Suspect

Diego-san was pretty evasive when I questioned him about the great toilet paper unraveling scandal.  He didn't even flinch when I mentioned I was looking into DNA testing.

Mind Reader

So yesterday my boss and I talked about the eternal over/under toilet paper debate. I mentioned I just saw a Facebook post about the original patent application for the first toilet paper holder showing an over the top setup that seemingly would end the debate about the appropriate TP alignment.

I noted to myself the last time I tried the under the roll arrangement was the one time one of the boyz decided it would be fun to unravel the whole roll. Amazingly when I got home yesterday one of the boyz had decided it was again time to line the bathroom floor with TP. I'm guessing it was Theo, but Diego-san has to be a suspect as well since he's the one that seems to be able to read my chaotic thoughts the best, seemingly always remaining one step ahead of me. 

It simply was an amazing bit of ironically timed mischief.

Inspector Theo

Must be a complicated inspection. It's taken two days to do.

Inspected By...

Our resident highly thorough box inspector is working on the latest box in the house.

Thompson Update

I was pretty worried about Thompson last week.  He essentially went four days without eating anything. When I got home Friday he ate most of his dinner (and correspondingly once again shared his brothers enthusiasm for the whole dinner time/preparation routine). On Saturday he was at least eating most of the food I put out for him at each meal (the boyz are fed three times a day).

Yesterday he wanted more food when he finished his usual portion.  I obliged which caused Theo some issues about why he too couldn't just get more food... The concern remains it is unknown what the underlying issue is for Thompson's decline in health.

Intruder Alert

I have the day off for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.  I somehow am feeling like I'm intruding on whatever Diego-san had planned.

?

This is how Thompson indicates he has a question.

Sleeping Around

I think Theo thinks that when I leave the house it is to go sleep somewhere else since that is all he sees me and his brothers do.

Imitation

This is Diego-san's impression of a bearskin rug.  He's quite the talented fellow.

Thompson

Thompson hadn't eaten anything since Sunday so yesterday morning I brought him into the vet. As heard in this video, he wasn't very happy. His thyroid level is on the high side of normal. His kidneys and liver tested fine. So at this point we still don't know what's going on. The vet explained that tests for cancer aren't always that accurate since to detect cancer you need to get a sample of the tissue. Much of the further testing will be pretty invasive and if the tests are positive it's usually for something that can't be treated effectively.

I'm not sure what we are going to do next. The good news was whenever one of the boyz visits the vet they all get treats when we get home and they have all three learned this is the case. Today when Thompson and I got back home and his carrier was opened, he ran to the kitchen and snarfed down the treats I gave him.  He wouldn't however, touch his normal food. The next step will be seeing if there are different foods he might be more willing to eat.

So Long Mr. Bowie

I was not a huge David Bowie fan although I've listened to his music throughout my life. The song "Young Americans" always makes me move my feet whenever I hear it.

I was saddened to hear of his death.  And I love this photo.

Einstein

Theo hasn't often been cited on our blog for having an over abundance of intelligence. Yet, he has his moments. During our current frigid weather, he was smart enough to take advantage of my winter down filled jacket that was tossed on to his favorite cat tree.

Good News/Bad News

The bad news is it was frickin frigid outside yesterday. The good news is that we have a roof over our heads and walls to hold the heat in. For some of us, this wasn't always the case.

Scarf Boy

My signature fashion statement is I wear scarves with my work clothes during the winter.  My scarf collection isn't very big but I do have five or six to choose from to coordinate with the dress shirt I'm wearing that day. Thompson is lucky. He's got a built in scarf (his tail) that matches his daily outfit perfectly.

Sunshine Boy

Enjoying sun day on a Saturday.

Geometry Boy

Theo photographs well from all angles.

Move Along

Diego-san wants me to move along. He's got the house armadillo on the ledge of the stairway under control.

Theo the Winker

Is winking at the wanker photographer for interrupting his nap.

Old Guy Look

I told Thompson that I had a professional head shot taken at work yesterday. He asked how come I didn't get a botox treatment first.

Who Was that Masked Cat?

Theo is quite OK with entertaining his brothers.

Resolution

Theo resolves to continue to herd that flock of chickens that roam the house every night. The one that he only seems to be able to see.

Resolution

Diego-san's 2016 resolution is to get an extra day of sleep in. He's planning on February 29 to make that happen.

Happy New Year

This is what we plan on doing a lot in 2016.

NYE

Thompson is an expert at whooping it up on New Years Eve.

That's No Cat

I told the boyz I was leaving early to get a KAT bobblehead.  I think they were a little disappointed when this was what I brought back home...

Snow Shoveler's Lament

We got a ton of snow overnight.  Theo is hearing some words he hasn't heard since last winter.

Long After Meal Time

Redefining the term "full belly."

Selfie

Theo decided he wanted to join his comrades around the world by posting a selfie.

Happy Holidays

Not a Traditionalist

Instead of a Christmas tree I put out some cat grass.  Diego-san always has known I'm an odd duck.

Poster Boyz

Yup, the boyz have all the parts (well except for a missing leg).

Contest

The boyz are having a sleeping contest.  As the judge, I declare a three way tie.

Take Your Fetal Position Please

Somebody either doesn't like Mondays or cold houses.

Holiday Expert

I told Theo because he and his brothers are Jewish, they won't be celebrating Christmas.  He asked me where our Menorah was then.

House Party

Things got really wild last night. Thompson got up off the dance floor and hopped onto the turntable.

