Monday, January 4, 2016

Welcome Home

The unpacking is done, furniture is arranged, books are put away and pictures are hung. I can now introduce you to the new abode.

I find it a cosy place, small, certainly, but with almost enough room for me and the cats. I know they would like more space, and indeed, I require a bit more myself - enough for one more bookcase, to be exact. However, that is a thing of not much consequence, and I am pleased with the transition, so far. Come with me, won’t you, on a short tour?

We’ll start in the sitting room. And yes, the pictures are not quite centred on that far wall, and no, I’m not going to re-hang them.



You may note the rugs on the fitted carpets. Redundant, you say? Not if you have cats. Cammie has been feeling poorly and has thrown up a few times. Josie, with her sensitive stomach, has emptied her belly on the floor once and Tucker…that roly poly...didn’t finish his pooping after leaving the litter-box one time and wiped his bum on the floor. Fortunately, all of this was done on the inexpensive, easily cleaned and ultimately disposable rugs.



Continuing clockwise through the apartment, we come to the kitchen. It is little - tiny, actually - but for someone who, though he cooks, does not make big productions of it, the dimensions are quite adequate.


The dining area has a spare rug for the moment. Josie thought to add her scent to the rolled rug, was a bit too vigorous, rubbed against it, and tipped it over. It fell and knocked the clock off the wall. The clock hit the table, the battery flew out and landed in the kitchen sink. The clock continues to tick. So does Josie.


The storeroom (with litter-boxes) and bathroom may be imagined. And so into the bedroom. Quite bright and relatively spacious, it contains a couple of cat-trees and, in one picture, a couple of cats. It also houses my memorials to those who have gone before.






The library is cramped, to say the least. The little couch and its accompanying ottoman were such good furniture, however, that I didn’t want to part with them. This is where our Saturday night movie is watched. To save space, the television set is kept in the closet, the door of which is opened for weekend viewing.




And thus you are familiar with the new residence. The cats seem, to my surprise, to have settled in very quickly. They were largely untroubled by the changes, the actual move itself being the biggest bump in the otherwise smooth journey of their lives. That was of course my greatest worry.

Giving up the house is a bit of a wrench. One never likes to surrender an ambition but, with financial concerns as they are, the new arrangement is not only more practical but gives me peace of mind. That peace of mind is contained in a smaller location now but that doesn't matter much. What matters is that I and the beasts are together, we are safe, and we are home.

29 comments:

  1. Congrats for getting everything unpacked and put in its proper place, pics hung, etc.!

    Yes, being together safely, no matter where, is what's most important. Peace of mind counts for *a lot*. I hope the building is quiet...but then, you know how I feel about adjoining neighbours at this time in my life.

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    1. The building is a quiet one, and the walls are concrete, so little noise penetrates. I am in an end unit, as I think you are, and my only neighbour is an older woman who has livd there thirty-five years.

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  2. You new home looks very comfortable and cosy. The cats seem settled and content. You certainly had everything set up very quickly!
    As you say the most important thing is you are all together.
    Take care.

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    1. I don't like living with a temporary feel to things, so I unpacked quickly.

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  3. I am impressed with how quickly you moved in, everything looks like it has been there long enough to collect dust :)

    You could easily catify the space a little more to give the cats access to vertical space and thus providing them with a great deal more space, but that can come with time. With all the trees you have in there I'm sure they are feeling the place is quite spacious :)

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    1. I hope to work on providing more space for the beasts to move (or loll about) in but for now they will amuse themselves with the novelty of the place.

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  4. Well done - looks very cozy. These days people are moving into tiny homes so you are with the new trend. The area rugs are a good idea for cleaning up after the cats. I prefer bare floor but when you can't get that throw rugs are great.

    Cats of wildcat woods

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    1. I don't mind a small place. One more room would be perfect, but I don't think this is half-bad. I saw one apartment available in the same building that had all wooden floors (like my kitchen, dining area and bathroom) but it was only a one-bedroom suite. Still, a cat-owner's preference...

