Bogieblog

Neighbor Fire

Friday afternoon, shortly before 2 pm, I was working as usual (I WFH) and I thought I heard something outside. I went out my back door and could hear a crackling sound. Looking around, I didn't see smoke in any direction, so started looking around. I could tell it was from the north side. I didn't see anything unusual at the trailer next door but decided to go take a look from the front yard. Once I got in the right position, I could see flames shooting up from beside a house on Rt. 149 (just across the street from the trailer).

I saw people getting out of the house with their dogs, and I heard someone yell they had already called the fire department. I ran back into my house, got my boots and a coat on and ran toward the house to see if they needed help with their pets. As I got to the corner of the street, the fire chief pulled up and I asked how I could help. He told me to stop any traffic from coming down my street (which is a fairly busy road).

I started directing traffic from the south to use the road perpendicular (my house is at a T intersection) and directing the traffic from the cross street to head south and use another road to get onto rt. 149. A fire truck arrived, then more, then more. I directed traffic for about 40 minutes until there were enough personnel to take over traffic duties.

While I was directing traffic, a young woman came up to talk. Seems she was driving towards town and saw the flames. She stopped and alerted the homeowners (which is probably what I heard that got my attention to go outside), then helped get their pets out. She was the real hero of the day. The fire started either beside, or in an old shed that is attached to an addition to the house. Thank goodness the wind was light as the previous 7-10 days we had a lot of wind with gusts 40-60 mph. If the wind had been active, it could have been a whole lot worse.

From what I saw on TV, part of the addition might have gotten involved (on the inside), but the structure is still standing. And, the main house was not touched except maybe smoke damage.

Of course I didn't take any pictures until I had a moment from directing traffic. In the first two pictures, that is the first engine to show up and had not hooked up to the hydrant jet. I surmise that the smoke (which didn't appear until after the engine got there), is from a fire extinguisher being used, as there had been no smoke to that point.

Concord (30 miles away) and Hopkinton trucks were for the after-duty. They had the axes, picks and poles used to tear into the structure to ensure all embers were out.

 

I didn't get any pics of the street filled with fire trucks as well as volunteer vehicles (most FD's for small towns are volunteer). These last 2 are after they were sure the fire was knocked out and they were venting the building so most trucks had left.

I Do Stil Have Other Pets

I've posted a lot about Lila lately, but rest assured, the other feathered and furred family members are loved and doing well. All pictures taken 1/03/2025

Spot hanging out in the cage, getting full effect from the pellet stove's air stream. The lower cage doors are open, she went in of her own choosing and can leave at any time.

Rainey taking advantage of the warmth I left from when I was sitting there reading. The pillow she is under is used for the small of my back. She has figured out how to pull it over on top of herself.

Ziva, doing Ziva things

Starting the New Year out Right

Way to start the year Lila! Two important milestones were accomplished on the first day of 2025.

• The first is that she didn't just eat until the food was all gone before interacting with me.
• The second was, twice, she turned her back to me while eating. Neither time was for long, but it is showing more trust. Note the time differences between the two snips off the cams - she took a break between each time to wind around the area I was sitting in. And, I see I placed them in reverse order but I'm too lazy to correct that :)

Then, on January 3, 2025, Lila did not immediately run all the way down the stairs after I opened the gate to bring down her dinner.

 

While I was Away

I left early Monday Morning to visit family for the holidays and got back home 2am Saturday. My pet sitter only ever saw or heard Ziva (the cockatiel). Of course she could tell the cats were fine because food was disappearing and litter boxes needed cleaned.

With the cat cams in the basement, I could observe Lila while I was away. She took hours to come out for food at first (as she did when I first took her in). Then by Thursday night she came out to eat within 15 minutes after the pet sitter left. She also only came up the stairs at night the first 2 nights, then she quit doing that, although she would sit at the bottom of the stairs looking up.

I was home for less than couple of minutes and Spot was rubbing all over me as I was unpacking. Rainey took less than 10 minutes, although she was a bit spooky trying to make sure it was me and not an imposter. Then Lila made herself known by meowing in the basement shortly after.

