Hauser Haus

Cosco Carts

2021-11-29T18:11:00.002-05:00

Growing up in the '50's and '60's, my Mom always had a cart in the kitchen to hold all the things she needed next to the stove. Later it was relegated to the basement for laundry use. It was an iconic turquoise. I acquired it 4 years ago and promptly dismantled it for restoration.

It clearly had suffered over the years. I sanded and oiled the casters and soaked them in rust remover. They weren't that bad and rolled well.

The handles weren't that bad except around the bolt holes, so I polished them up.

I forgot to take pictures of the intervening painting process, but I sanded the shelves with a fine grit sandpaper and steel wool, sprayed on an undercoat, preserving the Cosco label, and found a perfect match for the original color.

I switched out the worst shelf for the bottom and she looks great!

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My next cart was found in a garage at an estate sale and was a tiny version of ones I had seen. When I looked it up I found that it was only produced in one year, in red, pink, or yellow, and was a child's version. Mine was a yellow one that had been sloppily painted red.

This one took a lot more sanding and paint removal.

This cart had the cheaper plastic wheels. The casters were pretty rusty and needed a lot of work. I painted them chrome.

Sanded, primed, and painted the shelves. I had to look at a lot of yellow paint to get just the right '50's color. I did save the label. It's covered with tape in the picture, but it was pretty messed up with the red paint.

Isn't she cute? That's what's left of my mother's Primary Color Pyrex set of mixing bowls on the shelves.

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The last one I restored has been sitting in MY garage, unloved and covered with rusty paint cans since I bought my house in 1994. It had belonged to the former owner and he had left it behind.

My garage has a dirt floor, so the wheels and casters had suffered badly. The parts that had had contact with the soil had eroded and chipped off and they didn't turn any more.

My first job was to get them rolling again. That took a lot of brute force and WD40, but eventually I got them all to move, and oiled them. Now my problem was to make them round again. I had read about Sugru and it's ability to fix anything, so searched some out and bought the black.

It worked great! Then I sanded the wheels to remove excess Sugru and sanded off the rust.

Then I painted them chrome. I could have used a brand new old stock set of plastic wheels I have, but wanted to use the original rubber, or whatever that is.

Then on to the shelves and handles. They were a lot more work than the other carts because they were a lot more rusty, but the handles are solid chrome, so a lot of fine grit sandpaper made them look great. I put metal polish on them, too.

Since I don't take off all the old paint and don't sand down to metal, the paint job isn't nice and flat and shiny. I did multiple coats and used 2 cans of spray paint, and I'm satisfied, but it isn't perfect. When the sun's not shining on it it looks pretty good!

This is one of the carts that had an electric socket and cord on it so the hostess could wheel it into the living or rec room and make coffee or fondue on it. Mine was missing, and I'm still searching estate sales for a socket and cord to restore.

New Life For An Old American

2020-06-05T23:48:00.001-04:00

Sometime before I bought my house in 1994 I picked up a rusty old cast iron sewing machine base from an antiques dealer. I wanted to turn it into a table with the top made from an old sewing table top I had found covering a hole in the basement of my last rented house.

There is a yard marked out on one edge of the table.

First I needed to glue them back together.

So glad I collect furniture clamps!

Then I sanded and spray painted the frame. It had been sanded and painted over 26 years ago, but has sat in my damp basement all that time and needed an update.

After assembly.

I sanded and sealed the top and tested it for size.

I had to add support to the bottom of the table top as it had a tendency to bow, and I needed something to screw the base to as the table is only 1/2 inch thick. Cut and mitered the ends of some 3/4 stock and glued and screwed it to the bottom of the table.

Clearly, I need more clamps! But the extra weight did the trick and solved the bowing problem.

Finished after 27 years!

Here is a picture from an auction of an original American with its machine intact.

I'm finally getting to all those projects I've accumulated over the years. Stay tuned for more!

Widman Barrister's Bookcase

2019-02-25T21:13:00.002-05:00

This bookcase originally belonged to my maternal great-grandfather, Charles Augustus Bedgood, shown below with his second wife, Anna Euphemia Lundborg Peterson.

The bookcase has been kicked around a lot and, at some point. lost it's glass doors. It also suffered some breakage to the foot section, which I repaired by replacing the missing panel and re-gluing the legs.

There is a sizable chunk missing which I hope glue will help hold together.

