Quiet is the theme for today. I am trying to stay quiet and pensive. I always say the smartest babies are those who don't cry, and just look around and take it all in.
I'm trying to be like that, just spending more time absorbing and listening, than running my mouth and mind to make comments and judgements.
So on the way home I saw a herd of deer. Probably about 12 of them, crossing the road. They were magnificent. I suppose they're ordinary, around here. Quite commonplace, and even a nuisance to some. But, to me, they are amazing. Quiet (in keeping with today's theme!), soft, unimposing. Cautious and calm. I watched them as long as I was able, as they jumped the fence on the top of the hill on the east side of the road, then bounded downhill to the road, cautiously crossed it and jumped the fence to the west, heading into the forest along the railroad track.
Closer to my house I saw a male pheasant. Crisp and colorful, in all of his glory. And so quiet. I slowed and spent a moment just appreciating his beauty.
I did my afternoon chores, and spent some extra time just being calm and enjoying. It's overcast and gray, foggy in some spots. Still and quiet. I noticed that there are no birds around. I realize that in winter there are fewer birds, but today the trees around my house were completely void of birds and bird sounds. That was a little sad. I hope they come back soon.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Bye Val. : (
Yesterday B and the kids took Val to the animal shelter. I had to work, so they did it while I was gone. I am glad for that, because I would have had to tell the whole story of his rescue to the kind folks working there. B did, he made sure they knew that he was a rescue, but I would have made them repeat it back to me a few times, swearing that they would pass the info along to his new family. The kids were fine with taking him, and things seem a little more back to normal around here.
You can see his picture here (not posted just yet, but keep watching with us and hoping that he finds a forever home!):
Raccoon Valley Humane Society
Bye Val. You deserve a pampered, love-filled life.
Bub is doing well. I saw her scratch her ear with her broken leg, so she can't be in all that much pain. Actually, she's never been in all that much pain, really. But I think it's still going to be a week or so before she can come out. Nic will pounce on her immediately, I just know it. The dogs will be curious, Shadow will fight if incited. Plus, with all those animals underfoot, one is always getting stepped on. I want her to be able to take all of that without getting hurt. So it will be a while before she can come out. I love on her in the evenings, and let her walk around, and she is putting weight on her leg now, so I am confident all will work out!
Happy Sunday!
You can see his picture here (not posted just yet, but keep watching with us and hoping that he finds a forever home!):
Raccoon Valley Humane Society
Bye Val. You deserve a pampered, love-filled life.
Bub is doing well. I saw her scratch her ear with her broken leg, so she can't be in all that much pain. Actually, she's never been in all that much pain, really. But I think it's still going to be a week or so before she can come out. Nic will pounce on her immediately, I just know it. The dogs will be curious, Shadow will fight if incited. Plus, with all those animals underfoot, one is always getting stepped on. I want her to be able to take all of that without getting hurt. So it will be a while before she can come out. I love on her in the evenings, and let her walk around, and she is putting weight on her leg now, so I am confident all will work out!
Happy Sunday!
Friday, January 28, 2005
Vote for my bridge!!
(Isn't this a GREAT photo, taken by David Ely??!!)
Click and vote for my bridge!
Vote early, vote often!
Thursday, January 27, 2005
I know what it is...
that is causing my funk.
I miss the green! Don't get me wrong, I love the snow, too. I think I love the snow because it makes me appreciate the green.
I was reminded today when I saw my pictures from the summer.
I miss the green! Don't get me wrong, I love the snow, too. I think I love the snow because it makes me appreciate the green.
I was reminded today when I saw my pictures from the summer.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Time
It goes by so fast. Before I know it, it's the weekend again.
My apologies for the less frequent updates. It's a combination of a few things:
1) I received a promotion at the first of the year. I guess it should have occurred to me that along with the fancy new title comes a fancy new stack of work. I work a lot from home and though the view from my "office" is great, I would rather be outside participating in the view! So I have been consumed with work.
2) Not much has been happening at our farm. We are just doing the daily things, trying to get from one day to the next. We have worked a bit on the ceiling in the dining room, but the progress is really too slow to get excited about.
3) I am somewhat disenchanted. That's probably not the right word. Maybe a little depressed, maybe discouraged, not sure. I was really serious about the organizational stuff I wrote about earlier. That kind of thing eats me inside. I'm tired of looking at a mess, and not having the money to do a complete transformation. Oh sure, we have the money for this, that and the other, but not the $50,000 it would take to have someone come in and do what we need done in a short period of time.
We bought the house knowing full well what needed to be done. This isn't a surprise. Nothing has been a surprise, except how much I love this place. I didn't expect to love it this much. And we bought it wanting to do the work on our own. We realized it would be slow and (hopefully) steady.
