Grumpy Quint – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
So… this weekend I was supposed to go for my annual Spring walk in the garden for my painting inspiration. If you recall, Mom promised we’d go out this weekend, though she says that would happen only if the weather cooperated.
Sun-loving Quint – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
Guess what happened? Oh sure, it was sunny all right. Not rainy, not cold or chilly. Perfect for a garden stroll. Except….
Dry fountain or pile of rocks? – 2016 © Colehaus.com and Colehauscats.com
This is our fountain in our backyard. You might have noticed it in photos before. See anything amiss?
Where’s the water? 2016 © Colehaus.com and Colehauscats.com
Here’s a closer look. Is this a fountain or a pile of rocks? On Saturday, it was a big ol’ ugly pile of rocks because there was no water running in it. Apparently, Mom forgot to mention this was the day our fountain needed to be mucked out and the filter material replaced. And that it’s a day long job!
Fountain pump well – 2016 © Colehaus.com and Colehauscats.com
First, Mom and Dad got up surprisingly early and started digging out rocks to find the fountain pump. I’m not including a photo of the old filter material because I know some of you might be having breakfast. I trust Mom when she says it was gross and smelled awful.
Fountain pump well – 2016 © Colehaus.com and Colehauscats.com
It took hours to pump out water, scrub everything done both in the filter well and up in the fountain itself. I have a lot of patience but it’d just be crazy-talk to scrub every single rock clean of moss. (Mom here: Shhhh. I did not scrub every single rock of moss.) And when at last, the water ran clean, it was time to refill the filter well.
Clean water fountain – 2016 © Colehaus.com and Colehauscats.com
And now, theoretically Mom says, everything should be good to go until the year 2020. Really, Mom? So you’re saying you and Dad could have cleaned the fountain out last year, freeing up this very weekend for my Spring walk… and you chose to wait? Just tell me it’s time for my walk. Please.
Digging out an old flowerbed – 2016 © Colehaus.com and Colehauscats.com
Denied again! While Mom was scrubbing mossy rocks, Dad was digging out an old flowerbed. Once the water was back in the fountain and everything was running again, they decided to work some more over here INSTEAD OF TAKING ME OUT FOR MY WALK!
Our Spring garden – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
Just so you know, all this is what I’m missing. This was Saturday’s flower show in my garden. No problem you might say. We bet you get your walk in on Sunday, you’d quip. But no again! Sunday, the wind was blowing so hard, patio furniture was scattered around and flowers were sailing through the air, and Mom said, “Nope. Sorry, Quint. I’m not subjecting you to all this wind today.”
Quint thinking about it – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
To be honest, I’m not a big fan of wind. I know some kitties look magnificent with the wind in their furs, but sadly, I’m not one of them.
Back to the point, for three weeks I’ve been promised to go on my Spring walk for my Spring painting inspiration and for three weeks, the closest I’ve gotten to my favorite flowers is looking through the living room window and smudging my nose on the glass.
It’s not that I’m blaming my Mom; she can’t control the weather. But at this rate, I won’t get outside until summertime! So tell me, would you forgive your Mom for not taking you for your first annual Spring walk when the flowers looked so pretty? Me, I’m still thinking on that one. *sigh*
