Reenfortress

I’m a big believer in shopping locally, but that doesn’t always translate into buying locally. Like when I can save $120 for a nonprofit client by avoiding Office Depot’s crazy markup.

Or when the regional metalworking store estimates the equipment I need to TRY a new technique will cost me $70 and I can find it online for less than half that – this, I suspect, was a communications/inventory issue and I will continue to check with them first.

Or when I can’t find a pair of high waisted, tight exercise pants in town at all. Until I found one ugly pair, finally, for about a mortgage payment ON CLEARANCE.

Anyway, The Boy and I have gotten some packages lately. And Kitteh Thunder has added on to the fortress.

And, since the weather is nicer today, I added to the cave.

But when The Girl giveth, she must also taketh away. While refreshing the tissue paper and packing paper I discovered some peed on paper.

No, Obi doesn’t know why his brother confused the watch tower with the water closet.

Advertisement

Fort Folly

Not fooled by the nice weather that allowed me to drink a beer, barefooted, on the porch yesterday, I’ve been worrying about removing Obi’s cave from the end of the couch. You see, in the winter we think the cave is a blanket that should keep us warm.

Since he has started having his belly rubs on the quilt, rather than the rug, it is in serious need of a trip through the washing machine.

To ease the transition, I removed the cave at lunch time. Kitten Thunder and I then built a new fort.

This went over very well. It took a minute for Oliver to realize that he can’t walk ON the fort. We’ll see how long he remembers that. But once I put him inside, he was good.

Obi was a little reluctant to share the fort. The cave was a one cat deal. Oliver didn’t even like to be in the cave. But the fort is bigger and they learned to adapt – it has two boxes and at least a dozen toys in it, after all.

Then The Boy came home. Two kittehs met him at the door and then ran to the fort. “See what we built!”

But then there was a problem: where was the quilt for Obi’s belly rub?

Obi ran inside the fort and we heard him plunk to the floor. But The Boy is too big for the fort. At least that’s what he says…it’s not like he tried to get in or anything. The Boy is funny like that. Especially when he’s wearing work clothes.

So we’ll see what happens tonight. Will Obi go back to the rug? Will he collapse the fort so he can have his belly rubbed in the preferred location, two feet closer to the window? Stay tuned for updates.

***

In other news, Friskies has a genius business plan that involves schmucks like me liking and sharing their videos for free. Kitten Thunder loves Friskies! In fact, it’s the only brand Oliver will eat – he refused from kittendom to eat the expensive brand that shall go unnamed. They should totally be the next spokescats.

Meanwhile, these are hilarious.

How to Build a Cave – Part…um…2013

Step 1 – Realize that you took down the cave in preparation for a party in June. Decide that autumn is cave weather.

Step 2 – Choose a location.

Step 3 – Pull out the cave material. Note that it is pre-haired from last season.

Step 4 – Enlist help. Attempt to take picture of help. Sigh and move on to step 5.

Step 5 – Anchor bottom of cave under the OutTV perch.

Sneak picture of helper while he inspects your work, the look innocent when he suspects your actions.

Step 6 – Tuck top of cave into the arm of the couch.

Step 7 – Take pictures as the helper goes through the punch list.

Super Cave

Wyoming finally got some real and true snow this week – about seven inches of snow overnight here in Cheyenne. It inspires…snuggling. It inspires…creative reasons to not go outside to work meetings. But I did go to those meetings and left Oliver alone under the quilt on the couch.

When he got up to go upstairs for his afternoon nap, the quilt slid partially off the couch and created the best phenomenon EVER.

SUPER CAVE.

The fairly rigid quilt met the edge of the sheet cave and Obi was able to run from one to the other quickly. This meant that he could watch for someone unsuspecting to come his way from the quilt and then attack from the sheet cave. This is so much easier than sitting still and focusing from inside the sheet cave, using sound and feel to decide when to attack.

In case you aren’t familiar with the cave attacks: Obi sits in wait by the couch and when someone comes by, “unsuspecting,” he lunges through the sheet and gets their feet. If it is me, he gets a belly attack through the sheet. If it is The Boy, he gets a head pat. If it is Oliver, a Thunder follows.

