Projects Done

I had to take it easy yesterday after over doing things, trying to get projects completed before rain hit and it did pour yesterday.

Hard to believe I've lived here almost 11 years now.  I built those outside cat runs a decade ago.  Seriously!!!

The wire on the cat window box had deteriorated.  I originally built the window box with wire sides.  I connected the window box to the inside via cat doors, through the partly open dining room window, which I can still close, behind the cat doors, to seal off access to the window box from inside.  But, a year later, I had found windows I put over the wire, from outside, but had never removed that wire.  The wire, over the years, became rusted and caught cat hair, and was difficult to clean. 

So I did it. I removed the wire.  I'd meant to do it all summer.  It wasn't an easy job.  I needed to turn the big window around, to be opened from inside, for safety.  I'd found the window as a treasure at the Habitat Store when they were moving, for $5.  A vinyl window!

I removed the window still in its home made frame, turned it around, and before reinstating it, removed all that old wire.  I'd attached the wire with fence staples and getting those out not easy.  I repainted the frame too. And sealed all edges with silicone caulk, for weather proofing.

I removed the wire that used to cover the window box behind the big window, turned the window around, and repainted the frame.

The next step was removing wire from the end of the cat window box and replacing it with wood, so cold air could not seep inside that way, through the cat doors.  I got a cheap piece of plywood to  cover the area, and measured and measured, before I removed the wire fast and replaced it with the already painted board piece.  I'd not blocked the cats from access which was not bright, but it went fast and they did not try to escape.

There used to be wire on the end of the window box, but now it is covered with a painted board.

And next up, replacing wire covering the top run with two four foot by 12 inch white vinyl coated wire shelves.  This project wasn't easy either, removing fence stapled in old wire, painting the 2x4's they had been attached to, then hanging the new vinyl coated shelves, one of them on hinges to lift for cleaning that run.  I finished that the day before the rain began, in a marathon.

The upper run now has white vinyl wire shelves instead of the old wire.

There are more wire sections need replaced but the rains are here now and whether or not we get a good span of decent weather to do more, well I don't know if that will happen.

 I got the above ground downspout drain pipe repaired too and yesterday put some dirt against it to hold it in place.  I pulled up most of the dying sunflowers too, cut up the stalks, some over an inch in diameter, and hung the seeded heads, some a foot across, for the birds, who devour the seeds, usually within a day.

I have trimmed a lot of tree branches too, those I can reach with the extendable pruner, and cut them up for the yard debris cart, as I have space, with a hand saw.

So I was done in yesterday, shoulders inflamed, arms sometimes numb, and forced to relax.  I enjoyed the day with my cats. 

Miss Daisy is growing weaker and older and I know I won't have her with me much longer.  I spend as much time as I can with her.   I have two other old cats failing with age now.  I think I will lose all three this winter.  I hope I'm wrong.  It's hard to accept most of my cats are now over ten years old.   

Soloman is one of my old cats.  He is kind hearted and loves all the other cats.  

And my beloved Miss Daisy, who is failing, which irks her.  She has suffered now five years from ibs and its a wonder she is still alive.  It is a difficult ailment to manage in cats.

I love her so