now for the drama I DIDN'T tell you about

[cornerofmadness]

You all know that Soul was put outside with Roy because he refuses to litter box. What I didn't tell you was last monday when it started raining he went under the porch and never came out. Tuesday, I thought I heard him under there so rolled the rock away from one end that has been busted for years. me and the neighbor can hear him crying piteously. I go up to the landlord and explain that I think the cat is too scared to come out. He comes to my side porch, tramples my rose, the butterfly plant and the wormwood and lilies to pull off a few boards there on the side so it will be easier for Soul to get out.

He doesn't. Wed. I got BACK to the landlord and ask 'can he possibly be the HOUSE and not the porch? because I can hear him right at my front door?'. No. We come down and I offer to pay to replace a long porch plank. He tears up the worst one. Soul stops crying the moment that happens. I get a flashlight. No cat. Then we hear more crying. Landlord looks at me, 'wonder if he's in the crawl space under the house.' You mean that thing I asked you about a half hour ago and you said didn't exist (I knew it did, I've seen it open). We open that. Look inside. I see a bunch of trash no cat. Landlord gossips about my redneck neighbors and for me to keep an eye on it because rats/raccoons might get in thanks to one neighbor just whipping trash around the house. I sit out there until after dark, calling him and getting nothing but piteous yowling. I put food down the hole and by the crawlspace door in hopes he'll eat. Roy immediately goes down the new hole and has a grand time but no signs of SOul.

I go to bed convinced he's trapped in the piping or something. You know how cats can get into anything. I'm awake half the night since he sounded so soft and weak and he's now been down there for days and I think he's dying. I get up on thursday and there he is at the mouth of the torn-off plank. He howls and RUNS when he sees me down to the other end of the porch.

Oh you fucker. There is nothing wrong with him. He's not trapped. He's just being a dick. I was tempted to shove into that hole and kill him. I leave the plank off hoping he'll come out. Fri-Sunday no signs of Soul and no sounds either.I assume he came out. Today it's cold and raining and sure enough there he is under the porch crying. I try to get him before work but no dice. When I get home, i lay down on the porch and jam my hands down this eight inch hole with the spiders and god knows what else and try to get him to come over. He keeps bumping my hand and dancing away. Finally I get a hold of him and yank his ass out.

Now he's in the house, having major fits every time he doesn't see me, as if it was my fault he decided to live under the porch like Wes Craven's next lame horror flick. I don't know if he'll use the litter. I don't know what I'm going to do. Hey, wildrider, rahirah where did you get that big crate for Silly? that might be my next step since he'd have to be in it all night and half the day. And Soul has found his voice. He's been ghostly quiet his whole life and today he won't shut up with this high pitched shrill meow.

And if that isn't enough Kanda is being a bully to him and Roy hisses every time he sees Soul. I think Roy is very very upset that Soul is back. And Kanda needs to go to the vet. Before all this drama Soul had bitten a nice size hole in the back of Kanda's neck. I've been doctoring it, including giving him Roy's leftover amoxicillin but every time it scabs over it breaks open again and looks horrible. It probably needs shaved and scrubbed out. Like I can afford this

The doctor that works with our preprofessional club came today (his kids are in it so...) and I like visits with him since he treats me like a professional. I occasionally miss that. He was also impressed that i could move my shoulder as well as I do. He's like you know...it usually takes a year or more to get back to where you need to be. a year of hard work. No kidding and now it really hurts from having to deal with the above drama.

oh and for the writing inclined, here's something from Writers' Digest - 7 things I’ve learned

And here's a review for Cross Bones well several but I wanted you to see the one from Cornelia Grey (and in full disclosure, she's also in the anthology and talks to me on rare occasion on Jana's LJ. She lives in Italy). I was very pleased by what she said about me. I was also a little dismayed by one review. Not that she didn't like it but because she was right. You can not tell from the blurb that this is gay erotica. That cover could easily be het-sex pirates. Hmmm





This is one of the servant's bedrooms. One this size and with this much privacy had to be the head maid. There was a plaque that listed out what maids of that time were expected to do and by what hour of the day they needed it done.



this is the rest of her room. Notice that even in her own bedroom work awaited her. This is where she'd mend everyone's clothing


yay Castle premiere

And goodreads is doing book reccs and I click on my favorite genres to find it prepopulated but it has religion (what in my reading made you click that goodreads? Buddhism??) but NOT manga, true crime or graphic novels. every third book is manga or crime. wow, that's the way to build confidence in your new system.

