Total and complete sucks.

With noodles for backbones.

At least when it comes to the cats. :-D

It’s been snowing all day today, so a trip to pick up the chain saws is out, but we had to make the trip into town to pick up prescription refills and a few last things we didn’t get or couldn’t find in the city.

My older daughter came with me, this time, and we had to do some shoveling of paths first. I went to clear the plow ridge, too, though it turned out no plow has gone by recently, so it was more breaking up the old ridge a bit more. At least the current snowfall is light and fluffy, making for easy shoveling.

As soon as things clear up, I’ll work on that switch on the snow blower, then put it to work to clear the driveway and into the yard.

The drive into town was certainly interesting. Once on the highway, we were definitely not going highway speeds! The only real problem was when we passed oncoming traffic. Nothing like being blinded by blustering snow and not even able to see past the front end of the van. Worst still is seeing the hints of headlights from another vehicle, hidden behind the first.

At least with the drive home, the wind was blowing the snow away from our field of vision, but that just meant we were blinding other vehicles, instead of them blinding us.

Not that this is a complaint. I am quite happy that it’s now warm enough to snow! This is also probably the biggest snowfall we’ve had this winter, too, and it’s really not that bad.

During the drive, my daughter and I had a talk about The Outsider. Of all the outside cats, she is the one that seems to be having the hardest time coping with the cold. The other cats have bulked up and their fur has gotten quite thick. She is the only long haired cat, and while her coat does seem to have thickened a bit, she does not seem to have an undercoat. Plus, she hasn’t gained the winter bulk the other cats have; she is still much thinner and frailer than the others.

There are lots of reasons not to bring the outside cats in. However, with The Outsider, there are more reasons to bring her in, than keep her out.

So after we got home, it was decided. We were going to bring her in.

That was made easier when we drove into the yard to unload the van, and there she was, waiting for us.

Once everything we put away, we got some spare cat food bowls out, then brought her in. My younger daughter is now cat-sitting as The Outsider explores.

She’s exploring quite eagerly, but also stopping to allow pets. She has even been loudly purring at times.

DahBoy and his Mama aren’t quite sure what to make of her. They have sometimes growled and hissed at her, which The Outsider has simply ignored.

We’ll be working on getting her used to the litter box and having her very own food bowls – those are being kept away from the others for now, since I figure it will be a while before the inside cats get used to their new companion.

Yeah.

We’re sucks. Horrible, horrible sucks. :-D

The Re-Farmer