RIP Wilbur

We said good-bye to Wilbur today. We knew with Timmy going that Wilbur probably wouldn't be too far behind. What Timmy had was very contagious (so yeah, Simba has it too...sigh) and Wilbur was already slowing down on his eating and drinking so we knew. Doesn't make it easier... just makes it less surprising.

We tried to make the call at the right time, and I think we did.  We made *the* appointment the day after he stopped eating. I spent his last day force feeding soggy canned cat food down his throat. You know it's bad when you can force feed a cat and not get scratched.

The kids and I said our good-byes and Robert took him in by himself as I had to work.

Wilbur was a little slow and always skitsy.  The first 2 years we barely saw him as he hid in the closet all day and would only come out at night to play chase with Timmy. After a few months he would also borrow deep under the covers - but don't move your feet or he'd get them. Once he got out and it took us three days and a borrowed live animal trap to get him back, and Timmy's supervision of course.

We put a ledge on the window sill for him in our house in Aloha because he kept trying to sit on the sill and would fall off every time he started to doze.

He LOVED that ledge and we finally got to know our cat. He TALKED so much. We would all have conversations with him - meow? meow. ME-OW?! Mow.  And he would chirp to birdies outside.

After we moved out here, he hid under the bed for about a week and then he came out of his shell so to speak. He was often in the living room laying on the back of the couch or curled up in one of the kids beds - which was new. Visitors very rarely saw him as he'd stay hidden when they were around, but he really opened up and became less shy.

He loved fresh water and was really insistent when asking for the faucet in the bathroom to be turned on for him.

His only gross cat thing was he always had hairballs and would find the best place to leave it for you to step on. I think he bathed himself and Timmy and that's why he had so much hairballs. But his purrs were the loudest, his meows sounded like actual conversations, and his sweet slightly cross-eyed face was the best.  He came as a package deal when we adopted Timmy, probably cause they knew shy kitties have a hard time being placed.  I'm so glad he did.

Growing Like A Puppy

The last time I was able to put Chewie on this scale. Taken on March 1, 2016, and allowing for his wiggling we got his weight at 10 lbs 12 oz. 

These were taken today, March 15, 2016. He has had his first vet visit now - last week where he was 13 lbs 8 oz - and we estimate him closing in on 20 lbs.

We still all adore him. (Except for Yoda and Simba, the former not being interested and the latter deeply suspicious of his intentions.) Especially Leia who watches out for him and comes to us any time he is whining in his kennel.  We started covering his kennel because the heater vent would blow on him and wake him and Leia has repeatedly removed the blanket so she can make sure baby is okay. They play together all day long. Chase, keep away, tug of war, and especially wrestle. 

He can sleep through the night, but he isn't doing it on a regular basis. Unfortunately. And he likes to get up and beg for breakfast between 4 am and 6 am.  During the day he really likes to curl up and nap on Carus's bed while she is doing school work.

Potty training is going well... for the most part. I can be in charge and he won't have a single accident and then I put someone else in charge and 5 seconds later he has piddled on the floor.  While at work the other day he peed on my pillow on Robert's watch. His cues aren't always in a timely manner - he has peed while whining to be let out in the same second several times.  But he is only 9 weeks old so I'm not expecting the world.

In related news, Robert and I are going to buy a carpet shampooer. 

New puppy

Introducing Chewie Sir ChewsAlot Chewbacca, III

Photo at 6 weeks, 7 lb 8 oz and growing fast.

In case you missed the news on Facebook (and all the puppy videos and photo spam I've been plastering all over it) we got a new puppy.

He came home February 13th and has been keeping us busy. The kids are helping a lot with taking him out to potty and playing with him (and keeping him from chewing on things he shouldn't). He's a good puppy, learning very quickly.

His desire to chew on EVERYTHING quickly earned a nickname of Chewie while we debated for 2 weeks about what his name should be.

