Category Archives: Wista

My dearly departed kitty.

Blog is Moving!

Blasphemy, Books, Cringer, Cycling, Maps, Wista

Attention everyone:

Using my shady connections in the internet underworld, I have acquired an auspicious domain name, and I have decided to move this blog over there. Update your bookmarks or whatever to:

http://retrogrou.ch/

I have already copied all your favorite blog posts over there. Many have been digitally re-mastered and feature tons of behind-the-scenes bonus footage, alternate endings, and director’s commentary.

I’ll keep this domain up and running for a while, but all the good stuff will be over there from now on.

If you are following me via RSS, you might want to subscribe to a specific feed, as I am planning to broaden the topics I write about.

You get the idea.

WISTA (1)

Wista Woo: 2005-2014

Wista

Long-time readers of my blog will remember that I adopted a kitty about nine years ago. She was a pain in the ass, but we loved her anyway. I found her company far more agreeable than that of four fifths of the humans I have ever met.

She started acting very odd around Christmas time. I’ll spare you the details, but after several trips to multiple veterinarians, it became clear that she had a painful condition for which there was no available treatment, and that we should “put her to sleep.”

So, that’s what we did.

It’s a rather more emotional business than I was expecting.

Bike Swap (Lemond for Sale)

Cycling, Wista

World Cup Ski and Cycle in Camp Hill is having a bike swap this weekend. That means you can get a smokin’ good deal on a used bike.

Especially if you’re in the market for a 2004 Lemond Tourmalet! If you or a friend are tallish and in the market for a go-fast kind of bike, this is what you’re looking for.

The frame is aluminum, the fork is carbon fiber. It’s so light, if you don’t tie it down, it’ll float away. (Ok, it’s about 20 pounds) The stand over is 31.5″ and the top tube is 23″ long, so it won’t work for short people.

I put less than 500 miles on this bike and half of those were on the trainer. Yes, those are STI brifters.

Up front, there are three chainrings and 175mm cranks
cranks

9 cogs in the back and an Ultegra dérailleur.

Rear end

Cat is not included

It’s a very nice bike if you’re into going fast. The cat is not included.

If no one buys it this weekend, it’ll be up on ebay next week. I am trying to raise funds to buy a monkey.

So tell yer friends, tell yer neighbors. and get on down to Word cup and buy my bike. Please!

Happy Birthday, Cringer!

Cringer, Wista
When Brandi and I found Cringer, he was living under a pile of carboard boxes waiting to be recycled. This pile was right next door to a massive construction site.

When we took him to the vet, they found chemical burns in his throat and on all four paws. Apparently, he had gotten into some of the chemicals being used on the site. The other thing the vet told us is that he was about 8 weeks old. That would make today his first birthday. (It will be very easy to remember, because it’s exactly 2 months before MY birthday).

His paws and throat have since healed, though he still can’t meow as loud as Wista, though he does try. Check out his attempt at a roar.
Cringer Roars

Wista doesn’t enjoy having her nap interrupted.

Wista is pissed

Carradice Bags are Waterproof

Cycling, Ride Reports, Wista
I took a ride around the neighborhood this afternoon. Nothing like the 42 miles the plan called for, but better than nothing. When I got home, Wista, inexplicably, sqatted down and took a pee all over my Carradice Camper that was laying (empty) on the floor.

I’m happy to say the waxed cotton they use is very waterproof (peeproof, at any rate). The weight of the fluid made a little indentation in the canvas and it just made a little puddle. I was able to carry the bag to the bathroom and drain the whole mess off without any spilling or soaking into the interior of the bag. Then, I put the bag under the shower to rinse off any lingering stinkiness. It was under the full-bast shower for about a minute, and the inside stayed dry. Not too shabby.

Elapsed Time: 01:01:41
Max Speed: 36.2mph
Average Speed: 11.7mph
Distance: 12.1 miles

Big Kitties

Cringer, Wista

My cats are officially all grown up. They ate the last of the kitten food, and now it’s on to grown-up cat food. I commemorated the occasion with a (out of focus) photo.


Kitten and Cat food bags

My babies are all grown up now *snif* :-(

My cats are all grown up

Wista gets Fixed

Wista
Wista is back from the vet. She was spayed, so we don’t have to worry about neighborhood alley cats knocking her up. Not that she’s allowed outside the house anyways.They also found worms. Yuck. Now we have to make another appointment for worm medicine. I’ll get a picture up as soon as she crawls out from under the bed. (Of the cat, not of the worms)
She’s still a little groggy.

Update:

As promised, here is a picture. Both cats seem enthralled by XScreenSaver. It’s not really visible in the picture, but that’s the Apple2 hack.

Cats love screensavers

Public Shaming of the Cats

Cringer, Wista
I didn’t get a chance to do my ride today, Wednesdays just aren’t working out. Just to give you something to read, yesterday, when i came home from work, there was a mouse in a mousetrap in my apartment.

I live in a small apartment with 2 cats. There should be no excuse for mice. My cats, however, are rather feebleminded, and would rather goof off, and screw around with the fish tank than do the one and only job that people domesticated cats for in the first place.

So, In light of thier negligence, I am posting humiliating pictures of thier fish-tank shenanigans, in hopes of publicly shaming them into doing thier jobs.


Cringer and Wista terrorize the fish


Wista tries to eat the fish