Cats!!!, Why??? & the continuing EPIC truck/brake story. (whine)

EPIC truck/brake story.... Hmmm, Finally got the entire right side apart, now I'm just plain sore and tired from fighting with it.  I put the caliper on the left side and tried for 30 minutes to attach the brake line.  Hmmm this is weird, wonder why the "banjo" bolt won't go back in. FINALLLY in disgust I try the bolt from the other side, same deal so I take the dang thing off. set it next to the other new caliper and low and behold they (Chinese I'm sure)  had re-threaded the hole (looked like a heli-coil job) the WRONG FRIGIN SIZE, too small....

Went BACK the the parts store for the THIRD time, and showed them. Hmmmm.... well we don't have another in stock but we can get one by Monday or  err...Tuesday. Fine.... It's ALMOST together, just waiting on the replacement caliper.... So for all those that wonder why we pay $85 to $135 dollars per hour for our mechanics to do this HORRIBLE, FILTHY, GREASY, THANKLESS task (or any vehicular task for that matter). Just come and help me work on truck brakes and it'll ALL be crystal clear.... BTW I'll be making the FOURTH trip to the parts store to pick up the replacement caliper (this is at 30+ miles round trip)...

Cats.... A couple of years ago we decided to let a couple of kittens live in the house with us.... I have NO IDEA what I was thinking....

Today there are a total of SIX(6), that's right SIX(6) frigen feline CATS.... Now don't get me wrong I have affection for all of them, each is unique in it's own little feline personality, each is physically attractive... The PROBLEMS however seem to far out weigh any benefit. 

1. We have MICE in the kitchen (I have caught two(2) cats ZERO).
2. The white cat (Cream) self apppointed queen of the  house and cat that LOVED Amanda, picks on all the other cats, well one of them (the grey cat, Miles), hooked her in the eye almost to the vitreous humour, the clear gel that fills the eye ball.  That was nearly $100.00 dollar trip to the vet.
3.  Try and pick up a cat, any of the cats  to get them a little love and attention and all they want is DOWN.
4.  Try and keep a cat away because your busy or something and all they do is NAG to be held.
5. We have to close all six(6) cats OUT of the bedroom at night or they climb up on me and play "king of the ass", (good thing I sleep on my stomach).... they fight over who sleeping where, the purr, claw with that annoying "kneading" action, they PLAY in the dresser drawers and generally cause trouble..... OH and don't forget, eat the cut flowers knocking over the VERY EXPENSIVE one of a kind vase we picked up from Waterford Ireland. I finally tossed the flowers after the fifth or sixth time.
6. I almost forgot, they've lived in this house (well mostly) their entire  lives, at the minimum a heck of a long time, They are AFRAID of people (UPS Guy) knocking on he door, afraid of planes flying overhead, helicopters, noises the horses make, the ESPRESSO machine.... They take off like cats out of hell skidding, sliding and failing to gain traction on the hardwood floor..... This I gotta say is at least FUNNY...... stupid, but FUNNY!

Some people point out this behavior and tell me "cats are SO independent" personally I find them, well rather STUPID, relative to the other animals I have or have had around here.... No this doesn't mean I'd get rid of them, BUT I just can't see what I get from them relative to what I get from a dog or a horse (or seventeen) for that matter....

We have one(1) cat (Garfield) that's SO STUPID all he does is purr, NEVER stops except PERHAPS when he sleeps. Doesn't matter WHAT you do to him, he keeps right on purring, I think he's broken.

A couple of things... In cronological order

So, last night I go feed the horses as usual. It's getting dark and Susan calls the outdoor cats into the garage so they don't get eaten by the foxes trying to feed their young.... Almost EVERY night I "nag" Susan to get them in and close the door. Well July is the month the mama creatures teach their younguns the ways of the world. I'm getting, uhm... my "pajamas on" (scary huh?) and getting ready to crawl into the warm bed (it's about 50 and "cold").  Susan open the people door to the garage and SCREAMS running back inside doing the "woman hop" telling me there  are two HUGE ones out in the garage. "Ones?" .... uhhh raccoons.... DANG or the other word.... (this is a family friendly blog site). 

So I go  out to see one little  baby raccoon scooting to the door. I see a SECOND baby on the shelf, scared and looking for an escape route so I can kinda cleared a path and number two scoots out.  Well I stand there trying to see if any more are around, sure enough little cooing, whimpering under the wooden pallets holding all the expensive, boxed stuff from Ireland.... hmmm.... I could see the little eye peeking out and these desperate little noises. Well this one was much harder to clear a path for and I thought for SURE I'd get bitten and have to take the rabies series..... In any case it FINALLY decided to venture out and I kinda scooted it toward the door with a broom.... TONIGHT if Susie doesn't call the cats (they like her), I'm closing the overhead door and the fox family can have some tasty morsels for dinner.

So this morning I get a call from the mother of the young lady that Squirt went to live with. She's in tears telling me that their California home is being foreclosed and Squirt is coming back. While I'll be glad to see Squirt I am broken hearted for him, Carson (the girl) and the entire family. They've lived in the house for over 20 years. Scott, the dad, has been a landscaper for his entire working life, owns his own business and just can't make it in the California economy..... This is a real nice family who's entire  life is being upended and turn upside down by the liberal policies that have wrecked California and are wrecking THE REST OF AMERICA as we speak.... To me this is an more pathetic than I can possibly describe.... Please Pray for Scott, Georgan, Max and Carson.... I told them Squirt will be here for them if and when they can take him back....  PLEASE go out and vote conservative in November.... Help a family survive....