Father's Day

 I am not technically a "human father" (so far as I know, and at 74, I probably would by now).  But I am a "Cat-Daddy" and that is sufficient for me.  It is actually an honor.  I have known some people who just have a "family cat" and if it disappears or dies, they just get another.  Like replacing a broken vase...

They matter more to me than a vase.  Each cat in my life has been a distinct individual.  A self-aware being knowing it had a life.  And everyone of them has been unique in some habits.    

I wasn't always perfect in my care for them.  Sometimes in my early years, buying them food was more on my mind than regular vet care.  But as my financial situation improved, so did their care.   I feel sorry for the earliest ones who could have lived longer, but I seldom had one who died before 12.  I do often wish I had those years and cats to live over with better.

so the past 35+ years have sort of been making atonement for the failures of the past.  i have gone from "cool, a cat in the house" to being able to take care of several at  time.  sometimes, it has been 2 (Skeeter and LC) to 4 (a couple of times).

Today, it is 4.  It could be calmer.  Marley always gets along with all cats.  Lori doesn't love Loki and Binq very much (but that is getting better slightly these days).  Loki and Binq love each other.  And they both like Marley.  

I used to resist the title of "Cat-Daddy".  Their actual daddies were unknown male cats.  But I am accepting the idea now.  I serve as a parent to them.  I don't quite know how they think of me, so I stick with "The Big Thing".  Well, I am big and not a cat.  They probably don't quite know what I am.  I am probably more like "Mom" to them (food, cleaning, attention), but for all they know, "Dad" would do the same.

I would be pretty much "undone" without The Mews.  I need them at least as much as they need me.  They talk to me as much as I talk to them.  Loki is particularly vocal (as were Ayla and Iza). 

So Happy Fathers Day to all you of actual "Fathering'.  And I will take my indirect "fathering" of The Mews with respect for the day.

 

The State Of The Mews

Trying new things to fix "fuss&upset"...

Marley still has kidney problems and alway will.  But the kidney care Hill's Science diet (and some portion control for weight) has helped.  And he will be 14 in August.  Elderly cats usually develop some problem.  I can't do anything about that.  

Lori is still upset about Loki and Binq.  I can't do much about that either.  But things are slowly getting better.  Lori and Loki sniff noses and butts sometimes.  They walk past each other calmly sometimes.  They eat near each other sometimes.  

There are still hisses and raised paws, but not like at first.  I have seen them sitting calmly a foot apart a couple of times.

Lori is still having stress-diarrhea issues.  I say "stress" only because the Vet says it has gone on too long and meds should have solved any physical issues by now.  There could be something more serious physically and if Lori and Loki resolve their psychological issues and Lori still has diarrhea, we will try more serious tests (disease, blockage, whatever).  I want her around for a long long time.

But I can say the diarrhea problems are less frequent.  There are now several clean days to each bad one.  Which (to me) seems to fit the "stress" idea.  And to be fair to Loki, Lori initiates about half the "fusses".

Loki is still a problem.  He arrived with "eye-goop" and abdominal muscle spasms.  Those have both gone away.  Meds cleared the head infection and I have no idea why the abdominal spasms occurred or why they stopped.  Some problems stop and you know why (meds) and some stop and you never do know why.    

One day he just stopped having those abdominal spasms.  I didn't even notice at first.  It's like when an itch stops.  All of a sudden, you just realize it ended...

Loki's biggest problem is that he suddenly started peeing on my bed a month ago.  I didn't know which cat it was, but every few days, the sheets/blankets were wet.  First once a week, then every few days, then every day.  

I finally caught him "in the act".  I yelled (wish I hadn't; he must have had a reason).  Well, I was frustrated!  I don't know how many of you have ever had a waterbed.  I've been sleeping on waterbeds for about 40 years.  I love the "give" as my body settles onto it.  Some people hate them.  But because water absorbs warmth from the body, you need layers of sheets and blankets beneath you even with a heated one.

