Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Monday, January 22, 2018
Snow and Cats
Yesterday began with freezing rain, which turned into snow. About eight inches of it fell over 14 hours - light, dry stuff, so it was easy to sweep off the balcony. But since it had rained first, there was a coating of ice under all the snow, which made clearing off the car and driving quite interesting. I drove slow and steady, and watched as other car fish-tailed all over the place. Had to go out twice yeaterday, taking cae of Pip and Squeak. The second time out, another four inches of snow had fallen, but since I had cleared the car earlier, it was a cinch to brush off.
It was 21 degrees when I went out this morning, but no car cleaning was necessary. Squeak, however, saw a sparrow on the far side of the koi pond as I opened the door, and ran outside. After proceeding about ten feet, she realized that snow was up to her belly, and she ran back inside. Pip sat demurely by the open door during her sister's little run.
Beatrice pulled an extremely soft and bright-colored afghan from her closet yesterday, and made it an offering to the cats. Lovey claimed it immediately. She's curled up on it right now, sleeping in the living room, instead of curled up on my bed. Nedi, too, is asleep in the cat tree in the living room. That's pretty unusual. Normally, they are both here in my bed, when I'm working on the PC in the morning....
A light breeze is picking up, and I'm watching the branches of the fir trees dump their burdens of snow, and spring back into an upright position. Sometimes the dropping snow startles sparrows and finches that have taken refuge near the tree bole, and they come blasting out to see what's happening before going back into cover...
Day three of the government shut-down. I think it will take a few days for both sides to agree to something... We'll see.
It was 21 degrees when I went out this morning, but no car cleaning was necessary. Squeak, however, saw a sparrow on the far side of the koi pond as I opened the door, and ran outside. After proceeding about ten feet, she realized that snow was up to her belly, and she ran back inside. Pip sat demurely by the open door during her sister's little run.
Beatrice pulled an extremely soft and bright-colored afghan from her closet yesterday, and made it an offering to the cats. Lovey claimed it immediately. She's curled up on it right now, sleeping in the living room, instead of curled up on my bed. Nedi, too, is asleep in the cat tree in the living room. That's pretty unusual. Normally, they are both here in my bed, when I'm working on the PC in the morning....
A light breeze is picking up, and I'm watching the branches of the fir trees dump their burdens of snow, and spring back into an upright position. Sometimes the dropping snow startles sparrows and finches that have taken refuge near the tree bole, and they come blasting out to see what's happening before going back into cover...
Day three of the government shut-down. I think it will take a few days for both sides to agree to something... We'll see.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Cold
Sitting here, at my computer desk, looking out the west facing window, I just saw a raven land on top of the telephone pole, arch his neck and vocalize. He "cawed" four times, with four separate plumes of breath steam ejecting from his mouth with each call. - The temperature has climbed up to 7 degrees (F), from the 4 degrees it was when I first went out this morning. Very high thin clouds, with plenty of sunshine out there - but, brrrrrr! The gigantic thermometer on the shed at Pip and Squeak's house read 4 when I was getting fresh kitty litter in for them at 7:30 today.
Had scrambled eggs, potato chunks and bacon for breakfast, after taking care of the black girls; the topped off the bird feeders and put almonds out for the squirrels, jays and ravens. I had picked up a hard cover trilogy of books by Andre Norton a while ago, at the used book store. I started reading the first novel, and I was almost finished when I realized I had last (and first) read the book when I was in 7th grade - that was the 1968-69 school year. (Yikes!)
I'm going to make meatballs in marinara sauce this afternoon. I have all the ingredients and I'll heat up the crockpot and let things simmer until supper time. Looking forward to dinner!
Had scrambled eggs, potato chunks and bacon for breakfast, after taking care of the black girls; the topped off the bird feeders and put almonds out for the squirrels, jays and ravens. I had picked up a hard cover trilogy of books by Andre Norton a while ago, at the used book store. I started reading the first novel, and I was almost finished when I realized I had last (and first) read the book when I was in 7th grade - that was the 1968-69 school year. (Yikes!)
I'm going to make meatballs in marinara sauce this afternoon. I have all the ingredients and I'll heat up the crockpot and let things simmer until supper time. Looking forward to dinner!
Sunday, January 14, 2018
This & That
The orange-painted idiot made me upset again with his "shit hole countries" comment, so I've stayed away from the blog. Then the accidental Ballistic Missiles Incoming message in Hawaii on Saturday was frightening, with the White House comment that it was a normal drill for the state, a hateful follow-up. - I must say that I am looking forward to Steve Bannon giving testimony to the Intelligence committee, and to Mueller...
My cats are fine and dandy, and I'm currently watching over (taking care of) Pip and Squeak. They get two meals each day that are served in two separate servings - both girls had intestinal blockages requiring surgery when they were less than a year old. So they get a mixture of canned food, cooked squash, and water for the first course of each meal, followed by a heaping tablespoon of dry food. They also get L-Lysine every other day mixed into the wet morning meal. They are both very loving kitties, and greet me at the door, pawing at the glass each time I arrive. They make me feel good.
In genealogy, I've been cleaning up and placing "standardized" dates and places into the family tree on the Family Search website.... I've spent two days working on straightening out one set of cousins. In Virginia, between 1860 and 1920, births were reported to the city, county, state, and voting district the parents lived in. A lot of the children, while having a birth date recorded, were also marked "sex unknown;" someone has gone through those birth registrations and entered both a boy and girl baby to the family, without checking to see whose birth date matches the registration. It's a bit frustrating, but I also feel good about getting the records set straight. (As in, no, this couple did not have 23 kids, they had 12 - eleven of the entries were over-zealous double and triple entries...)
I'm working on my family tree at the moment, because I know and recognize the names easily. When I'm working on Beatrice's tree, I get frustrated because of several factors - the spelling of French Creole names is very arbitrary, and I needed a respite from trying to imagine any and every way a name could be spelled. I looked a long time for the parents of a lady named Lorinda Cadie (according to her husband's death certificate); I found that her father's first name was Toussan, or a variant thereof. I finally found her parents, whose last name was spelled Cadet, by looking up the first name Toussaint, with a guesstimated birth date, in and around the Parish where the girl was born.
It's always a learning experience when doing the family tree - I've discovered several more Beebe family and Quillen family connections in my clean-up efforts - and also found that we are related to the Captain Timothy Hill family, which I didn't know before....
My cats are fine and dandy, and I'm currently watching over (taking care of) Pip and Squeak. They get two meals each day that are served in two separate servings - both girls had intestinal blockages requiring surgery when they were less than a year old. So they get a mixture of canned food, cooked squash, and water for the first course of each meal, followed by a heaping tablespoon of dry food. They also get L-Lysine every other day mixed into the wet morning meal. They are both very loving kitties, and greet me at the door, pawing at the glass each time I arrive. They make me feel good.
In genealogy, I've been cleaning up and placing "standardized" dates and places into the family tree on the Family Search website.... I've spent two days working on straightening out one set of cousins. In Virginia, between 1860 and 1920, births were reported to the city, county, state, and voting district the parents lived in. A lot of the children, while having a birth date recorded, were also marked "sex unknown;" someone has gone through those birth registrations and entered both a boy and girl baby to the family, without checking to see whose birth date matches the registration. It's a bit frustrating, but I also feel good about getting the records set straight. (As in, no, this couple did not have 23 kids, they had 12 - eleven of the entries were over-zealous double and triple entries...)
I'm working on my family tree at the moment, because I know and recognize the names easily. When I'm working on Beatrice's tree, I get frustrated because of several factors - the spelling of French Creole names is very arbitrary, and I needed a respite from trying to imagine any and every way a name could be spelled. I looked a long time for the parents of a lady named Lorinda Cadie (according to her husband's death certificate); I found that her father's first name was Toussan, or a variant thereof. I finally found her parents, whose last name was spelled Cadet, by looking up the first name Toussaint, with a guesstimated birth date, in and around the Parish where the girl was born.
It's always a learning experience when doing the family tree - I've discovered several more Beebe family and Quillen family connections in my clean-up efforts - and also found that we are related to the Captain Timothy Hill family, which I didn't know before....
Monday, August 7, 2017
Bits & Pieces
Haven't been blogging because my depression has had a huge upswing - the tear duct in my right eye is infected, and my very nasty recurrent case of shingles is back, making every moment painful. But enough griping. The world continues to turn no matter my personal condition.
My cats are here, loving me to pieces. It's an overcast, rainy day here in Boulder, with an expected high temperature of 66. Our usual high on 7 August is 93 degrees. I have on a pair of sweatpants instead of my usual shorts. A fine mist of rain is falling and visibility is limited to about 600 feet.
In need of laughter, I have been watching news clips and YouTube videos... not to mention listening and watching the Randy Rainbow musical videos. (He is a fantastic singer, and his videos are such a hoot!) A few of my favorite videos have included a fawn and a rabbit playing together in a suburban yard; the rescue of a foal who tumbled into a huge ant bed; the Muppets performing Bohemian Rhapsody; and a trio of pathetic mental incompetents. Unfortunately, all three of the people are female. One video shows a woman who believes that drinking a bottled water branded "Smart Water" will actually raise her IQ level. The second video is of a woman who is asked how many slices she wants her large pizza cut in. She firmly states 8; when asked if she'd prefer 12, she insists on 8. Asked why 8, and not 12, she says because she can eat 8 slices, but not 12. Hunh?!? The third video just shows a deer crossing sign - but the audio is from a radio call-in show, in which a female driver (who has hit three deer crossing the road with her car) is complaining that the deer and other wildlife crossings need to be moved off of main roads and interstates to somewhere safer, like a school crossing area, or into small towns where the speed limit is 25 or so. This woman believes that the deer and other wildlife cross the roads because the wildlife crossing signs are there. She can't understand that the wildlife crosses the roads in those areas naturally....
