Post 1188: early morning on US 385…I drive to Bridgeport

I love the early morning! Colors are saturated, dramatic shadows are cast by the low sun, and there is an awakening. This time of year, too, the drama of Autumn ganging up on Summer, turning a verdant world into one of vibrant colors, makes a drive down to the North Platte River at Bridgeport one I look forward to.

Of course, there are better places to see the Platte in Autumn, but I enjoy Bridgeport, a small but vigorous community on the Mormon and Oregon Trails. Autumn on the North Platte in Bridgeport is just fine with me!

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At the intersection of Potash Avenue and Kansas Street, the southern most street in Alliance. There is town to the north of Kansas and country to the south.

Wow! What a gorgeous morning this chilly October day!

Looking south down Angora Hill, your first glimpse of the North Platte River valley.

Bridgeport is built on the Mormon and Oregon Trail routes that paralleled the North Platte River, the I-80 of the westward migration in the 1800s.

This monument marks a Mormon campsite on the North Platte, which you can see in the background.

Well, coal trains are a traveler’s woe around these parts. Wyoming coal’s transported by the BNSF and Union Pacific lines to eastern and southern power plants.

Time to head back to Alliance.

Nebraska is flat. (Angora Hill, heading north on US 385.)

Of course, once you get into Box Butte County, Nebraska is flat! LOL! Squint and you just about can see Alliance on the horizon. The double power lines show that there is progress on moving power lines to make way for the Heartland Express. This road is going to be a divided highway in time.

OK, here’s your kitty dose for the day! Andy watched birds out the window while I took a short day trip. No idea what Dougy did.

For a bit of history on the Oregon Trail and the Mormon Trail:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_of_the_Oregon_Trail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Trail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landmarks_of_the_Nebraska_Territor

About Bridgeport, Nebraska:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgeport,_Nebraska

About the Platte River:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platte_River

Post 1187: fugitive…

The endless game of giving Andy his heart medicine began with Andy escaping from me each time I tried to catch him.

Frustrated, I decided to take a photo of Andy hiding in the dark, feet away from me where I couldn’t move without him scooting off to some inaccessible spot to “cat smirk” about how he avoided his icky medicine once again! I’d call the blog centered on the photo “fugitive…” I decided.

While waiting for my computer to settle in and be ready, Andy stopped by my computer chair! He was within grabbing distance, so I just reached down and captured my little fugitive!

“Try giving me those sad kitten eyes now, you little rascal! You will be medicated today!”

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The fugitive, moments before he came over and was captured. (Photo taken in low light.)

This is Andy’s main defense: “sad kitten eyes”. Didn’t work! For those unfamiliar with Andy’s “sad kitten eyes”, here’s an historical photo, back when I had to wrap him in a towel to contain him long enough to give him his medicine:

…wrapped in the white towel! He spots the medicine bottle on the table. This can only mean one thing! (Original caption for this photo – this shows you an Oscar-worthy version of “sad kitten eyes”, as Andy performs them!)

Post 1186: Caturday and everything’s cosy…

Not much to report today. It’s Caturday and everything’s cosy!

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Dougy’s relaxed on his ottoman…

…and Andy is suspicious of me. (He hasn’t had his medicine yet!)

Put your feet up and relax with your kitties! It’s Caturday!

Post 1185: a quiet morning watching the news….

The boys had kitty food, the wet kind. Andy had his medicine earlier and was a good boy! Now he’s sleeping in the bathroom on his favorite place: The mat outside the shower. He claimed that the moment I put it down. Dougy knows. Yes, Dougy knows! He leaves that spot alone unless he wants a fight!

Fixed myself french toast (French toast?) for breakfast, along with a rich Brazil Adrano coffee made from beans I roasted, and a fruit cup. Then Dougy and I sat down for the morning news. Well, maybe Dougy was more interested in a nap, but, well, you know….

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Dougy asks the question, “Meow?!”

I’m busy watching the news, so give him a “brush off” answer. “Later, Dougy! This is important, too.”

That’s OK by Dougy. He wanted to take his nap anyway.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I get the recliner to myself. 102116-andy-stops-by

While Dougy’s off getting a drink, Andy stops by. 102116-andy-in-middle

“Meow!” he says, meaning, “But none of that dang politics on the news for me!” He has standards. 102116-but-no-poklitics-andy

I can appreciate Andy’s concern, though I feel I, as a citizen, need to be informed. He’s just a cute little kitty!

Post 1184: Dougy repurposes part of a neglected toy…!

