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Typing With WetPaws: Welcome Back, Super Powers Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. It has been a while, but that awful summertime is over, and Super Powers are returning. Happy New Year to all our Jewish and Messianic friends. The picture above these words was taken by Aunt Linda, as I was taking a much-needed nap in her window. Some of the fans are off now, and Mama Anna is even wearing a sweatshirt as she helps me write this. There are noises from the humans about a Big Wash, which means ALL of the bedding, including blankets. I know what this means. This means it is time to be cozy and cuddly and snuggly. I am all about all of that.

Another thing that lends itself to cozy and comfy is that Mama Anna is listening to something I find very interesting these days: creepypasta. I do not mean things like spaghetti with spiders in it, but a certain kind of story she listens to on You Tube. It’s usually first person, kind of scary, but she doesn’t find it scary; she finds it interesting, and even listens to it to help her sleep. Yes, she will be bringing this up with the special talking people vet. her favorite kinds of stories so far are those about things that happen in the deep woods, and also where the narrator works at a place with some strange rules to them. Maybe she will try to write one for one of her blogs.

Now that summer is basically over, and will be officially over next week, Mama Anna is feeling much more herself. That means much more like writing. She is still working on the reading thing, which she will also mention to the talking people vet but is pretty sure that will come in time. Probably also with a nice autumnal candle.

Photo by thevibrantmachine on Pexels.com

Some scents that she likes for this time of year are: cinnamon, clove, woodsmoke, tobacco, leather, wine, pumpkin, apple, coffee, fallen leaves, and that sort of thing. Aunt Linda wants to go to Yankee Candle, which Mama Anna is all for, even better if they can meet up with some friends who also like going to candle places. I mean the factory, but maybe Aunt Linda only means the small stores in the mall. That one is good, too. Mama Anna is also playing around with making her own candles with wax melts and wicks, but she is starting on that journey, so buying candles is still a good idea.

I, of course, am not allowed to investigate candles, no matter what fragrance they have. Something about fire. Blankets are much more fun, as they are fuzzy and soft, like me, and good for napping. I am extremely good at napping. When Mama Anna is at her keyboard, i am usually sleeping in her sock drawer right next to her desk. I let her know I want in my drawer by scratching the drawer below it. Mama Anna says that sets a precedent, but Papa says I’m cute, and this was a curb dresser, so it’s okay. It’s a good thing he’s cute.

Mama Anna’s schedule says it is now naptime, so I had better sign off now, as I am nap commissioner. I will let her update you all on writing and stuff in her own blogs. What are you currently reading?

Headbonks!

Typing With Wet Paws: Mama Anna Smells Like People Vet Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. This week, it’s Mama Anna who smells like people vet, but she did not have to stay at the people vet and there is no cone of shame involved. She does still have a brace on her owie paw, but that was not why she went to the people vet. This visit was to check her medicine, and the people vet did want to make some changes. So far, they seem to be working okay. She will go back to the people vet ina few weeks to check on that. I have been keeping a close eye on Mama Anna, making sure I can tell her when she needs to chill or lay down or stuff like that. It usually ends with me getting belly rubs, so count that as a job benefit.

Aunt Linda hugged me.
That is all.

Mama Anna was feeling so much better today, in fact, that she went to the trash place three whole times, and rearranged a corner of the kitchen. She is hoping to turn it into a planning center/writing desk (handwriting, though we both know that she will still be doing a lot of her handwriting on the bed.) Sahe did try to put the kneeling chair back in place but it is too low for her desk, so she went back to using the folding stool, which is exactly the right height and give back support. Aunt Linda has been shopping online for pink office chairs. Aunt Linda loves shopping online. The kneeling chair will probably go into storage. Papa hates it, but then again he doesn’t have to sit in it, so there. This kneeling chair was the first piece of furniture Mama Anna ever bought with her own money and she got it because somebody she loved had one and let her try it and she loved it, so she got her own. So, sentimental value.

Here is a better picture of me than the one above. Mama Anna wants to start taking and sharing more picturs again, and what better subject than me? Granted, I am not aways cooperative, but then again, I am a cat. It comes with the territory. It’s all worth it, though, for results like this.

Now that we are over the Fourth of July hump, it is now time (I am told. For some reason, the hoomans decline to take me shopping with them) for stores to have allll the back-to-school supplies. Mama Anna is not in school, but she is a writer, so she really does need the pens and paper and all those sorts of things. Some of them, I might possibly make off with and put in one of my hoards. Mama Anna found a thing that belongs to Papa that is Not For Kitties in one of my stashes. She took it back and told Papa he has to put those things in a better place now because I am smart and nimble and stuff like that. He agreed that is a very good idea. I did not have any adverse effects, and it was a reminder to both parents to always check my special places if something goes missing. It’s not Borrowers. It’s me.