With the cooler temperatures, the three hummingbirds that I recognize are coming multiple times to my hummingbird feeder. There are three distinct ones - two females and one male. On warm and hot days they don't visit the feeder except early morning and dusk. All three have been here multiple times this morning - and I counted as the male dipped his beak in 43 times at three different "flowers" in one visit. I was particularly happy when I observed a small air bubble flow up to the top while he was sipping away.
I called the emergency 911 police number Saturday evening. A new tenant moved into an apartment on the third floor two staircases north of me. Each building has a staircase, with two apartments on the ground floor, and four apartments on the second and third floors. Beatrice, my room mate, and I are friends with our maintenance man, Chris, and Chris tells us things he feels we should know about neighbors. The new tenant, a Caucasian woman, came to be known because she was screaming and yelling at a cleaning crew in an apartment across the hall from her. The cleaning crew was made up of two whites, two Hispanics, and an African-American. She was hurling nasty racial slurs at everyone. The next day, a Hispanic man was doing heavy-duty carpet cleaning - and had his hoses running between the apartment he was cleaning and the new tenant's. Suddenly, none of his hoses were working. He stepped out to find they'd been sliced through - completely severed - and the woman was threatening him with a large butcher knife. He locked himself inside the apartment and called the police, who came and took her away. She was back inside 24 hours.
The lady had been pointed out to us at an apartment community meet-and-greet on 1 August. The night of the 5th, she was at our door around 7:25 - she rang the doorbell three times, then pounded on the door, then laid on the doorbell again. Our neighbor who lives diagonally across from us has multiple medical problems, and we thought it might be her, so Beatrice opened the door without looking out the peep-hole. It was the new tenant. She placed her hand on the door, as if to push it open further, and yelled, "Andre?!? Where's Andre? Does he live here? I need him now!" Beatrice immediately said, "No Andre here," and abruptly closed the door. She went next door, rang the bell and pounded, and they opened the door - she began yelling about Andre, and all of her stuff, and it was in her place, and where the hell was Andre? They closed their door on her. Across the little hall from us lives a couple with their dog and new baby. Luckily, they weren't at home, but she took a while trying to get them and the lady with medical problems, who was also gone. Then she came back to our door, ringing the bell and hitting the door with her fists. That's when I called 911. Apparently the folks next door were also calling, because the 911 operator told me they were taking another call about her at the same time...
We ended up with four "squad cars" (although most Boulder police vehicles are actually SUVs) in the lot. I had called 911 at 7:29; the last car left at 8:05, and called up to us that everything was OK... I don't know what exactly happened. One of the neighbors called and said one of her neighbors claimed to have heard a gunshot. I heard doors slamming before it started to pour rain, but no gunshots.... Life is always entertaining in Boulder!
My cats are here, loving me to pieces. It's an overcast, rainy day here in Boulder, with an expected high temperature of 66. Our usual high on 7 August is 93 degrees. I have on a pair of sweatpants instead of my usual shorts. A fine mist of rain is falling and visibility is limited to about 600 feet.
In need of laughter, I have been watching news clips and YouTube videos... not to mention listening and watching the Randy Rainbow musical videos. (He is a fantastic singer, and his videos are such a hoot!) A few of my favorite videos have included a fawn and a rabbit playing together in a suburban yard; the rescue of a foal who tumbled into a huge ant bed; the Muppets performing Bohemian Rhapsody; and a trio of pathetic mental incompetents. Unfortunately, all three of the people are female. One video shows a woman who believes that drinking a bottled water branded "Smart Water" will actually raise her IQ level. The second video is of a woman who is asked how many slices she wants her large pizza cut in. She firmly states 8; when asked if she'd prefer 12, she insists on 8. Asked why 8, and not 12, she says because she can eat 8 slices, but not 12. Hunh?!? The third video just shows a deer crossing sign - but the audio is from a radio call-in show, in which a female driver (who has hit three deer crossing the road with her car) is complaining that the deer and other wildlife crossings need to be moved off of main roads and interstates to somewhere safer, like a school crossing area, or into small towns where the speed limit is 25 or so. This woman believes that the deer and other wildlife cross the roads because the wildlife crossing signs are there. She can't understand that the wildlife crosses the roads in those areas naturally....
With the cooler temperatures, the three hummingbirds that I recognize are coming multiple times to my hummingbird feeder. There are three distinct ones - two females and one male. On warm and hot days they don't visit the feeder except early morning and dusk. All three have been here multiple times this morning - and I counted as the male dipped his beak in 43 times at three different "flowers" in one visit. I was particularly happy when I observed a small air bubble flow up to the top while he was sipping away.
I called the emergency 911 police number Saturday evening. A new tenant moved into an apartment on the third floor two staircases north of me. Each building has a staircase, with two apartments on the ground floor, and four apartments on the second and third floors. Beatrice, my room mate, and I are friends with our maintenance man, Chris, and Chris tells us things he feels we should know about neighbors. The new tenant, a Caucasian woman, came to be known because she was screaming and yelling at a cleaning crew in an apartment across the hall from her. The cleaning crew was made up of two whites, two Hispanics, and an African-American. She was hurling nasty racial slurs at everyone. The next day, a Hispanic man was doing heavy-duty carpet cleaning - and had his hoses running between the apartment he was cleaning and the new tenant's. Suddenly, none of his hoses were working. He stepped out to find they'd been sliced through - completely severed - and the woman was threatening him with a large butcher knife. He locked himself inside the apartment and called the police, who came and took her away. She was back inside 24 hours.
The lady had been pointed out to us at an apartment community meet-and-greet on 1 August. The night of the 5th, she was at our door around 7:25 - she rang the doorbell three times, then pounded on the door, then laid on the doorbell again. Our neighbor who lives diagonally across from us has multiple medical problems, and we thought it might be her, so Beatrice opened the door without looking out the peep-hole. It was the new tenant. She placed her hand on the door, as if to push it open further, and yelled, "Andre?!? Where's Andre? Does he live here? I need him now!" Beatrice immediately said, "No Andre here," and abruptly closed the door. She went next door, rang the bell and pounded, and they opened the door - she began yelling about Andre, and all of her stuff, and it was in her place, and where the hell was Andre? They closed their door on her. Across the little hall from us lives a couple with their dog and new baby. Luckily, they weren't at home, but she took a while trying to get them and the lady with medical problems, who was also gone. Then she came back to our door, ringing the bell and hitting the door with her fists. That's when I called 911. Apparently the folks next door were also calling, because the 911 operator told me they were taking another call about her at the same time...
We ended up with four "squad cars" (although most Boulder police vehicles are actually SUVs) in the lot. I had called 911 at 7:29; the last car left at 8:05, and called up to us that everything was OK... I don't know what exactly happened. One of the neighbors called and said one of her neighbors claimed to have heard a gunshot. I heard doors slamming before it started to pour rain, but no gunshots.... Life is always entertaining in Boulder!
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Critters, Wild and Tame
It doesn't seem like a week since I sat down in front of a blank blog page... All sorts of things are going on in the news and wildlife areas. And I've been taking care of multiple houses full of critters, as people decide to vacation on a whim, without planning for pet care. I've been running around like crazy. I think I have two days off, Wednesday and Thursday this week, if nothing else pops up.
I've started re-reading my Robin Hobb collection, and am currently reading Dragon Haven. After I read her books, I'll hit my Rafael Sabatini novels, and then my un-edited editions of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. That should keep me busy for a little while.
I received my National Geographic DNA information back some time ago - my Haplogroup is J1c4. But I have recently sent my DNA for processing to both Ancestry and to 23AndMe, also. I'm waiting to see what is reported by the other two agencies...
We've recently had moose in North Boulder - a woman was tending her garden on the edge of Wonderland Lake, and said she "suddenly felt a presence looming over" her. It was a mother moose with twin calves, and the mother decided the woman was threatening her babies. She was knocked down and walked upon. Luckily, she only had scrapes and bruises. And another moose with a single calf was reported at the Justice Center near the end of Boulder Canyon.
Of course it's now summer, and we're having our usual incursions of coyotes, mountain lions and black bears. The coyotes have been grabbing small dogs who are off-leash on walking, jogging, and biking paths, as well as cats loose in neighborhoods. The mountain lions are grabbing the mule deer and fawns. The bears are smashing bee hives and stealing honey, as well as raiding any bird feeders they can reach. A friend has a one-inch thick wrought iron post for her feeders, and thought they were safe - this morning the post was bent at a 70 degree angle and the bird feeders were crushed and empty on the ground. And folks around my sister and brother-in-laws house now have teen-aged bobcats out hunting with their parents, as well. The fox are staying under cover as much as possible. The cottontail rabbit birth explosion is feeding most of the smaller predators.
Tess, one of the dogs I care for, is not doing well at the moment. She started having seizures last fall. They began occurring every 4 days a couple of months ago, and she has finally been placed on Potassium Bromide as a daily medication. (Her owner is a very firm believer in holistic medicine and diet taking care of everything.) The K-Bro medication has increased her appetite amazingly, as well as her thirst. But the main side effect is ataxia, her hind legs don't support her well... The vet told the owner that once Tess reaches her optimal medication level, she'll return to normal. The vet told the owner it would take one month. I read the information, and it says the optimal level is reached in three to four months... We'll have to see. In the meantime, the dog who always bounced and danced on her hind legs is now shuffling with her nose to the ground. It's pretty sad...
Still at 59 new foals on the Chincoteague NationalWildlife Refuge - 56 after the three losses. One foal died from an umbilical infection, one foal got stuck in the marsh mud and couldn't break free, and one had a congenital defect of the forelegs, which could not be healed. All the others are quite bouncy and bold. As usual, there are some really stupendous pinto markings, quite a few solids with great conformation, and a few real stand-outs. I'm happy with the foals so far...
I've started re-reading my Robin Hobb collection, and am currently reading Dragon Haven. After I read her books, I'll hit my Rafael Sabatini novels, and then my un-edited editions of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. That should keep me busy for a little while.
