butterflybabe, I know what you mean about uppity contractors. We just bought a new dishwasher and the installer called to make an appointment today. The man was insufferably arrogant and patronizing, so much so that I told Home Depot to find me someone else for the install.

T.G.I.F. good afternoon on and all

Time for a different handyman ButterFlyBabe

Have a great weekend

college football and chores.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts, and Bagels in the Break Room. Dinner and Trivia with friends at the Goldenrod Eagles Club tonight. Shopping this morning is on the agenda.

Good morning everyone

Folgers Breakfast Blend coffee and bottled Fiji water in the Break Room.

The weekend has arrived and it will keep me busy ... take care all!

Good for you, hagatha!

I still have a hard time talking back to someone who'se being nasty/disrespectful. My dad was like that and I soon learned it wasn't worth challenging him, the result was worse than letting it go. But now that I'm retired and don't have to 'report' or 'be nice' to anyone (so to speak), my therapist has been working to help me recognize when I could have done different, and how to act, not react with it. Only recently was I finally able to recognize and talk turkey with her about that kind of thing. It's still not really natural for me, but I'm working to understand and accept my limits. Some 'scary' things I just accept without chiding myself. Others I recognize what to do right away, or figure it out sooner than I used to.

Good news! Finally order my window treatments today No surprise that I couldn't get exactly what I originally ordered several months ago, but close enough to it. I used to be a regular customer (JC Penny) years ago. To make todays transaction easier (yes appease the kind, helpful sales clerk), I applied then made the purchase via their credit card. Between a half off sale and percentage off from credit card, saved about $800. I still have to find curtain rods for two window cause they are too narrow for what the store offers. Also have to decide what to do about kitchen since I don't want what is considered 'typical' and the window is too short for much of anything else out there. Product choices and limitations have changed so much. But at least something is coming to enhance that one area in my home that has been bugging the out of me.

Later

butterflybabe, when I first started my job as a condominium property agent, I had to learn FAST about standing my ground in a test of wills, since for the first time I had a staff of male resident managers to keep in line as well as a dozen condominium boards. Some of those caretakers were older men and had definite ideas about taking orders from a skinny woman in a business suit.

The way I did it was to put on a different personality, someone who was afraid of no-one. That person ran the monthly board meetings and the employee discipline, and the annual condominium General Meetings. She was one tough cookie and took no guff from anyone. I just let her take over when she was needed. And then I'd heave a sigh of relief when I got back to my car to go home.



That huge west-coast storm is affecting us all the way up here, too. Today it's just rain, but apparently tomorrow it's going to get wild.

pro nfl football and chores.

I could use some cat advice.

We've put in our names to adopt another cat from the SPCA.

Our Willow doesn't get nearly enough attention from us because of the medical situation around here, and she's always been friendly to other cats (and eve dogs) when she's seen them on one of her walks. We've applied to adopt a nine-year old male cat whose owners have had to surrender him because their new landlord won't accept pets. The Dude needs a home and we want him. He has successfully lived with another cat, so he seems ideal, but of course we have to make sure the introduction goes well from the start.

I've read and watched all of the SPCA literature about introducing a new cat but I was wondering if anyone else has a few pointers. I want it to go well.

Cats are tricky. If there is any way to let them see each other without being able to interact right away, you can let them get used to each other. Sometimes a baby gate works well. Even if they have a tiff or two, they may be able to figure out the pecking order pretty quickly. What a great idea, by the way!

I have to go out tomorrow and get a second litter box and a scratching post anyway, so I guess I could get a gate. Willow is a very determined cat, though. She is not easily discouraged when she wants something. A closed door is a challenge, not a barrier.

I think it might be easier for the new cat and me to sleep in one room, with the litter box in the attached bathroom. He could live in there and we could slowly introduce them through a crack, like the SPCA video suggests. I could put the baby gate across the bedroom door a couple of times a day and see how they do through it.

John seemed leery about this at first but once he saw the picture and read the description all of a sudden he was very keen on adopting "The Dudemeister."

