Crochet Time

Don't forget, starting in April I will be posting at Books, Hooks and Yarn.

https://bookshooksyarn.blogspot.com/ 

This blog Just Ducky will remain as a historical document on the lives of Derby and Ducky. So I, and you can come back and revisit events that happened during the twenty plus years it has existed. 

Dobby is settling in just fine. He has the run of pretty much the entire house and basement. I was able to move his litter box to the basement, so no more gritty mess on the floor in the bathroom. I haven't opened up the two other bedrooms for the time being either. I sort of know where to find him, but sometimes he can make himself scarce. I think he settled in quickly since he came from a similar set up where he was. 

I have tried to crochet with Dobby around. I have to watch that he doesn't try to chew the yarn. Otherwise things have been OK. I had just finished one blanket when he arrived and then started on another. He is OK not being in my lap all the time, he is independent enough to hang out on his own, but nearby. Usually sitting on the back of the chair or in the other vacant chair seat. He is a large cat, so he does take up a large portion of my lap.

Baseball season has started, the NCAA basketball tourney is still going on as well. That means lots of crochet time. Oh yeah, CrashCar on Sunday too. Not that I need sports to be able to crochet, but it keeps my hands busy and that means no nervous eating. 

This week's blanket is Rainbow Bright, Big Twist Value yarn. Bright colors with small patches of black. 

  

 Happy Weekend. 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Don't forget, starting April 1, I will be posting from the new blog

Books, Hooks and Yarn

https://bookshooksyarn.blogspot.com/ 

Dobby and I are settling in. He is getting a little more freedom to move around the house. He also seems to be less interested in going into the basement, coming back full of cobwebs. The only thing he really needs in the basement is the litter box. Although at the moment I do have one set up in my bathroom. Oh fun for the grit on the floor.  

He is ok sitting in my lap for extended periods of time, no issues being close to me. So far he has slept at the foot of my bed every night. Even last night where I went to bed and left him in the living room. A little bit later I felt him jump on the bed and settle down. 

I haven't done much reading since he showed up, so not sure how he will react to me sitting and reading. Will he try to block my view or leave me alone? To be determined. 

 

All the President's Menus - The White House kitchen staff is coping with a government shut down and a visit from some visiting chefs from Saardisca. Also visiting is a candidate from Saardisca who is running for president. A few mishaps, hospital visits, a death and Ollie getting attacked by a couple of the visiting chefs. What is going on and why?

Cat Got Your Killer - a Second Chance mystery. People from a murder of 15 years ago are in town when one of the original group is found murdered on the same beach. Who done it?

A High-End Finish - first book in a series by the same author of the Bibliophile mysteries. Set in a small town in northern California, Shannon Hammer is a contractor with her own business fixing and renovating houses. A friends sets her up on a blind date that does south. Several days later that guy turns up murdered inside a house she is working on. Did she do it?

These Summer Storms - a self-made billionaire dies unexpectedly, his family is gathering on a private island to find our their inheritance. Not what they expected. Letters giving them tasks to do for the next week. All of them must complete their tasks and not leave the island before one weeks is up. What do they get? Money, renewed family ties, love or something else? 

Our Last Resort - story with lots of twists. Frida and Gabriel meet as kids in a cult situation. They get out and lead separate lives, but stay in touch. When Gabriel is accused of killing his wife, Frida stands with him. Years later they meet up at an exclusive resort in Utah. When a death occurs it is Gabriel who is suspected of the murder. This time the truths come out. 

  Happy Reading. 

Major ManCat Monday

This is to introduce you to the newest member of the household. Yes, I decided to adopt another cat. The house seemed to be way too quiet without another being in the house. 

I really hadn't planned this, I went to the shelter's website to send an email to where and when I could drop off the remaining food and cat litter. Like I usually do I did check out the adoptable pets and this guy just jumped out at me. I hadn't been truly attracted to a picture on the shelter website in ages. 

This was Max, six and a half years old. A hefty fourteen pounds. A huge switch after mini size Ducky. I figured he was old enough that he shouldn't outlive me like if I had gotten a kitten. He was from an only cat household, so would have the same thing here. 

The following are his shelter pictures.  

He is a gorgeous copper colored tabby. His eyes are a very light greenish-yellow. Fur is soft and very dense. His tail is up so I think he is happy. 