Oliver is very good about being “unsuspecting.” He’ll walk by several times if that is what it takes to get attacked. He’ll even go over on command if he doesn’t realize that Obi is waiting and we ask him to: “Oli, go be unsuspecting for your brother.”

Today, Oli was unsuspecting over and over and over and there was much in the way of Thunders. Then, suddenly, I realized the Thunder had stopped. I found the brothers upstairs, napping in a pile of fluffy on the bed.

Just as I suspected.

***

It’s Thunder Thursday! Today, a call for photos. Leader Otis, from the Cult of Otis, is calling for photos of your cats enjoying boxes this gift giving season. You know, those boxes that used to hold presents for your cats. Presents they’ll forsake for the cardboard box in which it came.

If you have a picture for them to share on Box Day, send your contribution by 3 p.m. on Christmas.

***

Late breaking addition! DUDE! The Aluminium Foiled My Plans has posted a blog! Baby pictures – ALL THREE TINY TOTS – and their first tree.

Obi Wan Turtleobi

Yesterday we received a shipment of little pieces of something model train related. I don’t know what they are, but I do know that The Boy was getting really antsy about whether they’d get here in time for the club to finish their project before the next show. By the way…model trains is not a good hobby if you are impatient. His shipments take weeks to get here and are often late. Like MONTHS late.

But that’s not important. What is important, of course, is that the shipment came in a box.

 

Obi fits perfectly. Oliver has not even tried to get in this box, but he did chin mark all the flaps while Obi was sitting in it. Then Obi punched him in the eye.

Right now the box is on its side, facing the big box of plastic intestines (also on its side) with the fort blanket draped over them. I didn’t wait to watch, but I can hear Obi playing.

Earlier tonight, right after work, The Boy  was rubbing Obi’s belly. Obviously. When Obi was back on his feet, The Boy grabbed the box, flipped it upside down, and set it on top of the brown kitten. Turtle monster. Because of the flaps, Obi could turn around without moving the box. He kept turning and looking out from whatever flap The Boy wasn’t looking in. Then he stood up fast and the box flew off him.

He turned to The Boy…

Do it again!

***

It is Thunder Thursday and I bring you this simple truth from the world of Facebook, my friend Nikki, and George Takei.

How to Build a Fort, Part 3

We’ve built forts before. See this post and this post. But fall is in the air, the cave has been played out, and it was time for a new one. I thought.

Step 1: Sigh as you look at all the stuff on the coffee table.

Step 2: Clear off table. Check to make sure kitten still fits underneath.

Step 3: Choose fort position and building material.

Step 4: Add weight to keep the fort from coming undone on quick exits.

Step 5: Add second room to the fort by tucking a corner into the recliner.

Step 6: Closely inspect entrances and exits. Make the rules clear – no girls allowed.

Step 7: After all the work is done The Boy, who is allowed, will come home and point out that the cardboard box room is on the belly rubbing rug.

Step 8: Examine the perimeter while you consider the problem.

Step 9: Carefully consider the cardboard box room.

Step 10: Destroy the fort.

Step 11: Destroy the fort!

Step 13: Blame The Girl for this mess. Remind her that girls aren’t allowed. Not even in a half fort.

Step 14: Appreciate the wreckage of the destroyed fort. Have The Girl put the cardboard box back in the corner where it belongs and pull the recliner cave all the way down before the books on the coffee table end up on the floor.

***

It’s Thunder Thursday! Here are three funnies that people sent me on the Book of Face lately. It’s like they think I’m caught up with my cats or something. It is true that my coworkers completely lend themselves to this sort of thing.

How to Build a Fort, Part 2

There are numerous ways to build a fort and endless design possibilities.

This alternative fort features many benefits such as maximum floor monster space for protecting the fort.

Positioning near the couch and loveseat allow for easy protection against brothers with laser eyes.

Three sides with exits, plus the floor monster chute, make a quick getaway easy when The Girl gets out the camera.