I received my National Geographic DNA information back some time ago - my Haplogroup is J1c4. But I have recently sent my DNA for processing to both Ancestry and to 23AndMe, also. I'm waiting to see what is reported by the other two agencies...
We've recently had moose in North Boulder - a woman was tending her garden on the edge of Wonderland Lake, and said she "suddenly felt a presence looming over" her. It was a mother moose with twin calves, and the mother decided the woman was threatening her babies. She was knocked down and walked upon. Luckily, she only had scrapes and bruises. And another moose with a single calf was reported at the Justice Center near the end of Boulder Canyon.
Of course it's now summer, and we're having our usual incursions of coyotes, mountain lions and black bears. The coyotes have been grabbing small dogs who are off-leash on walking, jogging, and biking paths, as well as cats loose in neighborhoods. The mountain lions are grabbing the mule deer and fawns. The bears are smashing bee hives and stealing honey, as well as raiding any bird feeders they can reach. A friend has a one-inch thick wrought iron post for her feeders, and thought they were safe - this morning the post was bent at a 70 degree angle and the bird feeders were crushed and empty on the ground. And folks around my sister and brother-in-laws house now have teen-aged bobcats out hunting with their parents, as well. The fox are staying under cover as much as possible. The cottontail rabbit birth explosion is feeding most of the smaller predators.
Tess, one of the dogs I care for, is not doing well at the moment. She started having seizures last fall. They began occurring every 4 days a couple of months ago, and she has finally been placed on Potassium Bromide as a daily medication. (Her owner is a very firm believer in holistic medicine and diet taking care of everything.) The K-Bro medication has increased her appetite amazingly, as well as her thirst. But the main side effect is ataxia, her hind legs don't support her well... The vet told the owner that once Tess reaches her optimal medication level, she'll return to normal. The vet told the owner it would take one month. I read the information, and it says the optimal level is reached in three to four months... We'll have to see. In the meantime, the dog who always bounced and danced on her hind legs is now shuffling with her nose to the ground. It's pretty sad...
Still at 59 new foals on the Chincoteague NationalWildlife Refuge - 56 after the three losses. One foal died from an umbilical infection, one foal got stuck in the marsh mud and couldn't break free, and one had a congenital defect of the forelegs, which could not be healed. All the others are quite bouncy and bold. As usual, there are some really stupendous pinto markings, quite a few solids with great conformation, and a few real stand-outs. I'm happy with the foals so far...
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Here and There
I know that I have been well-trained by "my pets." They cry, I wake up. They walk across me, I wake up. If the weather is nice, they go to the balcony door and I open it for them; when they come back inside, I close the door behind them. Our first apartment in Boulder faced east, and since the east wall was 80% glass, the cats awoke with the sun. That meant that I awoke then, also. We've been in the new apartment 22 months; the windows face west and south, but the cats (and I) still get up at daybreak.
My roommate, Beatrice, grew up with dogs, not cats. She has always been a night owl, sleeping in until 10 a.m. or noon. She moved in 21 months ago - and she is now an early riser - thanks to my cats. Nedi has decided that "Auntie Bea" is his person. He sings to her when he believes she should get up in the morning, and, should she close her bedroom and/or bathroom door, for any reason, she will receive an operatic comment. I awoke at 6:05 this morning; Nedi went into Bea's room and sang her awake at 6:25. I had already opened the balcony curtains and blinds, fed the cats, and cleaned the litter boxes. Nedi, however, wanted Beatrice out in the living room, where she would praise, pet and scratch him. She has learned that he is extremely persistent. She is now an early riser, too.
The last word I got from Chincoteague is that there were twelve foals on Assateague - but two of them have yet to be photographed. Reports are that May's Grand Slam and Dream Catcher have foaled on the north end of the island, but no photos as yet.
This Saturday is another planned March against 45 - this one is to raise awareness of, and support for the scientists who believe in the evidence of, Climate Change. So far, the Marches in Denver have had pretty good weather - cold or warm - but the current forecast for this Saturday is for snow.
In the years since Franklin Delano Roosevelt made his Fireside Chat radio broadcast regarding his "first hundred days in office" Presidents of the United States have been graded, fairly or not, on their individual achievements since then. FDR had introduced and pushed through the New Deal, Social Security, and the WPA. The circus peanut, so far, has signed a bunch of executive orders and is dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency. More than 80% of appointed positions remain unfilled. He hasn't held up his end of his campaign promises. He reeks of lies and under-the-table payments. He needs to be booted out the White House and Washington.
In the Kentucky Derby, less than two weeks away, one of the thoroughbred racing prognosticators has said that the following horses make up his "Derby dozen favorites:" Always Dreaming, Irish War Cry, Gunnevera, Classic Empire, McCraken, J Boys Echo, Hence, Practical Joke, Girvin, Gormley, Battalion Runner, and Irap.
I hope the rest of your week is great!
My roommate, Beatrice, grew up with dogs, not cats. She has always been a night owl, sleeping in until 10 a.m. or noon. She moved in 21 months ago - and she is now an early riser - thanks to my cats. Nedi has decided that "Auntie Bea" is his person. He sings to her when he believes she should get up in the morning, and, should she close her bedroom and/or bathroom door, for any reason, she will receive an operatic comment. I awoke at 6:05 this morning; Nedi went into Bea's room and sang her awake at 6:25. I had already opened the balcony curtains and blinds, fed the cats, and cleaned the litter boxes. Nedi, however, wanted Beatrice out in the living room, where she would praise, pet and scratch him. She has learned that he is extremely persistent. She is now an early riser, too.
The last word I got from Chincoteague is that there were twelve foals on Assateague - but two of them have yet to be photographed. Reports are that May's Grand Slam and Dream Catcher have foaled on the north end of the island, but no photos as yet.
This Saturday is another planned March against 45 - this one is to raise awareness of, and support for the scientists who believe in the evidence of, Climate Change. So far, the Marches in Denver have had pretty good weather - cold or warm - but the current forecast for this Saturday is for snow.
In the years since Franklin Delano Roosevelt made his Fireside Chat radio broadcast regarding his "first hundred days in office" Presidents of the United States have been graded, fairly or not, on their individual achievements since then. FDR had introduced and pushed through the New Deal, Social Security, and the WPA. The circus peanut, so far, has signed a bunch of executive orders and is dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency. More than 80% of appointed positions remain unfilled. He hasn't held up his end of his campaign promises. He reeks of lies and under-the-table payments. He needs to be booted out the White House and Washington.
In the Kentucky Derby, less than two weeks away, one of the thoroughbred racing prognosticators has said that the following horses make up his "Derby dozen favorites:" Always Dreaming, Irish War Cry, Gunnevera, Classic Empire, McCraken, J Boys Echo, Hence, Practical Joke, Girvin, Gormley, Battalion Runner, and Irap.
I hope the rest of your week is great!
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Losing a Loved Pet
I haven't lost one of my own, personal pets in seven years, now. When my cat, Banichi, was poisoned by a neighbor, I withdrew completely and only Lovey, my other cat kept me from committing suicide. I didn't know it at the time, but my psychiatrist and my therapist were both very afraid that I would do away with myself - but Leofgifu made me stay on - to care for her.
I take care of a lot of pets who have grown old in the past 13 years I've been a pet-sitter. Sometimes the loss of the pet has been quick and unexpected, and sometimes the owners and I have watched a long, slow decline and discussed the difficulty of euthanasia versus a natural death. I have always said that if the pet was suffering great pain, or had totally lost control of all body functions, that it was best to euthanize.
Sweet Rosie was a week away from 15 years, which is pretty incredible for an Irish Setter - they usually don't live much past 12. Her body slowly deteriorated, and the last few days she needed assistance to walk. She essentially told her owners that it was time to say Good-bye, and they did so. The owners were in tears, but it was the best thing for Rosie.
I've been caring for a really special, loving Spangled Bengal cat named Seek. Her owner has had only five other pets in her life, and all the other pets died suddenly and quickly, in unexpected ways. That included Seek's litter mate brother, Hide. Seek was diagnosed a few weeks ago with bone cancer. It was originally thought that she had an abscessed tooth, and during the dental work, the growth on her jaw bone was seen, and a scraping was sent to the lab. The owner has never had to watch, or nurse, any pet through such pain and suffering. The last bit of anything that Seek consumed was pureed chicken Florentine that I fed her through an eye-dropper last Thursday, a week ago. The owner has not been able to get her to eat or drink since then. Seek's mouth has swollen enormously, and she cannot groom herself, or use her tongue in any way.
After talking with the owner at great length yesterday afternoon, and with me telling her that the ultimate decision was hers, she has decided to have Pete, our local house-call veterinarian come over and let Seek slip away peacefully. The owner is a Buddhist and wanted the cat to die "a natural death." I pointed out that with no nourishment, and with a continual ooze of blood, mucus and infected gunk running from her mouth and down her chest, Seek had to be uncomfortable. Her eyes are greatly dilated, and she is purring constantly, a sign of pain. We can't give her pain medicine, other than an injection, and the owner said no to that.
The owner told me that she was calling Pete, the vet, yesterday evening. I told her that I would be happy to be there, if she wanted me to, when she says good-bye to Seek. (And then I had to tell her that I had a dentist appointment this afternoon, and wouldn't be available for a couple of hours.) She said that several other people had expressed the wish to be there, so I probably will not attend.I said my good-byes to Seek yesterday afternoon, and told her about the Rainbow Bridge, and seeing her brother again. I wish her a pain free trip......
I take care of a lot of pets who have grown old in the past 13 years I've been a pet-sitter. Sometimes the loss of the pet has been quick and unexpected, and sometimes the owners and I have watched a long, slow decline and discussed the difficulty of euthanasia versus a natural death. I have always said that if the pet was suffering great pain, or had totally lost control of all body functions, that it was best to euthanize.