So I have 3 sheets and 3 blankets below me and 1 of each above.  Well, I was getting tired of laundering sheets and blankets every couple of days.  I put a plastic tarp over the bed, so that if he peed there his own pee would pool around his paws.  I thought that would discourage him.  Not at all...

THAT didn't even stop him.  And a few days ago, while I was right there next to him, he was sitting on the bed and I recognized the "litter box blank stare"!  And the pee rolled to the edge of the bed and wet the bedcovers.  I had to wash everything again.  And my washer/dryer can only handle 1 blanket and one sheet each cycle.  Took all day!

I decided that Loki was "too much trouble" and needed to be returned to the Shelter in hopes he would find a new home that didn't cause him stress.  I've thought that several times in the past month.  

I go between "Loki is never going to be quite domesticated" and "I need to find some way to keep him here".  I am angry one day and trying to be tolerant the next.  Loki loves me personally.  He seeks (and gets) all the attention I can give divided among 4 cats.  He seeks me out and follws me everywhere.  He is definitely happy around me.  And he is happy around Marley and Binq.

It isn't a litter box problem.  Loki happily poops in them.  And I know the "1 box per cat" guidance (so I have 4) and I clean them every day before I make my own dinner (makes it easy to remember to do).

So I've changed tactics.  The tarp stays on the bed as pee-proofing of the blankets and sheets below.  And that works because I put an old sheet on top of the tarp.  That way, any pee is soaked up by the old sheet.  I will launder an old sheet every day for his life if I have to.  

Because it isn't his fault that he is having a peeing problem.  It is mine to help solve (OK maybe the Vet too).  

I have occasionally mentioned that I am constantly amazed that some animals can share our human artificial spaces.   Dogs need to be walked, rabbits poop anywhere, I don't even know what ferrets do.  Cats usually just need a litterbox.  

That's part of the human/cat bargain.  We provide shelter/food/attention and they use the clean litterboxes.  But they have to use the litterboxes.

The old sheet on the tarp covering the bed has stayed dry for 4 days.  That is great news.  

Maybe, a few months from now, all The Mews will snuggle together, Loki will stop peeing on the bed, etc.  

Meanwhile, I will go about planting the garden and cleaning the house...  *Sigh*

Cat Problems

 Loki has decided the bed is a good place to pee.  Which is difficult for me.   I finally figured out that the pee spots on the bed were from Loki.  I caught him in the act finally.  I need to research "inappropriate peeing".

I have several alternating layers of sheets and blankets on the waterbed, so washing them all takes a lot of time and effort.  I did that today and placed a plastic tarp on top.  Let him pee on that and see how he likes it!

And he likes chasing Lori.  Unlike Laz (who chased Lori viciously toward the end) Loki wants to play "chase" (I hope).  But Lori doesn't like that either.

Binq thinks my hands are toys to grab at with claws out.  And that my legs are scratching posts.  But she is getting better about that.  

Lori still hates both newbies.  And still has diarrhea after almost 3 months.  It is less than it was, but sometimes suddenly bad.  I have a new med for her and will hope that helps.  She is struggling with the last few months of insanity and the arrival of the "Unwanted Newbies" (from her POV).

Marley is staring to resist his kidney food diet.  I add some regular food on top, but he stops below that.  Putting him in The Mews Room with his bowl usually works.  

Lori gets the bedroom for her mealtimes lately.  The peace helps her eat.  I may have to isolate Loki for meals too.  Binq eats everything quickly and takes Loki's bowl too.  He has lost weight, so I have to get him to eat more.  Oddly, Binq isn't gaining any weight.  Maybe that is because she is very active in playing with toys.  

So there are problems here.  Not everything is bad.  The bad parts are infrequent.  There are good things too.

Each of The Mews love me individually.  If I stand in a room a few minutes, they are all there.  Loki follows we around the house constantly and seems distressed by any separation.  He even sits in the bathroom when I take a shower, and few cats like to be around heavy running water.

Binq doesn't want to share the bed at night, but she nearly attacks me in the morning for attention.  She just has "her time" for wanting me to pet/scritch/stroke her.  She is not a lapcat, but stays on the chair (top or arms) near me when I watch TV.