I had a talk with someone at work, and he told me to stop caring so much. Not to care what people think. I can say that I'm not too judgemental of a person, but if I saw someone living in a house with walls like mine -- that was content to live like that for a long period of time-- I would wonder what is up with them. I think that my discomfort with the situation motivates me to change it. So how do I strike the balance between caring enough to motivate myself to get these things done, and caring so much that I am beside myself with anxiety that the work is not getting done fast enough?
When I am pressed for time because of work, I can't get anything accomplished. At the moment, I am staring at a pile of work. Work for work. I am looking at about 4 loads of laundry that need to be done. I can see a messy kitchen, carpets needing to be vacuumed, a bathroom needing to be cleaned. B will be home soon and I have not yet started supper.
And so I blog.
My apologies for the less frequent updates. It's a combination of a few things:
1) I received a promotion at the first of the year. I guess it should have occurred to me that along with the fancy new title comes a fancy new stack of work. I work a lot from home and though the view from my "office" is great, I would rather be outside participating in the view! So I have been consumed with work.
2) Not much has been happening at our farm. We are just doing the daily things, trying to get from one day to the next. We have worked a bit on the ceiling in the dining room, but the progress is really too slow to get excited about.
3) I am somewhat disenchanted. That's probably not the right word. Maybe a little depressed, maybe discouraged, not sure. I was really serious about the organizational stuff I wrote about earlier. That kind of thing eats me inside. I'm tired of looking at a mess, and not having the money to do a complete transformation. Oh sure, we have the money for this, that and the other, but not the $50,000 it would take to have someone come in and do what we need done in a short period of time.
We bought the house knowing full well what needed to be done. This isn't a surprise. Nothing has been a surprise, except how much I love this place. I didn't expect to love it this much. And we bought it wanting to do the work on our own. We realized it would be slow and (hopefully) steady.
I had a talk with someone at work, and he told me to stop caring so much. Not to care what people think. I can say that I'm not too judgemental of a person, but if I saw someone living in a house with walls like mine -- that was content to live like that for a long period of time-- I would wonder what is up with them. I think that my discomfort with the situation motivates me to change it. So how do I strike the balance between caring enough to motivate myself to get these things done, and caring so much that I am beside myself with anxiety that the work is not getting done fast enough?
When I am pressed for time because of work, I can't get anything accomplished. At the moment, I am staring at a pile of work. Work for work. I am looking at about 4 loads of laundry that need to be done. I can see a messy kitchen, carpets needing to be vacuumed, a bathroom needing to be cleaned. B will be home soon and I have not yet started supper.
And so I blog.
Monday, January 24, 2005
What's in the Water?
Did you know that mares go into a time of anestrous? When the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, they stop going into heat each month. It's convenient for me, because I have 2 mares and a stallion. During the warmer time, when they have monthly cycles, they go outside in shifts. The girls go during the day, and when I get home from work in the afternoon, I let the stallion out alone.
I can let them out together between cycles, but since one of the mares is his daughter, it's critical that they do not breed. So I am a little nervous about taking that chance.
It is actually good for them to be out together, because like in the wild, the girls rule the roost. The boys are around for one thing... It's nice to see them all running around at full speed chasing each other to establish the hierarchy. When Major goes out alone, he just stands around and eats grass. The fresh air is good for him, but it's nicer to see him running and engaged.
Which is why I looked forward to anestrous. But, here it is January, and it hasn't happened. M keeps telling me it's because the temperatures have been warmer. But not this month! It's been frigid, below zero at times. Today will be the first day above freezing in ages (yay!). Kitten is in heat-- again. And Cleo is acting like she is. Kitten and Major are stalled next to each other, and there is all kinds of carrying on and fussing going on between the boards! In the summer, we went in one morning and he had kicked a board down in between the stalls! Kitten is moody, too, and Major is all testosterone and stallion-like. It's much easier to deal with them both at other times of the month.
I think M wants to breed Kitten in the spring, but not this early. So I continue my summertime routine of swapping them in/out of the pasture. This summer I may run water to the north pasture and put horses out there, so they can go out at the same time, and be truly separated.
I wonder what is making the girls continue their heat cycles? I don't know if they are false heats, or if they are truly fertile. Whatever it is, I am not drinking the well water.
I can let them out together between cycles, but since one of the mares is his daughter, it's critical that they do not breed. So I am a little nervous about taking that chance.
It is actually good for them to be out together, because like in the wild, the girls rule the roost. The boys are around for one thing... It's nice to see them all running around at full speed chasing each other to establish the hierarchy. When Major goes out alone, he just stands around and eats grass. The fresh air is good for him, but it's nicer to see him running and engaged.
Which is why I looked forward to anestrous. But, here it is January, and it hasn't happened. M keeps telling me it's because the temperatures have been warmer. But not this month! It's been frigid, below zero at times. Today will be the first day above freezing in ages (yay!). Kitten is in heat-- again. And Cleo is acting like she is. Kitten and Major are stalled next to each other, and there is all kinds of carrying on and fussing going on between the boards! In the summer, we went in one morning and he had kicked a board down in between the stalls! Kitten is moody, too, and Major is all testosterone and stallion-like. It's much easier to deal with them both at other times of the month.
