… and finches and thrushes and starlings and all the rest of the birds in my garden. It’s that time of year again: the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. I’ve been sat comfortably in my dining room with a mug of coffee, a notebook and my binoculars - although I’m only looking the length of the garden, the far end where the bird table and trees are is quite a distance away.

I also had to do some cat-herding, because once they knew I was awake, they all piled out of the garage and immediately got interested in the birds. I shut all four in the living room; then had to separate a couple because of squabbling. I’ve given in again now and put them back out, and there’s at least one sat under the bird table. (Which is an improvement - she often sits in it.)

Also today, I am mostly … doodling once more

… for Doodle Week. I missed December’s because I keep forgetting about it, so I’ve subscribed to the RSS feed so I never have to miss another one (unless I choose to, of course).

Today’s theme is ‘What it’s like in January where you live’. I did think about doodling my back garden, with the trees and the snow we had last week, but January after all for me is bird-feeding and -watching time. I make sure there’s always bread and seeds on the bird table, plus a fat ball or two and the peanut feeder. I watch the visitors from my window next to my desk upstairs, and get excited every time I get an unusual visitor; we’ve had a pair of collared doves this year for the first time, even though they’re pretty ubiquitous. I don’t get gold-, green- or bullfinches very often, so I’m always pleased to see them. I didn’t get anything very exciting today though; just the usual gang.

So today’s doodle, naturally enough, is an anonymous bird on a peanut feeder. (I’m not good enough to draw an actual species; this is sort of like a very dark sparrow.)

… because I didn’t post yesterday’s (didn’t even get scanning it till now, in fact) because I was fairly busy.  But here’s my doodle-pet - a cat, of course.

And to further prove my complete lack of artistic skills, here’s today’s body (which I think looks a bit like plasticine Morph):

Also today, I am mostly … doing housework

… and wondering why Ozzy is sat on the garage roof. He can see me through the study window when he sits there, and now I know he’s there and staring at me, it’s a bit disconcerting.

Anyway, back to the housework. If I want to have a bath tonight, I have to clean out all the paper bits left from my last LUSH bath (Champagne Supernova bath ballistic).

… as Basement Cat (courtesy of I Can Has Cheezburger).

Not all black cats are evil, of course. Some are very sweet and cute. But then again, you never know what they’re up to when your back is turned…

Also today, I am mostly … signing papers

… which mean that we will be getting married in September. No backing out of it now! We have to find some ushers, buy the rings, decided on music… Wait, did I say we? Ahem. Yeah, right. Make that I.

Well, as long as he shows up on the day and says the right thing, that’s what’s important, isn’t it?

… and more specifically, if I could have been any meaner to my cats last Saturday night?

No animals were harmed in the making of these photos. (It’s amazing what a good sleep and some catnip will let me get away with.)

… and walls and door and ceiling and furniture. After shifting all the small stuff - and the mattress - out of our bedroom yesterday, today is cleaning & shifting big furniture & painting day. Hurrah?

I will be so glad when my house is tidy once more, with things in the proper place. That probably won’t be for another couple of weeks though, since I don’t have the inclination to do more than about an hour at a time. Hmmm. Why do I get the feeling my mum will insist on helping me next weekend when they’re visiting?

Also today, I am mostly … being pleased at how bold the kitten is getting

… because she’s definitely relaxed a lot in just the past few days. She’s no longer too afraid of me & Colin to come out of hiding when we go in the garage, and she makes a dart for the food dishes as soon as we put them down (as long as we don’t make any sudden movements). Hopefully we’ll be able to get our (gloved) hands on her sometime soon.

… because I forgot to reset my alarm after the Bank Holiday weekend. I woke up just after 8, thankfully, and made it to work less than an hour late, so all was not lost. But almost. I could’ve just said ’sod it’ and worked from home, but I have a meeting this weekend.

At least I /can/ work from home again… My new router was delivered on Friday and works fine. Hurrah. I spent a good chunk of the weekend getting caught up on online stuff.

Also today, I am mostly … wondering what to do with our stowaway kitten

… who is still hanging out in the garage. Although she’s too nervous to come out of hiding when Colin or I are in there, she’s bold enough to eat out of the main food bowl (instead of us needing to put a dish down for her separately) and has no fear of the others even though Clover’s whacked her a couple of times.
Yes, she does hide from us… but we can see her through the window, and I also left the garage door open for a few hours on Sunday. She did wander out into the garden for a bit, but didn’t stay out long.
I think we’re stuck with her, at least till she does get used enough to us to come near us (so we can trap her in the carrier and take her to the rehoming centre).