Musings on a Small Life

My #1 thought for today is that I'd like the snow to stop and for Spring to hurry up and get here! The view heading into my building this morning (click to enlarge and easily scroll through): This was the view last Friday March 2nd, strangely similar to today's view: The in-between days: I have seen things sprouting in protected sunny spots, including 2 lone snowdrops yesterday. The robins are back in abundance and I even heard a red wing blackbird trilling away this morning, as I was walking to my bus stop. So Spring is trying her best; however, winter is being a bit obstreperous at the moment, typical "old man" that he is.  :-) Other thoughts, in this case Nicki-related:  Since he's still been having asthma attacks (most recently on March 1 or 2, after 10 days of being attack-free) I'm going to try him on Terbutaline (oral bronchodilator) in conjunction with the Flovent. It's a common oral bronchodila...

This sign is posted on a door in a passageway between buildings downtown. I'd seen it earlier in the winter, in the dark, while on the way to work. No, I don't frequent back alleys in our city--the buses have been detoured due to construction, and the "alley" runs between the temporary stop and the main street.  Nice font! Just to reassure my mother (lol), I wasn't the only one using the shortcut, and I wasn't walking alone. All the same, I wouldn't go through there at night! Peace .

I feel like I'm drooling. I had a dental appointment this morning -- part of my lower right molar broke over the Family Day weekend, so I needed a new filling. Took five needles to freeze me; fun times. She removed the old silver filling done around 1980, put a pin in at the corner that was broken (so the new filling wouldn't break off there too), then filled the tooth. There's another crack in the molar, though, so it will need a crown. X-ray taken, documents sent off to my insurance company for assessment, so we'll see how much they cover. (It's only partial coverage for crowns.) However, while I was waiting for my appointment (she was running 20+ minutes late), an elderly gentleman came in to have some broken lower teeth removed and new ones (implants? partial?) put in. He was insistent about paying upfront, in case he didn't make it out. Seriously. He came and sat beside me and we chatted while we were both waiting. Eighty-eight years old. He came to...

"John Bellen", caretaker to a handful cats, including foster Parker, has a recent post about Parker's encounter (inside) with two ferals eating (outside) . Nicki also had an encounter on Saturday, though I couldn't see with what. I presume another cat, from his reaction: Nicki sat on the step for a long time, and I could see his entire body trembling, but he continually refused to come inside. I don't recall seeing Nicki quiver like that, for so long after an encounter. I wonder if it was with the hated Carla (one of the neighbourhood cats and long-time nemesis) or with someone else. Fortunately for Derry sake, he (Derry) was inside at the time, and I kept him in with me until Nicki finally calmed down and wanted back into the house. (Nicki is well-known to turn his aggression onto Derry and fight viciously.) With temperatures warming* and the boys (presumably) spending more time outside in the late afternoons this week (once I...

Why do the "short" work weeks always feel so long? That's rhetorical. I'm sure I ask this after every "long" weekend we have. Anyway. The annual cat show is on this weekend, but I'm not feeling it this year, and it likely isn't the best idea to go when I'm having such a bad time with my allergies right now. I'll see. Maybe I'll change my mind. Besides, I have my own "cat show" at home.  :-) Snapshots from last weekend. There's been significantly more snow melt since then.  I just want to smooch Derry's kitty lips! I've been going back and forth with our vet re: Nicki's increased asthma attacks this winter. He's looking into the possibility of compounding a bronchodilator into something tasty (chicken-flavoured). Alternatively, I could go the route of a tasteless pill that I could grind up and put in his canned food. I'll see what happens there. I've turned the whole-house h...

I toddled off to the City Greenhouse on Sunday, for its annual open house (5 consecutive Sundays through part of Feb and March). I've been going for quite a number of years, take essentially the same photos, but still enjoy it. So here are a number of them, to give you a taste of Spring. Comments are off, just enjoy! Peace .