The top has some water damage that I hope I can remove.

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I started the refinishing process today. Here is a picture of the shelving units before restoration.

There is birdseye maple veneer in the back and some other kind of wood for the bottoms. Oak on the sides and front edges.

I am using Formby's Refinisher to take off the old darkened varnish and some of the dark finish and will then re-varnish. I'm not touching the back panels, as they are in good shape. There is a decal on each of them that says "Widman". Looking up that company has yielded the following information: J.C. Widman & Company started in 1899 in Detroit making furniture, then merged with the Humphrey Bookcase Company in 1910 to form the Humphrey-Widman Company. They were bought out before 1923 by the Udell Works, who continued to make bookcases using the Widman patents in the 1930's. The J.C. Widman Company changed to manufacturing automobile bodies.

"Since 1873 The Udell Works has held to high ideals of better

workmanship, careful and progressive design and the best of material in

building furniture.

The name Udell has been synonymous with quality for more than half a

century. Always, the name Udell has stood for the best in materials and

the finest skill in wood working. Udell sectional bookcases are typical of

every article that has ever borne the name. They have niceties of

construction and finish that stamp them as the peer of any bookcase on

the market.

The non-binding door does not and cannot stick. The door guide

absolutely prevents friction. Doors operate on roller bearings and are

instantly removable. The sections are dust-proof and practically

moisture-proof. A metal dust shield at the top of each section protects

the books. The doors are air cushioned, and slide back over the dust

shield.

Several years ago, The Udell Works purchased the stock, machinery and

patents of the J. C. Widman Company of Detroit, Michigan. Udell

bookcases retain all of the valuable and exclusive mechanical features of

the Humprey-Widman bookcases that were manufactured by them for

twenty-two years, plus our advanced designing and manufacturing.

Udell sectional bookcases are offered to the retail trade as profit-making

merchandise. They have the same Udell quality, dependability and

workmanship, that have for more than fifty years distinguished the

products of this pioneer firm. You can depend on Udell."

This company is selling PDF's of 5 Udell catalogs of furniture from 1899 through 1932. I'll bet my No. 190, Class F is in one of those catalogs. Here is a blurb about the 1927 catalog:

1927 The Udell Works - PDF

This is a high resolution digital reproduction of an original 1927

catalog for The Udell Works. This catalog features Udell Sectional

Bookcases and includes a net price list dated 1/25/27. It is 24

pages, including the price list and front and rear covers. Specific

models pictured include "The Library" Combination No. 57;

Standard-Combination Nos. 26-F, 46-F, 28-F, 29-F; Standard for

Law Books-Combination No. 130-F; Standard High

Base-Combination No. 476; "Adam" Combination No. 456;

"Queen Anne" Combination No. 486; and the "Colonial"

Combination Nos. 43-F, 71-R, 32-F. Product features include the

Non-Binding Door "Door guide absolutely prevents friction, or

sticking of any door, furthermore, they operate on steel roller

bearings and are instantly removable without the use of tools.";

Air-Cushioned Doors "Perfect air-tight construction gives you an

absolutely cushioned door without the use of felt or packing.";

Metal Dust Shield "A steel division between the books and

receding door, protecting the tops of the books from dust or

damage. No sectional bookcase is perfect without this protection."

After using the Refinisher these rings are still showing. I had hoped they were just in the varnish. I guess they will have to stay, along with the spilled ink on the other side of the top.

Finished. Used an oil-rubbed finish. Sibley approves.

I added my collection of vintage Tom Swift books.

I don't know if this bookcase was obtained new and was just plain abused over the years, or was second-hand, but I think my great-grandfather would admit it looks pretty good now.

I'm Back With Some Appliance Repair

2014-07-30T19:11:00.000-04:00

So I have owned this for about 20 years and have had to replace the dryer belt maybe twice. Both times I had someone else do it. When it broke again at the beginning of summer I didn't have the money to have a repairman fix it, so I turned to the internet, of course!

Most of the YouTube videos out there on dryer repair are either crap or not detailed enough to get a good idea of what you're up against. After reading quite a few of them, and hearing that it was not too difficult, I went and bought a new dryer belt.

Since the weather has been relatively nice all summer, I put it off and just line dried my clothes. It makes for some interesting wrinkles and boardy jeans, but they smell so good.

