Gabby’s creativity when it comes to nappy spots knows no bounds. Sure enough she has decided the new shelf full of mittens, hats and gloves is a very cozy sleeping spot indeed.

Rileykin has developed yet another Maine Coon trait. She’s got “britches” on her legs, meaning the fur is quite long but then shorter on the foot. She’s also got the thick double coat, the M on her forehead, rings on her legs and a myriad of other traits- all except for a “butterfly” on her back. We’ll never know her lineage but we love her just the same.

This pincushion has been on my todo list for awhile. It’s one of the Christmas gifts I’d planned to make but now I’m glad I went another route. It’s cute but not quite what I’d hope for. I’d like a pointier face/beak and a rounder body. I’ll keep searching for the right pincushion pattern for my friend and in the meantime this will work nicely for me. You can find the pattern here. My inspector says, “It’s cute but not good to eat.” I changed a few things. I used batting to “stuff” my wings and tail and I love how well that worked. I also stuffed my birdie with crushed walnut shell and skipped the insert that’s meant to weigh it down.

I finished spinning my lovely bunny fluff. I am planning to ply it against some Durante (cormo/romey) which matches most of the fluff in a browner grey sort of color. If you look closely at the angora bobbin on the right, you can see a bit of the browner color peeping through the truer grey. Most of the angora is the browner color. I want to make a three ply so I’ve filled up one bobbin with Durante’s roving and am working on a second. Riley has been “helping” by making off withe the Durante roving the second I turn my back. It has a very sheepy smell that she just can’t resist because normally she’s not particularly interested. It’s hard to chastise her when you are laughing so hard.

Riley kitten managed to get a tick over the weekend despite being an indoor only cat. It must have come in on someone’s pants. While at the vet for removal, Riley weighed in at 9.2 pounds. At one year old this week, she weighs almost as much as her momma’s post-nursing weight of ten pounds.

Gabby’s new urinary SO diet along with filtered water has banished the urinary crystals. She’s not gaining any weight back so she remains quite thin under at that fluff, barely topping six pounds. Winnie and Riley have grand battles in the morning which leave Winnie all tuckered out and ready for a good nap by 8 AM.

I think the cats are just as happy as we are to have the heat back on.

Gabby thinks it’s entirely too cold in the house and has taken to sleeping right on top of the heater vent. As you can see, I’ve moved her bed there.

It’s also sourdough time again. I always seem to taper off in the summer but come fall I’m ready to go again. This is the New England sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour Baker.  I got mine going earlier in the week and I’m planning to make sourdough waffles in the morning.

Pretty soon Riley kitten won’t be a kitten anymore. She continues to entertain and charm us. She is quilt the little magpie and will sneak off with random things from desk, counter, or table. If something is missing you can be sure Riley has squirreled it somewhere. She still goes to Gabby for a face wash when she gets sleepy and she delights in Tigger-pouncing Winnie. She tips the scale at 7 pounds and her brothers are 8 and 10 pounds. I was glad to hear Momma kitty was finally adopted.

I get this face several times a day and it means, “please throw the ball/possum/mousikins!” If I am too slow, the arm of my chair gets scratched. It took me a bit to catch on but now I keep a wee tiny stash of toys on the table next to my chair to buy enough time to get to the end of the row if I am knitting.