As much as I gripe about my husband, threatening to throw him into a huge hole in the back yard from time to time, there is a sweet side that comes out from time to time, showing me the man I married.
This was just delivered today. He’ll go get the mail soon. :0)
BREAD BASKET: Monster Cat (aka Jet) just jumped into her bread basket that lives on the counter beside my computer. She jumps in, sharpens her claws a bit on the bottom, then walks over to play with, or try to chew on, my headphones cord, then walks over my keyboard, then back again, pausing in case I want to pet her before she returns to the basket.
BIG TEST: This is ‘the big test,’ a trial to see if I will AGAIN give her a spritz from the cosmetic bottle of water on the counter on my right. She does – I do – rinse, repeat.
REACHING OUT: Yesterday she did something she hasn’t done before. She jumps up on my recliner whenever I’m in it, saying ‘hello’ quickly and then settles beside my left leg to sleep until I get up, dumping her on the floor in the process. Yesterday, she said, ‘hello,’ went to the foot rest, but instead of settling, she turned and walked up my body, settling on my stomach! This is a first. She only stayed a minute or two, but she ‘allowed me to pet her’ -without biting me – and THEN went down to her regular spot, settling beside my leg.
BOX GAME: We’re playing a game with the open box we now keep in the living room for her. I’m moving it each day to see what she does. Yesterday it was on the couch. There was no hesitation. She jumped up into the box and settled for a bit. When I put it on the hearth later, she jumped right into it. She seems to enjoy the movement of her ‘toy.’ When it’s in the middle of the room, she gets in and crouches down, hoping you’ll forget she’s there. When any of us pass by (including our dog, Amber) she leaps out, acting like she’s attacking. At first I was a bit worried how Amber would react, but she just looked at me with a pained expression as she continued to go to get a drink of water. We’re all adapting to live with Monster Cat, who shows a new side of her burgeoning personality on almost a daily basis.
CATNIP ON CAT TOWER: I keep 2 catnip ‘mice’ on the top part of the cat tower in the corner of the living room. The tower also has a ball on a string hanging from one of the top levels and another toward the bottom, each swaying in the air a bit to attract her attention. She doesn’t play on the tower often, but it’s quite the show when she does, Olympic-style hanging from one level to reach and play tether ball with one of the hanging balls, while managing not to fall on her head. She reaches the top, finds the two catnip mice, and the race begins, with her batting the mice from level to level til they all finally reach the floor.
PING PONG BALL BATTING: I find a ball in a corner somewhere and take it where I can let it bounce on the floor. Wherever she is, Monster Cat comes bounding to catch or bat the ball. She recognizes the sound now and LOVES to chase it. Woe betide anyone who gets in her way in this game. She has no interest in playing or sharing with anyone else. That ball belongs to HER!
CRAZY CAT: We’re quietly reading, watching TV, or napping in the living room. Suddenly, ‘Crazy Cat’ appears, running at full speed across the living room, stopping on a dime, turning and running the other way as fast as she can, eyes wild, leaping, pouncing, jumping on the furniture, bouncing off the walls. We just look at her in amazement. Yesterday she landed beside Amber’s large bed next to the Entertainment Center. She just stopped. She looked at Amber. Motionless. Then she jumped at Amber. My heart was in my throat. Amber jumped up, then calmly went into the office, leaving the bed for Monster Cat, who calmly walked across it and plopped down in the exact middle, regally surveying her domain…
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Monster Cat (aka Jet) loves the two cardboard boxes we plopped in the middle of the living room floor. She walks by, gets distracted – stopping mid-stride to leap into the inside box. Or, like in the pic above, she’ll crouch down or under one side of the box, alert for any ‘prey’ in the area, waiting to pounce. (If you look carefully, the black below the box lid on the front is Jet, with the tip of the white part of her paw showing.)
I apologize for my feet in these pics. I had my phone in my lap, trying to catch some pics of her. Each time I would get into position, she would notice me and stop what she was doing. All of these were taken as fast as I could, trying to capture the action, catching mostly my feet…
Round and round the box, alert for real or imagined adversaries – Jet skulks around the boxes.
The black to the left side of the boxes is Jet, stretched up, looking into the boxes.
And she’s IN! The only thing ‘out’ is the end of her tail. (I tried to get pics of her looking out of the boxes, only her eyes lighting up, but couldn’t get them.)
And she’s OUT again, rolling around on the floor.
Yesterday she was so full of vinegar she then went to the tower in the corner, playing volleyball one handed while dangling from various angles on the flat parts.
She finally jumped up beside my feet on my chair, one of her favorite spots now, to take a well-earned nap.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
I have to stay out of office supply stores. Also, stores that sell baskets or boxes. Also, food – particularly salty, greasy things and chocolate. And now I’ve found a new addiction – watching military homecoming videos on YouTube.
