Marilee J. Layman

06:16 pm: Fledglings!
I was worried because I've only seen two fledglings this year, but today there's half-a-dozen house finch fledglings and two cardinal fledglings!

I spent a few hours in the recliner with the heat and vibration last night and I feel fine today. I have to be more careful about standing/walking too long.

Lucila is here cleaning and Spirit has been brave and watching.

I had two bids on my livelongnmarry custom beadwoven necklace, and the first one was from someone who didn't have an LJ and couldn't know the second bid was made, so I offered to make her one, too, for her donated bid, and she's been giving me color and style elements. I'll have to spend some time in the workroom tonight.

Tags: birds, cats, health, jewelry

07:09 pm: Another Thunderstorm
And my little channel out front got clogged with some more mulch, so I went out and got the outside reacher from the storeroom off the porch and scraped another path which the water followed happily down under my porch, to the drain. Part of the problem is that someone has moved the concrete thing that the downspout is supposed to drain into -- putting the extra water out on the front lawn -- and so the water takes the least resistance to the front of the porch. One of the new renters in the next building stopped by and talked while I was hacking at ivy (I have lots of bruises to show from it!) and asked if I needed help. Maybe I'll ask him to put it back the next time I see him. He just graduated college and is looking for a job in graphic arts.

I have an unusually (Wow! Lightning hit about a half-block away -- Shiva ran down the hall) long list for the grocery store tomorrow, mostly because of the baby shower next Saturday, but partly because of coupons and sales that are interacting. I'll have to try hard to get up at a better time than lately.

Tags: cats, errands, weather

09:40 pm: Too Short
ETA - As soon as I posted that, I started hearing dripping in the utility room. I went to look and heard the noise coming from above. Drops of water were coming down the pipe that takes air from the air handler up into the condo's pipes. I put in towels and then knocked on Luke's door. He came and I asked if something was leaking in his utility room and he said yes, his air conditioner (air handler) was. He'd mopped it up, turned the AC off, and would call someone to come look in the morning. I told him not to get too hot -- he's 86 -- and to be sure to go to his daughter's if he did. The dripping has slowed and I swapped towels, so it looks like the only damage here might be stained drywall around the pipe or maybe replacing a bit.

I ran lots of errands today: taking trash and recycling out, mailing a book at the post office, getting a phenobarb level at Kaiser, buying cat food and snackies at the Petsmart in the same center as Kaiser (last time -- a new one opens just down the street from me next week), getting my hair cut*, dinner at Uno's (a wonderful new salad -- pears, gorgonzola, chunks of grilled chicken, grape halves, walnut halves, and craisins, on lettuce with a blueberry-pomegranate vinaigrette), and got gas.

* I wanted just the long back layer cut off because I'm getting heat rash on my neck, but she didn't understand and layered the entire back! She was able to blend the longer front in, so it's not too bad, just not what I had in mind. The top layer of the back is only about an inch shorter than the front, so it will grow out fairly reasonably. The next time it hits my neck, it'll be winter.

Shiva was yelling for dry food when I got home -- 7pm, much later than usual, and they usually get dry food at 4pm -- so I gave them that, put more seed out for the birds, and started working my way through the non-forum things I read.

Tags: cats, errands

08:01 pm: News and More
I found another Tom Toles cartoon to put on my fridge.

Today's WashPost has an interesting article on what happened to Michael Vick's dogs. One is now a certified therapy dog, some have been adopted, and others are still in shelters, learning to be nice dogs. It's hard to be a nice pit bull after a bad man makes you fight.

In Op-Ed, Marc Thiessen, who was a spokesman for Helms, tells us how good Helms was and why we're so wrong.

I got groceries today and have started washing cat blankies. We just had a light rain that made it cool enough to open the windows until dark, so Shiva is smelling the outdoors. Miss Girl is still in the recliner. I've found out how to get her to eat enough gooshy food. I almost split a can between her and Shiva (he gets a bit more) and I have to stay at the counter corner until she either eats it all or leaves by herself. If I move, she'll assume I'm going to give her snackies right then, and will head for the living room while Shiva finishes her plate. She's starting to get a little fat back.

I emailed Loren MacGregor last night because I hadn't heard from him for a long time and he had posted on ML, and his wife has come up with a great Cafe Press site!

Tags: cats, errands, news, politics

05:22 pm: Nudity in DC!
My gosh! How could anybody come to DC when there's so much nudity here! Or so thinks Texas GOP delegate Robert Hurt. He was not able to convince the party to add his plank of forbidding nude statues to the platform, but he thinks "You don't have nude art on your front porch," and I think we should help him out with that.

It's overcast and humid here, I'd be happy with some rain. The cats are asleep and I may be soon, too.

Tags: cats, politics

07:20 pm: Great Cholesterol!
I got my lipid panel results back and not only is everything in the right range, it's well on the good side of the range! I haven't had results this good since before I got sick! It has to be the fish oil capsules the primary had me start taking.

I can hear the cars at the Speedway. It's a few miles away, but I've always enjoyed the sound on summer Fridays and Saturdays. Some developer bought it and will start building houses after the season is over, but maybe the housing economy will be bad enough he'll keep leasing it to the Speedway.

I went and got money for next week and ate at Tony's -- Greek salad, garlic bread, and iced tea -- and then came home and noticed the fountain was off. I went into the guest bathroom and the GFCI was off, so I got a screwdriver and pushed the Reset (I found out last year that I'm not strong enough to push it without a tool) in and the fountain started. This happens when it gets really wet, and since I don't use the outlets in the bathrooms, I don't know about it being off unless I have the fountain set up and it isn't running.

The rains yesterday left very wet seed with green on the birdfeeder and I had just a few things in the dishwasher, so I took them out and washed the feeder. Now it's drying, but in the meantime, I put some seed on the porch. I also got out the reacher in the storeroom because more mulch made a big pool yesterday and I made a more permanent channel to the hole down to the drain under my porch. As long as I was on the porch with the reacher, I pulled volunteers -- a lot of them were from my upstairs neighbors begonias. I should probably leave those. The maples have to come up, though. I didn't work on the ivy, though, I'd done enough leaning, so maybe tomorrow.

Shiva is very excited about all the mourning doves eating from the seed on the porch and is flat on the ground in front of the screen door (I opened the windows), just waiting for one to come close enough he can get it through the screen. Spirit has spent the morning in the recliner.

While I was out, I saw two good vanity plates. Here's a reference everyone will get: LTB OHMY and one that some will: IAM LOST.

Tags: cats, errands, health, politics

05:42 pm: Another Sweltering Day
I actually turned the light off last night at 4am and planned to be up at noon, which is normal recently, but I kept turning and moving and I realized I hurt too much to sleep. So I got up and took some pain meds. I went back to bed and was still tossing and turning at 6am, so I took more pain meds, put my robe on, brought the newspapers in/by Luke's door, and sat and watched almost an hour L&O:SVU on USA. Then I went to bed and right to sleep. So when the alarm beeped, I turned it off and slept until 2pm. So much for getting back to a normal schedule.

Then I took two DVDs to the post office, got money for next week, and had lunch at Tony's -- mushroom and tomato foccacia and iced tea -- and home. There was a catalog destined for the mixed paper recycling and another DVD in the mail. The cats were curled up in the recliner and didn't move until just now.

My right blinker indicator is solid, which means I need a new lamp, so I'll drop the van at the shop after I get groceries and bring them home on Monday. As I pulled into the shopping center with Tony's, I could see a woman waiting to pull out cussing at me because I didn't have my blinker on, but I don't think she would have seen my left arm raised through the minivan, either.

Tags: cats, errands, sleep, van

07:44 pm: Chocoholics Rejoice!
Mars is developing a tougher stronger cacao tree so you won't be without chocolate!

It's Code Orange today so I wasn't supposed to go out, but my check came, so I went directly to the bank and came directly home and was only coughing the last few minutes. Then I paid bills. The new 50-pound batch of birdseed came today, just in time, and I maneuvered it to the sliding glass door and after 8pm, when the warning goes away, I'll go put it in the metal container.

I read ICHC every day, but don't normally put them in my LJ. However, this one seems designed for me:



So everybody gets to keep a gun at home. Statistics show that most guns kept at home hurt or kill someone other than an intruder. This is because people don't learn how to keep guns or how to use them properly and they don't practice on the range. I wonder if DC can put that kind of requirement on keeping guns at home.