I think M wants to breed Kitten in the spring, but not this early. So I continue my summertime routine of swapping them in/out of the pasture. This summer I may run water to the north pasture and put horses out there, so they can go out at the same time, and be truly separated.
I wonder what is making the girls continue their heat cycles? I don't know if they are false heats, or if they are truly fertile. Whatever it is, I am not drinking the well water.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
A Place for Everything, and Everything in Its Place
That is so not the case with me.
When I lived in the suburban house, I was extremely organized. I didn't have a lot of storage space, but I had shelves and things streamlined "just so."
Here it is completely the opposite. I drive myself crazy because nothing is ever put in its place. I have boxes left to unpack. I was sweeping the floor today, and I wondered aloud why I even bothered. The house never seems to get cleaned. I don't know if it is because things truly don't have a place, or if it's because the walls aren't finished (it will never LOOK clean until that happens), or if it's because we are busier outside and with other priorities and don't have time to clean and put things away. Maybe a little of each.
In any case, it drives me absolutely nuts. So crazy that I have a screaming session at least once a month and threaten to throw everything away. I have found FreeCycle, and will definitely put it to use!
Michael Knight told me today that I don't blog enough. He says he's getting bored.
MK, how can my lack of organizational skills and facilities interest you?
******
Have you ever been upclose to a big round bale of hay? I really had never been until I became the proud owner of 14 of them.
Truth be told (and it always is around here), before I met B, I dated a farmer for 5 years. I nearly married him. But those details are a story for another day... My point is that I spent some time on his farm. I drove the tractor and baled hay. I helped him stack hay in the haymow. I helped him milk cows, or at least kept him company.
But the bales I helped with were the small, square kind. These big round bales today are totally different. I suppose it's not very exciting for someone who knows all about them, but for me it's a new experience.
They are big. HUGE. A small bale is about 50-70 pounds. Yes, the small ones can be a little heavy, but for the most part relatively easy to handle. A few weeks ago I unloaded and stacked 15 bales by myself in about 15 minutes. Not a big deal. A big round bale is 1200-1500 pounds. (Mine are, anyway.) They are taller than I am, I can't see the top of them. You can't move them without a bale spear or without dragging them behind a truck or something. Since we have 14 bales of grass hay, and we're buying alfalfa, we decided to cut down on the alfalfa over the winter and feed the grass hay. We have a bale in the pasture, and two in the barn. It's not the easiest thing to do, but we tear hay from the bales several times a day and cart wheelbarrows full of hay to each of the horses. It's like a big spiral, but not uniform. My forearms are really cramped and tired after pulling 6 wheelbarrows full of hay.
It looks as though we will not use even half of the 14 bales this winter. Do you want to buy a bale or two?
When I lived in the suburban house, I was extremely organized. I didn't have a lot of storage space, but I had shelves and things streamlined "just so."
Here it is completely the opposite. I drive myself crazy because nothing is ever put in its place. I have boxes left to unpack. I was sweeping the floor today, and I wondered aloud why I even bothered. The house never seems to get cleaned. I don't know if it is because things truly don't have a place, or if it's because the walls aren't finished (it will never LOOK clean until that happens), or if it's because we are busier outside and with other priorities and don't have time to clean and put things away. Maybe a little of each.
In any case, it drives me absolutely nuts. So crazy that I have a screaming session at least once a month and threaten to throw everything away. I have found FreeCycle, and will definitely put it to use!
Michael Knight told me today that I don't blog enough. He says he's getting bored.
MK, how can my lack of organizational skills and facilities interest you?
******
Have you ever been upclose to a big round bale of hay? I really had never been until I became the proud owner of 14 of them.
Truth be told (and it always is around here), before I met B, I dated a farmer for 5 years. I nearly married him. But those details are a story for another day... My point is that I spent some time on his farm. I drove the tractor and baled hay. I helped him stack hay in the haymow. I helped him milk cows, or at least kept him company.
But the bales I helped with were the small, square kind. These big round bales today are totally different. I suppose it's not very exciting for someone who knows all about them, but for me it's a new experience.
They are big. HUGE. A small bale is about 50-70 pounds. Yes, the small ones can be a little heavy, but for the most part relatively easy to handle. A few weeks ago I unloaded and stacked 15 bales by myself in about 15 minutes. Not a big deal. A big round bale is 1200-1500 pounds. (Mine are, anyway.) They are taller than I am, I can't see the top of them. You can't move them without a bale spear or without dragging them behind a truck or something. Since we have 14 bales of grass hay, and we're buying alfalfa, we decided to cut down on the alfalfa over the winter and feed the grass hay. We have a bale in the pasture, and two in the barn. It's not the easiest thing to do, but we tear hay from the bales several times a day and cart wheelbarrows full of hay to each of the horses. It's like a big spiral, but not uniform. My forearms are really cramped and tired after pulling 6 wheelbarrows full of hay.
