Category Archives: Cats

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: October 31, 2011

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY October 31, 2011

Outside my window… sunny.

I am thinking… that I need to head to CVS at some point to get a postcard to send to Russia for Postcrossing.

I am thankful… for my weekend with my parents. Mom and I watched Game 7 of the World Series on Friday night (an unusual bonding activity since neither of my parents are sports fans), we went to a pumpkin patch on Saturday, we got Daniel some cool new shoes, and we went to the local playground on Sunday. Oh yes… there was also the NCIS marathon on USA on Saturday. 🙂 (We don’t have cable or satellite so it was a treat to be able to watch it.)

From the learning rooms… a good session with Daniel’s child development person today.

In the kitchen… tuna that my dad put together for me this weekend. (He makes the best tuna EVER.)

I am wearing… black shirt and Jon’s Left Behind shorts. (My standard “around the house” clothes.)

I am creating… NaNo stuff and the super-secret crocheting project.

I am going… to carve up some pumpkins today.

I am wondering… what to dress as when I take Daniel trick-or-treating tonight.

I am reading… Shirt of Flame by Heather King. It’s amazing — I just have to read each chapter in its entirety.

I am hoping… I can hit 50K words in November for NaNo.

I am looking forward to… trick-or-treating tonight.

I am hearing… Daniel rearranging stuff in the living room and Catholic Weekend on iTunes. (Why yes… I’m Lutheran and I listen to Catholic podcasts.)

Around the house… vacuuming that I need to do.

I am pondering… many things in my heart.

One of my favorite things… Almond Joy candy bars. I’ve got two bags of the mini ones on top of the fridge that I’m trying not to eat. So far I’ve succeeded.

A few plans for the rest of the week… trick-or-treating tonight, therapies this week, and Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… My parents’ grey cat Homer somehow sustained a gaping wound to his right front leg that took forever to find. They had to sedate him to stitch him up and the poor grey Pooh Bear has to wear an Elizabethan collar until his stitches come out in a week and a half. He decided that he would take up residence under their bed so every few hours, I would extract him and brush him before escorting him to the garage for his commode. The love paid off — he was Mr. Tummy for me on Saturday night (and he is the best tummy ever) and he was actually out and social on Sunday.

Homer

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 26, 2011

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FOR TODAY September 26, 2011

Outside my window… dark. I blanked on doing this until 11:45 p.m.

I am thinking… that I hate Lion Brand Homespun. Just sayin’.

I am thankful… that Daniel decided not to scream until 11 tonight.

From the learning rooms… Daniel is working on walking, fine motor skills, and some signing.

In the kitchen… kitchen? What kitchen? Oh yes, I got my copy of the book of breakfast food from Peggy and there are some recipes I’m dying to make from it.

I am wearing… charcoal shirt and boxers.

I am creating… this entry and some emergency crocheting.

I am going… to shut down the TV once Pauley Perette is done on Leno.

I am wondering… if there was a baby yarn that would have worked better for what I’m doing than Lion Brand Homespun.

I am reading… the Lumby books. What can I say? I’m not feeling A.J. Jacobs at the moment.

I am hoping… my joints hold up until my crocheting project(s) are done.

I am looking forward to… the zoo trip that got rescheduled to Friday.

I am hearing… Leno and the cats being nocturnal.

Around the house… next question.

One of my favorite things… mango-pineapple smoothies from McDonalds. (Hello breakfast for tomorrow!)

A few plans for the rest of the week… the insane Tuesday gamut of speech and physical therapy, occupational therapy on Thursday, and assorted errands.

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7 Quick Takes — First World Problems, Sick Kids, Cats, and NaNo Prep

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7 Quick Takes

–1–

grumblegrumblegrumblegrumble Rachel the red-headed she-devil won Big Brother grumblegrumblegrumblegrumble. I’m sure she’s a nice person in her own right and she won it because she played her butt off but she was still obnoxious and catty.

–2–

I have a TV dilemma on Tuesdays. I just got addicted to NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. The problem: it’s the same slot as The Biggest Loser and I don’t have the benefit of TIVO. I’m thinking that my Biggest Loser watching will have to be done online or something — I’m chomping at the bit for the season premiere of NCIS: Los Angeles to see what happens to Callen and Hetty. Yeah, I know… first world problems!

–3–

We had our one-month appointment with the pediatric hematologist on Monday. They discovered the clot was gone a month ago and the peds hematologist wanted to see him one month after. Daniel is fine and clot-free so the doctor told us that he was releasing us from his clinic — something that he doesn’t get to tell many of his patients because he gets the kids with leukemia and blood disorders. Still, it’s one less doctor.