Comments

[wildrider.livejournal.com]

Barb was the one who found the cage. Let me ask. It's Martin's Cages, she had to go to the manufacturer's website to get it (both Petco and Petsmart had them on their sites, but they were out of stock or something).

Ah, poor Soul.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

okay thanks. I can check there. I'd hate to have to crate him because it woudl be for more hours than he'd be free but if that's all I have...

i know. Soul has a rough life sometimes (and mostly of his own making)

[rahirah]

http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/cat/

They've got a bunch of different kinds. This is is the only place I could find that had cages specifically for cats, that were a decent size and more or less affordable.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks so much

[sp23.livejournal.com]

Jesus, the Soul saga just keeps getting weirder and weirder. It really makes me appreciate my two boys even more.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

it just never ends here.

[sillymagpie.livejournal.com]

Oh you fucker. There is nothing wrong with him. He's not trapped. He's just being a dick.

I share your pain, but I'm laughing at the same time. Damn cat.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

he's so lucky he's not in my lab right now.

[caffeinified.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm glad you got Soul out of there. That sounds like quite the drama. Hopefully Soul will eventually chill out now that he's back inside.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I hope so. I'll just be glad if I can keep him out of tight hiding places

[bay115.livejournal.com]

Ouch over the cat drama. Yeah, cats can be evil like that sometimes, oi. I too hope Soul will relax soon.

I haven't forgotten about Cross Bones, just haven't gotten the chance to read it due to a lot of things, bleh. I should give a quick review soon once I read your story and a couple others from there.

One of my friends from university is a huge fan of Castle and kept recommending me that show. Maybe I'll watch this season of the show.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I hope so too. I don't care so long as he uses the litter box.

Don't worry. I haven't read it yet either. (i should say something back to her)

I love Castle. it reminds me of a funnier Murder She Wrote with a sexier star

[anat-astarte.livejournal.com]

OMG that kitty! *sigh* Hopefully he'll smarten up and come around before he gets himself in a real mess.

Thanks for the Writer's Digest tips!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I sure hope so because his next step is being rehomed (which I think in the long run might be for the best for him)

you're welcome

[bob_fish.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about more Soul antics. Poor you, and poor little dude. If he were rehomed, would it be possible to find someone who specialised in caring for feral cats?

Also (randomly) clicked on the cat cage link and the smaller ones look like a great alternative to ordinary cat carriers for trips to the vet. Our kitties get so upset by being stuffed into a plastic carrier. Last time I actually took Okkoto out and put him on my lap in the back seat while Helen drove. He enjoyed watching East London go by out the window.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I could do that down here. That would be ideal but...so far not even vets can give me a good alternative for him.

That would be cool. Mine hate the box too. I used to have a cat who would ride in the car like a dog. I took him everywhere

[rain-oubliette.livejournal.com]

I still think Soul is insane. Not sure why, but he just seems totally spaztastic.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

MOm and I agree. That cat ain't right

[winters-queen.livejournal.com]

Jesus, Soul. What the hell is your issue. *sigh*

Dammit, I keep wanting to put up a review on Goodreads and I keep getting sidetracked.

And one of the things I will be putting is that it's m/m because I know some people who that isn't their thing.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Soul just ain't right.

no problem. when you get to it you do. And yes, I have to agree with the bad review, that should be clearer. I mean I'd hate to get something thinkiing it was, let's say a mystery, and it turned out to be a romance which I don't care that much for

love the icon

[winters-queen.livejournal.com]

Heh, thanks. Sometimes I feel like that.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

sometimes I do as well

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

The entire family enjoyed listening to me talk about Soul. :D Sorry. It makes for good humor?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

poor soul

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, poor kitty. :D

[helliongoddess.livejournal.com]

Isn't there a word for animals that are sort of spirits sent here to bedevil us? I keep thinking doppelganger, but I know that's not right... Anyway, Soul seems to be that for you. I swear, if any of my three had been like him, I might have stuck to dogs. I guess I've been really lucky - I'll be nicer to my little rats (not that they aren't spoiled rotten already.)

Thanks for the writers' tips, and congrats on the shoulder progress and the good review.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

there probably is more like germlin or something. I think I may kill this cat one day...

thanks.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I think the word you're looking for is 'cat', personally.

[helliongoddess.livejournal.com]

LOL i guess maybe you have a point.....