Sweet Rosie was a week away from 15 years, which is pretty incredible for an Irish Setter - they usually don't live much past 12. Her body slowly deteriorated, and the last few days she needed assistance to walk. She essentially told her owners that it was time to say Good-bye, and they did so. The owners were in tears, but it was the best thing for Rosie.
I've been caring for a really special, loving Spangled Bengal cat named Seek. Her owner has had only five other pets in her life, and all the other pets died suddenly and quickly, in unexpected ways. That included Seek's litter mate brother, Hide. Seek was diagnosed a few weeks ago with bone cancer. It was originally thought that she had an abscessed tooth, and during the dental work, the growth on her jaw bone was seen, and a scraping was sent to the lab. The owner has never had to watch, or nurse, any pet through such pain and suffering. The last bit of anything that Seek consumed was pureed chicken Florentine that I fed her through an eye-dropper last Thursday, a week ago. The owner has not been able to get her to eat or drink since then. Seek's mouth has swollen enormously, and she cannot groom herself, or use her tongue in any way.
After talking with the owner at great length yesterday afternoon, and with me telling her that the ultimate decision was hers, she has decided to have Pete, our local house-call veterinarian come over and let Seek slip away peacefully. The owner is a Buddhist and wanted the cat to die "a natural death." I pointed out that with no nourishment, and with a continual ooze of blood, mucus and infected gunk running from her mouth and down her chest, Seek had to be uncomfortable. Her eyes are greatly dilated, and she is purring constantly, a sign of pain. We can't give her pain medicine, other than an injection, and the owner said no to that.
The owner told me that she was calling Pete, the vet, yesterday evening. I told her that I would be happy to be there, if she wanted me to, when she says good-bye to Seek. (And then I had to tell her that I had a dentist appointment this afternoon, and wouldn't be available for a couple of hours.) She said that several other people had expressed the wish to be there, so I probably will not attend.I said my good-byes to Seek yesterday afternoon, and told her about the Rainbow Bridge, and seeing her brother again. I wish her a pain free trip......
Monday, April 3, 2017
More Stuff...
In the Kentucky Derby picture, El Areeb is out of contention, coming back from a breeze with a bone chip in his knee. Always Dreaming won the Florida Derby this past weekend and Girvin won the Louisiana Derby. Next Saturday will see the Grand National Steeplechase run at Aintree - there are currently about 50 active entries, any of which can be scratched by the trainer up to the start of the race. No more than 40 horses are allowed to start in the Grand National.
We've had some rain and a little drought relief this past week. Forecasters are claiming we'll get snow tonight, again. There's a big westerly breeze that is drying, but it looks as if it's bringing clouds up to the mountain tops. We might have rain, or snow... I'll just wait and see as always. The Forecasters were very serious when they said we'd have 5 to 8 inches of snow fall Thursday and Friday, but all we had was a light rain.
Still missing the lady Rose. My next pet appointment is on the 14th - walking Nicodemus and Emmett, and then again on the 17th. Seems very odd not to have walking duties daily... I could accept an offer from a couple in the same neighborhood - they have three Anatolian Shepherds, a Golden Retriever, and a wolf-German Shepherd mix. The Golden is the smallest, at 60 pounds; the youngest Anatolian is 7 months old and weighs 75 pounds so far. The others range in weight from 110 to 135 pounds. - And when I walk two of them together, the sidewalks and pathways clear out - it seems like I'm walking two great white sharks... But the owners gave me incorrect dates a few years ago, and while the dogs did receive care from me, it wasn't the full-time care the owner expected. She gave me a date that was 3 days off from the correct date, and when I noticed the family hadn't returned, I continued to feed, water, and walk all of them - but I wasn't staying in the house. They were not nice about it, even when I produced their original e-mails regarding dates and times.... So I'm not sure I really want to get involved with them again.
We have placed a rather light-weight bird feeder on top of the coffee table on the balcony, and placed a small water bowl for the birds as well. The cats can only go out under supervision, so we won't have any calamities. But they are so cute when there is a flock of finches and sparrows on the balcony, eating and drinking (and occasionally bathing), and the kits are curled up with their noses against the glass and they are making their instinctive chittering sounds... Love my kits, but love the birds, too!
The third Chincoteague pony foal born this year - a little boy I named Lost Tide - didn't survive. He was born on the 27th and died on the 31st of March. He was originally ignored by his first-time Mom, but then they were placed together in a box stall with a small paddock. He seemed to be doing well, they were bonding, and he was nursing. He laid down for a nap Friday afternoon and didn't wake up. A filly was born on the 27th, also, I call her The Swan - Mom is Little Duckie and Dad is Legacy. Then Splash of Freckles had a buckskin pinto filly on April Fools' Day - the fourth foal so far for Legacy... So he's sired three girls and a boy so far this year. Riptide has only had the one colt (so far this year) who didn't survive.
We've had some rain and a little drought relief this past week. Forecasters are claiming we'll get snow tonight, again. There's a big westerly breeze that is drying, but it looks as if it's bringing clouds up to the mountain tops. We might have rain, or snow... I'll just wait and see as always. The Forecasters were very serious when they said we'd have 5 to 8 inches of snow fall Thursday and Friday, but all we had was a light rain.
Still missing the lady Rose. My next pet appointment is on the 14th - walking Nicodemus and Emmett, and then again on the 17th. Seems very odd not to have walking duties daily... I could accept an offer from a couple in the same neighborhood - they have three Anatolian Shepherds, a Golden Retriever, and a wolf-German Shepherd mix. The Golden is the smallest, at 60 pounds; the youngest Anatolian is 7 months old and weighs 75 pounds so far. The others range in weight from 110 to 135 pounds. - And when I walk two of them together, the sidewalks and pathways clear out - it seems like I'm walking two great white sharks... But the owners gave me incorrect dates a few years ago, and while the dogs did receive care from me, it wasn't the full-time care the owner expected. She gave me a date that was 3 days off from the correct date, and when I noticed the family hadn't returned, I continued to feed, water, and walk all of them - but I wasn't staying in the house. They were not nice about it, even when I produced their original e-mails regarding dates and times.... So I'm not sure I really want to get involved with them again.
We have placed a rather light-weight bird feeder on top of the coffee table on the balcony, and placed a small water bowl for the birds as well. The cats can only go out under supervision, so we won't have any calamities. But they are so cute when there is a flock of finches and sparrows on the balcony, eating and drinking (and occasionally bathing), and the kits are curled up with their noses against the glass and they are making their instinctive chittering sounds... Love my kits, but love the birds, too!
The third Chincoteague pony foal born this year - a little boy I named Lost Tide - didn't survive. He was born on the 27th and died on the 31st of March. He was originally ignored by his first-time Mom, but then they were placed together in a box stall with a small paddock. He seemed to be doing well, they were bonding, and he was nursing. He laid down for a nap Friday afternoon and didn't wake up. A filly was born on the 27th, also, I call her The Swan - Mom is Little Duckie and Dad is Legacy. Then Splash of Freckles had a buckskin pinto filly on April Fools' Day - the fourth foal so far for Legacy... So he's sired three girls and a boy so far this year. Riptide has only had the one colt (so far this year) who didn't survive.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Bits and Pieces
If you want, or need, a good laugh - and can stand to read a lot of incomplete sentences that were uttered by the current President - please read (and guffaw, as I did) the following new article, or interview, from Time magazine: http://time.com/4710456/donald-trump-time-interview-truth-falsehood/
There were six late additions to the Triple Crown nominations list, so the current list of contenders now registered is 425. A horse must have a certain number of qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby, which is capped at 20 entries. Other horses that are nominated, but do not have the points, may race in the Preakness Stakes and/or the Belmont Stakes. The newest nominees are: Thunder Snow, Hollywood Handsome, More Than Words, Parlor, Rapid Dial, and Stretch's Stone.
The wind is picking up again, here in Boulder - it's from the west and is expected to bring a rain-snow mix overnight and into Friday morning. We really need the rain, snow, sleet - whatever precipitation we can get. I just hope there's no hail - gardens are blooming and trees are budding and putting out fresh delicate leaves right now. I'll pull our potted plants back in from the balcony this afternoon.
It has been judged that the Sunshine Canyon fire was started by an illegal campfire by people trespassing on private property. The fire investigators state that the camp appeared to have been used by "transients."
And Joe Pelle (our Sheriff) announced that a body has been found on one of the local hiking trails... currently, no further information is available.
I am still grieving the loss of Rosie, the Irish Setter, whom I cared for over a period of more than ten years. We lost Remy, her brother four years ago... And I'm preparing to say good-bye to a beautiful cat who has bone cancer in her jaw. She seems to be in quite a bit of pain and is no longer eating - but she will drink... so I've suggested that her owner give her chicken bone broth for some nutritional value.
My two kitties are doing well. Lovey is curled up in her little nest beside my bed, and Nedi has burrowed under the afghan on my reading chair. Lovey is napping - Nedi is keeping an eye on the birds visiting the feeder and water bowl on the balcony...
I hope you have a great day, wherever you are - and whenever you read this!
There were six late additions to the Triple Crown nominations list, so the current list of contenders now registered is 425. A horse must have a certain number of qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby, which is capped at 20 entries. Other horses that are nominated, but do not have the points, may race in the Preakness Stakes and/or the Belmont Stakes. The newest nominees are: Thunder Snow, Hollywood Handsome, More Than Words, Parlor, Rapid Dial, and Stretch's Stone.
The wind is picking up again, here in Boulder - it's from the west and is expected to bring a rain-snow mix overnight and into Friday morning. We really need the rain, snow, sleet - whatever precipitation we can get. I just hope there's no hail - gardens are blooming and trees are budding and putting out fresh delicate leaves right now. I'll pull our potted plants back in from the balcony this afternoon.
