The End Of The Week...

"I am so tired I can hardly type this worfs."

~Lemony Snicket, The Carnivorous Carnival

Okay, I am just going to say it's been a busy week... A VERY BUSY WEEK!

Here is a brief recap of events...

Monday, was fairly uneventful, but we did have some prep to do in order to take Joey to Dr. Barrett's office on Tuesday for his neutering and other procedures.

 

Tuesday...
 
* I didn't sleep well the night before, so when I got up to take Joey to Dr. B's I felt more like a zombie, than a fully functioning human. We went out to breakfast after the appointment, of which I took maybe 2 bites. I was missing my boy too much to eat. We can home afterward, and turned on CNN to see the latest about the missing plane.
 

It was still missing. Still is as I type this.


After the report on the missing airplane, came the testimony before congress of Mary Barra the new CEO of General Motors. It was not pleasant to sit through, considering we still own a 2007 Saturn ION DEATHTRAP. The one good thing about watching her testimony, and learning new details we hadn't heard before, was the fact that Alan finally heard information he needed to conclude that holding onto the Saturn was no longer an option for us.

The decision was made. Time to visit some car dealerships in the area.

One problem... it was April Fool's Day... and it was a DARK AND STORMY DAY! LOL.


Who buys a car on April Fool's Day? Especially during a storm? But all was well. We learned about some cars we liked, and came home and did some emailing to some dealers, and then called it a day! We resolved to begin anew on Wednesday. No worries.

Wednesday...

We heard back from a Chevy dealership in the East Bay. They had the car we were interested in, at the price we needed it to be, so went and took a look at it. It was a perfect fit, and a few hours later we drove our new Chevy Spark off the lot! 

Her name is Blair.

Everything was good! Yay! All except for the the scrape on the I found on the dashboard, that I hadn't seen before driving it off the lot!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Why can't stuff go smooth?

Thursday...

I took a photo of the scrape, called the salesman who sold me the car, and he asked me to bring it into the dealership for it to be looked at. 

Sigh.

I was NOT super happy with the fact that they tried everything the could to come to some sort of compromise, rather than just making it right. A compromise offer here... a compromise offer there. Some of which were downright insulting. NOT FUN! Finally they I told them, that while I appreciated their "offers" I wanted the dashboard fixed... PERIOD!

So, in about ten days, after the part comes in, they will make it right. We will see how it goes.

That brings us to today, Friday. I am exhausted from missing Joey. GM's willful misconduct that could have gotten my husband killed! Having to deal with the new car situation. My Fibromyalgia is cutting me no breaks. It's cold. And I am kinda in a bad mood from all the emotion, but I am sure after a good night's sleep, I will be back to my old self. I just need to sleep.

A good night's sleep. 

Mood: Quiet

~Me :)
PS No. I did not purchase a lemon yellow car. I will show her off in a few days. She's kinda cute. I love her!

Cat Yoga

"A photographer gets people to pose for him. A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves."

-T. Guillemets

See... it is possible to teach Yoga to your cat! LOL. I taught Elvis, and he would join me on the yoga mat a couple times a week. He really did! LOL. So I am teaching Dylan and Hendrix to find their inner zen. Stretch Dylan... Stretch Hendrix. Breathe in... breathe out. Breathe in... breathe out.

By the way, they are both home from Dr. B's. They are better then just fine, they are fantastic! All that worrying was for nothing, they aren't in pain, they don't hate me, in fact, they slept in the bed with Alan and I last night, and it was bliss! I love my babies so much, it's not even reasonable! Happiness! New mousies all around!

I don't even mind admitting to Dr B. that he was right... YET AGAIN! :)

LOL.

Thanks Dr. B., Mary & Donna...you're the best!

-Carly
"Cat Yoga"
Home
March 12th, 2009
Afternoon

Steven's Feline & Furball Friday: I'm Dusty And I Have Boogers

"It's impossible to keep a straight face in the presence of one or more kittens."

