Please note: this is NOT a story with a sad ending.
Wednesday evening, Fred and I were in the living room watching TV. Whatever we were watching ended around 8:40, and we got up from our respective couches to start getting ready for bed. (Yes, at 8:40. We are such the party animals.)
Miz Poo had been laying on the heated cat bed on Fred’s couch for most of the evening, and we both glanced over at her at the same time, and it looked like she wasn’t breathing. I stared at her for the longest time, my heart skipped a beat, and I thought After all the times I’ve said she was going to live to be 30 because of all the money she costs us at the vet, that goddamn cat has gone and died on me AND I AM NOT READY FOR THIS. Then Fred touched her, and after a moment she lifted her head and chirruped at us, all “What up, y’all?”
::Resume breathing::
Yesterday morning, Fred was looking for Miz Poo to give her a dose of chlorphenaramine. He didn’t find her, so left a note on my desk that he hadn’t dosed her and the tablet was on the counter. It just so happened that I slept in later than usual yesterday morning, so I didn’t get to my desk ’til 7:30. I saw the note from Fred and the email from him asking if I’d found her at the same time. I got up and started calling for her and began looking in her usual spots. Nothing. I looked under the couches and in all the closets. Nothing. I called Fred and asked if he’d seen her at all before he left for work – maybe when he first got up? – but he couldn’t remember. He didn’t think so.
I thought That goddamn cat has gone off somewhere to die AND I AM NOT READY FOR THIS. While on the phone with Fred, I looked under the couches again, and was just about to go outside and look around the back yard when I thought to double-check the padded cube where she likes to hang out. And there she was.
So that’s twice in the space of 12 hours that I thought Miz Poo was a goner, and both times she was like “What the hell is YOUR problem, lady?”
I am NOT READY for Miz Poo to shuffle off this mortal coil, thank you very much.
1) Have you made an official transition to Coke Zero?
I haven’t! After I tried a can of the Coke Zero at a cookout this past summer, I liked it. But then I bought a two-liter bottle of it and Fred and I tried it at home, and we both decided that we don’t like it enough to switch. That could change – but for now, I like the regular Diet Coke just fine.
2) How is Coltrane handling being inside all the time with the other cats because of the snow? (there is just something that pulls my heart strings about that orange boy).
He handled it really, really well. He’s such a laid-back boy that the other cats hardly even seem to notice him. I’ve never seen any of them hiss or smack at him, and he’s very well behaved – uses the litter box just fine, asks politely to go outside. When we had all that snow, he spent three days straight inside with us and was no problem at all. He’s such a sweet boy.
Hey Robyn,
Thought you might be interested in a quick update on the litter of feral kittens (6 of them plus Mom) that are living on our farm here in Ontario, Canada.
I was lamenting to you and your readers a few months ago about the cost of neutering/spaying (over $200 per kitten) which we just couldn’t afford. Well, the SPCA came through and allowed the kitties to be spayed (or neutered), needled, blood work done, flea treatment, a long lasting antibiotic, and micro chipping under their TNR -trap, neuter, return- program!
We were asked to donate $30 per kittie if we could which we were glad to do. In return, I signed a contract, promising to provide food, water, and shelter. The one thing that saddens me is they insisted on notching an ear on each one to mark them as a member of a neutered feral colony, and the notches virtually removed half an ear. sigh. They look odd but are happy, healthy, well fed and surviving the snow and cold so far.
Also, during the time we were doing this at a rate of one kitten per week, the SPCA implemented a program of spaying pets for low income families at rates adjusted to what they can afford. 🙂
The picture of your cats looking out at the snow is the exact opposite of what happens here. I have six of them out in the snow looking in. I have tried letting them on the back porch but they throw themselves at the large windows trying to get back out to the bitter cold and snow. Go figure.
Pat, you are AWESOME for taking care of those kittens and making sure they’re all spayed and neutered. And YAY! to the SPCA for coming through! Thanks for the update, I love happy endings.
Have you seen Kristen Wiig’s Lawrence Welk character on SNL? That character must have Reynaud’s!
Now THAT is some super creepy shit!
What is the importance of the estrogen Dr. Robyn? Why can’t they leave well enough alone since you feel fine? Why INVITE menopause? There must be a good reason.
Apparently lack of estrogen in your 43 year-old body can lead to bone loss and the thinning and atrophying of some fairly important skin in a fairly important area where you don’t want the skin thinning and becoming fragile and prone to tear IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
I’m in menopause whether I’m taking estrogen or not – I have no ovaries to make estrogen naturally – and I don’t think that the estrogen patch (which is the lowest possible dose of estrogen there is) will make me have menopause symptoms. I don’t think it will, anyway – if it does, I’ll be complaining to my gynecologist at a high volume, believe you me.
