All Is Quiet On The NorthWestern Front

Today we did the sock return at KMart and went to Costco (found some wonderful flannel sheets for our bed), then a quick trip to Petco for Cherry's cookies.  They have doggy chocolate chip and sandwich cookies that look good enough to eat.  She loves them and must have one a day.  What she isn't going to like is the toothpaste and toothbrush we got for her.

My days should calm down a bit now since we have all the meds for the cats and no appointments for the dentist until September.  Barring anything unforeseen....it should be wonderfully boring here for a while. ( This is where God decides that we aren't working hard enough and sends us yet another  challenge)  If possible..... I'm going back to weeding the yard.

I adore Sunday nights.  It's my quiet time.  My husband goes to bed and the weekend is finally over.  The cats go to their special baskets and crash for a few hours and it's just so perfectly peaceful.  I can watch a movie or blog or craft or paint or anything I wish with little or no interruption.  Lately my tooth pain has been interrupting my quiet times though.  Now that's gone and I can get on with my R&R.

I'm half done with my crocheted dog sweater.  It's a pattern by My Savannah Cottage.  She has so many wonderful patterns for doggy dresses and sweaters.  If you get a chance go and check out her wonderful patterns.

Good Night From Muttzncatz's Place

I'm Here...Minus One Tooth

We went to the dentist today and the painful tooth is finally gone for good. One more visit to take care of my three tiny cavities and I'm done.  I have to wonder how long it will be before I take them out and soak them at night.  Getting old is such a pain.

Victor (who we took in, in his 10 or so years of life) went to the vet yesterday for his shot for his inflamed gums.  He was allergic to the enamel on his teeth so we had them extracted.  He still gets swollen and red about every month to month and a half. It's a good thing there is no such thing as a tooth fairy for cats or we would be broke!

Tomorrow we are going to go to KMart to exchange my husband's socks we bought last weekend.  He wanted crew socks and got ones with the heels in them. That concludes his clothes shopping for Winter.  I usually call it his school clothes shopping trip. ( 'cause it bugs him)

My son just bought a new motorcycle.  I even like the looks of this one. My husband was dreaming about it and from what I could understand he rode it most of the night.  He wants a bike super bad but I think he's too old to handle one.  He's use to driving a semi and makes wide turns and rides the center line most of the time so........I don't think so!

Good Night From Muttzncatz's Place

My Back Went Out But I Didn't

I'm not sure what I did tonight to throw out my back... but it's out.  The pain is enough to take my breath away.  Then there's my toothache.  I can't seem to win the pain battle lately.

I'm making another dog sweater for Cherry.  It's crocheted this time.  It has a bunch of popcorn stitches on the back panel.  When I get it done I'll take a picture and post it here.  It's done in Knit Picks Swish worsted in Marine Heather.  That's kind of a deep teal and dark turquoise color.  I adore Knit Picks yarn and their needles.  They are a local company but I still have to buy their products online.

Homer and Moosey went to the vet and returned home with antibiotics for their infections.  Moosey is easy to give meds to.  Homer, on the other hand, is like wrestling with an octopus. He's around 17 pounds of furry legs all moving at the same time. I think I got more liquid on me than in his mouth.

Have a pleasant tomorrow
Good Night From Muttzncatz's Place

Back To The Vet We Go

Tomorrow Moosey goes back to our vet.  He is having a problem with a recurring infection that sometimes turns into an upper respiratory infection.  I want to get him there before he stops eating.  When his nose gets so full that he can no longer smell his food he quits eating and he doesn't have a pound to spare.  He is a little under weight though not unhealthy. 

Tomorrow is actually supposed to be on the warm side.  Maybe close to 90 degrees. Could this be the beginning of Summer?  One of our local weathermen said today that we are still under the lingering effects of the La Nina from this Winter and that next Winter it looks like we will again be under the La Nina.  At the beginning of Fall last year all the weather people were thinking we would be having one of the worst Winters we have had in many years.  I'm thinking.....does that mean it might happen this year then?  If they predict the same kind of Winter as last year I'm betting we will have the bad one that was actually predicted last year. *snicker*

I have so much I want to accomplish tomorrow.  First Moosey to the vet then I want to go to the Farmers market in Vancouver and get fresh local produce.  Then I have a tee shirt to return.  After all that ...then we can go grocery shopping.

Because the weather has been so crappy I still have yard work to finish too.  I can't do that until the sun is almost ready to set because my skin gets bright red in the sun.  I don't mean sunburn because my skin is more olive...I mean rashy bright red. The doctor doesn't seem to think this is a big deal so, Oh Well!

Good Night From Muttzncatz's Place

The Golden Years....Ha!