It has been judged that the Sunshine Canyon fire was started by an illegal campfire by people trespassing on private property. The fire investigators state that the camp appeared to have been used by "transients."
And Joe Pelle (our Sheriff) announced that a body has been found on one of the local hiking trails... currently, no further information is available.
I am still grieving the loss of Rosie, the Irish Setter, whom I cared for over a period of more than ten years. We lost Remy, her brother four years ago... And I'm preparing to say good-bye to a beautiful cat who has bone cancer in her jaw. She seems to be in quite a bit of pain and is no longer eating - but she will drink... so I've suggested that her owner give her chicken bone broth for some nutritional value.
My two kitties are doing well. Lovey is curled up in her little nest beside my bed, and Nedi has burrowed under the afghan on my reading chair. Lovey is napping - Nedi is keeping an eye on the birds visiting the feeder and water bowl on the balcony...
I hope you have a great day, wherever you are - and whenever you read this!
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
This and That...
Our local wildfire, in Sunshine Canyon, is completely contained, and evacuation orders have been lifted. No loss of pets or people, no loss of homes - but I'm afraid that nests, burrows, and wildlife were lost... And there was a fiery public bus crash yesterday in Boulder yesterday; one of our friends has been charged with "careless driving." We wish Rich the best outcome possible.
Seek, the Spangled Bengal, with bone cancer in her jaw, is doing a little better. I'll go spend time with her tonight and Thursday while her Mom is teaching art classes. Seek eats well for me, and likes to be a lap cat while I'm visiting. Then I take clients to Denver International at 4 Wednesday morning; Seek again Thursday evening; a quick visit with Pip and Squeak's people on Friday morning; and care of the chickens and cats on Dellwood begins Saturday afternoon... But no Rosie (sigh) - I know she's in a better place where all parts of her work, but I miss our daily outings.
In the Kentucky Derby picture, things are getting more cloudy as time goes by and the race gets nearer. Mastery would probably be the betting favorite today - but he's out of the picture for any spring or summer racing. The colt won the San Jacinto Stakes by almost 7 lengths, under a hand ride by Mike Smith; 10 strides past the finish line, Mike felt the colt change his movement, and pulled him up. The colt had suffered a condylar fracture of his left fore cannon. He's had surgery and is back in his stall in Bob Baffert's barn. At the moment, Gunnevera has the most points earned for the Kentucky Derby; but a lot of folks are talking about Malagacy's win this weekend in the Rebel Stakes. Here's the list of the horses with the most points: (1) Gunnevera, (2) Mastery - out with broken leg, (3) Tapwrit, (4) J Boys Echo, (5) Malagacy, (6) Epicharis, (7) Girvin, (8) Mont Saint Legame, (9) Practical Joke, (10) Untapped, (11) Classic Empire, (12) El Areeb, (13) Gormley, (14) State of Honor, (15) McCraken, (16) Iliad, (17) Sonneteer, (18) Adirato, (19) Cloud Computing, (20) Wild Shot, (21) Caucus, (22) Guest Suite, (23) Petrov, (24) Lookin At Lee, (25) Term of Art, and (26) Uncontested. Many more colts have ten points or less; Gunnevera, the leader, has 64; and only 20 colts will start in the Derby on 6 May.
Spent part of yesterday listening to the House Intelligence Committee asking FBI Director Comey about the current administration and Russia... Things are getting very interesting.
Seek, the Spangled Bengal, with bone cancer in her jaw, is doing a little better. I'll go spend time with her tonight and Thursday while her Mom is teaching art classes. Seek eats well for me, and likes to be a lap cat while I'm visiting. Then I take clients to Denver International at 4 Wednesday morning; Seek again Thursday evening; a quick visit with Pip and Squeak's people on Friday morning; and care of the chickens and cats on Dellwood begins Saturday afternoon... But no Rosie (sigh) - I know she's in a better place where all parts of her work, but I miss our daily outings.
In the Kentucky Derby picture, things are getting more cloudy as time goes by and the race gets nearer. Mastery would probably be the betting favorite today - but he's out of the picture for any spring or summer racing. The colt won the San Jacinto Stakes by almost 7 lengths, under a hand ride by Mike Smith; 10 strides past the finish line, Mike felt the colt change his movement, and pulled him up. The colt had suffered a condylar fracture of his left fore cannon. He's had surgery and is back in his stall in Bob Baffert's barn. At the moment, Gunnevera has the most points earned for the Kentucky Derby; but a lot of folks are talking about Malagacy's win this weekend in the Rebel Stakes. Here's the list of the horses with the most points: (1) Gunnevera, (2) Mastery - out with broken leg, (3) Tapwrit, (4) J Boys Echo, (5) Malagacy, (6) Epicharis, (7) Girvin, (8) Mont Saint Legame, (9) Practical Joke, (10) Untapped, (11) Classic Empire, (12) El Areeb, (13) Gormley, (14) State of Honor, (15) McCraken, (16) Iliad, (17) Sonneteer, (18) Adirato, (19) Cloud Computing, (20) Wild Shot, (21) Caucus, (22) Guest Suite, (23) Petrov, (24) Lookin At Lee, (25) Term of Art, and (26) Uncontested. Many more colts have ten points or less; Gunnevera, the leader, has 64; and only 20 colts will start in the Derby on 6 May.
Spent part of yesterday listening to the House Intelligence Committee asking FBI Director Comey about the current administration and Russia... Things are getting very interesting.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
This and That
Two months away, the Kentucky Derby is already getting a lot of news coverage. It is the best known race in the United States, and this is the normal hyperbole, but it seems that this year,again, the Derby is a wide open race... El Areeb, Irish War Cry, and Beasley have recently been in the headlines surrounding the Derby, and there are 9 stakes races at Gulfstream Park today. There have also been a spate of stallion deaths, including the 11-year-old Giant Oak, a son of Giant's Causeway.
The Chincoteague Pony Spring Round-Up will take place on April 7 and 8 this year. The ponies of the north and south herds will be rounded up and checked for any problems, plus they'll get blood drawn for testing, annual vaccines, and the equine veterinarian will give each and every pony a check-up and evaluation.The buy-back ponies from last summer's auction have been staying at the Carnival Grounds on Chincoteague, and they will be released back onto Assateague on Saturday, 8 April. Hopefully, my filly, Surfer Princess will be taken back to the north end of the island to be separated from her full-brother, Riptide. She managed to get back down to the south end of the island after Christmas, and joined her brother's herd. (I wouldn't worry if she were running with Maverick or the Don Leonard Stud II - but she's with her brother.)
Rosie continued improving yesterday, and wandered around the back yard on her own when I took her for her daily outing. I got some really good photos of her. I wasn't sure this past Tuesday if she'd survive until the end of the week, but it looks like she'll definitely hang on until next weekend, when the son of the family will return home from College for his spring break. That will make all of us humans very happy.
Had a great time playing with Tipsi last night and again this morning. His people went cross-country skiing and took the two dogs, so Tipsi is at home by himself (since Pounce passed away last month). We played with the laser light, and tossed catnip toys, watched birds and squirrels in the back yard - and he ate like a little piglet. He's tangled with other critters (cats or raccoons) three times in the past year and ended up with an abscess and surgeries each time. He is now an indoor cat, and does not like it.
And now the idiot "45" is claiming that President Obama tapped all of Trump Towers during his, 45's, run for office. What a hoot! As Nancy Pelosi called him, he's the "Deflector-in-Chief" for trying to get folks to stop asking questions about his and his associates ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. As a top United States Security man stated, a wiretap cannot be directed at a U.S. facility, without finding probable cause that the phone lines or Internet addresses were being used by agents of a foreign power - or by someone spying for or acting on behalf of a foreign government. "You can't just go around and tap buildings," the official said. - And any wire-tapping must be approved by a Federal judge...
Hope you have a great weekend!
The Chincoteague Pony Spring Round-Up will take place on April 7 and 8 this year. The ponies of the north and south herds will be rounded up and checked for any problems, plus they'll get blood drawn for testing, annual vaccines, and the equine veterinarian will give each and every pony a check-up and evaluation.The buy-back ponies from last summer's auction have been staying at the Carnival Grounds on Chincoteague, and they will be released back onto Assateague on Saturday, 8 April. Hopefully, my filly, Surfer Princess will be taken back to the north end of the island to be separated from her full-brother, Riptide. She managed to get back down to the south end of the island after Christmas, and joined her brother's herd. (I wouldn't worry if she were running with Maverick or the Don Leonard Stud II - but she's with her brother.)
Rosie continued improving yesterday, and wandered around the back yard on her own when I took her for her daily outing. I got some really good photos of her. I wasn't sure this past Tuesday if she'd survive until the end of the week, but it looks like she'll definitely hang on until next weekend, when the son of the family will return home from College for his spring break. That will make all of us humans very happy.
Had a great time playing with Tipsi last night and again this morning. His people went cross-country skiing and took the two dogs, so Tipsi is at home by himself (since Pounce passed away last month). We played with the laser light, and tossed catnip toys, watched birds and squirrels in the back yard - and he ate like a little piglet. He's tangled with other critters (cats or raccoons) three times in the past year and ended up with an abscess and surgeries each time. He is now an indoor cat, and does not like it.
And now the idiot "45" is claiming that President Obama tapped all of Trump Towers during his, 45's, run for office. What a hoot! As Nancy Pelosi called him, he's the "Deflector-in-Chief" for trying to get folks to stop asking questions about his and his associates ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. As a top United States Security man stated, a wiretap cannot be directed at a U.S. facility, without finding probable cause that the phone lines or Internet addresses were being used by agents of a foreign power - or by someone spying for or acting on behalf of a foreign government. "You can't just go around and tap buildings," the official said. - And any wire-tapping must be approved by a Federal judge...
Hope you have a great weekend!
