Bart the Flash Cat

I'm heading back to LAX tomorrow night, to where I have no wildlife outside my window, except one squirrel than runs along a telephone cable.

I have barely seen Bart since I humiliated him with the trapping and vet trip. Last night, I rode a Citibike from the PATH train to my house, but the parking spots were all taken so I had to drop the bike at the stand near the Light Rail instead. I walked back along Pacific, and saw Bart sitting on top of a car, brazenly looking like he owned the car.

He looked at me with suspicion. What a jerk.

All Vehicles Welcome

But I don't even have a car.

Backyard Bandits

We're only here for the catnip.

Year of the Person

Hey, guess what? 

I'm Person of the Year! 

You know, like Nixon. 

Pottery Class Project

These wild outdoor cats get up to all kinds of things when I'm not looking. 

They made these bowls for their cousins who live in a house in Hamilton Park. Then they left the bowls behind their cousin's planter outside a window. 

Wacky kitties.

Patio Invasion

 Stop, thieves! 

Bart - Exiled Into the Multiverse

Paola, who lives upstairs, snapped a shot of this apprehensive moment between Jay and Bart.

"Jay, I can come over?"

"Bart, no. Yard is mine."

"But Jay, you let Gigi visit."

"Gigi is bigger than me. You are small, Bart."

"But we are both Flashes."

"I want to be the only Flash."

Getting Out of the Rain

"I hope the cats don't get wet," said a friend when I remarked on the steady downpour coming our way this morning.

"Oh no, they hide in the nuns' garage when it rains," I replied confidently. "With the raccoons."

Turns out that is not always the case. When I got home from pottery class this evening, I saw both Jay and Gigi cowering under the side bay window overhang.

I tried to lure them into the house by putting their dinner on a towel just inside the back door, but they only stayed long enough to eat a few bites, then they darted back outside. So now I have a dirty towel and some cat food on the floor.

Not So Wild After All

Jay likes being scratched behind the ears, but he's still a little weirded out when he realizes a giant is the source of the nice feeling.

You Say You Want A Revolution

I tried to give Jay Garrick the less-feral-than-before cat a Revolution flea treatment.

It wasn't a total disaster but he wasn't really into it. He did tolerate me scratching his scruff this morning, but I didn't have a Revolution vial nearby then.

Neighborhood Moments

After dinner with Denise, I biked from Hamilton Park to Lafayette on a Citibike. When I got home, all the bike stalls were taken, so I had to ride over to the Liberty State Park rack to drop off my bike.

I walked back to Lafayette Street, and this turned out to be a good thing, because I arrived just in time to hear the neighbor talk on his phone while sitting on his stoop.

"Reparations, now that's a different story," he said. There was a pause as the person he was talking to responded. Then he laughed.

"40 acres and a mule. Imagine that in Jersey City. 40 acres would be a nice chunk of money!"

Another pause as I dug around for my key, as slowly as possible so I could eavesdrop.

"40 acres in Jersey City..."

His voice trailed off as I went inside.

Bart of Two Worlds

I thought I saw Bart over by the neighborhood pool. It might have been Bart's brother--I couldn't get a clear look at his ear to see if it was tipped. I tried to get closer but he avoided me and hid in the bushes, because he was embarrassed at being drunk.

Scaredy Cat

This went poorly.

Social Statements

My mom, sister, and I met in Shepherdstown, WV on Saturday. It's a good stopping poing between where they live and where I live. 

After an outdoor lunch, we wandered into an art gallery to find political statement quilts by artist Carol Williams.

The artist had also written opinion columns for a West Virginia paper for some years, until she gave up in despair about a year ago. 

 "I asked myself what I had achieved. And the answer was nothing. I hadn't bridged any gaps or convinced anyone of anything." 

 Having just driven past a bunch of "Your president is an idiot, Tr*** 2024" signs on my way to town, I was inclined to agree. Still, her quilts are amazing.

Standoff

A cautious encounter.

"Are we friends? Are we adversaries? Whose patio is this anyway?"

Megafauna

Climate change is bringing back marsupial megafauna, this time in Jersey City.

Invasive Species

Here's this guy again. 

Pesky Kitty

Someone knocked the game camera off its stand and it ended up pointed at the wall. 

Wasn't me.

Treat!

Progress is slow.

Haunted

 "Hey, demon! That's MY supper!" 

Local History

Here's some video of the old church down the block. It looks so cool--I hope I get a chance to try to buy a part of it once it's finished, but I bet the condos will end up being a bazillion dollars. Things have changed a lot since I bought my inexpensive house off Craigslist in 2015.

"The gentrification of the Lafayette section of Jersey City is rapidly changing many of the landmarks in the area. The partial demolition of a historical church in August 2021 brought the attention of many concerned neighbors. The church, St. John's A.M.E., was known to have a role in the Underground Railroad in the 1800s. With the redevelopment of the area continuing to replace the visible markers of the rich history of African Americans in Jersey City, we struggle to keep their historical presence in the light."

Orange Cat, Orange Cat Bowl

 Jay is eating out of the new bowl I made him! 

I know I'm ridiculous sometimes. 

Sunday Night Pottery Class

 What should I make?