Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Litter boxes and other distractions

I had A DAY. A DAY!! I didn't know whether to blog about it or go someplace quiet and thunk my head against the wall. Thursdays are like that. I'm crashing from the massive amounts of steroid I'm infused with on Monday and Tuesday, so I'm tired and have little patience.

All I wanted to do was test a new paint for a local retailer. I'd started a little bench during my shift at the Collector's Market and it was waiting.


But.


Bailey couldn't be any cuter could she?

She poops outside the box. Or in a different room from the box. How cute is she now? Hmmmm?

I thought I was on top of it. Two clean litter boxes in the mud room. yay. Except, what's that smell? Oh, don't tell me...... yep, pooped beside the boxes. Boxes. We actually have 3 boxes, one in the garage. sigh. So I cleaned it up. Again.

And back to my bench.


I was experimenting with the new paint's distressing ability. I did layers of paint which normally I wouldn't do for such a small  piece. I wanted to see if this new paint would act just like Annie Sloan's etc. and sand with ease.


 I used CeCe Caldwell Alaskan Tundra, then Annie Sloan CoCo, topped with the new paint in Warm White. I used a wax resist here and there on each layer of color and did a little sanding as I went along. Each paint distressed easily and the undercoats peeked through just like I wanted.                                                                


I heard a noise.

We have a couple Spare Cats. They aren't feral or strays, they are simply cats that became homeless through no fault of their own. One of them sneaks into the house and she actually uses the litter box.

Thursday morning she scared the bejeezus out of me, coming out of nowhere like a gray streak. She must have been stuck in the house all night.

That's when I saw Logan under the table with a dead mouse.

Thank goodness I still had the shovel from yesterday's snake.

I'm the most squeamish person you'll ever meet. I can't look at the white goo in not-cooked-enough eggs. Dead stuff is completely out of my realm so I was about as cross as I could get. Trying to get that limp mouse onto the shovel wasn't easy. I was just pushing him around and around and I could feel the death cooties coming up the shovel. I finally got him up against a chair leg and wiggled the shovel under him. I shoveled the mouse outside and got back to my little bench.

Yeah, yeah, so I stole his mouse.

 When the bench was all finished and waxed, the fabric I'd chosen didn't work anymore. It was too warm for the cool tones of the paint, for Pete's sake. So I dug around in all my fabric drawers and found a few pieces to try.

I was standing, looking at my little pile of fabric, when I realized my toes felt cold. Oh please. DON'T EVEN TELL ME. I knew it, I KNEW IT! I was standing in cat pee. CAT PEE! No doubt from the Spare Cat being stuck in the office overnight.

That was IT! What has happened to my life?

I have a shovel in the living room for crying out loud.

At least I have a cute little bench.


I was done. And I went junking.

••••••••••

The paint I was testing is FAT PAINT. So far I'm pleased with it but I have more testing lined up. It is a latex base with chalk added. The texture is like chalk paint and the sanding is easy.

More to come.

Sharing with:
polka dots on parade





11 comments:

  1. Geez Louise! I love my kitties but pooing outside the litter box would get them kicked out for sure! Is it possible she doesn't like the litter? Mine hate fancy litter!

    The bench is darling! But is doesn't quite make up for standing in cold cat pee - lol!!!

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  2. Cute bench! So glad that my kitties do their business outdoors! Only have to worry about the occasional urpping! (which is also very unpleasant to step in in bare feet in the middle of the night!)

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    1. I wrapped by bare toes around a headless mouse one time. I have never recovered. :-0

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  3. Perhaps having outside cats using the box freaks her out...My box, wait! You use it too? There's a cat guy on Animal Planet who is a cat guru. He figures out why kitties do the things they do and it is for specific, kitty reasons.
    I am amazed that you, who seem as tough as nails (in a very good, inspiring way) are afraid of dead mice. But, I'm afraid of taking a paint brush to a piece, for fear I will ????
    I am back in the school teacher mode and I have not been reading my emails, but you caught my eye with your title. Good hook! Perhaps you can get me to paint and I can help you dispose of dead things more easily.
    The stories I could tell of my favorite cat, Ernie and his graveyard of death, under the family picnic table. I loved that cat but he was a KILLER! Miss him, he was the coolest, smartes cat ever.
    You have a great day and check out Animal Planet, Guy's last name is Jackson. Covered with tattoos and shaved head, sunglasses and a very smart cat guy.
    Be healthy!

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  4. Our cat, who usually goes outside, also misses the box on occasion - aarrgghh. I haven't been surprised with a dead mouse but did find a dead bird in the house one morning - ack! Still gotta love 'em. And I do love your bench. Can't wait to see what else you test!

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  5. I had the same problem with one of my cats and there is a litter on the market that is a miracle worker. It is guaranteed that your cats will use the box. It is called Cat Attract. I can only get it at Pet World or Woodmans, but it works.. One day one of my cats started pooping on the carper for no reason. I got this and that was the last of it. I originally goti t several years ago when I brought in a semi-feral and wasn't sure they knew how to use the box. It worked on them too. It is quite a bit more expensive then regular litter, but so worth it. I am not affiliated at all with the company, I just know how frustrating it is. Again it is called Cat Attract. I hope this helps. Kim

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    1. Follow up on Cat Attract. It worked! We have gone six days without Bailey pooping inappropriately. I can't tell you how wonderful it is. Thank you!

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