Mocha Settles In

Well, it's Sunday evening and I have Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element on TV. Lovey is curled up on the bed, Nedi is here on the desk poking about, and Mocha is in the kitchen, under a chair. When Mocha and Lovey first met face to face yesterday, there were a few kitty screams and paw swipes. Then, for the next three hours, Nedi just laid and matched stares with Mocha. Now they all go their own ways, with an occasional hiss. Mocha is very laid-back, enjoys being loved and brushed, and eats like a horse. Coffeepot told me she was Himalayan, so that's what I expected.... Mocha is, mostly, a light creamy brown, with a little bit of orange highlights; her chin, neck, chest and belly are white, as are her feet. She has medium length hair, and is about 7 years old. Coffeepot and Lewis (his son) adopted her from the Boulder Valley Humane Society 5 years ago. Coffeepot told me she never makes a sound - therefore, we were both surprised that she started meowing back to Lovey's meows. So I now have a kitty chorus, with Nedi singing the highest notes of all.
I called Sombrero Ranch yesterday and asked my 4 questions... yes, they provide slickers on the saddles in case it rains; yes, they do provide riding helmets; yes, you can choose to ride without a helmet, or use your own; and, finally, they will provide horn bags to carry water bottles in, since we're going for a 4-hour ride. Yahoo!!!! I am sooo looking forward to being on horseback again!
Things have been interesting around here today - just before lunch, a woman was riding her horse in the National Forest above Nederland, when a dog appeared on the trail and spooked her horse - once the horse started bucking, the dog tried to attack the horse's legs (according to the rider). She went off and struck a tree, having to be taken out by the Patrol and an ambulance. The dog's owners', according to the rider, showed up on ATVs a few minutes after she fell, but refused to give her their names or any aid. They did say the black and white Spaniel-type dog was theirs. Dogs are allowed off leash in that area of the Forest, but are supposed to be under voice and/or sight command. The Sheriff's office is now hunting for the dog and the owners. .... And, just after 2:30 this afternoon in Niwot, champion farrier and blacksmith Jim Quick's smithy shed exploded. Quick is well known throughout the Western states and Canada as one of the best farriers in the entire world. He had been working in his smithy until 2 p.m., when he turned everything off (he'd been working with a propane torch on a commissioned piece of artwork), and went to meet with a friend in his house. About 30 minutes later, the smithy shed blew up - destroying everything, including many antique tools made by past masters. Quick was due to compete in a world championship competition in Alberta, Canada next month.