New Trail with The Girls

 It doesn't much matter where they go, the girls love to be out of the house. And if the outing happens to include woods...well that's all the better. 

We took a new trail that shoots off to the right on the linear trail in Enfield. There looks to be a lot of beaver activity in our area lately...or at least I'm finding it lately. I really never see any beavers so I don't know when they might have been on the building spree. It always seems like I find tons of unfinished work belonging to them but never a fully completed home...not even a condo.  


The girls are excited to be in the woods but they'd much rather I'd not stop to take pictures. If they had their way they'd be running loose in the woods raising havoc with the local animals. I wouldn't put it past them to jump in the water and inspect that beaver work up close!

I came across some leaves with what looks like insect eggs on them. Bell and Nicki said it looked like acne. When they got done laughing about that they insisted all the way home that it was leaf acne. They have an odd sense of humor. 

 The trail was skinny and rather close to the river at one point. The girls always want to go first but when I come to an area like this I sometimes get flashes of me falling in the water ....and them laughing at me while I flounder around trying to get out. 
And that's why I always have them walk single file to the side of me or behind me. I have to give them credit for learning to walk single file while on a dual leash. That takes a little finesse. 

This handsome fella was determined not to let me get too close. This was the best picture I could get of him. I tied the girls to a tree so I could sneak up on him but he was watching me the whole time. He was not impressed with my sneaking abilities. The girls never saw him at all. Every time I got close enough to make him uncomfortable he would fly farther up the trail to get away from me. Then he'd sit in a tree and laugh at my frustration. I think he's telling me I need a better camera.  

Catlax Anyone?

 This is the face of a constipated cat. (hard to tell it from her normal face so you'll have to take my word for it). Lily's camp visit was ruined by constipation. I have no prior experience with constipated cats although I did once save the life of a young rabbit by giving it an enema when a stupid neighbor kid had fed it dry dog food. (Just for the record, dry dog food will kill your rabbit because it swells in their little bellies, so don't do it). 















This is one of the things you can use for your plugged up cat after she's had her emergency ride to the vet; an enema; fluids for dehydration; x-rays; a kitty spa day which is really just a day at the vets office and  a few glasses of water. Ok, even Lily won't drink from a glass...she insists I put it in a shot glass for her. (and she carries her own little umbrella's because she thinks it looks cool.)

This is the enormous bill you pay after the vet has unplugged your cat; called you with tons of common sense information and suggestions; listed every thing they've done for your cat and told you they are open until 8pm and you can pick her up on the way home from work. An extra hour is probably spent laughing after the phone call has ended....but that part at least is free. 

Lily lodged a formal complaint against the camp; it's counselors; my dogs (for being stupid) and the American Catnip Association for not being in her corner in her time of need. We settled out of court. 
Lily will not be coming back to Camp Henderson next year. 

Finicky Cat

Some of us remember going to camp when we were young. Sometimes it was a fun week full of the exciting company of other kids (now viewed as new best friends), tons of fun activities to enjoy, lots of laughs and even the assigned chores somehow ended up being fun to do. 

And sometimes it was a long dragged out week in the company of a lot of kids you don't know; doing chores that the other kids somehow knew better than to get stuck doing; trying to learn the camp schedule so you'd be in the right place at the right time and hopefully not miss a meal or earn yourself some kind of camp punishment. 

Well for Lily, Camp Henderson seems to be turning out to be more of the latter rather than the former. And a disgruntled kitty is a verbal kitty. While she still will allow me to pet her for a specific amount of time, with the  appropriate amount of pressure and speed; and of course only when she is in the mood for it.....I'm still somehow getting the impression she's not having the type of camp experience we all hope for. 

Here are some of the little tid bits I'm hearing from our furry disgruntled camper:

Which one of you is supposed to be my camp counselor anyway?

Do I get a choice at ALL about the food?

Why are those retarded hounds allowed free range on my turf?

Do you provide treatment for the carpal tunnel I’m getting from swatting those retarded hounds in the face?

Why is there no mirror in my room? Are you jealous of my immense beauty?

You didn’t just say ‘diet’ did you??!! Is this FAT CAMP??!!

Who do I see to lodge a formal complaint about this place?

When do I get the arts and crafts class? I was promised arts and crafts!

For future reference I prefer to have my ‘alone time’ actually alone….on the screened in porch…with a mai tai.  

FYI: the decision to pet or brush me is mine and mine alone. I will signal my desire for you to stop by scratching and/or biting your hand. Try not to take it personal.

My decision to brush against you and make appropriate cat-like noises while you are on the human potty should in no way be construed as affection for yourself. I do it to mess with your head.

When are my parents coming to get me?

Pass the catnip please. I’m bored.

Lily: At Camp Henderson

Lily seems to think her 1 week stay at my house while her parents are on a cruise, is somehow the same as being away at camp. 

She arrived with a suitcase of cat foods.

Is free to arrange all her 'stuff' in any way she likes in Justin's old bedroom. 

But I absolutely draw the line at grilling mice for her! And she is not so happy a camper because of it!