Tags: cats, food, politics, weather

06:59 pm: The Neurologist's Appointment
ETA: Sometimes brain seizures can be subtle, and look like dissociative episodes -- now that makes more sense.

It's the longest drive I have to a doctor and soon after I got on I-95 north, we slowed down to 25mph. I wondered if I'd have to call and explain why I was late, but the speed picked back up after we passed an area where there was work on the side of the road. I got there about 30 minutes early and they took me right in. The neurologist is not sure what's wrong, since I've lost weight, which would not normally make my phenobarb level go down. She also noted some odd things that have happened to me recently as "dissociative episodes" -- not my favorite phrase. (On the way up, I had turned the steering wheel on a curve and wondered why the dashboard didn't turn, too, then I remembered that of course, it wasn't supposed to, and then I thought "Oh no!" -- that kind of thing.) I also told her Dad had died of Alzheimer's and she interrupted me and said "no, no, no." So apparently I'm not showing any signs of that.

I had a phenobarb level taken at that lab and then headed home. I'm to increase the phenobarb by 17.2mg tonight and take another level in two weeks. There was a place on I-95 south where a pair of State Police (first a car, then a motorcycle) were clearly watching for speeders to catch, but since we were going 15mph, I think that was a waste. After I got onto the Prince William Parkway, I stopped at an Uno's and had dinner. I'd been craving a chunk of meat, so I had steak, mashed potatoes, and a Caesar salad and then headed on home.

The news says the Washington Animal Rescue League has rescue cats and dogs again, but this time from Iowa where people have lost everything and can't support themselves, much less their pets. I wish I could afford another cat. Shiva has been sitting next to me -- he must be psychic, we're going to take a nap now.

Tags: cats, health

08:36 pm: Water Goddess
Yes, well, not quite. It's raining again, although not big storms, and the mulch in front of my porch was about to float off into the street because the landscape people always put it in so it blocks the openings to under my porch, where there's a drain that empties down some steps. So I went out with my reacher and scraped a channel to the closest recent opening and then used the end to move stuff out, and voila! Now the water is going from the drainpipe to the opening and out the drain to the lawn out back. When I bought the condo, my porch was 2" above the ground. After 16.5 years of mulch, the mulch is almost equal to the floor of the porch. I have to email management about it.

I did manage to stay up until regular bedtime this morning, but then I slept 11 hours. It's still only three more and I probably would have slept four or five extra last night, so it's probably better. Last night, Spirit heard Shiva charging after her and she smacked him in the face. This morning, they scuffled for a second or so twice, but he hasn't grabbed her again yet.

NBC says Tom Brokaw is going to run Meet the Press until after the elections -- that gives them time to decide who to pick.

Tags: cats, sleep, weather

09:13 pm: Hail!
It was 86F today and a storm just blew in with hail! Weather is unstable!

Shiva hasn't grabbed Spirit (while I've been home and awake) for more than 24 hours, so maybe he'll cut down on that.

We had bookgroup today and went to the other end of the county (only fair, about a third of the group comes from there) to eat at Famous Dave's. They're not designed to handle groups of seven well; fortunately, we're friendly. As I walked to our tables, a woman said "I like your shirt!" and I just said "Thanks!" instead of "I have ten tie-dye shirts!" The bookgroup is used to seeing me in tie-dye.

I'm tired and full, so I may nap before I finish online.

Tags: bookgroup, cats, weather

06:52 pm: Cooking!
Sorta. The Zojirushi Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker is cooking pearl barley in fat-free chicken broth. In a bit, I'll put oil and a dab of butter in a small pyrex casserole and add onions, zap, add mushrooms, zap, and then keep warm in the toaster oven. To be mixed when the barley is done.

The rheumatologist released the labs she ordered and they're all normal except for increased leukocytes and increased C-Reactive Protein. The first is because of the autoimmune diseases and the second means I have inflammation somewhere. I've had that for about six months and we haven't figured it out yet.

The birdfeeder went through the dishwasher last night and was dry by 2am, but I didn't feel like taking it out then, so I took it out this morning. The birds are happy. No squirrels yet.

Shiva scared Spirit so much last night with grabbing her, that she stood on the printer and yelled. I carried her down to the bed, where she stayed with me. Shiva came in and yelled because she was on the bed and left. When I woke up later, Spirit was gone and Shiva was sleeping with me. Then when I woke up for good, nobody was there. I think Shiva is jealous that Spirit is spending time with me in the bed. Back when Giorgio was alive, he and Spirit would come say goodnight and then sleep in the recliner. Shiva would come and sit with me while I read and then either cuddle up or sleep at the bottom of the bed when I slept. Most mornings, all three of them were cuddled up at the bottom.

Well, Giorgio isn't here anymore and Spirit is spending my reading time with me and I think Shiva is jealous. Spirit has just very gingerly climbed onto the couch to sit next to Shiva. He isn't paying attention to her, but he hasn't grabbed her, either.

Tags: birds, cats, food, health

08:31 pm: The Overseen
I was up late working on my friend's website text so I got up late today. While I've been sitting at the computer, Shiva has been sitting on the half-wall next to me, literally overseeing me. I tried to get the camera to take a picture, but he was too interested in me opening the drawer and moved.

I'd normally wash sheets today, but I've been putting off washing clothes and they'll take too long. Tomorrow I wash cat blankies, so Tuesday I'll wash sheets. Lucila isn't coming Tuesday; I asked her to skip a session, so she'll come the first. I'm just way off schedule and I don't think I could manage to get up in time for her to clean. I'll work on moving back to my normal in the next couple of weeks, but I've hit another period of being really sleepy.

I remembered to put cat food on the grocery list for tomorrow.

Tags: cats, sleep

08:18 pm: The Heat Has Broken!
The news said the last time we had a June with four 95F+ days in a row was 1925. We'll get that in August without any records (I hope), but it's nice to be back to the high 80s without so much humidity.

I had to separate Shiva from Spirit again -- I don't know why he wants to grab her. I took the trash and recycling out and then got groceries. I just spent way too much time looking at a friend's jewelry website. I have some earrings from her that I love.

I expect this to be a quiet week, which is nice.

Tags: cats, errands, jewelry, weather

09:22 pm: Out Of the House!
The neuro nurse woke me up and I have an appointment on the 24th. She offered me one each of the next Fridays, but they were both 8:30am and I'd crash on the way. The guys finished the lining on the topping right before the storm struck and I went out after to get the van. Lost balance twice, but no falling. The topping squeaks under my shoes, like rubber. I took the copies of last year's taxes to the post office to mail out to the private disability people -- partly because I was so glad to be out and partly because the longer it takes to send them, the more they think you're trying to cheat them. It was much cooler outside, I could have the van windows down!

Shiva's excitement has been getting a bit over the top. Twice last night he grabbed Spirit and held her with his gums. He really scared her, and the second time I caught her and brought her to bed with me, since he can't hurt her there. (I don't think she was hurt -- no teeth to make holes -- but she had big wet areas of fur where his mouth was.) Today he's been attacking the wood grain in the laminate. I keep offering toys, but he's not very interested.

I just ate, so I don't know if I'm better yet or not. We'll see.

Tags: cats, health, weather

09:24 pm: Better Now
I think it was probably just food poisoning. Apparently there's salmonella going around in tomatoes and they're not allowed to be served/sold raw until they figure out what's going on.

I spent most of the day sleeping in the recliner yesterday, getting up for water/rehydration fluid and toast, and Shiva woke me up for faucet water at 10:30pm and I realized I needed to move the van. So I gave him water from the sink while I put shoes on and headed out. As I expected, the most convenient line was filled, but the next line had a spot and I took that. I didn't recognize any of the cars, so I had to hope that the one I picked to stabilize on as I stepped up on the sidewalk didn't have an alarm. Then along the sidewalk down to where I rested on the retaining walls twice, another car to step down from (I knew this one didn't alarm), and across to my curbcut and inside.

It was only 77F outside, but I was totally wet. Not sweating, humidity. I actually went to bed at 6am and went out to get the newspapers first and the entire building was wet from the humidity. The heat index here was 102F today, so the topping is kind of convenient because I can't go out anyway. I have to stay in until the change hits on Wednesday.