Yesterday, when my to-do list had filled up the page and was spilling over you could have found me glued to my computer, headphones on, tears in my eyes, watching reunions of military people and their families. They are so touching, and I’m so sorry that they have to go through the separation, but happy for them when they are reunited. They cry. I cry. And then I find and watch another.
I guess I watch them because they are happy endings in our country. Real people having good things happen. A thing that is sorely needed right now. Love spilling out over the top, enveloping all in the area, plus felt vicariously by people needing holes filled.
Just what I needed – another addiction to add to my list. :0)
Yesterday I smiled as I told you about Jet’s (aka Monster Cat’s) playing with a catnip mouse and a cardboard box in the middle of the living room.
Jet gave us quite a show yesterday evening as she ‘re-discovered’ the cat tower in the corner of the room.
It started with her leaping on the tower all of a sudden to play with the ball hanging from one of the top levels. She batted the ball as if it were a tether ball and gave us quite a show as she hung from the tower, toppled off, then leaped up again, attacking it from all angles, even finding a catnip mouse up on the highest level. We both stopped what we were doing to appreciate the show.
I’m happy that her personality is showing more and more. I think it shows she feels more confident now and is fearlessly exploring all areas.
One thing I DON’T like is her biting – with and without warning. I’ll be petting her when she has jumped up on the arm of my chair and she’ll suddenly nip me. Most of the time the bite is kind of like a ‘love bite,’ but I don’t want to encourage it. I am using my cosmetic misting bottle, trying to spray her just as she bites, in order to discourage this behavior. Hopefully, she’ll get the message and stop.
Meanwhile, she is causing lots of grins and laughs around here. My husband’s reaction after the show was, “Whatever we paid for the tower, it was worth every penny.”
Filed under Family
Jet (aka “Monster Cat”) is showing us more and more of her personality as she settles into her new lifestyle as a member of our family.
She still startles a lot; in fact, it’s funny that she’ll go from what looks like a deep sleep beside my foot on the recliner to sitting straight up, neck stretched, eyes wide, as she tries to figure out what is ‘attacking her.’ To my knowledge, she hasn’t found anything at all in the time she’s been with us, but she continues to be vigilant.
We found out that she LOVES empty boxes. We put the one in the middle of the living room and she jumps in and out of it daily, stretching her head up to peer out the top, eyes wide.
Yesterday afternoon she jumped out of the box and crouched down beside the box, partially under one flap. She waited, holding her breath. Her backside came up and her eyes widened. She started moving her weight from one front foot to the other, soundlessly. She got very still – then POUNCED – landing on a tiny catnip mouse a couple of feet from the box. She rolled with it in her arms, flipping it with her paws and rolling again. Then dashed back to hide behind the box.
She repeated this at LEAST 5 times before finally tiring of the game. My husband and I were laughing out loud watching her. Quite a show.
Filed under Family
My husband was given the best gift ever yesterday by our son.
Our son lives across the world from us – having created a life where he can live on his own terms, happy as a clam. We use a chat program almost every day plus a conference call program when we are all up and functional at the same time of the day, so we stay close.
I check the chat program every morning to see if he’s left any messages, pictures, or questions for us.
Yesterday morning I found this –
“Dad, I have a luxurious life now because you were so patient in making me strong.”
I’m still tearing up this morning. What a beautiful thing for our son to FEEL, and to SAY to his dad. We really won the lottery on sons.
Filed under Cause for Celebration, Family
It’s my mom’s birthday today. My main memories are of her sitting in her chair in the living room, one small dog sitting in the chair on each side of her, and a big board propped up so that she could work on the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle, plus the Cryptoquote in the paper. She usually finished both.
Her dad didn’t think she should go to college, but allowed her one year at the community college in Nevada, Missouri. She graduated one credit short (physical education) of a degree from the two-year college program in that one year she was allowed. Most people thought she was highly educated, due to her vocabulary (a product of reading voraciously and the crossword puzzles :0) ). It was funny that I could tell how angry she was by the words she used – in that they got longer and longer the angrier she got. She could stand on her feet and cut you off at the knees verbally. She did this at city meetings in Tulsa OK, when she was upset.
She had a delightfully silly side, ‘speaking’ for various dogs in a high, delicate, babyish voice, insisting that you react to what ‘the dog said.’ Thankfully, you only had to react – she didn’t require that YOU speak in a high voice to the dog…
I’ll never forget her bailing us out financially when our son was going to a private school in Tulsa which had a big tuition. My husband was working in Tulsa that year so that our son could attend the school. He and our son were living with my in-laws.