Of course all of this is moot if The Dude (his name -- presumably from The Big Lebowski?) is already taken or if they decide we aren't the right people.

Congrats to you hagatha. I hope you get him!

One female cat we brought in, we were able to keep distance the way Draclvr suggested due to a door with glass panels but that was mostly because she was scared.

One male I took from a co-worker friends step daughter when she was moving out of state was just left in his open taxi until he was comfortable coming out. The male cat that I had at the time got under the covers with me when I went to bed and he was trembling next to my legs. I felt really bad for him but when the newcomer stood up against the bed and peaked over, I couldn't help but bust out laughing. They just worked things out by themselves in the end. Same with when we brought these other 4 in.

In the end though, I still feel guilty sometimes about bringing all those other cats in on him.

We were posting at the same time. If it was me, I would give more attention to the existing cat than the new one so she knows you're not replacing her.

Well, my girl has made friends with other animals, when she was younger.

The first one was a Westie who got walked at a particular time in our old condo complex. She would wait by the road for the dog, and then they would touch noses and sit together. The other was a male cat that lived next door to our friend's house in Vancouver. We were there for six weeks for John's chemo, and every day when I walked our Willow he would come over and the two of them would hang out, play the best they could , considering that she was leashed, and generally enjoyed each other's company. I hope she hasn't changed too much in the intervening years.

A good Sunday morning one and all: croissants fresh from the oven this morning with blackcurrant and sloe gin jam plus strong fresh coffee of course.

I agree with Drac: cats are very territorial so that separate space at first is often a must, although hopefully they will eventually at least tolerate each other rather than killing each other and/or leaving home!

We have had up to five co-existing successfully in a fairly small house, but they had mostly been introduced as kittens which may have helped: however I remember one kitten which we had to keep separate from a one year old for a couple of weeks for fear of it being seriously attacked.

I suspect that mixing males may be more of a challenge than mixing females, but my experience on that front was limited to a pair of male kittens from the same litter who got along fine.

Good luck...

Good morning, Danish, Donuts, and Bagels in the Break Room. Breakfast out this morning. Hagatha, good luck with your new cat I love the name.

Good morning everyone ... I see we are set today in the Break Room with treats and drink

Hope you get your kitty Hagatha

Have a great day everyone

I suspect that the Dude is ours.

He'd only been up for adoption for 12 hours when I saw the listing, so we were first in line anyway.

Even though the SPCA is closed until Tuesday, I got a call today and talked with the woman at the shelter for a good half hour. Dude is apparently very sweet, not the boldest of cats, and is definitely not an Alpha. Perfect.

The SPCA are very thorough. Apparently we're still in their records from when we lived in West Vancouver, which is when we adopted our Willow. They have her adoption on record, and the picture that we sent them a week after we got her.

We're both very excited to meet the Dude.

Hope the link works:

https://adopt.spca.bc.ca/pets/242443/?from_search=true

It works hagatha. Good luck to you. I hope his transition goes smoothly!

Dude looks like a wonderful cat.

Dude looks like quite the fellow

Dude looks like a Maine Coon. I highly recommend that cat breed. I have a Maine Coon at present and he is terrific, with many endearing qualities and a great personality.

hagatha, Dude is a real handsome cat!

court shows and even perry mason, and chores, starting with perry mason, america court with judge kevin ross, the people court, judge greg mathis, justice with judge mablean ,the verdict with judge hatchett, judge judy. and chore. for tomorrow, after carrie underwood sang, colts vs 49ers.

Oh, my! The Dudemeister is SO gorgeous! I always love a good tabby. When will you get to meet him?

I also think he's a Maine Coon. He has that look. We meet him on Tuesday at noon, when the shelter opens. I'll pick up some stuff tomorrow -- an extra litter box and a heated bed and a scratching post.

I feel so awful for his previous people, though. They couldn't find a rental that allows pets. I can't imagine having to give up a loved pet that way.