Purr

Thompson's purring much more frequently these days.  I read where a cat's purring means a couple of things- that they are content or that they are healing some pain. I think Thompson's more frequent purring might be related to both. He doesn't seem to be in any obvious pain but something is going on that his vet and I haven't figured out.  In this situation I guarantee his purring is because he's always content to nap with Diego-san.

A Sign

When David Letterman announced his retirement he told a story about how he and his son were excited about a bird they had seen over the weekend and he spent the next day at work researching what kind of bird it was. When he got home that night his wife asked how the show went and he couldn't even remember who the guests were. That was a sign to him that it was time to retire.

Yesterday at work I spent my lunch time researching a question that has nagged me for a while now: why do many yogurt companies make you mix the fruit and the yogurt together rather than just selling it all mixed together to begin with? The most logical answer I found was that because the fruit is denser it would sink to the bottom, and you'd end up having to remix anyway. I was so happy I finally had an answer. I felt I finally had a day where I accomplished something. I told one of my co-workers what I did with my lunch hour and she scrunched her face and asked, "Why did it matter?"

This could be a sign it's time for me to retire.

Francis Albert

We've been listening to a lot of Frank Sinatra music recently (as well as watching some of his movies). I personally prefer the contemplative somewhat morose Sinatra over the ring-a-ding-ding Sinatra. The somewhat morose and contemplative Sinatra causes this reaction from Diego-san. The boy clearly understands music.

Rain- My Bad

It's been raining here seemingly non stop for weeks. On one hand, this is preferable to lots and lots of snow. On the other hand it makes everything seem so dreary. Thompson thinks all the rain is somehow related to the recent toilet installation. All that commode commotion and all that water... there has to be a connection.

Game Playing Expert

Theo's very good at the whole "I'm going to look at the ceiling to make you look at the ceiling for no reason" game.

Shadows

His shadow's got his back until Theo wanders between the two and attacks from behind...

Not Quite a Believer

Thompson's not sure he believes this whole fat guy in a red suit bringing him presents thing. He's seen the presents but he's yet to see the fat guy in the red suit. In any case since Thompson is far and away the best behaved in the house I told him he didn't have anything to worry about.

The Best Present Ever

Ready for wrapping and a bow.

Home Improvement Adventure

Several years ago, the handle broke off one of the two toilets in the house. To flush the toilet required removing the top where all the guts are, and manually pulling the chain. Eventually the guts themselves became further damaged meaning the water never shutoff. This meant to use the toilet I had to shut off the water to the toilet after I was done using it.

I've lived with this inconvenience for a long time (at least five years, probably closer to 10). The other day I went to shutoff the water and the valve wouldn't turn to the point where the water would shutoff. Having a leaky toilet several years ago with the resulting hefty water bill taught me this was not a problem I could just ignore even though there was no physical damage being caused by the issue. Either a plumber had to be called or I could install a new toilet.

I'm not exactly Mr. Fixit as the boyz can testify to under oath. My home repairs typically involve a lot of duct tape. Installing a toilet seemed a tad intimidating but the last toilet was one my brother-in-law installed for me so I knew what was involved. I considered just putting in a large litter box in the bathroom, which would have been fine with me, but may not have been appreciated by the few guests we have in our house. I watched a YouTube video, went to my neighborhood home improvement store and purchased a very heavy toilet. Once I got it in the house I let the boyz check out the box. I wasn't exactly in a hurry to start the project.

After a while I couldn't put things off any longer and I started unpacking the box. I was surprised Diego-san wasn't more curious than he was- usually he's the first one to come over and inspect everything. This time he left that task up to Theo. Diego-san was more curious about me shutting off the main water valve downstairs. He almost made a fatal mistake however when he finally did get around to checking the work going on upstairs. I hadn't put the seat cover on yet and Diego-san came tearing around the corner into the bathroom ready to leap on to the seat. He caught himself just in time to avoid an unexpected face full of water.

I struggled some but now have a working toilet in that bathroom. I have two fears: that the toilet will eventually fall through the floor; or that I'll come home to find the boyz up to their necks in water...

Mystery

Not that I'm accusing anyone of anything but... I play curling and have a special pair of curling shoes. I went to put on the curling shoes for our most recent match and the rubber gripper that goes on the bottom of one shoe to provide traction on the ice, and then comes off of the plastic bottom of the shoe when you are 'throwing' your rock down the ice, was missing.

The only time I take the shoes out of the backpack I use to bring them to the curling club, is before a match. I wouldn't leave the ice after a match without the rubber gripper because it would be difficult to walk from the ice to the exit without it.  This means that a) someone went into my bag at the club and stole the rubber gripper; or b) the boyz, who aren't especially fond of me leaving to play curling, hid it on me somewhere in the house.

The Look

I fell asleep on the couch and when I awoke I saw this. By the looks of things I may have been snoring.

A Perfect Match

Theo evidently thinks my knees and his cheekbones go hand and hand.

My Pillow

Thompson's found the perfect pillow. It even purrs.

NBA - It's Fantastic

Thompson has no interest in watching basketball. Theo thinks it's hilarious.

A Daytime Thinker

When Theo gets an idea in his noggin, a light shines above.

Human Observer

Thompson has only lived with one other household of humans, during the time he was in a foster home waiting to be adopted. I think he's trying to remember what normal humans acted like after having spent the past dozen years with me.

Strange Bedfellows

If this is possible I have to think world peace can't be too far behind...