The Neighbor Cat

He's a creeper, see?

Packing

Only 3 more days in Ontario.
I've been organizing my belongings for two weeks now: getting rid of stuff, recycling, returning borrowed items, and trying to figure out if I really need some things. I started packing yesterday and so far have been making pretty significant process. Luckily. Time, she be running out.
Piquette had her vet appointment last week to make sure that she was in tip-top flying condition. Her carrier is cleaned and ready. All she needs now is a lighter bone structure and wings. I made a new carrier-insert for the flight, as the original for her soft-sided carrier (the only type allowed as carry-on baggage) was warped and falling apart. It was only card covered in vinyl and hadn't held up to well to years of abuse. The final straw was last Wednesday, when she decided that being in a carrier at the vets (new rooms, lots to explore!) was not all that it had cracked up to be, and had the brilliant idea to roll the carrier around the lobby, hamster-ball-style, to investigate things. Needless to say the the bottom-insert was toast. I fitted a fabric sleeve over a piece of hardboard cut to size, with a quilted top (I only had stuffing, not batting, but it seemed to work quite well) and covered it all in polar-fleece. She should have a comfortable flight, for the most part.
I'm worried about Lady, as we have been closer than ever lately. She pined quite severely last time I left, and I doubt that this Friday will prove any easier. For either of us.
I feel that this week has really snuck up on me. There was lots that I never got to do (including some farewells to friends). I did manage to pop down to see my two best friends before I left, and we had a great weekend. I'm really going to miss them. I've got my fingers crossed that they are able to come out for a visit in the next year. That would rock (hinthintcoryandrobyncoughcough).
I have discovered another reason to be grateful for yarn: It's a fantastic packing material. All those little nooks and crannies in the rubber maid bins (I'm shipping all of my stuff Greyhound) that are dead space otherwise. . . ? Yeah. Yarn. Merino Wool makes terrific padding. Way to go yarn! Who needs bubble wrap?

And They Wonder Why Artist's Are Starving?!

That's over a hundred dollars right there, folks.
I'm really enjoying oil painting in school, so I decided to sink some money into my own supplies. I went with an odourless solvent so that I can still paint in my windowless dungeon of a bedroom, and Walnut oil instead of Linseed. Apparently it doesn't yellow with time as Linseed tends to, and it is more resistant to cracking. The cost different was minimal, so it seemed worth it. That is, if any of my paintings are around long enough to risk becoming yellowed . . . and I don't mean in the Goodwill or anything. Those paintings clumped together on wire racks always give me mixed feelings.

Lady Bing Cherry. She wanted her picture taken too. How could I say 'no' to that big stupid smelly face?


Sarjaent is becoming a really nice little cat. Except when she bites you. Then you kind of want to throw her off a cliff. But she's super cute in pictures.

She also loves to eat the houseplants. And string, despite my best efforts to keep it away from her. I keep telling her that she's going to kill herself with the stuff, but she's a very stubborn little cat.

Said the Lion to the Cat. . .

"You don't love me, you love the idea of me."

My cat, Pique, seems to have fallen for a drawing I did a week ago. She sleeps by it, she stares as it, she marks it with her face-scent, she knocks it over so she can lay on it. I don't get it, but I'm sorry to say that I need my drawing board back. Also, she's ruining the paper. I'll have to make another pastel drawing to see if it's just the fumes she loves. Or, perhaps she and lion have bonded.