Now he has been here since March 19! Yes, I managed to keep him a secret for a few days but I wanted to make sure we both were settled in. 

His first few hours were spent under my bed, but late evening when I went to bed to read for a bit, he jumped up on the bed. When I turned out the light he was doing laps around me on the bed. When I woke up he was laying at the foot of the bed. He has been sleeping on my bed since. 

While I let him out to roam the rest of the house he managed to get access to the basement. I wanted to keep him upstairs for the first bit. He did come up with lots of cobwebs once, and another time he was just sitting on a foam pad down there. I figured a way to block access so I knew he has to be upstairs. He was allowed back down on Sunday while I did laundry. 

He has adapted well, he will sit on me and cuddle. Sit behind me on the back of the chair. I can hear him purring like crazy at times. He is also a vocal cat at times. The first time I got in the shower I could hear him meowing just outside the shower. 

One thing different that either Derby or Ducky is that he has claws. Derby was totally declawed, Ducky was front declawed. He isn't that great with letting me handle his paws. I am having to monitor him so he is using the scratcher and not the furniture. 

Oh yeah, I changed his name too. I went back and forth on names for days. I finally settled on Dobby. Yeah, from the character in Harry Potter. So Dobby, the HouseCat Elf!

A few pictures I have taken once I got him at home.  

 

Dobby may make some guest appearances on the new blog but won't be blogging like Derby and Ducky did. 

Crochet Time

It is the day of the spring equinox or the first day of spring, or partial day of spring. The snow of last weekend is rapidly melting. I can again see my spring bulbs pushing out of the ground. Temperatures are bouncing up and down but at this point no more snow storms in the next week. When you are outside the birds are singing up a storm. 

March Madness is a bust for me. The Wisconsin Badgers lost by one point and are out of the tourney. Now I really don't care who wins. If I am not watching games I can get other things done, but then I am crocheting less too. Oh well, I crochet when I watch TV anyway.  

Retro Stripe, Red Heart Yarn. One of my favorite color mixes that I have worked with. Bright, cheery pastels. 

 

I had this happen last night starting the last skein of a project. All of the other ones pulled out just fine. I got it sorted and then crocheted enough to not have all the little bunches of yarn. 
  

Happy Weekend and Happy Spring. 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Hopefully we had the last hurrah of winter this week with a snow storm. Officially they were giving us blizzard warning from late Sunday through 4 PM on Monday. At least by me the visibility never got that low and the winds weren't that high either. I think I got about 5-6 inches of snow. Also had rain, some sleet as well before the snow started on Sunday evening. 

It is supposed to be in the 50s late this week, so it will melt quickly. Plus the spring equinox is on Friday, more and more sunshine to enjoy.  

Nice with being retired. I can anticipate the storms, make sure I have food, books, crochet stuff to keep me amused for a day or two. 

I spent part of my inside during the bad weather on Sunday to go through my TBR. Checking to see if the library system has the books, removing the duplicates, removing books I didn't find. I have had one books, the first of a series, on hold for over two months. I just deleted the whole bunch. I figure that the first book is lost. I have a nice long TBR list, I won't lack for books to read.  

The Queen Who Came in From the Cold - It is the spring of 1961 and Queen Elizabeth is off to give a speech near Liverpool. Traveling by train Princess Margaret's lady in waiting swears she saw people dragging a dead man near the tracks. Digging deeper into the death they discover a plot to get a defector from Russia to the UK, using the royal yacht Britannia. 

A Fountain Filled with Blood - the second installment of the Clare Ferguson Mystery series. It has been six months since the first book, mid-summer and a few issues with gay men being targeted and beaten. 

Austen at Sea - in 1865 two Bostonian sisters start a correspondence with Jane Austen's surviving brother. To add to the mix, they decide to travel, alone, to meet him in the UK. Needless to say things don't go smoothly for the two, last minute chaperone, an at sea wedding, meeting lots of different people, a surprise gift, a divorce and other legal proceedings. I stayed up past my usual bedtime to finish this as I so wanted to know how it ended. 

Snacking Dinners - is just as it says. Having snacks for a meal. Not just chips or popcorn, but fancier stuff on toast, deviled eggs with what ever on top, cheese plates, antipasto, noodles with made up sauces. Whatever you want to throw together! I do it all the time!

