Monthly Archives: December 2019

December 16, 2019 · 12:00 pm

The Abby Chronicles–Looking Out for My Human

abby-ready-to-write

Here I am, ready to write my story!

Chapter XIII

Saturday the younger human came home from work tired. She was so tired she almost fell asleep before supper.

After supper she went into the living room, gathered up some blankets and laid down on the couch. She put the blankets on and I plopped down across her legs, thinking, “Oh, how nice. We can go to sleep.” Instead the human opened the book she brought with her. I thought, “What! She’s going to read when she needs to sleep!” Walking up to the book, I placed my paw down on the book, moving the page away from my human’s face. She said, “Oh, Abby!” and started reading again. I put my paw down on the book again. This time she got the message, and put the book on the nearby coffee table.

To prevent her from reading anymore, I laid down on my human so my back was up against her throat, thus making it difficult for her to reach the book. I started purring. A short time later I heard her snoring. I smiled as I fell asleep. I’d done my job; my human was getting the sleep she needed.

I include this chapter in my Chronicles because the humans we felines live with occasionally need our help to help themselves. Cats have no problem with realizing when we need to rest and recharge. Humans seem unwilling to admit they need to rest. They want to get more done. What I’ve found out though, is that humans don’t get much more done; they get grouchy instead. So we cats help ourselves and the humans when we help the humans rest.

Abby

P. Booher, secretary

 

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December 4, 2019 · 9:05 pm

Ideas for Giving Gifts

paper bags near wall

Photo by freestocks.org on Pexels.com

Author’s Note: Most of this is a re-post from last year. Hope it proves useful to someone needing suggestions for gift-giving.

While these suggestions are not original with me, they are on a different track from the usual ideas. They do cost you in time/money, but you can easily adapt them to your resources. (Please note: these ideas work best if you are familiar with the recipient’s age, circumstances, and likes/dislikes.)

  1. Is the recipient someone who may not drive or someone “who has everything” and you’re stumped on what to buy him or her? If you are close enough to the person to know what brands of everyday products the person uses–facial soap, body washes, facial tissue, for example–buy some in bulk and wrap the items. Let your creativity come into play as you wrap the items. Some years ago I came upon this idea for gifts for my mother. It made such a hit with her that this is my “go-to” idea for Christmas and her birthday. I buy products in the brands she uses and put them in a basket. I hide gift certificates to restaurants or stores among the items. Depending on the time/energy level I have, I either wrap each item or just wrap the basket. My mother enjoys opening her customized gift basket and finding each item hidden among the tissue paper. True, “everyday stuff” isn’t glitzy. But you know the recipient is going to use it. If the person comes into a situation where money is tight, the person will appreciate those everyday things even more!
  2. Give the gift of time. If the recipient needs a certain project done and you have the skill and the means to do it, schedule a time to do whatever the person needs–then make sure you do it. Your time is worth as much or more than the money you would spend on a gift for the person. You may be surprised how appreciative the person is!
  3. As an offshoot to the above idea, if the person expresses a desire to learn a skill you know how to do, gift the person the skill! Get together and show the recipient how to do it. Again, you may be surprised at how much the person appreciates it.

Happy gift-giving!

©P. Booher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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December 4, 2019 · 7:34 pm

Low-tech Car Care Tips for Winter

photography of red classic car

Photo by Mikey Dabro on Pexels.com

With winter weather here for people living in the Northern Hemisphere, the cold and snow bring challenges in everyday living, especially for those of us who don’t have garages.

Here are a couple car- care tips to make life a little easier these cold mornings for those whose vehicles stay outside:

1. If possible, park your car so the engine faces the morning sun. Even in very cold weather the sun warms the engine, making it easier to start. This tip came from a co-worker of my mother.

2. Many newer cars have a more aerodynamic design. For instance, the doors of my car are even with the body. There’s no overhang to protect the door seals from the elements. That presents a problem in winter when a storm hits: depending on the direction the snow or ice comes, the car doors freeze shut even though unlocked.

For awhile I sprayed cooking spray on the seals. Then a co-worker told me cooking spray deteriorates over time and draws moisture. He suggested buying a can of silicone spray from the auto parts store and applying that to the seals. While the silicone spray costs more than the cooking spray, it lubricates the seals better without breaking down. This is a case where spending a little bit more is worth it!

3. This next tip isn’t for the car, but for animals that may be around the car: Bang the hood with a broom–make some noise– before starting the car. Cats are known to climb up around the car’s engine, seeking warmth, bringing death to themselves, and costly damage to the engine. Taking a few extra seconds to warn any cat will save the cat and your engine.

4. This tip may help those who drive light-weight vehicles: put some weight in the back. I drive a light-weight front-wheel-drive car. Come winter, I throw a 20 or 25-pound sack of cheap kitty litter in the trunk. This “old-school” trick I picked up from my dad, who routinely put extra weight in the bed of his two-wheel-drive pickup in the winter.

©P. Booher

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Simple Ways to Handle Everyday Problems, Tips to Manage Stress

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