After we signed the contract at the school, my father-in-law decided he didn’t want them to live there and insisted they leave. My husband found an apartment, but we couldn’t afford to pay for both the apartment there, our home here, AND the tuition, even with both of us working full time.
My mom called and I tried to just talk to her as if nothing was wrong. It didn’t work. I told her what the problem was, and that we were trying to figure out what we could do. My mom said, “Stop worrying. I will pay the tuition for the school.” I hadn’t cried when telling her about it, but I cried buckets when she said that. My husband did, too, when I told him. He had been feeling like a failure, trying to be strong for our son while we tried to figure things out.
She’s been gone a long time now, but I FEEL her sometimes, usually when I’m sticking my neck out, trying something completely new that scares me. She encourages me to try to be the best person I can be. Quite a woman. I miss her so much.
This is Jet, the one time she has been ‘quiet’ this morning. She enjoys sleeping in the bread basket I put on the counter to the left of my computer area.
She has been jumping into a box we left for her to play in in the middle of the living room, then exploding out again with a huge amount of noise from the bell we hung on her collar.
She has been flipping like a fish, playing with a catnip mouse, then looking as if she’ll bite your arm off if you try to pet her or pick her up. This is after purring madly when I went into the bathroom to feed her and clean up her area.
We’re going to be doing our errands soon, so I’ll leave her in the bathroom. Hopefully, she will be calm and ready to be reasonably sociable when we return. At least we can HOPE.
Filed under Family
It’s going on two months since we adopted Jet from the Fort Smith Animal Haven. We were heartbroken when we lost Abby, our cat of around 13 years and were delighted when we found this beauty was ready to be adopted. Our lives are now forever changed.
We don’t know what Jet’s life was like before we adopted her, except that she had a litter of kittens in the past, and was spayed by the adoption facility vets. She was really shy and was going to have to adapt not only to my husband and me, but also our 95 pound yellow lab, Amber.
I set her up in the half bath beyond our utility room, with food, water, her kitty litter box, a bed, etc. Now we have a door latch that allows her to go in and out at will, but doesn’t allow Amber to go in. This has been wonderful. We also got a loud bell for her collar so she can’t hide from us unless she remains motionless for a long period of time – something that is almost impossible for her.
We put her in the bathroom with the door shut when either we are eating or Amber is, to avoid any problems. She and Amber have now reached a stage of disdainful detente, mostly allowing each other to live and let live. They will probably never pal around or be affectionate with each other, but this is enough.
She can be quite affectionate and companionable, but has a quirky, weird side where she almost bounces off the walls at times for seemingly no reason. You can also pet her and suddenly she bites you or scratches you. She does give clues, though, and I am learning to pay attention and modify my behavior. My husband – the bull in the china shop – not so much.
She is gaining confidence, exploring and showing more and more of her personality. She wants to drink my drinks on my table beside my chair in the living room or the office. My coffee cups are usually on a warmer, so she sniffs, but doesn’t go farther. My cold drinks, however, are a problem. I have some heavy coasters, and I’ve been putting one on top of the glass to keep her from sampling. A couple of days ago, we had an altercation where the glass was bobbled, causing a spill.
My husband made a wonderful glass holder for his table tray, since he was dumping a drink on a regular basis. It is made completely of metal, fashioned on his lathe. It’s a thing of beauty and he hasn’t dumped a drink since he has been using it, though I have to remind him to USE it occasionally.
Here it is. He’s going to make another one for me. It’s quite a laborious process. He promised me he will only work on it first thing in the morning and will quit and come back into the house when it starts getting too warm in the shop. This is the third day. So far, he’s keeping his promise. I told him I don’t care if it takes him all summer to finish it, praising him for coming in when he should.
I have a rolled-up newspaper to defend myself when Jet decides to bite me after leaping up into my lap. I start to pet her. Sometimes it goes well. Other times she bites me. She is getting the idea that biting results in a loud noise and quiet tap if she does this, so that’s good. My SIL suggested a squirt bottle of water might also be useful, so I now have that sitting on the table beside me and will keep it with me when I move to the living room. “Armed and dangerous….” :0)
Jet is rapidly changing from a shy, quiet cat to a demanding, meowing, intensely curious, quirky one. It’s really interesting, but challenging.
She discovered a bag of cat food sitting on the floor in the pantry. She ate a hole in the bag and ate quite a bit of food before we discovered it. Now the food is in a plastic bucket with a lid. She goes into the pantry several times daily to see if the cat food bag has magically reappeared.
I got some shoes a couple of days ago (I ordered purple sneakers with the wide toe box and ‘barefoot’ feel like the ones I discovered recently.) When the box hit the floor, Jet immediately jumped into it. She looked out, big-eyed and full of mischief. She jumped in and out, rolled it over and over, danced around it. We have decided that is one of her toys now, and will let it live there until she tires of it. :0)
The old folks around here are adapting pretty well to Monster Cat, and life is full.
