i believe in miracles, since you came along...you kitten thing

 More freaky weather, with wildly fluctuating temperatures.  Gorgeous, dramatic sunrises...

...and strange December fogs.

Just like last week, our muskrats frisked whenever the temperature crept into the upper fifties.

I have binoculars in the living room so that I can easily watch their antics.  

We've been a bit slow to get our Christmas decorations up, but things are finally moving along.  Although the real Christmas celebration doesn't start until December 15th, the tree is up and mostly decorated.  It's smaller than our usual tree, but fits the space well.

I love seeing my favorite ornaments.  Some high notes:

This year, I decided to finally put up the candles that I purchased in Germany close to 20 years ago.  They are real candles...

...in little tin basins.  The clips are tiny pinecones!

Todd says that we absolutely, positively, unequivocally must not light these candles.  Some crazy talk about FIRE (eye roll)...but I'm enjoying them in their current state, too!  

Speaking of pinecones, I saw these cookies on Sprinklebakes...

photo courtesy of Sprinklebakes

...and had to buy the mold.  

You push a nice stout dough (like gingerbread) into the mold and peel out the shaped cookie.  It holds the shape nicely when it bakes.  This is great for fall AND winter!

In other news, here we grow again.

Yes, we are trying again with a THIRD cat.  After we lost our dear Bosewichte in February, I've felt his absence terribly.  It's funny...I didn't own a cat growing up, although I 've found several photos of myself with them in childhood.

That must have planted a seed, because when I finally got my first cat in my late 20s, it was instant love.  It didn't take me long to go from having one cat to two.  With a concession to Todd's allergies, we remained a two-cat household.  Returning to just one cat after Bosewichte's death felt...wrong.  

It didn't work out with the first two cats that we tried post-Bosewichte.  Both were young males and highly aggressive toward Tabitha, their relationships finally degenerating into constant biting and scratching after weeks of trying to keep the peace.  After Tabitha started stress-licking huge bald spots on her body, we had to return them both (and both were happily adopted within a week!).  I said, NO MORE CATS.  Tabitha is too small, and creeping into her later years.  She's also grumpy and territorial, and just doesn't like other animals.  Bosewichte was special, but now she's destined to be an only cat. 

But...cats.

So I decided to try again, with a twist.  Instead of a young male, we adopted an older female.  She's around Tabitha's age, and so incredibly sweet.  She cuddles in the bed all night and trots along beside us during the day, never missing an opportunity to rub against our ankles.  She was declawed by a previous owner, and tiny - maybe only six pounds.  She is the epitome of harmless and inoffensive.

Tabitha doesn't like her.  

So far it's been outraged looks, lots of hissing, and one cat fight (likely instigated by Tabitha).  I'm holding out hope that they will settle into an uneasy truce, but I've also held off on naming her.  I want both cats to have a happy home, so we will have to wait and see if neutral coexistence is possible.

But just look at that face!

I'm hoping for a Christmas miracle here.

Have a great week!