Tribute

 You all know how I feel about sharing my space here, but I'll allow this one out of the kindness of my big ol' lumpy heart. We just passed four years since Miss Cleopatra went to the bridge, and, much like with mom & dad's crusty old pal orbit, her passing left them with huge holes in their hearts. As you all know, it takes beyond forever to get over losing us. We make you laugh, we make you cry, we frustrate you, and confuse you with our occasional weird antics and behavior. You're forced to clean up after us, keep us healthy & fed and generally allow us to be the bosses of your lives. And we're okay with that. 

One Beautiful Angel

To mom and dad's surprise, last night's fireworks didn't bother me too much. They went out on the deck to see what they could once the booms started, and I lounged on the floor just inside the storm door. Sure, the noise got my attention, but I didn't go slinking off to hide under the bed like I do when I hear thunder. 

A Stunning Beauty, in Black & White

Fashion? What?

 Much to my chagrin, dad has made the executive decision to continue in a non-Smudge vein. He's promised that our next post will feature ME exclusively, so I guess I'll let him have his way. So this one's about fashion (cue the yawns/laughter/whatever). Dad likes to wear shorts all summer. He's even allowed to wear them at work every day. Shorts are cool and comfortable. Shorts allow greater movement and airflow. Shorts can be long or short and can be found in a variety of colors and patterns. Below you'll see some very fine examples of shorts as modeled by- who else- Dad. Please be patient and just know that our next post will absolutely, positively feature me and only me. 

Black Mountain

Mural on the side of a building downtown

 Black Mountain is a beautiful old town with a bustling, artsy, laid-back downtown. There's a weekly tailgate market, arts & crafts and plant sales, a variety of music venues and a couple of breweries. Dad says it's kinda like a micro-mini Asheville, and he and mom have already wandered around down there several times since we settled in. It's very walkable and friendly, and there are tons of spots where you can stand in place and turn 360 degrees and see beautiful blue-green mountains in nearly every direction. Of course, hiking has been at the top of their to-do list, and except for the first weekend we were here (cleaning, unpacking, setting up house, etc.), mom and dad have been at it every weekend. Starting slow, short, and close by since it's been a while and they're a bit out of practice, they've discovered several decent hikes around the Montreat Conference Center, right up the road. This past weekend, they tackled Catawba Falls Trail in Old Fort, where a loop takes you up to the stunning Catawba Falls and back. 

Trail Information

Teenie tiny mom admiring the Upper Falls

View from the trail

And another

There's still quite a bit of ongoing construction to repair damage from Helene, and there is a portion with steps that, according to trail information, is equivalent to climbing a 30-story building. 

Lower Falls and a small portion of the steps

Mom and dad did the loop clockwise so the steps were on the downside, and they claim that they'll do it counterclockwise once they're in better shape so they can show those steps who's boss. 

More steps

And still more steps

They returned hot, tired, and ready to put their feet up, until mom read about the Asheville VeganFest. So off they went, and by the time they returned from checking that out, their stinky feet clocked over 9 miles for the day. They're plotting their next hike for this weekend, and I can see that despite returning home exhausted, they're beyond thrilled to be back in NC.

Phew!

Hi everybody. Yeah, been a while. You know, I love me a good road trip and all, but, damn, what a whirlwind month it's been. 

I knew something was coming up by the way mom and dad were getting rid of a bunch of crap and stressing out a bit.

Mom and dad praised me for being such a good copilot, at least once I was let out of my stupid carrier. Oh, how I groaned and croaked and bellyached while zipped into the damn thing. We were on the road for 5 to 7 hours, dad and I up front and mom in the car behind us.

Dad's girls, zonked out, hotel #1

We hit the road again for day two of our little journey, another 5 to 7 hours, depending on how much a certain two humans had to pee and stretch and stuff.

The ride wasn't too bad, but it was patience-testing at times for sure.

Our destination wasn't gonna be ready for a couple of days, so...

I took up MY spot. Period. End of discussion.

Dad's side of the bed, riiight

You guessed it- dad's side again

Yep, same. Find the kitty...

Sooooo, here we are, in the little town of Black Mountain, North Carolina. We're an easy 20-minute drive east of Asheville, and mom and dad both said they hadn't realized how much they missed it down here. Pennsylvania just wasn't for us, and as far as dad's job goes, he says what he'll miss most is this big ol' goofnut.