–4–

The nurse practitioner who examined Daniel before the peds hematologist saw him confirmed that he did indeed have a stomach virus. He had a temperature of 37.9C (99.9F), was throwing up, and had diarrhea. It took him twice as long to trash the exam room as it normally does (and trash it he did — the doctor and his nurses were suitably impressed).

–5–

We have a gray tabby teenaged cat that seems to think our yard is their private clubhouse. I have no problem with this and leave water out for them as well as any other feline visitors that stop by. I don’t know whether this particular felix is a boy or girl so I call it “Tobias”. (If it would turn out to be a girl, I’d re-brand it “Tabitha”.) I’m sure there are some who would frown at us taking care of feral/neighborhood cats but it seems like something Jesus would have us do.

–6–

Speaking of which, the neighborhood cats (or at least those from across the street) seem to congregate on the wheelchair ramp of the church in the mornings. I need to get a picture of the “kitty coffee klatch” one of these days — it’s quite cute. My monsters haven’t learned this yet — there would be intense sentry duty happening if they had!

–7–

I’m starting my prep for my NaNoWriMo story this year. I don’t think it’s going to be a murder mystery this year because I’m not mortally pissed with anyone at the moment. (NaNoWriMo is a great therapy when parishioners are irritating me.) I’ve been reading a lot of chick lit/fiction stuff like Jan Karon and Gail Fraser lately so I’m probably going to go with that. I haven’t decided whether or not I want to set it in Montana or northern California yet — northern California would make some plotlines easier but it would make eventually publishing it harder because people would know the town on which I would supposedly be basing it. I have six weeks to decide before NaNoWriMo starts so I guess I have some time to figure this out.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

7 Quick Takes — House Panther Edition

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7 Quick Takes

I’m actually getting on my Quick Takes early this week — it’s only 9:45. 🙂 I also have a house panther at my feet. (She is a love.)

–1–

I am so happy that Brendon went home on Big Brother. I only wish it had been Rachel. I’m sure both of them are lovely in real life but Rachel comes off as a she-witch on the show and Brendon comes off as incredibly arrogant. Rachel was just nasty during the HOH competition and I’m hoping Kalia (who won the HOH competition) puts her up on the chopping block next week.

–2–

I was in the ugliest doctor’s office on the planet today. Daniel had a weird result on one of his thyroid hormones so his neurologist sent us to a pediatric endocrinologist. A lot of pediatric offices have themes and this one was basically a flower garden… except with pastel pink 70’s IKEA chairs, horrendous fluorescent lighting, three ugly flowers with over-sized stalks on one wall, and hot pink formica cabinets in the receptionists’ area. I should have taken pictures because words just cannot communicate how ugly this was. The exam room was somewhat better and the nurse told Daniel to go wild. I almost hugged her. The doctor was lovely and agrees that the result was probably a fluke. He did, however, order the tests drawn again because it had been 3 months. If the tests come back OK, we’ll just assume it was a fluke. If they come back weird again, we’ll go from there.

–3–

I apparently live in a cartoon world. I heard on the news last night that a cake with a shank was found in a Sacramento jail. Seriously… a cake with a file? I knew my life was Looney Tunes but something like this takes the cake! (No pun intended.)

–4–

I’m still trying to get the podcast going. I don’t have a lot of spare time except for the time after Daniel goes to sleep. I need to come up with some show notes and plans for at least 10 episodes.

–5–

I have a massage scheduled tomorrow afternoon. I’m seriously looking forward to this. It’s helping with the fibromyalgia and also lowering my stress level a bit. My masseuse is a former church member (before my time) and she’s an amazing believer.

–6–

I love my Trader Joe’s because they love up Daniel. Trader Joe’s is a great store to begin with and a company that I could totally work for (and have applied in the past to do so). The Trader Joe’s in Elk Grove, however, is just special. I’m in the store at least once or twice a week so staff knows us and they will go out of their way to talk to Daniel and interact with him. The guy helping us out to the car today was making car noises as he pushed Daniel in the shopping cart. it was so cute. Other ones will stop on their way to the back room and have conversations with Daniel. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t respond back — they do it anyway. It warms my heart that they treat him like a person of worth because not everybody does.

–7–

Ladies’ Night Out was awesome this week. Metanoia Lutheran Church does Men’s Night Out and Ladies’ Night Out during the first week of the month and it’s been an amazing gathering. The women usually have twice the number of participants that the men do and we all go out to a restaurant in the community. Last night, we went to a pizzeria and had great food and great conversation. One person “hosts” by picking out the place and doing the devotion. The host for this month asked me to do the devotion so I did this one. It’s an opportunity to have bonding time with my ladies and it’s an evening where I’m not responsible for Daniel. (It means that Jon gets some bonding time with him.) I’m not a WELCA/Ladies’ Aid kind of girl so this lets me be involved in things without a lot of pressure. Our conversations can be educational — I’ve taught them some things and they’ve been great about helping me problem-solve things with Daniel.

