Murphy Jones – Oldest to Newest Posts

  • Part 121 – Cold Again

    We have lived in Texas long enough to know that January and February can be cold. For a week every few years, it can be below freezing both day and night. I complained about the cold about this time last year, but that was only for one day! It has been cold for 3 days already. Mom said they are now talking about SNOW for Thursday and Friday!!! That is just so wrong. Today the temperature is to go from the 26 degrees at 6 AM up to 40 by 2 PM. I think that sounds much better than the 19 degrees we had yesterday morning. I know that snow means we will be back to freezing tonight and tomorrow. Mom says that when she was in school, everyone believed it had to warm up to just freezing before it can snow. Freezing still sounds too cold. Of course, as long as she stays home, the fireplace will be going giving me a warm place to sleep.

    I think Miko was cold last night because she crawled under the covers to be right next to Mom. Missy and I just snuggled close outside the covers. I think Miko needs to toughen up. At least she gets to be inside. Mom feels sorry for the Outside Cats (OCs) who hang out in our carport. She set a box sideways with foam packing material as insulation. She covered it with the car cover from Dad’s old car. Last night she even made a special sleep sack for them. She then placed it inside that box. It has a flannel outside, a layer of ugly old green wool fabric, and then a cozy inside layer of fake fur. It must have felt good, because Mom said at least one of the OCs was nestled inside it when she took Missy for her last walk of the night. Mom made another sack for the neighbor to use for the smallest of her Chihuahuas. They are inside dogs, but are so tiny and have so little hair, they have to suffer when it is this cold. Mom said she will need to make certain that the OCs sack is dry if it starts to snow. A wet bed will make the sack cold even with the wool layer. I can’t wait for Spring.

  • Part 122 – A White Blanket

    Thursday, I sat at the window watching as the driveway went from gray to white. The snow alternated between tiny flakes and big fat ones. Mom said the big fat ones meant that it was almost ready to stop. It didn’t. It snowed all day long and then dropped below freezing over night. Since then, we have had warmer days but the freezing at night continues. We have snow covering the back yard. It has a crusty layer on top and big puddles of water at ground level. Missy hates it. Mom switched from snow boots to her rubber rain boots. She says she has to walk very carefully because it is very slippery.

    I managed to slip out the door on Thursday before the snow got very deep. I didn’t let Mom catch me at first, but then my feet got cold. I sat on the door step so she could let me in. I now know just why those Outside Cats sit by the front door and look in. Missy barks at them, but they don’t go away. I almost feel sorry for them. Not sorry enough to let them come in, but still sorry. I’m glad Mom made them a warm place to sleep. I’m also sad that no one actually adopted them after their human died from COVID. Mom and another neighbor seem to take pretty good care of them even if they are OC’s. The neighbor worries about them crossing the road in front of our house. They go between our house and the neighbor’s house as does Missy when she doesn’t want to come in for her treat after she gets walked. I’m smarter than that.

    Miko has wanted to go outside. She has never walked in snow or on icy sidewalks. I think Mom should put her on a lead and take her out. She needs to learn about the life of an OC. She might be nicer to Mom after that. I don’t think there is a rush to do that. We may have some snow on the ground for a few more days.

  • Part 123 – An OC

    I mentioned before that we have at least three Outside Cats (OCs). They sit on the front porch or hang out in our carport. I watch them from our windows. Mom had fixed a box with foam as insulation and a layered bag for them to sleep in. Only one has decided to spend 90% of his time here. The other two OCs only come for meals and an occasional pet. Mom arranged a feeding station and tries to make certain they have food every morning and every night. They became OCs when their owner died from COVID. At least they don’t have to survive totally on their own.

    Mom says our full time OC is named Poker. He and my late sister Sophia were brother and sister. Mom had considered adopting him when they were tiny kittens. Dad decided on Sophia, and Poker stayed with the neighbor. Unlike Sophia, he never learned how to wear a harness or to behave inside the house. I growl at him when he is rubbing against Missy or flopping down so Mom can pet him. I want him to know he does not belong in our house. Yesterday, Miko and I got to go out on our leads. It was chilly and damp. The snow is still packed in some places, but melting slowly. The grass looks bright green in contrast to the white ice and snow. It is pretty, but much too soggy for us to enjoy. Poker came over to check us out. I didn’t like that, and begged Mom to have us come in. Missy said we should feel sorry for Poker when the door closed. I’m not so sure. If Mom ever would let him in, I’ll bet he would try to take all of my favorite nap sites. I don’t want to beat him up, but I will if I have to. He needs to stay an OC, but even better would be if it were at someone else’s house. Can I advertise for him to find a new home? I’ll need to look into that. This is Poker.