I'm feeling overwhelmed today. This is more journaling than blogging, I guess.
This morning we had people come to install a new floor in our master bathroom. Things have been harum skarum for the last month with the shelves, medicine cabinet etc. out while I stripped wallpaper, prepped, and painted. We took the toilet out yesterday (on the front porch looking like a very tasteless garden ornament), part of the sink is in the hallway, shelves are blocking part of our closet, and stuff is generally stacked all over the house. I was so looking forward to being able to put it all back where it belongs and where I can find things. I got home from a morning meeting to find no workmen, no nothing. Turns out when they removed the old lino and the underlayer they found severe dry rot damage. A contractor comes tomorrow to give us a bid on what is going to be a much bigger project.
As I was absorbing this I went to take lunch to somebody in my FA group who has had surgery and moved (her family did the honors) while she was in the rehab facility. We had thought to provide meals for about a week until she will be able to do for herself with some shopping help. When I saw the kitchen she shares with a roomate, I'm not sure that she will be able to prepare meals even after she settles in. This, too, is going to be a bigger project than expected.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
RIP Wondermouse
The Boss Lady is gone.
Shortly after Lesley left for college a kitten appeared on our side gate. She was a ball of white fur with smoky lavender smudges on her her nose, tail, and two feet. She demanded to be brought in the house and quickly took over control of the older cats who lived with us at that time -- and all of the people. We named her Beatrice because she acted so like a little princess.
Through the years, as she got her grown up coloring, it became obvious that she was a Siamese and Tortie mix -- with the sassy and chatty personality that tends to go with both breeds. She was always a small cat who ruled the larger cats in our household. In the summer of 2009 I blogged about her waking me up in the middle of the night to scoop out her box.
A few months ago she decided that the trip to our bed was just too much for her and she has been sleeping in her chair in our family room. Three weeks ago she was getting on the dining table and jumping to the kitchen counter -- slowly and painfully, but managing. Just Friday she came into the kitchen as soon as she heard me opening a can of tuna (I drain the water into little bowls and the cats have their treat).
Suddenly last night she was unable to make it even to the laundry room to urinate. She used the family room rug and couldn't get back onto her chair. I cleaned up the spot (cat owners often have carpet shampoo handy) and put her back on her chair. She whimpered when I picked her up and couldn't get comfortable on the chair. When I sat down by the chair and stroked her head she failed to purr for the first time. She was simply miserable.
We knew that the time had come. Luckily our vet is open and staffed on weekends for emergency services. When we decided to take her in we learned that she has lost over a pound in the past couple of weeks despite the steroids she was taking. We knew she was in pain and was ready to give up. She lay quietly while the vet gave her an injection and simply went to sleep.
We hope that as she moves on to the next of her nine lives she will give another family as much laughter and love as she has given ours.
RIP Beatrice Jean Charlotte Wondermouse Doig We will always cherish your memory.
Shortly after Lesley left for college a kitten appeared on our side gate. She was a ball of white fur with smoky lavender smudges on her her nose, tail, and two feet. She demanded to be brought in the house and quickly took over control of the older cats who lived with us at that time -- and all of the people. We named her Beatrice because she acted so like a little princess.
Through the years, as she got her grown up coloring, it became obvious that she was a Siamese and Tortie mix -- with the sassy and chatty personality that tends to go with both breeds. She was always a small cat who ruled the larger cats in our household. In the summer of 2009 I blogged about her waking me up in the middle of the night to scoop out her box.
A few months ago she decided that the trip to our bed was just too much for her and she has been sleeping in her chair in our family room. Three weeks ago she was getting on the dining table and jumping to the kitchen counter -- slowly and painfully, but managing. Just Friday she came into the kitchen as soon as she heard me opening a can of tuna (I drain the water into little bowls and the cats have their treat).
Suddenly last night she was unable to make it even to the laundry room to urinate. She used the family room rug and couldn't get back onto her chair. I cleaned up the spot (cat owners often have carpet shampoo handy) and put her back on her chair. She whimpered when I picked her up and couldn't get comfortable on the chair. When I sat down by the chair and stroked her head she failed to purr for the first time. She was simply miserable.
We knew that the time had come. Luckily our vet is open and staffed on weekends for emergency services. When we decided to take her in we learned that she has lost over a pound in the past couple of weeks despite the steroids she was taking. We knew she was in pain and was ready to give up. She lay quietly while the vet gave her an injection and simply went to sleep.
We hope that as she moves on to the next of her nine lives she will give another family as much laughter and love as she has given ours.
RIP Beatrice Jean Charlotte Wondermouse Doig We will always cherish your memory.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Wondermouse
Our elderly cat queen is obviously failing these days. We have seen a decline for months, but it seems to be going faster. She is still eating (result of the steroids mostly) and she can still get around a bit. She has taken to using the laundry room floor as her litter box (not such a big deal, we just have to clean up after her) and has decided that she is no longer a lap cat.
The younger cats are quite dismayed at her bathroom habits. They are ladies and gentlemen and try to cover up her gaffes by tossing sand out of the kitty box and scraping it over the wet spots.
She also has stopped cleaning herself properly and looks like a mangy old stray. She is nearly 100 in cat years, so I suppose she has earned the right to let herself go.
I'm visiting the vet with one of her younger sisters next week and will have a talk with Dr. E about how to know when it is time to let her go. We have lost many pets over the years, but it is always a sad thing to face.
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