Ouchie

While preparing for my family Christmas Eve gathering, I wrenched my back something awful.  The Hubby helped me to bed to lay down, brought up a bag of frozen corn kernels (for the ouchie spot on my spine), and pain pills. Until this morning, that's all I could do for days; even laughing hurt!  Could barely pull on socks...well, we've all had our aches and pains.  Sweetie and Patty O'Malley ate tuna for Christmas dinner, and Angel and Chuck were offered popcorn.

Am better now, thanks to rest.  And although the temps have been mild here in Michigan, it is now dropping into freezing territory. My sympathies go out to the folks in Texas and parts of the South that are getting hammered by storms and cold.  

Farewell, Sophie

Sophie in front, Shelby in back

Sophie

I posted about Sophie and Shelby four times this year (4/12/15, 6/14/15, 6/26/15 & 7/1/15). Unfortunately, Sophie was struck down suddenly yesterday, and passed away within a mile of the veterinarian's office while on route.   It was a seizure, which they attribute to a blood clot.  She heard loving words and felt loving hands as she left this world.

Paws For The Cause cared for these two all of their lives, and will continue to search for Shelby's furrever home.  Rest in Peace, Sophie; all of us loved your sweet face, your flirty personality, and your sisterly devotion.

Patty o' the morn!

Patty O'Malley followed me to my car this morning, as I tried to leave on time for work.  He was meowing and lovin' and so sweet...

Patty had no intention of standing still; I could NOT get a clear photo of him!

And yes...I was late for work.

P.S. The Hubby witnessed this entire exchange from the front porch, where he sipped his coffee and chuckled.

He's back!

Look at him, giving me the stare!

After this, he climbed along my window too

This cheeky squirrel was all over me this afternoon!  He took begging to new heights, in my opinion.

Could this be the same squirrel that jumped on my car hood in January (see post here) or visited my picnic table in August (see post here)?

All I know, is that today my sandwich was already eaten, so I had nothing to give this crazy squirrel. I do not agree with feeding wildlife (HA!  I feed stray cats, right?!?), but I would have tossed this guy something if I would have had it.  It's been a fairly mild winter so far, little squirrely, so I think you are doing okay.

Note to self: stash a bag of seeds in the console!  If I'm going to visit a park that is a squirrel heaven at lunch, I had better be prepared in the future.

Obsession with Socks Continues

Found: in other bedroom

Found: in downstairs hall

Found: in upstairs hall

Found: in Chuck's new luxury box suite

Found: stuck under bedroom door
(Notice home-made cat flap cut into door!)

Chuck is still stealing my socks, and depositing them all over the house.  In the middle of the night, stepping on a soft, woolly sock can give a person a heart attack!  Wha...did I just step on a cat? A dead...something?  A hairball...or worse...?  Yet, I pick up all the socks, and put them back where they came from.  Seems to be a game that only Chuck and I play.  There are two blue and grey socks, two tan/grey, and two blue stripes/grey. Sometimes, all six socks are missing and other days Chuck doesn't take any.  He doesn't steal any other types of socks, such as dress socks or The Hubby's athletic ones.  He often carries two socks together, too, and I assure you that these are washed and clean socks.  Finding a sock in his new favorite box bed was a real treat!

Cat Photos Disaster Averted

Saturday began like any other day.  But when I loaded the library movie DVD into my iMac computer, it would not play, nor would it eject again. Horrors!  I searched online to find a solution. Reboot, reset, hold down four keys...nothing worked.  In desperation, I called Apple Support, and made an appointment to bring my computer to the local store for a check-up on Sunday.  Overnight, I thought that maybe I had inadvertently left an old CD of cat photos in the optical drive, and I had stuffed a second DVD in there. No wonder things aren't working!

Next morning, with The Hubby's help, we put double-faced tape on an old credit card, and managed to fish out the library DVD.  Whew!  But no other CD or DVD or anything came out of that slot.  I tried to scour the internet again, looking for self-help...and our internet service went down!  So did our TV feed, and the hour was close approaching when NFL games were broadcast.  OH NOES! After calls and reboots, we got our internet and TV back, but that darn optical drive was a no go. I started worrying about the 10,000 or 11,000 (yep, thousand!) cat and family photos I have on my computer; could they be in trouble too?  Sweat broke out on my forehead. No way was I losing Chuck and Angel's baby photos, or pics of Sammy and George, who are no longer with us!

The nice people at the Apple store whisked me to the Genius Bar, and my iMac was looked over. The 2009 optical drive is kaput, and they no longer make parts for it.  We discussed obtaining a external CD/DVD drive ($20-$30), and that's when I asked about backing up my cat photos.  Let's face it; they are mostly cat photos, with a couple of hundred of family or travel. That's when the price tag jumped to $70, for an external drive of one terabyte.  I gladly handed the credit card over, because CAT PHOTOS MUST BE SAVED, at all costs.

Computer back home, and The Hubby hooked up our old DVD player, so I could finally watch the movie from the library without incurring late fees. Only shot about ten cat photos this weekend, due to these other issues, but now they are all safe!  Disaster averted!