Teeth are squeaky clean but the sore tooth is still in my mouth.  The dentist wouldn't pull it until the infection is all gone.  Since I was having pain... an  infection must be present so I had to get a script for antibiotics for a two week course. On the thirtieth it will get extracted and the pain will be all gone. Just what the doctor ordered.....another hole in my head.

Do NOT ever believe that when you get to be a senior you are in your "golden years".  Whoever coined that phrase had a real sense of humor.  There is nothing golden about not being able to cough or sneeze without wetting your pants or having to have scissors and needle nose pliers close at hand in the kitchen so you can open sealed packages.  How about trying to open a screw top jar of pain medication but can't because your arthritic hands hurt too much?  Then there's child proof caps that your meds come in and it takes a child to open them.  Golden...I think not!

We have to go to the vet tomorrow and pick up some meds for the boys in the back room.  It's anti-spray meds....called clomicalm.  Homer is still going crazy and spraying everything in site.  He started the spraying when we brought Lamont inside.  I bought Homer a calming collar with herbs on it which he stuck his claw in and ripped in half.  That was $15.00 well spent.

I think we are going to make a stop at a farmers market tomorrow also.  There's one up in Vancouver on the way to the vets office.  I want to see if they have any vine ripened tomatoes.  I'm growing tomatoes in pots on the deck but they are just starting.  We had such a late growing season this year.

Good night from Muttzncatz's Place

Chocolate Cake and Cherry's Wheels

Tomorrow we go to the dentist.  Both my husband and myself.  We are supposed to have our teeth cleaned but I think I'm going to change the procedure.  I have a toothache and it needs to be addressed asap.  At this point I don't care if they pull it out as long as it stops hurting!

I just iced the cake I made today...... so I completed everything I said I was going to do except the weeding.  It's going to rain tonight and tomorrow so gee whiz.....I can't do any yard work.  Awwwwwe I feel so bad *sniff*

mmmmmm the cake is good!  It's chocolate and has vanilla frosting with just a touch of fresh lemon zest in it.  I had to put it in my convection oven on the counter to cool because Hunter likes to just help himself to the top of cakes and muffins left unattended.  I remember one time I left out a pizza with a cellophane shrink wrap on it.  I went outside for about ten minutes while the oven heated up and when I returned there were holes all over the cellophane and a few of the pepperoni pieces were missing.  There he was.... happily cleaning his face sitting in the living room as though nothing had happened. The least he could have done was look guilty.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it but when we went to the beach a few weeks ago we went to a puppy boutique on the Prom in Seaside.  Cherry got herself  some wheels.  We bought her a doggy stroller.  That was wonderful because we didn't have to stop and pick her up when a big dog approached us on the sidewalk.  Everyone thinks it was a ridiculous purchase, but it even has a place to store purchases underneath her seat.  We were able to walk without the extra weight of the packages, Cherry pulling on her leash and both of us managing our walking stick and cane with ease.  It wasn't a frivilous purchase at all...it was very sensible.  Our friends just laugh and think we're spoiling the dog but we know the real reason for the purchase so they can just think what they want.

Good Night from Muttzncatz's Place

Today Was Hair Ball Day

Almost all the cats got rid of a hairball today.  Thank God I have a small rug shampooer.  It was very busy all day.  I'm thinking I had better go and get some of that malt tasting hairball remedy....not that I know what it tastes like...the vet told me it was a pleasant tasting malt flavor.  Now I wonder if he tried it??????  Oh well I guess that's his problem, right?

I had a super rough night with my restless leg syndrome in full force.  I ended up sleeping a whole 3 1/2 hours.  If I don't sleep tonight, I'm going to be very upset... not to mention grouchy.  The world is a far better place when I've had enough sleep.

Tomorrow is Friday and that means extra housework for me.  I'm going to BBQ a big steak for dinner too.  Maybe a tossed green salad and baked potato also.   If there's time I may bake a cake for the weekend.  I like to have something to nibble on all weekend long.

It's still raining here but this weekend it's supposed to clear up so I'll be outside working in the yard again. Not a fun thought but the more I do the closer I get to completing the job.  I still need to put the weed retardant on the part I've already done. 

Off to bed....
Good Night From Muttzncatz's Place

Another Rainy Day In Oregon

It's been raining off and on for most of the day right into evening.  I love it!  That means it's too wet to sit on the ground and do weed pulling Yea!!!!!  A day off is a good thing.

