Random 5 for February 28, 2021 – Routines, aging, wildlife, walking, friends

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Gracie cleaning her toe beans on my desk at the new house.

It’s not truly random but the move is consuming my life so all my experiences and aha moments are centered around it. 

Changing the routines – Since my move I’ve been testing different driving routes to get to places. I’m also testing different places to see if there is something closer that’s as good as wherever I went before. I only moved four miles but it added another five minutes to my Starbucks run. Today I found that going to another one that is technically the same distance away is a quicker run. It’s a combination of lights and higher speed limits that make the difference. Also one has a steep hill that comes into play in bad weather. Finding more convenience places to shop and eat helps me to not feel so far away.

That’s a smack in the face – I’ve moved many times before. It’s work until you get things the way you want them. It involves changing things out and buying new things that fit. Or maybe trying something and it doesn’t work so you try something else. We are hands-on people (or we used to be) but are finding that tasks that we could blowout in an hour or two are taking us the best of a day and all our energy. (Picture two old people in a tired heap on the floor at the end of the day!) We need to do things safely with no shortcuts. NO SHORTCUTS! That all takes time. Then there are the multiple trips to the hardware store for the items we forgot but that was always there.

They found me! – I have always fed the birds (and the squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, opossum, etc.). I had four feeders, a suet feeder and a heated birdbath up year round at my last house. It was sad for me to think that my bird friends would have to find other eating areas. I took my feeders and put one sunflower seed and one suet feeder out at the new house. It took only a day and a finch found it. One lonely finch. The next day he brought his friends. Now we also have cardinals and a fluffy squirrel chowing down too. Makes it feel like home. The feeders are closer to the windows at this new house so the cats are enjoying the show. It’s HBO for cats. No subtitles needed!

No walking yet – There has just been too much to do. I’ve had no time to walk the new neighborhood. It looks like there are good trails. Even walking along the residential streets will work. The neighborhood is a nice one with people taking care of their properties. We haven’t had much good weather since the move but as soon as we get some sunny days without a busy schedule, I’ll be out there. People walk a lot here.

New friends – The woman who lives next to me loves cats. She has two indoor pets and feeds two outdoor ones. She has an outdoor area set up for them with heated shelter and eating areas. They hang around most of the day. I can see them from several windows. I always check for them. We will be besties before you know it.

So how was your week?

 

 

72 thoughts on “Random 5 for February 28, 2021 – Routines, aging, wildlife, walking, friends”

  1. I can understand the fatigue, but it sounds like you’re definitely settling in. I’m so glad to hear that your bird feeders are heavily populated. 🙂 And I am sure you and your cat-loving neighbor will have much in common. Maybe the two of you can be walking buddies when you get ready to explore.

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    • My advice is do as much as you can before you move in. I thought the base color of tan would work with my things but it doesn’t so the whole house needs to be repainted. I’ll do it room by room but it means pushing furniture into the middle and working around it. Good luck.

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  3. Sounds like you are settling in. It will take a while until it seems like home. Speaking of feeding birds, I just purchased a heated food dish to give water to the birds. By the time it came, it wasn’t below freezing anymore. The thing looked small online, but it is the size of a dishpan. Now I don’t know what to do with it.

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      • We had snow for a week. No one here shovels. We just wait till the next day and it melts. We have had a lot of rain and flooding, though. The birds will have no trouble finding water. I’m withholding seed for a few weeks until I get rid of the starlings.

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        • Here starling come through in packs but they don’t come every day or even often. I have more grackles and crows that visited the old house but they coexisted with the finches and cardinals. My fav was always the robins. They come through in waves like refugees fleeing their country. They will swoop in, eat all the berries on my hollies and proceed to have an orgy in my birdbath. It’s very entertaining.

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  4. You and your next-door neighbor are destined to be besties. My friend Carol has done the heated shelters and heated food dishes for her ferals for years and she stews and frets and counts noses to ensure they are tucked inside on the heated pad with straw and full bellies or she can’t sleep on those bitter cold or blowing snowy nights.

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  5. Sounds like you are having a normal move/transition. For all the aggravation there are wonders, too. A pet-friendly neighborhood that’s good for walking, birds happy to see your feeders and entertain the cats, neighbor who obviously loves cats as much as you do. Once the weather is better the problems will seem less bothersome.
    I think it’s interesting that you let the cats decide where they will eat. I never asked Teddy or Jack. I just put the bowls where it is convenient for me. But they do decide where to lounge and sleep.

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    • I can’t feed them all together so at first I was feeding two upstairs in the spare room. That was more work for me. Now I have two in the kitchen and two in the dining area around the corner and that seems to work.

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  6. I’ve been interested in your energy level during the move and wondered if I could do the same. So far, I have concluded I could not. Just thinking about moving makes me tired.

    Glad to see you are continuing your wildlife stewardship, though!

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    • I was surprised at how it sucked up my energy. There are a lot of decisions to make along the way and that takes energy. We needed to make the move as the old house had become an energy pit. While I didn’t struggle with what to put where like I am now, it was large and a lot of maintenance. We probably should have moved 5 years ago.

