Wow, it has been a long time since I posted.  So much has happened, it's been crazy around here!  

Katie and Erik brought their two cats up when they came up for Christmas (that was in December) and the cats finally went  home today.  They way overstayed their welcome! Mom says they were staying almost a month, well it was almost a month, my goodness.  

They brought the cats up because it was Christmas and then in two weeks after that they were gonna have their wedding reception (postponed from last year).  After the reception they were going on a week long cruise.  After that dad was gonna take them back home to Virginia on January 15th. Well, things didn't work out the way they were planned.  They FINALLY left today, January 22nd.  What a LONG time they stayed.  

Let me show you a picture of how beautiful Katie and Erik looked for their wedding reception.  Aren't they so beautiful together??

 

 

 After the wedding they didn't go on a cruise, they cancelled it because of COVID, but they decided to go to Asheville North Carolina for a few days.  During that time they did leave the cats here.  Here are pictures of the cats for you to enjoy.

 

Perkins sleeping on daddy's pants!

 

 

Daisy lived in Katie's room most the time she was here.  Mom took over Katie's room and it looks worse then when Katie lived at home.  Mom has crafts and books and keeps saying she is gonna organize it, but I'm waiting!   

So, dad was gonna take these cats home last weekend, then the snow decided it was gonna show up, so mom suggested the cats stay another week. My goodness, how long can I deal with these cats??  Finally this morning dad took them back home to Virginia.  Good riddance and don't come back now here!!!

I must admit you to, my new friend Tootsie doesn't like the cats either and she hasn't yet learned that mom doesn't tolerate us chasing them.   Tootsie has gotten in trouble several time when it comes to the cats.  She'll learn soon, I think!  

Until next time, Tootsie and I will take a nap!  Sweet Dreams!  

         

            Love Your friend,      

                Leonard 

 

 Cool Fall Greetings My Friends!

Goodness mom has been so busy with things at the Historical Society and with Katie.  At the society she is helping with the big craft show they have called the Belsnickel and she is helping with the Holiday Tour they have.  Add on to that Katie and Erik are finally gonna have their wedding reception in January.  Mom said something about Santa Paws coming in there too!  So she's been coming and going and I haven't gotten time to get computer time!  She's out for awhile now, so I thought I'd jump on the computer. 

Tootsie is doing fine and fitting in with the pack as you can see.  She's pretty cool.  She doesn't like cats, so that's really cool in my book!  But she hasn't heard to leave them alone when mom is home.  Mom yells at her.  I keep telling her when mom is away we can chase them and mom'll never know. I have to keep reminding her. 

We had a weird incident happen last night.  Clara, you gotta know Clara.  Clara is not quite, she actually barks too much, she is a very hipper dog.  She barks at everything!   She has a favorite spot on the sofa.  When Eve decided to sit there, she barks at Eve, telling her to move, but Eve doesn't listen to anyone.  Eve is her one entity.  I am not sure what to think of Eve, she loves the cat, Valentina.  What is up with that?? Did you see the picture mom posted on facebook with Eve and Valentina?? Something is really weird with those two!  it's just not a normal thing! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, back to Clara.  Clara was unhappy last night.  Eve was on what she thought was her spot on the sofa.  Mom told her to lay down somewhere else.  Finally she went to her second favorite spot to lay. On the dog be on the floor.  But she was very upset it was being used by Addi.  Addi was in a cat bed, but the cat bed was sitting on top of the dog bed. (which is something Eve usually does, but that's a story for another time)   

So as you can see, Clara is pretty upset about the whole situation. How can she relax with a cat so close? Addi could have cared less that Clara wanted the dog bed all to herself.  Finally after sitting there awhile. I thought, if that was me Clara I'd just growl at the cat and scare her into moving.  But Clara, although she barks alot (and I mean alot) is the biggest chicken around.  Penny can growl at her and terrify Clara.  Which Penny does (but again that a story for another time)   

Soon I looked around and found this. Oh Clara, you let the cat boss you around. Shame on you!  Mom seems to think it was adorable, but I was sad that Clara didn't take charge of the situation.  I have to talk to that girl!  I guess she thought if you can't beat them, join them!

