So many of you know my Travis cat via my freebie cat textures and gallery art I thought I would let you all know what's up! :) Apparently the smell of my son's family's ANIMALS on them when they came to visit this past Saturday - tipped Travis cat over the edge and he went into HOWLING CRYING, BANGING CUPBOARD DOORS for the next 36 hours, looking for his long lost Clancy cat... (it's been a year already!)...He was just inconsolable!!... So we went to a local "no kill" animal shelter this past Sunday, and found him what may be the perfect little boy for both lifting my spirts (and forcing more exercise) and hopefully bringing peace to Travis (and then our sleep at night!!)... We have had Nikki since Sunday and already this little male fixed brown tabby "beta cat" (read mellow and sooo loving to us and wanting to be friends with the old grouch) is getting closer to Travis... I hurt myself (Fibromyalgia muscles etc.) cat/child proofing the family/kitchen rooms but we are settling down.... but I am resting and not on the computer much at all for now... (both are sleeping now, so I got to come upstairs and be "here" a little).... I do keep Nikki in the bathroom downstairs when I am not there with them, for now. The boys can smell each other through the space under the door (it was built for carpet to go under but we have a linoleum flooring for easy cleaning. Nikki (named Nick at shelter, but really comes to a "kissing noise" more so name might change)... came from Kingman, Arizona!! The Hellen Woodward animal center takes in animals from "kill shelters" in, because they are a no kill shelter... Nikki is a one year old fixed VERY SHORT HAIR brown tabby, and loves everyone, other cats, and does not mind being in cat carriers, in confined cages etc.. he had NO fleas there (the place is VERY upscale, and SUPER CLEAN), and had given him frontline flea stuff on entry, tested at both shelters negative for feline aids and leukemia... just has ear mites (which may actually be gone by now) ..... I am betting the Arizona shelter treated him for fleas too, as well as all the tests, kitten shots etc. Travis's first banshee howl/growled/huffed, and then spit so hard he choked himself and scared Nikki half to death...but Nikki is bouncing back.... now Travis lets him closer and FROWNS a lot, does some hissing/growling...but I know it is just a matter of time... I DO keep telling Travis "is that Clancy cat?" and trying to put the picture of loving buddies in his head.... that helps even if it is just my soothing voice... This morning they were within 2 feet of one another, Travis hissing, Nikki growling - but I don't think they were very serious. We will have pictures when it is feasible... Nikki is either sleeping or like lighting jumping, running, etc... I wanted an Abyssinian .... I think I got the "athlete" of one in a mellow tabby body! LOL!! Of course our boys are indoor boys...Nikki is learning very fast with "NO" and a water bottle to squirt if he does not mind.. but he learns so fast, already he gets down from places and runs to "his room" like he knows he is a bad boy...so I run after him and love/pet/praise him for getting down and he is sooo happy! :) I have to stop typing now or shoulder will get mad... but I wanted folks to know why I am not around too much right now. (also just as I was trying to post this the first time at Rosity, my computer SHUT OFF! I think the keyboard is dying... I saw the lights were off when I tried to turn the machine back on, so I banged it a couple of times and the lights came on and now I have burned a back up CD, virus scanned the whole machine and am posting..so hopefully it is either an old (it is old!) keyboard or maybe even just dust....machine seems fine! I HAVE to have a "split space bar - split to be half space bar and half back space - my dyslexia and shoulder limits make this a MUST, (I back space about three times per sentence!) so this precious NMB keyboard better NOT die!!. Lyne Lyne's Creations

Life Requires Assembly and we all know how THAT goes!