Endings and Beginnings

By end of August, I will be leaving my duplex. I don't yet know where I'm going;
so far I've only been able to find a short term temp assignment. If nothing else presents itself,
I will be living with a sister for a time. I don't mind that, it's just that she lives the next county over.

I couldn't stay even if I hadn't had my job stolen from me. I knew this place was being sold;
turns out the new owners will live in my unit and continue renting the other. My feelings about all this are mixed; this is the last place I lived with my cats. But also, perhaps that's a good thing,
to leave that behind. As you see, it's very emotionally complex. 

I just wish that what was happening was my choice.

Something Old, Something New

I'm cleaning out closets and donating stuff to Goodwill. Yesterday I took a load over and found....

these gorgeous silverplated serving dishes on the cart. They also have the glass dish inside.

And they were FREE. I was admiring them and the attendant told me twice 

I could just take them; it's a donation only center, so there was no way to buy them there anyway.

I couldn't resist! Yes, I know the point is to get rid of items, and I do no entertaining at all but still.

Pretty tarnished, but baking soda has done a fine job cleaning them up. 

And for the new:

Cracker Barrel is putting out their fall and Halloween items. 

These were NOT free, but worth buying.

They remind me of some of the props Summer used on her blog post for the Day of the Dead.

Speaking of... her human is having a birthday today! 

Wordless Wednesday

... because who doesn't love kittens?

Buggy Monday

Since I've become unemployed (July 1), I've had a lot of time to 

sit next to my living room window and look out. It's kind of soothing, actually.

But I've noticed there is a mud dauber wasp who is absolutely intent on making a home on my patio.

So far I've destroyed a tiny wasp home multiple times; on the underside of the wicker table next to the door, the backside of the patio chair and just today - the most clever hiding home place of all - 

I saw it bring a tiny green worm to its latest would-be residence tucked away in the window track.

Did anyone else know that they ate tiny green worms? I had no idea.

I just thought it was flowers and stuff. And yes, that home is also been demolished.

But, I'm not trying to kill it. No point really, there are so many stinging bugs here in Florida that others come around anyway. I'm content to keep knocking down the nest.

Goodbye Binga

As most of us probably know by now, Binga from Summer's blog went over the Bridge a few days ago. She was one of the grande dames of the cat blogosphere, and will be greatly missed by all of us, I think.

She redefined the Rules of Tortitude, with a style I don't think I've ever seen anyone else match. At her age, she'd earned that right!

Can't you just imagine the chats she's having with Grumpy Cat right now?