Dad's last day with the big pooch

Sure, the sliders were cool. The front door screen was nice, but almost 3 years in Pennsylvania was about, oh, almost 3 years more than we'd care to have done. Everything down here's more enjoyable- the mountains, the humans, the air, the humans, the lifestyle, the humans- you name it. I can go out on our deck-supervised for now, of course- and I get to do this, too. We're up on the second floor, so my view's awesome.

So, yeah, we moved AGAIN. Dad hated the thought of finishing out his working years (he claims he's got a good 8 or 10 more in him) at a job he grew increasingly miserable at in a place where they were unhappy living. They've both said that, of everywhere they've lived, they've always felt western North Carolina was home, and I've already sensed changes in them. Dad landed a job in Old Fort, about 15 minutes further east from here, and they're slowly re-familiarizing themselves with the Asheville area. Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, where mom and dad first fell in love with Yours Truly, is in the process of renovating a new location since the one I came from was devastated during Hurricane Helene, and we can't wait to see the new place. 

It's been a crazy few weeks and we're not yet 100% settled, but we're getting there. Mom and dad have already gotten in a decent hike & some good walks and are gradually checking out all of their favorite places in & around Asheville. I think they're still trying to catch their breath, rest their bones and settle down, but long story short-

It's good to be home.

Time Flies

 Hey folks, been a bit busy here lately. Dad said to let you all know we're gonna be on another brief hiatus (I asked him what the hell he thinks it's been since our last post and he just growled at me and gave me a scarier stink eye than I typically give him so I quietly walked away). I've been missing all my furriends here, but I'm not getting any solid answers from anybody. Soooooo I'm just gonna lie here on the floor on my blue blanket while mom does some deep cleaning.

That's all I got for now, folks. Bye.

Breezes, Birthdays & Blankets

 It's about time we're able to open up the windows and get some fresh air, am I right? We've had some gloriously warm days lately, and mom and dad have been able to get out in the warmth and sun, too. They took mom's birthday off this past week and had a nice relaxing day. They had an awesome breakfast at Aurora Bistro up the road from us. They went for a couple of drinks downtown at Fran's Pub , then made their way up the Delaware River to Dilly's at Centre Bridge, where they got soft serve, something mom's been jonesing for.  Me, I'm just glad be able to do this again.

That's my butt, to the right of the drape. Mom made fun of me recently because I did something, well, cat. As you know, I like lying on their bed when the mood strikes. Mom spread a blue blanket out for me to lounge on and as you can see, I took full advantage of said blue blanket.

Whatever. I hope you're getting to enjoy some nice warm days and not still-uncomfortably-chilly nights. Dad's gonna be mutt-sitting AGAIN all this coming week. Maybe I can get mom to have a girl's night with me or something. Later, all.

Nothing Much and Royalty, NOT

  Been kinda quiet around here these days (translated: dad's got no imagination). Cabin fever finally got the best of mom, so she pulled the plastic down from all the windows. We actually had a decent day or two this past week, and the sun and fresh air were a joy. Mom's still struggling with a cough that sounds like she's bringing up a hairball, but dad's pretty much back to his healthy self. They went to the No Kings protest in Princeton on Saturday and said there was a good-sized crowd with a fantastic mix of young and old and lots of creative signs. By now I'm sure you've seen photos and footage from the many rallies, and I'll end this post with the signs dad made for the day. Have a great week.

No Apt Title

 Hey all. So, even though the crazy low temps we've endured over the past weeks/months/whatever, have been replaced with warmer days here and there, it's been a crap few weeks 'round here. Obviously, we haven't been posting much lately. Between kidney stones (dad), head & chest colds (mom and dad) and sinus infections (dad again), well, yeah, fun times. I've been doing my best to take care of these two,

Nurse Smudge on Duty

and all I can say is, I'm glad felines can't catch human diseases.

They're lucky to have such an attentive professional

We're also going on more than two years living in a place we can't stand, and I know they miss the western North Carolina mountains more than ever. Dad says his creative juices have been zapped from his brain for a long time, but let's be honest- anything interesting, funny, or worth reading here has been mine and mine alone. Always an excuse with this one, I swear. Anyhoo, spring is on its way, and except for a couple more weeks with a few rain/snow showers here and there, things should be looking up, weather-wise. As with taxes, insurance and everything else, mom's been going bananas researching Medicare since a certain senior she and I know and love will be turning 65 later this year. Mom's always been the brain behind all this stuff since dad isn't capable of grasping or retaining such things (or so he claims), and, unlike the world's top procrastinator, SHE likes to stay ahead of the game. 

