Monday Things.....

Every Monday morning, Louis Dean and I clip the claws of our kittens.

How long are they kittens and when do we start calling them cats??

This is a routine thing that you would THINK they would be used to by now.

We've been doing this from Week One.

Samantha is no problem.

We give treats before and after and she's fine with that.

Tabitha, on the other hand, acts like this is something that she has never encountered before and wants no part of it! That's not going to happen!

Back long ago, it was the custom to declaw house cats on their front paws.

Once we took a rescue cat - our beloved Magenta who was a blue eyed white haired senior cat and we did so love her. She drank her water from wine glasses! But her previous owners had her completely declawed. She had NO way of defending herself. We watched over her to make sure she didn't get out but as she aged more, she would spend some time with us in the evening in the gazebo.

She loved it there.

Back to Tabitha! Once the clipping was done - she absolutely refused to take treats from Louis Dean's hand! He was stubborn but so was she and I played the mom card and he had to let her go.

Although Tabitha steadfastly refused - Samantha had no problem coming over and scarfing up any treat she could get!

Both of these kittens are sweet but they have totally different personalities.

Just like us!

Once Tabitha was released - I tossed some treats her way and she gobbled them up!

Once we had done our kitty chore and drank our coffee and read our Bible and did our reading.....

Louis Dean and I drove to Waco to do errands.

I needed cash money to pay the mechanic and he needed fence hardware.

We made an extra stop at Salvation Army where he found the perfect chair for the front room for when he plays the guitar!

I am happy to say it was a pleasure to do business with Ronnie!

The AC is repaired and as good as new!

YES!!

Once home, Louis Dean started work on his fence poles.

No idea what he's doing because I thought he already HAD the fence up!

Must be tweaking things.

I bought a rotisserie chicken at HEB when we came down on Friday.

It has served us several meals.

First was chicken and bread!

Next was a chef's salad with chicken.

Then a chicken and cheese snack with wine.

Plus I nibbled away at more than my fair share from time to time.

Finally, tonight I cooked up the carcass with herbs and such, deboned it (the cats - or kittens - LOVED the extra treat I gave them!) and made chicken and dumplings.

It is a favorite of Louis Dean's!

Sherry brought down some cornbread tonight and he was so happy.

He's like a baby and if he wakes up hungry, he can't go back to sleep.

Cornbread and milk is the perfect middle of the night snack!

Bless Sherry's heart for thinking about him!

I have been struggling over the Santa couple paintings!

I do not remember a Santa that has been this hard for me!

And I have painted dozens and dozens over the years!

I worked on them last night and then scrubbed them off this evening and worked on them some more.

I think I am nearly there and I am so excited!

I laid out the sketches and canvasses for six new paintings tonight!

Two of one and two of another and then two different ones.

More Santas but I think these will be a piece of cake plus a honey bee painting and a canvas for Brenda's birthday!

I'm still hoping to get in a full 24 hours without leaving the ranch before we go home.

So far every day has been busy! Which is not a bad thing!

The kittens have games they play when inside the camper and others for when they are in the front room. We are so happy to have these sweet things around! We love watching them together and we hope they bond with us before too long. They are SO bonded to each other!

Samantha already has. Tabitha is a little more aloof.

Personalities! We all have them!