They did the topping today and must have used some kind of a blower to get the sand and stuff off the pavement, and that blew it into the windows. Shiva was under the covers off and on for a few hours. Every time the motor came close and then the sand blew, he was under. The last time was close enough that he hid in the shower. My TAB neighbors looked disgruntled that they had to walk about a block.

I got up late and have had more toast and some chicken noodle soup and it's setting better. I still feel a little off, but I'm sure that will change.

Tags: cats, condo, health

05:05 pm: Not Online Today
I read email, but I'm just going to post this and then be off for the day. I either have the flu or food poisoning and I hurt like crazy.

Shiva is crazy today -- he's been dashing and jumping and playing -- and it makes me wonder just how long his teeth hurt him, if this is because he feels so much better now.

Tags: cats, health

06:36 pm: Shiva Is Nuts!
He's still playing with the crayon-smelling bracelet and has been trapping and ignoring (cycle) a bit of paper I crumpled up. Such a silly boy.

And then while I was settling into the recliner with the duvet, Shiva started chasing Spirit because he wanted to dash. She didn't want to dash and took refuge on the duvet. I set my phone to alarm at 9pm, but it made the "feed me!" dings before that and I turned it off so I woke up at 11:00pm. I don't hurt as much (no recliners in ERs) and I don't think I'm as sleepy.

I didn't do much today -- I was up late early this morning finishing LJ & ML and so I slept in. Then I started online and then I had a nap. I think the next few days will be similar, but with less sleeping. We have a heat advisory Sunday and Monday. I'd normally stay in Sunday anyway and I'd planned to stay in Monday since they'll be topping our section then and the van will be back out in the circle, so I don't think it will affect me very much, but there are still areas with lots of people who don't have power. Many cities are already setting up heat relief centers. It isn't the actual temperature that will be so bad, but the humidity has struck early, so the heat index will be over 100F.

Tags: cats, sleep, weather

08:41 pm: Daylight, or Not
Well, I slept from 8pm to midnight yesterday, finished up online, read two old papers, went to bed to read another 90 minutes, and turned the light off and went to sleep at 9am. Oh, and I brought the paper in, leaving Luke's at his door, after it was light and I used the reacher. So I set the alarm for 3pm and actually slept until 4pm.

I had checked to see if the birdfeeder was dry at 7:30am before I went to bed to read, and it was moldy, even in dry spots, so I brought it in and put it in the (fortunately empty) dishwasher and ran it. I got up to open the door before I turned the light out so it could dry, and then put it out and filled it up after I got up this afternoon. I'm washing bed linens today and Lucila came by to say they had an appointment for Jesus on Tuesday and would Monday or Wednesday be better for me? Wednesday is, and that's what I changed on my week list. I ordered from Peapod -- it was eight weeks this time, so I ordered eight weeks worth of the heavy and bulky things.

It seems to have been twilight for a long time, and cool enough that we could have the windows open again. Shiva has been begging for more soft food but I would like him to eat more dry food. Then again, if I don't have to buy dry food, maybe all soft food is not so bad. Hmmm. I set the VCR to watch the new USA show, In Plain Sight, which is about a US Marshall running a witness protection program in the desert. Apparently she does what she thinks is right, no matter the law. It'll give me some beading time later tonight, even if I don't watch more than the pilot. Laurel thinks you need to watch more than the pilot to really get the feel, so maybe I will (remember, her times are CT).

Tags: birdseed, cats, food, health, laundry, weather

07:20 pm: Conscience
The WashPost has a column on Mondays titled "The Department of Human Behavior." I always look forward to it and in my catching up on newspapers, read Where the Conscience Meets the Checkbook last night. Studies show that we are more likely to give money to people we can see in person than to far away people. Governments are more likely to give money to large home projects (Sydney's Opera House) than to foreign disaster (Burma's cyclone a few decades back).

There's a sidebar on the Hunger Paradox. The US could save $2.5M every year by ramping up existing federal programs, but people don't go for that because they assume that charities will operate without their money.

The article also contains a "rational" method of giving -- it's better to give to Oxfam than a homeless person you pass on the street because Oxfam will get more use out of the money. Sure, but are they helping the homeless person? Why can't we do both? Help those immediately and those remotely at the same time?

In less political news, Shiva had his post-surgical checkup today and the dental vet said he was fine. He's healing well and has a few stitches yet to absorb. Shiva also started eating dry food today (Spirit is complaining that I'm not giving them other food). The tooth bit, or whatever has either gone back into the gum or come completely out. The dental vet refused to take any responsibility for the abscess. 45 minutes in, five minutes recheck, 45 minutes home. Argh.

Even though I had eight hours of sleep last night (went to bed early), I was drowsy on the drive home and slept for a few hours in the recliner when I got home.

The van passed emissions this morning before the mechanic came to get me, so that's done. I've renewed my registration online, and as long as I was doing that sort of thing, I ordered a certified copy of my birth certificate. I have a little card with a stamp on it with my birth certificate info, but I don't think that would work for a lot of things.

The condo organization is resurfacing the parking lots/streets on Monday and Tuesday and I hope they're wrong on how long it will take the new surface to dry (they say 24 hours). Otherwise, we will have all 300 or so cars trying to find places to park offsite. We resurfaced when I was president, and the surfaces were dry by late afternoon so it was easy to move to the other section. The upper area gets done Monday and our area on Tuesday.

Tags: cats, paving, politics, van

08:52 pm: Is Your Fountain Running?
Mine is! I got the 50 pounds of seed into the metal container, too. Now my wrist hurts, but I hope sleep will fix it since we need to leave at 11am for the dental vets tomorrow. The shop was still fiddling with the exhaust when they closed tonight, so they'll do what they can tomorrow (maybe fix it) and have it ready for me to drive at 11am. I have next week quite open so I can leave it there Monday night if I need to. The van already qualifies for two of the rules for exemption on emissions; the third rule is that the repairs would be more than $652. So maybe it will be exempt.

Spirit has hit another level of blindness -- she has to hoover the floor for snackies (Shiva is still not eating hard things). It sounds funny: snuffle snuffle snuffle crack chew snuffle snuffle. But the odd thing is that she's started play-disembowelling the gator again. When she runs across it on the living room floor, she disembowels it, then sticks it partway under the couch, then pulls it out and disembowels it again. She does that a few times a day. And then Shiva rolls around where she's attacked it -- I think the catnip essence must be strong there.

Tags: birdseed, cats, fountain, van

06:04 pm: Out and About
Shiva had his last antibiotic dose this morning, but he was still mad at me. I went to the library and picked up Alma's two new books, dropped the graduation card at the post office, and then had my psych appointment. He thinks the Celexa is fine and I'm to see him again in four months. (I have a number to call him if I need to, but I don't expect to need it.) Then I had the labs the rheumatologist wanted done and got gas. I've had and have a lot of longer trips this month, so I think it's two fillups this month instead of one.

I got home and Shiva was in the safe haven because the landscapers were here. He's afraid of loud motors. If I'm home, I can reassure him and he usually stays out, but I wasn't here.

Not enough sleep last night again (I didn't read before sleeping, I thought just going to bed might work and it didn't) so I'm going to have a short nap again.

Tags: cats, errands, health

04:42 pm: Three PM...
...is the moment for silence and memory. It probably made a difference that I lived on Navy bases and was a Navy brat, but we always had memorial things on memorial days. I don't think that happens as much anymore.

Shiva did his stay-under-the-covers thing again, but he still got his Clindamycin. Two more doses -- I think we'll both be happy. I got groceries and bought a graduation card for a teen I haven't seen in a few years. The picture that came with the announcement shows a bright, classy person I wouldn't recognize.

I had to reload the reusable bags outside the Giant again. I asked the bagger to balance them weight-wise and he didn't understand what I wanted. At first I thought it was language problems, but later it became obvious that he had mental limitations. The cashier told him "just put a few things in each bag" and I decided not to argue that that wasn't what I asked for, and so I rearranged things outside. While I was doing it, I got a divot taken out of the back of my right hand. I don't know by what, but I had blood dripping from my hand by the time I got to the van and I sat in the heat with frozen things for a few minutes while I held a kleenex tight on it. It's a little crescent, that would be an interesting scar.

I'm going to start washing the cat blankies and then take a timed nap. I really want to get up when the alarm rings!