My work here is done

On Edge

  No, I'm not nervous or anything, although there's plenty going on to be concerned about. So mom and dad have a Queen-sized bed, which offers plenty of snoozing room for me. Say, why do they call it that, anyway? Dad often refers to mom as Princess. He sometimes calls me the Queen Bee. He dressed partially in drag the first time he saw Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1978. He's been a Queen fan since way before cell phones, the internet, and amazon.com. Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, so they sleep in a Queen bed, and although I've gotten somewhat used to hanging with them in my not-too-cuddly way, my place is generally at the foot of the bed. I will say that it's usually on mom's side, since she typically keeps her feet covered by a massaging heated pad under the blankets. Hey, I'm no dummy. So anyway, with all that open space around them, one would think an ordinary cat would take advantage and sprawl out leisurely. They say I'm not ordinary, so I'm going with that for an explanation for these pictures dad took one recent morning. 

I've heard them say that Cleopatra was a little more cuddly. They've often talked about how much of a snuggler old Orbit was. At my age, I don't think I'll ever be much for cuddling.

You know- old dog/new trick and all. Whatever. We're all different, right? I know they love me for who I am, and I'm still learning the same about them.

Dreaming of Warmer Days to Come

Listen Up, Folks

Yes, this one is about me, and I say it's about time. But  I've chosen to make a ME post about more than just me. Now, before I start, I'd like to acknowledge those who say or feel that a pet blog is not the forum for political discourse. You may have a point, but you know what? We're long past the point of what's appropriate and what's not. It's become obvious that we can't rely on the media to speak up, push back, or fact-check, so anything should be used as a pulpit to speak out about the vile, sickening crap that has been happening in what used to be a free country. Anyone who voted for this candy floss-coiffed, mentally deficient wannabe dictator and his ghoulish squad of severely unqualified boot-licking sycophants should put themselves, their loved ones, or close friends in the position of any of the growing number of human beings who've been detained, beaten, pushed or killed, and see how you'd feel then. Go ahead, I'll give you a minute. Buyer's remorse?  Don't even. Looking for sympathy? Forget about it. "This isn't what I voted for."? Save it. You KNEW what you were voting for. The entire world knew. And now, here we are.  It's going to take an eternity to undo the disastrous effects of this administration's actions if we even can. Under normal circumstances, we would be able to agree, disagree, or agree to disagree. There is nothing normal about what we're seeing daily now. Healthy back and forth is good. That's how it used to work. How can anyone be okay with the images and footage of what's taking place on our streets? Those who have the power to do something are sitting on their hands, are too scared, or have their heads so far up the orange one's butt that they've lost all credibility and trust of their constituents, and should never hold positions of power ever again. And please- this is not red or blue, conservative or liberal, right or left. This is a human issue. These are people. Our neighbors, friends, and coworkers. This is America. 

Dad and I considered apologizing for making this a political post, but we decided that there are enough beings who choose to stick their heads in the sand, get offended by others' opinions, or simply wish to ignore what we're all seeing. People are fed up, angry, frustrated, and scared. 

 

Sharing Happiness... and the Spotlight. I guess.

 In a time of so much hard-to-watch, angering crap going on out there, I thought I'd share some random non-me stuff in hopes of spreading some happiness.

My dad- somewhat reserved, kinda boring, and not always much fun- is the proud owner of some new pajama pants. He and mom did some post-Christmas shopping recently and came home with these. 

Cookie, Anyone?

Mom says they make her so happy. Dad says he just loves how soft and fluffy they are. I'm still trying to work out why a 64-year-old man would want to wear something like this.

As you may remember, dad spent Christmas week babysitting the boss's pooch. Dad often takes pictures of the big ol' lumbering, slobbery goofnut, and he really likes this shot he took during a moment of not galloping through the house like a bull in a china shop. 

  That's about all I got for this week, folks. I've only got so much in me. I'm pushing dad to make our next post about me and only me. I hope you can find and spread some happiness in these trying times.