People in the USA probably remember the advertisements for the Cat’s Meow toy. Man oh man! Your cat will put on his or her kitty, and eagerly play with this toy! It will change your kitty’s whole outlook on life, and probably…blah, blah, blah. So I bought one. The kitty boys played with it at first, but soon became jaded. The toy, a $19.95 purchase, plus shipping and handling (about $25 or so total) was a bust.

I put it up and occasionally brought it out again. I got the boys to play with it, though they quickly got bored again. “Oh yeah,” they told me through body language, “this stupid toy!” I’ve attached a video proof of this, below.

Then, yesterday, Dougy showed up with the action part of the toy, a thing supposed to simulate a mouse tail, I suppose. He was really into it! I tossed it. He chased it and brought it back to me! This was doggy-like behavior he’s never exhibited before. So I tossed it again. He brought it back to me again! And again! And again!

I don’t know how he got the toy part since I put it on top of the little rolltop woman’s secrétaire, but there it was, and Dougy was going ape snot over it!

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The video:

And here’s Dougy playing with the toy part when I wiggled it over his head:

As for Andy, he’s still less impressed with this toy or any part of it. He may change his mind when I try it out on him when Dougy isn’t around to hog the play. We’ll see!

Post 1183: Andy, in two views…

Yep! Same old problem! Andy (or Dougy – same difference) is being cute, posing nicely, looking like a potential subject for a blog post, but…he’s in the dark. Oh well. I took the photos anyway, hoping Photoshop would rescue them. One turned out subtle because his whiskers were highlighted by the sun behind him. The others had to be manipulated beyond a reasonable point, turning Andy into an extraterrestrial alien kitty: “Come to the light!”

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Here’s the subtle “highlighted whiskers” Andy.

This is pretty much what the rest looked like after typical Photoshopping.

Then, one last effort to bring out detail in Andy (exposure) resulted in this…

…and this~!

Oh well. I kind of like the “highlighted whiskers” Andy. In the meantime, I’ll try to catch him in good light for future posts.

Post 1182: Andy stops by for a “scritching” and Dougy poses nicely…

Poor Andy! He hasn’t had his medicine yet, but he still has that sweet Persian need for companionship! He stopped by my chair, pawed at my arm, so I “scritched” him under the chin, his favorite. He got just close enough for some loving, but not so close I could grab him.

Dougy, on the other hand, preened and cleaned himself on his ottoman. We played wand toy earlier, with Andy sneaking a play, too, though he didn’t want me to notice….

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Andy loves to have his chin and chest scratched!

Dougy poses nobly on his ottoman.

Post 1181: “Once upon a time…”

There has been an explosion of new people following this blog since I returned from my hospitalization and rehabilitation. People who’ve followed the kitty brothers for a long time know how they came into my life, have seen some of the many videos I’ve made of them through the five years I’ve had them, but the newer followers may still have questions about those details. Today’s blog is for them!

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This is at the veterinarian’s clinic on the day I picked up Andy to bring him home for the first time.

Andy's home now!

Dougy would come home a few days later. When I got Andy, I didn’t anticipate getting a second kitten from the same litter. This photo was at the top of my blog till I made the screen print from a video of the two kittens playing on a settee that is the current heading photo.

Before there were kitties at the top of this blog, this photo of me was there.

"Yeah! You better hide yer face, varmit!"

For the full story of Andy and Dougy’s coming into my life, there’s a link in the “Andy and Dougy come home” page, above.

Post 1180: Dougy has to choose: Play or Clean???

Dougy made a big decision today. Presented with a conundrum, he chose well! What Dougy had to decide: Shall I play or shall I clean my “precious”?

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Dougy realizes he can’t do both at the same time. Rats! He must choose.

He gets closer to a decision… His head turns toward the task!

He must do this first.

Get ready…! 101616-begin-frenzy-useme

Wait! Wait! Wait! I didn’t say ” get set”, let alone “go”!

[ lick~lick~lick~lick~lick ] Geez, Dougy! Get a room!

Regardless of his jump start, Dougy played the game well! His “precious” cleaned, he went for the wand toy. What a happy day!

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101616 update message.jpg

Today was Microsoft Windows 10 update day. “Wasn’t that two-hour wait to get to use your computer just the most fun you’ve had today, Doug?”

“NO!”

Post 1179: All this beauty doesn’t come without effort…!

Dougy and Andy both get nice comments about how cute and pretty they are. It is important, though, that you understand all this beauty doesn’t come without effort!

Dougy decided to show you his secrets, which follow.

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The star of this post is Dougy. But you knew that!