orcatown

Boring Errand Weekend

So we finally registered our car in the state of Washington, an exciting endeavor. We spent most of Saturday driving around North Seattle doing boring errands, like an emissions test, registering, grocery shopping, etc. We did get ski bots though, at the Alpine Hut in Queen Anne. I am extremely excited about getting to ski, I haven’t skied downhill since we lived in Switzerland. When I get a little depressed about how far I am from home, it cheers me up to remember that I get to go out skiing here. Apparently the slopes open around Thanksgiving, so we’ll probably go out then since we are going to be here.

When we finally got home, we walked in to this.

Culprit and his quarry Culprit and his quarry

The cats had gotten into the garbage and purloined a day old, dried out waffle. Actually, they’ve been a bit of a pain lately, with Lee attacking Henry and scruffing his neck in the middle of the night, usually on my sleeping form. Too much catnip?

Henry has a little catnip alligator he loves.

Alligator Alligator

We realized he loves it a little too much, he tore a hole in its bum to get at the catnip. We discovered this when we were trying to figure out why there was catnip all over the floor.

Where catnip comes from. Where catnip comes from.

Chris read in a cat behavior book that the scruffing and fighting might be caused by Lee showing his dominance over Henry. Lee is an indeterminate age, since we adopted him after he was found on the side of the highway. The vets think he is from 6-8. so we’re celebrating his 7th “birthday” in November. Henry is 2 as of tomorrow, so he is the “submissive” “baby” cat to Lee’s “dominate” “parent” cat. The cat book suggested getting a cat condo with different layers so that the dominant cat can basically push the submissive cat off of it, thus showing his kingship without scruffing the younger one.

Bow to me, mortals! Bow to me, mortals!

I'm a weenie. I'm a weenie.

You watch your back, punk! You watch your back, punk!

I also went to the Seattle Mystery Bookshop in Pioneer Square today. It was, as to be expected, full of mystery books. I think bookstores are the greatest – even better than libraries because they are less likely to smell like hobo pee.

I’m posting the books so my Mom can see what I bought. Mom is a voracious reader and has read probably ever major mystery writer since the 70’s. I inherited my bibliophilia from her, and I’ve been reading mystery novels since I was eleven.

Chris always makes fun of the titles, and gets a kick out of making up parodies of them. He can’t think of any right now because it would be too convenient.

Here is a picture I took in Pioneer Square today.

Rooms for only 75 cents! Rooms for only 75 cents!