So...what to do with my time?  How about dragging out the watercolors and giving a kitty portrait a try?  Let's see....who should I paint?  I can guarantee it won't be a black kitty so that lets Homer and Moosey off the hook.  Maybe miss funny face (Fina)  Her cute little one nostril, cleft lip might be interesting to paint.  Tanner has beautiful markings even though he has a scaredy-cat attitude.  Most of the time when I'm trying to get a photo of him all I see is his rump moving away ASAP.  Hunter won't get away from in front of the camera so it's hard to get any distance to get a good picture of him.  Paddy is usually sound asleep or has his head in a just emptied can of cat food. (That's why we call him can-face.  He has a permanent circle cut around his face from the cans which wouldn't be too awfully wonderful in a portrait anyway) Lamont might be a good model but he is presently not a happy camper from being confined to the back room.  Victor doesn't care as long as he can be Velcroed to Lamont.  Maybe someone else has a cute and cooperative kitty that would like to be a subject of a portrait?  You would think that out of eight cats at least one would be a good subject, wouldn't you?

Maybe I could do one of the birds we had appear at the feeders last month.  We had Orioles, Tanagers and Evening Grosbeaks.  What a treat it was to see them. Here's a picture of one of them.

We always have Black headed Grosbeaks but once in a while these beauties come through and visit for a couple of days.  During this time the birdwatching society at the sliding glass door was a standing room only situation.

I think I'll get busy now and do one of my bird photos.

Good night from Muttzncatz's Place

Now For The Dog Days Of Summer.......

Thank God the fourth of July is over.  We did well though.  Everything turned out pretty well and we only had one glitch.......The Turkey had to go from the BBQ to the oven to get done in time.  I understand the Vancouver, Washington fireworks display was nothing to shout about this year.  I was told they were low to the ground and only 25 minutes instead of the old 45 minutes.  Nothing stays the same I guess.

I'm working outside when I can ...weeding the flower beds. This is a bit of a sore spot for me since we pay extra in our rent so they do our yard work.  We live in a mobile home park and we are in a section that is supposed to have yard  maintenance included. Watering, weed control, edging, trimming are all included.  Ya, right!  I have worked harder in this space than in my old one where I was responsible for all the yard work.  The only thing the park does is mow the very front lawn because it shows from the street.  After I'm done with the weeding then I have to start the trimming of the trees and bushes. Is it any wonder that I like Winter better than Summer?

I'm still looking for a watercolor class to attend.  I did find my last teachers phone number though.  I'm going to call her this week and see if I could maybe go to another one of her classes somewhere else.  I need some inspiration.  If I could go out and take pictures of flowers and birds.....I would possibly become inspired.

We are having a very cool Summer so far.  I do understand that we will be in the oven soon. 

On the kitty scene.........I now have Moosey, Victor, Lamont and Homer in the back room (Due to spraying issues).  Victor has to be watched very carefully because he has pain shots for his inflamed gums about every 6 weeks.  (He was allergic to the enamel on his teeth and had to have them pulled). When
he hisses it sounds reeeeeeally wet.  He hisses every chance he gets because he's still very feral. At least HE thinks he's still feral.  He loves to be petted behind the ears and under the chin but then suddenly realizes he's being handled by a human and hisses and trys to look almost vicious.

In the main part of the house we have Fina, Hunter, Paddy and Tanner.  Tanner is trying so hard to make up to Hunter but the best he gets is a whomp on the top of his head.  Since we did a major shift in the fur people that live in each part of the house things have not been boring.  Lamont is lamenting, Victor is glued to Lamont (no change there), Moosey attacks Homer relentlessly, Tanner keeps getting beat up by Hunter, Paddy is afraid Hunter will eat all his food and Fina is attacking Hunter Paddy and Tanner.  Ahhhh, life is good....well, maybe not good, but interesting.

Good night from Muttzncatz Place

The Van Has Gone To The Used Car Lot On The Strip

We decided to trade in the van for a Trailblazer.  The van was beginning to have more wrong with it than we could afford.  Might as well go and get a newer used car.  We got a 2004 Trailblazer with so many extras I couldn't believe it.  I get to pay for it out of my Social Security each month.

It seems like so many things have happened since the first of this year.  Some bad and some good.  The older you get the more people you know are dying off.  I heard once that God gives to us when we are young and when we get old he takes away.  I tend to believe it since so many of the people I knew years ago are no longer with us today.  By far the most devastating loss was the two kids, Midge and Ming.  The hardest part of loosing them was the timing...... with both going on the same day.  I don't know if I mentioned it before, but because of the large number of cats we had a very heavy garbage can each week.  Ten cats produced a bunch of scoopable litter in the can each week.  We were getting notices that we had better lighten the load or pay extra.  From then on I had to weigh everything that went into the can.  Luckily we have a single neighbor who lets us throw anything extra in her can.  Now with Midge and Ming gone I rarely have to take any extra to the neighbors can.  I still have to weigh the garbage though just to be sure.

I wish I could find a reasonably cheap watercolor class to go to.  I miss my class.  It was at the local community center but got cancelled because there were not enough people interested in it.  The class relaxed me and helped with my fibromyalgia pain.

Well...... better get in the kitchen and finish my 4th of July BBQ dishes.

 Good night from Muttzncatz's Place!