I was nervous that my 5 days away would be a big setback for Lila and my relationship building, but that does not seem to be the case. Even at breakfast time (3:30am) on Saturday, she showed herself and came within a few feet. She waited at the top of the stops as I fixed their dinners last night, and then overnight she let me know she was up there several times as she would call out to me for a couple of minutes each time (not a big deal, I don't sleep continuously most nights anyway).

Lila wants so much to be my friend, and be part of the household. We will get there eventually.

Visiting my family was great, as usual. Well, it would have been better if my Dad wasn't experiencing advancement with his Alzheimer's. IDK what the clinical evaluation is officially, but I would say he was in the severe stage. But, we have known for years that this time would come. Doesn't make it easier - just makes it sadly expected.

Interesting IRS Change

Yesterday I found an interesting article about new tax rules for 2025 that are little known to the public. Well, I'm always up for a good laugh (since they rarely apply to me) so I skimmed thru it. After reading one of the bullet points, I had to Google because it did not seem right. However, where I have my rollover IRA account, they showed the same information.

Then I went to the Gov's IRS page, and it is true. Here is the relevant snippet from the IRS site:

This has gotten the catch phrase of the "super funding limit".

This rule is so oddly specific - those between 60 & 63 are given the ability to save a higher "catch-up" amount than those older and younger.  I mean, if they had said everyone 60+ gets it, I could understand it. I could understand anyone between 60 and 67 (67 being full retirement age). I could even understand 60 to 65, since the full retirement age was raised to 67 in 1960 (although they did a gradual change starting for those born in 1957). But only those within a 3 year age range? That is so strange.

A couple of things I would like to note or have questions about:

• Unless something happens real fast, shortly after I hit full retirement age (2029), it is expected that SS benefits will be reduced by 21-25%. Note that the timing is always changing (2031-2037), as is the reduction percentage.
• If one takes advantage of the extra 401k contribution, it will lower their taxable amount - thus affects how the IRS calculates any SS payout.
• I don't see anything official about those that turn 64 DURING 2025. I have seen some sources that say if you reach 64 during the year, even on December 31, 2025,  you cannot participate. On the same note, if you turn 60 on 12/31/25, you can participate. Those make sense because of the way they usually work determining age.
• I don't know if this is a multi-year thing, or just for 2025. I would guess that it is a one year deal.

IDK the reasoning behind the rule, but will take advantage in 2025.

Bravery and Nervousness All Rolled Into Dinner

Lila is actively working past her mistrust and nervousness. I am so proud of how she pushes herself.

Here is a video of 4 clips during dinner time yesterday (12/13/24). During the 3rd & 4th parts, she wants to approach me, but is also testing me to see if I try to grab (or maybe hit) her. You can't hear it, but in the 3rd clip, she is purring (and you can see her getting close to making biscuits). Her purring is for 2 reasons; she is happy with a full belly, and she is self-soothing thru her nervousness of what she is attempting.

Sorry about the light going on and off, which makes some in color and some in black and white - I have the light overhead set to motion detection and it isn't super sensitive.

At the end of the last clip, I got up and left. Her going over by the pellets was a sure sign that she had had about enough of being brave and she was ready to hit her hidy hole. Once I left, she was all good - she spends most of the night and until a couple of hours after breakfast time out and about in the basement and on the stairs.

 

 

Starting December on a Good Note

Lila is making giant strides since just yesterday. At last nights feeding, she sat up by the pellets in a much more relaxed position than the day before. She even came to just outside of the pellets while I sat there for a few minutes. The pictures didn't come out great - trying to be discreet and move slowly while taking pics over my shoulder and zooming doesn't work well - LOL

Later, I sat by the main floor stove and read for a bit and she came up to the second step. She was there for the 30 minutes or so I sat there. It was great that Spot and Rainey were rubbing against me the whole time getting pets while she watched and learned I wasn't a threat.

Then this morning she came out to eat while I was sitting there!!! I was sneaking pics until I checked the cam and realized I could take a screen shot to capture the moment.