It looks as though we will not use even half of the 14 bales this winter. Do you want to buy a bale or two?
Sunday, January 16, 2005
A Good Day
We're having a cold spell. Tonight's weather:
Mostly clear. Low around 10 below. West wind near 10 mph. Wind chill readings 4 below to 16 below zero.
There's one thing that is begging to be done when it's this cold. Well, okay, there's THAT, but that's not the kind of blog I have! ; ) Home Improvement! That's what you do when it's unbearably cold!
We took down all the ceiling tiles in the dining room, and on the angled ceiling going up the stairs. I decided that the ceiling going upstairs was not going to be tiled in the future, so I took down the furring strips, anticipating significant damage. I was pleasantly surprised! There wasn't much damage at all! That gives me hope that there is not too much damage on the ceilings in the living & dining rooms.
But I am still on the fence about what to do. B doesn't want to take the chance that there is damage, he wants to buy tin tiles and go from there. We already have the furring strips up, so much of the work is done. If we take the strips down, and there is damage, it will be harder to go back. However, if there is little or no damage (from the nails used to hammer up the furring strips) then we could easily restore it back to its original condition. I have visions of painting the ceilings very cool colors, and putting up some appropriate medallions. I am restoring a brass chandelier that is just begging to be hung in the dining room, and a medallion would set it off perfectly. I can see his reasoning, and totally agree with him. But it would cost so much less, and be so much truer to the style, if we patched and sanded the few spots on the ceiling that may be damaged. I could even take off the wallpaper between the furring strips to see any preliminary damage now, before removing them. But, for today, we are done.
***
Well, I am done beating myself up about being a bad farmer. Yes, I am too attached to my cats, that's for sure. But I am what I am, and I can't help it. Someone needs to look out for the poor creatures who are dumped by those who are cruel and heartless. If people want to think I'm one of those eccentric cat collectors, then so be it. There are worse things to be known for.
Quick Cat Update:
Bub (barn kitty with a broken leg): She's doing fine. The vet said her leg has a great chance of healing properly on its own, based upon the muscles holding it in place and the lack of tissue damage. He advised "cage rest and neglect" and that is exactly what she is getting. We have her in a big dog kennel, complete with kitty bed, litterbox, food/water and soft blankies. Don't know how much longer she'll take to recuperate. I think it will be a matter of weeks.
Val (sick kitty that nearly died): He is still a bit sick with an eye infection. He has not gained much weight, and did not choose to use the litterbox. That was a HUGE problem in my house. So he is in another large airline kennel. He has the same accommodations as Bub. He does not like it, and constantly complains. But he gets more rest and recuperation in there, since when he is loose, the other cats want to play.
Nic (brother of Val, not as sick): He is doing GREAT. He plays, gets into all kinds of mischief, and tries to incite Shadow into a brawl at every opportunity. He is gaining weight, and is probably about 1 1/2 pound by now.
Shadow (our kitty for 6 years): After spending a few days disgruntled, he has come around. He enjoys battling Nic, and still comes around for luvs and attention. I am glad he's getting along well. He is 12, and he weights about 18 pounds. So he could really be nasty to the kittens if he wanted to be.
Mostly clear. Low around 10 below. West wind near 10 mph. Wind chill readings 4 below to 16 below zero.
There's one thing that is begging to be done when it's this cold. Well, okay, there's THAT, but that's not the kind of blog I have! ; ) Home Improvement! That's what you do when it's unbearably cold!
We took down all the ceiling tiles in the dining room, and on the angled ceiling going up the stairs. I decided that the ceiling going upstairs was not going to be tiled in the future, so I took down the furring strips, anticipating significant damage. I was pleasantly surprised! There wasn't much damage at all! That gives me hope that there is not too much damage on the ceilings in the living & dining rooms.
But I am still on the fence about what to do. B doesn't want to take the chance that there is damage, he wants to buy tin tiles and go from there. We already have the furring strips up, so much of the work is done. If we take the strips down, and there is damage, it will be harder to go back. However, if there is little or no damage (from the nails used to hammer up the furring strips) then we could easily restore it back to its original condition. I have visions of painting the ceilings very cool colors, and putting up some appropriate medallions. I am restoring a brass chandelier that is just begging to be hung in the dining room, and a medallion would set it off perfectly. I can see his reasoning, and totally agree with him. But it would cost so much less, and be so much truer to the style, if we patched and sanded the few spots on the ceiling that may be damaged. I could even take off the wallpaper between the furring strips to see any preliminary damage now, before removing them. But, for today, we are done.