(And I will be using a progesterone cream as well.)
Reading about your “talking phone” reminded me to tell you that I have a GPS which, of course, “talks”… I have it set to the British Female voice.
One day, I decided to have a little fun… I programmed some places that I go but gave them more interesting names…
So, now I go to “World Market Dammit” and “Walmart For Fuck’s Sake” and it NEVER FAILS that I crack up when the GPS says either of those things.
I bet that “Walmart for Fuck’s Sake” in a proper British accent is funny as shit!
Oh, how I love fresh-made bread. I’m looking for a bread machine. I had one years ago and it didn’t work so well so I’m hesitant to get another. But when we visit my MIL and she makes bread/cinnamon rolls, etc. with her breadmaker, I always promise to myself that I’d look for a good bread machine. Any recommendations, especially one that won’t make me broke? Thanks!
What we have is a Zojirushi BBCCX20 – and it’s really expensive. Fred used the money he got for his birthday a few years ago to pay for most of it. I think it was worth the price – it does a great job – but I’m going to post this in hopes that someone out there has a recommendation for a bread machine that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Robyn, I saw your update the other day about Stephen King possibly publishing another Dark Tower book and was wondering if you had a chance to read his Kindle book, UR? I downloaded it yesterday – just a short novella, but our favorite Tower puts in an appearance. Good for a quick evening read, anyway!
I sure have. I think it was probably the second or third thing I downloaded when I got my Kindle, and it was certainly worth a read!
BTW – have George and Gracie and the cats (any of them) ever met up? Was it funny or were emergency evacuation procedures put in to action?
George and Gracie have never met up with any of our cats face-to-face, but one day Coltrane was following Fred around the property as he did his chores, and Fred opened the gate to go into the back forty. Coltrane zipped right through the gate, and Fred was sure there was going to be a kitty death, but he managed to get Coltrane shooed back through the gate before the dogs had any idea what was going on. They’ll bark at Coltrane, Maxi, and Newt as they run across the property between the back yard and the back forty. If one of the cats goes running across the back yard, they’ll bark at it, too, but for the most part they ignore the cats.
Yesterday I went over to Katherine’s house to make this candy (which turned out to be really good!).
Do you remember that Kara was pregnant when we got her, and she had four babies, and then Katherine adopted River (now Nate) and Inara (now Dora)? (It’s okay if you don’t remember that – you can always go read the Kara saga starting with this post if you’re interested.)
This is what Inara/ Dora looked like then:
and this is what she looks like now:
This is what River/ Nate looked like then:
and now:
Haven’t they grown up to be absolutely gorgeous? Katherine and I have determined that Nate belongs in Hollywood. Or at the very least, on the cover of magazines.
Nate is a scaredy-cat when it comes to strangers (of course he doesn’t remember me), and at one point he came running through the room – not realizing I was there – and when he saw me, he stopped dead in his tracks, spun around, and ran in the other direction. He stopped in another doorway, gave me a disbelieving look, and then ran for safety. Made me laugh out loud.
You saw the pictures the other day of Jan “Hussy” Brady snuggling with Reacher. Now you can see her getting some love from Elwood.
The kneading paws KILL ME DEAD. Is that one happy kitten or what?
Cindy Brady and a sparkly ball.
Kinda looks like she’s practicing her kissing technique on that toy, doesn’t it?
Bobby tries to decide whether to jump for it.
The scratching post we made. The best thing I did was to use the staple gun to attach that drawstring cord (pulled out of one of my hoodies) to the top of the scratching post. The kittens will bat at it for HOURS.
Peter pops out from behind the scratching post.
Adoption hours at Petsmart take place tonight and tomorrow – I highly suspect that at least a few (if not all) of the Bradys will have new homes by the end of adoption hours on Saturday. Of course I’ll keep you informed!
Stinkerbelle, atop the bookcase in the guest bedroom, keeping an eye on things.
Previously
2010: Gloat on, my friend.
2009: Eric Stoltz makes a REALLY good creepy serial killer.
2008: We were in bed asleep by 10:00, because we are such the party people.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: Yeah, it doesn’t take a whole lot to make us laugh, I guess.
2004: Now isn’t there anything we can do to force Joey Buttafuoco back into obscurity?
2003: So if you meet me in person and expect a “Mighty fucking fine to meet you, fuckface!”, you’ll likely be disappointed.
2002: Wrong on that one, Brigitte. Trust me.
2001: No entry.
2000: No entry.