Today, my day off and day to do laundry, it rained, so I had to do this.

First, I removed the screws from the top of the machine at the corners, to take the front panel off. I discovered that it was fastened behind the black control dashboard, so off came the slanted panel and the metal cover under it. Then I removed the screws from the control dashboard and lifted it up and out, like one of the videos said. By the way, this one was the most helpful.

Finally I was able to remove the door unit, which was not too easy owing to the huge plastic tube on the lower left that all the videos managed to avoid mentioning. Then I unclipped the electrical wires on the left.

This thing was unwieldy and heavy!

Just ignore all the girly laundry.

Here is the new belt.

I slipped the belt over the dryer drum and pushed it way to the back, making sure it was flat and free of obstructions. I took off the access door on the back of the dryer to expose the idler pulleys. I had already pulled out the remnants of my old belt.

This has a spring tension on it.

The belt is installed.

Now to get this thing back together. No matter how I tried, I couldn't accomplish pushing, pulling, shoving, and lifting at the same time to get the door unit back on. I had to remove the door, because it was too heavy, and I couldn't see what I was doing.

I was still having trouble aligning the drum with the opening on the door unit and the screws on the sides, so I used a bit of female ingenuity and propped up the drum with some pieces of wood. I was finally able to position the door with only two hands and my shoulder and get one screw in. The rest was relatively easy.

Got the dashboard back on. The dents are from years ago in February when a pipe burst on the 2nd floor and water went through all the floors and the dryer was covered in ice, which I was trying to remove in frustration.

Metal panel back on.

Put the slanted panel back on and plugged it in, holding my breath. . . . . .Success!!!! I have a dryer!

Spring Find

2011-04-20T22:07:00.002-04:00

It's about time! Right?

Went to my first estate sale of the season Monday and got some great deals because I went just before closing time and they were changing all the prices for Tuesday. Picked up this sweet Art Deco Boudoir lamp for around $4.00. (Don't look at all my junk!)

Looks like the man of the house used it in his workshop and abused it.

Here it is after I cleaned it up and added a new cord. The cord cost twice as much as the lamp!

Lighted

I Survived Snowmageddon

2011-02-05T17:41:00.003-05:00

We have gotten off easy so far this winter with minimal snowfall. This one was a workout. If I had been working I would have missed most of the week, as the city plows didn't do my side street until Friday morning.

This is the walk out to the garage.

This is the front porch. Ignore the tacky paint on the bricks.

Out the front gate to the street. Since I live on a corner I got all the snow that blew down the street North to South.

The driveway. All shoveled by hand, I'll have you know.

As far as I got on Thursday because the plows had not yet been through. I didn't want to duplicate effort and wasn't going anywhere anyway.

My unplowed side street.

Taking pictures with mittens on is hard.

A Small Frustration

2010-11-02T17:14:00.002-04:00

When I took in the hoses last week I noticed that the front sillcock was dripping. I twisted it as far as I could, but it would not stop. My mother mentioned that it was dripping when she was over this weekend watching my brother and I fix the blown-down fence. I put a bucket under it until I felt like tackling it. It was dripping so fast I had to empty the bucket several times a day (when Bertie had not already knocked it over--he loves water.)

First I went in the basement to see if there was a shut-off in the water line to the sillcock. There was, but someone had stolen the handle to it.

So I turned off the water at the main, down at the bottom of this pipe.

You should be honored to get to see how "special" my basement is, and how up-to-date my pipes are. (Side note--isn't that a great old kitchen table? Someday I'm going to refinish it and bring it back upstairs.)

Getting back to my story: the sillcock continued to drip, even with the main turned off. I did not have a spare handle for the turn-off, and it is not configured for modern handles, anyway. I did not want to take the channellocks to it and mess up the shaft, so replaced the bucket and went to the hardware store to see if I could find a new handle. I wanted to replace the sillcock, too, but couldn't take it off until the shutoff was in place.

The hardware guys at Ace had never seen anything like what my shaft looked like and had no idea how to put a handle on it, because all the modern ones have a square end. They tried to sell me one of those cheapo pot metal ones that has little clamping teeth inside with screws on the outside to engage the teeth with the rod. I have those on my tub and they are crap, so I declined. I bought a kit to fix my kitchen sink faucet, which was also dripping and went to another hardware store, which also is a plumbing store, hoping they had some old stock, because they are, after all, plumbers. I found an old guy and explained my problem. He was sympathetic, but could find nothing to fit my shaft. He suggested I go to the salvage store. I may still do that.