 

A Real Life Sighting

I went down yesterday afternoon (11/29/24) to feed Lila, I figured I would sit for a couple of minutes and see if she would come out. Once I set the food down, I sat down on the floor about 7-8' away (can't get much further than that). I turned so my side was to the food and her hiding place.

We meowed back and forth for several minutes while I was checking FB on my phone and I could hear her shifting, but didn't see her. Shortly after the automatic light went off (it shuts off after 5 minutes), and not wanting to push it, I was about to stand up. I moved my hand to balance myself (so I could get up slowly instead of as quickly as I normally would), the light came on. I thought to look over in the corner, and I could see her eyes back at the wall, next to the pellets.

I decided to stay for a few more minutes, still angled away from her. Hearing more shifting, I took a peek and saw she had moved up to the front of the pallet of pellets.

Later that evening I sat by the P43 (back against the stove/kitchen wall) and she came up the stairs, stopping just a couple of steps down. I sat there and read for a few minutes (10-15) and we talked back and forth. Rainey and Spot were keeping my company so she got to see me pet them. Spot and Rainey weren’t pleased and hissed at her a couple of times, but she stayed there watching everything.

When I fed her this morning (11/30), she didn’t hide all the way away – she stayed in that spot in the picture.

Getting Bolder

Update 11/29/24: Finally was able to upload the picture of where I got eyes on Lila. Hasn't happened since that day, but it is always one step forward, one step back - repeated until she finally takes two steps forward.

Just before retiring for the night on 11/24/24, I opened the gate at the stairs since Lila has been coming up the stairs every (early) morning and meowing (I meow back). According to the cam, she came up the stairs once or twice but only to about 2/3 of the way up. Monday night (10/25/24) I left the gate open again and she came up all the way. She did venture up to inside the kitchen for a little bit (unsure if she got further). Rainey was not pleased and hissed/growled a few times (as expected). When I got up at 2:20 am, she scooted back down the stairs as soon as she heard me rolling off the couch.

I closed the gate at that point (lightly, not latched). When I went down to feed her, about 3:20 am, she meowed to me from the pallet by the drier. I meowed back several times and she came out and showed herself behind the baby gate that sits there (it just leans against the pellets for storage. (If I can ever get Typepad to act correctly, I will insert a picture to show where I mean)

She stayed at the wall but did not move when we met eyes and we meowed a couple of times to each other. I finished with the feeding/watering and came upstairs (closing the gate gently). By the time I checked the nearby  cam, she was eating.

It seems much longer than a month, but we started this journey on 10/24/24. We still have a long way to go and there will be plenty of what seem to be setbacks during that time. But truly feral cats are whole nother thing from socialized street cats that you sometimes read about.

This graphic is for new cats that have been around humans, not feral cats

Oh, and Spot has figured out how to get downstairs thru the "windows" between the stairs and living room. I did block them off for a week or so after she figured it out (and broke a figurine by knocking it out of the way), but now leave them open. Spot will go down there during the day for a few minutes the come back up. At that time, Lila is holed up so they never cross paths but do get each other's scents.

 

 

Note: This post was delayed because, you guessed it, pictures would not upload. Oh, they would get uploaded by the insert image widget (1/2 the time), but when I told Typepad to "insert", there was absolutely no response, It acted like I had cancelled the request. Over, and over and over again. I finally gave up in disgust, so the post is a bit lacking

Why Does No One Follow Directions?

I belong to a specific brand tool FB group. I got some of their tool containers several months ago. Those containers come with small item cups, which I do not use since the containers hold tools, not hardware/fasteners.

These items go retail at $3-$7, and I thought I would offer them for free to that group.

I thought that at least one person would follow directions to PM me. But no, I get people commenting where they live. Seriously, I don't care where they live, I care that you are willing to come pick them up. I gave them enough information to figure out where they would be going - Googling the 1/2 way between Concord and Keene, NH would give the town. And all they have to do is look at my profile, which gives the exact town anyway (I do that if I see something I might be interested in). Although I did appreciate the comment from the guy in ATL

Guess I'll put them on FBM.