Someone needs to invent a kitty lojack.
Jan. 1st, 2011 09:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwynI had the worst night last night. There's a lot of activity in my neighborhood around Independence Day and New Year's Eve, lots of fireworks and people running around screaming and partying. I don't let the cats out much, although with Olive that's a tough one, because she won't go potty indoors. And it was subfreezing last night, down to around 24 in my 'hood. When I was working in the yard yesterday, Ollie kept me company, but Blues wasn't having any of it because it was too cold, even though they both usually love to "help" me garden by climbing trees and shrubs, chasing each other around, and pulling apart my piles.
But at some point late last night, I think when I took some garbage out, Blues slipped out behind me and I didn't even know he was gone until a couple hours later. The fireworks were going like crazy, it was insanely loud and obnoxious at midnight, and I searched everywhere for him to no avail. I finally had to give up around 3:00 because I was so cold I couldn't warm my hands up no matter what. (I had early stages of frostbite in some fingers and toes once back in my mountaineering days, and I've never really been the same since.) I went to bed in my clothes so I could keep getting up and calling for him. I was so afraid, it being so cold and so noisy and just dangerous.
By dawn, I had gotten to the point where I figured he was probably dead; he never stays out since the big runaway adventure. It didn't seem likely that he was trapped in someone's garage since it was so late at night. I figured he might have gotten spooked by fireworks, run in front of a car or something, and gotten hurt and crawled off somewhere. I must have fallen asleep finally around dawn because it was getting light, but I was awakened by my cell phone beeping low battery noises, so I went to charge it, and saw a blur by the door. I'm totally blind without my glasses, but I caught the movement, and sure enough there the little shit was, apparently none the worse for 24-degree wear. I have got to start paying more attention to my feet when I go out -- he frequently follows me out to the garage and then gets trapped in there and I don't find him for hours. He's peed and pooped on everything in there because he gets stuck for so long.
He seems to love to do this -- when he disappeared for four days two years ago, he'd snuck out behind me then, too. I never seem to have trouble when I willingly let him out. He trips me all the time too, winding around my feet when I don't see him coming. And that's not counting him nearly dying two days after I brought him home. He is totally gonna put me in an early grave. I kept thinking all night, my dad's on the slow road out and my cat's probably dead -- happy fuckin' new year. So of course as angry as I am, I'm still kissing and hugging him like whoa today.
Anyway, so story reveals went up today on Yuletide. I was bummed no one else wanted to play on the guess my story game, because it would have been fun to write another story for someone.
I wrote a Justified story called Lesser Angels, forshetiger. It's a view of Raylan from Tim Gutterson's point of view. I was really impressed by some of the Justified stories this year and sorry that the fandom hasn't gotten more love in all the recs. I was also interested to see that there were other stories from Tim's POV, and at least one other one that posits Tim as gay/bisexual, as mine did. I wonder if we're all going to get Jossed next season. I really enjoyed writing it, thinking about Raylan, and shetiger's request was really cool because it mirrored my own Justified request in so many ways it was bizarre. (And thanks so much to crickwooder for the great comments on beta.)
But at some point late last night, I think when I took some garbage out, Blues slipped out behind me and I didn't even know he was gone until a couple hours later. The fireworks were going like crazy, it was insanely loud and obnoxious at midnight, and I searched everywhere for him to no avail. I finally had to give up around 3:00 because I was so cold I couldn't warm my hands up no matter what. (I had early stages of frostbite in some fingers and toes once back in my mountaineering days, and I've never really been the same since.) I went to bed in my clothes so I could keep getting up and calling for him. I was so afraid, it being so cold and so noisy and just dangerous.
By dawn, I had gotten to the point where I figured he was probably dead; he never stays out since the big runaway adventure. It didn't seem likely that he was trapped in someone's garage since it was so late at night. I figured he might have gotten spooked by fireworks, run in front of a car or something, and gotten hurt and crawled off somewhere. I must have fallen asleep finally around dawn because it was getting light, but I was awakened by my cell phone beeping low battery noises, so I went to charge it, and saw a blur by the door. I'm totally blind without my glasses, but I caught the movement, and sure enough there the little shit was, apparently none the worse for 24-degree wear. I have got to start paying more attention to my feet when I go out -- he frequently follows me out to the garage and then gets trapped in there and I don't find him for hours. He's peed and pooped on everything in there because he gets stuck for so long.