I came back home and fixed the kitchen faucet and put WD 40 on the basement shaft and the nut holding the handle on the sillcock, because I thought I could replace whatever was inside it that wasn't working anymore. I turned on the water and put the bucket back.

Today I turned off the water again and took my channellocks to the shaft. I was running out of options. The WD 40 did it's job and after a while I was able to turn it enough to shut off the water to the sillcock. The nut on the handle of the sillcock also had loosened up enough to remove it--after I spent half an hour looking through my tools for something to remove the nut with. See, my ex bought me a complete cheapo socket set and then lost the most useful size and the tool, so all I have left is a box of unusable sockets. Fortunately I kept his toolbox and raggedy rusty tools, and there was a socket wrench and the right-size socket! --Note to Self--buy a new socket set.--

I got the handle off and the large nut around the shaft and found that the shaft is sealed into the unit and there are no moveable parts to remove. You have to buy a whole new one. This I cannot do because I do not have the tools or the strength to twist the sillcock off the wall. I replaced everything and turned it REALLY HARD and turned the water back on. No dripping. OK, now I have all winter to find a new handle and convince some big burly sort to replace my sillcock.

Bertie is pissed.

Problem Areas

2010-10-25T16:30:00.003-04:00

Here are some problems I have been thinking about for 16 years, but have had the money do do anything about (or found a competent craftsman to help me!). They are all on the least visible side of the house, which is probably why I have not done anything with them yet.

The first pic is of my kitchen windows. When someone decided to modernize the Victorian kitchen with no built-ins they wanted the sink under the window instead of on the common wall with the bathroom (which is to the right in this picture). To do this they chopped the upper window frames in half and added these wonderful pieces of wood and lovely storm windows in the openings. On the inside there is a cabinet with sink and counter. I'm afraid of what is under there after all these years--probably rotten floor boards. The plan is to turn the kitchen back in time to around the 1930's - - - some day. I have the stove and Hoosiers!

All this will take is a competent window craftsman to replicate the upper frame and some inside trim pieces. Of course, the window frames need serious work, too, but I can handle that. I would then have to build storms and install them. I am working on a design that lets me remove the bottom pane and insert screens in summer, but not on the downstairs windows unless I find some nice window pins. Anybody seen any that aren't just big nails?

The following are the basement windows that are just below the kitchen windows above. The frames have been removed and the sills built up with concrete and chintzy metal framed windows put in. The bottom one is really scary--being just two pieces of plexi.

To do this right I would have to have the new sills chiseled off and frames and sash made to match the other windows. There is a lot of water that accumulates here from an adjacent downspout. This used to be a cinder drive between the houses--the other house is not very far away, behind my board fence.

One reason nothing has been done is because the washer/dryer is right there. The plan is/was to move the laundry to the second floor as part of an enlarged bathroom--which has not yet happened. You know how it goes--you have to find the one thing that can be done before all the other things can be done and do it to get the ball rolling or you end up with everything torn up and an unliveable house. I need one working bathroom at all times, so need to get the downstairs one finished first. That is my "first project" and I need a serious kick in the pants to get that room cleared out and get to sanding the walls and then laying the tile floor. (I have had the tiles for years, now.)

Here's what a basement window done correctly looks like. I made a new sill, repaired the stonework, and built a screen.

Disclaimer: The Google AdSense ads that appear on the left for replacement windows are way too numerous for me to block. I do not endorse replacement windows when original windows are repairable. Heck, I never endorse them!

Around the House

2010-10-18T13:59:00.001-04:00

I was without my computer for 4 days last week and had problems for two weeks before that, so I've had to re-learn how to live without that daily routine. Fortunately the weather was just beautiful and cooperated in getting my fall painting done. (Yet again!) It seems I paint the porches and steps every year. It doesn't matter if I undercoat, use oil or latex, sand first, or anything. The winter just peels the paint off every time. That's one of the reasons I have never painted the porch floor you see Tommy sitting on below. It still has its 108 year patina.

This is my under-porch hidey-hole for kitties. (And where raccoons go to die.)

