Happy Birthday Banner, BannerYou came into my home & heart in October but you came into this world on June 17, 2020. You are my little Purr – Machine. You are such an easy going kitty. Funny, fluffy and so easy to please, Love you bunches Banner!
Adopted from Project Pet Safe Rhode Island
It’s just a lazy Saturday morning for Banner, Balboa and me. The start of a 3 day weekend. I hope the weather will cooperate for the weekend. Right now it doesn’t look too good. It’s dark and rainy. I’m taking advantage of the calm before Balboa starts his morning crazy cat antics. We’re enjoying a bit of Cat TV together.
We have to negotiate what to watch. Banner likes mice and squirrels, Balboa is excited by the birds and I like the fish. Something for everyone!
A laid back lazy Saturday seems like a good time to think about a trip once COVID is under control. “They” are saying it will be safe to travel in the fall. All I can say is we’ll see. But I still don’t know where I want to go. I’m leaning toward trying to pick back up on my canceled trip to Colorado. I had that booked for last August but by the time August rolled around COVID had everything in lock down. So here are my options for Colorado:
This is quite a list. I’m not sure how I will ever choose. Missing from the list is Colorado Springs and Denver. They were on the list before COVID and more places have been added!
My original trip was booked in Steamboat Springs. I thought I’d like the hot springs there and maybe see some wildlife. But I’d also like to go to Telluride and take the Gondola. The ride on the “G” provides expansive vistas of the San Juan Mountains, Aspen-cloaked mesas and sun-struck waterfalls.
Anyone from Colorado or who has visited Colorado want to chime in with a suggestion? Advice welcome.
I do enjoy talking about my cats. They give me great pleasure and make me laugh so like a doting grandma I tell their stories.
But I know I can get carried away so I’ll keep my kitty tales to myself this week and talk about travel. Hope that works for you.
Now that the vaccines have started flowing and the world is getting restless, like a flower unfolding after the winter’s snow, we’re slowly peeking our heads out. Will it be safe to travel again in 2021? If so where do you want to go? I’ve been giving that some serious thought.
I’m primarily a domestic traveler and I think my first trip after COVID will probably be a domestic one. I feel more certain that it will be a clean resort although I hear plenty of horror stories. I’m still a timeshare owner and for all the negative things you hear about timeshares, one thing I can say is that I’ve never had a bad resort experience with my time share. They have all been top of the line, modern and clean.
Using that same rational if I do decide on an international trip, it will be with my timeshare.
I think if I go for an international trip I’d head to Grand Cayman. I want to go to Stingray City. In past trips I’ve snorkeled with Manatees, gone night snorkeling with Manta Rays and snuba diving with giant sea turtles. I think I’d like to be able to check off the stingrays next.
Turtle Town 2020
As for a domestic trip the debate is still going on. Do I want a repeat visit somewhere or to go someplace new? I was trying to get to all 50 states but I may be running out of time because I keep going back to places I’ve really enjoyed and did you hear? Kilauea, the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii is erupting again. That’s exciting. I always loved seeing Kilauea so do I want to go back to Hawaii?
Kilauea’s Lava Lake glows 2018
So many placed so go, so little time!
Ok, the big question…did you make any New Year Resolutions? 2020 was certainly a weird year when I look back on it. But I found myself wondering how you can make a resolution when the future is so unknown. I’m not ready to resolve to join a gym even though I need more exercise. We have a light at the end of the COVID tunnel but its too soon to tell if its going to work. I miss traveling but I’m not sure I’m willing to risk my life for a little excitement. Hanging out at home isn’t so bad especially since I have my little buddies to amuse me.
If I do take a trip in 2021 I think it will be near the end of the year. I’m not making any reservations yet. Hopefully things will begin to ease up over the summer. I can do some day trips locally with my camera. I live in a beautiful part of the country. With The White Mountains of New Hampshire to the north and the rugged coast of Maine to the northeast Opportunity abounds. I can go south to Cape Cod and the National Sea Shore. Or take a boat trip to Stellwagen Bank to watch the whales.
Whale Breach off Cape Cod – 2017
Go west and we have the rolling mountains of the Berkshires. So many day trips, so little time.
I’m not sure where I’ll go if I do take a trip in 2021. I might go back to Hawaii but part of me thinks I’ve been there too much and should take a break.
Dreaming of Hawaii
I was looking for a specific photo recently and couldn’t find it. The photo was from one of my trips to Sedona, AZ. I was thinking I might need to go back there again so that I can capture the missing picture again. It’s of Montezuma’s Castle That’s not really a castle.
Montezuma’s Castle-By Tomas Castelazo – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10142804
Its a cliff dwelling and I know I had a picture.
Skip the usual resolutions!
I’m going to spend more time with my cats
Yes, I know, I have 2 kittens, both under the age on 1 year. Of course life is insane but as I sat here this morning watching them race around I found myself reminiscing.
I thought back to when Rocky was a tiny kitten. His “Big Brother” was a senior kitty called Little Joe. Little Joe was the original “Grumpy Cat” He didn’t like other cats. He was a smush-faced Persian, kind of slow moving, aloof and just wanted to be left alone. Rocky was a tiny hellion who bounced off walls and loved his grumpy Big Brother. I spend a lot of time separating them so no one would get hurt.
Baby Rocky
I remember one time I heard little muffled whimpering and when I went to investigate I found Little Joe dragging Rocky across the floor…but not by his ruff. No Little Joe had Rocky’ s whole head in his mouth. That was why Rocky’s cries sounded muffled! But both Rocky and I survived his kittenhood and eventually Rocky became the “Old Man”. And now I have kittens again.
His Highness- Banner
Banner is 6 months old now and starting to look like an adult. He’s going to be a fluffy cat and his tail is still his biggest feature. Banner is kind of slow moving. We play a game of soccer with tiny soccer balls. I throw them down the hall and Balboa chases them. Banner is like the goalie. Only he stretches out across the hall and if Balboa doesn’t catch the ball before it starts down the hall, Banner just bats it away with his paw and lays back down. No racing around for him.
Banner
This morning as I got ready to take my shower I saw Banner get ready to use the litter box. His tail was sticking out over the side of the box. To my surprise Balboa came running and pounced on Banner’s tail! Oh no! I figured that would distract Banner- maybe even cause an “accident” but no, Banner paid no attention to Balboa chewing on his tail. He took care of his needs then calmly pulled his tail away so he could turn and cover up his business.
Balboa is the crazy one. They said he was shy when I adopted him. Ha! They lied or else he had them all fooled. He is 2 months younger than Banner. Where Banner is poufy and lazy Balboa is lean and sleek. He’s shorthaired and shiny black with the energy of a formula one race car. Banner is very patient with him but once he wears out his big brother he heads to for me and we play fetch for an hour or two!
Wild Thing
Balboa, often called BB for short is also known fondly as “Sir Talks A Lot”. He mutters. Yup he wanders around the house talking to his toys, to Banner and to me. He doesn’t do anything in silence except maybe sleep. Balboa is my lap cat. Once he finally runs out of energy he just collapses like a limp rag and can stay on my lap all afternoon if I let him. Banner might make a short stop to say hi but then moves on. Not Balboa, He’s my buddy.
Don’t leave anything around where you don’t want it checked out either! I made the mistake of setting a bowl on the table while I got some other items out of the cupboard. This is what I turned around to!
Not in the bowl!
Luckily I had another bowl and could run that one through the dishwasher again.