Vintage metal chairs and Glider

Switched front porch and back deck seating back in April and FINALLY have the vintage metal deck chairs repainted.  It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted, then forever to get them painted - at least it felt like forever.

The days I had available to work it rained, or the wind blew (not real good to spray paint in strong wind).  Then it rained some more or there was more wind. I could only do about one chair a day - between the time delay for coats of paint and my energy level.  I got the last one finished today and I'm pleased with the results.

So here's what you see when you walk out onto the deck.  Couldn't get it all in one picture, so there are two.

The green chair behind the glider is set up to be Boots (cat) bed - but you'll notice he's opted for the floor during these warm days.  It's a nice dry/warm place when it's cool though.  He has an enclosed bed that he slept in the first couple of winters but refused to use it last year.  The chair on the left in the first picture is PURPLE.  I couldn't get it to look nearly as pretty as it actually is.

I've had the glider for 20+ years - it was one we rescued - originally painted green, I painted it blue when I first got it and it was easier just to repaint it the same color again.

The chairs were my parents - so they're probably almost as old as I am (and that's old).  I'd painted them all blue too - don't ask, blue isn't my favorite color. I think it had something to do with DH's tastes.  

NOW, they're lots of bright, happy colors - purple, green, orange, red and yellow.  I'm lovin' them!

This is the purple chair - love purple.

So, plenty of good places to sit and enjoy the pleasant summer.  

Kindle Fire and Library books

Now remember, I'm about 3 years older than dirt, and I'm not up on ALL the new technical stuff though I do try and stay current on many things and have a reasonable knowledge of "some" things technical.   I just haven't posted anything here.

So, I have a Kindle Fire - it's the first generation fire and I got it not long after they came out and I LOVE IT!!!   I can check email, facebook, browse the web (if there's wifi), but mostly I just read books on it.

That being said, I wanted to share this info in the event anyone else might be interested.  And, since I spent a day and a half searching online for the answer, only to read many blogs and forums that did NOT supply the correct (or at least updated) info.

I've known all along that I could check out books from the library for the Kindle, just never attempted it - so decided to try it.  Found my library online with Overdrive (the online service).  Entered my card number, found a couple of books I wanted to try and checked them out.  That's when I realized I might have a problem.  One book was in "Kindle" format and so easy it was like eating pie.  The other one was in some strange format I wasn't familiar with and not compatible with my Kindle.

That lead me to check further and I discovered many of the books the library offered were not in Kindle format.  So, there had to be an answer and I started searching.  Found I could read them on my PC by downloading Adobe Digital Editions (free) - but I didn't want to read them on my PC.  Found all kinds of info on how to convert them for my Kindle - none of which worked for me.  Maybe I was doing something incorrectly, but nonetheless it didn't work.

It was bedtime by then, so I stopped searching till the next day.  But, I woke determined and walla - I found the answer.  Again, as simple as eating pie but nowhere in any of the info that I read did it mention THIS... but here it is.

SOLUTION:
Amazon offers an app Overdrive Media Console (it's free).  Simply download it to your Kindle and install it.  At some point it'll ask you to 'authorize' via Adobe Digital Editions.  If you don't have a registration login with them, it'll give you the option to set one up.  Do so, authorize and download your book.  Now, I believe you have to read it in the app - which looks a bit different than your normal Kindle books do, but there are settings to change font size, etc.

So, today, I'm a happy camper.  My book is in my Kindle waiting for me to read. AND, I have a whole 'wish list' on my library website that I'll get to eventually.

While not all the authors I'd like to read are in the online library - this does open up a whole lot more books :-)

Kitty cat update

Thursday, 7/4/13 - now there's good news AND more good news... Boots is back home.  He arrived about an hour ago - ate a bowl full of food and is now sleeping soundly in a living room chair.  He's lost weight, but otherwise seems to be okay.

Well, there's good news and there's bad news.

The good news is that Fluffy is doing well with her medication, and I've even found a treat that she likes - it's called "Lickety Stik" and is a salmon flavored liquid she can lick off my finger or off the little roller ball on the bottle.

It's the FIRST thing I've found that she'll touch and it took several days for her to try it, but now she loves it.  She's being really good for her meds and gets treat licks after her medication both morning and evening.  She knows too and she's ready for that treat.

The bad news - is that Boots is missing...

He's been gone since last Friday (5 days today).  He's ALWAYS there in the morning for breakfast - even if he had a 'treat' earlier (he's a hunter).  He spent time Friday afternoon in the living room reclining in a comfy chair but was ready to go out at bedtime.  That's the last we've seen him.

I pray he's not somewhere hurt and is just off on a safari!

Happy Birthday Frosty

It's Frosty's birthday - he's 13 today and still as cute and sweet as ever.  Here's a couple of pictures made on the day I got him (he wasn't quite 8 weeks old)

I've always loved poodles and Frosty is my 4th. He was a gift from my late husband who knew I'd always wanted a 'tiny' poodle.  My others were miniatures - so I was especially pleased with him.

