Cat tells

The other day I went outside and came upon a cat,

who sat upon my lap.

Then another happened along,

and it soon became a throng....

(My back fence this very morning)

Ok, so I'm back to the blog after a brief hiatus. I told the facebookers a couple days ago that I had rushed inside and jotted down some things I've been pondering about cats (Yes, I DO realize that sends up a freak flag with a paw on it, but I'm ok with that.) And, since that brought out a few of my fellow cat loving freaks friends, as well as a few that just enjoy a side show- I figured I'd share.

It wasn't really a list of questions to be answered by other cat "enthusiasts" (That sounds better right?), but more a batch of thoughts pertaining to cats that might be better expressed in the Jeff Foxworthy way. So here were my passing cat fancies:

You might be a Catlady if....

...you seriously ponder purchasing a 3ft. tall rod iron cat shaped plant holder from a store called "Oops!"- though it is quite clear you are not a "plant person".

... you coax a cat you've never seen before over to you, then let it lay on your lap for thirty minutes while it kneads it's claws into your wrist.

...you look deep into previously mentioned cat's eyes as it adores you, and wonder if it could possibly be an angel sent in this form with a special message just for you. Then you wait a moment for it.

...on your wedding day your friends and family all make a pact to not tell you about the incident involving the cat in the parking lot of the church.

...you yell out "Kittee!!" into the darkness only to realize you may have been talking to a decorative rock in someone's yard.

...you have a "great idea" of what to stencil on your cork board, but are reminded with a sigh from your husband that this particular room already has at least thirteen other pictures of cats in it.

...once upon a time you looked in the mirror and regularly saw a resemblance between you and your cat Tigger.

...your current pets also remind you of him.
And finally, you might be a Catlady if you can come up with such a list about YOURSELF!

Have a purrfectly splended weekend! Meow.

Talent show: Day 4

Ever since we started the talent show entries the dogs have been hounding me to get in on the action. You know how camera hungry small dogs can be. So while we round up Jamey's entry, we thought it would be a good time to put in a little Christmas number the T & T (dynomite) recently worked up. Of course, when it was my idea to finally film it they totally gave me the disinterested faces of teenagers. Whatever lickies.

So here they are without their Christmas hats or spirits (a contractual compromise):

Tiki and Tulip

Trust me, I've been this ridiculous for years. ;)

And they call it Puppy Love

Well, I have just had quite the scare from my serene young cat-dog this week! I noticed she was looking a little green around the gills yesterday morning as she robotically walked right by the scene of me giving her sister a treat, and barely managed to give us a slight courtesy glance.  This is highly unusual behavior for a Boss Hogg type of dog like Tulip.  Nothing goes down between Tiki (our well mannered pomeranian) and a human that Tulip doesn't try to intervene somehow-usually with her midsection poised atop Tiki's head if at all possible. 

But on this day OH DEAR!  My little poochie was sick! I immediately got down on the floor to begin asking her what was going on and how I could help her.  She stood, eyelids at half mast, like a pony at the fair just waiting to be reloaded with a bratty kid.  Then, as if loaded, she walked on with the same measured steps she'd been doing before, so I got up and followed. Steadily she walked all the way outside and down the stairs and then proceeded to do some throwing up.  Just as slowly, she walked all the way back inside only to repeat the process moments later with a bathroom trip.  It was strange to watch my normally spunky fast paced chi hoo hoo turn so serious (even polite) and just go about her illness as if having had trained for such times.  I watched in worried fascination. 

This time though she came back in and walked under the table and flopped over into a strange twist with her buns (haunches?) down and her ribcage turned all the way to the side and she started doing this slow twitch with front paws together at the wrist and her back legs stiffening out behind her each time she flinched her stomach muscles.  You can probably guess what happened next, but if you can't I'll tell you. Naturally, I burst into tears and thought Tulie was going to kick it!!  It was horrible!!  By the time I got myself dressed and ready to take her to the vet she was looking a little more relaxed and was able to get up in a chair and rest so I cooled my jets a bit.  

