Our wee kittens - another update

I am happy to report that grooming is now a normal part of the day for Buster.

Both groomer and groomee.

I rather missed the moment when he leaned over and gave his little sister, 7-week-old Dorah, a bit of a grooming on her neck.

I ran into the hall and grabbed the camera.

By the time I returned, she was grooming his ear.
   

Electricity Prices Switch to Time-Of-Use-Prices November 1st

Yes, so they say. We contacted Hydro, after practicing running the dishwasher at night, doing laundry on weekends, and were told that rural customers, like us, are not part of this transition. We continue to have our bill as an 'estimate' until it is specifically read by Hydro personnel.

It is an interesting concept. Our kids have their water heater on a timer, for example. It heats the water overnight, with cheaper rates, and they seldom run out during the day.
It is more difficult for people our age and older, who cannot schedule particular activities after-hours.

For the frail or ill, those getting family, or paid professional caregiving during the daytime, they are unable to schedule their Activities of Daily Living (ADLS) at anything but during peak hours.

Ontario – Effective today, most Hydro One customers in our province will be on Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing and will be taking advantage of the benefits of their smart meter. As part of the Ontario Energy Board’s Regulated Price Plan, TOU electricity prices are reviewed and adjusted every six months if necessary.

Regulated Price Plan Time-of-Use Price:

For more information about Time-of-Use prices, visit our TOU section or the OEB's website.

That said, in the recent mess of Hurricane Sandy, our Hydro crews are going to the US to help out those States involved in clean-ups. A big issue for NYC is the lack of electricity.

Even after a power outage in Central and Southern Ontario post-Sandy, with 200,000 Hydro customers out, Hydro got customers up and going. They rallied for our neighbours to the south. I often see them climbing the poles, doing repairs, or upgrading equipment. I was there when they put in new poles around a Habitat Build in Muskoka. Very tricky work.

Lift it up, lift it waaaaay up!

The hydro pole is put into place. Then the supports are drilled and wires attached. I wonder if their moms know what they do?!

Stone Masons in Perth

Perth has a lot of stone work. Settled by Scots in 1816, artisans and craftspersons arrived with much knowledge and many skills.
We have tons of this stone around and about. I am happy to see the creativity and the curb appeal of such work. Tracking the wall, I noticed someone working on pillars just south of Perth. He's finished the left side and has begun work on a matching wall on the other side of a driveway.

We are fortunate that many of our heritage buildings are repaired by students and staff from our local Algonquin College. I captured their work one day in town.

Algonquin Student Stone Masons from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
They were working in Perth, 2010. Repairing 1816 brick.

The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

Yesterday the wind and clouds were wicked.

 The cloud cover is amazing. The storm was 1000km across. Whipping the winds counter-clockwise, the radar is very interesting.
While the US is in a terrible mess, there is much US-based coverage. Wawa was devasted by the Pre-Sandy storm. We cannot forget them.
Northern Ontario has had snow, too.
Wawa Now | News & Updates
The highway through Wawa is a major transportation route, home to many.

We had big winds and big rain in S.E. Ontario, but nothing like the rest of the continent. On Wednesday, Hallowe'en day,  we drove into the city. These are photos taken between Ottawa and Carleton Place.

Little strips of cloud

Today, Wed. Oct. 31st

   

Our new kittens, Dorah & Daisy

They are ambivalent about beer,
but love Angry Birds!

Many have asked for an update, here is my original post. Pet lovers love to look a kittens, methinks!

I am happy to report that both are doing very well. Eating like miniature ponies!

We think they are about two months old, but they don't know. Found with their mother, the Vet took them in.

They spend the night in a medium-sized dog cage, with dry food and water, no litter. They've been doing well with that.


The reason for this is two-fold:

Daisy with the black fascinator!

1) They forget to look for a litter box when they are happily cruising the house looking for trouble.
2) They anger their big brother (20 mos. old) and big sister (age 7yrs.)!

Buster is afraid of being surprised, he watches them like a bird at the feeder looks for him. Sadie is pretty hostile, growling if they come near. She is the Queen.

Everyone knows where they sleep, each in a different room. This prevents issues!

I let them out in the morning, pop them in the litter box as a wee reminder, feed them some wet food and we're good to go. Buster usually goes out for a run, as does Sadie, then they all settle in for the day. They play hard and crash wherever they land!

They look all cutsie, but you can see how much fun Dorah finds Buster's tail.

He wags and twitches his strong tail, and she finds it most exciting. He was perched on the stool, and Dorah was about to pounce, taking a giant leap for feline kind.

teeny pink paw pads

She likes to help choose TV Programs

Ya gotta teach 'em how to treat ya!

Dorah and Buster - kitten and cat from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
Dorah, 7 weeks old, loves her big brother, Buster (20 mos.). His tail, as he whips it back and forth, is a great toy. He gave her a bite to put her in her place. Those kitten teeth are sharp!
He is learning to control her behaviour to where he is comfortable.

At first he would growl at them when they approached. Now, he is learning what to expect from them: that they are full of vigour and playful but not out to hurt him.

Buster lost his twin brother last Spring, and he seems otherwise happy to have new siblings. There is something about twins, kittens from the same litter, who develop a strong bond.