        Enjoy Fall my friends!  Sorry if there are typos, I seem to be all paws today! 

        Love,

        Leonard  

 Where does the time go?? It's been a crazy busy summer here on Sycamore Road.  This weekend has been really crazy and I'm not so sure what I think about it.  Here is the story my friends.  On Saturday night the one neighbor Connie found a little dog on her front porch.  Connie and her husband don't live just off the road, they live a long driveway off the road. But they found a little dog on there front porch.  Knowing all the neighborhood dogs, mom didn't recognize the little thing and neither did the other dog lover in the neighborhood. So they posted found a dog on facebook and next door neighbor.  My mom told the neighbor Connie if they didn't find the owner on Sunday Mom would take this dog to the vet to check for a chip on Monday morning.  No one called about the dog or replied to any posts.  So mom and dad went to Connie's house and picked up the little dog on Sunday afternoon. That's always so interesting when mom and dad bring home a new animal.  We all have to check it out.  It has the same coloring as I do, well like I did when I was a young dog.  (I'm gray where I used to be brown).  But this little gal is very chubby, she must eat alot of pizzas or something!  Mom slept on the sofa on Sunday night and the little thing slept right next to her all night. I slept on the sofa too, someone had to keep their eye on the new dog, who knows, she could have been out to steal all our toys or something. You never know!   (she was good and didn't do anything like that, she just slept with my mom on the sofa).  

Dad called the dog fudge (which is what Connie and her granddaughter were calling it)  mom said she wasn't a big fan of the name fudge, she thought the dog looked more like a chubby tootsie roll, so she started calling the dog "Tootsie".   Monday morning mom took "Tootsie" to the vet and they scanned her for a chip.  No chip was found.  So mom brought her home.  

Mom put signs up in the local post offices and sent flyers to the local vets, but at this point we haven't had anyone claim "Tootsie". It's only been a day.  The kid is getting pretty comfortable here.  Last night we all went to bed, Tootsie was sleeping on the sofa and I heard Tootsie come upstairs during the night and she jumped on the bed.  She woke mom, but just snuggled beside mom and we all went back to sleep.  I heard mom tell dad that when mom woke up this morning she was suprised to find a Holli, (the cat) laying next her mom and Tootsie was snuggled tight to mom's leg.    

We shall see if Tootsie's owners contact us.  Mom says if no one claims her,  we'll probably keep her. I think she won over mom and dad the first time they saw her.  (Just like I did so many years ago).  

 Stay tuned for the next post to see if Tootsie becomes part of our family or not. 

your friend, 

Leonard                                                                             

"Tootsie"

I'm on the left, Tootsie's on the right!

 It's been a long time since I've been on the computer.  Mom and Dad got a new computer.  I have everything in order before, with the new computer I had no idea where or how to find my blog.  Finally I had time to figure it all out and I'm back!

Everyone in my family is fine.  Today it was really warm.  I am so glad mom and dad have central air in the house.    I'm not sure if you all have heard of the 17 year Cicadas.  Well, mom seems to be obsessed with learning alot more about them.  Each morning she goes out looking for more of those pesky insects

Since Mom is retired, and the weather isn't freezing outside, mom takes Eve for a walk each morning.  Don't get me started as to why she takes Eve.  I heard mom tell dad, "I don't want to take Leonard, he stops all the time to pee a drop or two, a walk with him takes forever and he barks at everything".  well, than you very much mom.  Like I said, don't get me started!  