I know those piers look bad, but they are terrible to begin with and I refuse to try to pretty them up. Some idiot replaced the rounded-red-brick-with-granite-cap ones that were there with these abominations many years ago when they painted my brick and foundations.

I'll end this with some photos of the awesomeness that is my house.

Sibley Learns to Play

2010-10-17T17:03:00.001-04:00

Sibley, my formerly feral cat, has now learned how to play interactively with me instead of running away when I flick the snakey toy at him. He comes when he sees me playing with one of his brothers and seems to enjoy it. One more little victory!

Finished Frame

2010-09-26T17:23:00.001-04:00

It's done, but I'm not all that thrilled with it. The clay I used this time shrunk by about 1/2! I have cracks and low spots and it just doesn't look as good as it did when the clay was wet. Live and learn.

I used a new paint, too. Not acrylic, but a gold leaf that I had to mix up and use right away. I thought it would give better coverage and help the new areas to blend it, but to me they still stick out.

Yet Another Frame

2010-09-22T00:25:00.003-04:00

After being excoriated by several people for not having any new posts for a while, I've come up with something. While I have been stripping paint off a mantel, it is not really blog-worthy, so here are some before and during pics of my new old frame.

You can see that is has a significant amount of missing gesso appliques. When I bought it there was a baggie of pieces that had fallen off. When I got home I washed the frame with a toothbrush and water and glued the pieces back on.

I needed an intact corner piece to replace the one that was mostly gone. One of them was almost complete so I made up some of my Amazing Mold Putty and applied it. I also made some casts of trim.

It looks really good. I added the parts that were missing and touched up the missing trim.

It is taking longer to dry than the Paper Clay that I used before. The store was out of Paper Clay so I had to get something else. It is taking longer to dry and I hope it sticks as well. It's called Super Dough.

When this is dry I will seal the clay and paint it.

Catnip Hill Genealogy

2010-09-03T00:26:00.002-04:00

As I am still unemployed I have started a website to promote myself as a Genealogist-For-Hire. Please tell all your friends and relatives about my new service. Here is a link to Catnip Hill Genealogy.

Thank you.

What's Blooming

2010-06-26T01:08:00.002-04:00

Sibley Update

2010-06-26T01:03:00.001-04:00

For the fans of Sibley the (formerly) feral house cat, today he started wearing a collar and name tag like all his brothers. He didn't try to rub it off or protest or hiss. He was a docile gentleman. I'm so proud of him! He still has the glowiest eyes in the family, however.

It's Daylily Time Again

2010-06-20T17:49:00.003-04:00

Here's whats blooming around the yard today.

I decided to try something new, being frustrated by the width of the last template of Hauser Haus. It doesn't have the vintage "feel" of the other template, however, but I did add some wood around the edges.

Late Spring 2010

2010-05-26T15:11:00.002-04:00

I haven't been doing much on the house lately because I'm concentrating on finding a job and selling things on Etsy, but took time out to take some pictures yesterday.

And here's the kitty nest.

Who's home?

Spring 2010 Is Happening!

2010-04-27T00:17:00.002-04:00

Sorry for being incommunicado all winter, but I was busy with my Etsy store and keeping warm, and projects in the basement were just not all that appealing.

This was March 20. You can see yard cleanup has already been happening and the patio swept of its winter detritus. Then boom! More winter.

Unhappy kitties, because the day before they were having a good time outside.

By March 31 we were back on track.

April 12. Two weeks later these are all on the ground.

Today the yard is fragrant with the last of the Golden current bush, the lilacs, and the lilies of the valley. I even saw two iris today.

R I P Loki

2009-12-25T20:53:00.001-05:00

I can't tell you how much I hate writing another post like this, but there isn't any home improvement going on lately to keep me occupied.

Loki, as I wrote previously, was in the habit of taking summer-long "vacations" away from home and yard and living in the next block somewhere. He may have snuck home for food after dark, but I didn't see him this year until just a week before Thanksgiving. He was skinny, going blind, and had no teeth. His fur looked good, though, so he was eating somewhere.

I think he contracted kidney disease over the summer, like several other of my cats had when they got older.

I knew it was just a matter of time before I would be digging another grave. I hoped he would make it until Spring when the ground is soft, but he died this morning just before 4:00 a.m. while I was petting him.

Fuzzy pic of Loki and his brother Tigger when they were kittens.