Unfortunately he came from a puppy mill (that's another story I guess) and had some issues, but it was definitely love at first sight for me.

He's got the very best personality but is definitely a "mama's boy".  He's crate trained but howls if I leave him and he thinks anyone can hear him.  Don't leave him a lot - and wouldn't leave him at all if I could take him into all stores.  Actually, he's cleaner and better behaved than most kids - and his feet don't touch the ground when we're out and about.

He was just over a year old in this one.

Another older picture - just after he was groomed.  We have a great groomer, but Frosty isn't particularly pleased when he goes.  He's cut shorter than that now as our groomer is temporarily closed because of health problems.  His fur grows fast though, so he'll be a puff ball soon enough.

This is him with Boots - my outside cat.  Boots weighs 20 pounds, Frosty 3-1/2. Needless to say, he's considerably smaller - but he's definitely the boss.  Emma Grace (inside cat) is his favorite though and they play together.

And, this is Frosty today.  That's his bed at work - oh yeah - he's a working dog. He takes his job seriously - guard dog and greeter at our local Cross stitch shop.  He's starting to get cataracts and can't jump quite as well as when he was younger, but he's still going strong.

Frosty sticks to me like velcro, sleeps with me, goes most places with me and is my loving companion.  I pray he's around for MANY more years!

More kitty stuff

This is Boots - he was one of two kittens that was 'dumped' on my property in 2009.  

These pictures were made not long after he came to our house and at the time I didn't know if he was a he or a she.  Vet determined that and fixed it :-)

I love the little black dot down under his chin.  Here's another "now" pictures:

He was really shy at first.  He became the 'front porch kitty' as long as Halloween was alive, but since she's been gone he's moved to the back deck.  He's also grown BIG - probably because he's such a hunter.  He's always bringing me 'prizes' to the deck - and leaves them right at the door (or leaves parts of them after he's had his fill).

He's really a sweet cat and very loving - sometimes comes inside for a little while, but is always anxious to get back out.  The two inside cats are NOT impressed when he's in.  He's more than twice the size of either of them, but they hiss and complain when he's in, and he usually backs off from them.

At the vet last week for yearly shots, etc. and weighs 20 pounds.  Obviously, he's a heavy rascal but loves to be picked up, sit in your lap or generally have attention.  I really wish he and the inside kitties were friends.

Fluffy kitty

Here's Fluffy - she's a gray calico 15 year old barn cat rescue.  She's been in my house since she was about 3 months old, but wasn't crazy about human contact when she was younger... and HATES to be picked up.

She did get out about a year ago and spent the night outside.  When we found her she was under bushes at the end of the house and terrified - I managed to pick her up (without her going ballistic) and bring her back in.  That experience apparently gave her an attitude adjustment and she's been a nicer kitty since then.  However, if she's going to be petted, it's going to be on her own terms.

She had been losing weight, throwing up and her coat had gotten really scruffy looking.  The only thing she'll eat is the dry food she's been on all these years.  I've tried everything trying to entice her with food, treats, etc.  Nada - she won't touch anything else.  She'll sniff it and walk away.  These pictures were made before she got sick and her coat was much nicer looking.

Her and Emma Grace close to the window.

She looks nothing like her mother (who was Halloween and featured in an older post.  Though Halloween had a LOT of kittens over the years, Fluffy was the only long haired.
She went from being a gorgeous, long haired cat to a skinny, ratty looking one.  This is "mama" Halloween:

Anyway, finally got her to the vet a few weeks ago (a challenge itself) and blood work showed she has hyperthyroidism.  Now, there's not a snowball's chance in hell that I could dose her with pills, but fortunately there's now a transdermal medication that can be rubbed in her ears.  That sounded doable - except this is Fluffy we're talking about.

This is twice a day and the first week was rough - took two people and she was NOT pleased.  However, I've been sweet talking her and after about 2-1/2 weeks she's decided it's not so bad after all.

She still isn't going to tolerate being picked up, but has become a bit more affectionate and doesn't hiss and run now.  She's not throwing up and hopefully will soon put on some weight and her coat will improve.

Cats are such peculiar creatures - at least the ones I have are.

New look

I've been looking for ages for a new look for my blog - not that anyone notices but me, but I'd grown tired of the old template - plus, couldn't get it to do exactly what I wanted.

My late husband loved irises and grew every color he could find.  Had an iris photo that had lots of the pretty colors and adapted it to my header.  Unfortunately I've not taken nearly as good care of his actual flowers as I have the photos.

SO, found this template which required only a little work to customize it the way I wanted and walla - here we are.  Colors are very different from old one which featured a lot of green.  I like green, but I like yellow/gold/oranges better.

Here's a photo of the old header - what do you think compared to the new one?

If you're seeing it and have a comment, feel free to post it.