-Cynthia Varnado

Steven's Feline, Furball and Feathers Friday



Elvis ( I mean Hendrix... sheesh I must really miss him) and Dylan went to Dr. B's yesterday for their monthly weigh-in, and I am happy to report that they are doing just perfect! Dylan is still a little behind is brother in weight. He is 6 lbs 3 1/2 oz and Hendrix is 7 lbs 12 oz. Perfect. They are just right for their age!

I finally got a good shot of Hendrix's silly gray lip! Isn't it cute? He is a solid black cat, except for that silly lip. :) He is so cute when he pouts, he sticks out that silly gray lip and I am instantly putty in his hands. Just like Elvis, Dylan and Hendrix have me completely wrapped around their paws. Just where I want to be!

If you have a Feline, Furball, or Feathered friend, be sure to play along with Steven's meme, because Friday is the day for pets!

-Carly

By Special Request Of Dr. B :)

"A world without cats... I dare not think of it."

-Anonymous

They Grow So Fast At This Age...

It came to my attention yesterday, that I have been a bit neglectful when it comes to showing off my two new sons. I scoffed at first, "but Dr. B," I protested, "I can't write about cats every day, I will end up chasing off all my readers!" To which he replied, "Well, don't you think your readers are also cat enthusiasts?" Well, ok, he had a point. But I know that some of you are definitely dog people. At least one of my readers is highly allergic to cats! LOL. And yes Dr. B., I do know that no one will break out into an unstoppable succession of sneezes just by viewing an adorable fluffy kitty-cat update on my blog. LOL. So, with silly worries aside, I present to you a full fledged kitten update. :)

Above you see Hendrix. Jeepers. He isn't really a kitten anymore. He is growing so fast, and look, he has completely lost his fuzz. My tiny little ball of energy, is now a sleek, deep purring, goofy ball of energy! He is still my comedian. He chases his brother, he chases my feet. He is all fascinated with my big toes. "No Hendrix, don't bite Mommy's toes." He loves food, his brother and Alan. He has really become Alan's cat, but he allows me to pet him as well. He is a caregiver. He took his brother in and he takes good care of him. He grooms him, and cuddles him, and at times, drives Dylan completely crazy! LOL. Hendrix has learned 3 words, NO, FOOD, and BAD! LOL. He knows about love as well, but that is best accomplished not with words, but with snuggles and scratches behind the ears. :)

It has been pretty smooth sailing with the boys. We put up a Christmas tree, and put all stuffed animals in the tree this year. Christmas bears mostly. It looks really nice. Both boys have already learned that the tree is off limits. It only took a week or so to teach them. I am impressed with their ability to learn. :) The Christmas tree is working out fine, but there is one bear in the tree that Hendrix has taken a special fancy to. I will let him have it after Christmas, but for now we are learning our boundaries.

Dylan's official nickname is "The Yam." Hendrix is the "Purple Haze." ;)

Both boys are in good health, although Dylan had a case of the tape worms a couple weeks ago. It happens. Doggone fleas. Bad fleas. Bad. Thank goodness it was a quick fix. One trip to Dr. B. and one tiny shot, and poof... worms be all gone! That makes me extremely happy. I don't like worms. I know, I know they aren't dangerous. No one has ever heard of a rabid worm, but OMG....YUCK! I swear just thinking about it made my skin crawl, but really, it all goes with owning a pet. Silly little problems like that. The good parts well out weight the bad parts.

So, that's about it. They are both growing like crazy. Gosh my kitties are becoming cats, go figure! I will miss the kitten fuzz, but I am so happy they are healthy. They will always be my babies. By the way, Dr. B, if you are reading this, I am working on a round up of photos for you to view here in a few days. It is a compilation of all the animal photos I have done in the last couple years. Squirrels, opossums, birds, dogs, and of course, cats. And I promise, more cat updates, so stay tuned.