Mama Anna is working on her reading/media tracker. She read Circle of Friends, by Maeve Binchy, and then a YA thriller this past week. Now she is reading The Lilac Bus, also by Maeve Binchy, and is deciding between two YA books. She is probably going to toss a historical romance into that mix sometime this weekend. She very much likes staying inside when the weather is the way it is these days, and one hand holding the book means one hand is free to rub my belly. If she listens to an audiobook, she can use both hands.

What are ou reading this weekend?

Typing With Wet Paws: About Time for April Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. I would apologize for not posting as much as the schedule says, but, well, I am a cat. Sunbeams exist. Deal. Windows have been open. I know my priorities. Anyway, I’m back now. You’re welcome. Here is a picture of me in the midst of daily activities.

photo by Mama Anna

Mama Anna says I also should shear the whole picture, to show how hard I work, and some of the things I help her with as she refines her planning and journaling process. I am always up for new pictures of me, so here it is:

also by Mama Anna

What you can see here are a case where Mama Anna has put the washi that she uses most in one place, and me in the box from her first (but not last) Archer and Olive journal. I don’t exactly fit, but I sit anyway. Mama Ana says that I make a really good paperweight. I like to think of it as keeping her on task. She ccan’t put the journal away while I am in the box, so why not write in it? Right? It’s a fair strategy.

In case you want a better view of the washi, here it is:

Mama Anna likes the general assortment of tapes here, though she does need some more dark florals. She used most of the ones that were there. She doesn’t do cute or too bright. The tapes that are not turned so that the pattern shows are, my left to my right, second row: blush pink with white line art of people; two different purple dreamy celestial stuff. She has other washi, but it is stored elsewhere. This is the stuff she wants to grab if heading out the door for spontaneous journaling outside or something.

Mama Anna is working on getting her reading back on track, because it has been very much off track. She is not too happy about that. Journaling helps with that, and also with the writing. She and Aunt Melva will hear about Queen of Hearts in a few weeks, which is not that long. Mama Anna is pretty chill about it. Her outlook is that her boos are going to get out there. If it’s trad pub, cool. If it’s indie, cool. I have to say that is very cat-like of her. I am proud. She’s learning.

Soon, maybe this weekend, maybe later, she is going to set up a special journal or notebook to organize future book ideas, so that they are all in one place. She really really really does not like chaos. That is why we are doing a lot of rearranging and organizing these days. That’s fine by me because I can explore things as she moves stuff. Since we have a lot of boxes, that’s a lot of boxes for me to sit in and on; no need to choose.

That’s about it here this week. We have had the fan on, when necessary, which is rather nice. Wind in my fur, but still inside. Best fo both worlds. What’s awesome in your life this week?

Typing With Wet Paws: The Big Oh-Four Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. It’s been a wet everything off and on today, because it rained sometimes. Other times it was just cloudy. Papa did not have to go to work today, so he stayed home with Mama Anna and me. She has been drinking a lot of tea and is now taking care of some writing stuff. She was going to do some in depth overhaul of her desk area but she will do that when Papa is not home. Our home is cozy, which means that it’s easy for the big humans to get in each others’ way. I, being the Calico Comet, can dart in and out at will. Also top speed.

Anyway, on to the important news or should I say mews. February fourteenth, what humans call Valentine’s Day is also the day when we observe not only my birthday but big sister Skye’s. I am very proud to share an observed birthday with her. My first mom, Mama D, didn’t say when my birthday is, and I am not sure she knows, so Mama Anna and those guys don’t know either, but February fourteenth is a pretty good guess. Happy purr-thday to me. While my exact birthday is shrouded in mystery, it is safe to say that as of this birthday, I have hit the big oh-four. I got lots of pets and belly rubs and Mama Anna is always good for bringing out my red dot when I ask her.

As a newly recognized four-year-old, I have learned a few things. Here they are, in no particular order:

  • Calicos can shed on every color of clothes, furniture, etc. This includes patterns.
  • I am an indoor cat. Never mind the awesome yearlong camping trip these guys took to celebrate my adoption. I did get out once, on my own, and I regret that. I had a few days living under a parking lot with the skunks and the possums. It was Not Great and pretty scary. 0/10 would not recommend. Indoors is where it’s at, and where I am, as well.
  • All furniture is cat furniture. No need to explain.
  • If you can’t find it, it’s probably in one of my stashes. Maybe you’ll see it again, maybe you won’t. Depends on how I feel.

