The string…

…the cat.

Andy moved in closer.

Preparing to pounce!

Moments before the pounce!

Yes, Andy had a good time with the string. It’s always a winner to bring out some string when it involves Andy!

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An American president died from an assassin’s bullet on this day in 1963. If you were alive and of an age to be aware of the bigger world then, this day always brings back memories of where you were, how you reacted, how it changed your perceptions of the world. He was no saint it turns out, a horndog, yet while he was President of the US, he and his wife brought class and a bit of magic to the presidency. He was the first Catholic president, something as impossible to imagine then as the first black president would be in 2008. 

“The bastards shot the President!” That’s what I said to my mother when I stepped in the door at home that fated Friday. Of course, it turned out just one bastard was involved, but his act robbed us of a leader. Then, Jack Ruby shot him two days later, an act shown live on American television quite by accident. I was at church when it happened, but the act would be shown over and over on television coverage that didn’t return to sitcoms and sports till after the funeral Monday. I sat in front of the television watching it all, as did a nation. 

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

29 May 1917 – 22 November 1963

I could have told them. The Huskers will tear your heart out…. On the other hand, I didn’t watch the game, so have no idea if it was a good game or not, regardless of the final score. One point, though…!

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My friend Virginia writes “The football game was very frustrating in the last minute to lose by one point.”

Yes, Wisconsin -15; Nebraska – 14.

Looking at the quarter-by-quarter tallies, it looks like Nebraska had a great first half, and tossed away their lead in the second half. On the other hand, this game was another sellout of Memorial Stadium seating, so the Husker record there is secure for now at 389 consecutive sellouts since 1962! (It might be higher if my source wasn’t regularly updated.) 

Andy had to spend more time alone than usual the last few days. I’m sure he was a good boy, because Andy always is!

Yes, Thursday and Friday, I had the pleasure of a visit by Larry and Virginia, my friends from Lakewood, Ohio! Thursday, we had a tour of the Carnegie Arts Center exhibits, thanks to…

…Larry’s brother Bob, who is a resident artist there and who does classes among other things at the center. Thanks to COVID-19, both Bob and I hadn’t seen each other since the last time Larry and Virginia were in town a few years back. Getting to see him again was a side bonus to my Ohio friends’ visit!

As luck would have it, because Thanksgiving lands when we usually have it, the AHS Class of 1966 group that gets together monthly for a mini-reunion lunch had a Mexican-themed meal on Friday. Larry and Virginia attended with me and (I think!) had an enjoyable time. I know I did! Of course, Marco the Pomeranian and Tootsie the what’s-it doggy were there to greet us since we met at Donna’s home.

“Scarlet & Cream” – Larry’s dressed as a Husker fan.

My friends turned back east to attend the Nebraska game today, driving as far as Grand Island, 273 miles/ 439 km from Alliance, a solid four-and-a-half-hour drive, where they stayed Friday night.

Saturday morning, they finished the 94 mile/ 151 km drive from Grand Island to Lincoln, where we hope the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers play better against the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers than against other teams this year. Afterall, Larry and Virginia have an 843 mile/ 1362 km drive back to Ohio and it would be sad if the Huskers fumbled this game my friends travelled so far to enjoy! 

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The Cornhuskers are the darlings of sports in Nebraska. The average Nebraskan is a rabid Husker fan. My late brother Richard was the biggest Husker fan in coastal Northern California. He had many jackets, shirts, and other Husker wearables and collectibles. He never missed a Husker game if it was broadcast in his area, and once went to Los Angeles (741 miles/ 1193 km from where he lived!) to watch a game the Huskers played there. When my brother died, he was buried wearing a Husker shirt, jacket, and hat. The family each wore one of his Husker t-shirts. He would have loved it! Though I went to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I am one of two people in the state who isn’t a fan of this team.

Peacefully asleep…

…Andy sprawled across the lapboard.

Of course, that meant Doug felt obligated to interrupt sleepy boy’s rest with a “scritch”. What could he say? Andy had switched sides so wasn’t technically “asleep”, still, was he?

You can’t tell, but that blurry tail was Andy’s response to interruption of his sleep: swish! swish! swish!

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I get automatic shipments of Greenies and Andy’s wet food. It seems I never get the correct intervals correct for either. I either get a shipment well before I need Greenies or too late for the wet food. Then I adjust the interval on the vendor’s site only to have the same problem the next time, perhaps in reverse. This time, however, I got both set up too late and had to, yep, change the intervals again. 

Sleepyboy responds… 

…to the sound of me shaking this Ziploc bag that his favorite thing is in.

Weird! But this remnant of a peacock feather is Andy’s current favorite thing!

Cats!

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Had a pleasant meal with friends Larry, Virginia, and Bob yesterday! We’re getting together again today for a Carnegie Art Museum visit and a Class of ’66 monthly lunch of tacos later at Donna’s. I look forward, too, to Marco the Pomeranian and Toosie the cutey pie what’sit doggy, Donna’s lovable pooches!  

Andy hid behind the eye wipe container.

I walked up to him and picked him up, no effort, no fuss!

He tried to keep his eyes closed after he saw the eye drop bottle coming his way.

The old “turn-your-head-at-the-last-second” maneuver! I got the drops in his eyes once I held his head steady.

Medicating cats is lots of fun! 

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My friend Judy and I had caramel pecan rolls and coffee at Ken & Dales yesterday morning. Good rolls, strong coffee and good talk! Judy and I have done this a couple time now, and it seems like a good way for both of us homebodies to enjoy a little social time.

I put the last newspaper on the floor under the recliner.

It took no time for Andy to find it!

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Andy didn’t hide for his evening medications. When I went into the guest bedroom, he was on the floor in front of the sofa, the place where I medicate him. He was a very good boy – mostly! – and gave me no problems once I detached his embedded claws from the sofa arm. LOL! 

Wasn’t that fun learning that my friend Deborah has a new kitten!? Tashi Norbu looks like a winner to me, and his personality should help him become buddies with his new home mates.

Andy displays his stalking skills in taking over this box.

The late Dougy makes a cameo appearance here, watching his brother, Andy, play with a new toy.

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Andy just about won yesterday’s battle to medicate the cat. When he saw me pick up the walking stick, he ran into the guest bedroom, where he totally lost me. I had my usual temper tantrum about that, and sat down on the sofa to contemplate where, if not the usual place, could Andy be hiding. He had to be in the room. Where?

Then I had a moment of clarity: in the dark space by the closet! Yes, hiding in dark, a black cat is invisible. And easily trapped! Poor Andy!

I picked him up and took him over to the sofa, where I pet him to calm him down and to get him to put his claws away. (I have lots of wounds from this medicating process….) Then I gave him his eye drops.

Whew! Done for the next 12 hours. Next, both medications have to be administered. 

Andy likes to snoop.

Nothing here of interest.

Oops! Andy sees me.

Snooping’s OK, Andy. This is your home, too. 

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This week’s going to be a cold one here in Nebraska, with daytime temperatures at freezing or slightly below. I’m not ready for temperatures that low, so probably will spend most of my time inside, blankets on my lap to help keep me warm till I get the temperature setting on the electric heat at a comfortable level. I usually get the initial setting too high, turning my apartment into a tropical sweatbox. I get it right after the temperatures settle down into late autumn, early winter levels. Snow might happen next Thursday.