You can tell that it’s almost spring because all of my socks are suddenly developing change-of-season holes.

I am not a shoe-wearer by nature. People talk about women and their obsessions with shoes, but I can totally not relate. I think I might own only a handful of shoes, though I’ve never really counted. Bags, however, are another story, if only because I’ve recently started making my own.

I’m not sure why I never got stuck with the shoe affliction. Maybe it was part of my oh-so-casual workplace a few years ago, where I wandered around in only my socks, or my self-enforced no-shoe policy at every subsequent place I’ve worked. Maybe it was due in part to growing up dancing, where you don’t wear shoes so much as slippers, or maybe it was just my longing to always feel the grass & sand between my toes, instead of poking into my sandals. In any case, I am not a shoe-liker.

Which is why I’m glad it’s almost spring. I am looking so forward to wandering around the house, and around everywhere else, including the soccer pitch, in my bare feet. I am also looking forward to not noticing my toes sticking out of my socks. Even my favourite orange kneesocks are wearing thin. Ack!

so, by now, you must have all figured out that we have new kitties. They are adorable and involve a whole lot of lying on my kitchen floor watching them climb all over each other, all over their mum, and well, pretty much everything. This also means that whatever I am going to meet you for? Expect lateness.

But I have a worrying streak in me (as if you couldn’t already tell that I was slightly obsessive-compulsive). I spent all of Thursday (well, most of Thursday) at work, convinced they were going to drown in their mum’s water dish. I spent Friday morning cleaning out goopy sickly eyes so fuzzy (one of the as-yet-to-be-named girls) could see. I have been desperately hoping that none will, well, die, which means that I get up at crazy hours like 4 AM because I am irrationaly unsure that they’re all still breathing. And oh, the worries about their mum. Between trying to cart the kittens she doesn’t like so much (can anyone say natural selection?) upstairs into my roomie’s closet or under his bed (good thing at least one of us can slide all the way under there), and meowing lustily for attention, she is eating as if she’s never seen food before, but those first few days were a nightmare.

So that you can all have an idea of how so-unbelievably-not-productive our weekend was, here are pictures .

Scooter
Scooter because all he does is run on his little wobbly legs around the floor, getting into everything he can reach. He was also the first to venture beyond the confines of the kitchen…..into the big scary world of the dining room.

Chai
Chai was named by Marty, as a result of the “list of names that we turned down for Pekoe” movement. So far, he’s one of the least active of the bunch, but once you get him out of his nest and onto the colder kitchen floor, he’s a little bundle of energy. He is also the least meow-y of the bunch.

Monkey
I’ve spent a lot of time referring to our little brown and white mix babe as “Monkey”, though I have no idea why. I’m not sure it will, or should stick. Suggestions? I seem to be in a cat naming slump. Update: it is officially Monkey.

Poe
This is kitten-chick #2 without a name. I am toying with Poe. This is Poe. She is a total sweetie, but is currently sickly as well – her eyes are sticking shut because she’s got a nasty cold. I seem to spend a lot of time doing that thing that all babies seem to hate – face cleaning. This kitten is no exception to that rule.

And then there’s Ponder, their mum. She is a sweet, affectionate doll. And a great mum. SO frail and skinny when she arrived, she’s now got a bit of a belly going on. We’ve got to find her a good home to go to, too.

Ok, I swear, I won’t post anything more about kittens. At least not until they’ve all got names. I promise.

1. An ex-boyfriend’s family makes the barrhaven paper (yes, I know, not the big time), getting an award for their beautifully and lovingly restored heritage home. Read the article (pdf). I love this house.
2. Kat’s got a new camera (*digital rebel. drool*) and is taking some sweet photos. This shot totally reminds me of my “Bitter With Baggage Seeks Same” book.
3. benjamin wagner wrote a new song this weekend that sounds like spring. take a listen!
4. I still don’t know what to name the girl kittens. Ryn says Marzipan, but I am not convinced.