June TBR

Hello, my lovelies!

Well. This feels a bit strange. I haven’t ‘blogged’ in so long that this feels a little weird 😉

I’m running a little bit behind this month, but I thought I’d take a moment to put up my June TBR. After May was a complete disaster on the reading front, Audible has been a great way to ease back into picking up books. I caved and bought the Kindle editions of Swamp Sniper and Swamp Team 3 by Jana DeLeon. These are books 3 and 4 respectively, and I am having so much fun with this light-hearted series. Full of comedy, murder, mystery, and a dash of Southern charm, I would recommend this series to anyone, but if you love Stephanie Plum I think this will appeal to you.

So, with my urge to read kickstarted, I am hoping to get to a few of the books that I neglected in May. I need to catch up on my #aclassicamonth by reading The Picture of Dorian Gray (April), Persuasion (May), and June’s classic which has yet to be decided. On the Stephen King front, I’m hoping to read Different Seasons, or at least one or two of the novellas, plus perhaps dipping my toes into The Talisman. The Rook by Daniel O’Malley - which hid from me for about 6 weeks, don’t ask - is also on my radar because of the upcoming Stan series, and last, but by no means least, I really need to get started on The Count of Monte Cristo. That sucker is over 1,400 pages and I have yet to read one sentence (really wishing I had joined in last years readalong).

 

So, I have officially committed. It is here for everyone to see, and will hopefully motivate me to get threw all these books.  If I get the time to film and edit a TBR video I’ll link it above, and I have plans to film and upload a few videos this week, including a ‘Meet Earl Grey’ update.

Anyway, that’s all for the moment. I hope you’re having a lovely day, and until I see you next time,

So, this (almost) happened

Yep, I nearly brought home the most gorgeous Alaskan Malamute.

Sadly, she was more than I could handle at the moment (with my health issues), so I decided it wouldn't be fair to her to adopt her.  However, I did find out that if she isn't adopted, she will be going to live with someone from an Alaskan Malamute Rescue group that will rehome this gorgeous old girl.

Instead, I came home with a new cat... my fourth cat!

He's a little hyper at the moment, so I'm going to wait a few days for him to calm down before trying to photograph and get some footage of him.  All I can say is that he is a gorgeous black fluffy cat that has fit in so quickly with the other three.

Let me know if you'd like me to do a video on my cats below.  And until I see you guys next time,

 

New addition to the family

Last Saturday RSPCA QLD was having a $50 adoption weekend for all adult cats and dogs.  Great!  I have been interested in getting a dog for a while now, and living in the country I would just feel a little bit more secure with a dog in the yard.  So I went on Saturday morning, waited 10 minutes until they opened - with about 6 other people - and when the gates opened I was off to the dog section.  Saw some lovely animals (they only had 4 on display), and only one of those was a contender.  A beautiful, shy girl who had a slight malformation of the jaw (which didn't bother me as long as she was healthy) but unfortunately she was way too big for me to feed!  

So, discouraged, I swung past the cat cage as I was leaving - and you just know what happened next!

Yes, I found another furry friend to bring home.  Smokey was just so sweet and desperate to be patted.  If I went out of his sight he meowed, and when I opened his cage he almost jumped into my arms and snuggled his head under my chin.  The big mooch knew exactly what to do to worm his way into my affections.

  

I paid my $50 and brought him home only to face my next obstacles. . . Evie Nyxx and the Kinder.  How the hell was I going to introduce this smoochy man to two female adult cats (who have a tight bond!) without WWIII breaking out every few minutes?  Thank God I have a spare bedroom, because that is where he spent the majority of the first 4-5 days.  I'd sit with him for chunks of time, bring him out for limited cuddling on the couch, and also take him in for quick visits with the girls.  It's now day 7 and he is finally able to wander around the house all day without being snarled at.

Evie Nyxx and Kinder have been very good.  They are still a little hesitant of his place in the social hierarchy, but I expect that squabble to come over the next couple of days, perhaps weeks.  I'm keeping a close eye on things at the moment because when I got Smokey (perhaps a future name change to Shadow?) he was only just over 2.5kg and is quite a skinny and wobbly little man.  I think over the next few weeks he'll put on a few kg's (at least another 2) and I'll feel better about him being able to defend himself if needed.  At the moment the girls would totally flatten him.

As you can see, he has interesting colouring.  The papers say he's a Black Smoke Tabby.  I'd never heard of that so of course I Googled it.  Apparently it is not a common colouring, but when you see his marking, in person so to speak, they are quite subtle and it takes a while for your eyes to make out the stripes on his body.  Easier on his tail and legs, but when he's put on more weight, and the fur regrows on his front leg (shaved for his op - snip, snip!) I'll try to take some better photo's of him.  Like Kinder, he has a knack for moving his head right as I take the picture.  Frustrating, but feels pretty good when I finally get a picture of them sitting still enough to be in focus ;-D

With a new cat in the house I haven't had much time for reading.  I've picked up the new paperback of End of Watch by Stephen King, and have ordered a few more books that I found on special while perusing Book Depository.  Hopefully they will arrive by the end of next week.  Luckily the new boy is a huge smoochy snuggler so I can get some cuddles while I rug up on the couch to read this winter.  Unfortunately, so is Evie Nyxx.  If there is to be a battle, I think who sleeps on the bed, or couch, next to me might be it!

Will let you know how it goes.  And until next time,

 

Cat's meow

Trying to take a photo of a cat that can't seem to stay still is a pain in the butt!  However, I did manage to snap this one a little while ago.  This is the first time I've seen it since I took it, and I just had to share it as I may never get her to sit still again ;-D

Hard at work

Life's tough, when your a cat ;-D

Little Menace

I did mention that the new addition to the house was lovely... didn't I?  Well, after what she's gotten up to in the last 24 hours I'm prepared to make her an outside cat!

My darling Eve has not only figured out how to open up the cutlery draw - so she can crawl through to the space behind and play in said space - but, has also figure out that she can open cupboards as well as the sliding wardrobe door.  Oh, and she's also discovered that if she jumps on the kitchen counter, she can then play with the ferns, nibbling at them.  Oh GOD, she just doesn't stop!

I have yet to catch her on camera - the little dickens moves like grease lightning - but I can tell you the crashes and bangs throughout the day, and night, aren't funny!  Then she does something cute, like crash in your arms like a worn out child, with that sweet little face turned up towards you.  Darn it ;-D

New addition to home

Wow, it has been a long time between posts!  My bad, however I've been so caught up with everyday life that I haven't even opened my laptop for the last two weeks!

One of my reasons has been a half grown cat who doesn't seem to realise that she should be sleeping for about 20 hours a day!  She just doesn't quit!  But she makes up for her inexhaustible reserves of energy by being a loving and sweet natured little darling... and she's absolutely gorgeous to boot ;-D

So I've had to deal with an older cat who's got her tail in a tizz at the presence of the interloper.  They're worse than kids!  Wish me luck - I haven't slept completely through the night for the last two weeks!  Will get back to my reading once pussycat tensions die down.

Misplaced photo's

I recently found a number of digital photo's that I'd taken ages ago (and forgotten about . . . oops!).

Seeking go hide, go hiding go seeking.
I'm seeking for you, your hiding from me.

Beautiful Day Lily in back yard

Cutest little bee

St. Andrews Cross spider catching her dinner

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