Musings on a Small Life

Friends Robin and Chuck came for a visit yesterday. I'd last seen them in early July, when I went for an overnight visit. During that visit, Robin and I had gone to Magnolia Cottage, a lovely little shop in Brighton (they're on FaceBook). I had seen an absolutely adorable cat print , done by a local artist, but as much as I had been tempted, I didn't get it. I have been kicking myself ever since, and have emailed Robin a couple of times to ask if the shop still has it or to let me know if the artist does another one. The print in the store, so cheerful and whimsical, it makes me smile to look at it. Well, as I'm sure you can guess, they arrived yesterday, with the print as a gift for me! Here it is, up on my wall at the top of the stairs.  :-) It was such a completely unexpected (and incredibly generous) gift that I could help but cry. Robin and Chuck are dear people, so kind, and I've been blessed to have their friendship. (And not because they brough...

A very happy 8th Gotcha Day to Derry, who came home on December 21, 2007. I can't believe how quickly the years have passed. First few days -- everyone's seen these pics before, I know!       I sincerely hope the Universe will grant us another 8 healthy, happy years together. But however long we have, you have been an amazing gift and blessing (uh, except for the almost-nightly sleep disruptions) and I'm so thankful you chose me as your caretaker. Smooches to my baby bear.  :-) *** And yesterday the  boys got a wonderful early Christmas gift from friends Robin and Chuck , who came for a visit.   They had purchased this awesome stand for their cat Sam, who sadly passed two weeks later, last year. I had suggested they donate it, but they both wanted the boys to have it -- very kind and generous of them! Nicki was the first in (Derry was upstairs, avoiding company, of course), but eventually Derry came down and played in it...

Today is sweater weather, a welcome relief from the humidity. I had left my patio door open a crack last night (locked the screen, of course) and the temp on the main level had fallen 10 degrees overnight. Whew! It was still stuffy upstairs, but today's open windows should take care of that. Two days of blessed relief, then the forecast is for typical hot and sticky weather again. Derry was so happy with the cool wind this morning that he zoomed around like mad. He was far more sedate yesterday after work, below.  Derry also caught a giant moth, I think, around 4:30AM. There was one flying around the back space, so neither boy wanted to come in for breakfast, then a short time later I saw Derry crunching something. I didn't look too closely. Oh, the coyotes across the street, in the acres of abandoned commercial space (now slated for development) were yipping like mad this morning too, just around 4:15AM (before the moth). They must have caught something. They...

There was an unexpected package for me in yesterday's mail, and when I opened it up, it was two tie-dye totes from Trish over at Katnip Lounge . Her husband makes and sells them on his Etsy shop and I had purchased a small one a few years ago (longer?). Trish actually remembered (!) that I'd said at the time I'd love a larger one to use as a shopping bag. So now I have one! It's super-heavy weight and durable and will be perfect for cases of cat food, groceries, etc. Note that she included a bonus small tote too! So a huge thank you to Trish and Scott, it was a lovely surprise. I asked that she let me know when he starts selling the larger ones, as I'd like to buy one or two.  *** Update on Mom's hubby, Harry: He's still in hospital, still only eating a few teaspoons of pureed food a day, has lost a lot of weight (and he was frail to begin with). The big concern is the fluid in his pleural cavity; they're going to try draining that,...

My birthday is next week, and I got a card in the mail yesterday from a friend in Montreal (actually my dad's second ex-wife). We always exchange b-day and Christmas cards, nothing unusual about that. But this time she had included a cheque for a small amount, so I could treat myself to some little thing. (She's the one who always takes her entire birthday week off to pamper herself and do whatever she wants--whether that's doing nothing or going to a spa or taking a trip, etc.) Her gesture totally took me aback, as she's not done that before. I didn't know how to take it--was she taking pity on someone whose funds always end up being doled out on bills and vets? Part of me feels like a charity case and I've been wondering whether I should cash the cheque at all. I called her and thanked her, of course. She meant it purely as a gift and told me it was for me (lunch or whathaveyou), not for the cats (lol), not even to put toward something for the new bed...

I got an unexpected gift a few minutes ago, an email from a blogger: I just want to thank you for your amazing comments to grieving kitty parents. Your words are so insightful and helpful. You write what is in my heart, but I can never seem to articulate. Thank you for being there for all of us. You are a comfort and a blessing. Of course I quickly replied to thank her for her kindness. Yet I don't perceive myself as being or doing this at all. Rather, I perceive only my limitations and my failures. In fact, I'm feeling rather despondent at this time, very much that I've utterly failed at life, for various reasons.  So her brief email is a blessing to me . And a reminder that how we perceive ourselves often isn't the same as how others see us, and that none of us ever knows how we might touch another Being, for the greater Good. Ripples in a pond. Image courtesy of Microsoft's Image Gallery and framed at Ribbet.com  Peace and Blessings...Pur...