NOTE: It's a tradition in our house to post a Christmas Eve greeting from the littlest members of our household, so be sure to check back late on Christmas Eve.

-Carly
The Boys
Berkeley, California
December 15th and 16th 2008

In The Hands Of Dr. B.

"Cats are dangerous companions for writers because cat watching is a near perfect method of writing avoidance."

-Dan Greenburg

Hendrix weighs 2.2 lbs! So does Dylan. We are off to a good start!

Everything is coming up cats! LOL. Ok, let me explain. The new kitties, Dylan and Hendrix, had to go for a visit with Dr. B. yesterday. It was time for a weigh-in, and a check in the ears, and for Dylan, a look at a yucky mouse which had occurred under one of his eyes. That one had me worried. Had he been fighting with his brother Hendrix? Did Hendrix hate his brother? Were we going to have to... gulp... separate the brothers by getting rid of one of them for their own good? There were some questions to be asked, but the last one worried me the most. I am hopelessly in love with my new two sons, but if I had to give one up for their own good, I would do it, as long as they could live a happy life. I have to admit, however, it would have hurt like hell.

Getting a start on leash training, our first session went very, very well! :)



As it turns out, I was being an overly cautious mommy. Their play is just fine, and the mouse under the eye wasn't the result of hostility, it was something that happens when kittens play. I think I have been a little hypersensitive lately, as I struggle to let go of Elvis, who is still in my thoughts each day when I wake up. It's hard not to miss him, considering that each morning for the last 10 years he woke me with paw pads and kisses. Sometimes I can almost feel him, asleep at my feet, and I just want to not open my eyes, because then I have to face another day without him. I still love him so, so, so much. But within a couple seconds I hear some bells in the other room, and I know that Dylan and Hendrix are playing, and if I call their name, they come running, jump up on the bed, and kisses happen! It feels good to have them greet me with love at the beginning of the day, it's almost as if Elvis somehow whispered in their ears, "Mommy really needs you, so give her kisses when she wakes up." Well, it's a nice thought anyway! :)

Hendrix stalks the invisible mouse!


Dr. B is the best veterinarian in the world, or at least the San Francisco East Bay! I know that in his hands, and those of nurses Mary and Donna, my kitties have the best care available. We knew that when he was caring for Elvis during his cancer treatments. There was so little that could realistically be done for Elvis, in fact, a lot depended on hope. Dr. B. gave us that, and from that hope came the miracle of having the world's best cat, longer then we originally thought possible. Alan and I have joked many times that sometimes we wish be could give up our personal doctor, and just go to Dr. B. for our medical needs. LOL. It's just that in his hands are our children, our boys, and he takes very good care of all of us, in one way or another. :) Thank you Dr. B., once again, for your understanding and generosity. :)



The next two photos tell you why the bed rarely gets made these days! :)



Look, Dylan smiles when he sleeps! :)



-Carly
"In The Hands Of Dr. B"
Castro Valley, California
November 18th, 2008
Late Afternoon

Note: Friday I will share with you what Dylan's story was before we became a family! Tune in then for my Feline & Furball Friday entry!

Elvis Update: He Loves Me Like A Rock

"Ever has it been that love knows not it's own depth until the hour of separation."

-Kahlil Gibran

Elvis is home from his latest round of chemotherapy. Dr. B. said Elvis is doing well, his weight is maintaining, and the swelling around his nose from the cancerous tumors have come down. He is responding well to all his little medical treatments, which is such good news. His chemotherapy is being done ever 4 weeks now, which is a good thing, meaning that for the time being we have successfully gotten his cancer under control. It's good news for now. I asked Dr. B how much time we might have left, but he simply said, "we aren't putting a time limit on things." Vague, but it's his way not to simply give up and expect death. I appreciate that reasoning, but the logical side of me is saying, "it's better to know what to expect, and when to expect it." Still, the advice Dr. B always leaves me with is, "enjoy each other, and the time you spend together. Don't let the word Cancer rob you of the time you spend together." Yeah... I know. :)