I know more, but Mama Anna wants the computer now. Something about novel work. Or maybe Sims. Possibly both. Whichever, she is going to need my su-purr-vision. How’s your weekend going?

Headbonks!

Typing With Wet Paws: Black, White and Orange Edition 2022

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Mama Anna’s excuse for not posting yesterday is that it was Thanksgiving, which was true. We had Neighbor N over. Papa mostly napped, and Mama Anna and Aunt Linda talked with Neighbor N a lot. They did spend a lot of time praising me, so the spirit of the holiday was fulfilled. I had crunchies, which is my favorite food. The humans had to eat people food. Apparently, lasagna is not a traditional Thanksgiving food, but this family seldom has traditional Thanksgiving anything. Whatever.

Anyway, Mama Anna will be hitting her revised Goodreads Challenge goal this weekend, by hitting her fiftieth book of the year. It hasn’t been the best reading year, so the bar is low for next year. We’ll see what happens. Purr-sonally, I am more concerned about when they get the Christmas tree up, because, well, you know cats and Christmas trees. Not that the humans are getting a full-sized tree this year. There’s no challenge with a tabletop tree. Maybe when we live in a bigger apartment. At least there will still be a lot of interesting Christmas preparations that involve things like papers and tissue and other crinkly things. Plus there is the issue of bags. Shopping for holiday stuff means stuff that comes in bags, and bags mean I can sit on those bags. Any way you look at it, I win on that front.

Now that the Christmas season is officially on, it does add a little juice to Mama Anna’s work. She and Aunt Melva are on track with their editing goals for both Drama King and Queen of Hearts. Mama Anna is trying out a type of writing planner that she thinks are working pretty well right now and may carry over into the new year. That new year will also involve both her and Aunt Melva moving their individual solo works to the front burners When those drafts are done, then they will start a new book together. Unless they manage to sell one of the abovementioned books, because then they have things like more edits and proofs and that kind of stuff.

Mam Anna is still working on what she wants for a holiday planner and next year’s planners, but she says she totally will be posting more about that here. I’d say about the time the eggnog and peppermint kick in, which should be any time now.

Headbonks!

Storm

Drive by Post

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Photo by Avinash Patel on Pexels.com

Very quick post today, from me and Storm both, as we get ready for a fun weekend. I get to head out on the road to a family wedding, and Storm gets to hang at home with neighbor, N, on Storm Watch. They met yesterday and get along great. Not going to lie, I’m anxious about being away from this li’l nugget, but she is in good hands and Neighbor N in good paws.

Storm here. Not an official Typing With Wet Paws post, since I am collaborating with Mama Anna, but I must register my displeasure at not being able to go on the car ride, but apparently cats are not to be alone in motel rooms for several hours (okay, that one I get.) I did suggest putting me in a Baby Bjorn and a frilly bonnet, but Aunt Linda reminded me that A) we do not own a Baby Bjorn, and B) babies seldom wear frilly bonnets these days. So, I get to stay put and visit with Neighbor N. Mama Anna says she, Papa, and Aunt Linda, will bring me fun stuff when they get back and Mama Anna will spend All Day Monday with me. That sounds like decent parenting.

Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels.com

Anna again. Time for me to get final packing done so we can be on the road on time. I’ve found that putting in the extra time to plan cuts down on anxiety a lot, and I am even bringing a writing notebook so I can get some stuff sketched out in the downtime, aka the ride there and back.

In short, still here, okay, blogging soon.

Headbonks!

Anna and Storm

Typing With Wet Paws: Welcome September Edition

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Tails up Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Today was awesome, because Papa and Mama Anna were both home. Papa let Mama Anna get a nap that she really needed, and I supervised. He also did some of the tidying, which was very interesting. The most interesting thing, though, is that we are now in September, which means that Labor Day is Monday, and that is the start of fall in this family. It is also when Mama Anna’s superpowers come back, so we are all excited about that.

A calico cat sist next to a box advertising a pair of pink glittery cat ear headphones. She looks less than pleased.
photo by Mama Anna

Mama and Aunt Linda went hunting yesterday and they bought some headphones. I am not sure how I feel about Mama Anna getting cat ear headphones. I appreciate the effort, but please the ears should be half orange and half black. They are pink and glittery, though, so they are on brand. Mama Anna has two settings: blush pink and black. There is no in between. Sometimes she is both at once. As a calico, I fully support this. I also fully support Mama Anna and Papa and Aunt Linda using headphones, because as a kitty, my hearing is better than theirs, and can you imagine the noise? Yeah.