We went through so many names, but we kept coming back to the nickname Chewie. So voila.

It's hard to get a puppy to look at the camera while being still on a scale.

Yoda doesn't care for him (he doesn't like little animals), Simba is not cool with him, Wilbur doesn't care, and Leia started out nervous but now plays with him and worries when he is whining.

Thanks Robert for help wrangling my model. 

All about the weekend

My weekend has been great.

I started out with a riding lesson on Tucker. I left feeling really happy with myself. I wanted to work on my balancing and having better control of my seat, and my steering. Tucker is a smart horse. He figures out what the pattern/routine is and then anticipates the next move and tries to cut corners so he makes me work to keep to what I say we're doing and not what he thinks we are doing. One of the exercises my trainer had me doing was riding without stirrups. Definitely used a few more muscles doing that - especially when I started doing it at a trot. I'm happy with the sore muscles I have today; let's me know my work paid off.

After my lesson, I picked up Robert and we ran errands, did some grocery shopping, got some lunch, and hung out together.

Then, Saturday evening Robert and I went and picked up our new puppy. He's really little still, but mom weaned them a little over a week ago so they were ready to go to their new homes earlier than planned (they were thinking at least another week). (This is earlier than puppies usually come home, but I didn't want him to be all alone with his siblings going home this weekend.) We surprised the kids with him; they knew we were getting a puppy, they just didn't know we were getting him so soon.

Leia and Yoda have been slightly afraid/weary of him (omg, what is that thing?), but at my 5 am wake-up Leia started to play with him. He tires out pretty quickly still so just when she was really getting into it, he sat down and promptly fell asleep. Robert had the next shift at 7:30 am and the household was up not too long after that. 

The kids have been in charge of him most of today (Sunday), with Robert and I as supervision. Carus is already pretty good at noticing potty sniffing cues. She has insisted on being on night-watch with him and has put his crate in her room already. She says he's her puppy. 

He doesn't have a name yet. We can't all agree on one. Robert likes Rex, I like Tater (as in Tater Tot) and I keep calling him Buddy, Carus likes Tater but also would like something else, and Adam has been wanting to continue the Star Wars theme we have and go with Luke or Kenobe but no one else is really feeling those names. We'll figure it out and for now it's okay because I don't think he'd come when called. Have any name suggestions? 

Timmy

We lost Timmy today.



He became really lethargic yesterday and we took him to the vet.  He was dehydrated and had a very high fever. They gave him some antibiotics and some fluids and then we brought him home and I nursed him through the night. Though I got his fever to break, he was still very weak this morning and his blood work showed he wouldn't get better...no matter how much I nursed him.

Even though he was so sick, he still tried to cuddle us in his usual manner - rubbing his face against ours and pressing his head into our shoulders while we gave him all our loves one more time.

We got Timmy, with Wilbur, from the Oregon Humane Society about 12 years ago. They were just under a year old so we estimate them to be around 13 years give or take a few months.  (Same age/close in age though different litters.)




(Slideshow of Timmy photos)

We miss sweet baby Tim Tim kitty meow meow. We keep looking for him and wanting to see him. I opened the door for the dogs earlier to let them out and when I went to close it I looked to see if Timmy had sneaked out. And then I remembered.

When I went to feed the animals dinner I expected Timmy to come running to make sure he got to eat first. He always insisted that if he could see the bottom of the bowl, even just a little bit, it was completely empty and he was moments from starving. If you put food in the dog's bowls first, he would take a bite of the dog food while giving you a look that said, "look what you have reduced me to."

We expected Timmy to outlast Wilbur and Simba and Yoda, not be the first one we lost.  He was the leader. He watched out for them, even Simba, who he didn't really seem to like.  He would come and get us when Simba or the dogs wanted in and once he even alerted us that Wilbur had got out. Wilbur was very skittish at that time and it took us three days and a borrowed animal trap to get him back - Timmy let us know each time Wilbur came near the door and when the trap succeeded in catching him.