Filed under Family
Jet is feeling more and more at home. She is an extremely curious, active, and determined cat. We may be creating a monster…
I was trying to work on some new greeting cards here at the computer yesterday. Jet decided she wanted to “play” with the cards, the tubes of paint, the feathers, my hands…. I was almost relieved when she decided that whatever she saw in the window was more interesting – until things started falling off the sill.
I had a tall glass of ice water on the table beside my chair a couple of days ago. She has expressed interest in my coffee cup, but has never actually bothered it. Not so with the ice water. I found her with her whole head inside the top of the glass licking an ice cube. Now I have gathered up some heavy coasters I am putting on the top of the glasses.
The cat door latch is one of the best inventions known to man – in my humble opinion. Jet is very happy to be able to go in and out of her bathroom at will – except when anyone is eating, when her door is actually shut for her protection. She seems to be catching on to the pattern now, though, complains less, knowing that as soon as we’re finished, I’ll use the latch again. Best of all, I don’t have to be on guard to keep Amber from going in there and eating her food – and other things. :0(
I got a little card full of small felt mice with catnip. Jet is a FIEND for these. I now have one in her bathroom, and one at the top of the cat tower in the corner of the room. She routinely goes up the tower to play with the mouse.
Jet follows me around quite a bit, and has started sitting with me in my chair. She doesn’t actually sit in my lap, but sits on the arm of the chair or the fold-out stool portion close beside my foot. She is starting to respond and come to me when I bend over and pat my legs.
Another wonderful thing is a loud bell we hung on her collar. It’s really loud, helping me find her if I need to put her in the bathroom quickly for any reason, or at night at bedtime. My husband – who insists he doesn’t have a hearing problem – doesn’t hear it at all… :0)
Jet has gotten so comfortable, curiously exploring every available surface, that I now have to put her in her bathroom with the door closed when I’m trying to get meals together. She knows I’ll let her out soon, so she doesn’t mind the interruption in her travels.
Happy cat.
Filed under Family
Jet likes the old woven bread basket I put on the countertop beside my computer. She jumps up on me, walks over my keyboard, and either settles down to sleep in the basket, or goes the other way to simply sprawl in the corner between my part of the L-shaped office counter or my husband’s.
Jet, and Amber, our 95 pound yellow lab are not babies. We adopted Jet recently. The only thing we know about her is that she is about 14 months old and had a litter of kittens. Amber is now 7 years old.
So they each have a history and have taken the better part of a month to achieve disdainful detente in the house. They can both be in the same room now without hissing or spitting (unless Jet is startled for some reason). I even found them yesterday both sleeping in the doorway on the tiles by the back door to the porch! I tried to get a picture, but Jet tends to jump up and follow me around, so I need to learn to sneak around a bit.
The cat door latch has saved my sanity. This ingenious piece of heavy plastic goes over the door knob on one end and has a screw-in metal piece in the selected hole on the other end, allowing Jet to go in and out freely, giving her access to her food, water, and kitty litter (plus a safe space if needed) while keeping Amber out. This is working really well. I still close the door completely any time Amber – or we – are eating, and at night.
Our previous sweet cat, Abby, liked to be outdoors. She was very happy with a cat cube on top of the woodpile in the garage for sleeping. We fed her out there, too, plus had a water dish. We have a cat door in the overhead garage door, so she could go in and out of the garage as she wished. We let her in the house and she stayed with us inside as long as she wanted, but was ready to go out at night and much of the day. My husband would like us to ease Jet into this, as well. I’m happy with things as they are. Since I’m the one doing all the extra work on this, I’m HOPING that I can be the one doing the deciding…
Jet initially was really unhappy when I turned on the hair dryer in her bathroom several days ago. Today she actually came in and started rubbing against my legs as I used the dryer. She is definitely adapting. :0)
Detente is a beautiful thing.
Filed under Challenges, Family
This is our utility room. The big bed on the left is our dog, Amber’s. There is a dog gate between the utility room and the dining area/kitchen/pantry area.
Jet, the new cat, and Amber, our 95 pound dog, have finally reached detente, we think, though we still keep a close eye out for any problems. The remaining areas of concern at this point are protecting the cat if there is any kind of food involved – for her, for Amber, for us. Amber has NO sense of humor or compassion where food is concerned. She wants HERS, OURS, and the CAT’s. ALL. OF. IT.
My wonderful SIL sent me some pics of a cat door latch. I had never heard of one before. I researched it, then sent a link to several options to my husband, asking him to choose the one he thought would be the easiest to install and use. He ordered one and it came yesterday.