Anyway, it’s easy to tell around here that autumn is right around the corner. For one thing, mama Anna is wearing flannel pajama pants today, with the black zippered sweatshirt where the zipper doesn’t work, but she refuses to get rid of even so. The big fan is off and Aunt Linda is right now on her way back from laundry, where she washed a big bunch of flannel sheets. As you can guess, Mama Anna likes flannel.

Mama Anna is also back in the planner groove. She was right; all she needed was a break. She’s narrowed planners for now down to two Happy Planners: one big (letter size) planner, and one mini planner, both with the same information. The big one lives on her desk, and the mini in her purse. She also has her B6 size traveler’s notebook, Christine, but Christine is not a planner. She’s a notebook. I will let her post about that kind of stuff but please know that I am sitting on all of them. Not at the same time, but in my dreams, you know I do.

Profile closeup of a calico cat, showing the orange side of her face
photo by Mama Anna

Around this time last year, some of Mama Anna’s cousins came to visit. One of them wanted to see that both sides of the fur around my eyes are different colors. As you can see, they very much are. One of the perks of being a calico.

Profile of a calico cat, showing the black side of her face.
photo by Mama Anna

I only saw Mama Anna’s cousins from the window, but they seemed nice. I hope they come back soon. I love meeting new friends. Aunt Mary and Uncle Brian visited this past weekend, but my humans went to their hotel room instead of them coming here. That was okay by Mama Anna because the humans are still digging out of August, which was pretty much divided between heatwaves and being sick. Everything is much better now.

I think that’s about it for this week. Aunt Linda will be home soon with laundry and dinner, and that means I have a lot of stuff to put my stink on. It’s very important that all of our stuff smells like all of us. What’s an important rule in your house?

Headbonks!

Storm

Typing With Wet Paws: Confused Cell Phone Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. This week, hold onto your seats, because I am going to go right into talking about Mama Anna. Shocking, I know, but this is a good one.

If you have been following us for any length of time, you will be familiar with Mama Anna’s weekly chats with Aunt Mary, over the glowy box. Most of this time, Papa is getting ready for work when these calls begin. If Papa is going to be home that day, then Mama Anna takes the call in Aunt Linda’s room, because they talk. A lot. Papa says they have one setting: loud. That is what happens when two extroverted humans get together. They get very excited about some of the things they talk about, which can vary widely. This one time, though, Papa was getting ready for work, and his cell phone got very confused.

Thing is, when Mama Anna and Aunt Mary talk, their topics move around from history to historical romance to baking to fashion and makeup and organization and upcoming family events and other things. Well. Papa’s phone has a voice thingy on it, because he likes to talk to his phone and tell it to do things instead of pushing buttons. This normally works very well, but when Mama Anna and Aunt Mary are throwing around a lot of different names and dates and questions and stuff, the phone doesn’t know what to do and tries to look up a bunch of stuff at once. Papa had to go to work, so he did take the phone out of the room so it could get some peace, but he didn’t get a chance to tell her until later. She and Aunt Mary thought it was pretty funny.

Papa’s phone did not have the same kind of problem when Mama Anna talked to Aunt Melva, because A) they usually keep their talk to the books they are currently writing together, but B) Mama Anna wears headphones, so Papa’s phone doesn’t hear Aunt Melva. Also C) Aunt Melva is not loud. I am sure Papa’s phone was thankful for the rest.

Oh. I also had a fun moment during this week’s chat with Aunt Mary, that I got to meet (virtually) my fur cousin, Aiden. He is a Golden Retriever, and Aunt Mary put him on the video call, and we looked at each other. I don’t know his side of the story, but I was all set to play. maybe one day we will. He looks like a fun guy. I bet he likes toys.

Anyway, that was the highlight of our week. Mama Anna is doing okay on the writing thing, which is pretty nice. She could be reading more, because that is prime belly rub time for me, an essential component, but we are working on that. Maybe you can recommend a good book she might like to read while rubbing my belly. Drop recommendations in the comments.

Headbonks!

Storm

Off-Center, Now With Fairy Lights

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Photo by lilartsy on Pexels.com

Yesterday was an organization and planning day. Normally, I like to do this while it’s the weekend, preferably Sunday, but that didn’t work out, so yesterday is good enough.sk moved somewhat on its own to its current position off-center of where it used to be, now bumping against the corner of my rustic crate bookcase. It’s a lot better to have a bookcase to look at while I work , rather than a blank wall (why did I ever think that was a good idea?) The white Chirstmas lights, aka fairy lights, though, those are intentional.

