WARM WELCOMES

I moved into my new place in Capitol Hill over three months ago but it took a while before I felt unpacked and at home. Even though the days are turning colder and wetter, the place is finally starting to feel warm and welcoming.

[The mirror ($70) was found two blocks away at a garage sale. Oddly enough, I have been a repeat customer at this family's home as they have hosted multiple garage sales throughout the summer.]

[A kitty cat piggy bank ($3) that guards all my pesky change.]

[Vintage landscape photographs ($10 for both) that were bought at the same yard sales as the giant gold mirror.]

[I have a nasty habit of ripping things out of magazines and hoarding them away in a dark drawer only to recycle them months later. Instead, I'm trying to display them with hopes of absorbing some inspiration.]

[Godfrey and Donovan had a brotherly love photoshoot--with slight homosexual undertones.]

CAT FACES

So I am pretty deeply in love with my two beautiful long-haired, bottom-of-the-barrel shelter cats. On paper, these two were considered "difficult to adopt" because they had three strikes against them. [1] They were a bonded pair that needed to be adopted out together since they are brothers and being together was all they had ever known; [2] They are FIV+ (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) which sounds harsh but generally means they live a happy, healthy life but are simply more prone to colds and respiratory infections. In reality they just sneeze every once in a while and sometimes snore at night, both of which I find adorable and endearing; [3] They are relatively older cats at almost eight spry years of age. Their 8th birthday happens to be their golden birthday on April 8th. Some may also throw in a [4]th strike since Godfrey is lacking a left eye and a tail but a true cat lover knows these inconveniences are just small details.

Now given everything these little guys have stacked up against them, you would expect a pair of decrepit fur mounds withering away in agony but this is far from the truth for Godfrey and Donovan. See for yourself.

The cutest, pinkest nose I have ever had the privilege to Eskimo kiss.

These wise, old eyes always communicate a subtle ever-knowing intelligence that makes me wonder just how much we underestimate them.

A fierce look of determination captures Godfrey's primitive instincts.

Happiness is a warm sun patch...? Donovan seeks out a beam of sun and lets out a final yawn before retiring to his 6th nap of the day.

Godfrey nestles in for a much needed nap.

HOMEBODY

I want to introduce you to my asylum. If social norms had no interference on my decisions, I would choose to very rarely venture into the real world and instead hide away in my little bungalow of dreams. But honestly, why would I leave? I have everything I want and need stored away in here - except for maybe an occasional trip to the Joann's Fabric super store. And so, here are some of my very favorite parts of my apartment palace high in the sky.

A shelf of my possessions. A box and necklace handmade by my ever-so-talented Aunt Bunny and dolls also made by her. I could devote an entire post to all the marvelous handmade gifts I have received from her. You can go ahead and acknowledge your jealousy for an aunt like mine now.

Oh and that little patchy, white furball? That was my Christmas present from Santa when I was around ten. As we went to eat our holiday brunch in the other room our dog, Gus, had alternative snacking plans. I found my Christmas kitten completely demolished. Oddly, my mom found it appropriate to keep it and display it in her glass doll cabinet for years until she decided my weirdness had matured enough that I would adore it as she has - even in its dismayed state. I now hold it near and dear to me.

Where I spend my days: my side of the couch. The coziness just oozes out thanks to a shenille throw [a Christmas present from my BFF, Brittany], a floral feather pillow, and a perched Donovan [my napping kitty in the back].

A framed version of the best photo in the world on my mantel. It's a photo taken by one of those cheap disposable underwater cameras. But regardless, it's one of my favorites. Ever.

My condensed collection of magazines. Unless it's a copy of People or Us which becomes obsolete in a matter of hours, I can't bear to throw out old magazines. I can spend entire days scavenging the pages of "outdated" periodicals and always seem to uncover something great that I hadn't noticed during the first look-through.

And finally, the most apparent reason that I adore being in my apartment: My soul mate is always here. Here Godfrey is meowing at me stop doing blog things so we can devote our eternal love to each other.

SOUNDTRACK
Miike Snow Black & Blue
[In celebration of the announcement that they will be part of the Sasquatch 2010 lineup]

GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING / GOOD MORNING, AH

Elderly cats are expected to sleep through roughly 70% of their day. I swear Godfrey and Donovan defy those statistics and manage to keep their eyes closed except for a few short, well-managed minutes when Turkey Dinner Pâté is placed on a little dish or for a poop sess immediately following a cleaned litter box or, of course, during the few hours when the diurnal animals in the house are sleeping [those would be the humans]. So around 1pm every afternoon I thoroughly enjoy waking the sleeping beauties from their afternoon slumber. These are the grumpy little faces that oppose me.




SOUNDTRACK
Beach House Zebra