Kittens. Life. Front porch lighting.
I took the kittens to the adoption center.
They were the very sweetest crew.
Except Elvis.
She was a tiny flying-squirrel-warrior-of-terror.
Only when exhausted, were humans permitted.
This is the only non-blurry photo I have of her.
My sweetest boy:
The Second Earl of Grey… the VERY HAPPIEST AND MOST LOVING BEING EVER.
Sob.
Sweet Baby Louie… LouLou to her family. My most-attached, the first to stop rompusing and come to the hoodie.
Double sob.
Finally– Petunia Ballerina, trash hoarder, marching band… I cannot even look at pictures of her. She is SUCH a character– her face is never anything less than pure unadulterated joy and wonder at the universe.
Can you even?
No, you cannot.
I learn something new with each of my foster crews… this time was abscesses.
Party!
Baby LouLou AND Petunia Ballerina both had them… which seemed more than coincidence, but the vet says just weird happenstance.
Petunia’s was right on her FACE! That lump coming out the side of her chin… we called it her face goiter… shudder.
Her enthusiasm for the universe was unabated.
Here are the babiezzzz back when I just got them.
New topic:
SECURING THE PERIMETER
Incase you missed, we had our van stolen from our driveway… and recovered.
Paul swapped our front porch cafe string to be on a motion-sensor… so now they must be LED.
We had an insanely long– 100ft string of traditional café lights, but they were incandescent bulbs.
View this post on Instagram
We ordered and returned nine-thousand different LED bulbs… and many evenings I was treated to Paul ranting about misrepresented kelvin… it was SURPRISINGLY offensive to him.
But eventually, we DID find one that is actually “warm”… AND dimmable: Edison Cafe Vintage Ambience, truly warm for Outdoor String Lights.
I REALLY like them!! Especially paired with the motion sensor so that as you pull up the driveway, the whole porch perimeter lights up for you.
We mounted these lights differently—around the edge, rather than looping across the ceiling… the bulbs are spaced out more and Paul got a heavy-duty outdoor cord like this one (but those at the link are not the good bulbs!)
If you missed: here is what our porch looked like before! The entire roof was orange!
Then, our porch sanding/staining debacle of horror.
ps– Black Friday stuff.
I want a phone/video stabilizer… called a gimbal? Do you know what I am talking about? With the gyroscope inside? They are about $120 on Amazon… the knock-off versions appear to get good reviews?
I just want to use it for things like videoing the kittens and Paul doing projects… if you have one, can you recommend a brand that will be fine for a human who is non-panoramic and does not ever plan to visit the Mojave Desert?
Other random gift ideas I have collected over the years: Emotional baggage tote, silicone bowl covers (replaces clingwrap) make a good hostess gift!
And for your most fashionable and avant-garde family… who wish to be very warm and also ensure no other humans approach you… this hat of gloriousness and good cheer.
I hope you had a wonderful holiday… xoxo
November 23, 2018 @ 10:36 am
And Webster?? How is he ??
November 23, 2018 @ 10:53 am
I too love the soft light that can be achieved with string lights. If you don’t already know about this terrific company browse christmaslightsetc.com. They offer commercial bulbs and strings in a variety of “whites”. I have purchased 150′ rolls of rope lights for a very soft light on my screen porch. They have never disappointed.
The babies are precious. Our George brought home two tiny black kittens a year ago. They still think he is their mom!! He was very protective for a few months now, of course, he just tolerates them!
November 23, 2018 @ 11:09 am
I just got a Go-Pro5 at Costco at more than half price. Like you, I need a gimbel, this is what I found after researching. Check eBay, too. (I find they run less)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh8_J0h6yF8&t=301s&list=PLX8sLEV-2f-kMdz7bot2txG7eOopixVgR&index=5
You’re welcome.
November 23, 2018 @ 11:54 am
Wish we could have seen a picture of your porch with the new lights to compare to the old. Thanks for the helpful information.
November 23, 2018 @ 12:49 pm
I never comment on your posts so it’s about time (please consider adding a like option like those on WordPress blogs).
I always read them and every single one of your posts, especially those with kittens, are WONDERFUL.
Always real and heartfelt with beautiful photographs whether they’re kittens, your home, or GFTs.
Thank you for being a bright light in this world.
November 23, 2018 @ 1:40 pm
Just to make sure I understand….you bought the Truly Warm light bulbs in a big pack, not including wire/sockets. You also bought a white cord/socket, with 3 foot spacing between the lights, and it is compatible with those bulbs. Do I have that right? And the 3 foot spread works because your porch is a long span?
November 23, 2018 @ 1:54 pm
so nice to hear from you more often,imagine that’s harder than I could fathom.
Hope you all had a happy thanksgiving,and really really sorry for your sadness at saying goodbye again. be happy that sadly most of these little ones would have been put down without your caring.
November 23, 2018 @ 2:01 pm
Lights on the front porch. Good idea. I am going to do that.
Then we can see the lights from inside our old cabin.
Thanks!
November 23, 2018 @ 8:41 pm
Please stop posting your anger, rage, etc. on this site. I have been following Victories adventures with the kittens for a long time. I also love her antiquing and buying all those unusual objects for her home. There are enough political sites to vent you rage at whatever, can’t we leave this site for kittens and home adventures.
November 24, 2018 @ 12:22 am
Diane,
what post are you speaking of here? Are you speaking to me? I see no post here from anyone that is in any way political or angry.
November 24, 2018 @ 12:37 am
Maybe I should clarify. I live in an old cabin in rural Nevada. Usually I put lights up on one of my tall pine trees by the side of my cabin. This is not very visible from inside our cabin. But this year I will put them on my porch instead. Then my family can see the lights on the front porch, from inside the cabin, through the living room windows….
November 23, 2018 @ 11:19 pm
Triple sobs. This was surely the sweetest and dearest bunch ever. You do have some sort of proviso wherein you take them back should their new homes not work out, yes?
Your new lights are lovely!
November 24, 2018 @ 1:33 pm
In response to one of the comments above, I love your anger and rage as much as I love the kittens and the GFTs and everything else you post. It is a part of what drives you and all those emotions you have and express so beautifully make the person who is you and you give me so much hope, entertainment and laughs on days when I really need it. And, some of us who are also enduring an unending primal scream on the regular need to know that we are not alone and primal screams can co-exist with Giant Fancy Things, sweet kittens, excellent husbands who will travel to alleys to find kingdom mirrors, and finagle ways to pull beds through windows for us – and those are the things give me HOPE. Handling life with grace is largely about the ability to acknowledge that really bad things from which we cannot escape are not mutually exclusive from wonder and pleasure and joy. And, in fact, enjoyment and appreciation of the creativity and beauty of things like an antique piano kitchen island makes us capable of coping with the sadness and disappointment that is inevitably a part of being human. In some ways, the wonderful things are made even sweeter when juxtaposed and contrasted by the horror and ugly in the world. We must live with both, acknowledging it is brave and awesome. Don’t change a thing.
November 25, 2018 @ 7:59 am
Audrey, you wrote this more eloquently than I could have, but these are my exact sentiments. Anyone who is not here for ALL of it is missing the point.
November 26, 2018 @ 9:13 am
My thoughts exactly. Thank you Victoria.
November 26, 2018 @ 11:18 am
Yay! You did my light research for me.
And the kittens? Gorgeous. Precious.