 I thought, especially for those of you who aren't local to PA, you might enjoy the pictures mom has taken of those pesky insects.  They are called Cicadas the Brood X, whatever that means.   They only come out every 17 years.  (how weird is that?)  I heard mom listening to a seminar about them.  I learned a lot about them during the seminar.  The people on there said that in South American, Africa and some other countries they are a delicacy to eat.   So if anyone wants to try them, I'll try and catch some for you. I personally don't think I want to try them, but if you want too let me know. 

Mom said this morning when she walked Eve should could hear them up in the woods above our house.  They are getting closer.  Mom was hoping they'd eat the ticks but she learned they don't eat any insects. They can't eat or sting anything.  They actually live on the roots of the trees for 17 years.  Mom is having issued with ticks.  She said she's a tick magnet.  She has had over a dozen on herself so far the summer. She says whenever she takes us dogs out or takes Eve for a walk she comes in and then feels a tick on her. Today she has complained she has found four on herself.  She says she is soon gonna get one of those flea/tick collars for dogs and she'll wear that on her neck!  She doesn't know how to keep them off of her.  Luckily I haven't had any on me yet.  I think the other dogs had one or two, but it seems the meds mom gives us works well, they just keep walking and don't stop to suck our blood.

Here are mom's pictures of the cicadas:

 Good Day my fan club!

 If I was playing poker I'd say I had two sets of four of a kind. I'm not playing poker but we have two four of the same kinds in this house now.  It was 4 and 3 but now it's 4 and 4.  How do these animals find there way here?  It's actually a full house now.  Mom says "that's it, the inn is full, next one has to go to the stable". But mom,  we don't have a stable!  Oh whatever.  

So here is the tear jerking story mom gave me, why she allowed another cat in the house.  I thought three was too many now there are four!  

Meet Valentina.  Oh joy, not! 

Mom said to dad that mom mom (that's dad's mom) forwarded an email that a lady had sent out to the folks in their retirement community.  It said there is a three legged black and white cat that has been hanging out around their section of the community for the past several year.  In this past snowstorm and freezing weather it took shelter under her deck.  Since she has an older cat, she couldn't take it in but asked if anyone could take it.  The lady couldn't stand to see this poor cat outside anymore!

So mom got soft and told dad to read it and before I could scream "NO" they called the lady and .. well, the rest is history.  

Mom took her to the vet and had her checked out. She is a small cat, only 4.8 lbs, but the vet ran tests and said she seemed healthy just underweight. The vet also said that she wasn't a young cat, and guessed by her teeth and stuff that she might be 8 years old, but the vet said it's really hard to figure age.  For now mom has her in a big dog crate. This way the cat can meet us and we met her and nobody get hurt while this is happening. Give the cat a place of security as she watches and learn our household operates.  (She is kinda cute for a cat but if you tell anyone, I will deny  I ever said it)   

Mom picked the name Valentina since it was just valentine's day.  Not sure what her nickname will be, but we all have nickname around here.  Actually when mom and dad picked up the cat they said don't know if it's a boy or girl so it would be Valentino or Valentina.. turned out with the "A" at the end.  

 So friends, as the snows came down today I heard mom say to Valentina, "You can look out the patio door at the snow, little girl but you are safe, warm and won't have to worry about food again.  Sleep my little girl, you are a part of our family now." 

Stay safe in this crazy weather, just remember you don't have to go outside to pee. They made indoor bathroom for you years ago, nobody has invented any for us yet!  (I'm working on it, you have no idea how cold that snow is on my ding dong)  

Love, 

Leonard

 Okay, I finally caught a cat, it was a rough morning but I corralled her into Clara's cage. That should keep her for the day.  Why did I corral her?  Better to have a cat locked up, you know where they are and can rest comfortably for the day.  Now I'm tired, that was a tough job. 

 

You have got to be kidding! Snow again!

.

This is brave Eve going outside in the snow!  

 

 

 

No thank you! I'm staying inside and snuggling "Mom, come here and snuggle with me,  please?"  

 

 

Love your little boy, Leonard