Tags: cats, errands, health

06:48 pm: Funny Picture


That's from fengtastic.com's uploads for May, but I don't see it on the column.

It's not quite that exciting here today -- Shiva took up only half the bed under the covers last night and stayed there when I got up, so I was able to ready his meds before I got him. He tucks his head under my chin as if it will save him. He had the last of the pain meds, but there's antibiotics until Tuesday. The abscess is completely dry.

We have another nice day -- a good temperature to have the windows open, which doesn't usually happen this long here. Spring and fall are usually two weeks each. The cats are on the heating pad smelling the outside through the open kitchen window.

Tags: cats, weather.

07:31 pm: Nice Quiet Day...
...other than giving Shiva meds and warm compresses. He's definitely feeling better and the abscess appears to have stopped abscessing and is partially scabbed.

I woke up from my nap yesterday at 11:30pm and was online until 3:30am and then read an old newspaper to keep up. I went to bed late enough that I got up at 2pm today. My eye was stuck together both times again, but it was easier to get open today and it didn't scream "swollen" anymore.

I got money for next week and had lunch at Tony's. I had one of their specials, I forget what they called it, but pieces of tender veal with mushrooms and asparagus on penne in a light brown sauce. Plus salad and garlic bread, and my usual iced tea. More laundry, and I just went down to sit on the bed and put the clips in to keep my hair out of my eyes. Spirit followed and I spent 10 minutes petting her tummy and telling her how pretty she was.

The ER vet staff called to see how Shiva was, and agreed that he didn't need to be seen until the dental vet sees him on Friday. So my duty tonight is more compresses, another batch of meds, and a couple more old newspapers after online.

Tags: cats, food, health

06:30 pm: A Day of Semi-Rest
Since I usually go to sleep at 4am, I thought I might be able to just stay up until 7am when the car shop opens, but that didn't work. I set the alarm for 9am, took the car over, drove back, and one of the mechanics drove it back to the shop. I called the dental vet and he insisted that he had done nothing wrong and didn't need to see Shiva again until next Friday, when it was scheduled. Big ego. I reset the alarm for 2pm and woke up with my right eye swollen shut. I got it open, flushed out cat hair, and gave Shiva his first meds today. Then he ate most of a plate of soft food. I'll need to give him smaller amounts. Spirit had all of her packet food, plus the snackies.

I got a call about 5pm that the shop had replaced the front brake pads, lubed the driver's door hinges (it was squeaking), and filled the window washer fluid. However, the van failed the emissions inspection -- the NOx was too high. Fortunately, my current sticker lasts until the end of June, so I had them send a mechanic over and I drove back and paid for what was done so far. The shop isn't open again until Tuesday, and I have doctor's appointments on Tuesday and Wednesday, so we put it on the schedule for Thursday to work on the emissions.

My rheumatologist wrote that "Monday is fine" so apparently she forgot it was a holiday, too. My appointment on Tuesday is at Manassas, so I'll get the labs done then. I just finished a load of towels and hankies -- having a goopy cat uses those up quickly.

I'm going to take a nap. I'm still short a couple hours of sleep and I'm hoping I'll see better out of my right eye if I have it closed for a while.

Tags: cats, health, van

10:28 pm: Doctors For Me, Shiva, and the Van
Yes, quite a day.

I had a rheumatology appt today and wore a skirt because I knew she'd want to look at this place on my upper leg. It hurts a lot when I get up from sitting. She says it's just a lipoma and it doesn't like stretching after being scrunched for so long. I've been having a lot of pain at the base of my right index finger, some swelling, and I don't have full range of motion. I was thinking arthritis; she thinks it's gout, so my colchicine is increasing.

I also told her that the opthalmologist wanted me to take Restasis for my dry eyes ($100/month!) and that Restasis is just cyclosporine in an opthalmic solution. I'd looked back and this dryness -- the IVs and then rehydration fluid, dry eyes, dry skin -- all started when we stopped the cyclosporine, which is what saved my life in the second renal failure. So I was supposed to do some new labs today to check for a new autoimmune disease.

I stopped at home to change into pants (it's hard to get in and out of the car in a skirt) and found Shiva still in the safe haven. Yesterday I saw Shiva's chin was swollen and I touched it gently and he recoiled, so I was going to call the dental vets today, but I got home too late. There was no indication he'd been out of the safe haven while I was gone -- so I pulled him out. I took him to the bed to look at his chin and I touched it *really* gently and big gushes of reddish-yellow goop came out. He has an abscess. Fortunately, my container of hankies is right there, and I was able to get all the stuff that came out from that tiny touch. Then I changed to pants and called the emergency vet and told them what was happening and that we would be on our way. I got him in the carrier and out and there.

The vet cleaned the wound, opened it up a bit, and blood clots came out as well as more goop. He has a little fever, but then, he has an abscess. His back gums are swollen, but the front is healing well, except there's a bit of tooth sticking up (it may be coming out from the surgery). They shaved the bottom of his chin and it's all bruised, too. They gave him an NSAID shot and a bolus of sub-q fluid and gave me more pain meds and an antibiotic for him and I need to put warm compresses on his chin a few times a day, to draw out the goop.

On the way home, something on the right side of the car started sounding metal-on-metal, changing incidence proportionately with the speed, and the van smelled "hot." So when I got home, I left him in the cage for a minute while I swapped out towels in the safe haven. Then I let him out and he was much more active than he's been the last couple of days and wanted food, and he ate some of the soft food without water. I gave Spirit her dinner, too, then called the car shop and explained to their voice mail what was happening and I'll set the alarm for 8am or so and take it over and come back. I don't want to drive something that smells hot.

So no labs tomorrow (I emailed and explained) and no taking him to the dental vet tomorrow (I'll call them). My upstairs neighbor would loan me his car and I *might* go for that, but it's very low and the door doesn't open wide, and it's really hard for me to get in and out. Then again, the doctor and dental vet may be insistent. What a day.

Tags: cats, health, van

07:31 pm: A Sleepy Day
Lucila was here today and even though I slept while she cleaned, when she left, I went and told Shiva she was gone and I was going to sleep more and he followed me back to the living room. We slept another 2.5 hours with Spirit tucking in under the top of the covers for the last 40 minutes or so. It's chilly and damp outside again and it will be in the 60s the rest of the week. The local NBC weatherguy said this is the rainiest May in 55 years, so we'll have to watch more for mosquitoes.

Shiva ate the new canned food happily, and Spirit had some, too. I think we may move to that when they finish the current packets. The two of them would share half a can a day and that makes it about 21 cents a day cheaper, plus the cans are recyclable.

snippy was kind enough to receive the fax from the journalist and make it into a PDF. The fax looks like it's from the actual newpaper page and some elements didn't come through well. The numbers that look scribbled over are actually a gray highlight that showed which had the higher amount. In any case, this should bring some idea of the benefits former presidents get.

Tags: cats, politics, sleep

08:08 pm: Gee, Officer Blondie!
I stopped at the police HQ on the way to the grocery. My neighbor who is terrified about the coyotes told me she was going to get a gun. I told her she couldn't get a gun (she's bipolar, won't take her meds, is manic almost all the time, has been arrested a few times because she shoplifts when she's manic) and she said she knew where she could get one. While we were talking, she was holding a giant serrated meat knife. So I stopped by and talked to a nice young officer whose name I decided not to put up instead of Krupke. First, my neighbor isn't allowed to have a gun; second, she won't learn to shoot it and she's much more likely to shoot a person or into a building -- by accident -- than to shoot a coyote; and third, in her rare depressive moods, she might hurt herself. The officer took her information and said she would put in an information ticket, so the officers would watch out. She said I should try to find out where my neighbor would get the gun. I'm the only person here who will talk to her, so I'm sure she'll be back.

The Giant has completely rearranged the right-hand side of the building and I had passed the young woman at the entrance before I realized she said "Directory?" I had to ask a guy holding one about the bread aisle, which is now nowhere near the bakery and artisan bread. I picked up some canned cat food -- Shiva wouldn't eat the last of the AD plain, but I mixed less than a teaspoon of water in and he licked it up -- so I hope he'll eat these and then move back to regular food.