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Bits and Pieces
I had an appointment for 90 minutes in the dentist's chair yesterday, and ended up in there for 150 minutes instead. I was not happy. The dentist office scares me witless anyway... I had two cavities to be filled - the two upper rear molars. During the procedure, which took 8 Lidocaine injections, a wedge that was placed between the two teeth shattered. The dentist had to dig the pieces out, after trying to flush them out with air and water. One piece ended up jammed against my jaw bone, and had to be surgically removed. I have to go back again on 10 March for more work and X-Rays...
I am very disappointed that Betsy DeVos was voted in as the Secretary of Education yesterday. The vote in the Senate was tied at 50, so the Vice President got to cast his vote as the Senate President. Of course, he voted for the nominee. I still can't believe that the person in charge of education has never attended a public school, nor gone to a university or college, and that her children haven't either. And the craziest thing was her support of teachers having guns in classrooms so they could protect the students from grizzly bear attacks...
I just read several entertaining and revealing articles about how practicing psychologists view the newly-elected President. The term malignant narcissist keeps floating around in my mind - along with the nine points of displaying such a mental illness.
One of my clients passed away Monday. He was a 19-year-old cat with thyroid problems. Two years ago, he developed a small swelling, the size of a pea, on the point of his left hock. It was, essentially a small hernia and a major vein dropped into it. Over the past two years, the pea became the size of a large grapefruit, with a huge explosion of capillary growth. This last four weeks, he began to have trouble with his balance, because the grape-fruit sized tumor wobbled back and forth as he walked. Because of his age, and the huge amount of blood flow, an operation could not be done. Monday morning, the tumor/hernia ruptured. He suddenly began to cry. Susan, his owner wrapped that leg up in towels and took him to the vet. He was bleeding out, so he was put to sleep. I'm gonna miss that guy sleeping on my head when I'm at his house... There are still two dogs and another cat for me to care for, but Pounce was special.
Then, on Monday night, Tessa, one of my (client) dogs, had a seizure. Tessa is an 11-year-old mutt. and other than having stinky feet, and one bad reaction to a rabies shot, has no problems. He owner called me in a panic - but, by that time, the seizure was over, and Tessa was, pretty much, back to normal. We discussed the fact that most dogs with epilepsy usually have their first seizures when they are between 3 months and 5 years old. But, Tessa was inside (and unrestrained) for a double-roll-over car accident. She was stiff and sore for the next few days, but otherwise checked out OK at the veterinarian's office. Tessa, was, however, thrown from the rear,open area of the rear of the vehicle into the backseat - against the ceiling and over the seat backs. We wonder, now, if she had a nasty head bump that might have caused this seizure...
I am very disappointed that Betsy DeVos was voted in as the Secretary of Education yesterday. The vote in the Senate was tied at 50, so the Vice President got to cast his vote as the Senate President. Of course, he voted for the nominee. I still can't believe that the person in charge of education has never attended a public school, nor gone to a university or college, and that her children haven't either. And the craziest thing was her support of teachers having guns in classrooms so they could protect the students from grizzly bear attacks...
I just read several entertaining and revealing articles about how practicing psychologists view the newly-elected President. The term malignant narcissist keeps floating around in my mind - along with the nine points of displaying such a mental illness.
One of my clients passed away Monday. He was a 19-year-old cat with thyroid problems. Two years ago, he developed a small swelling, the size of a pea, on the point of his left hock. It was, essentially a small hernia and a major vein dropped into it. Over the past two years, the pea became the size of a large grapefruit, with a huge explosion of capillary growth. This last four weeks, he began to have trouble with his balance, because the grape-fruit sized tumor wobbled back and forth as he walked. Because of his age, and the huge amount of blood flow, an operation could not be done. Monday morning, the tumor/hernia ruptured. He suddenly began to cry. Susan, his owner wrapped that leg up in towels and took him to the vet. He was bleeding out, so he was put to sleep. I'm gonna miss that guy sleeping on my head when I'm at his house... There are still two dogs and another cat for me to care for, but Pounce was special.
Then, on Monday night, Tessa, one of my (client) dogs, had a seizure. Tessa is an 11-year-old mutt. and other than having stinky feet, and one bad reaction to a rabies shot, has no problems. He owner called me in a panic - but, by that time, the seizure was over, and Tessa was, pretty much, back to normal. We discussed the fact that most dogs with epilepsy usually have their first seizures when they are between 3 months and 5 years old. But, Tessa was inside (and unrestrained) for a double-roll-over car accident. She was stiff and sore for the next few days, but otherwise checked out OK at the veterinarian's office. Tessa, was, however, thrown from the rear,open area of the rear of the vehicle into the backseat - against the ceiling and over the seat backs. We wonder, now, if she had a nasty head bump that might have caused this seizure...
Monday, January 23, 2017
Critter Sitting
I met two new cuties that I'll be caring for in a few days - a pair of black sister litter-mates, Pip and Squeak. They are very sweet. As usual, I had a little giggle because the cats came out to meet me, after their owner assured me that they were both sound asleep, and wouldn't be stirring for several hours. I heard a quiet "Mmm-row?" and told her that one of the cats was awake - and she looked very startled and told me I must have heard something from outside, or that the cleaning team had made something squeak. Less than 30 seconds later, Squeak was doing the snaky figure-8 around my ankles. It gave the owner quite a surprise. Less than a minute later, Pip also joined us, and I was able to see the differences between the sisters.
I was also able to walk Rosie today... She is such a sweet girl. The owners' son had been home from college and just left yesterday, so I didn't walk Rosie on Thursday and Friday; instead Max spent time with her. And she loves Max so dearly - she'll try to do anything he asks, no matter what. And since she's fourteen and a half years old, we never know if the day will be her last. She still enjoys life greatly - she absolutely loves Chicken McNuggets and usually eats 17 to 20 of them when I take care of her in the evenings. She doesn't have much of an appetite for her prescribed dog food, and usually gets rotisserie chicken and meatballs from a local market, plus fresh-frozen duck. Spoiled? Not my Rosie! Today she chased a mule deer in my sister's back yard, and I think that made her feel powerful and young again. There are usually squirrels and rabbits galore for her to see, and chase, if she decides to do so. Today, the fir trees were full of chickadees and that was almost all you could hear - and Rosie had a good time "playing Safari" under the low branches of the trees, looking for lions and tigers and bears. The only thing we haven't found there is a tiger, so far...
Both of my cats are curled up on, or next to, my bed - Nedi has made himself a little nest in my dirty laundry basket and is out like a light. Lovey is at the foot of the bed, but I can tell from her ears that she's listening to the keyboard. I have been lucky to have had the use of Donn's VW Touareg since two days past Christmas; while he's away, I pick up his mail, and get to use his vehicle, just replacing the fuel that I've used. He returns tomorrow afternoon, and after almost 30 days straight with a car available, it'll feel strange to go back to busing and walking... but that's what happens tomorrow.
Luckily the job that I begin on Wednesday (actually two jobs start at once) is within a block of a bus stop; I'll have to walk two more blocks to see Pip and Squeak. I'm just hoping that we'll continue to have mild weather and little snow until both families return. Also back a Dellwood on Wednesday - chickens, cats and fish to care for. At least, if there is a heavy snow, the way is short from the house to the chicken coop, and the girls will be able to stay in the covered run. They also have a heat lamp and heated water bowls, so there's no worry there. I'll just have to try and keep the cats inside, if there is a heavy snow; Carter would rather be inside where it's warm, but Xuxa wants to go out and burrow in the snow, silly girl!
Friday, January 13, 2017
Assorted Photos
First, two In Memoriums:
Wild Bill (1996 - 2016) Photo by Deb Iddings Noll
Tidewater Princess (2010 - 2017) Palomino pinto mare at front right
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snow bunny
Friend looking into the gap of Arapaho Glacier
One of our little nibblers, last spring
Lovey says, "Claws? What claws?"
Nedi doesn't like to be awakened for photos
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Grrrr! Cell Phones...
There is nothing that compares to receiving a phone call, or text message, on your emergency telephone line at 4 o'clock in the morning. If my regular, old-fashioned home telephone (an honest-to-goodness land line) rings in the middle of my sleep, that's startling; but when my emergency phone rings, or buzzes, it scares me, because I think of all of the things that can happen to friends, family and pets. I waited a very long time to get a cell phone. I do not like the damned things - and I hate talking on them. I only got one when it became apparent that sometimes my clients felt the need to contact me while I was walking their dogs. I even had clients offer to purchase a phone for me, and put that phone on their plan, with them paying for it monthly.
I finally broke down and purchased my own cell phone. I give the number out to a very few friends, to family, and to my clients. When I start working for them, I tell the clients, this cell phone number is for emergency purposes only - call my home number, or e-mail me, if you want to schedule something. No one listens to instructions anymore. If I did not follow instructions regarding the care of these folks' animals and houses, I'd be in BIG trouble. But my requests and instructions regarding making contact with me are totally ignored. It's amazing... One of my clients calls multiple times each day, just to chat, and/or to ask my opinion of a certain pet product.
I don't seem to remember living anywhere as narcissistic as Boulder. Here, it seems that everyone believes that "the rules apply to others, not me." People walk across busy streets in the middle of traffic, not using crosswalks. People go through and turn on red lights, if no one is approaching. The law says that one must pick up your dog's poop - but less than half do it (I do, even though the dogs I walk are not mine). People on bicycles blast through Stop signs and red lights. I heard a teen-ager on the bus tell his friend that he'd left his tablet on the bus - and the other kid said, "Oh, I don't like that one. My folks will buy me a newer, better one, when I tell them I lost it." This stuff just astounds me.
Anyway, I was sound asleep at 4 o'clock in the morning. My cell phone was plugged in and charging on the stand beside my bed. I was caring for Bop and Tiko, two cats, whose owners were on their way back from Spain. They were due back at home between 6 and 7 that night... Suddenly, my phone started buzzing and crawling across the night stand - then it whistled three times in a row. That meant I either had three voice messages, or three text messages. My mind immediately flew to several older critters that I have cared for over many years, and I worried that one had passed away. I turned on the light, grabbed the phone, and saw 3 text messages.
