Getting Ready

Roanoke Island

Well, the supplies are starting to arrive. I've got the kits, under
Sammy and Sgt. Huey's supervision loading the supplies into the hold.
Later they will store them in the proper places. We learn a lot on each
year's voyage, and one of the things we learned last year was to install
kit proof locks on the stores cabinets. The lock smith for that will be
here next week.

The non perishable stores are what is arriving now. The pet warehouses
are getting a lot of business from us. We've had to order more
hammocks, toys, condos, sisal for the climbing poles, carpet to replace
that torn off the walls, and new litter boxes and all the different
kinds of litter. Last year all of our tinkle balls were batted off the
main deck and into the water, so we decided to put netting on the
railing so that tinkle balls (and kits) don't go overboard this year.

The hoomin, OJ, and his kits are re-stringing the rigging already and
hope to have it ready on time. This is important as a lot of cats had
way too much fun with the rigging last year. We almost needed a tow to
come into port, a couple of times. OJ is an expert with rigging and
knots and should be able to come up with something that will work better
for us this year.

We're also having to do something with the hoomin accommodations. The
fat wench says that she refuses to sleep in a hammock this year. She
says that she doesn't like having her bottom scrape the floor, or having
to try to catch the bed every night. She also demanded that we do
something about kitten proofing the dressers this year. She ran out of
socks due to kits thinking they were excellent play toys. Since she
cooks our fish for us, we have to accommodate her. Right now she is in
the galley organizing a cleaning crew and getting it and the dining area
ship shape.

We have an expert on satellite communications coming in later this week
to rig up better computer and radio access. We don't want to get caught
out without better weather communication. The hoomins don't always
listen to us cats, you know.

We should start loading the perishable foods the week of May 10th. The
new freezer and fridgerators should be installed by then and the
microwave should be in place. The mouser is going high tech.

Cap'n Pine Cone esq.