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Typing With Wet Paws: Adventures in Leatherwork Edition

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Tails Up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. I have been very active this week. Always one hundred percent chance of Storm activity around here. Today, for instance, I sat on Mama Anna’s phone and tail-dialed Papa at work.

the picture of innocence

That’s not the only spicy thing I have done this week. Of course there is the daily help with making the bed and weekly changing of the sheets, but the superpowers are back, so I have to sep up my game as well. If you have been around here any length of time, you know how much Mama Anna loves her notebooks and planners. I love them, too, mostly lying on the bed. Open, closed, doesn’t matter. She has it, I am on it.

Usually, that is okay. Then there was this time. Mama Anna was feeling productive, and gave both of her leather traveler’s notebook covers a leather treatment. She even gave the B6 size, Christine (the name came on the notebook, so that is the notebook’s name and I will be calling her that) two treatments, because Christine was looking kind of dry. Christine had been taking a rest, but Mama Anna wants to get her back into use, and thus sprucing up is in order.

Well. The thing that they don’t mention on the bottle of the leather treatment stuff is that it smells really good. I mean really, really good. Tantalizing. Tempting. Irresistible. So irresistible, in fact, that I did not resist. Mama Anna had put the two notebooks on the bed just for a minute while she got the box that had inserts that fit Christine out of where she keeps it, and I, well, I had a moment. If you want to make Mama Anna’s head spin around super super fast, do the pricky pricky pricky thing with kitty claws on just-treated-twice leather. Uh huh. Mama Anna was Not Pleased. Apparently this kind of notebook is something called “expensive.”

One would think that Mama Anna would be happy that I took an interest in one of her hobbies, and tried my hand, well, paws, at it myself. She was not. She was also not too mad, because A) I am a cat, B) she is the one who left the notebook on the bed and turned away, and C) I am cute. There is also D) this really does make the cover more one of a kind and gives Mama Anna a reason to say she needs another cover in this size, and her birthday is coming in a couple of weeks, so there is really not a lot of harm done. I no longer get to be alone with leather goods, but that is a small price to pay.

What do you think of my adventures in leatherwork? What should I try next?

Therapy Homework and Other Stories

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

The weather is cool and cloudy today. I have a tall tumbler, filled with vanilla chai tea, too hot yet to drink, which gives me time to start this blog. My blogging goal for this week is to blog twice. Once, to help Storm with her blog, and one that is entirely Anna. The tumbler is a plain silvery finish right now. I will probably find some vinyl stickers for personalization. I plan on taking it out in the wild with me. I want to get some foliage shots while the leaves are with us. I miss taking pictures and posting them. The only way to do that is to do it. Baby steps count.

That is some of my therapy homework for this week and the next. I also need to finish reading Lisbon, by Valerie Sherwood. I’m over three hundred and fifty pages into the five hundred and fifty page plus book, so I think I should be able to do this. I have only read this book once, when it first came out, the same year Real Life Romance Hero and I were first married. It’s like reading it for the first time again, but with enough familiarity to know this is the right sort of story to keep my attention. I also get to make notes as to why that is. what does make this book work for me?

Right now, Storm has parked herself between me and my keyboard. She would prefer to be on it, but I have work to do. After I publish this post, I will make popcorn and check out the Frasier revival. Possibly some Yellowjackets, either diving into season two, or going back to season one and binge. I am listening to creepypastas as I write this and will probably do some journal stuff while watching abovementioned shows. TV and journaling seem to go well together around here.

Journal prep will be extra special this time, as I am getting ready for my own loosey-goosey version of Preptober/NaNo-ish doings. Updates to come as I progress. From my chat with Melva this week, I have to read through what I have on Her Last First Kiss so far and report on my own books. Not only read it, but spot what’s working, what I like. On my own book. This should be interesting. I have an audiobook to finish listening to as I take care of some household chores, and then another one lined up to take its place when I am done with the first. If it’s been difficult to stick with an audiobook the way I normally listen, how about I try listening to them the way I do the creepypastas I have been inhaling like nobody’s business? More sessions of shorter duration and remember there will be no quiz on the material at any point. I don’t know why I have felt like there would be, but there isn’t. There is no wrong way to read for pleasure.

That’s about it for right now. There is reading and there is writing and at some point it will resume making sense. Specific assignments and accountability work well for me, so I will be going with that. Odds are high that I will be making some sort of trackers for my personal and writing journals. I know myself.

What’s going on with you guys?

as always, Anna

Typing With Wet Paws: Finally Fall Edition

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Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. We are now officially over the line for the beginning of autumn, aka the age of Mama Anna’s superpowers. We have observed our third moving-in-iversary to this apartment, which we continue to celebrate by, well making ourselves at home. This means Mama Anna gets to organize, refine, and decorate, which are all things she does super duper well, especially when the weather is like it is today. That means cool and rainy. Think of what most people would do when it’s a warm sunny day, and then that’s pretty much how Mama Anna is on days like this. , She is happy and wants to do All of the Things.

Thankfully, one of those things she likes to do is take pictures of me. I think this houndstooth purse makes a lovely complement to two of my colors, Now all she needs is an orange accent. No worries. I’ll shed some orange hair on it, and she will be good to go. Except she should never go. Ever. Anywhere. Only if she takes me with her. Other than that, she needs to stay here and write stuff. I like watching her write stuff.

Aunt Linda says that even though it is cooler now, it is not yet time to put on the heater until she gets rid of the, um, surprise I left her in proximity to one of the baseboards. I think it will probably happen soon though because Papa is from California, and people from California often have a lower threshold for this kind of thing. Soon, it will be time for the Big Laundry (today is a regular laundry) where all of the bedding and towels get washed at the same time (by some hired humans, not my regular ones) and then that stuff will be ready for the upcoming winter. I have a feeling that having ALL of the blankets warm and clean and smelling good can only mean good things for Mama Anna, which means good things for me.

Mama Anna and Aunt Linda did go to the special candle store. They got two autumn-y candles, a room spray (for the bathroom; flames are not good in a room where humans use spray cans, because kaboom) and even some wax melts for Mama Anna to make her own candles. Today, she has been listening to her special story-making music while she does some organizing of the big bedroom, because it is also her office and Papa’s office. It’s a big room, but then I don’t know a lot of rooms, and I am cat-sized. Anyway, the only thing missing from the whole feel of the day is that she did not have any tea. That is not because there is no tea in the house. There are several kinds of tea in the house. There are also bags of things for recycling in front of the place for making tea (That will all go away when Aunt Linda can help her take it where it needs to go.) Also because there is not milk in the house. I have nothing to do with that; it’s only the day before grocery day. Before you ask, yes, I did put crunchies on the list. Crunchies are delicious, and they are all mine.

The best part about the return of Mama Anna’s superpower is that I have figured out the very best perk. I mean, yes, she will be happy, and there will be new stories for people to read and buy and publish, but we are talking about me here. Let’s keep our priorities straight. Anyway, that priority is that I have figured out how to sit on the corner of Mama Anna’s desk while she is writing on the computer, and I can watch the words as they appear on the screen. This is very similar to when Mama Anna first started writing for real, and some of her college dormmates would stand behind her while she typed so they could read in real time.

I think this season is going well. What about you?

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