He seems to love to do this -- when he disappeared for four days two years ago, he'd snuck out behind me then, too. I never seem to have trouble when I willingly let him out. He trips me all the time too, winding around my feet when I don't see him coming. And that's not counting him nearly dying two days after I brought him home. He is totally gonna put me in an early grave. I kept thinking all night, my dad's on the slow road out and my cat's probably dead -- happy fuckin' new year. So of course as angry as I am, I'm still kissing and hugging him like whoa today.
Anyway, so story reveals went up today on Yuletide. I was bummed no one else wanted to play on the guess my story game, because it would have been fun to write another story for someone.
I wrote a Justified story called Lesser Angels, for
shetiger. It's a view of Raylan from Tim Gutterson's point of view. I was really impressed by some of the Justified stories this year and sorry that the fandom hasn't gotten more love in all the recs. I was also interested to see that there were other stories from Tim's POV, and at least one other one that posits Tim as gay/bisexual, as mine did. I wonder if we're all going to get Jossed next season. I really enjoyed writing it, thinking about Raylan, and shetiger's request was really cool because it mirrored my own Justified request in so many ways it was bizarre. (And thanks so much to crickwooder for the great comments on beta.)
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no subject
Date: 2011-01-02 07:04 am (UTC)Glad you found your kitty! And hope you get more sleep tonight.
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Date: 2011-01-02 07:07 pm (UTC)The one person who played thought it was a really cool story for Fast and Furious that I wish I did write!!!
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Date: 2011-01-02 07:09 am (UTC)re: news that you wrote Justified -- that might be enough to make me brave the archive. *g* I haven't read anything yet save the couple of stories I betaed. As always, even the idea of Yuletide (aptly named!) overwhelms me.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-02 07:12 pm (UTC)Bad Apple Blues http://archiveofourown.org/works/141932 is really awesome -- it starts out a bit awkwardly, I think, and the first section I wasn't sure I could stick with it, but then it gets good and is a lot of fun.
I LOVED if great times make great men http://archiveofourown.org/works/140780 because it's a Justified zombie apocalypse story, which means two great tastes that taste great together, and it's really well done, also from Tim's POV.
And Christy wrote a Raylan/Vasquez piece for Nestra called A Good Start http://archiveofourown.org/works/141076
I'll let you know more about the other ones once I get a chance to catch up on the fic.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-02 07:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-02 07:25 am (UTC)Hope things get better on watching your feet!
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Date: 2011-01-02 07:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-02 08:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-02 12:23 pm (UTC)
Date: 2011-01-02 02:21 pm (UTC)*Happy New Year hugs are here*
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Date: 2011-01-02 07:36 pm (UTC)And, dude, you don't even KNOW how happy I am you wrote Justified. I am so hitting that tonight...
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Date: 2011-01-02 09:26 pm (UTC)- The last 2 - 3 steps to the door have to be fast. And big. Stride, don't walk.
- When you open the door, step through and turn 180 degrees (back to facing the door) to look at it - don't just pull it shut behind you.
- Once you have shut the door, scan completely from the right side of the door, to the left side, while turning your body. Then look down, back at the door.
To put it another way, it's pretty much check 180 behind you before you step through, step through the door, then turn back 180 to face the door again while scanning, and then face the new room, scanning again.
It's not foolproof, and I know it sounds silly, but it'll really help to keep him from sneaking out.
*HUGS*
Too late!
Date: 2011-01-03 12:05 am (UTC)Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. patent office, 1899 (attributed)
Apparently so. Here is your lojack.
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2010/04/lojack-for-your-kitty.html
http://www.loc8tor.com/Store/Loc8torPets.aspx
Jay
no subject
Date: 2011-01-03 12:58 am (UTC)