We didn’t even need tools to install it. It’s heavy plastic. One end fits over the door knob. The other end has several holes into which you can screw a metal thingie whose other end sits in the hardware of the door. It is easily ‘used’ or ‘not used’, so I can shut the cat inside, if needed (as when we’re eating), or at night, when we don’t want her wandering around. Otherwise, it keeps the door propped open enough for Jet to come and go easily, but strong enough that Amber cannot ‘nose’ it open to get in and eat Jet’s food (or used kitty litter.) With its use, this is also another ‘safe space’ for Jet.
I shoved her in and out several times yesterday, but wasn’t really sure she would use it on her own. This morning I was cleaning the bathroom and used the latch. Jet came in, wandered around while I cleaned the area. I put more food in her bowl and she went out with me. I set the latch. She started to follow me (as she does a lot), but then went back, walked through the opening, and started to eat. HOORAY!
I left her ‘in’ there with the latch set. I came into the office. Suddenly, Jet jumped up into my lap. :0) HOORAY!
Now Jet and I have much more freedom. I don’t need to figure out when she needs to be put in the bathroom in order to do her business, or be let out again afterwards. She is going in and out at will, except when it’s dangerous. Win/Win. THANKS, ML!
Filed under Cause for Celebration, Challenges, Changes, Family
I love this. I laughed out loud when I saw it. I’ve been – and am STILL – worried that Amber will react to Jet’s hiss or spit or swipe and it’ll all be over. The biggest area of contention will remain food. Amber is quite serious about her food, OR getting bites of the good stuff from my husband. I have reminded him several times now that they NEED to be separate during times they – or we – are eating. That includes keeping Jet’s bathroom door closed all the time to keep Amber out of there.
They passed each other in the office this morning when my husband came downstairs. Jet’s back went up and she got very still and big-eyed. Amber was her usual boisterous self, leaping around to greet my husband, not watching where she steps, her tail hitting furniture and whatever else is in the path – the typical bull in a china shop. I tried to act like nothing was happening – though I was holding my breath. Jet managed to pass Amber and go into the living room. Amber followed, but not to confront Jet. Things are definitely getting better.
I am also reminding my husband to watch where he is walking. Jet will try to make each of us fall on our heads, or hurt ourselves trying NOT to step on, or fall on – her. We both need to pay attention, and make SURE she is not in the area when we are going out the garage door or coming back in. For two old folks who kind of drift through things at times, this is a big ASK.
I’m trying to teach myself to pay attention when I go to the kitchen and Jet is right with me. It turns out that she is trying to lead me to her bathroom, where food, water, and kitty litter box await. I did pay attention this morning, and followed her to the door, opened it for her, and watched as she hesitantly walked in. When she was in, I quietly shut the door. I set an alarm to remember to let her out again. We HAVE to keep the door shut so Amber doesn’t eat her food – or the used kitty litter – to be graphic….
Thanks, again, to Cathy, for the great cartoon.
Filed under Family
Amber is our 7-year-old yellow lab. She is very set in her ways, but got along with our cat, Abby, until Abby died about 6 weeks ago. Now she is having to try to get used to our new cat, Jet, who is about a year and 2 months old, whom we rescued via the Fort Smith Animal Haven a little over a week ago now.
Since Jet isn’t a baby, and, in fact had a litter of kittens before she was found by the Animal Haven, she is very set in HER ways, as well, making for an interesting and quite laborious ‘introduction’ period. Jet’s area is in the bathroom off the utility room, and has all of her stuff in there, except for toys and the cat tower we got and built for her.
My wonderful friend/cousin-in-law Murray suggested we might put Amber on her leash and sit with her quietly, giving her treats and lots of love while we allow Jet to roam freely, to help them get used to each other. My husband did this yesterday afternoon, to good effect. THEN, because he’s hard-headed, he decided to let Amber off her leash after only one session of this. This occurred with no altercation, thank goodness, except for me lighting into HIM for not letting me know what was going on, plus his leaving Jet’s door open, giving Amber access to Jet’s food again.
This morning Jet was already out when I came downstairs. Amber was outside. I got Jet’s area cleaned up and finished morning chores, then put Jet in my chair in the living room and carefully let Amber in, first behind the gate, and then into the living room with Jet. All has gone well.
A few minutes ago, Amber came into the office to say, “Hi.” Jet was sprawled out on the shelves I use as a computer desk. She stood up and hissed. I petted Amber, kissed her head, and told her, “Place.” Happily, Amber went toward the living room where her bed (place) is.
We may be reaching a beginning detente. I cross my fingers as I say this, because a hiss or too-quick movement might result in bad things, but so far, things are good.