As I've said, Loki follows me around the house everywhere.  Nothing stops him.  If I'm putting laundry in the dryer, he jumps in there.  If I pull him out, he sits in the washer.  He sits on my lap when I am watching TV, sits on the newspaper when I am reading it during lunch.  The only time he is happy away from me is at meals.  

Lori wants to stay near me too.  She has always been close to me most times.  If Loki isn't near me, she is.  And on my lap if she doesn't see Loki or Binq nearby.  

Marley is always perfect of course.  Lapcat, tolerant friend to all.

I may have made a mistake bringing Loki and Binq into the house.  I thought "playmates" after her once-good relationship with Laz.  But it isn't working well.  But they are all here and it is my responsibility to try to get them all adjusted.

Driving me damn near crazy though... 

Good Day

I had a good day!

1.  Received notice from the County Court that my request to be permanently excused from jury duty was approved.  I feel bad about that in a way, but I just can't sit for hours istening to lawyers argue making bad arguments if I can't be part of the discussion.  And I'm certain most of the people in the waiting room won't wear masks.

2.  Grocery shopping - Peaches and plums are back!  I love those.  Had to laugh recalling the produce staff guy saying they only carried them "in season".  I know thew start getting them from the southern hemisphere about now.  And he did too, but just wanted an excuse to not fulfill the weekly ad.

3.  Cleaned up a lot of mess from The Mews.  They run around a lot and tip stuff over.  That's OK.  Active cats are better than boring ones.  But I did a lot of sweeping and stuff.

4.  Cleaned all the litter boxes as I di every day or two (depends on usage).  The new high-side litterboxes are working well.  Loki likes to pee straight backwards, which went over the sides of the regular ones. 

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5.  Pork stir-fry and 2 shrimp rolls.  Home-made.  I discovered the Safeway has them in small bags in the produce section.  

6.  It snowed a few inches last week, twice.  When it melted I discovered the earliest crocuses were blooming!

There are about a dozen patches of them, but those are the 2 best.  

7.  Replanted a lot of pansies.  They were frost-heaved up before the established new roots. We had unusually low temps a couple weeks ago. Hopefully, there is still time for them get set with new roots and bloom.

8.  Received a new M/W.  The old one was deteriorating at the top where the magnet is.  Seemed dangerous, so I bought a replacement.  Best Consumer Reports rating (that fit my needs) of course.  Out with the old, in with the new!

9.  Took down the Holly branches I trimmed for height and attached to the front door and mailbox as Xmas decorations.  The leaves were heading to "pale", so it was time.

10.  Filled the 2 thistle seed feeders (for the finches) and the black oil sunflower seed feeder (for most of the others.  And replenished the 2 suet feeders.  Counted 6 pairs of cardinals there just an hour later and many other smaller birds too.  Well, male cardinals are easier to count.

11.  Covered much of the raised garden beds in black plastic.  By planting time in May, the weeds should be dead.

12.  Cleaned muddy work shoes.  They got bad enough when I had to bury Laz.  And worse when I had to bury Ayla.  And it was hard, so I just left them in the basement.  But you have to go on, so I cleaned them top to bottom.  After a few days, when they dry, I will polish them and the wipe "boot wax" on them.  They are 20 years old and fit my feet like a glove.  I would hate to have to replace them.

Enough for 1 day, right?  LOL!

A Nice Morning

I got up really early yesterday (for me, 9 am).  It was nice outside.  Fed The Mews and we all (except for Ayla of course) went outside.   Cool and calm...

Walked around the backyard and they followed me.  Not in a trail, but generally around me.  They like it when I am outside with them.  Too often, when I am outside, they can't be (lawn mower, open gates, etc).

But not this time.  I followed them around.  Marley knows his territory well and never leaves it.  Laz is a bit more explorish, but stays inside the backyard "usually" (he sometimes seeks mice in the front yard but understands the street is dangerous and stays away from it).  Lori barely wanders the backyard but will follow Laz "some".  I could see Ayla sitting inside on the bathroom windowsill.  