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  5. Your new home is absolutely beautiful! I'm impressed that you were able to get everything unpacked so quickly, (It took me a month to unpack the last time I moved.) And I'm especially happy to hear that the cats have settled in. After all, you can have a house, but the cats make it a home! Much happiness in your new apartment.
    Roberta

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    1. Thank you for the compliment. As for unpacking quickly, I think it's because I dislike living in transition so much. Christmas was like living at the airport with everything available to me in two suitcases. I needed to get everything put in its proper place.

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  6. Congratulations on getting settled into your new place. I'm glad to hear the furbabies are doing well. Linda, Pepper, and Dublin

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    1. Thank you. I believe this will be a very nice place for us all.

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  7. We agree with everyone else, you have done a great job of making your new place homely and it seems that you all fit in well. We are pleased that you were able to make a plan and execute it so quickly, that enabled you to all stay together. We hope that you can now sleep easier and get some time to relax.

    Julie and Poppy Q

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    1. The final step is actually handing over the house. Once that is done, I will breathe more easily.

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  8. guys......yur new place rocks !!!! matterz knot de size oh de HOUZ.... that makez a... HOME.....ya noe...

    we R glad everee one adjusted quik lee N heerz ta lotz oh new memoreez az well aza happee healthee soooper grate new yeer for everee one ....

    { now yur dad can buy tonz oh treetz with all de monee him iz gonna save on propertee taxes !! ☺☺☺ }

    ♥♥♥

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    1. More money for more cat-treats... Yes, I imagine my lot are thinking along those lines...

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  9. Your new home looks lovely and cosy. I am glad you have all settled in well. I think that no matter how much room we have, we always think we need more, but soon adapt.The cats all look very relaxed in their various places.

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    1. Yes, I suppose we tend to fill whatever space we have available - like gas...

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  10. Your new home looks lovely and I like your thoughtful decorating. I think the cats will be very happy in their new home, after all, being with you is most important, not what sort of home they live in. I do like the idea of keeping the TV in a closet out of the way. Give my best to your dear beasties from Jessica and me.

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    1. I use the television once a week, so I didn't want it to have more prominence (or use up more room) than it needed. I was thinking that one of the advantages of the current set-up is that now when I am on the computer, the cats come and gather to snooze on the bed on my left (except for Cammie, who is on the cat-tree to my right). I like that very much.

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  11. John I see you have a small memorial for the departed fuzzies and obviously you had them cremated and kept the ashes. What's your feeling on how to deal with kitty after her existence has finished?

    I'm a few years out still from the decision but I keep dithering between cremation and humane disposal. Lord knows I've been to the animal disposal here in Leth, and the thought of my little one being in there gives me a little bit of an uneasy feeling.

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    1. I prefer the idea of cremation, as I can then keep their remains with me, yet in a dignified state. If I owned property on which I knew I would be staying the rest of my days, then I would bury my pets there. But this way, I know what is left of them on Earth is being treated with respect.

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  12. The new place looks charming! (Heck, it's Versailles compared to my digs...) May all of you be very happy there.

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    1. Thank you. I'd have had a Hall of Mirrors, too, but I don't think I'd ever get the cats out of there.

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  13. So glad to see that the move is over and that everyone is (mostly) doing fine. The apartment is nice and your things fit in nicely. I like where you have Tungsten and Bear Bear, I have Oksar and Alyce on a desk in my spare room together too. Hope the New Year is a year of happiness, health and joy for you all.
    Kelly

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    1. Thank you for your remarks. I like to keep my missing ones near.

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  14. everything looks very cozy. we are sure having all their stuff out helped the transistion

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  15. It looks wonderful, homey, cozy and comfortable. I hope all the cats continue to settle in well with fewer (or even better no) episodes of vomiting.

    I'm glad you and they are settled and hope the sale is finalized soon.

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