the grapes of wrath and cat puke

We just finished bringing another load of "necessities" back from Oswego. Have you ever seen pictures of the dust bowl days, when the farmers loaded up all their belongings on a model A or T pickup and headed to California? Things piled high, held on with ropes and baler twine? A couple spare tires bolted to the fender? Pa in his bib overalls and Ma in her gingham dress?

Well that was about the way we looked headed west out of Oswego this trip. (well except for the bib overalls and gingham dress). I was afraid some highway patrol man would stop us for either overload restrictions or improper load restraints. However, the only two I seen, didn't pull us over.....they were bent over in laughter and pointing at us.

We also brought back the cats. Now we splurged and got some of the "pet taxis"...sounded like a good idea at the time. I swear, I think it would be easier to put a live coon in a gunny sack than it was to put ole Salem through that little door! I've shed almost as much blood today as I did during the cat shearing! But being the persistent cuss I am, (as well as putting on leather gloves and tapping ole Salem with a hammer which addled him for a few seconds).........we got him in and the door latched.

So thinking, all is well......I load the cats into he front seat with me.......turn on the air conditioner and the CD player......for a nice trip. Well Salem starts this low guttural meow .... kind of like he has his foot in a trap.....and lets one go about ever other second. I can't even hear the CD player! (if he had at least been in time with the music.......it wouldn't have been so bad!) But he keeps this up for about an hour ...... finally he quiets down and I think GREAT.....he went to sleep. WRONG AGAIN!!!! He is just getting sick and is too sick to meow. So the NEXT hour of the trip ........ he not only feels good enough to meow after throwing up, but I got the smell of cat puke.......which is still very strong even with the windows down!

The only good thing about the arrival in Burden.......the locals are ecstatic that they will get to host the annual cat shearing days next spring!!

Well this has been another exciting episode in "the days of our lives" .... asleep yet?
Dennis