Let's back up a little. I was having a little cat/human love session out front of my place. I was professing love with my hands and a retarded high pitched mew mew voice, Francine with the sides of her face and her butt in the air when along comes my neighbor. She only holds a tiny bit of weight with the whole your electricity is out because #2 pays for it and they haven't paid their bill lately song and dance. So whenever she says anything, I go and get it straight from the horses mouth. This was no exception as the claim she made was that, get this, Francine belongs to the kids who just moved here from Texas. Now we all know I am not a big Texas fan but still, I had to get to the bottom of this. One of the kids (Joey? John? Cat Owner Impersonator?) likes to sit in the side yard and puter so I waited until he was there and approached him on the whole cat stealing issue. The most awesome part of this conversation was that he was the one stammering and holding his head down while I laughed at how absurd the situation was because as it turns out, he brought Francine. He also tried to tell me that he feeds her every morning and every evening AND that the dog next door pounced on her and she wouldn't come back into their house any more because of it. Oh please. Francine is emaciated. The only person feeding her twice a day (and giving her heartguard, heh) is yours truly. I have two dogs that religiously pounce on her (added to the we're going to kill the cat charge) and she not only continues to hang out but even comes into the apartment for feeding time (which I am thrilled about as I am not into feeding someone else's cat right in front of their face even if they do take mediocre care of it at best). Don't get me wrong, I wholeheartedly believe that stupid dog pounced on her. It's one of those fat under stimulated dogs that could be awesome but is allowed to be totally out of control because "we know he was abused by a skateboard because he acts like that around them but he's a really nice dog and wouldn't hurt a fly" or "he had a really mean first owner and that's why he acts like that but he's a really super dog who wouldn't hurt a fly". When I first moved in I was told "he loves dogs and wouldn't hurt a fly" (I'm assuming that means provided they can't match it up to his supposed sordid past, which apparently any and all bad behavior can be matched up to) but a small while ago Tabitha noticed him and went over to say hi when I wasn't looking and almost got her face badly bitten. I made the whole thing seem like it was my fault because she was off leash but she screamed so violently and came running back to my area so fast that there was no blaming it on her. There was just Mr. Wouldn't Hurt a Fly looking all vicious towards the dog who smiles while everyone loves and plays with her. That was a small justice since now they can't throw suspicious and nervous looks our way when Tab is outside off leash (fat boy isn't allowed off leash because he doesn't listen). Yeah, where's the past now? Oh right, hanging between the present and what was almost my dog's chewed up face. Now there's some real sordid past for ya eh?
Whoa, I went off on a little side road jerky dogs and their excuse making owners make me sick tear now didn't I? It doesn't matter. What does matter is that Francine cries her way into my place for her breakfast every morning when I am coming back from sunrise.
good morning to you!
we're all in our places!
with sunshiny faces!
and this is the way!
to start a new day!
She sprinkles her way throughout the day for a little affection (often times in my lap, on her back so I can rub her tummy) and then comes wailing through again for her evening meal. She'll jump the gate and come inside if I don't answer the door and we are effectively learning how gross it is to scratch things or jump up onto the table and counter. I am teaching her this by picking her off of said places, putting her outside and unceremoniously shutting the door in her face. I feel like we are making progress because this morning she didn't even try to get on the counter while I put her food in her bowl, she just stretched herself all over the floor cabinets, reaching her paws as high as she could while making her if you don't feed me immediately I might die noises. Drama queen.
The dogs are doing really well with her being in the house. Tabitha follows her around while whimpering pitifully until she finally can't take it anymore and ends up approaching to sniff Francine all over, then pushing her a bit, then pushing her a lot until Francine finally uses her feet to cut Tab's face. The James just wants to eat her food or hump her and follows her around with his face and ears twisted into that retarded fruit bat look of his while he pushes her around with his front paw trying to get her to stand still so he can get the deed over with. She puts up with that pretty well since it's obvious he isn't going to hurt her and she can run faster than him. His cold hearted killer days are over. It's sad for me to recognize but it also means watching less animals get headbutted to death or being on high alert so as to see the neighbors cat before he headbutts it to death.
It all started with a dream. A dream of having a beach cruiser that was no longer Gator colors and instead stood for everything swank. Colors were debated. Finally a cream with and red (with sparkles on the red!) scheme was decided, the paint was bought and the project was underway.
Here it is with it's original colors. Cool? Yes? Busted and chipped? Yes. Time for a change? Undoubtedly.
Here we have the frame hanging with the primer drying...
A little action shot never hurt anyone. Newspaper is being taped over the now cream frame so the red (and sparkles!) can be applied...
Ready for red...
This is my "cool beach cruiser hanging out with other cool beachy types" pictures.
The Tabster, bored to death with the situation...
Another action shot. Here comes the red...
Red rims!!
The James acting suspicious when he already has that charge for tagging...
Finished!
SPARKLES!!!
Almost ready to be put back together...
What is this? Fat boy fenders for the finishing touch? I do declare!
Hello fancy red gooseneck... would you like some sparkles?
Front fender on...
Preparing for rear fender...
TAH DAH!
I know, I know, I need a better shot of the finished project but it has been hot like Hades lately so riding about while reaping the benefits of heat stroke is not on my to do list just yet. But I have picked the perfect backdrops. Yes, that is plural. I believe the first one will be at the beach just to have that over all swanky beach cruiser at the most obvious of locations looks. The other is part of my evening dog stroll. It's where some super green, super dense shrubs meet a very healthy looking piece of grass. I like the idea of the background being one color so you can get the full effect of the paint job. Also, a lot of these pictures were taken at night as it was cool enough to get the job done without getting cranky so they are lacking the vibrance and shine the glorious sun offers a decent picture. It'll get done as soon as a day that is cool enough presents itself. Until then you get the cramped corner picture. The only thing that needs something, anything added to it is the chain guard and possibly the fenders. I'll think of something clever and then have it made up in vinyl graphics. Pinstripes? Who knows. Oh yes, and a basket. What proper beach cruiser doesn't have a basket? Seriously.
1 comment:
mahvelous!!
I still think you should steal the cat. It's not like she was born and raised there. She's from Texas for crying out loud...
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