So I was there just watching them walk around.  And wherever I went, they did too.  Not like they were at my feet, but they generally stayed "near", like 20-30'.  So I was under the backyard Saucer Magnolia tree and laid down on the "needs-to-be-mowed" lawn and looked up at it for about 5 minutes.  It was a nice change of view...

And suddenly realized that The Mews were all sitting within a few feet of me!  Not snuggling close like in bed, just sitting around me some few feet away, ya know?  

Beautiful happy cats, all unique in some ways, getting along, enjoying their lives here, happy to be around me...

I must be the luckiest Cat-Daddy on Earth.

50 Days Of Annoyance

This is an update, but not the usual one.  There are effects of injuries that aren't strictly sore muscles and healing ribs...

I've spent more time in bed these past 50 days than the previous 2 months.  Usually, about 10-13 hours per night.  While I may be healing and can get around better now, my body still reminds me that I'm not going on long walks for a while yet, and I may never golf or bowl again.  Not that I've done either for several years, but it is probably not an option anymore.  

I have to be careful lifting heavy pans.  I can feel it when I lift a full mug of tea above my shoulder (I have a M/W on a raised shelf and may change that).   Lifting Marley feels like lifting an anvil (he's 18 lbs now).   I still have to be careful on stairs.  

The right clavicle will never be the same.  The orthopedic surgeon was being optimistic when she said that unless I was a pro athlete I didn't need surgery as "I could do about anything else normally".  So, this is a bit awkward and I don't WANT to sound sexist or questioning her judgement (though I am), but I don't think she understands how much stress men (and some women) put on their bodies in some hobbies.

BEFORE I fell, I did a lot of things that pulled on most muscles and left me sore a few days.  Partly (for me) it is living alone and HAVING to do everything myself.  Partly, it is WANTING to (otherwise, why do it?).  I can hire people to do hard work, but I don't want to.  

Unless the shoulder improves dramatically in the next few months, there are a lot of things I used to do that I can't anymore.  I won't be digging up and chopping out invading tree roots entering my garden beds. I won't shoveling out a trailer full of mulch to add to the garden soil to keep it enriched.  I won't be climbing the ladder to cut off droopy tree branches.

There are some psychological effects of reduced mobility.  Some of you understand that personally.  This is MY first experience with it.  I sit a lot when awake and I mentioned staying in bed many hours.  When awake, it is just easier to sit.  Oh, I move around regularly (cook dinner, do laundry, water plants, clean litterboxes, take trash and recycling bins to the street, etc.  

But I sit more because I'm depressed.  I don't (think) I mean clinically, I just can't do much these days and it is frustrating.  I actively want to, I just can't.  Carrying around a stepladder on ice is just too much for now.  

And I probably lay in bed more hours because "why get up"?  The waterbed is warm, soft, and comfortable.  And The Mews collect around me much of the time.  It is easy to just lay there in relative comfort.  It's more comfortable than sitting in the easy chair, and sitting in the easy chair is still more comfortable than walking around.  

As I said, I still "feel it" when I walk.  There is a difference between "can walk" and "comfortable walking".  One day, I will just notice I am walking again normally.   Or not.  There are just somethings you have to wait to find out about.  And some things I can do well enough and some things that make me hesitate...

For example, I looked at the birdfeeders today.  I have gone out in serious snowstorms to refill them in the past.  I got myself up to fill the thistle feeders yesterday.  Well, they are reachable from the ground.  But I looked at the 8' high black oil sunflower seed feeder and hanging suet cages.   

I sighed at having to carry the stepladder to the feeder (it feels heavy these days) but went into the basement to fill the tub with seeds and open 2 containers of suet.  No suet left...  I went upstairs and added suet to my shopping list.  The cardinals will have to find seeds at neighboring yards tomorrow.  I feel very guilty.  

