So that's that.

(source)

Happy is the home

(source)

with at least one cat.

If there is one thing I have learned in my 62 years on this planet, it is that change is inevitable so we might as well get used to it.

We have a major change coming up very soon. We will be leaving our home of 25 years and finally (some of you are nodding) moving on to a piece of what was once my grandmother's property.

As I type this, a very charming carriage house is being built so that we can move in before winter hits.

Our reason for building the carriage house (2-car garage with a roomy apartment above) is to be living on the property when we begin to build the main house we have designed. Our future house will be added on to the carriage house through a breeze-way.

 I have had to close down my business for now which, without a doubt, has been the hardest part of this change.

 After providing a cat-sitting service for 20 years in our town and surrounding areas, with a heavy heart, I now have to inform everyone that, as of October 31,  I will no longer be available.

I have spent the last few weeks sending emails to all my clients, thanking them for using my service and trusting me with the care of their precious cats.

It's been hard.

Some of my clients are good friends now and I will be paying a visit to each of them as I  return keys and wish them all well.

I will miss 'my kitty clients' so much I can't even put it into words.

I have some thinking to do over the winter as to whether I will continue Just Cats and start a service come Spring in the new area. I think this is what I want to do but I need time to be sure. My family encourage me to carry on with it, if that's what I want, even though I am now at retirement age. How did that happen?

My blog will no doubt change and I'm not sure if it will be of much interest to anyone as we move forward with our lives but I do hope you will drop by to see what we are up to once in awhile.

Perhaps Audacious Audrey will keep you amused as much as she does us.

She has already packed her cardboard box which she has personalized with her teeth. She has also been reading up on raising chickens. 

She's set to go.

The retired guy, myself, Kane, Lily, Sierra, Annie & Audrey

will be moving into the carriage house very soon. 

Yes...it will be close quarters but we will make it through this.

So, that's that.

I thank you all for sticking with me over the four years I have blogged about the life of a cat-sitter. I have so enjoyed meeting you and sharing with you all my fabulous feline clients. I will be showing off my kitty-clients for the rest of this month as I wind down the business. 

The blog will keep the name, as I do hope to carry on with my cat-sitting service at some point, but for now it will just be us learning to live in the country and keep our animals happy and content.

We may be living proof that it's never too late to live your dream.

Or not! 

If you are interested, drop by next week as I will post the construction on our lot.

Have a great day.

Hugs, Deb

Knittin' kitten

A delicious lunch out with my daughter and grand-daughter is always a great way to spend a few hours. We've been having strange weather lately; cloudy, rainy, sunny and then a downpour comes out of nowhere. It's hard to know how to dress these days. Sweaters are a must.

                                      Gwynn & Jess

It's time to start thinking about mitts and hats and scarves again. I knew that Caesar loved to knit so I brought some along with me this morning and we spent a bit of time starting a scarf for my brown coat. He's really a big help.

He likes to chew on felt and wool so I knit him a little piece that he could play with. (under supervision, of course)  But, it wasn't long before he was bored silly and collapsed on my lap and stayed put until it was time for a treat.

 I left my knitting at his house since I'll be there again soon and promised him I would hang around long enough to add a few inches to the scarf.  I left it up high on a shelf to be sure he didn't eat it or decide to knit himself a mouse or two in the meantime. He's smart like that.
hugs, Deb

I'm complete 'mush' for this guy.

Dominique seemed better this morning; not near as fragile. She is eating really well now which always calms the owner, right? When cats are off their food the stress level of all who love them goes sky high. It was good to see her more chipper to greet her owners today.

My cat-bag is always so interesting to my kitty-clients. Caesar noticed his file right away then took to snooping out some cat treats which he found and enjoyed.

He's shameless, this guy. His favorite place to be is as close as can be to your face. 

Here he is just as he was about to slide from the counter top to the floor.

I caught him which I do believe was his plan all along. 

Am I putty in his paws?

Youbetcha!

hugs, Deb

Cat-in-window & little Dominique

It rained all day today but I found a 'cat in window' for you.

This photo has it all...A stone house with a beautiful old window surrounded by vines with

 a cat peeking out. 

"Hello my pretty"

I had a fun time caring for Dominique again. I always love spending time with this cat who, at one time, would not venture near me and now we are best buds. She has not been too well lately but is on the mend now so that made it even nicer to pamper her a bit. She loves nothing more than to be brushed and fussed over.

I hope her health continues to improve. She is a darling cat.


hugs, Deb

A little chart and a busy weekend.

Cat Age...........................Human Age

6 months........................10 years
1 year...............................15 years
2 years............................24 years
4 years............................32 years
6 years............................40 years
8 years............................48 years
10 years...........................56 years
12 years...........................64 years
14 years...........................72 years
16 years...........................80 years
18 years...........................88 years
20 years...........................96 years
21 years..........................100 years ^..^

I thought this little chart may be of interest to some. Our Lily is the oldest cat in our home. She is now between 18 & 20 so in human years she is in her 90's. No wonder she is sleeping most of the day and expects her many meals on time. Why, that's the highlight of her day, afterall.

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast out this morning and then spent some time moving wood and piling all the scrap metal onto our trailor from the log building that we had taken down last week. There is lots to clean up from the demolition and the logs need to be moved and kept up off the ground over the winter. 

I have some cat-sitting to do over the weekend. I'm really looking forward to seeing some of my 'regulars'.  It also looks like Thanksgiving weekend will be a busy one. Here in Canada we celebrate earlier than in the United States and this year the holiday falls on the 13th of October.

Here's a little 'cats in kitchen' photo for you. Cute, huh!

(source)

Funny how cats are always drawn to the kitchen. I am never alone in mine.

I'sn that a lovely stove? It reminds me of my grandmother's although her's was black. It had a pie shelf that was very seldom empty. 
I'd say these are well-loved cats with their own wicker basket full of toys.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.
I'm off to visit a tuxedo, a calico and a floofy orange and white heart-throb that you may recognize when I show them off this weekend.

hugs, Deb

Beauty...and the Beast

Beauty

(a little corner of our lot)

and our beast.

                                                   Hahaha! Ain't she a beaut!
Sure, she needs a face-lift and some polish here and there but that will be taken care of down the road. Right now she is appreciated for all that she contributes and her reliability.
I do hope you know I am referring to the tractor. :-b

                                   "Geesh, you had me fooled."

"Zip it, Audrey."

(our other beast)

hugs, Deb

Oh my!

Someone is walking now. Look out, world.

I have a kitty to care for this morning, other than the six at home, that is, and then we are off to the property again for the day. Speaking of the six at home, our four and two free-loaders, they are getting along better now and Joe has learned that he just has to keep his distance from 'the girls' or he gets a blow to the face. Rae-Rae & Joe spend hours together grooming and snoozing so there is no need to feel sorry for him. He is truly loved by the glamorous one here.

Our maple tree at the house is quickly thinning out from the morning breeze as the ground becomes covered with Autumn leaves.

The maples at our property are still turning colour so I hope to capture that on this beautiful first day of October.

Enjoy your day.
hugs, Deb