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  7. “It’s work until you get things the way you want them.” That best sums up moving experiences, I think. My wife struggles with change, and is convinced each time that it’ll never be as she likes. When she stops talking about it, I know it’s now working for her (the lesson here is don’t argue about it!). Don’t you just hate buying something you already owned? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve done that with audio/visual and computer equipment. I must have a zillion USB extensions at this point. “HBO for cats.” 🙂 – Marty

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  8. You are settling in with delightful new routines. I’m thrilled that the woman next door loves cats. I’m excited that your new neighborhood holds the promise of good walks. We have only one place to walk without driving somewhere, but it is so good that we long for nothing more. I hope you find the same satisfaction.

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  9. Glad you are settling in. And super glad the neighbor is feline friendly. I need to get my human to set up some bird feeders. Now that the snow is gone, we might get some friends coming to the window. I need to have treats out for them, right? I’ll get her on that, and if she doesn’t, I’ll yak on something she loves.

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  11. It sounds like you’re already starting to have fun in your new place, attracting birds and finding a new friendly neighbor with cats. It’s lots of work, though. I’ve always loved the exploring that goes with living in a new neighborhood. You seem to have already started that with the two routes to Starbucks.

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    • I didn’t ask. Our entire conversation centered around cats. Seems that her former next door neighbor hated them and threatened to kill her. Fortunately for the whole neighborhood, he’s gone. I got to meet the people who bought that house and he was an odd duck. Doors and woodwork were all painted black.

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        • She was. These are townhouses so when you are feeding outdoor cats, they walk across the back of multiple properties. From everything I’ve heard (and I’ve not been here a long time) he was a real jerk. I saw pictures of how he had the house decorated and I commend the new owners for buying it anyway.

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  13. Hi, Kate – Your posts always make me smile (if not downright laugh out loud). They are always so relatable.
    “Two old people in a tired heap on the floor at the end of the day!” I can picture the scene in full colour. Actually, I have a lot of experience with this.
    I’m delighted that the birds found you. Food for them and entertainment for your cats. Win-win!
    I’m also glad to hear that you are living beside another like-minded animal lover. I agree that you will likely be besties in no time at all. I look forward to reading more about this!

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  16. The birds have found you.. that is some great news. Birds to view for the cats a peeps always makes life make sense. Having a neighbor that has cats and cares about them to the extent of making a catio for them is another very good thing. It’s going to be good there, Kate.

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  21. I am sure you will be feeding the outdoor cats before you know it as well. I envy you your wildlife. We feed a local fox but don’t often see him or her and a couple of squirrels but would love more variety

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  23. First of all, love the picture at the top. Professional quality! You have served as a great example to us…we are not moving! OMG, so so much work. I am sure it will be perfect, but the energy you two are expounding. WOW! Seriously, we have decided that unless that perfect house shows up and smacks us in the face, we are staying put. Have rearranged the living room and plan on buying new furniture for that room. (When this pandemic is over, you will enjoy sitting in that room! No more antique but uncomfortable couch!!!) I think the Starbucks in the new shopping center might be a great option for you. Is that the one you tired?

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  24. Feed the birds and they will come. I put out one thistle sock and had six American gold finches hanging on it. I bought another and had five more. Now with three socks, there are at least 18-20 hanging out munching. I can’t keep the socks filled!

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  26. Sounds like things are beginning to settle into place. How cool your neighbor is a fellow cat owner. It’s always reassuring when a new neighbor shares your interests-on both sides of the fenceline. No doubt the dinner buffet for birds et. al will need early and late sittings. No one ever passes up a free meal in nature. Have a great week.

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  27. I loved, laughed and understood – two old people in a heap. Yep, what took minutes a few years back now takes hours or days. Sad state of affairs. 🙂 It sounds like you will have a nice neighbor to chat with, and I just had to chuckle that you’re still driving to Starbucks every day. Honestly, the new place doesn’t know what a loyal customer they are getting. My week was mostly boring and somewhat frustrating, but it’s over and that’s a good thing. 🙂 On to March we go.

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  28. HBO for cats, ha ha ha! Soo good. We (me included) always underestimate how completely DRAINING it is to move. It can take months to settle in and find things … give yourself time. So glad your birdie friends found your feeders and that you have a neighbor who is a kitty friend, too, yay!
    -MJ

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  29. Having good neighbors is crucial. So far, I’ve discovered they fall on two basic lines: the partying neighbor, and the neighbor who cares about their pets.

    And yes, one precludes the other.

    You’ve totally scored with the cat neighbor!

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    • Yes! She was worried I’d object to her feeding the outdoor cats. I laughed. There are dogs in the neighborhood. I see lots of dog walkers. Mostly middle-aged to older people. It’s a place to downsize rather than a first home.

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  30. Sounds like things are falling into (or being put into!) place. It does take time and it takes more time when we get older than it did when we were young and had so much more energy. Moving is HUGE – and you’ve done it. Now it’s the settling in stuff and you’re getting there. Nice to have a cat-person as a neighbor. Also nice to have a pretty neighborhood for walking around in once you have time to. I’d say you are MORE than well on the way – – – you have arrived and then some!!!!!

    Hugs, Pam

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  32. Hooray for your new neighbor feeding the outdoor kitties and being a cat person!! Perfect match for you. And for HBO for your cats. Maybe it will make up for losing the sun porch…maybe .

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