Another of my neighbors, who emails with me, offered me her doggy steps (her dog won't use them) for Spirit to get to the table with the heating pad. I can't get to her condo because of the steps and she can't get out of her condo (83 and heart problems), so another neighbor just dropped them off. I put them up next to the table and Spirit immediately started sniffing at them and in the process, stepped up them to the heating pad. Shiva hasn't paid any attention to them yet.

My second pair of reading glasses, in purple, arrived today. I increased the prescription by 25 on both sides and they're perfect for the computer! So these will stay here and I'll keep moving the red ones between the recliner and bed for a couple of months before I get a third pair.

Tags: cats, glasses, grocery, guns

07:32 pm: Saturday AND Sunday
Two days in one post -- I'm conserving!

I know one of our bookgroup members sometimes skims my LJ (which is fine), but that was why I didn't tell about getting "triffids" -- lucky bamboo -- to take to bookgroup. When I realized they were being used as wedding favors, I figured they were cheap enough for me to make a good joke, and they are. I bought plastic glasses for them at the grocery Monday and when I got home, they were in the parcel locker, shipped Priority Mail. I put them in my quart measure for the night and the thing I was looking for on Tuesday while Shiva had his teeth pulled were the "river rocks." I sat one night this week and made up the cups and they had already started growing a good bit by Friday night when I packed them into my rolling crate (with a bit of crumpled paper) and put it into the workroom.

Saturday, I towed the crate and carried my bag with my usual stuff in it out to the car. I stopped for this coming week's money (the credit union is on the way to the library) and then when I pulled into the parking lot, I saw the boy scout of the evening getting out of their car and I asked him to come carry something for me. So he carried the bag (then his dad took it from him) and I towed the "triffids" in. Unfortunately, I had to tell them they were triffids, but they still seemed pleased to have them. I'd printed out instructions for everybody. I have five here at home in a single big vase. I'll talk about the book in the next post.

After meeting, we went to the boy scout spaghetti dinner and auction. I was making jokes about how they didn't know which sides to serve to and remove from, but seriously, they need a lot more training and coordination. Some folks got their first serving 90 minutes after the event started. The only reason I did anything with boy scouts was because of our boy scout (his folks go to bookgroup and he goes to dinner with us), but I'm really tempted to tell them how to run it next year anyway.

The pieces I'd donated went for quite reasonable amounts, considering the event. I had dressed in a black blouse with round neckline and black pants wearing Melissa's collar and after I walked around the auction items (most donated by stores and restaurants) and bid on one I didn't get, I sat down on a padded bench to wait for the rest of our group to finish looking. A woman came over and asked if I was with the boy scout family and I said yes and she asked if I'd made the beaded pieces and I said yes and she said she thought so because I looked artistic. (!) I told her not to worry, that I didn't have any ego in this and whatever they went for was money for them and she relaxed and said she was worried about that because so many artists get upset if they don't get enough for their donations.

Then her mother came over and hugged me and we had an interesting talk on how much she liked the necklace I donated and how she was determined to win. I explained what dichroic was and that it was developed for the space shuttle and so forth. Lots of other women asked me if I'd made those pieces and when I said yes, said how much they liked them. That was nice, it was just a lot of being "up" after being "up" for bookgroup. And then the tables had the folding metal chairs. But I got up from mine twice fairly easily -- I really am getting stronger.

By the time I got home I was just worn out and I hurt a lot so I read email and put in the daily post and then slept in the recliner from 9pm to 3:30am. I read about three hours and then slept in the bed (without Shiva under the covers) for eight hours. Today I'm washing bed linens. I squirted Shiva's pain meds (two more to go) in his more-solid-than-liquid AD slurry and he licked it right up. Spirit thought she should get more food than she did, so I furminated her (which is unnecessary, but she likes it) and then went and got a handful of hair off the side of Shiva he presented to me on the heating pad. Now online and probably an early evening.

Tags: auction, books, boy scouts, cats, laundry, triffids

07:36 pm: Solicitor, Shiva, Strange Dream
A guy came to the door last night selling alarm systems and when I told him I didn't need that, he said I should have Life Alert and when I told him I didn't need that, he implied that I was an idiot to say no. So I shut the door in his face.

Shiva still isn't relating the pain meds to less pain, so I had to actually tip the safe haven cage and slide him out to give him pain meds. He wouldn't eat plain AD so I put some water in and he had some. Now they're both on the heating pad.

Last night, I woke up and he was under the covers with me, on a bare little bit next to the edge. I woke up because I needed to pee, so I sort of bridged my knees over him and turned carefully and when I got back, he was stretched out in the middle of the bed, under the covers. I ended up sleeping diagonally.

I had a weird dream before waking up today -- it was back when Rick and I were teenagers and I was his guardian. I was in our apartment when I heard our stepmother's voice outside on the landing. When I opened the door, the landing suddenly became a big fancy hall, all decorated in white, and she was talking to a lot of other women and she was saying she was leaving. I asked why she was leaving and she said she had to have Crab Louie and she got into a tiny car with her daughter in it, and flew out an open window. I watched it go into the distance and then when I turned back to the hall, it was decorated in black.

Now, when I had that phone call with her after Dad died, and I mentioned how she'd taken the kids and gone to a hotel when he wanted any of them to do something they didn't want to do, she called it "running away." So I suppose it might have something to do with that. But I dunno, I don't remember her ever mentioning Crab Louie, and why wasn't her son with her? Dreams are strange.

Tags: cats, dreams

07:48 pm: Shiva Is Getting Better
Last night he sat with us in the recliner for a while (drooled like crazy, I'm changing the towel in his safe haven twice a day) and then went down to sleep on the cat blankie on the bed. After a while I went down and petted him and he purred. He came back out and tried a piece of dry food and spit it out, then ran down the hall again. After I turned out the light, he came and snuggled like he usually does, but wetly.

When I got up today, he was back in the safe haven and I had to pull the towel out to get him out and give him his pain meds. He came out here and hid under an end table. I gave him some very watery AD slurry and he ate all of that. Then I headed off to get more bird seed. It takes about five days to deliver the seed I ordered online and I need more before that. When I got home and put the new seed in the metal trash-can-looking container, I saw bright scratches on the edges where the squirrel had tried to open it.

While I was out there, a woman came across the street and I recognized her -- she used to serve at Pizza Hut before I stopped going because of the rude manager. She had her baby and when she wanted to go back, he wouldn't take her. So now she's working at Mamma Mia's (and she thinks I should come have pizza there) and living diagonally from me. Her family (husband, two kids) are renting from the Hispanic family who used to live there (the ones who started out with eight people and ended up with three) and are already having problems. She had recognized my van and when I was out on the porch with the seed, came over to say Hi. From where I was sitting, I could see a small fan in the master bedroom window, which is not allowed. I asked her about it and she said they found out after they moved in that the heating and air-conditioning doesn't work and the owners said they'd fix it and brought the fan. That's not enough here, and isn't acceptable to our bylaws, either. I told her there'd be a problem and she said she'd talk to them again. The baby has dark curly hair and pretty dark eyes.

Shiva just came out to sit on the heating pad and smell the outdoors and Spirit came to sit with him.

Tags: birds, cats

07:46 pm: Barely Moving
Me and Shiva. He has the attitude -- he's still really mad at me -- but I was able to get the pain med in just on the bed (only has to go in the mouth, not down the throat). And the dental vet just called and the woman at the desk gave me the wrong two things to watch -- it's attitude and elimination. It's okay if he doesn't eat or drink until Saturday, even. He's definitely been eliminating (had an IV during surgery). So I went down to tell him that and he'd had some of the very watery AD slurry I'd taken down earlier.

He shed like crazy yesterday so I furminated him and misted the area with water and thought I got all the fur under control. But when I went to bed, I got hair in both eyes and had to take generic Benadryl, so I got up late and had trouble walking from walking so much yesterday. I had too much to do, though, so I did it.

I took trash and recycling out, then got more snackies at PetSmart and had lunch/dinner at Chili's. A friend told me the Big Mouth Bites (sliders) were really good and Chili's is in the same shopping center. I saw them as a platter, but with both onion straws and french fries, so I looked at the appetizers and ordered the appetizer (came with onion straws) plus a house salad. The server asked if I wanted the platter instead and I decided just to say no instead of explaining I'd purposely ordered that way to get the salad instead of the fries. They were very good, but the onion straws were amazing.

