Todd

Last week -- our first home from San Diego -- we had three kittens we called Arnie, Darrell, and Karen (for those of you who don't live in Sacramento and don't give a hang about the State Budget mess -- that's the Gov and the leaders of the Assembly and Senate). They lived in the bathroom because they hadn't been cleared of any and all possible diseases that can afflict kitties. Mary, our kitty social worker, found a bunch of them dumped in her feral colony near the river and brought them to us and to her own house. They were affectionate, bright young kittens who would have died within a day or two had she not caught them.

The big three went on to a more permanent foster home early this week and we got -- Todd. He has been part of a group in the cage at Pets to Go for a couple of weeks and his siblings were all adopted. He is a cutie, and we don't know why he didn't find a home. In any case, he is temporarily part of the herd of cats that live here. The first couple of days he didn't play -- just liked to snuggle and purr. My crazy guys are setting the pace and he has discovered the joy of toy. Ping pongy balls make a great noise on hardwood floors and mice are to be chased through tunnels. He has so much to learn from our pampered darlings.

He also likes to snuggle and has very soft fur. He is a great guy and an easy house guest.

Settling In

I've not posted for a couple of weeks -- first there was the big move for my mom, and now she is settling in, dealing with medical appointments, etc. Her apartment is nice and I will remember to take my camera with me one of these days and post a picture. Her living room faces the back of the complex and she has group of outdoor "pets" to keep her company. A family of ducks spends much time just outside her sliding doors and there is a squirrel in the tree that shades her small patio. Mind you, she isn't in charge of the care and feeding for any of these critters. Most important, the residents and staff seem very friendly.

We had dinner with her this evening -- it was friends and family night -- and Alex won a door prize in the after-dinner raffle. Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs or chicken fettuccine (and, no, I had to come home and eat my prescribed food) and was reportedly decent, but a bit bland. I think things have to be bland when you are dealing with a mostly senior crowd. If I move there some day I will simply take my shaker of cayenne pepper or curry powder to every meal.

We are both learning to negotiate the maze that is Kaiser Health Care. Things take longer, but they do get done. She has had blood tests and a CAT Scan that showed growths in her groin. Not a surprise and this will be dealt with. The good news -- she is here and has a couple of built-in drivers to take her to radiation or chemotherapy, or whatever the good oncologist at Kaiser deems fit.

Anyway, I'm back. Sort of.

Conversation in the Wee Hours

The Wondermouse: standing on my chest and speaking in a loud, raspy voice Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

Me: Btflsktfp

WM: louder Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Neeeoowwww!

Me: rolling over and trying to hide under the pillow Gobacktosleep.

WM: Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

Me: I'm sleeping.

WM: placing a dainty paw firmly on my carotid artery Wake up! Wake up! I had a poo!

Me: opening one eye and looking at the clock It's three a.m. Go to sleep!

WM: licking my nose Wake up! Wake up! I had a poo! You need to get up and scoop it. Neeeoowww!

Me: smelling the evidence, bathroom is about seven feet from my side of the bed I'll do it in the morning. Go back to sleep. (side note -- I know this is not a good idea. She won't go into her covered box if there is a little gift by the door)

WM: butting me with her head Wake up! Wake up! Neow! I had a poo!

Needless to say, she didn't quit and I got up and tended to the litter box. Our boss lady is18. If she were a people, rather than a cat, we would be buying extra long twin sheets, picking a meal plan, and sending checks to the UC Regents. She would be old enough to take care of her own early morning toileting needs.

Monthy Inventory

I certainly aced it on my first goal. I have lost the hoped-for 30 pounds, and added 13 to that loss. I have reached the point where certain things I once thought I couldn't possibly live without don't even sound good to me. Our oldest daughter is a vegetarian and I often wondered how she could possibly forgo any sort of flesh based protein. I would miss those things terribly. She not only doesn't miss them, they no longer sound good to her. Finally I understand how she feels about her food. (I always understood why, just not the how.) I have begun to reach that point with my forbidden foods -- flour and sugar. One of my FA friends was dealing with terrible stress a couple of weeks ago and decided that she would just allow herself one candy bar. She ate half of it and threw the other half away. It didn't taste good and made her feel slightly ill. I think it would have the same effect on me. I still think I miss bread, but might not like it if I actually tried it.


Storage isn't coming along very well. I got rid of some clear glass salad plates we never use and cleaned out the kitchen junk drawer, but that is all this month. Our AmVets bag isn't full enough on collection day. (Clothing that doesn't fit goes to FA fellows who are just a bit heavier than me.) We will work on storage harder at the end of the summer.


The wardrobe thing is better. Most of my tops still fit, but the pants are getting too big and I am fast eliminating anything I don't really like all that well any more. My closet has been reorganized. As a teen and a young adult I got rid of clothing that was no longer insy. Recently I didn't get rid of things unless they no longer fit. I wore things because they threw guilt trips on me "I'm tired of just hanging out here in the closet. I'm bored. You never take me anywhere. I think you prefer that hot pink top to me. What does she have that I don't?" Time to go back to the practice of my younger days. If it doesn't make me feel good it simply doesn't deserve room in my closet. I'm becoming a clothes cad.


My committments seem to be fitting me a little bit better. This FA program takes time and I'm not taking on a bunch of stuff that will interfere.


I'm proud of my weight loss and spiritual growth (spiritual is not the same thing as religious, by the way). I have a long way to go, but I think I know myself better. I'm still a bit fearful, but we are moving in the right direction. I'm finally sure I will get there.