Blurry Sunday selfie with Chuck

Not my home computer, but you get the idea
of how many cat photos I have!
You too?

Score!

Received early Christmas presents from my co-worker, and boy, does she know what I like!  The book, "Sorry, I Barfed On Your Bed" by Jeremy Greenberg is an adorable set of essays by kitties who are trying to live a cat life in human homes.  I also received a very cool photo frame; it says, "Love My Cat"!

AND...My very own Quint painting has arrived!  Go to Colehaus Cats to see all the neato artwork that Quint creates, plus a terrific blog by the kitties mom.  I chose Quint's painting of Spring, because it's my favorite time of the year.

I am so excited to have this cat booty!  Thank you, CD for the gifts, and to Colehaus Cats for the painting!

But wait...there's more!  I purchased a big cat pillow over the weekend, and used an old box to make a new beddy for Chuck, up on the bookcase. Actually, I thought it would suit Angel's black-and-white fur perfectly, but once Chuck found it, he claimed it as his!  That old Gateway box is a hoot; cannot believe it's been kicking around the house for all these years.  We all certainly SCORED this week, with great cat stuff all around!

Outside Stairs Update: Progress!

Here comes Patty, climbing the stairs!

Come a little closer, big guy!

Eating some kibble in the open door

Checking out the rest of the balcony

Tried to lure him inside, by going in myself
He was nervous about stepping in

Patty looks in through the cat flap

After one final tweak of the outside stairs, I can get Patty to come up to visit!  The open door and cat flap are still too scary for him to venture through, but each day we move his challenge line a tiny bit farther.  Sweetie watches from below; she has not yet jumped up.  And don't mind the scrapes and scuffs; everything is ad hoc around here.

"Wasn't me!"

"Don't know what you're talking about, Mom!
There's no white fur hanging from my mouth!"

"Nope, I didn't take a bite outta Angel!
Oh...that...well, you haven't swept in a day...I got it from the floor!
Yeah, that's it...not Angel's fur, nope..."

P.S. Chuck has not really recovered from his last vet trip.  The things he stopped doing; mostly litterbox items, have resurfaced.  The Hubby and I hope Chuck will settle down again, but unfortunately yesterday he had a run in with the fabric I used to cover Patty and Sweetie's traps during their visit for dental exams, and he now crouches in the corners as if expecting visitor cats to appear!  I've secured everything now, but we've got to get Chuck to feel comfortable again.  He's just so very sensitive!  I've tried diffusers purchased at the box stores in the past, with little success.  If anyone has suggestions, please comment.  Are Jackson Galaxy's herbal remedies, or Bach Flower Essences helpful?  Thanks!  Otherwise, I'm thinking a script for Xanax or Zoloft may be our next step, poor baby.  For the cat, not for me...but then again....?!?

Patty O'Malley: Clown Cat

Who cares about gravity?

Photo-bombing Sweetie

Looking gorgeous

Sun worshiper

Snow Cat O'Malley

The Many Silly Faces of Patty O'Malley

No wonder why I love this kitty!

When I get home...

I am the primary cat food distributor in the house.  The Hubby subs for me if I'm out late at work, or when I take my annual girls-only long weekends in the summer.  Therefore, when I step in the front door after work, this is Angel and Chuck's cue to start dancing for their dinner.

During the recent Thanksgiving holiday, I was home four days in a row.  With shopping and visiting family, I was in and out of the house quite a bit. However, even when I arrived home at 2:30 pm, the cats went into their begging mode, as if it was dinner time!  They kept at it for as long as it took for me to cave in and feed 'em.  Then, of course, they were hungry before bedtime, and tried for more food then.  I ended up dishing out venison and green pea so many times, that the kitchen sink filled up with used, empty bowls, and thats when The Hubby started to yowl too!

Being back to the usual work schedule has put an end to this dance.  And did I mention that Chuck won't eat all of his meal, until I put sprinkles on it? "Sprinkles" is our word for nutritional yeast, which is powdery, flaky stuff, Parmesan cheese-like.  I've been mixing it into the 'o' cat's food, and learned that it was a great way to encourage Chuck to eat when he was off his feed while sick.  Now, he'll eat about 1/3 of his meal, then step away until I 'sprinkle' the bowl with a pinch of yeast.  Angel makes a sweet 'meow' as I sprinkle her food too.  Do these two (or is it really four?) cats have me wrapped around their paws or what!?!

Feed me, Mama!

Chuck's Check-up

It wasn't so bad, was it Chuck?

Saturday, The Hubby scooped up Chuck and deposited him in the PTU (Personnel Transport Unit) and off we went for a 3-month check-up with the echo-cardiogram veterinarian.  She said his blood pressure was 'good' and his heart sounds were the same as last visit.  Loaded with script refills, we were back home in no time.  Chuck sang the song of his people the entire trip there, but was more subdued and quiet on the way home.  Angel only hissed at Chuck for 24 hours after, before realizing that he, in fact, was her brother, and not some replicant cat that smelled of the nice vet's perfume. Note: The Hubby and I have tried many different ways to prevent the 'after vet visit aggression' but nothing has worked.  Leave a comment if you've had luck with wiping the cats down with towels or socks before the visit, then doing some sort of scent exchange afterward, or any other thing that works for you...please!

