Lisa and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.  We put together a picnic dinner and enjoyed our meal sitting and conversing at a picnic table in Washington Park.  It was a grand occasion and we agreed it was one of our favorite anniversary celebrations.  Sometimes the simplest of events can bring the most happiness and satisfaction.

It has been interesting to witness the different behaviors of our six month old cat Vivian.  In many ways she acts and behaves like any young child, sometimes showing good manners, sometimes acting like the Tasmanian devil. 

Vivian looks so peaceful, cute, and adorable when she is sleeping, but then she wakes up and the mischief and misconduct begin.  At night she doesn’t want to go to bed, before the sun comes up she comes in our bedroom wanting to play.  Sometimes she will eat her food, sometimes not.  She recently jumped up on the lamp table, knocking the lamp to floor (bad cat!).  At times she will disappear and you can’t find her.  Who knows where she goes?  See picture below.

Lisa is the recognized mommy, Tim is the daddy.  When Vivian is looking for comfort, security, and love it’s Lisa she seeks out.  If she wants to play, it’s daddy time.  When she gets into her Halloween pose (arched back, tail up, walking sideways), she is saying, “I want to play.”  When I’m in the bedroom closet changing clothes, Vivian will hide behind the clothes, and when I least expect it, she will jump out, tap me on the leg, and run away.  Tag, I’m it.

We have been told this “youth stage” in Vivian’s life could last a year or more.  We keep telling ourselves, “Be patient, be patient.  This time will pass.”

It’s tulip season in the valley.  A lot of beautiful flowers, a lot of people, and a lot of traffic.

It’s Ian’s 38th birthday today.  Thank you for putting a smile on our faces each day.  May you continue to be a blessing to others with your kindness and generosity.  Whatever path you pursue in life, we will be behind you every step of the way.  Happy birthday, son!

I finally finished the fence at Ian and Kaylene’s home.  A project that took almost two months to complete.

Ian and I were able to get the plywood sheets on the garden shed this week and wrapped it in the synthetic building material just before the rain began.  The pipe that runs between the wood shop and garden shed is for the dust collector that now sits in the garden shed.  There was no room in the wood shop for the dust collector.

Vivian has been wearing a cat “Cone of Shame” around her head for almost two weeks now.  She was spayed and the vet didn’t want Vivie cleaning (licking) the incision.  Vivie hates the cone, as would anyone having to wear one.  When we brought her home after her surgery, Vivian walked backwards in a vain attempt to distance herself from the cone.  She would also shake her head and the cone would put off balance, causing her to fall over.  It was hard not to laugh, but she really is pathetic to look at. 

Vivian has been trying, in vain, to bathe herself, only succeeding in licking the inside of the cone.  She has difficulty eating out of her bowl and drinking from her dish.  Vivian is downhearted and crestfallen, wondering why this thing has befallen her.  The result causing her to mope and lay around the house, which is not like her.  She’s usually climbing and pouncing during the day.  Vivie has sought comfort from Lisa which is her go to parent when she is looking for attention.  Only five more days to go and she will be spared the cone.

Speaking of Vivian, she likes to chase golf balls that she sees on TV.

I removed all the old fencing around Ian’s house and the new fence panels and gates have been installed.  Digging, drilling, and installing all the fence posts was a real chore.  I’m going to try to finish the trim boards that go on top of each panel this next week.  Then the fence project will be complete.  Yahoo!  

Ian and I have been working on the garden shed, the last thing I have plans on building in his back yard.  Hopefully I will get the roof framed next week.  It has been raining so much it has been hard to make progress.

Ian and I attended the March meeting of the Northwest Corner Woodworkers Association.  The meetings are held at the Hillcrest Lodge in Mount Vernon, a historic log constructed building.  Wow, there were a lot of men in attendance.  The speaker was Tim Celeski, a designer, furniture maker and fine artist. He teaches techniques in Digital Woodworking and is a contributing editor on the topic for Popular Woodworking Magazine.  We learned a lot and we are considering joining the association.

Our friend Norm invited Lisa and me to a book reading at his home.  Norm’s second family history novel will be published later this year,  giving those in attendance a sneak preview of the book’s storyline.