A friend came by to tell me that the reason I wasn't seeing feral cats anymore is because we have a group of coyotes in the woods behind the buildings (about 20 feet). The woods go linearly for miles following the sides of the branch, and apparently the coyotes have worked their way in this far. Now that they've killed all the small mammals (nobody's seen fox, deer, groundhogs, raccoons, etc., either), I guess they'll have to move further inward.

Now to start washing the cat blankies that I usually do on Mondays.

Tags: cats, errands, health

08:07 pm: Shiva Has No Teeth
He was really zonked out from pain meds when I brought him home and is sitting in my tile shower, I think for coolness.

We got there at 11:30, 30 minutes early, but didn't see the dentist until we'd been there 75 minutes. He took one look at Shiva's mouth and said "Those all have to come out." We did the discussing and then I signed a release and headed off to run some errands. I went to Star's Beads and I really didn't see very much new interesting stuff this time. She's cut her seeds in half and given that space to Hill Tribe silver, but not much else. I did buy some abalone carved flowers.

Then I went to Knossos for lunch to have souvlaki from a real Greek place. That was good. I stopped by the bakery next door and got a cinnamon roll for later. Then I went to Cox Farms and found they don't have a plant thing I need and that the other place I'd thought to try had closed. So I headed back up Maple Ave. looking for a florist or craft store. I hit a Michael's first and got them there, plus some yarn I need. I'd started having to stop every few steps to stabilize so I went back to the dental vets.

I took in two old WashPosts with me. My feet hurt a lot so I asked if I might take my shoes off and she said yes. As I sat down to start the papers, I saw a binder on their coffee table about their work at the National Zoo -- apparently they do all the mammal dental work -- the most well-known would be Tai Shan, the panda young'un. I finished the WPs about fifteen minutes before he was ready to go and we left at 5:45pm and got home at 6:45pm. I have syringes to squirt into his mouth for pain twice a day, if needed, and have to watch for attitude and drinking. He definitely has the attitude, but I just tried to get him to eat very watery AD slurry and he wouldn't. I'll take some water down in a bit.

The dishwasher just finished washing and they should air dry in a few minutes (from the heat when I opened it). Then I can put the birdfeeder in and wash it. It has green mold on it from all the rain. I brought it in before I left and poured a lot of seed on the porch. When I got back, it was gone and a little squirrel was trying to get my metal seed can open. I walked over and we looked at each other (he turned his head so he saw me with both beady eyes) and he kept working on it. Then I tapped on the window and he left.

Spirit is not sure about either of us. I'm not sure she's ever been alone this long before.

I need to call tomorrow to get a follow-up in two weeks. I was pretty sure what days I had doctor appointments on that week, but figured I should come home and check.

Tags: birdfeeder, cats, errands

05:30 pm: Reading By Flashlight
ETA: A friend who lives at the other end of the county sent his picture of the sinkhole.

I haven't done that in a long time, and our power hadn't gone out in more than a decade. I was getting ready for bed last night when the power went out and I went on -- putting in eyedrops, setting up the pillows, getting the book from the headboard -- and then realized I was going to need light to read. I got my windup flashlight and thought I should probably go pull the powersquids for the computer stuff and the TV stuff. I did that and then settled down to reading (tried the radio to see if anything exciting happened -- a big earthquake in China, 9K dead so far). Shiva walked in front of the flashlight once and made a nice shadow on the wall. I put the book away, the overnight blurring drops in my eyes and turned the flashlight off at 4:43 and the light by the bed came back on at 5:02am. I got up and plugged the TV powersquid back in -- the new VCR/DVD still had the programming to tape a soap opera today, but it didn't know what time it was. I gave the TV, VCR, and VCR/DVD the time and went back to bed.

We had an amazing amount of rain and wind last night, and since our power comes underground from the substation, either the substation went out or flooding got it. The other end of the county has a sinkhole, there's cars under water north of us, and lots of trees down. And then there's the tornados in NC, wildfires in FL, and snow in PA. Quite a day for weather.

I got groceries today and when I got home parked the car so I could get the side door open easily and put Shiva-in-cage there tomorrow. I have to get up early tomorrow and I'm yawning like crazy now. I think I'm taking a nap, but with the alarm clock. Shiva will only be near me in bed, and he keeps waking me up.

Tags: cats, power, weather

06:40 pm: Scouting For AD
First thing when I got up, I put on my bathrobe and came out to see if Shiva had eaten any dry food and he hadn't. That means he's two days behind starting dry food and the antibiotics aren't helping that, so I didn't give him any this morning (I'm just stopping two doses short of what the dental vet wanted). But then I used the last of the AD I had to make slurry for his breakfast, and I clearly needed more because that and ice cream are all he's eating. I remembered that Morganna, the place I've taken him these two times, was open on Saturday, but when I got there, it turned out they were only open until 2pm and I got up at 2pm today (and most of the week, I don't know why).

So I thought about the internal medicine vet, but they're not open on weekends, and that reminded me of the emergency vet hospital next door to them and I headed there. The AD there is more expensive, and since it's a medical food*, they had to start a chart, but I got five cans which would carry us beyond the dental vet visit on Tuesday (they may want him to have AD slurry, too).

I got money for the week and had Greek Salad and garlic bread at Tony's (brought half the garlic bread home). Luke is less stable than usual, so after I brought my mail, the AD, and the iced tea and garlic bread in, I knocked and got his keys and drove back down to get his mail. I separated it into junk and stuff he should read and put them perpendicular to each other so he'd know which is which. He told me this week when he was pushing his wheeled wire mesh cart with trash and newspapers that he walks a lot better with the cart and I said "You know what this means, it might be time for a walker." He looked at me and said with finality "We'll see." I wonder if needing a walker would propel him into assisted living.

We both got mail from Wegman's, an expensive grocery that I know is going up about 30 minutes away, and I assumed it was coupons or advertising, but it turned out to be a hiring notice. It came "To Our Neighbor" so I guess they're looking all over.

Shiva was hiding in the cage/shelter in the back of my closet this morning and I took his AD slurry there but when I got back in, he was in the castle. He lets me pet him there, but he's not coming out. I hope it's because he's still worried about meds rather than that he hurts a lot. Spirit wanted to be near him, so she's sitting on the lip outside the castle, as close to him as she can get.

*I looked at the ingredients on AD and the first three are water, pork liver, and poultry liver. The stuff is pate!

Tags: cats, errands

06:01 pm: Self-Caging Shiva
I got up, put on my bathrobe, prepared his meds, and got him with the towel. After he was done and I let him go, he jumped off the recliner headfirst into the wire mesh trash can by the recliner. While I was putting the foot down, I was trying not to laugh. He went around in circles a few times and then figured out his head should be up and jumped out just as I was reaching for the trash can. How embarrassing! He's still only eating the AD in a slurry and in the past, he's been on dry food by now. I'm glad we have the dental vet appointment.

My left eye was stuck together today and it was itchy again, so I flushed and I think it worked. I have a lot of goop in that eye, though, so I'm not putting the fountain together today. Too cool and dank outside, too.

The tornado hit the county to our southeast -- no dead, two hurt, about a hundred houses damaged, most because their roofs were lifted off. There's tested and tried bolting that will keep a roof on in a tornado/hurricane and adds less than $100 to a house. I can't believe people don't automatically build houses with that. The flooding is worse north of here, but is expected to spread as more of the water comes down the geography. There are lots of trees down all over the area.

I ordered Chinese food -- not only do I not feel like zapping something, my glands are swollen and my throat is sore. When I post this, I'm going to go put out more birdseed. I found a place online that sells hulled sunflower seeds 50 pounds for $84.93 with free shipping while the increase locally gave me 40 pounds for $73.59 (including tax) and that will save me five cents a pound. I'm going through two pounds a day right now, so that will be a big help.

Tags: birds, cats, health, weather

08:12 pm: New Holes In My Arm
Shiva didn't hurt me while I gave him his meds (although I had to explain the yelling to Luke), but I didn't direct his escape after very well and his hind claws dug in my right arm for a good takeoff. I'll have to be more careful. We're seeing the dental vet on Tuesday at noon and Shiva has to stop the antibiotics Sunday night and food Monday night (he hasn't started eating solid food yet, still the AD slurry).

