Home, Safe.

We hate to say this was the storm that wasn't, but by the time Irma arrived, it wasn't nearly what we had been told we would be getting. These things happen. We are all extremely happy to be back home. Thanks to everyone for their purrayers and good wishes for us. 

We will just post a few pics from our Big Family Adventure and go get some sleep:

Final Preparations - Please Pray for Us

I'm taking a quick break from my prep work to move us to my workplace. The above is the room I've staked out. My sister will join us there. I think we should be reasonably comfy, at least until the power goes out.

The weather is getting scarier. Voluntary evac. for Leon County - which has NEVER been evac'd before. Except for those in mobile homes. Other people will be entering the building as well. The Red Cross decided to move their shelter to a nearby school, so we have room. I'm glad there will be a few, but not many, others in the building. 

I'm packing for two levels: immediate needs until at least Tuesday morning. And in case I return to complete devastation, I'm also packing those items I must have in case I need to rebuild, like my laptop, e-reader, iPod and all the cats' food, medications, plus their favorite items. Also, critical documents like my birth certificate and SS card. I made a list! I love lists.

The danger with Harvey was massive flooding; Irma is bringing high winds, sustained winds. Frame houses are likely to suffer structural collape (roof gone, walls cave in) - which my renter's insurance WILL pay for. I have a basic policy, as long as the water enters somewhere other than the bottom. 

The cats are freaked. Both are in hiding, however they can't get under the bed. We all know how much fun it is getting a cat out from under the bed.

I don't know when power will be restored. I'm reasonably confident that we will be quite safe in the other building. Past that, I cannot say what my life will be like post-Irma. Probably it will be nothing more than inconvenient.

And now my laptop is powering down and will be packed away. I hope to post an update in a couple of days. Please pray for all of us in Irma's path.

- Toby, Leia and Cathy

Freaky, Fussy Friday

So, Mom says there is a great big meanie out there called Irma, and 

she's apparently headed more or less in our direction. Depending on the day and time of day. 

It keeps changing. 

So, she's frazzled. And we naturally, are doing our best to keep her calm. This can be really hard to do, if you have our kind of hoomin. She says we may have to leave our home to go shelter two miles down the road. We definitely don't wanna leave but if the winds get bad enough...

So hang in there, guys, if any of our furriends are in the path of this monster.

We're going back to sleep in case we need our strength soon.

Mom:

My workplace (a nice big, solid, brick building) is now a Red Cross shelter, right now for evacuees from S. Florida and the Keys. 

We live in Tallahassee, FL; at 7 am we had almost no weather to worry about, at 2 pm it was going to be a horrible mess, and at 5 pm, we're back on track for a not too bad serving of Irma (about Monday).

We live in a frame duplex. A Cat. 1 should be fine, but if it gets higher... I literally have a sign on a room door at work reserving it for us! It's a small room with three couches. Much nicer than a cot. But really, it's for the cats. I'm just incidental here.

Here's the truly insane part: only two major Interstates out of Florida. It's all gridlocked. Hotels are impossible to find; gas shortages due to evacuees mean a lot of people are likely to run out of gas on the open highway. And there's a storm coming...

Oh, and because the track keeps shifting - they keep calling for more evacuations!

Mancat Monday

Happy Labor Day Monday!

Look at these pictures, I ask you. 

What do you, fellow felines, see?

Yep, a peacefully sleeping mancat. Dignified, handsome.

Pretty much, with a DO NOT TOUCH sign on me.

Right?

What do HOOMINS see?

SQUEEE!!! Pile of warm orange smooshy furs!

Bring on the Finger Snorgle Monsters!

And with the ever popular, face rubbing in my tummy, too.

There's just no training them NOT TO.

Remembrance Day

We just found out today is Rainbow Remembrance Day, 

so we wanted to honor those who have gone before.

This is all but one of the gang from many, many years ago. 

The woofie was Skippy, the sweetest Dachshund ever to walk the earth. 

Skippy LOVED little kids. Especially at Halloween. Handing out candy to tiny tots in costume was one of her most favoritest things ever. And walks? Oh my. That dog was a walking powerhouse! But don't let a thunderstorm pop up, because she hated those with a great passion. No sleep for anyone those nights.

Next up - Tiger, the tabby lounging on Mom. She looks so much like me, Leia, doesn't she? A lot of the same sweetness too.

And Yasmina, the lovely gray and white lady on the end. Mostly, Mina. She was given to Mom when she worked for a Stabby Place so long ago (yes, this was a great betrayal!, how could she work there??). Her people just left her when she was 8 weeks old and never came back. Plus, they named her BABY. Oh, don't get Mom started on the inappropriateness of such a name. Mina had the most regal demeanor, even as a wee one. She also had a life long battle with cystitis. 

And finally, this guy:

Meet Munchkin. This picture and his name did not do him justice, really. Mom got him when she worked for a different Stabby Place. He was about 3 weeks old, and when she met him, he was guarding his sibling with ferocity in the cage.  

He grew very tall, and long, and lean. A mighty hunter always. And he would N O T be kept inside. Really, he was feral at heart, though also sweet. He enjoyed inside and normally was in at night, but he simply found ways to get out. Mom is huge on indoor only cats but occasionally, there are those that will not conform. 

Mom's favorite story? The day he brought in a snake. She opened the door to let him in without really looking at him (he would hang off the window pane until someone let him in) and failed to see he was carrying a black snake; he dropped it so he could get some water, came back to find it - which was under Mom's feet at the time. Good thing she's short!

**Skippy, Munchkin and Tiger were co-parented. All four lived very long lives.

***All pictures were pre-camera phone era.

It's Wednesday

Yeah, I know, mom is still all gushy about that little girl and her great hunting ability.

I could have gotten that lizard, y'know. If I'd REALLY wanted to. But clearly, I was busy doing impawtant stuff.

So there!

PS: mom, turn off the lights!!

Breaking News!! "I Rule" - Leia

I, Leia, may be a tiny Princess but I will bite you in three pieces and 

run off with the biggest part to eat. 

Mom didn't know until today, but I knew - there was a lizardy thing in here.
I've been carefully, patiently, monitoring the situation the last couple of nights.

Today, Mom saw the wriggler in the kitchen and well... she's not like me, she has no hunting ability, only the very polished ability to freak out over stuff. But her useless efforts did alert me it was time to head back into the kitchen and deal with this once and for all.

And I did. It took about two hours of patiently sitting in the kitchen, 

mostly by the fridge where Mom saw it scurry under, until it emerged and ...

P O U N C E!! Splat! Kow Pow! EPIC battles!

Tail in TWO pieces, not one, but was I distracted by those wiggly bits?

NOOOOOO... I knew to go right for the big piece, where all the good stuff is.

And then I grabbed it and ran off to the bedroom to show Toby, and possibly to share with him.

Unfortunately Mom saw me scamper by with my prize. 

I dropped it, she grabbed a throw to toss over it and scoop it up, 

where it was deposited outside.

 (this is my disappointed face)

Drat. I am getting very high praise though, so that's something.

And Toby? Well....

He made an appearance after the fact to see what the fuss was all about. 

And just between us, he's got about as much hunting ability as Mom does!

I rule. - Leia

Mom:

as far as I know, the lizard is still alive. The tails are made to come off, and I didn't kill him, just tossed him out the back door. Please, never come back.