Before I fell, I had a flock of 6 male cardinals and some number of females (they are harder to see).  I wasn't able to refill the feeder for a month+ afterwards. I refilled it once and was empty in a week.  Most have moved on.  Or maybe died (that's the "guilt" part).  I hope they are finding another neighbor who feeds them.  

They can probably find some seeds, but suet is high-density calories and they need that in Winter.  When the sleet stops tomorrow, I will put a pan of seeds on the deck rail.  They'll find it; I've done that before.  And go shopping...  But I bet suet is hard to find now.  

On the other paw, that means people are putting suet out for the birds and that is a comfort to me.  As long as they get it through these days when I can't provide it well, they will survive.

It was about time that I started to feel age creeping up on me.  I am glad it took a while, I am grateful for all those years.  But just as our pets have to go over The Bridge sometime, I am feeling "aging".  

Aside from the effects of the fall, I already had a "trick" right knee. It will just suddenly weaken randomly. I have some routine muscle cramps in the calves and thighs in bed, and rib cramps while awake the past few years.  More annoying then anything, but painful.

I have the occasional "finger-clench" finger thing that probably is a sign of oncoming Parkinson's.  It used to happen only when I did hard-gripping of heavy tools.  Now it surprises me when I haven't done much work.  My Mother had the "clench" and lead to Parkinson's, and it seems to be genetic.  So that seems to be in my future.

I'm grateful for all the many years without any problems, but age does catch up to you eventually.  This fall from the ladder is probably not going to help anything, LOL!  Hey, all you can do is take what life hands you...

Well, I better end this for today...

One Day Leads To Another

Not much different today than yesterday.  The ugly shoulder bruise is fading, but the ones around the hips/lower back are deeper purple (I can't show you THOSE pictures, LOL).  They will begin to fade in a few days, I guess.  At least bruises don't actually HURT!  The muscles under them do though.

There may not be much change from yesterday, but there sure is from last Wensday.  Getting up from a chair or bed was a willful act of pain then.  Now I can pretty much just stand up (one hand on a kneee still helps).  One day soon I will just stand up like normal and not even realize it at first.

You would think that using the walker would make my arms hurt/tired since I'm putting a lot of my weight on them, but it is actually the hips that wear out first.  

Deb came over to see how I was doing.  She returned my laundered pants and picked up my grocery list for when she goes out later.  I have lots of the other stuff clean.

She gets a kick out of my grocery list and refrigator supply.  She says I am the healthiest-eating person she ever met.  Today's list was all fresh fruits and veggies.  Not a twinkie or even potato chip in sight.  

She likes my shopping list itself too.  I made an Excel spreadsheet list of all my usual stuff years ago.  I fitted it 2 per page and printed out 50 copies and cut them in half.  So there is 100 lists.  I keep them on a strong magnetic clip on the refrigerator and just check off items as I run out.  She thinks she may do the same.

It can be funny about lists though.  You know what each item means to YOU, but no one else quite does.  Like, one item just says "lettuce" .  I know that means green leaf or buttercrunch.  To Deb, that meant "iceberg".  She LIKES iceberg (I don't), so I explained and gave it to her.  Same with tomatoes.  To me that means grape or cherry tomatoes.  To her it means the larger regular hothouse tomatoes. I know beggers can't be choosy, but I guess I'm a bit of a "foodie"...  So todays list was handwritten in more detail.  She understands.

She insisted on doing some quick cleaning in the kitchen.  I said OK as long as it was just exposed counter space not oven-cleaning and she could NOT even look into the bathroom.  But I think I better do some cleaning in there myself today.  She is VERY determined to help and I do have SOME pride!  But I am the kind of person who couild walk into an abandoned cabin full of cobwebs and a dead squirrel in the corner and think "Home Sweet Home", LOL!

The Mews are adapting to the situation.  They have the Big Bowl of kibble, and I managed canned 2x a day now.  Ayla has been more active lately, coming into the main rooms of the house.  I even saw Ayla nappin on a living room chair yesterday.  And she comes to visit me at the computer frequently.  They still fear the walker.

Thanks for the continued good wishes, POTP, etc.