All This Could Be Yours - Tessa leaves a corporate trainer job wanting something more. Three years later she is a best selling author on a book tour. One thing she seems to have gained is a stalker. Every stop there is someone asking very personal questions, things go missing etc. An ending I wouldn't have predicted!

The Woman in Suite 11 - A Ruth Ware novel, bring back the main character, Laura Blacklock, from the book The Woman in Cabin 10. Laura is restarting her professional life after getting married and having kids. She gets invited to the opening of a luxury hotel in Switzerland. Laura finds herself in life or death situations, wondering whom she can trust. 

Spitfires  - the true stories of twenty-five American women who knew how to fly and were recruited to come to the UK and fly. Not in combat, but in moving military planes from factory, to bases, to repair shops and back again. Follows their lives, loves, accidents through the war and beyond. 

 

 

 Happy Reading.   

Mini ManCat Monday - In Memorium

 

 MALLARD OLYMPUS CUTIE PIE aka DUCKY

6/28/2008 to 2/16/2026

Gotcha Day 2/13/2010 

 

 

I think I am finally ready to do this. One month ago, you decided it was time to join your brofur Derby at The Bridge. You wanted to make it so I would never for get the day. So you picked my birthday. You know I can't and won't forget the days you came to live with me and they day you left. Plus all the days in between.  

Ducky, oh how I miss you. The house is quite, too quiet. Even though you weren't making much noise as you got older, you were always around. You were my lap cat, or in many cases if my lap was full of a laptop or crochet you would sit on my boobs! 

You were just a bit over a year and a half when you came to live with me. A reject as it were from your first family. You ran away and when you were found, they didn't want you back. Why I don't know, you were the sweetest little guy. 

A little guy indeed. Even at your prime you barely made it to 9 pounds, a small package that even some of the people that would come to clean the house thought you were a kitten. Even though you were eating you were losing weight, I could feel all of your ribs as we cuddled. 

In your younger days you were a jumping fool. So much so that you won a gold medal in the CatOlympics back in 2012. High jump indeed. Here is a link to the video showing his winning jump! 

As you got older, like so many cats, you had some kidney issues. Lots of deposits in the litter box. That was treated with special kibble and wet cat food and lots of water available for you to drink. Lots of discussion with Dr M to see if there was much more to do, maybe SubQ fluids but we never did get that far.

You also developed this chronic sinus issue and were too old to sedate and get your sinuses cleaned out. I had to endure your sneezes, sneezes with lots of snot getting all over things. On my laptop, me, furniture, books or crochet projects, walls. One of my tasks will be to go around cleaning stuff for the near future, a little bit at a time.  

I knew your time was coming. You were supposed to see Dr M in March and I figured it might be time to send you on your way. You had a surprise for me.  

Your final 24 hours with me, watching racy cars, cuddles on the couch, then bedtime. When I got up that Monday I didn't see you at first, but then heard this sound and found you. On the floor, limp and shaking. Not responding to me. Off to the vet we went and they promptly took you back and got an IV started. Then rather that moving you to an exam room I was brought back to the treatment area. 

Dr M explained what she had seen and we agreed to let you go was the best option. I had a few minutes with you and then we sent you off to The Bridge. Farewell my sweet boy. I will miss you forever. 

Days alive 6,442 which was close to 17 years and 8 months. Time spent with me 5,847 days, 16 years and 3 days. 

Following are some pictures over the years. First few are from day one at the shelter and then at home together, even under the bed.  

With Derby on the left. 

 

 

The canister with your ashes. Golden, just like you with little paw prints on the container. I wasn't asked what I wanted for a container, but they did a good job picking this out. Your paw print, with your name nicely imprinted as well. You are back with all you little rubber duckies. 

Until we meet again sweet Ducky. 

Crochet Time

Again I forget to add in the comments from me. First Happy Birthday to my brother, Stormy. Don't want to use his real name, he is three years older than me.  

Supposed to be a very windy day with a snow storm to follow on Sunday into Monday. So far I see one of my outside chairs is blown over, along with one small bird feeder. Plus I can hear the house creak a little bit while I am in the living room, but not in my bedroom. 

I have a couple of things to take care of on Friday AM outside the house. Then I can stay home until Tuesday! 

Mystic Mermaid, Big Twist Value yarn. Nice blend of colors in the purple family with a bit of pink added in for contrast. 

 

 

 Stay safe and warm this weekend. I have lots of books and crochet to keep me busy. 

Happy Weekend