For more Quick Takes, head on over to ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 1, 2011

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FOR TODAY August 1, 2011

Outside my window… a nice blend of warmth and breeze. I could live with this.

I am thinking… that they really need to coordinate all the road repair work on Highway 99 better — they keep closing all the necessary entrance and exit ramps.

I am thankful… for a weekend with my parents.

From the learning rooms… Daniel is still working on the sign for “more” and he’s working on standing up. Mommy would like to work on her Arabic but she has to wait until Daniel is asleep or otherwise occupied.

In the kitchen… cookie dough of various natures.

I am wearing… my black “We will not be silent” Arabic shirt, khaki capris, and my hair is pulled back with a black scrunchie.

I am creating… entries for Michelle and podcast episodes.

I am going… to Sacramento tomorrow for speech therapy with Daniel and out to Walgreens later this week. I was already at WinCo and Walgreens today.

I am wondering… about various spiritual things internally. (Not able to vocalize them yet.)

I am reading… the Dearest Dorothy books by Charlene Ann Baumbich.

I am hoping… Daniel will do down for a nap without a fight today.

I am looking forward to… my massage on Friday

I am hearing… Pearlie on Qubo.

Around the house… need to clean off the kitchen floor so the Mint can run.

I am pondering… how to reset the remote for TV and DVD stuff.

One of my favorite things… Edda at my feet

A few plans for the rest of the week… speech therapy, Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday, Daniel doctor’s appointment on Thursday, and massage on Friday.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… my mom’s cat Homer who would come and hang out with me once Daniel was asleep.

Homer the gray Pooh Bear cat

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook: April 25, 2011

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FOR TODAY April 25, 2011

Outside my window… sunshine with some clouds.

I am thinking… about some comments on discussion threads.

I am thankful for… Easter with my parents, brother, and sister-in-law. I’m also thankful for the discussions I’m having via the atheism posts on this blog.

From the kitchen… barbequed pizza from dinner last night.

I am wearing… navy blue maternity shirt and jeans

I am creating…this post. 🙂

I am going… back up to the Gold Country later.

I am reading… Murder by the Slice by Livia J. Washburn. I’ve also been immersing my self in Denise Swanson’s Scumble River mysteries.

I am hoping… we can get all the Medi-Cal stuff straightened out for Daniel this week.

I am hearing… the talking heads my dad is watching on TV.

Around the house… cleaning up after Daniel and doing dishes.

One of my favorite things… getting to watch my mom and Daniel bonding.

A few plans for the rest of the week: heading to LA this weekend for a wedding.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Freya on Daniel’s table

Freya on Daniel's table

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Flattened (VII)

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Argh…

[+] I didn’t get to sleep until almost 11 last night and while coming back from the bathroom at 2 a.m., I nearly got flattened by a horde of medical personnel racing into the PICU as a CODE BLUE was called over the PA system. I knew it wasn’t my kid but it was still a rather adrenalinated experience. Then, the respiratory dude decided to rearrange furniture in the room at 4 a.m. by getting rid of the ventilator and two helium-oxygen tanks… in the loudest manner possible. I decided that I would get breakfast at 6 a.m. if I was still awake… which I was. At least the x-ray tech was kind enough to hand me a lead apron to put over myself when he came in at 5:30 instead of making me get out of bed.

[+] It’s Mardi Gras today so I got my pancakes this morning. (It’s an Anglican thing.)

[+] A 17 year old on the MSICU (the major surgery ICU unit next door where the older kids are going for overflow purposes) got life support pulled this morning. His mother begged me to love up my baby, give him a hug for her, and make sure I told him how much I loved him every day. OK… a little bit of an emotional load there. I just found out that the baby at the opposite end of the PICU is brain dead and they’re probably going to have to pull support in the next couple days. His mom and I have gotten close so I held her in the quiet room while she made some phone calls. It’s tough for me because that could have easily been Daniel. The social worker on the unit told me last week that this happens and that I’ve got to fight the fear. For those who pray, add the families of Zach (17 year old) and Jonathan B (almost 3 years old) to your list.

[+] Daniel has a blood clot in his leg from the central line so they’re starting him on Heparin. We knew it was a possible side effect and the therapeutic benefit of the line outweighed the risk of the clot. I’m hoping they get this resolved before they send him home because I am not wanting to deal with having to give him shots.

Gah. Going to try and take a nap. I need Edda right now. I wish I could sneak her on the unit.