Now about the strange bedtime behavior. Dr. B says, Elvis is waking me up in the middle of the night, and following me around, because of separation anxiety. He doesn't want to be away from me, even if it is because it's time for bed. It's so funny, he used to put us to bed at 10:00 pm, every night. As soon as he heard the 10:00 News come on the TV, he would come over to where we were sitting and stare at us, until we turned off the TV and went to bed. If we didn't respond to the staring, he would pace between the bedroom and the living room, and meow. LOL. He has always know what's best for us, and especially me. He loves me.

So, beginning tonight, I will spend about 15 minutes with Elvis, engaged in extra good attention time. I will brush him, and put his powder on, and maybe plan his outfit for the next day. He has been favoring the scarf from his pirate costume lately, he even asked to wear it to the doctor for his cancer treatment. So funny. We get the pet carrier out, and he knows he will be going to see Dr. B and Mary and Donna, and he will tug at what he wants to wear. It has been really chilly here in the Bay Area lately, so a scarf is a wise choice. Seriously, he has very good taste in clothing, and he's practical too. What a cat!

Separation Anxiety In Cats (Peteducation.com)

-OndineMonet
"Mr. Man"
Berkeley, California
August 7th, 2008
Morning

When Beans Find Their Way Up Your Nose!

"With their qualities of cleanliness, discretion, affection, patience, dignity, and courage, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats?"

-Ferdinand Mery, Her Majesty The Cat

My boy hasn't been feeling well. There is something wrong with the right side of his nose. Last week he stopped eating, and drinking water. I tried everything. I even bought him his very favorite baby food, and gave him a little cut up chicken, something he has never turned down, but he would have none of it. He was interested in the food, but because he couldn't smell it, he wouldn't eat it. That's the thing about cats. You can put food in their mouths and force them, but it will be going against their natural instinct. I know better then to try and force him to eat, all that would accomplish would be stressing him out, which in turn would complicate his diabetes. Sigh.

So, with all else failing, we took him to see Dr. B. Elvis was dehydrated, and his nose was swollen, so tests were done. A chest ex-ray first, then a cardiogram. His heart wasn't sounding right to Dr. B. It was a long wait in the waiting room. When the doctor called us into his office, I didn't see my boy. "We have mostly good news," said the doctor. His heart looked ok, no evidence of heart failure, and all his other vitals were good, but he was quite dehydrated and needed fluids. He was too grumpy for the doctor to do a blood test, so he got a little dose of kitty Valium, and an IV with fluids, and he was all set to spend the night, with tests scheduled for the next day.

My boy was in the hospital from Thursday, until Saturday afternoon. My goodness I missed my friend. I missed his morning kiss and pat on my face, and his goofy little routines, such as his rearrangements of his stuffed animals, and his knocking on the back door when he wants to check on the garden. One of our very favorite routines is the way he asks for dinner, every night at 5:30 when Charlie Gibson appears on ABC World News Tonight. Apparently Elvis likes to stay informed while dining. LOL. On the other hand it might be that Charlie Gibson and Alan sound a little alike. I am not sure which. ;) Last night, he asked for dinner, and he ate a little, which made us very happy, but it wasn't during the news. It's a start.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, he has a follow up appointment, and we will have all the test results by then. Too many scary words are coming up. Cancer is the scariest one. According to the doctor there was significant damage on the inside of his nostril, but a lot of things could have caused that. Sigh. I don't know. Maybe he inhaled a bean or a seed. His little nose is so small... I can't imagine how he could have, but then this is probably the only cat in America who actually has a personal choice in who delivers the news! LOL. It's just one more thing that makes me love him.

Please keep your fingers and paws crossed for my boy!

-OndineMonet
Elvis
Berkeley, California
April 20th, 2008
Afternoon