Cold as ice

Although November has been relatively mild here in Michigan, some night temps are below freezing. In the warmer weather, I use a water bowl for Patty and Sweetie; in the cold, I fill a 6-pack cooler with a gallon of water (the belief is that deeper water takes longer to freeze).  Here is a photo of the water bowl, and the ice cube that formed a couple of days ago.  Both cats have grown thick winter fur.

I won "Simon's Cat: Off to the Vet..."!

I won a copy of "Simon's Cat: Off to the Vet And Other Cat-astrophes" from Caren and Cody at Cat Chat with Caren and Cody, and was delighted when the book appeared in my mailbox. I've watched Simon Tofield's cartoons for ages now, and am tickled to own this book.  

Simon's cat manages to escape confinement, and wanders around the veterinarian's office, where he meets up with many new friends, including rabbits, frogs, hedgehogs, birds and of course other kitties.  Hilarity ensues! And the fun continues when Simon's cat is back home, sporting the dreaded cone-of-shame.  Pick up a copy for yourself, and you'll laugh too!  

Thank you, Caren and Cody!

For more Simon's Cat stuff, go here:

https://simonscat.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat
https://www.facebook.com/simonscat/

P.S. Sweetie showed up in mid-afternoon yesterday.  She appears in good health, so I'm thinking she was avoiding the slushy ice bombs that keep falling from the trees.  I got one down my neck last night, and I said some nasty words to the gods above!  Think of what it's like out there for a wee kitty!  Warmer temps in the coming days will hopefully end the barrage.

Eeks! Winter arrived...

On Saturday, the snow started to fall.  Guess we ended up with about six inches of the stuff, which was heavy and slushy.  Sunday, the temps never got above freezing, so anything not shoveled away simply froze in place.

On the street

My lone rose bush

Patty still wants lovin', even with chunks of ice falling from the sky!

The Sunday sun warmed the snow on the tree branches, which caused it to rain down as chunks of snowy ice! Patty didn't seem to mind, but Sweetie did not show up for breakfast today.  I'm thinking she decided to stay inside The Cat Hotel until the 'all clear' sounded!  The Hubby promised to watch for her today while I'm at work, and will give her some food (because Patty already ate everything...)

Follow up news: The Craggy Hole book was located, thank you very much...see my last post for details.  The library voicemail left on our home answering machine puzzled The Hubby enough that he made me listen to it the moment I came in on Friday evening.  Glad The Craggy Hole is safe and sound...and no overdue fees either!

The Craggy Hole is Missing!

Author: Roth, Geneen.
Title: The craggy hole in my heart and the cat who fixed it: over the edge and back with my cat, my dad, and me
1st ed.
New York : Harmony Books, c2004.
Description:
238 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.
LCCN: 2003023599
ISBN: 1400050839 (hardcover)

I am very fortunate to live in an area where the public libraries have a collective, meaning I can check out a book from any library in the group, and they bring it to my home library for me to pick up.  This is fabulous, because no one library has all the titles that it's surrounding community needs.  Trust me, I scour the card catalogs for cat books!  Weeks ago, I checked out Geneen Roth's "The Craggy Hole In My Heart And The Cat Who Fixed It" from the library near my office, read it and returned it to my home library. Unfortunately...somehow... the book is now missing!  Neither my home library nor the one it belongs to can find it, and kind librarians are now searching for it.

The book was only so-so, therefore I chose not to do a book review on it for this blog.  The cat is only a bit of the story, not a lot of the story, like "Dewey, The Library Cat" or "Homer's Odyssey".  Both of these are great books, and I highly recommend them!  But now, I'm calling libraries, asking if they've seen 'The Craggy Hole'! It's embarrassing, for one because I AM NEVER EVER LATE WITH MY BOOKS, and two...that weird title!    

Oh well, things could be worse.  I am fortunate to have a librarian friend at my home library, a nice woman who recognizes my voice when I call.  And many of the desk attendants are curious to see what new cat book I've found to check out.  Cats and books go together, doncha know!  This is NOT a slam at the collective part of the library system in my area; please do not even consider that.  It's just one of those things, and "The Craggy Hole" now has a BOLO (be on look out) in Metro Detroit!

Fatter than Patty!

Today's calendar page

This cat from my calendar is much bigger than Patty O'Malley!  Looks like a relative of his, though...

I should send this photo to the kind people at All About Animals, who worked on Patty and Sweetie last week!  They thought he was a whale, but the photo cat is HUGE!

Chalk on my walk

While out last night, I found this delightful chalk drawing on the sidewalk! It's pretty dark by 8:00 pm, so excuse my feet at the bottom.  Guess I'm not the only cat-lovin' person in town!  I am a better speller though...