The volunteer from Yolo County SPCA who specializes in orphan kittens (not yet weaned) collected the babies late yesterday afternoon. They will be cared for by her until they are ready to be moved to the SPCA facility to be shown for adoption. SPCAs -- unlike city/county animal shelters -- don't have to take all animals and are not usually forced to kill adoptable pets. The babies are safe and will eventually find good homes.
When they came to us two of them them were listless and they were all just crawling about. One little boy was so frightened that he hissed at us and said "touch me and I'll beat you up!" when we got near him. In just 48 hours they were walking and running and climbing and wrestling with one another. They played with toys. They climbed our legs and purred whenever we were in the room. They were round and funny, just as kittens should be. They will continue to gain and change at an amazing pace under Lydia's care.
I am grateful for the kindness and caring of a homeless man who had nothing, but bothered to save the life of five fuzzy babies.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Kittens: Second Day
Everybody made it past the first 24+ hours and they seem to be thriving. Last time we did this -- over 20 years ago -- all three pulled through and the two that we knew about led long and very pampered lives and made great pets.
The tuxedo cat and the tortie dilute with the funny face (patch of orange sherbet right across the nose) seem to be doing best. While I was trying to feed the calico who seems to be the runt tonight the patch-faced tortie climbed up my leg, purred at me, and tried to wrestle the bottle from the smaller kitten. She's a round little thing and something of a piggy-cat.
Everyone except the grey tabby seems to have found his/her legs in the last day and it is going to be a challenge keeping them in the bathroom when we go in and out. Since there doesn't seem to be an available volunteer from the orphan kitten project (part of UC Davis Vet School) we may have them for a bit longer than expected. They are really cute and having them won't be a bad thing.
Do understand, however, if I'm acting a bit barmy. Like baby people, baby kittens require a feeding every four hours, so I will be sleeping in short stretches for a couple of weeks. Luckily, they grow out of the 2:00 am feeding sooner than human infants.
The tuxedo cat and the tortie dilute with the funny face (patch of orange sherbet right across the nose) seem to be doing best. While I was trying to feed the calico who seems to be the runt tonight the patch-faced tortie climbed up my leg, purred at me, and tried to wrestle the bottle from the smaller kitten. She's a round little thing and something of a piggy-cat.
Everyone except the grey tabby seems to have found his/her legs in the last day and it is going to be a challenge keeping them in the bathroom when we go in and out. Since there doesn't seem to be an available volunteer from the orphan kitten project (part of UC Davis Vet School) we may have them for a bit longer than expected. They are really cute and having them won't be a bad thing.
Do understand, however, if I'm acting a bit barmy. Like baby people, baby kittens require a feeding every four hours, so I will be sleeping in short stretches for a couple of weeks. Luckily, they grow out of the 2:00 am feeding sooner than human infants.
Monday, April 26, 2010
A Lesson
We are feeding Mary's feral colony near the Sac City Animal Shelter while she is gone for a long weekend. When we arrived today there was a homeless man sitting on a wall near the colony. I made sure we locked the car because my purse was to be left in the car.As I filled the food bowls and Alex filled the water dishes, he approached us. I presumed he would be asking for a handout. He carried a cracked, bathroom-style trash can. Strange. Alex called me over.
He showed me the trash can and these precious babies, five of them, were in the can. He had been waiting for the people who feed the cats. He told us he had seen somebody dump them off because the shelter was closed. He said he would be glad to care for them, but he "didn't have the resources", and asked if we would take them. We did, of course, and brought them home.
I picked up some kitten formula and a bottle and we will keep them in our bathroom until they can be transferred to the orphan kitten people -- maybe tomorrow or maybe the day after. We are hoping they will all make it through the night. The alarm will be set to waken us every four hours to feed them.
Had this very kind man who made me feel so apprehensive not collected them into his trash can and waited for us to arrive, they would all have surely died. I think they have a good chance now. Based on our past experience with hand-fed cats, they are going to make somebody wonderful companions.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
My Kingdom for a Peanut Butter Cup
Alex and I had been shopping this afternoon. He had something at Coldwater Creek he wanted me to buy with a recent gift certificate, so we both went to Arden Faire. Stores like CC provide comfy seating for men who get stuck shopping with their wives (or choose to go, in this case) so it was nice for both of us. The skirt he had found was lovely and will go with of few of my tops and -- if I may say so -- looked great on me. Sometimes he likes something that just doesn't go with my body type, but this one hit a home run. We arrived home in great spirits.
