i strut, stomp, challenge
stay back! see? i am boyfriend
king of hen harem
the boyfriend by Angie Quantrell
photos by Angie Quantrell
Haiku Moment: the boyfriend
Category Archives: RV Life
Outstanding in the Rain: Book Title Poem
Outstanding in the Rain: A Book Title Poem (on the day before the library closed [again] for COVID-19)
Dear Zoo
What If?
Five Minutes
Outstanding in the Rain
Wet
Still Stuck
Very Hairy Bear
Outside Over There
There’s Nothing to Do!
I Love You JUST the Way YOU Are
Look!
Nobody’s Duck
In the Night Kitchen
Where Are You?
I Went Walking
Why?
That Is NOT a Good Idea!
You Are Home
Honey
For fun, on the very last day of the library being open for limited in-person visits (again), I decided to use my 30 minutes to write a book title poem. I was limited only by time, hearing the clock tick away in my head, but I quickly scanned and grabbed titles. Poor library workers. To avoid leaving a mess, I checked out the entire stack!
Go ahead. Try it. What book title poem can you write? I’d love to read it!
Haiku Moment: not happening
let go, pink monster
not happening, not ever
I will get you. hiss
not happening by Angie Quantrell
irritated cat: Monet
Haiku Moment: before, after
before, snow blankets
snowfall melts under sun’s smile
after, window holes
before, after by Angie Quantrell
photos by Angie Quantrell, Yakima Valley
Sunday Inspiration
Photo by Angie Quantrell, Yakima Valley
Haiku Moment: shovel cats
heavy snow blanket,
mountains to build, but first it’s
time to shovel cats
shovel cats by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Sunday Inspiration
Photo by Angie Quantrell, Yakima Valley
Text from Psalm 4
Sunday Inspiration
Photo by Angie Quantrell, Yakima Valley
Text from 1 Peter
The Things We Do for Cats
Eh-hem. Cats. Once you have one, I mean a cat has decided you are worthy of serving its needs, you will realize the lengths one goes to to make sure said cat is happy and has all her Highness requires.
Cat patio? Check. Multiple concrete cat patios? Why, yes. Strategically placed throughout garden areas, including under the RV deck, where, incidentally, the Great Hunter loves to gnosh on freshly caught mice and voles. And birds. One never knows when she will gift us with a leftover foot, skull, liver, or fluff of feathers. For certain there are stains we cannot get out.
Cat shelter/cute house to hang out in when the weather is inclement? The Favorite Lap Guy just built her a new pad over Christmas break.
Cat tree? Yes (and quite a furniture saver it is). New cat tree which turned out to be sized for kittens? Returned.
Replacement sisal rope added to decimated anchor leg of favorite cat tree? Just completed. Has she used it yet? Nope.
Fuzzy blankets galore? Check.
Heated blanket for cold days? I mean for the people (but the cat claims it)? Plug it in and let’s get this show on the road.
Favorite cat food (both dry and canned), cat treats, and a special cat toy basket? Stashed in proper cat food basket.
Strategically placed light-weight items on top of the printer to keep the solid-weight cat from sitting there and breaking it? Done. Not you? Well. Princess Monet deems that location perfect for gazing west through the RV window.
Wire fencing placed across winterized garden beds? (You KNOW why.) All set.
Roof added to top of TARDIS garden shed so cat can shelter out of hot sun? Done and done.
Vet on speed dial to order anti-“straw” meds? Definitely. (We prefer to call tapeworms “straw.” Oh, look? Is that straw? Time for more meds. It sounds nicer than the actual term. And. They do look like bits of straw.)
Evening chores are rushed through so the Cat can have her lap of choice for her evening resting pleasure? Certainly. And, BTW, said lap is not mine. She is a Daddy’s girl through and through. Unless food is involved. Then whomever has it is favorite.
Pillows poised to be pulled to the bed edges so the Princess can sleep smack in between Mom and Dad’s heads? Ugh. Yes. Nothing like waking up with someone’s tail-end right up against your chin. Or open one’s eyes to see two alert ready-to-get-up ears pointed right at you. Sleep in? What’s that?
But. Cats. We do it all because we love our kitties. What “special” things do you do for your royal felines? Perhaps Monet needs just one or two more human habits to make her life truly happy, and you know just the right thing. Do share. Her Highness is waiting.
Gingerbread and Pillowcases
Not much was the same in 2020.
We became creative, inventive, technologically gifted, resourceful-all in the effort to live life and connect with fellow humans. Plans were ditched or tossed aside, trips canceled, 35th anniversary trips to magical locations did not occur. Birthday parties became drive-by’s. Travel screeched to a standstill as nature locations filled to overflowing with folks desperate to get outside. To get OUT. Childcare and transfer between shared-custody parents became fraught with contact points and who was sick and who was with whom when they got sick. Schooling reached new heights of teamwork between parents, teachers, and Nana’s. Vocabulary increased to include 2020-specific words like virtual learning, hybrid learning, Google Classroom, Zoom, Loom, Chrome Book, internet capabilities, mute yourself. DIY projects blossomed and not once was Lowe’s closed. I suspect they, and other home improvement stores, had a banner year of profits due to the frenzy of home projects. That, along with shortages of flour, yeast, sugar, and toilet paper gave insight to what most of us were doing. Staying home, fixing up, and baking.
The traditions were the hardest to “fix.” Outdoor gatherings, socially distant of course, and much fuss over wearing masks (cute, cotton, and washable) has become so normal, I fear for our social skills and facial expressions once the pandemic settles down.
And then Christmas. How to do gingerbread houses? Carefully. In a huge area. With only healthy grands.
And Christmas gifts? Christmas pillowcases became my idea of the year. Totally reusable gift bags, tied with jump ropes. Open your gifts, put your gift bag, er, pillowcase, on your pillow for a good, snowy night’s sleep. Why didn’t I think of this before? Sure, sewing them on Christmas Eve Day is not advisable, but it did allow me to work my way through several Hallmark Christmas Movies as I cut, pinned, sewed, and ironed. And I’ve already purchased my fabric for next year to avoid the same rush. (We might check back on that one, because having purchased fabric is not the same as having sewn the pillowcases. . ..)
Gingerbread cookies were baked yesterday. December 30. They taste just as good, no matter the date, especially plain, with coffee.
Are things looking up for 2021? I certainly hope so. But even if the recovery is slow, I know we can do it. We’ve had all of 2020 to figure out how to make things work. Like in the days of the Depression, our ancestors made do, made it work, or made do without it. We are ready.
May the Lord go before us, bless us, and keep us as we journey into the new year! See you next year!