Timmy greeted everyone new that came to the house demanding their attention and made many visitors want to take him home.

You could call Timmy and he would come running, especially if you called, "Timmy buggies" and showed him a mosquito eater. He loved to catch and eat those buggies.

Timmy curled up with the kids when they were sick, purring their germs away. He curled up with us too. He insisted on sleeping between Robert and I every night. If we were cuddling watching a movie, he pushed himself between us. Robert was his special person and that was where he belonged.

If you got a bowl out of the cupboard, Timmy thought you were getting cereal and needed to share your milk with him. He would meow his mostly silent meow and bat at you until you gave in and gave him some "Timmy milks" (which we did occasionally) or finished your cereal and put up the bowl.

Timmy also liked to try to take Cheetos or cheese flavored popcorn out of our hands. Once he was very persistent in trying to get some cheesy popcorn that he was trying to bat at our mouths.

Timmy would bat at us demanding attention.  We would pick him up and he would rub his head into our shoulder and his face against our ear, often scratching us just a little bit with that one tooth that stuck out.

We love you Timmy. You were the best Ittie Bittie Timmy Kitty and we will miss you lots.

Beach Trip - Girls only!

A few weeks ago Barb took me and Carus (and Yoda) to the beach for a girls only beach day.

It was gorgeous! We stopped in Tillamook at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and we perused their gift store while eating some really good ice cream.  Then we went down to Lincoln City to walk along the beach for a bit before grabbing a late lunch/early dinner and heading home.  It was a really lovely day.  Thanks for taking us, Barb!

Go here to see the rest of the photos.

Project 52 - Week 2 - Mirror

Well, the project is still moving slowly.  

I see many mirrors throughout the week.  A mirror to help me get ready for the day.  Mirrors used when driving to make sure it's safe for me to back up or change lanes. The sunset I catch glimpses of in the rear view mirror while driving to the barn.  More mirrors while driving, placed on corners with poor visibility so I can make sure it's safe to turn.  Those same mirrors hanging from the ceiling in the hospital, placed  so those transporting patient's can avoid collisions with others and others can avoid collisions with patients. 

But the only one I managed to photograph was this little mirror in the office at work; brought by a coworker to use to check their hair and makeup. It was placed just so that day that I caught a glimpse of my fingers tap tap tapping away. 

I didn't pick up the camera much this week. This was grabbed with my cell phone. But each week is a new chance and I'll try again.  

I did get a shot of an adorable puppy.

The theme for week 3 is macro. 

Santa dogs

The result of my crocheting project - a Santa hat for Leia.


My 7 days photo - putting it on Leia.



The alternate - I think Robert was taking pictures at this point though instead of me using the remote.



I'm not happy with the lighting.  Meh. Maybe I'll try again...maybe I won't.





Of course we had to get Timmy in some pictures.











Good dogs and kitty. (The other cats were not interested. At all.)

Little hummingbirds

It was gorgeous again yesterday with blue skies and a bright sun.  And I was stuck inside working.  It's days like this that make me wish my work computer was portable enough to pull outside on the porch and work in the sunshine.  Robert says he can make this happen for me; we'll see though.

After work I went outside to soak up any remaining sun as it quickly set behind the not too distant hills, and took pictures of how the backyard is adjusting to fall.

Of the freshly fallen leaves and Leia playing.



Of the brightly colored leaves still on the tree.





Of the one of the final sunflowers in my garden.



Of the last rays of sun.



And then I paused and tossed the ball for Leia once or twice, when I heard them.  The hummingbirds in the tree in the neighbors yard directly behind ours.

287/365


They were buzzing around, speeding from tree to tree and chirping to each other.  I think there are only two but there could be more.  I believe they've been around all year too.



They are shy little guys that always run from the hummingbird feeder the moment they see me (and my camera).  I do love my zoom lens; I stood close to the back fence hoping they would continue to frequent that branch.