I took recycling out and then had lunch at Ruby Tuesday's with chocolate cake and ice cream to remember Henry. Where I was sitting, there was a deep bass rumble, felt and heard, and I asked the waitress about it and she said she hadn't heard it until she listened on my side of the restaurant. The manager came and I told him it was probably an air handler and he pointed to a vent on the line of hearing. I told him vibrating like that was not good for a building, plus it was a low D# which tends to scare people, and he went and turned it down a bit so it stopped. The rain poured just as I left and then stopped. As I got home, a fill-in mailguy was at the clusterboxes before ours, so I kept my shoes on and when he went past, gathered Luke's keys and went to get our mail. The mailguy told me that we may not have a permanent mailperson for about six months and he wished us luck. My last two BFAC wins came -- the "Last Trail" horn & necklace and the Saragaro-style netted necklace. They're really great!

You'd think courting mourning doves -- the male chases the female, trying to peck the back of her neck, and we have four pairs now -- would be enough excitement, but a while ago, one of the four crows wanted badly to eat at the feeder, even though I'd put some seed on the porch. There was a squirrel sitting on one side eating and a mourning dove sitting on the other, also eating, and he started dive-bombing them and they both ignored him and his CAWs. Then he carefully stepped down onto the other end of the side the mourning dove was on, and she flapped her wings at him and made him go. So while the crows and mourning doves usually co-exist, clearly the doves are higher in rank.

I've been planning to set up the porch fountain for a couple of weeks and had to keep moving it down the list, but it looks clear for tomorrow. We're past frost so it's safe, and it's nice to have the sound and look of the fountain, and of course, the birds like it.

Tags: beads, birds, cats, fountain

05:39 pm: Back To The Vet
Lucila came today (had to say home with Jesus yesterday -- he had a cold) and Shiva spent the entire time under the duvet cover in the recliner with me. Spirit never came to sit with us and just stayed in the castle. When Lucila left, I had some time online, but then had to get Shiva into the carrier (and one of his hairs into my left eye) and the carrier into the rolling crate. We got to the clinic and found that they had the accessible entrance closed because they were doing work on it, so I went up the curbcut and then to the other entrance and leaned forward and banged on the door. One of the assistants came and took the carrier in and then gave me an arm.

We waited a bit and I kept talking to him. He seemed to calm down, but he did like seeing another cat in a carrier. I don't think the other cat saw him. This is not the vet I saw last time -- she only works on Fridays -- and this one gave me another week of the antibiotics* and recommended we see a veterinary dentist because of his tooth disease. Shiva has gained seven ounces, which is good, and the assistant helped us back down to the parking lot.

I did stop for the mail on the way home -- I know I should have brought him home first and gone back, but I'm going to be taking pain meds tonight for lifting him around and I figured one less in and out of the van would be better. I called the vet dentist in Vienna (closer than Leesburg and I know where it is), but they close at 4pm. I'll call tomorrow.

I've flushed the hair out of my swollen eye and will eat as soon as I do a review.

*She seemed to elevate her opinion of me when I mentioned that he doesn't like the amoxicillin as much as the first antibiotic because it has a slight banana ester, but he ate faster and lasted longer after the amoxicillin so I'd take it. She probably doesn't have too many customers who talk about esters.

Tags: cats

06:18 pm: Shiva's Ulcers Are Back
He's been eating dry food and snackies that I give directly to him, but this morning he tried snackies and barked three times. I caught him in the towel and looked at his mouth -- the ulcers are back, but not as bad. I called the clinic and a vet was supposed to call me back, but I haven't heard yet. I just gave him about a third of a can of AD as a slurry and he liked that.

We had an earthquake today -- 1.8 -- and I slept through it. Oh well.

I went to vote for city elections today. I didn't vote for Mayor because the incumbent Republican is the only one running. I didn't vote for Council because the Republicans got together and put up only two people for the two slots and nobody else is running. I did vote for two of the five candidates for four slots on the School Board. I voted for one incumbent who seems to have sense, and I voted for someone who has worked for the Board. I specifically didn't vote for a guy who flooded me with brochures using the slogan "It's All For the Kids!" because I think it's for the teachers and other employees and buildings and school buses, too.

Tags: cats, earthquake, politics

07:20 pm: More Reading Glasses!
I ordered another set today, same frames but purple, to keep at the desk. Then I just have to carry the red ones back and forth between the recliner and bed for a couple months until I buy the third pair. $37.90 including shipping for extra-strength reading glasses is really good!

Shiva is still avoiding me at cat breakfast time, but he slept cuddled up to me last night. I took some beads to the post office and got delivery confirmation on the ones I'm sending to replace a box that didn't arrive. I can't replace the materials, but I can send her equal value. Then I got groceries plus kitty litter and some OTC meds the doctors tell me to take. The bill started out at $101, but went down to $72 with sales and coupons. Still, yikes. I put the OTC meds in my medical database and they'll have some effect on my taxes, but I still have to pay for them now.

Lucila came by and said she can't clean tomorrow and how is Wednesday and I said that was fine. I was just going to take recycling out and I can do that when she's done.

Tags: cats, errands, glasses

05:50 pm: Oobleck on TV!
Yesterday, I was offline at 4:30, went straight to a nap in the recliner and woke up at 11:30. I watched the shows I'd taped Friday night, and Numbers had oobleck at the beginning and end! They called it "non-Newtonian fluid" but it was oobleck! Then I read some papers, went to bed and read more of Little Brother, and turned the light off at 7am. I set the alarm for 2pm and so far don't feel sleepy, and I hope that lasts.

Shiva is still not eating morning food with Spirit, I assume he'll have to wait a bit to realize I'm not going to give him more meds. I'm washing bed linens and putting new linens on, and every so often I'm vanishing into the workroom to work on a beadswap. It's a nice low-70s day today and the cats are watching the birds and squirrels at the feeder.

Tags: cats, housekeeping, tv

02:18 pm: Early Up
Which means I'll probably end up with a nap, since I was up late last night because I took a nap yesterday. I got five hours of sleep, which is usually too little. I had to get up early because today is Household Hazardous Waste day until noon at the transfer station and I needed to take the dead VCR. I could have waited another month, but it was taking up room in my workroom. Then as I left the transfer station, I decided I was going to drive to the east end of the county for Free Comic Book Day. I'd read Slate's reviews of the free comics and picked up Hulk/Iron Man, Hellboy, and Superman.

Then back to the credit union for money for next week and lunch at Tony's. One of the specials was gnocchi, which I really like, so I had that (comes with salad & garlic bread) and iced tea. I came home and after I took my shoes off, I tried to pet the cats, who were sitting in the recliner, but they both hid behind it. It'll take a while for them to trust me not to give Shiva medicine.

Tags: cats, errands, food

05:31 pm: Indecency
I got to stay home today, the only day in the week, and apparently I turned off the alarm and slept a couple more hours to celebrate. It's 80F today so I put on my one summer-weight tie-dye top and, well, it's a good thing I'm staying home. The first piece of clothing that made obvious I was losing weight was my coat when I could overlap it four inches. Now I have a light-weight t-shirt with v-neck that shows excessive cleavage and large portions of bra when it's not falling off my shoulders. I think I can adjust the V a little higher so it won't do that, and then it will have a pleat in the front.

Shiva is still wary of me, although he doesn't get any more meds. I hope that will relax. Tomorrow I have to be up early to take the dead VCR to the electronic recycling at the transfer station.

Tags: cats, clothes

04:55 pm: Two More Doses!
Thank Ghu. I had to catch Shiva twice last night to give him the whole dose and came away with a claw hole and bruise at the base of my throat. This morning was not so exciting, but we'll both be glad when we're done with the amoxicillin. I called the clinic today and left a message for the vet -- telling her that he's gained all the weight back and is eating and elminating like crazy, and that his mouth looks fine to me. We'll see if she wants another week of meds.

I headed up to Kaiser Fair Oaks to get the screw back in my reading glasses -- I was there less than three minutes and round trip took more than 10 times that. I stopped at that Red Robin on the way back, though, and they no longer have pot roast burgers. :::sob::: The bacon guacamole burger was pretty good and I hear their other stuff is good, too. And it turns out the manager up there is right -- we are getting a RR near Davis Ford Crossing plus the one I stopped by. There's only about six miles between them, so I guess they think Manassas is a good demographic for them.

