Musings on a Small Life

A lot was packed into last week: our former director's official retirement on the 23rd, plus an informal get-together on the 27th after work at a downtown pub (just his immediate staff and our new director), two hours in the dentist's chair for me last Tuesday, getting a temporary crown (I don't freeze properly, it took a lot of needles), plus a doctor's appointment last Thursday. The work week in itself was emotionally exhausting, and I was very surprised, when I got home on Friday, to have a sudden outpouring of anger over how things had gone over the past six+ years since our department merged with the other. I guess that, subconsciously, I wouldn't allow myself to experience the depth of emotion while he still was here. And in the end, he's human, he did the best he could under the circumstances, and I know this intellectually. However, I think it will take a bit of time for me process my negative emotions and forgive my former boss, to make peace wit...

Snapped at PetValu on Saturday. A local small animal rescue was there, and the tortie is from our humane society, up for adoption. I love her expression in the second snapshot! :-)  As always, comments are off for "wordless Wednesday". Peace.

I think this was the boys' first real tussle outdoors since the fall. Snapped on the weekend, with its glorious, glorious sunshine! (Not the greatest snapshots, best to click to enlarge and scroll through.) The boys got nice and dirty...and I got the brush and a cloth to wipe them down before I'd let them back in the house.  :-D Peace.

Nothing to do with horse racing, or even cats, in fact. It's "down the stretch they come" for our outgoing director, and for this part of our work lives for us all. One more week and he retires, his last day is the 27th. Monday the 23rd is his work retirement reception and his staff (us) have done their best to prepare a little speech and presentation. Three of the four of us (the women) have spent the week running around gift-buying too, with the funds collected, and coordinating decorations, etc. Funny (no, it's frustrating ) how that seems to fall into the domain of those with more estrogen. Estrogen in theory, because let's face, there's not a lot of estrogen left at our end! We'll do something private, within just our sub-group, on his last day.  Craft beer at a pub sounds about right.  Wherever did 17.5 years of our lives go? For me, most of it has been spent treading water (or trying to). Strange how life waits for no one, how life ...

Worst. April. Weather. Ever. The ice pellets and freezing rain continue. We're hunkered down inside for the second consecutive day, which is almost unprecedented for me.  Weather aside, Mr. Brat (Nicki) had quite the adventure early yesterday AM.  Juncos in the back space yesterday afternoon. Just before 6 AM I heard a faint, plaintive meow, the kind that means someone's in trouble, trapped in a bureau drawer or some such. I went hunting for Nicki, and it turned out that he had gotten behind the old bedspread I had tucked around the box spring propped up in the spare room (I'd thought to keep it and just get another mattress, use it for a guest bed, now that I have my new platform bed). Not only behind the bedspread, but he'd gotten himself inside the box spring itself (the underside) and was wedged up in the springs. He was NOT happy! With some help from me he did manage to extricate himself, and while he was fine, he just about gave me heart fail...

A very happy 11th Gotcha Day to the Nickster, Tricky Nicki, Snickerdoodle, Mr. Brat, Mr. Purr Bug! An update on his most recent vet visit: He went on Monday afternoon for the full meal deal--anal glands, claws, Advantage, upper airway x-ray, full bloodwork panel and urinanalysis. Poor boy, he was NOT happy with me for some hours after we got home! Anyway, we both survived and his test results came back the next day as normal, no diabetes (my serious concern). His airways look good too, so the asthma currently is controlled with the Flovent. Yay! He does, however, have some small kidney stones which will need to be monitored regularly. I don't know if there's anything I really can do to get rid of them, as reading indicates that diet can't remove them. Water will keep things moving, of course, though he's already drinking quite a bit. His diet has been mostly canned food for years. Anyone have experience with feline kidney stones? Mr. Brat last night, o...

I was coming out of PetSmart today, saw this man heading in, carrying, yep, a pig. I've seen a lot of pets heading into the store, but this was my first pig, even though I know they can make great companions and are very intelligent. It turned out that this man was pet-sitting for a friend, and he was heading in to find Bailey a bigger harness.  :-) I did ask, with a bit of horror on my face, I'm sure, if Bailey was for meat, but the guy said no. I hope he was telling the truth--I can't imagine that you'd spend money on a harness for a pig you were raising for food. Bailey was making little pig noises and of course had the longest eyelashes ever. I gave him scritches and thanked the guy for taking the time. Have a long and happy life, Bailey! Peace.

We had insane weather yesterday: pouring rain, sun, rain, sun, blizzard/sleet, sun, sleet, with incredibly high winds. Lots of damage around the city (downed trees and tree limbs, toppled signs, broken traffic lights, power outages). So I don't really need words for this series of snapshots, taken shortly after I got home yesterday.             Nicki actually had ventured out first, ran all around the space and up the fence, then zoomed back inside. Derry went out right after, and you can see the back of Nicki's head, from inside the house, in the third snapshot. Fortunately it's calm and sunny this morning, albeit with February-like freezing temps. Comments are off; everyone enjoy your day, whatever the weather in your neck of the woods! Peace.

Some of you might recall that I use a pet sitting company for the boys, and have for the past few years. Some of you also might recall that I've bemoaned the loss of the first sitter a couple of years ago, when she left the company. The two subsequent sitters I've had haven't quite been up to her level of gentleness, care and competence, and I've been particularly leery of leaving the boys, even for just a night. (Of course, I'm paranoid about their care anyway...) Well, I was in PetSmart on Saturday, ran into our former sitter! Actually, she saw me first and recognized me as Nicki and Derry's mom.  And, OMG, she started her own pet-sitting business! She's bonded, insured, has pet first aid and CPR...the whole nine yards. I was over the moon! I told her I didn't know if I should do a happy dance right there in the aisle or burst into tears. I've booked her for my June trip to Halifax, and for a day this month when I have an after-...