Hummingbirds always make me smile. They make me think of my Granny and watching the visitors to her feeders, and that makes me smile too.

A week in Instagram

279/365 - Yoda curled up next to Adam


280/365 Feeling cute - work bathroom selfie.


281/365 A favorite evening - watching shows with Robert and editing pics.


282/365 View while grilling dinner. The door was open for the dogs playing revolving door.



283/365 Becca does a sleep study:  My room for the night.  I did it because Robert thinks I snore and that I have sleep apnea.



The sleep study went well, I guess.  I slept. I didn't sleep better than usual; possibly a bit worse since I kept getting tangled up in the wires. I do not like having wires and breathing monitors on my face.  It was also very weird to think that I was being taped while I slept.  My legs, for some odd reason, feel like I walked a few miles which is weird and I have no idea what to make of it.  Also, I might be getting sick and I'm feeling grumpy and bitchy and the whining may or may not be related to that or the sleep study.  Basically, I was taken out of my comfort zone with the study and I'm not too happy about it.  Moving on...

284/365 Are you comfy, Yoda?


I'll try to pull my actual camera out next week - and I'll probably be finishing the year in weekly posts or not at all - I don't know.  Whatever I end up doing.  I have the desire to be more creative...now to find the inspiration...

Hello October, hello fall

274/365 - Timmy curled up on the dog cat bed.



275/365 - Rain and clouds on one side (left) and sunny clear skies on the other (right).



276/365 - Hydrangea in it's fall colors.


277/365 - Fall wreath is up. Makes me smile.


278/365 - Final green bean harvest, blanched and ready for the freezer.  I went out to harvest them since there was a warning of possible frost and ended up clearing out the garden.  I'll get my garlic planted soon and then plan for the spring.

September ended, I can wake up now.

I love September.  In theory.  The beginning of fall - which I do love - and all that goes with it.

In reality though, we are not the greatest of friends.  I always feel overwhelmed and flustered and stressed and depressed and ANXIOUS about all of the things. Always.  It probably has a lot to do with the autumnal equinox and the rapidly changing amount of light that brings out those feelings with me as it does with many others.

But it's October now, and I'm feeling better.

I know I have a hard time with September so I planned ahead and took a day off for me.  A day where I could do what I wanted or needed to do while the kids were in school and have not have to worry about work.  I took it on a Friday - and after I ran some errands in the morning I convinced a friend to bring her newborn over so I could take a couple pictures of him.



Walter was more interested in eating than sleeping for photos so I didn't get too many, and it hasn't worked out to get anymore newborn photos.



Adam had some friends over to play games to celebrate his birthday and he agreed to let Carus throw him a Minecraft themed party.  We had red vines as "TNT", carrots and watermelon as themselves, chips and dip, cucumbers and dip, pizza (of course) and a Creeper decorated cake.  Carus planned, and helped make and put together everything for the party - even drawing the signs.

While spending some gift cards we've had laying around far too long I found this crate - which is a new prop for putting babies - or pug dogs (or cats, etc) in for photos.  Yoda was very cooperative and would jump in and sit down for me.


Providence (the hospital/health care group I work for) has forums for it's employees to keep us informed of progress and plans, etc.  At the end of each forum they do a drawing to give away a little prize.  I won this time - a gift basket with coffee and chocolate.  The chocolate was good - I haven't tried the coffee yet.


We were able to line up schedules one last time for me to run over to do this shot of my friends kids with baby Walter.  She saw this idea on Pinterest and loved it and so did I.  I'm glad we got it, I love it. (Of course Walter wanted to sleep that day!)


Dogs begging for treats from Robert - who got into the closet for paper towels or something.  They did get a treat too.


A good portion of September was stormy and wet.  We had 8-10 inches of rain in September.  Lots of gray skies and wet.



But fall does have lovely sunsets.