Monday was a pleasant day at the coast. We even got out of the house by 10 am. The Claws exhibit was fine, although the crustaceans aren't comfortable with the new surroundings yet so some of them were hiding. Some, like the coconut crab that climbs trees to get coconuts, were hidden quite well. The isopods were cool.

We'll have to go back later in the year when the lobsters and crabs are more active.

The octopus (it's been at the aquarium for years) wasn't up to performing for the public either. Bummer. The otters picked up the slack and were fun to watch.

We also went to the shops in the historic bayfront of Newport. Of all places, there's a store that sells just cat merchandise. Cat toys, cat figurines, everything cat! We've had our eye on this squibble ball and bought one.

A squiggle ball has a weighted motor (powered by one AA battery) and rotates erratically and randomly, reacting to obstacles and bumps along the floor. In the cat store, they had one on active display rolling around in a crumpled up paper bag. They claimed it was a great cat toy.

The purchase came complete with a ribbon to attach to the ball and a paper bag.

When we got home, we tried the ball in the bag, but the cats were kind of frightened. Drillbit definitely didn't want to be in the same room with it. Then I took the ball out of the bag and attached the ribbon. They were more interested in the ball now that the bag was gone. They were warming up to it. Then I took off the ribbon and attached white string which they've always liked.

Ta-da! Hours (3 or 4) of stimuli for Kitty and Drillbit as they followed the squiggle ball around the apartment, pouncing on the string now and then. The ball doesn't do as well on the carpet and our apartment is mostly carpet. There's probably only five square feet of linolium in the whole place.

It's fun to watch them put their paws on the string and change the direction of squiggle ball. Sometimes the ball comes right back at them.

This should take the pressure off Kitty. She gets annoyed with Drillbit and his playing.

I gotta go and put a battery in the squiggle ball now.