Tiko and Bop's parents/owners were at Heathrow Airport, outside of London, on the way home - how were the boys, how was the weather, any problems with the house? Two pages of questions... Then the third text was - "Whoops! Forgot the time difference - you're asleep, aren't you?" "Not any longer," was my response....
Boulder is in a valley on the edge of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Even though there are plenty of micro-wave towers, reception for cell phones is very spotty. Sometimes the cell phone will ring in one part of a specific house, but nor in another. My cell phone only works in my bedroom of my apartment. Even so, people's voices fade in and out - that's why I prefer to use my real telephone - it doesn't fade in and out, and always has good reception. I still think that cell phones are NOT a convenience. Guess I'm still an old-fashioned so-and-so!
I finally broke down and purchased my own cell phone. I give the number out to a very few friends, to family, and to my clients. When I start working for them, I tell the clients, this cell phone number is for emergency purposes only - call my home number, or e-mail me, if you want to schedule something. No one listens to instructions anymore. If I did not follow instructions regarding the care of these folks' animals and houses, I'd be in BIG trouble. But my requests and instructions regarding making contact with me are totally ignored. It's amazing... One of my clients calls multiple times each day, just to chat, and/or to ask my opinion of a certain pet product.
I don't seem to remember living anywhere as narcissistic as Boulder. Here, it seems that everyone believes that "the rules apply to others, not me." People walk across busy streets in the middle of traffic, not using crosswalks. People go through and turn on red lights, if no one is approaching. The law says that one must pick up your dog's poop - but less than half do it (I do, even though the dogs I walk are not mine). People on bicycles blast through Stop signs and red lights. I heard a teen-ager on the bus tell his friend that he'd left his tablet on the bus - and the other kid said, "Oh, I don't like that one. My folks will buy me a newer, better one, when I tell them I lost it." This stuff just astounds me.
Anyway, I was sound asleep at 4 o'clock in the morning. My cell phone was plugged in and charging on the stand beside my bed. I was caring for Bop and Tiko, two cats, whose owners were on their way back from Spain. They were due back at home between 6 and 7 that night... Suddenly, my phone started buzzing and crawling across the night stand - then it whistled three times in a row. That meant I either had three voice messages, or three text messages. My mind immediately flew to several older critters that I have cared for over many years, and I worried that one had passed away. I turned on the light, grabbed the phone, and saw 3 text messages.
Tiko and Bop's parents/owners were at Heathrow Airport, outside of London, on the way home - how were the boys, how was the weather, any problems with the house? Two pages of questions... Then the third text was - "Whoops! Forgot the time difference - you're asleep, aren't you?" "Not any longer," was my response....
Boulder is in a valley on the edge of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Even though there are plenty of micro-wave towers, reception for cell phones is very spotty. Sometimes the cell phone will ring in one part of a specific house, but nor in another. My cell phone only works in my bedroom of my apartment. Even so, people's voices fade in and out - that's why I prefer to use my real telephone - it doesn't fade in and out, and always has good reception. I still think that cell phones are NOT a convenience. Guess I'm still an old-fashioned so-and-so!
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Christmas Eve in Colorado
It was dark and cold - 18 degrees (F) - when I got up and started my daily rounds this morning. My kits were not happy that the alarm went off earlier than usual, and while I was preparing to leave, Nedi was winding up into his loudest rendition of the feline Hallelujah chorus. Giving him a "special treat" for breakfast convinced him to be much more quiet, but I understand that he gave Beatrice a rousing vocal at 7 o'clock.
Victor and Xena were happy to see a little earlier than usual, and scampered out into the back yard like the big kids they are... It was still not yet full day, and the chickens decided not to leave the coop, so I had to go in and count nebs. I had put out fresh, warm water for them, and given them cracked corn and some fresh garbanzo beans. Then I gave the dogs their morning treats, and headed over to the Jack Russells'.
Nicodemus is a smaller, tri-color Jack, who recently lost an eye to an infection we couldn't get rid of. He was almost completely blind with cataracts at the age of 2, and he had surgery to remove those. He was fine for 5 years, but something scratched the lens of his eye while out playing at Coot Lake, and it just would not clear up, or heal up. The vet finally removed the eye two months ago. Emmitt is a larger, almost all white, Jack with a few tan spots on his ear. He's a rescue dog, having been kept in a cage in a basement for the first 5 years of his life. He didn't know what grass was, and it took several years for him to get used to all the sights and sounds he encounters in the house and outdoors. He's an extremely vigilant house protector, and barks at anything that moves in the yard or on the street. Thank goodness they live on a small cu-de-sac!
This evening I'll go visit Seek, a Spangled Bengal cat, and give her supper, love, and some playtime and grooming. Her Mom will return late Sunday night, so I'll make three visits, in all, to see her. She has a beautiful copper-colored coat with black swirls and dots - and huge green eyes... She's a sweetheart.
And, of course, I'll spend cuddle time with Lovey and Nedi today, too. - I've finished my Christmas shopping, and just picked up a gift from Rosie's parents/owners from Mike's Camera. I couldn't believe how wonderful and generous these folks are - They bought me a complete package of the Canon Rebel EOS T6, with the regular and the zoom lens, care and protective items, and $300 worth of coupons for free photos, classes, and all sorts of things...
For all of you who are my friends, I am very blessed to know all of you...
May Christmas bring you peace, joy, and great happiness!
Victor and Xena were happy to see a little earlier than usual, and scampered out into the back yard like the big kids they are... It was still not yet full day, and the chickens decided not to leave the coop, so I had to go in and count nebs. I had put out fresh, warm water for them, and given them cracked corn and some fresh garbanzo beans. Then I gave the dogs their morning treats, and headed over to the Jack Russells'.
Nicodemus is a smaller, tri-color Jack, who recently lost an eye to an infection we couldn't get rid of. He was almost completely blind with cataracts at the age of 2, and he had surgery to remove those. He was fine for 5 years, but something scratched the lens of his eye while out playing at Coot Lake, and it just would not clear up, or heal up. The vet finally removed the eye two months ago. Emmitt is a larger, almost all white, Jack with a few tan spots on his ear. He's a rescue dog, having been kept in a cage in a basement for the first 5 years of his life. He didn't know what grass was, and it took several years for him to get used to all the sights and sounds he encounters in the house and outdoors. He's an extremely vigilant house protector, and barks at anything that moves in the yard or on the street. Thank goodness they live on a small cu-de-sac!
This evening I'll go visit Seek, a Spangled Bengal cat, and give her supper, love, and some playtime and grooming. Her Mom will return late Sunday night, so I'll make three visits, in all, to see her. She has a beautiful copper-colored coat with black swirls and dots - and huge green eyes... She's a sweetheart.
And, of course, I'll spend cuddle time with Lovey and Nedi today, too. - I've finished my Christmas shopping, and just picked up a gift from Rosie's parents/owners from Mike's Camera. I couldn't believe how wonderful and generous these folks are - They bought me a complete package of the Canon Rebel EOS T6, with the regular and the zoom lens, care and protective items, and $300 worth of coupons for free photos, classes, and all sorts of things...
For all of you who are my friends, I am very blessed to know all of you...
May Christmas bring you peace, joy, and great happiness!
Saturday, December 10, 2016
This 'N' That
Sitting at my desk, looking out the window, and watching Bertrando, our favorite squirrel sunning himself on top of the telephone pole between Lumine and Chez Thuy. Another squirrel has ascended the pole, and now they're playing chase, twining up and down the pole. The ravens feasted well yesterday, but I haven't yet seen them today. They are probably visiting the Outback Grill and Saloon which shares a dumpster with Pizza Hut. My cats are curled up in my bed.
I had one of my crazy dreams this morning - I was a pre-teen, at home with my folks, and my eyes were tested at school. I was told I needed glasses and the school would "take care of it." A week or so later, a package arrived at the house, addressed to me, and I was very excited! I opened it up, and became quite still. There was a pair of thick glasses, in the old cats-eye shape, in heavy plastic frames that were swirled pink and white colors. I burst into tears. My parents reached further inside the box, and found a bill for $13,668.00.... We were all astounded. Then the image faded away and I awoke. Why $13,668? And Mom and Dad discovered I couldn't see things at a distance and I went to a Navy optometrist, and got my new first pair of glasses when I was eleven. They were black rimmed ovals.... Weird.
Mike came over and put up the 18-foot-long rope of multi-colored lights yesterday - it outlines our sliding glass door on the balcony. I need to put up the blue and white icicle lights and the bright twinklers today, before we get more snow. I think we'll buy our Christmas tree between today and Monday... and we hope to go see the Blossoms of Light Festival at the Denver Botanic Gardens either Sunday or Monday night. I'll spend this evening with Rosie, the Irish Setter, as her owners are going out for dinner tonight.
Thunder, the mascot of the Denver Broncos, a grey Arabian, has been named the Grand Marshall for the Great National Western Stock Show parade next month. That's a hoot! - A horse as Grand Marshall....
And my distant cousin Patti Martin, who lives in Idaho, just sent me one of the most fantastic presents I could ever receive - a hand-made cap and gloves in the orange and blue colors of both the Florida Gators (my university) and the Denver Broncos.... I will wear them to the Blossom of Lights Festival!
We're expecting a high of almost 50 degrees today, after a high Thursday of 10.... Snow is in the forecast for five days of the next week. As always, we'll see what actually happens...
I had one of my crazy dreams this morning - I was a pre-teen, at home with my folks, and my eyes were tested at school. I was told I needed glasses and the school would "take care of it." A week or so later, a package arrived at the house, addressed to me, and I was very excited! I opened it up, and became quite still. There was a pair of thick glasses, in the old cats-eye shape, in heavy plastic frames that were swirled pink and white colors. I burst into tears. My parents reached further inside the box, and found a bill for $13,668.00.... We were all astounded. Then the image faded away and I awoke. Why $13,668? And Mom and Dad discovered I couldn't see things at a distance and I went to a Navy optometrist, and got my new first pair of glasses when I was eleven. They were black rimmed ovals.... Weird.