I was expecting company the whole day beginning with some friends of mine and ending with my nephews after school so I just kept my eye on Tulie for the rest of the day to make sure she wasn't going to do any more doggie Lamaze.  

She was somewhat better today but I took her to the Vet this morning to make sure she wasn't dehydrated.  He gave her a shot for her stomach pain and doggie antibiotics which were super fun to try to trickle down her throat by myself.  At one point in our wrangling, I noticed my mouth was right beside hers and I thought it would be funny if I squirted the chalky liquid in my own jowl accidently rather than hers.  Grodimus.

Can I make a story out of ANYthing or what, you ask?  Well, it scared me!!  I am not a brave pet owner when it comes to these things!  I can't even trim my dogs toenails because I made Tulip yelp once having clipped a nail too short.  And then of course, Tiki had some horrible bowel blowout earlier in the year which was one of my very first entries on my blog as I recall.  Canine Colon trouble always makes for good blog fodder don'tcha know???? 

And now, as a tribute to little Tulip, who is feeling ever so much better aside from some wicked gas.  I shall share with you a poem that came to me all at once as I curled up beside her one evening while she slept on my bed.  Now, I'm no poet.  I don't like poetry and I certainly don't claim to be able to write it seriously.  This just plopped out of my head like it was from the cosmos so I jumped up and wrote it down without giving it any second thoughts.  So don't mock me.  Or do, I don't care-baha.  This is copied from my old Myspace mini-blog.                      

a bedtime poem Category: Life I Laid Down With My Chihuahua  I laid down with my Chihuahua and thought about the world. She growled at me a little and I thought about the world. It growls at me a little too and smells a bit as well. I think about that big round world that turns and smells and growls. And nestles itself down for sleep while half of it stands guard. It guards itself against itself and yet still fails to win, because it's hind leg wiggles up and gets bitten in the shin. Yes, the world goes round and thinks it's tough but small it really is. To the great "I am" it struts its stuff with Bravado and its kids. We have no clue where we're to go just feel our way is right. And, of course, the Master sees our plans and still kisses us goodnight.

      She is not just a dog in a vest after all....she is my muse!                                  

Gee...Your hair smells terrific!

This morning Old Green had an appointment to get a drain hole under her hood unclogged as aging cars and people occasionally need to do.  So, as most car fixes go, we headed out with both vehicles to the glass shop (glass shop for a clogged drain hole? I don't try to understand.) where she was scheduled for drop off. 

I tossed the keys at my friend Tab's(Hi Tab) step dad after a small exchange of who we mutually knew in town, and dashed out the door to join my family in the other car.  For some reason when I hurriedly got in the car I just jumped into the back seat and was sitting directly behind Jamey.  This is the part that the Heavenlies surely controlled because I can't recall ever not sitting in the other front seat on a car trip-long or short.  

About halfway to hubby's office which was maybe a five minute drive total, a glop of something caught my gaze on the very crown of Jamey's head in front of me.  I let my eyes focus in further and my brain considered I'd seen a huge hair gel accident sitting there. So quickly I gave him a mental "Bless his heart, he's no metrosexual" pity.  But, sure as I got that thought going, my synapses fired again and I had recognition!  B..I..R..D......P..U..C..K...Y... was the answer scrolling across my mind like one of those red dot running signs advertising specials in store windows. This definitely WAS special!  

Immediately I voiced an urgent "OH, OH, OH!"  and he braced for collision quickly looking around for trouble.  I finally spit out "You have a... TWIST CONE  sized dropping on the top of your head!!!"  And then, of course, I immediately went into alternating shutters and giggles all at his expense.   No one in my family ever finds these things as funny as I do, but Ratchet sitting next to me and Jamey, the victim, both tried to be amused while we found a napkin and I carefully pinched at the grey and white goo ball nestled around his hair shafts like a giant louse nit. "Fight the gag Shan.  Fight the gag." I chanted to myself like the pro I am.