***
Well, I am done beating myself up about being a bad farmer. Yes, I am too attached to my cats, that's for sure. But I am what I am, and I can't help it. Someone needs to look out for the poor creatures who are dumped by those who are cruel and heartless. If people want to think I'm one of those eccentric cat collectors, then so be it. There are worse things to be known for.
Quick Cat Update:
Bub (barn kitty with a broken leg): She's doing fine. The vet said her leg has a great chance of healing properly on its own, based upon the muscles holding it in place and the lack of tissue damage. He advised "cage rest and neglect" and that is exactly what she is getting. We have her in a big dog kennel, complete with kitty bed, litterbox, food/water and soft blankies. Don't know how much longer she'll take to recuperate. I think it will be a matter of weeks.
Val (sick kitty that nearly died): He is still a bit sick with an eye infection. He has not gained much weight, and did not choose to use the litterbox. That was a HUGE problem in my house. So he is in another large airline kennel. He has the same accommodations as Bub. He does not like it, and constantly complains. But he gets more rest and recuperation in there, since when he is loose, the other cats want to play.
Nic (brother of Val, not as sick): He is doing GREAT. He plays, gets into all kinds of mischief, and tries to incite Shadow into a brawl at every opportunity. He is gaining weight, and is probably about 1 1/2 pound by now.
Shadow (our kitty for 6 years): After spending a few days disgruntled, he has come around. He enjoys battling Nic, and still comes around for luvs and attention. I am glad he's getting along well. He is 12, and he weights about 18 pounds. So he could really be nasty to the kittens if he wanted to be.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Your Grade in Farming 101: F
I have failed Farming 101.
I have become too attached to my animals. I have failed to let nature take her course.
First it was the barn cats and giving them their little house with Egyptian Cotton Sheets.
Then it was rescuing the kitties next door and giving up my entire Christmas vacation to dote over Val and nurse him back to health.
Now, it seems that Bub, one of BB's barn kittens has a broken leg. It was devastating for me to see and imagine his (now properly known as her) pain. I think she was in one of the horses' stalls, and she was stepped on. I took her to the vet today, and he advised inside rest and recovery. It seems that the only option is to let it heal on its own, or to have surgery to put a pin in it. That is surgery that he does not/cannot perform. He is my vet, and I trust him and his judgement. So the only answer is to keep her resting inside the kennel in the house. And she is there now.
I spent my evening last night sobbing about my kitty. I have failed to distance myself.
I can't help it, I just can't stand to see an animal suffer. They are pure souls, who ask for nothing in return but love and care. And the barn cats don't even ask for that.
I have become too attached to my animals. I have failed to let nature take her course.
First it was the barn cats and giving them their little house with Egyptian Cotton Sheets.
Then it was rescuing the kitties next door and giving up my entire Christmas vacation to dote over Val and nurse him back to health.
Now, it seems that Bub, one of BB's barn kittens has a broken leg. It was devastating for me to see and imagine his (now properly known as her) pain. I think she was in one of the horses' stalls, and she was stepped on. I took her to the vet today, and he advised inside rest and recovery. It seems that the only option is to let it heal on its own, or to have surgery to put a pin in it. That is surgery that he does not/cannot perform. He is my vet, and I trust him and his judgement. So the only answer is to keep her resting inside the kennel in the house. And she is there now.
I spent my evening last night sobbing about my kitty. I have failed to distance myself.
I can't help it, I just can't stand to see an animal suffer. They are pure souls, who ask for nothing in return but love and care. And the barn cats don't even ask for that.
screwy photos
Sorry about the photos in my blog. I'm usually somewhat technically savvy, but the photo service I use makes a "collage" of the photos for you, and then gives you the code to insert in your post. Well, when I upload new photos, they seem to appear in my collage, making me think that the collage loads differently depending on the photos you've uploaded. It must just use the most recent, rather than specifically the five I told it to use.
I will figure it out, but for now, sorry about the duplicates. I love the snowman, L made it himself. He is wearing the dreaded "Winnie the Pooh" hat. Do you have one of those at your house? That "baby" item that nobody will be caught dead in? We wear those things to the barn and out to play, but my kids turn them inside out or something. Because way out here in the middle of nowhere, you never know who you might run into. Or, the horses could see that Winnie the Pooh emblem, and tell their friends, and it could be all over town in a short time.
Anyway, he's frowning because he is being forced to wear that hat. I say he's frowning because he's cold!
Happy Tuesday.
I will figure it out, but for now, sorry about the duplicates. I love the snowman, L made it himself. He is wearing the dreaded "Winnie the Pooh" hat. Do you have one of those at your house? That "baby" item that nobody will be caught dead in? We wear those things to the barn and out to play, but my kids turn them inside out or something. Because way out here in the middle of nowhere, you never know who you might run into. Or, the horses could see that Winnie the Pooh emblem, and tell their friends, and it could be all over town in a short time.