Loki

1 Oct 1996 - 25 Dec 2009

RIP Lexington

2009-11-29T14:46:00.001-05:00

2008-29 November 2009

Lexy died in his doctor's arms today. He had an internal injury that the doctor couldn't find. Goodbye my curious sweet-natured little boy. I'll miss your funny loud purr every night.

Followup on the Pit Bull Attack

2009-11-28T21:18:00.001-05:00

Lexington is staying at the vet all weekend because he is not doing as well as the vet would like. Dr wants to make sure he is eating well and the shunt is draining and Lexy is getting fluids, etc before he sends him home. That is fine with me. They can care for him much better than I can. Poor little guy.

I went out this morning to take pictures of the fence damage and have come to the conclusion that stupid dog got in my yard and broke the fence trying to get at Lexy (probably after chasing the other cats around first--they were all pretty panicked and ran inside when I was running out) I couldn't hear anything until the growling because I had the door shut.

The screws are only in about 1/2 inch, but it takes a lot of force to do this amount of damage. The attack happened right beside that bush on the terrace. Lexy was undoubtedly outside the fence in front of deranged neighbor's house on the left and tried to get home when he heard the ruckus. I will give these pictures to the Sheriff when he gets here on Monday.

Stupid Neighbors, Stupid Dog

2009-11-28T01:13:00.001-05:00

My cats go outside. Only when I am home and they are called in when it gets dark or is raining. They usually stay inside the fence, but like all cats and children, explore the neighbor's yards cautiously while making their rounds. Lexy likes to sit just outside the driveway gate where he can pop back in through the pickets when he wants to. I think it's cruel to make them stay inside when they don't want to and they are usually pretty good with coming when I call. I have some cats that don't want to go out. That's ok too. I also have one who lives outside most of the time because he pees on all vertical surfaces.

My entire yard has either a 6' board or 4' picket fence to keep out the dogs and children, but if one of them is determined they could still breach the perimeter. Some of the houses on my block have college students who never come outside, so the cats feel safe to explore their yards. Several yards have dogs. Several have kids. I have not had any problems with dogs or kids for a long time.

I heard a commotion outside this afternoon--sounded like cats growling--which I hear a lot because some of my cats are grouchy and like to chase each other around outside--but different somehow. I saw past the driveway gate a ball of yellow and black fur rolling around on the terrace. As I ran toward it I saw that there was a yellow dog fighting one of my black cats. I opened the gate and saw that there was a fence picket laying on the sidewalk so I picked that up and began whacking the dog's butt with it. It finally let go and I saw that it was a pit bull. I chased it to the corner as my cat limped back through the fence. When I got to the corner there was a girl with a leash, who I have seen walking this dog--always on a leash. She was alarmed that I was carrying a picket and I yelled that her dog had just attacked my cat--I'm not getting close to either of them at this point. I wanted to see where the dog went. The girl was getting belligerent as I explained that her dog had badly injured my cat and I was trying to see where she lived. She was not saying she was sorry this happened at ANY point during this confrontation. She was acting like her letting the dog run around outside without a leash was my fault.

Gotta love those stupid pit bull owners. It's never their fault when one of their uncontrollable dogs attacks a pet or a person.

As I was hurrying home to see how badly injured my cat was another cretinous neighbor--the one who gives me the bird every time he sees me and never fails to have a string of cursing ready to throw my way (because I told him when he stopped swearing at me I would start listening to him)--had the nerve to say. "See what happens when you don't keep your *&*&*## cats in your yard" I told him to shut up and kept walking and he kept flinging invectives at me so I stopped and yelled as loud as I could "I LOVE you Zeke and want to have your baby!" His look was priceless and he muttered that I was too stupid for him. I continued to say "But I LOVE you, Zeke" until I was in my own yard.* That's my new tactic for dealing with him. My way of swearing.

Lexy was badly injured and was having trouble walking so I took him into the house and got him in a box with towels and made a vet appointment. They graciously made room for me so I rushed him over. He was covered with dog spit, poor little guy. He crawled into my lap while I was driving.

His exam showed several puncture wounds and a massive rip of his lower belly that fortunately was just through the skin and fat--not touching organs or muscle. His fat tummy was an asset!

The vet called me after surgery and said Lexy was still touch and go but he would check on him later. I had an appointment to keep with a part-time job I have so I went after I got the report. There was nothing on my answering machine when I got home, so I'll assume everything is good for picking him up tomorrow.