It's just a good thing I've been a mother for a while and have nasty glop grabbing skills, because the whole thing came out without a trace of evidence that anything had been there at all.  

Together we quickly tried to imagine all of the embarrassing ways his poo head could have been discovered throughout the day and how many would have seen it before someone as obnoxious as his chortling wife would have been brave enough to tell him.  He's already had to purposely slop water all over his shirt to match his pants after many bad hand washing splatters to the crotch at the low shallow sink in their new restrooms. 

 I wasn't there to help him with those.  Nor was I there at the first day of his previous job in OKC when he showed up for a drug screening with matching trails of blood running down either side of his neck from his jawline after nervously nicking himself with the razor that morning.  I'm sure they were amazed HE passed the test that day given we lived no where near Transylvania.  And what non-needle pusher would be so out of touch with his own corporate look?  Well, I know one.  And he's a keeper.  So I'm just glad I can be there to help with that extra set of eyes when I can.  Today I could have used an extra pair of latex gloves as well.  

 Speaking of donning gloves...there's a nasty dog rump waiting for me in the other room.  Tiki's blown a colon again.  I really oughta just keep these things on.

Easter Recap '08

We had a lovely Easter weekend with my parents and Ma/Gigi.

I forget how much the dogs enjoy a good grandparent lap or chest as well. Any time one or two of our visitors sat down they would immediately be adorned with a dog tie or belt.  Spoilt  to the rot they are.

We did a bit of a hunt in the backyard though it was a little chilly to linger.

                                          

And Ratchet got to keep celebrating his birthday by building several new Lego sets that came with our visitors :D.

We also had Jamey's parents over for lunch after church but I guess I was too busy eating to bother photographing that portion of our day. I need to get better about photos and videos while these kids are still young so I'll have something to show them someday!(Or myself when I want to reminisce over their sweetie tiny faces.)

And finally, I'll leave you with the "silly" version of the top picture even though neither is particularly un-silly, considering Dandy was flapping his broken basket handle out the whole time my mom tried to get a still shot.  You can rarely take any of us very seriously I'm afraid. 

Tune in next time for some GIRLS GONE...OUT photos from our trip to Noodles last night and possibly a shot of Ratchet twirling the fire out of his Bo staff in tonight's school talent show.  Pins and needles all around I know!!! teehee :D

Hospitalized!!

*UPDATE* The dog in this photo is alive and mostly well being diagnosed with a case of Bloody Innards Majora(layman terms used)

I knew I was wanting to introduce you to the various creatures great and small that run about the house. What I didn't realize was that it would begin on a bit of a worried note. This is little Tiki pup our first family pet. She is a sweetie-poopie pom that we got about 7 years ago as a tiny fluff ball. Now she is more of a fluff square,unfortunately, as her girth has sort of made her resemble a fringed table from a standing view. She has always been a very obedient pooch and can actually do several tricks as long as treats are readily available.
Yesterday, however, when I opened the laundry room where my two dogs sleep, I found The Ticks covered in her own fowl and nasties so I kept her in there until I could get all my haz-mat gear prepped for the cleanup(small gag reflex). I was babysitting the little gipper that I keep three days a week and I just couldn't imagine where I could contain him happily while I cleaned up Tiki and myself. So there she stayed. Finally that evening My Saintly husband gave her a bath while I washed everything else in the room and raced off to bible study.
Assuming a clean dog was a well dog, I checked in with her this morning and she was neither clean nor well! I had to take her in right away for some bloodwork and other samplings. The Dr. said she had a super high red blood cell count and he wanted to keep her for fluids and meds. YIKES!
So now we sit waiting and worrying about our dear pooch. I'm trying not to think the worst will happen but I get misty knowing she's scared and sickly laying in a cage with an IV in her wrist. The vet said she might just have a bowel infection or she could possibly have cancer. I'm not terribly brave about these things so I'm praying we'll have good news tomorrow.