A Bird in the Hand

Before I go babbling on about less important things, it's time to announce the winner of the Celebration Giveaway. Mr. Random Number Generator has spoken and the winner is:

#81--MoniqueB!

Congratulations, MoniqueB! I've sent you an email, so check your inbox.

Here's what's been going on at the Three Cats Ranch. As I've already said, the Quiltmaker's Garden section is taking far longer than anticipated, but I'm down to the last bird. Yesterday, I completed the bluejay block:

Miraculously, things matched up pretty well, even if it is a little lumpy. It took several hours to make, and things were flying along (pun totally intended) until I came to this instruction.

Template!!!!! I think I've made it pretty clear how unhappy the pattern has made me with all of its paper-piecing, but now they want me to use a stinking template! Whaaaaaaaaaaaa! Somebody call the whambulance!

And then, I had a sudden panic attack when I wasn't sure I'd even saved the template after tearing the section out of the magazine for future use. Phew! There it was along with the paper-piecing templates. 

So...I'm starting to think that perhaps the Quiltmaker's Garden quilt pattern has it in for me. If I didn't know better, I'd start thinking someone read all the whining on my blog and said, "I know...let's create a pattern just for her...one that'll bring her to its knees with its tedium." And if that's the case, mission accomplished.

Today's final task for Section 3 will be to make the cardinal block, which looks pretty much like the bluejay block, only in reverse and in red. 

Hopefully, I won't encounter any more ugly surprises, but you never know.

Today it's Mr. Smitty's turn to have a bad day. He has a vet appointment in just a few hours. 

He's just going in for his annual check-up and his vaccines. Also...worming. It's not a sure thing that he has worms, but given the number of rodents he consumes, it's a pretty good bet. We just worm him each year to avoid any unpleasant surprises in the litter box. He's been such a good boy too. He seems to have given up the chase where Maggie is concerned. This morning he sat on his kitty tree listening to her consume his kitty treats, and didn't move a muscle. She's boring him at this point.

As for Miss Maggie...she's turned all badass. Now the challenge is to get her to stop grrrrring every time she lays eyes on Smitty. You can't expect Smitty to behave like a gentleman with this interloper spitting curse words at him all the time.

For now, he's holding his own tongue. This morning's activities were encouraging if only because they were able to stay in the same room together. There was no backtalking, but plenty of glaring.

Just as I was writing those words, I heard the distinctive sound of yowling, fluffed up tails, and raised back furs. When I went downstairs, I found Maggie on the top rung of the three-tiered kitty tree. By rights, that has always been Smitty's exclusive domain. He was good though. He was on the floor, and Maggie was the one all fired up. I picked her up and sent her to her room to think things over, then lifted Smitty up to his rightful position on the throne. He was incensed, but uttered no curse words. I think the cat is figuring things out. Now to work on that little streetwalker cat, who's entirely too tough for her own good.

Today I'll get to work on the cardinal, and I have just a little housework to do after Smitty's vet appointment. Tomorrow morning I have my own vet, er, doctor appointment for my own annual physical. Today I must drink lots of water so my veins are nice a plump for a blood draw. My veins are tiny little things in my old age, but lots of water helps. I only tell you this to remind myself. Drink, drink, drink...and make mine water, please.