Then we noticed the car parked blocking our driveway. A young woman had been to the park and had not been particularly careful about where she put her car. We stopped our car, clicked to open the garage door (so she would know we were waiting) and sat quietly. She was chatting on her cell phone while holding it up to her ear and buckling a child into the back seat. OK. She had to get the child secured and we could wait. Then she walked around the car and did something in the other side -- still holding the phone and talking and ignoring us. Not a sheepish smile or a just-a-minute sign or a wave. Just talked to her friend and took her time. Then she got in and drove away, phone still held to her ear. She did slow down as she passed us and gave us the dirtiest stare I have seen in a long time -- the facial equivalent of a rude hand sign.
We were astounded! I was so irritated I wanted to go eat peanut butter, or M&Ms, or any one of the things I really cannot eat. Instead I made a phone call to a friend and vented. We still can't figure out why she was so hostile toward us. I guess we distracted her and unreasonably felt that we should be allowed to put our car in the garage. How dare we!?!
Then we noticed the car parked blocking our driveway. A young woman had been to the park and had not been particularly careful about where she put her car. We stopped our car, clicked to open the garage door (so she would know we were waiting) and sat quietly. She was chatting on her cell phone while holding it up to her ear and buckling a child into the back seat. OK. She had to get the child secured and we could wait. Then she walked around the car and did something in the other side -- still holding the phone and talking and ignoring us. Not a sheepish smile or a just-a-minute sign or a wave. Just talked to her friend and took her time. Then she got in and drove away, phone still held to her ear. She did slow down as she passed us and gave us the dirtiest stare I have seen in a long time -- the facial equivalent of a rude hand sign.
We were astounded! I was so irritated I wanted to go eat peanut butter, or M&Ms, or any one of the things I really cannot eat. Instead I made a phone call to a friend and vented. We still can't figure out why she was so hostile toward us. I guess we distracted her and unreasonably felt that we should be allowed to put our car in the garage. How dare we!?!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Hot Water
A new hot water heater was installed in our house today. The old one still worked, but the pilot light sometimes went out (and I had to lie on the floor in the laundry room -- not one of our better places) to relight it, and the water tended to run out before my hair was rinsed. The old heater was 26 years old -- can you imagine? -- and we decided to replace it before it absolutely quit on us. We've been through that no-hot-water-for-two-days thing before, and didn't want to go there again.
The old heater was not quite installed up to the current code and the slightly upgraded model heater, plus installation, plus the code upgrades (one thing still has to be done, but we will do it ourselves) came to about the cost to replace our wall oven and range top. Now I'm glad to have the security of a newer water heater, but can you think of anything less exciting to spend over $1000 on? Most appliances are fun to replace because the new one always does something cool the old one didn't do. Water heaters: not so much. They basically sit in a closet and heat water.
You will find me very clean for a while. I'm taking lots of hot showers to make sure I get my money's worth. Oh, and the floor of our laundry room/cat bathroom got mopped. The cats think they got an upgrade.
The old heater was not quite installed up to the current code and the slightly upgraded model heater, plus installation, plus the code upgrades (one thing still has to be done, but we will do it ourselves) came to about the cost to replace our wall oven and range top. Now I'm glad to have the security of a newer water heater, but can you think of anything less exciting to spend over $1000 on? Most appliances are fun to replace because the new one always does something cool the old one didn't do. Water heaters: not so much. They basically sit in a closet and heat water.
You will find me very clean for a while. I'm taking lots of hot showers to make sure I get my money's worth. Oh, and the floor of our laundry room/cat bathroom got mopped. The cats think they got an upgrade.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Travelin' Woman
This has been a great week all week. It was capped off by visiting four counties (including Sacramento) in the last two days.
Yesterday we were in El Dorado Hills (El Dorado County) for a memorial service. This county has gently rolling hills and oak trees. El Dorado Hills is sort of new-development-meets-the-edge-of-gold-county, but the hills themselves are lovely and there is still enough open country to make it a nice change.