My next project is reminding my husband 1) to NOT let Jet out when he goes out of the house or lets Amber out, and 2) to keep the animals separated when their food or ours is involved.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Another anniversary – with pretty accurate drawing of our house and the repair of their driveway needed after a series of storms.
“Celebration” of the new buffet my parents got for the dining area. The two ‘spiders’ are Hal and MaryEllen.
I played my guitar and sang for a gathering at my high school in Tulsa the year before I graduated. I earned some money while in college in a group called “Student Entertainers” at Oklahoma State University, plus a local eatery close to the college. I came home for the summer and sang at a local place in Tulsa a few times, so the sweet Thomsons gave me support with this great drawing.
Finally, Mother’s Day.
Two kind, very creative people who managed to use their art ability in the commercial marketplace while quietly doing the art they loved privately. It was a joy to know them.
Filed under Family, Friendship
Since Jet’s and Amber’s initial introduction did not go well – with a lot of hissing and spitting, lunging and barking, on all sides from animals and humans – we have ATTEMPTED to protect Jet by being super-aware of where each of our animals are, keeping two dog gates shut, letting Amber outside and THEN bringing Jet out of the back bathroom. Making sure Jet is in the living room before letting Amber in – between the two gates, etc.
This is all quite laborious, but doable, if all parties are cooperating. Now Jet is being a typical cute, stupid, curious cat, defying safeguards with careless disregard.
Example – I had let Amber out and brought Jet out of the back bathroom. I let Amber in – between the two gates – and was cleaning out the bathroom, sweeping, replenishing food and water, taking kitty litter out, and so on, when I looked up to see Jet IN the dining area – BETWEEN the two gates – just behind Amber! I quickly insisted Amber go out again. I finished cleaning, shut Jet’s door, and then went toward the dining area. Jet nimbly slid under the gate, going back into the living room. I let Amber in again, and this time they noticed each other. Jet’s back went up, but she just backed up some. Amber was only interested in a treat.
Confrontation is inevitable. I’m trying to stay calm and realize we can’t be on top of things 24/7. They will either attack each other or learn to let each other co-exist. It’s hard to know we’re doing basically everything we can do at this point. She’s a cat. She will not cooperate. Fingers crossed that things go smoothly.
Filed under Family
FIRST – We’re now under a severe thunderstorm WATCH until 5pm. We just got home from running our errands, so we can batten down the hatches and hope things go well. I don’t mind storms – I just don’t like worrying that ‘heavy heavy hangs over your head’ for long periods of time.
SECOND – We put our groceries away and I was trying to get a roast in the crock pot for dinner. Amber was barking that she wanted to come in. Jet was meowing that she wanted out of her bathroom area. I asked my husband to please leave things alone while I got the roast into the crock pot.
I did that, then cleaned up the cat’s bathroom where all her stuff is, handled the kitty litter situation outside and all is now good. She was adamant she wanted to come out, so I carried the cat to my husband, and started to let Amber in -only to find the CAT in the area I was going to let the dog into! Shriek! I took the cat back to my husband, asking him to HOLD the cat until I could get the dog in and behind the gate.
Yesterday the cat sat on one side of the dog gate while the dog was lying down on the other. No hissing or spitting from the cat. No barking, lunging and snapping from the dog. So that’s progress.
It looks like we’re in for a lot of that today, as well. I’m HOPING that enough of this and they will both calm down and decide that living together is not so bad after all… We’ll have to be extra careful going in or out of the kitchen, making sure we know where all parties are before opening the gate until we’re sure they have finally accepted each other. Fingers crossed. WHEW!
*Aside – I read an article about things that can stall weight loss. One of the main things listed was tension. Imagine that. I may be a round shape until they throw dirt over me….
Filed under Challenges, Changes, Family, weather
I told you in another post about the long friendship between my parents, Jim and Betty Wheaton, and Hal and MaryEllen Thomson; and that Hal drew pictures he gave my parents to commemorate various events in their lives over the years. My parents devoted a whole wall in our home to these wonderful drawings. They mean the world to me, bringing back all kinds of memories, a few tears, and big smiles.
My dad and Hal played vicious games of Scrabble. They were quite intense and thoroughly enjoyed by both men. They actually had a cheap trophy made that they ‘won’ from the games – the winner keeping the trophy until the next tournament. (This one shows Hal enjoying sticking pins in a voodoo doll of my dad after my dad won this round.)
My dad earned his living as a one-man radio advertising agency. He belonged to several clubs in Tulsa, one of which was a group that gave awards annually to the best advertising in the city. This drawing commemorated when my dad won the Silver Addy Award given for his ‘unique contribution’ to the city over several years.
A birthday card, also giving kudos for my dad helping with the Boy Scouts, of which my brother was a member.
A Happy Anniversary card to my parents.
As you can see, friendships are priceless.