Mike came over and put up the 18-foot-long rope of multi-colored lights yesterday - it outlines our sliding glass door on the balcony. I need to put up the blue and white icicle lights and the bright twinklers today, before we get more snow. I think we'll buy our Christmas tree between today and Monday... and we hope to go see the Blossoms of Light Festival at the Denver Botanic Gardens either Sunday or Monday night. I'll spend this evening with Rosie, the Irish Setter, as her owners are going out for dinner tonight.
Thunder, the mascot of the Denver Broncos, a grey Arabian, has been named the Grand Marshall for the Great National Western Stock Show parade next month. That's a hoot! - A horse as Grand Marshall....
And my distant cousin Patti Martin, who lives in Idaho, just sent me one of the most fantastic presents I could ever receive - a hand-made cap and gloves in the orange and blue colors of both the Florida Gators (my university) and the Denver Broncos.... I will wear them to the Blossom of Lights Festival!
We're expecting a high of almost 50 degrees today, after a high Thursday of 10.... Snow is in the forecast for five days of the next week. As always, we'll see what actually happens...
Thursday, December 8, 2016
It'a a Little Chilly Out
Thankfully, there wan't any wind to speak of during our snow Tuesday night and Wednesday - and it isn't windy or breezy now - winds are "calm" and it's all of five degrees outside. The sun is shining, and fog is developing on the roadways. The big worry out driving today is unseen ice on the road... I'm not going out, unless there's an emergency for one of my clients. - I'm sitting here, in my desk chair, wearing slippers, sweatpants and a T-shirt. And I'm warm enough that I've pulled my hair back into a ponytail so my neck won't sweat... I'll put my boots on later and go out and sweep the balcony clean.
Beatrice, my room-mate, just left with Mike. They spent yesterday afternoon working on a Christmas surprise for Mike's wife Sarah, and they're hoping to get it finished today. A week ago I introduced Lovey to Bea's new waterbed mattress, one that is "waveless." Now, every morning at 9:30, Lovey goes and gets on Bea's bed, and follows the sunshine from the window across Bea's king size mattress. She just luxuriates in the warmth and the sun. When the sun is not shining, she whines and complains to both of us, as if we can turn the sun on for her...
Nedi is working apace on his newest art project. He loves boxes. Smaller ones, and crisp paper, he shreds with his teeth - but he loves to artfully claw and scratch large boxes. The only large one we have inside is the one that Bea's old waterbed mattress is packed in. We need to take it down into the basement storage area, but Nedi is having a delightful time clawing and scratching the upperreaches of the box. He was actually swinging by his front paws, with hind feet and tail off the floor, yesterday morning. It means we sweep the floor daily, and sometimes thrice; but it keeps the boy happy and he doesn't attack the furniture.
We're supposed to warm up to 40 degrees tomorrow, so I'll be walking Rosie again. I spent yesterday with Tessa, Cleo, Lily and Lyra - walked Tessa and Cleo for 45 minutes in the snow at 1 p.m. and then stayed inside as much as possible. I turned the dogs loose every 90 minutes to go run and play and use the bathroom in the snow, but I did not join them. Even Lyra, who longs to escape the house, didn't try to go out... She's a smart kitty!
Beatrice, my room-mate, just left with Mike. They spent yesterday afternoon working on a Christmas surprise for Mike's wife Sarah, and they're hoping to get it finished today. A week ago I introduced Lovey to Bea's new waterbed mattress, one that is "waveless." Now, every morning at 9:30, Lovey goes and gets on Bea's bed, and follows the sunshine from the window across Bea's king size mattress. She just luxuriates in the warmth and the sun. When the sun is not shining, she whines and complains to both of us, as if we can turn the sun on for her...
Nedi is working apace on his newest art project. He loves boxes. Smaller ones, and crisp paper, he shreds with his teeth - but he loves to artfully claw and scratch large boxes. The only large one we have inside is the one that Bea's old waterbed mattress is packed in. We need to take it down into the basement storage area, but Nedi is having a delightful time clawing and scratching the upperreaches of the box. He was actually swinging by his front paws, with hind feet and tail off the floor, yesterday morning. It means we sweep the floor daily, and sometimes thrice; but it keeps the boy happy and he doesn't attack the furniture.
We're supposed to warm up to 40 degrees tomorrow, so I'll be walking Rosie again. I spent yesterday with Tessa, Cleo, Lily and Lyra - walked Tessa and Cleo for 45 minutes in the snow at 1 p.m. and then stayed inside as much as possible. I turned the dogs loose every 90 minutes to go run and play and use the bathroom in the snow, but I did not join them. Even Lyra, who longs to escape the house, didn't try to go out... She's a smart kitty!
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
It IS Snowing
I stepped outside yesterday afternoon about 4 o'clock to take out the recycling and to check the mail. I was quite surprised to have two teeny-tiny snowflakes land on my glasses lens. It came down small and fine, almost like powdered sugar, at first - in 3 hours, it was big fluffy flakes falling. This morning, it's fine light flakes again. The newspaper says we had 5.1 inches fall overnight - and, of course, it's still coming down. - Right now, I'm looking at a red-shafted flicker eating mealyworm suet from the feeder in the backyard, at Lynn's house.
Seeing how light, fluffy, and fine the snow looked, I took the broom downstairs to the Touareg - swept 95% of the snow off in just a couple of minutes. A neighbor was trying to clear her car with her hands, so I loaned her the broom to get her going. The car started right up, and, as I had pulled the wipers away from the windows, I had no problems with them being stuck. Then again, it was so cold, there was no ice melt on the windows to worry about... Supposed to get up to 20 degrees (F) today, with a low tonight of -3. I'll be safe at home with my kits, when that occurs.
I had no problems getting from the apartment to Lynn's house, but I had to laugh when I arrived: the garage door was stuck mid-way up and down. Christine hadn't waited to be sure the door closed before exiting the driveway. I had to get out of the car, stoop under the door, and use the re-set button inside to get it to close, and then re-open, so I could drive the Touareg inside.
Lily met me at the laundry door, which was a surprise - but I guess she knew I was here to feed her. Opened the office door and Lyra, Cleo and Tessa popped out, in that order. I put Cleo and Tess out while I fed the cats breakfast, and made the dog's breakfast. "Made the dogs' breakfast" sounds funny, but Tess and Cleo both get assorted supplements added to their food. After the car crash, Tessa's kidney function test was a bit abnormal, and she's never been a big water drinker, so the vet suggested giving her turkey or chicken broth to drink. That's now mixed in her food, as well, and, of, course, Cleo has to have some, too.
Currently, Tessa is asleep in the entryway; Cleo is asleep on the radiant-heat tile floor behind me; Lily is upstairs on the bed; and Lyra is snuggled up in her petal bed in the top of the cat tree, watching the snow fall and the birds visit the three feeders.
My kits are home and have probably awakened Beatrice by now. I gave them a treat for their breakfast and they ate almost all of it. Nedi wanted to go out and play in the snow on the balcony, but I didn't open the door for him. He was giving me a hugely pleading look, but no mews, when I left to come here....
Supposed to stop snowing around noon (according to the weather folks) and then just keep getting colder. We'll see. I have a book to read, and can do genealogy work while I'm here. I promised Christine I'd stay until she returned from her planned trip and a stop back in at work. I won't be bored, with four critters, books, the internet, television, and the outside winter wonderland to keep me engaged!
Seeing how light, fluffy, and fine the snow looked, I took the broom downstairs to the Touareg - swept 95% of the snow off in just a couple of minutes. A neighbor was trying to clear her car with her hands, so I loaned her the broom to get her going. The car started right up, and, as I had pulled the wipers away from the windows, I had no problems with them being stuck. Then again, it was so cold, there was no ice melt on the windows to worry about... Supposed to get up to 20 degrees (F) today, with a low tonight of -3. I'll be safe at home with my kits, when that occurs.
I had no problems getting from the apartment to Lynn's house, but I had to laugh when I arrived: the garage door was stuck mid-way up and down. Christine hadn't waited to be sure the door closed before exiting the driveway. I had to get out of the car, stoop under the door, and use the re-set button inside to get it to close, and then re-open, so I could drive the Touareg inside.
Lily met me at the laundry door, which was a surprise - but I guess she knew I was here to feed her. Opened the office door and Lyra, Cleo and Tessa popped out, in that order. I put Cleo and Tess out while I fed the cats breakfast, and made the dog's breakfast. "Made the dogs' breakfast" sounds funny, but Tess and Cleo both get assorted supplements added to their food. After the car crash, Tessa's kidney function test was a bit abnormal, and she's never been a big water drinker, so the vet suggested giving her turkey or chicken broth to drink. That's now mixed in her food, as well, and, of, course, Cleo has to have some, too.
Currently, Tessa is asleep in the entryway; Cleo is asleep on the radiant-heat tile floor behind me; Lily is upstairs on the bed; and Lyra is snuggled up in her petal bed in the top of the cat tree, watching the snow fall and the birds visit the three feeders.
My kits are home and have probably awakened Beatrice by now. I gave them a treat for their breakfast and they ate almost all of it. Nedi wanted to go out and play in the snow on the balcony, but I didn't open the door for him. He was giving me a hugely pleading look, but no mews, when I left to come here....
Supposed to stop snowing around noon (according to the weather folks) and then just keep getting colder. We'll see. I have a book to read, and can do genealogy work while I'm here. I promised Christine I'd stay until she returned from her planned trip and a stop back in at work. I won't be bored, with four critters, books, the internet, television, and the outside winter wonderland to keep me engaged!
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