Anyway, he's frowning because he is being forced to wear that hat. I say he's frowning because he's cold!
Happy Tuesday.
Monday, January 10, 2005
Friday, January 07, 2005
Happy Winter!!
These are some photos I took today. There is one of my cozy house, one of the road I live on, and the others are of a famous covered bridge. I will not say the bridge's name, just to keep some semblance of privacy! But it's cool. Look closely at the top one, I took a picture of the river, and the bridge is over the river in the far distance.
I took them today. I thought I would get out after the snowstorm, but the road wasn't plowed until late in the day and it was too dark for photos.
Everything is totally different in the snow. Everything is just so quiet. Summer is peaceful in a breezy sort of way, but winter is just so still and introspective. Makes you want to draw the blanket around your shoulders a little tighter, or snuggle up a little closer to your Love.
Enjoy!
I took them today. I thought I would get out after the snowstorm, but the road wasn't plowed until late in the day and it was too dark for photos.
Everything is totally different in the snow. Everything is just so quiet. Summer is peaceful in a breezy sort of way, but winter is just so still and introspective. Makes you want to draw the blanket around your shoulders a little tighter, or snuggle up a little closer to your Love.
Enjoy!
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Brudders.
Here are the kitty brudders! The one on the left is Valdez, the kitten formerly known as "sick kitty." The one on the right is Nic. You can see the difference-- Valdez still has an eye cold and is really, really skinny. In the 2 weeks' time that it has been that Nic has been eating and Valdez has not, Nic has really grown a lot bigger. Soon V will catch up!
The little neighbor girl came back today to play. She offered more cats to us, saying they were "indoor/outdoor" cats. B doesn't think the mom wants the kittens back.
Ironically, one of BB's cats is sick. He has an eye infection. I have been giving it antibiotics, though it isn't making huge strides in recovery. The little girl told L to try and catch the kitty. Her mom supposedly made an appointment for the kitten at the vet. She said, "Please catch him-- my mom doesn't want to lose her money if she doesn't take him to the vet." Whaaaattt??
I don't know if the girl was making up the story, or if the mom is trying to make up for her treatment of V and N. Either way, it doesn't matter. These are apples and oranges. BB's kitten is feral. I couldn't doctor it if I tried (other than giving it antibiotics in its food). I couldn't bring it inside. The only thing I could possibly do is live trap it and take it to the vet. I feed and water them daily and give them shelter with bedding.
Valdez and Nic are house cats. They have no survival skills. Putting them outside in December at 8 weeks of age, giving them no shelter or food or water, that is completely different.
Okay, I'm done venting. I hope this is the last I worry about what's going to happen to them, or what has happened to them.
The little neighbor girl came back today to play. She offered more cats to us, saying they were "indoor/outdoor" cats. B doesn't think the mom wants the kittens back.
Ironically, one of BB's cats is sick. He has an eye infection. I have been giving it antibiotics, though it isn't making huge strides in recovery. The little girl told L to try and catch the kitty. Her mom supposedly made an appointment for the kitten at the vet. She said, "Please catch him-- my mom doesn't want to lose her money if she doesn't take him to the vet." Whaaaattt??
I don't know if the girl was making up the story, or if the mom is trying to make up for her treatment of V and N. Either way, it doesn't matter. These are apples and oranges. BB's kitten is feral. I couldn't doctor it if I tried (other than giving it antibiotics in its food). I couldn't bring it inside. The only thing I could possibly do is live trap it and take it to the vet. I feed and water them daily and give them shelter with bedding.
Valdez and Nic are house cats. They have no survival skills. Putting them outside in December at 8 weeks of age, giving them no shelter or food or water, that is completely different.
Okay, I'm done venting. I hope this is the last I worry about what's going to happen to them, or what has happened to them.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Not Good. : (
As B just said, No good deed goes unpunished.
Today, the neighbor kids came over to sled. I invited them in for hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls that I had just baked (from scratch!). Of course, my kids showed off our new kittens, and explained the unfortunate circumstances of their arrival at our house.
The neighbors pointed out that they were, in fact, their kittens. Tom and Jerry, they called them. They had put them outside so they could be "inside/outside" cats. Apparently they had their shots and everything.
The kids' mom has been looking for them for days, and was worried that they had died or been eaten, etc.
To be fair, those people do have a house on the farm where I fed my neighbor's horses (he does not live on that property). I guess I should have asked them if they were, in fact, their kittens. However, nobody was around, and truthfully, I never even stopped to consider that they could have been someone's cats, for as emaciated and sick as they were.
So what do you think? Do you think I should give them their cats back? Nobody has called or come over to say that they want them back, but it hasn't been that long since the kids left. If she comes over, should I give them back? How can I be sure that they will not make them "inside/outside" cats again? Is it my business if they do that or not?
