Rain & Roses. And Bleach. Lots of Bleach.

Dear John,

 

It was a lovely day - mid-70s, sunny, slight breeze. There's a cold front coming through tonight, and by the end of the week the highs will be in the 50s. So I had every door and window open wide today. Some sprinkles of rain just started. I'm sitting by the window, smelling rain and roses.

 

Love from your way-cool little family!

I was busy today with home stuff. I changed the curtains and decorations for fall, and managed to upset all the critters by vacuuming. Jethro was upset because he was outside and couldn't play with the vacuum cleaner. The cats were terrified, but they were so sweet about it. I found them in the living room window sill, Hunter lying on top of Abby with nothing but her head showing, protecting her. Hunter was so scared by the time I finished that I had to hold him in my lap for almost half an hour before he relaxed. Abby recovered much faster, but she was protected by Hunter.

 

They're playing together more every day. This afternoon I found them on the bed, grooming each other. I'd read what the experts say about adding a new cat - keep the new one behind glass for two weeks, spread the scent of the new one over a period of two weeks starting a week before bringing the new one home, and on and on. I just brought Abby in from outside, and gave them separate litter boxes for a week. That's it. I must have unusually well-adjusted cats.

 

My other project for today hasn't gone so well. I need white curtains for the office and workroom, and don't want to buy any. We have lots of unbleached muslin curtains, I thought I'd just bleach some of them. It was a nice thought. I've spent all evening soaking them in hot water and Clorox - I've gone through two-thirds of a large bottle of the stuff - and they don't look a bit different. I suppose I'll try hydrogen peroxide next. Do you happen to know just how one bleaches unbleached muslin? I never dreamed it would be this difficult.

 

It's 10:00 and I have church tomorrow so I'll head off to bed if I can get the cats to stop wrestling. I'm wondering how we ever lived without cats. Now they are helping me to live without you. Tomorrow will be eighteen months - come to church with me if you can!

 

Love you forever and ever,

Joan.