Nice Stuff

Random Good Things - 

Scored actual Flieschmans bread machine yeast at the grocery store. And at a normal price!

Finally got the trailerful of yard debris to the recycling center where they pile it up to make free mulch next year.  I cut the stuff down and tied it down months ago, but the place is a mess after rain and it rained all Summer.  It was finally dry.  They offer free mulch loading Saturdays 8-Noon but that ended last week.  I have 2 more loads of debris to go.  I'm surprized I dont have a picture of that, but I will be reloading the trailer laer today and will try to emember to take a pic.

Nice to find the car hauled the trailer easily.  But the trailer hitch is awkward.  It is low, the safety chain hooks are kinna under the car, and the light connection is awkward.  I'll have to reverse the trailer ball on the mount.  That will raise it several inches.

 

If you mount the hitch upside down, and change the ball to the "new" top, you gain several inches.  It's a deliberate design feature.

The Nandina seeds I planted in the basement in February finally sprouted in September all at once.  I have 22 seedlings growing to plant.  I have 4 plants in the yard and intend to make a hedge of them along the drainage ditch as they are evergreen with lovely red seeds.  They are very hardy and well-rooted.  They reach 4' and stop there.  Perfect hedge. 

The Mews were all-together last night.  I'll be using this picture again on their blog next week.  Not many cat-bloggers read this blog,,,

But I just had to show one now.  It was amazing.

My normal water usage is about 8-10 thousand gallons per quarter year.  Last time, it was 13,000,  Not a great increase in cost, but I was surprised.  It has rained so much this year I haven't watered anything outdoors.  But things have dried out a bit.  But one part of the front yard is soggy.  And right on the path where the water from the street pipe comes to the house.  

 

 I think there is a leak in the water pipe.  There s some uncertainty here.  A front yard leakage wouldn't have registered on the meter on the house.  But increased water usage and a soggy area in the yard suggests a water leak.  I'll  be calling the water office tomorrow.

I have Lettuces growing again in the basement light stand.  And not just lettuce.  Radishes, Celery, and Bok Choy.  It was a joy to plant them.  Not much to show yet, but here are some pics of last year...

Ignore the ivy and look at the lettuces.   I planted 2x as much this year.  It is still not enough to meet my love of salads "with everything", but is sure does add to it.  I basically thnk that any veggie that can be eaten raw goes in my salad.  With one exception... Brocolli and tomatoes don't taste right together for me.Or cheese.  I like "crispy".

Have a Happy...

Collective Cats

So I was sitting here for a while at the computer and I finally stood up.  And what do you think I saw?  

The Mews.  

They weren't hungry or asking for scritchies or even requesting laptime.  They just sort of collect around me when I don't notice.  It isn't the first time.  Just the first time I really thought about it.  

If I stay in any room long enough, they are all there.  If I deliberately look around, they aren't there.  Its when I'm not looking that they are well, "just sitting around" the room.  

And if I get up and move to another room for a while, it isn't like they follow me. But after a bit, there they are.

I must be the luckiest person in the universe!

Soothing Cats

I swear, sometimes I walk around telling The Mews "its OK, nothing's wrong, just relax".   I collect laundry to wash when they are napping on the bed, they leave.  Marley won't use the litterbox if he can see me but Iza would use one while I was cleaning the one next to her.  When Ayla wants to go outside, she circles away from me at the door before she goes out...  If I reach out a hand to scritch Marley, he flinches at first and then loves the attention. 

They love me when I am not moving...  It's not like I step on tails or paws.  I'm careful.  Its not like I pick them up unwanted (well Ayla likes that and I do it when she asks).  They come to me when I'm not moving.  I understand I'm way bigger.  But I am SO careful around them.

On the chair as The Lap, fine.  In bed trying to fall asleep not moving, fine.  Sitting at the table eating lunch and TRYING to read the newspaper?  They are all over me then.  They love me when I don't move. 

Cats are endlessly strange and inexplicible.  Is that why men love women and women love men?  Not really understanding what to expect day to day?