Filed under Family, Friendship
The new cat tower was delivered – to the HOUSE – yesterday by Fedex about 2:30. It took us both working together until about 5:30 to get the thing assembled. We joked about remembering when we were up most of the night of Christmas Eves putting toys, bicycles, etc. together for our son…
The fur on the pieces made getting each screw started really difficult, but we finally developed some techniques that made the job go a bit easier. There were at LEAST 5 million screws (maybe a slight exaggeration).
The tower is well made with a sturdy design. It JUST went in the place we wanted to put it – to the side/under a mounted music speaker beside the entertainment center and beside the fireplace. We used a bungie cord to attach the tower to the heavy mounting of the speaker, so it won’t go anywhere no matter how strenuous a jump Jet makes getting on it.
Some of the spacers are wrapped in rope for good scratching posts. There are places to sleep in the open or inside cubes, if privacy is preferred. There are a couple of balls-on-strings to catch the attention of a cat.
We were thinking that it might be another safe space from our dog, Amber, too. We now have a chair in front of it to try discourage Amber from getting really close to the tower.
You can see Jet actually sitting on the larger cube! She, of course, immediately jumped down when I put her on it last night, choosing to sprawl on the fireplace bricks, instead. I had almost given up when she decided to jump back on it. She explored quite a bit, going up and down, batting one of the balls when it moved as she passed.
I really have no clue how much the cat tower will be liked or used, but I’m glad we got it for her and put it together. She is already finding safe spaces in the entertainment shelves, and I assume she will find many more places to get places to snooze as time goes on.
Filed under Challenges, Family
Hal and MaryEllen Thomson and my parents (Jim and Betty Wheaton) were friends when I was growing up. They were so close we felt they were members of our family. Both Hal and MaryEllen were artists. Hal liked to draw and paint. MaryEllen made bronze sculpture and also painted.
Hal commemorated many ‘events’ in my family’s life through his drawings. My parents liked them so much that they devoted an entire wall in the dining area (an open area connected to the living room) to Hal’s artwork.
The drawing above commemorated my mom’s selling of her first house as a new real estate agent.
My dad made his living through radio advertising in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He billed himself as the ‘second worst radio voice in Tulsa,’ (the first being a florist in Tulsa whose gravel-ly-voiced ads were just 30 seconds of her telling what the week’s special was.) He was in a men’s business club called “The Cosmopolitan Club” which did good things for the community. This artwork was when my dad was named, “Cosmo of the Year.”
This was a jab about ‘fish stories.’ My dad and his friends were famous for not being the camping/fishing/outdoors types.
My dad smoked heavily much of his life, suffering from emphysema at the end. True to their friendship, Hal commemorated the ‘event’ of needing help breathing.
I’ll be sharing several more during the coming days. These drawings are really special to me, bringing back memories not only of events in my parents’ lives, but also the special friendship of the Wheatons and the Thomsons.
Filed under Family, Friendship, memories
I’m still trying to introduce Jet (our new cat) to Amber (our 95 pound yellow lab). So far, it’s quite explosive. Every day we’re careful to protect Jet because so far, Amber would try to hurt her.
Jet startles pretty easily now, still having so many things around her. She was in my lap in the living room when my husband started down the stairs. She freaked out, trying to escape. I managed to keep hold of her and took her to her shelf in the entertainment center (her safe place).
I’ve been putting Jet in the carrier and then taking both over to Amber, who is behind the dog gate. Jet immediately starts hissing. Then Amber starts barking and I stop the process, putting Amber out and trying to calm Jet down.
Yesterday it was maybe seconds longer before the fireworks started. It’s a process. I’m hoping both get bored with this gradually and eventually will co-exist.
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We ordered a cat tower which may arrive Monday. It will live in one corner of the living room beside the entertainment center. It has a piece where you can attach it to the wall, anchoring the whole thing. It seems like it’s well made and we’re hopeful that Jet will enjoy it.
Right now my husband is in his recliner, trying to entice Jet to come out of the entertainment shelf she has designated her place and come over to let him pet her. After she is out a while, we’ll put her in the back bathroom where all her stuff is and let Amber have his turn at free reign in the house.
Update – I just checked and Jet is sitting in my husband’s lap, looking very happy with life.
I’ll do my ‘introduction’ process a couple of times today.
Filed under Family
We adopted this female cat this afternoon. The shelter named her “Starlett” but we want to change that ASAP. Can you help us?
Filed under Family
Happy Mother’s Day! Hats off to all of you ‘moms’ – a more-than-full-time, never-ending job chock full of all possible emotions and dedication. A testimony to survival of on-the-job training without a manual where you do the best you can with what you have at the time and hope for the best. May you be celebrated not only today, but EVERY day.