Today I was up before dawn and off to Grass Valley for an 8:00 am meeting. When I left Sacramento at 6:00 (yes, in the morning) the night sky was just turning a sort of navy blue and things were starting to emerge from the shadows. I was driving east and thought it would be nice to see the sun rise. Things got lighter during the first 20 minutes or so of my drive. By the time I hit Placer County the sky had lightened and I presumed the sun had come up behind the trees that lined the edge of the freeway. I figured I had missed the sunrise or that it had been a real non-event. I turned off 80 onto 49 and headed north into Nevada County. About 10 minutes into that stretch the sky suddenly looked like somebody had splashed gold paint on the clouds. Luckily it was horse country then (fewer trees) so I got the full effect. I really expected angels to descend. It was absolutely glorious for about three minutes, then it was just a nice, sunny day.
Sacramento County is mostly flat, city and farmland. El Dorado is rolling hills. Placer is foothill country, with the start of the tall trees. Nevada County really feels like you are in the Sierras. The towns (Grass Valley and Nevada City) are the sort of charming small town we like to picture, but which rarely exist. I spent some time just kicking around Grass Valley after my meeting because I was expected back at a friend's house in Auburn (Placer County) about noon. It is an old town built on fairly steep hillsides. The whole day felt like a mini vacation.
Yesterday we were in El Dorado Hills (El Dorado County) for a memorial service. This county has gently rolling hills and oak trees. El Dorado Hills is sort of new-development-meets-the-edge-of-gold-county, but the hills themselves are lovely and there is still enough open country to make it a nice change.
Today I was up before dawn and off to Grass Valley for an 8:00 am meeting. When I left Sacramento at 6:00 (yes, in the morning) the night sky was just turning a sort of navy blue and things were starting to emerge from the shadows. I was driving east and thought it would be nice to see the sun rise. Things got lighter during the first 20 minutes or so of my drive. By the time I hit Placer County the sky had lightened and I presumed the sun had come up behind the trees that lined the edge of the freeway. I figured I had missed the sunrise or that it had been a real non-event. I turned off 80 onto 49 and headed north into Nevada County. About 10 minutes into that stretch the sky suddenly looked like somebody had splashed gold paint on the clouds. Luckily it was horse country then (fewer trees) so I got the full effect. I really expected angels to descend. It was absolutely glorious for about three minutes, then it was just a nice, sunny day.
Sacramento County is mostly flat, city and farmland. El Dorado is rolling hills. Placer is foothill country, with the start of the tall trees. Nevada County really feels like you are in the Sierras. The towns (Grass Valley and Nevada City) are the sort of charming small town we like to picture, but which rarely exist. I spent some time just kicking around Grass Valley after my meeting because I was expected back at a friend's house in Auburn (Placer County) about noon. It is an old town built on fairly steep hillsides. The whole day felt like a mini vacation.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Hives, Day 2
They are better. They are definitely better!
Mom and Pam and I went out to Roseville today for a bit of shopping, then I came home and did all of my normal weighing and cooking and even some grocery shopping without a stitch of itch. This evening, however, a few more itchies and spotchies showed up. I haven't had enough to need to take the Prednisone, but there are blotches on my neck and back. The fingers are still crossed that they will go away without more serious drugs.
Mom and Pam and I went out to Roseville today for a bit of shopping, then I came home and did all of my normal weighing and cooking and even some grocery shopping without a stitch of itch. This evening, however, a few more itchies and spotchies showed up. I haven't had enough to need to take the Prednisone, but there are blotches on my neck and back. The fingers are still crossed that they will go away without more serious drugs.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Hives!
I have developed an allergy to penicillin. Aaaargh!
Two weeks into the treatment for the sinus infection I began having first an itch (not too big a problem) then hives. I was realllly itchy this afternoon. Then, as I was getting ready to pop into the shower I noticed the telltale pink splotches and hives it is. I'm to take Benadryl and Zyrtec and hope that that works. Just in case, He called in a prescription for prednizone. One of the possible side effects of the pred is weight gain. There are tons of others, of course.
You take one drug to get rid of the condition, then another to get rid of a condition caused by that drug. There is a lesson to be learned her somewhere.
In the meantime, I may be a splotchy mess for a while.
Two weeks into the treatment for the sinus infection I began having first an itch (not too big a problem) then hives. I was realllly itchy this afternoon. Then, as I was getting ready to pop into the shower I noticed the telltale pink splotches and hives it is. I'm to take Benadryl and Zyrtec and hope that that works. Just in case, He called in a prescription for prednizone. One of the possible side effects of the pred is weight gain. There are tons of others, of course.
You take one drug to get rid of the condition, then another to get rid of a condition caused by that drug. There is a lesson to be learned her somewhere.
In the meantime, I may be a splotchy mess for a while.
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