This is the Life, Man

Ya see, Mom got me this cool new bed after feeling sorry to see me just laying on top the table on my flannel blanket. Now, it’s all marked up with my fur and I’m diggin’ it pretty good! Especially since the sun comes in and warms me up much of the day. Mom says that’s about all California is good for, is the wonderful weather. But I did hear her tell Dad that she likes this place much better than shitty southern California and that this camp is nice and there’s lots of shopping. I don’t like it when she goes shopping though, as I get something she calls “separation anxiety” when she’s away. Sometimes that makes me feel like shredding things like Kleenex and bags all over the floor. Heck, all I know is that when she returns I sure have to let her know how much I missed her!

We’ve been in this new spot for a few weeks in the foothills above Sacramento and I concur, from my point of view, it’s the best place they’ve landed me in since I was just a little tyke. Since the campground isn’t full, there are lots of empty spaces full of grass (and tables for perching) where Mom walks me twice a day. And boy, you should see all the birds! Holy cow, I get to spend so much time getting down my stalking techniques. And you should see how fast I can run up all the oak trees around here! I’d really show her how high I could go if she didn’t always have that stupid rope thing tying me back.

There are even pigeons that lose feathers and Mom lets me play with them until I get too carried away trying to eat the tasteless things. But I figure any part of a bird is good enough!

The best thing happened the other day when we found a dead mountain bluebird just laying there like it was meant for me to find. Now I really know how fun they are to play with and I’d sure like to get me one of them live ones. Mom says I had better enjoy all these trees and grass good because we are leaving soon and then we’ll be back home. That place has a few birds that I get to watch but every time I try and climb the tree out front it has these stickery things which poke my feet but good. Yeah, this has pretty much been kitty heaven—after my new bed of course!

Time's a Flying

We’ve enjoyed a great break in Yuma after getting out of southern California. We had a nice Christmas with a yummy food get together at neighbor Bill & Rosemary’s and then Marc smoked our Christmas bird on the 24^th. On Christmas we took it and the rest of Christmas dinner around to a couple of my former seniors who were spending it alone and unable to cook. They were greatly appreciative; we had a very nice time visiting, and it gave good meaning to the true spirit of the holiday.  

New Years was quiet while Marc continued to work on his main project of a canning marathon lasting day and days. I think he did up eight turkeys and stock, plus a couple of pork butts; all of it now happily within the bowels of the RV for future easy dinners as we travel and work.

We got lucky and snared a fabulous bread recipe sent to us by my best friend Paulette and we’re getting the knack of no-knead bread which is easy peasy as pie! It is fabulous; so far we’ve done rosemary, lemon zest with cheddar, and just finished a Kalamata olive with roasted garlic loaf. This stuff is so simple even I can make it; it just sits around for 12 hours and then you bake it in a covered Dutch oven. Doesn’t it look delicious and hearty?

We’re on the countdown to leave here on Wednesday heading to Folsom, CA for Marc’s next project. He has worked so hard and such long hours that the last project ended up with him developing plantar fasciitis in his foot and it has been extremely painful for him to get around. For awhile he was even on crutches! We’re not sure how this will go since once he starts the project there won’t be any breaks for three weeks. At least we’re in a preferred location of northern California this time where we have quite a few friends so it shouldn’t be so boring for us.