I’m not sure what it is about white fairy lights, but I love them. For Christmas trees, I like colored lights, either blinking or chasing, but white lights have a certain classy factor to them, and combined with the rustic wood of the bookcase, I am definitely feeling this. Also might end up putting some of the books from my post-birthday haul there, so I can get a glimpse of where I’d like to see my name in the very near future. Or present, for a copy of Chasing Prince Charming. Because I do that, too.

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See? My name. Also Melva’s.

I had snapped a shot of the current setup with the lights and all, but Amazon Photos is not cooperating, so here is Michael, one of my current Sims, who was on the screen when I took the photo

picture taken ingame, lots of ccfd, ReShade, etc

We’ll work on that later. The above screenshot is from my current Sims save, one where I wiped allll the premades and their houses, replaced with my own and painstakingly built my own world. Yes, that sounds a lot like writing. But with visuals. Plus I have to have my Sims living in houses built from real floorplans Yes, always. Except for apartments, which I can’t change, which is annoying, but fine.

I have been doing intense searches for custom content, checking decorating trends past and present, relying on color theory as only an artist’s kid can, and it has now spilled over into my actual life. Which is actually kind of fun, and conducive to writing with more comfort.

When I decorate a Sim’s environment, it matters what I choose for their “clutter” or decor, because it’s part of their story. As mine is part of mine. I do want to do an un-bagging of my birthday haul, so when I do that, I will have to do some rearranging of the bookshelves, which do not currently have actual books on them, as mine have been in storage. Probably rearrange the lights as well, and more than likely add to them, because I have met me, and those things are in stores everywhere. Also they are probably good for Real Life Romance Hero’s craving for more light in these dark months. (I, on the other hand, loooove the early nights. They are the best and fill me with joy.) More pictures coming then, which will give me more to talk aobut than mindless blabbering, but some of you are into that kind of thing, so this is your lucky day.

As it is mine, as now that I have a blog post down, I can go play Sims.

How’s your week going?

Birthday Afterparty

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Today is a sweatshirt over the pajamas, everybody home and relaxed, grey outside autumn day, which is exactly the ay I want to spend the day after my birthday. Yesterday was wonderful, and I have fun new stationery stuff to play with this afternoon. Housemate is putting together her new bedframe and possibly bookshelf. Real Life Romance Hero is maybe playing games or doing his online homework (not sure which) and Storm kitty is comfortably lounging in the middle of the people bed. We are subsisting on leftovers of yesterday’s takeout. In my case, add microwave popcorn. We have no needs to leave the house today, though Housemate allows she may venture out for trash bags, which, honestly, we need.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The whole day has a Boxing Day (day after Christmas) feel to it, and I am totally okay with that. There may be some TV to stream later, while I set up at least my catchall planner for the week, though the others will probably have to wait on Monday. Housemate’s bed is literally made, which means no more mattress on the floor for her. The bookcase will wait until tomorrow. I am looking at a video meeting with Melva, for Queen of Hearts discussion later in the week, with another writer friend later, and then next weekend brings two of my besties coming from CT to have a combination friendiversary, Christmas and birthdays. Housemate’s vacation end on Wednesday morning, and RLRH being home today means he will likely be at work tomorrow. This means midweek looks a lot like a great time to return to writing. I am here for that, too.

One thing I have found curious as I caught up with a lovely acquaintance yesterday, that the biggest part of the whole getting back to (new) normal process is that the form of writing that came back the soonest is…journaling. I have taken a few suggestions from various sources to focus on specific subjects for particular entries have, basically, taken off like wildfire. Nobody is more surprised than me, because one of the topics suggested elicited the :red alert klaxon sound: because selfish! Which is not always a bad thing. Permission to think about that kind of stuff…it’s heady. It’s also headed directly for fiction, which I definitely welcome.

Another section is dedicated to listing not only authors and novels I like, but settings, character types, tropes, etc. Get me on that stuff, and I am off and running. Books in my genres, and books outside of them. This may in some point mean revisions to the Play In Your Own Sandbox, Keep All the Toys workshop, which is fine. I want it to evolve. Aforementioned bestie will be bringing with her a bag o’books, which gives me strong vibes of my first exposure to historical romance. That would be the paper grocery bags full of books my Aunt Lucy would bring to my mom, which Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pat visited from NJ. My job was to take the sack to the laundry room and shelve the books.

I wasn’t allowed to read the books yet (though that would soon change, when my mom bought a book in an actual store, that I could not resist) but I read the back covers, loved the art on the front covers, and created my own storylines (to the extent that my very young self could comprehend.) Those are extremely fond memories. I have a hunch that the bag o’books coming my way this weekend may have a similar flavor.

At least that’s the plan. How does your week look?