I am trying to play the devil's advocate. It's really hard, because I have the emotional investment, the financial investment (the food, litterbox, vet bills, 5 cans of KMR). I also can't stand to see an animal suffer, and both of these animals were suffering greatly. I had a visitor the day I took the sick kitty inside-- she begged me to bring him inside and I emailed her today to tell her how he was. She told me today that she nearly took him home that night because she was mortified at his state (I told her I couldn't have any more cats!). Of course, there is also the vet who saw him on Wednesday, and was surprised at his declined state. He was also the one who told me he really thought they were dumped, because they were so friendly. We both cursed the SOBs who would do such a thing.
I will struggle with this one. I don't want to be a cat thief. But, if it were not for me, these cats would be dead.
What should I do?
Today, the neighbor kids came over to sled. I invited them in for hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls that I had just baked (from scratch!). Of course, my kids showed off our new kittens, and explained the unfortunate circumstances of their arrival at our house.
The neighbors pointed out that they were, in fact, their kittens. Tom and Jerry, they called them. They had put them outside so they could be "inside/outside" cats. Apparently they had their shots and everything.
The kids' mom has been looking for them for days, and was worried that they had died or been eaten, etc.
To be fair, those people do have a house on the farm where I fed my neighbor's horses (he does not live on that property). I guess I should have asked them if they were, in fact, their kittens. However, nobody was around, and truthfully, I never even stopped to consider that they could have been someone's cats, for as emaciated and sick as they were.
So what do you think? Do you think I should give them their cats back? Nobody has called or come over to say that they want them back, but it hasn't been that long since the kids left. If she comes over, should I give them back? How can I be sure that they will not make them "inside/outside" cats again? Is it my business if they do that or not?
I am trying to play the devil's advocate. It's really hard, because I have the emotional investment, the financial investment (the food, litterbox, vet bills, 5 cans of KMR). I also can't stand to see an animal suffer, and both of these animals were suffering greatly. I had a visitor the day I took the sick kitty inside-- she begged me to bring him inside and I emailed her today to tell her how he was. She told me today that she nearly took him home that night because she was mortified at his state (I told her I couldn't have any more cats!). Of course, there is also the vet who saw him on Wednesday, and was surprised at his declined state. He was also the one who told me he really thought they were dumped, because they were so friendly. We both cursed the SOBs who would do such a thing.
I will struggle with this one. I don't want to be a cat thief. But, if it were not for me, these cats would be dead.
What should I do?
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
SNOW DAY!
Weather forecast, at 9:44 pm:
A mix of snow and sleet will overspread central Iowa this
evening... changing over to all snow by midnight. Snow will be
heavy at times overnight... and again Wednesday and Wednesday evening.
Expect storm total accumulations of 8 to 12 inches. In addition
northeast winds of 15 to 20 mph will create some blowing and drifting
of snow... making for very hazardous travel.
School has already been cancelled for tomorrow!
Time to break out the sleds and the snowman-making materials! I will post pictures-- I love taking pictures of the snow. It will be cool to have photos of our first snow!
If I can get down the road tomorrow, I will also take pictures of the covered bridge nearby. It, no doubt, will be gorgeous in the snow! It might be a day or so, though...
I can sleep in tomorrow! Now I can watch Conan tonight...
*****************************
The new kitten is doing wonderfully! He is now off of the KMR and has started eating solid food. He still looks emaciated and like something out of an oil spill (matted and disheveled) but he is acting like a cat, and EATING and DRINKING!
Cause for celebration!!
I am not sure I can give him away now... I would, however, definitely still give him to Michael Knight. Michael, come over so you can ride Kitten (the horse) and meet the kitten (the cat)! I'll even cook dinner! :) (No hard sell here.)
Life is good.
A mix of snow and sleet will overspread central Iowa this
evening... changing over to all snow by midnight. Snow will be
heavy at times overnight... and again Wednesday and Wednesday evening.
Expect storm total accumulations of 8 to 12 inches. In addition
northeast winds of 15 to 20 mph will create some blowing and drifting
of snow... making for very hazardous travel.
School has already been cancelled for tomorrow!
Time to break out the sleds and the snowman-making materials! I will post pictures-- I love taking pictures of the snow. It will be cool to have photos of our first snow!
If I can get down the road tomorrow, I will also take pictures of the covered bridge nearby. It, no doubt, will be gorgeous in the snow! It might be a day or so, though...
I can sleep in tomorrow! Now I can watch Conan tonight...
*****************************
The new kitten is doing wonderfully! He is now off of the KMR and has started eating solid food. He still looks emaciated and like something out of an oil spill (matted and disheveled) but he is acting like a cat, and EATING and DRINKING!
Cause for celebration!!
I am not sure I can give him away now... I would, however, definitely still give him to Michael Knight. Michael, come over so you can ride Kitten (the horse) and meet the kitten (the cat)! I'll even cook dinner! :) (No hard sell here.)