I stopped by the library to pick up Little Brother to start tonight. Shiva let me touch his head when I came back, but scooted back in the chair so I couldn't touch more of him.

Tags: books, cats, food, glasses

06:01 pm: Sun!
It's actually colder than yesterday, but it feels warmer because of the sun. I went off to get more birdseed (this is getting much more expensive with the increase in the price of seed and having to get it more often) and stopped on the way back for souvlaki and onion rings.

When I got in the car to go out, in the car between the birdfeed store and Roma restaurant, and in the car on the way home, I felt like the left side of my face had globs of fat on it. Now, that's the side that's partially-paralyzed and I sometimes feel that side of my face is longer and I know that means I'm too tired or stressed and take a nap. I'm not sure what to think about feeling like it has globs of fat (it doesn't -- I looked in the mirror and felt with my hands), but my eyes are really hurting, too, even minutes after I put the drops in, so maybe I'll take a nap anyway.

It's nice enough to have the windows open, so Shiva is smelling out the kitchen window. Spirit is just curled up next to him.

I thought of the Changes idea for yesterday's post because of changes I'm making now that Giorgio is dead, and then I didn't put any in! For a few years I've put the pull cord for the kitchen blinds up on top of the fridge so he wouldn't eat it like he did the last two. I'm trying to train myself to leave it down now. I meant to get flowers at the store yesterday to see if Shiva eats them. Giorgio did and so there was no use in having them. I've moved some glass items back on top of a tall chest of drawers because the other cats never dash up there. But the hardest thing is the goodnight saying. For years I said "Time for ni-ni, Marilee and kitties ni-ni. Spirit and Giorgio, and Shiva and Marilee, everybody ni-ni!" I'm trying to make it more like triplets -- Spirit and Shiva and Marilee -- but sometimes I forget and then I cry. The cats don't seem to notice as much.

Tags: cats, health, shopping, weather

06:21 pm: Making Changes
Not with the cat food -- it doesn't matter the order of feeding or giving meds, Shiva won't eat morning food. He's doing well with the dry food, though. I saw the feeder was empty this morning and planned to fill it after I got back from groceries and rested a bit, but then there was a line of birds and squirrels looking in the window. Just the mourning doves, I guess the other birds didn't think it was safe. So I went out and filled it, and noted that the squirrels had eaten the edges of the porch floor wood. Silly critters.

I went to get groceries today and bought some pre-made pasta salads (vinaigrettes instead of mayo) instead of new frozen food. They're a bit cheaper, although I don't know if they're any better for me. I had the cranky cashier again and asked her to balance my stuff between the two bags, but she put all the heavy stuff (half-gallon milk, bananas, the three pounds of pasta salads, onions, and more) all in one and the loaf of bread and cake slice in the other. I had to change them around before I carried them to the car.

I've been letting my hair grow a bit longer since I'm able to stand up in the shower long enough to wash it and the rest of me. It's long enough now that I have to clip the bangs back. I'll keep letting it grow until I hit having to get out and rest, and if slightly shorter than that looks good, I'll keep it there. Otherwise, it goes back to short.

Hmmm, a change I didn't expect. One of my neighbors just pulled up in a different car -- a black PT Cruiser. This probably explains why the two young men who live with her were carrying stuff out of the trunk of the old car yesterday.

Tags: cars, cats, food, hair

04:30 pm: Amazing What the Sun Can Do
It's 68F today, which should be warm, but it's overcast and it's cold. I had to turn the heat on.

Our last BFAC auctions are today and we have some really wonderful pieces up. There's a real horn beaded over with a "Last Trail" picture plus a necklace, a fringy necklace and earrings, a beaded tapestry, a butterfly-beaded purse, an asymmetrically-strung onyx and bead necklace with added focal, a hip chain and beaded bead necklace, and a Saraguro-style netted necklace. Go see if you want any of them!

I fed the cats first today, but Shiva wouldn't come to eat and I still had to catch him for his meds. He's eating now, I can hear him eating the dry food, but it would be nice if he had the wet stuff, too, since he's the reason we started having it.

The dark-eyed junco does seem to have left, but I have four blackbirds who are using the feeder, too. I'll have to get more seed this week, and the price increased $2 for five pounds less, so it will be expensive.

Tags: auctions, birds, cats, weather

03:20 pm: Various Things
Shiva ate dry food last night and then, some time after I gave him the antibiotics this morning, he ate more dry food and snackies. Tomorrow, I feed them first and then give meds! I hope this works.

I took the book I'd started back to the library -- a partial review and explanation of why I didn't finish will come next. Then I had lunch at Tony's and I had one of the specials -- smoked salmon in a light cream sauce on farfalle with a salad and garlic bread. This is the kind of thing I used to cook for myself (without the garlic bread) and I really enjoyed it.

I forgot to say yesterday that all the summer pants I've been wearing have been big, but okay, until the second outfit I wore yesterday. That didn't come from MIB and they were fine in the house but as soon as I took a few steps with wallet in one pocket and phone and keys in the other, they kept sliding down. The problem is that the waist of the pants is about four inches below my waist, so there's not a lot to hold them up. I'm going to see if I can tuck the waist a bit and have the elastic still come over my hips. If not, maybe a drawstring.

Also yesterday, the vet was in a different direction than I usually go and I knew there was a SuperTarget just built, but I stopped in after picking up the food and paying the vet and drove down the line of other stores. None are open, but one is a TJ Maxx. But out in the parking lot? A Red Robin! The manager of the Fair Lakes store was wrong about where it would be. I parked and went in (nice fresh wood smell) and asked if anybody knew when it was opening, and they didn't, but one pointed out a giant RV in the parking lot with a giant sign about hiring for the restaurant. So I drove up, opened the door -- a sign said come right in, but I couldn't do that -- and I yelled hello and then asked for someone to come to the door. I told the woman I didn't want to work, I wanted to eat and when would they open? May 19th. So I may eat there that day. The advantage of having one closer is that I'll probably try something other than the pot roast "burger." The disadvantage is that I'll probably eat there more often.

And finally, a really good Tom Toles editorial cartoon about the housing situation.

Tags: cats, clothes, food, satire

05:25 pm: Shiva Visits A New Vet
Well, I woke up at 9am, worried about him, and was still awake at 9:30 and called the Internal Medicine vets for a recommendation for a clinic. I got an appt for 11:30 and then called my regular vet to leave her a message that I'd done this, and she answered!

It turned out that she left the wrong message on her voicemail. She left the "I'm not available now, leave a message and I'll call back" instead of the "I'm out of town until Friday." She was really busy today anyway and was fine with me taking him to a clinic. She even faxed over his chart.

I've thought about this before -- how I would get a cat to a regular vet -- and I put Shiva in the one-kitty carrier, sat down, and then lowered it carefully (so it was in endwise and he was sitting up) into my collapsible rolling crate. This is how I get everything else in and out of the house. I warned him it would tilt and then pulled him out and down the ramp to the van. Then I sat in the back of the van (one of the reasons I'll have to get another van when this one dies) and lifted his carrier out and up, turning it back horizontal as I put it in the back space. I left the crate made up and put it in, too. That's how I got him in & out through all of this.

So I towed him into Morganna's and several of the female staff commented through the time we were there that that was very practical. I was glad because I didn't want to seem like I was being mean to him. The vet there had the other vet's bloodwork and did an exam and said it looked to her like it was just the ulcers, but asked if he'd been tested for Feline AIDS. He was before he came out of quarantine back in 2001 and I don't know how he could have gotten it here. But that's something
to think about if the antibiotics don't work. She gave me a stronger med (amoxicillin) that takes longer to get through and I'm to call her tomorrow and see if the steroid shot she gave him made him eat more. She said if the antibiotics don't work, the next step would be steroids. He's lost 1.5 pounds in the last two weeks.

So I brought him home, changed clothes to go out to run errands (I was covered with cat fur), and just as I was getting home from those, they called me and when I heard the name, I said "I forgot to pay you!" She said "Yes, but the doctor wanted you to take A/D home with you for him to try, too." My check had come in the mail (early -- they mailed it a day earlier than usual, which probably means they were delivering them late and paying too much penalty) so I put that in the bank and went and paid and got the food. I had to make it into a slurry, but he's having a go at it every 15 minutes or so.

One of my errands was to the library and I'll post about that next and then I'm taking a nap.

Tags: cats