I wish, now, that I had taken yesterday (my birthday) off, as I normally do. But the weather was crappy, cold and rainy, and I didn't want to waste a vacation day. So in the end I really don't feel I had a birthday, in spite of all the wonderful calls received both at work and at home. (Including a call from my uncle in Bergamo, Italy.) In fact, I had arrived home with ribs and salad and a nice dessert, but got sidetracked by a girlfriend's call....for 1 hour, 40 minutes and 51 seconds. So supper cooled in the oven and it was after 7:30PM before I could scarf anything down. I'll take a day off work when it's sunny and warm (is it ever going to be warm?) and treat myself then, I hope sometime this month. I'm also getting together with a friend and his partner this weekend--I haven't met the new partner yet, so am looking forward to it. I did however, get a cosy sweater from Mom, as well as these two cute tote bags. I actually had asked some month...

The fun kind.  :-) I'll probably do a post for the boys later this week, with some Christmas Day pics. "Santa" brought them more than they probably ever will play with. And my mom made them an adorable cat mat--they've both had turns on it already. Total paper chaos. Gifts from mom, including washable wool long "janes," warm socks, two pairs of fleece lounge pants (sewn by her), a few tops, a great apron with lots of pockets, some wonderful loose teas and a lovely, breakable reindeer (to be kept away from Nicki). Gifts the boys "gave me"--very clever of them to know I wanted lots of fleece this year, and wool to knit too, and that I needed new slippers. And such a pretty cat calendar.  :-) I hope you all have been spoiled too--by yourself, your fur kids or family and/or friends. Universal Blessings, Light and Mercy to All Beings.

It's all over now but the Boxing Day frenzy. And as I'm typing this on Christmas Day afternoon, I haven't yet decided if I'll partake of the consumer shopping frenzy. I don't as a rule, but hey, you never know. A huge thank you to my mom, who spoiled me. Nothing extravagant, just a number of much-welcome presents: Two pairs of soft and cosy flannel lounge pants that she made, slippers, two pairs of earrings, a zip-up fleece sweater (it's actually teal, not blue), a cute wooden sign that says "Martha Stewart doesn't live here and that's a good thing," two very soft cream cotton tops (tee and turtleneck) to go with the lounge pants (wish I could wear those to work!), a fundraising calendar in support of the feral cats of the Halifax Dockyard--run by one man, who has trapped them all and cares for them (no kittens have been born since 2007 and the colony is about 45 strong now), warm black gloves, thick and toasty navy socks, a fabric book cov...

I had a lovely surprise in the mail yesterday, for which I'm very thankful--the package of cards and treats I had won from Pia on her blog ( The World According to Pia ) earlier this fall. For any of you who aren't familiar with her blog, she has wonderful posts that include her photography, recipes, Loaf Dog, occasionally her cats, and her travels. She can make even the ordinary seem exquisite and I really enjoy the glimpse into her life in Stockholm. The greeting card included in the package The photo cards she had made -- hard to see, but the upper left one is a picture of her footwear. Pia is known for shoe photos!   The book marks and business cards she included, again made from her own wonderful photos. The mitten garland and chocolate she included. She's a wonderful craftsperson too! And that chocolate was salted on the outside, so had a fabulous taste! Of course I ate it all right away. LOL. So a huge thank you, Pia, for the wonderful gift package! Normally I ...

...to piss me off faster than you can blink. Seriously. Last night I wrapped up the three items I had offered in Derry's auction, to mail out either this weekend or after I get paid on the 30th. The items weren't the only things going in the packages (just a small something else), and each package entailed two large bubble-envelopes to ensure sufficient padding ('cause it's not like I have boxes), copious amounts of packing tape and much running up and down the stairs to get things I had forgotten. During this process, Nicki was constantly "helping," to the point that I had to put the scissors down for fear of going berserk (kidding...sort of), Annie was hissing at the boys, and Derry was scratching at my couch, the little shit. As if I don't have enough kitty scratchers and condos around the house. I ended up yelling at all of them in turn, and trust me, I do not have dulcet tones when riled up. The packages are ready to go, but I qualify for the ...