Life is good.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Happy New Year!
Do you make new year's resolutions? Do you stick to them?
Mine this year is to work really hard on the inside of the house over the winter. I can't stand living in chaos, with half of my things still packed and stacked in the corner. I need to get the walls skim coated, painted and shelves built. It will be a good day when all of that happens.
I am still continuing to try and simplify. I emailed Michael the other day, describing my Christmas card fiasco (I am actually taking a break from doing them right now!). I said to him, "In an effort to simplify things, I have made them more complicated."I think that is a metaphor for my life! B says it's the human condition, but that doesn't make me feel any better.
The kitty saga continues. Firstly, Nic is doing great. He has filled out quite nicely in a week, and has made himself at home. He is sweet, and we are happy to have him.
The other kitty is not doing so well. It was touch and go yesterday. He started the day off by eating solid food, which made me so happy! I'd fed him Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR) all week, so to have him take a few tablespoons of solid food was great.
I got home from town and went right down to him, just a few hours later. He had taken a turn for the worse. He could not stand, he collapsed immediately when I put him down. His pupils were tiny slits, and he just stared blankly straight ahead. His heartbeat and breathing were irregular.
I held him, thinking he was going to die any minute, and wanting him to die warm and loved. After a few minutes, I decided I was desperate enough to try and tube feed him. I have read about doing it, but the fear of putting it into his lung kept me from doing it earlier. But I had nothing to lose, so I did it. It worked, and I got him to take about 4 tablespoons of KMR that way.
I brought him upstairs then, and kept pushing the KMR all night. We slept downstairs so I could be with him, and I snuggled with him in my bed. I woke up to him alert and purring this morning! I just fed him another 4-5 tablespoons about 3 hours ago, and he is sleeping like a baby. Probably time to push some more.
I hope that he will clue in and start taking solids on his own soon. I go back and forth between being so exhausted from keeping up with this for a week, to feeling like I haven't done all I should. I will do it as much as necessary, but it will be so much easier when he will eat on his own. He will be healthy in no time when that happens. I have bought him the most stinky, rich, seafood flavored catfood I can find! : )
Oh, when I took him to the vet on Wednesday, he felt (as I had considered) that someone had dumped Nic and his brother off in the country and they wound up at the neighbor's. Bastards! They are so cute, they would have been adopted in a heartbeat from a shelter. People are such cowards. No animal deserves to be treated that way, and then suffer because their owner is so callous.
I pray he makes it and has a great 2005!
Mine this year is to work really hard on the inside of the house over the winter. I can't stand living in chaos, with half of my things still packed and stacked in the corner. I need to get the walls skim coated, painted and shelves built. It will be a good day when all of that happens.
I am still continuing to try and simplify. I emailed Michael the other day, describing my Christmas card fiasco (I am actually taking a break from doing them right now!). I said to him, "In an effort to simplify things, I have made them more complicated."I think that is a metaphor for my life! B says it's the human condition, but that doesn't make me feel any better.
The kitty saga continues. Firstly, Nic is doing great. He has filled out quite nicely in a week, and has made himself at home. He is sweet, and we are happy to have him.
The other kitty is not doing so well. It was touch and go yesterday. He started the day off by eating solid food, which made me so happy! I'd fed him Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR) all week, so to have him take a few tablespoons of solid food was great.
I got home from town and went right down to him, just a few hours later. He had taken a turn for the worse. He could not stand, he collapsed immediately when I put him down. His pupils were tiny slits, and he just stared blankly straight ahead. His heartbeat and breathing were irregular.
I held him, thinking he was going to die any minute, and wanting him to die warm and loved. After a few minutes, I decided I was desperate enough to try and tube feed him. I have read about doing it, but the fear of putting it into his lung kept me from doing it earlier. But I had nothing to lose, so I did it. It worked, and I got him to take about 4 tablespoons of KMR that way.
I brought him upstairs then, and kept pushing the KMR all night. We slept downstairs so I could be with him, and I snuggled with him in my bed. I woke up to him alert and purring this morning! I just fed him another 4-5 tablespoons about 3 hours ago, and he is sleeping like a baby. Probably time to push some more.
I hope that he will clue in and start taking solids on his own soon. I go back and forth between being so exhausted from keeping up with this for a week, to feeling like I haven't done all I should. I will do it as much as necessary, but it will be so much easier when he will eat on his own. He will be healthy in no time when that happens. I have bought him the most stinky, rich, seafood flavored catfood I can find! : )
Oh, when I took him to the vet on Wednesday, he felt (as I had considered) that someone had dumped Nic and his brother off in the country and they wound up at the neighbor's. Bastards! They are so cute, they would have been adopted in a heartbeat from a shelter. People are such cowards. No animal deserves to be treated that way, and then suffer because their owner is so callous.
I pray he makes it and has a great 2005!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