The image above for Mother’s Day was drawn by Hal Thomsen, one half of the husband and wife friends of our family as I was growing up. They both did art that sold commercially to make a living, but we had a whole wall of images Hal drew to commemorate events and milestones in our family. My parents devoted a whole wall in the living room to his beautiful images. Mary Ellen did sculpture and painted, as well as doing artwork that became iconic as beautiful artwork for a fashion store in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Mothers are never truly appreciated until we are adults. Maybe we’re lucky enough to be parents ourselves, trying to be everything to everyone day after day, well or sick, confident or flying by the seat of our pants. This is a role that brings forth every emotion known – some at the worst possible time, teaching us to be less selfish than we were, our hearts on our sleeves, our focus on something larger.
If we’re very lucky, our children grow up, liking and enjoying us as people, rather than ‘just mothers.’ :0)
Happy, happy day to you. I hope you’re surrounded by love and appreciation today.
We went out to take our trash down, change the mailbox decoration, and get our mail a few minutes ago. We found Abby on the woodpile in the garage, where she stays during the day. She was still with us this morning and was interested in eating when I went out to feed her.
She’s been a member of our family for 13 years. She had bad arthritis in both back legs and a large inoperable tumor on her kidney. We knew her days were numbered, and I’ve been bringing her inside when I could make time to sit with her and just love her.
I didn’t want her to suffer, and things were just quietly going downhill, but it’s hard.
We have lots of good memories.
RIP, Sweet girl.
Filed under Family
Amber is acting like herself in every way except for food handling. She is eager to eat, playful, energetic, sleeps fine, seems happy, but she is still battling upset stomach.
Because of this we found some dry and canned food that is supposed to be easier on her stomach. We just got back from the store and fed her. We’ll see how she does with this, fingers crossed.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Some of you have been asking how our animals are. I told you recently that Abby has been diagnosed with a large tumor on her kidney, probably malignant, inoperable in practical terms, due to her age (14) and other health problems. The vet injected her with antibiotics and a pain shot the last time we were there.
I bought her cat diapers so that I could allow her free reign in the house while I’m otherwise occupied. These are a great idea at best, but haven’t worked well so far. We can’t get them to stay on. At this point, I’m bringing her in at least once a day for a cat-loving session, where we sit in my recliner and purr at each other, cramming as much love into each session as we can. We may still need to use the diapers as her tumor progresses, but so far, no problems. We are both really enjoying this time together. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain.
This is an old picture of Amber. Picture her almost twice as large and she looks the same, otherwise. She weighs 95 pounds or so now. We thought that she was the one leaving the bloody puddle on her bed. Our vet tested the sample we brought in, gave her an antibiotics shot for an infection, and prescribed some meds that would clear the bladder infection. I gave her one pill that night and she had been sick the next morning or overnight when we got up. I called the vet, having caught Abby in the act of making the bloody puddle. We took Abby in, getting anti-nausea pills for Amber while we were at the vet’s.
We are still dealing with an iffy stomach with Amber. I remember that her stomach was really sensitive when she was a young puppy and we had trouble finding food that agreed with her. We thought we had solved the problem this time, after two anti-nausea pills, and then, suddenly, she was sick again. We are keeping her on the tiled area of the house in case she is ill again. She seems to be doing well now. She is a happy, overly playful dog, otherwise, her usual self, so I think we’re almost over the problem.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
1) I told the vet that Amber was still vomiting from the one pill we gave her Friday with food to fight what we all thought was a bladder infection. We now have 4 anti-nausea pills to give her one per day. We also got some canned puppy food on the way home that we hope she can tolerate for a couple of days.
2) The vet basically gave Abby a death sentence. She has a tumor (he thinks) on her right kidney. He took x-rays, did blood work, examined her thoroughly. She has bad arthritis in her back legs. He showed me the enlarged kidney that is inflamed, misshapen and surrounded by a ‘cloud’ of ‘something else.’ He doesn’t think the surgery is a good idea, given the tumor, the arthritis, sugar in her urine, and the fact I told him she has a bad intermittent cough. She is 14. We okayed an injection for pain that is supposed to last 30 days. We also okayed an injection of antibiotic also lasting the same amount of time, which may make the bleeding better.
We have had a very expensive week with them, right at $1000 – only to learn that Amber was NOT the one who had the problem (and that was only found by accident by me), and an end-of-the-road notice for Abby. UGH. (The pills we got for Amber were NOT refundable.)
SO – We concentrate on trying to calm down Amber’s sensitive stomach and enjoy every minute of the time we have left with Abby. We have shared a good life with her. She has been a happy, loving cat and our lives have been richer for having known her. We will watch her carefully to make as sure as we can that she isn’t suffering.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
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