I called the police to make a report and they referred me to Animal Control. Of course, their office was closed, so I called the Sheriff. A nice officer took my report and said that he couldn't get out to visit the dog's home until after the weekend, so one good thing is that they will worry all weekend what is going to happen to them. He will call me before he goes there to get an update on my cat.

When I came back from the vet's I noticed that the fence section with the missing picket was torn loose from the posts at both ends. This section had just been repaired 2 months ago, so it was secure. It looks like the stupid dog dragged my cat through the fence as he was trying to get away or something. It's not that easy to rip both sides of a fence loose and take a picket off without a lot of force. I will have to take pictures and repair this before the officer can get out here because a broken fence is an invitation in this neighborhood--especially with irresponsible pet owners around.

Oh, and my unemployment ran out two weeks ago and I have not been informed about any extensions. But I fought off a pit bull today.

*If you have ever looked at http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/ this guy would fit right in. A cadaverously skinny redneck with an Ernhardt hat and shirt and a scuzzy gray ponytail who smokes and drags an oxygen canister around and is lately driving an electric cart. (Not) married to a fat bleached blonde with her own multiple ailments and a foul mouth to match his. I have known this couple for over 15 years and they have always been on some kind of medical assistance and banned from driving. No visible sign of income, and signs plastered all over their doors about their own dangerous dog, and Don't knock on the door, etc. A lovely couple who I am waiting to hear have died, but they never do, though they have come close a few times.

The Birds

2009-11-21T22:36:00.005-05:00

Pretty scary looking, isn't it? There were a lot more of them in the other trees, too, all screeching and pooping. I wore a hat to go out to the compost pile and was glad I did. This was last week when I was trying to do some outside painting while the weather was still in the 50's and not rainy. I had to wash the bird poop off the cellar doors twice before I could paint them, but did get a coat on that's relatively untouched. Got another coat on the front porch, too. Hopefully it will hold up over the winter. The undercoat and oil I put there last fall did not.

Here is the other thing I accomplished, which usually is cut short by snow.

I always pile them in the side yard and they flatten out over the winter. I have been piling them here for 15 years, so it must be pretty good soil by now.

The Cat Came Back!

2009-11-21T22:28:00.001-05:00

Loki came back tonight!

I had written him off last week as deceased over the summer. He has been taking summer vacations from home for the past 4 or so years and showing up again when it gets cold, but this year he was late, so I figured he was dead. He's back, but very bony and he has lost all his teeth. He is, after all, 13 years old, but very independent.

He is destined to be an inside cat now that I see his condition is deteriorating, even though it will be a battle with the other cats, as it always is. That is why he runs away. He is basically timid and the other cats intimidate him and chase him, so he runs to the next block where there must be some source of shelter for him (even though I provide warmth and shelter right here) and sneaks back for food. As there are many animals eating my outside cat food I was not aware he was also eating it.

Loki's sib, Tigger, died last summer. So far he is not eating that wonderful, rarely seen canned cat food I prepared specially for him, though he did lick the can. I hope he is not also sick.

A Pissed-Off Pussy

2009-10-28T16:55:00.001-04:00

Poor little Bertie! On Saturday morning I noticed that his right ear was all swollen like a balloon. Of course I couldn't get to the vet until Monday, so I took him in and the diagnosis was hematoma caused by ear mites. Somehow the mites made his ear fill up with blood.

I had to leave him to have an operation the next day to drain the pocket and quilt his ear back together. That's right. Quilt his ear back together. He ended up staying two nights and I just went and got him. He is having quite a problem navigating. He wants to travel close to the walls and objects instead of just going down the middle and keeps bumping into things. I think they fastened the cone too narrow and want to widen it out a bit so he can eat and see and not be all squished in there, but he won't let me do it right now. It's held together with duct tape, so will be quite the project.

I have a couple kitties traumatized under the bed right now because they saw this monster in their kitchen. Sibley is acting quite courageous and stalking Bertie to get a good sniff. Three of the kitties have not seen him yet, so there will be more drama later. I took the hood off one of the litter boxes so he can use it, but that may prove to be the most attractive box in the house. (Not in the pretty sense.)

I have to take him back in two weeks to get the stitches out and he has to wear the collar the whole time. We'll see. His poor little ear is covered by pink sutures.