time

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