My cat family

I rarely feel really ill - and today isn't one of those days either.  But I did wake up with a sore throat, plugged ears and a mild cough so decided to take the day to take care of myself.  I figure if I do that today, I should be ready for work tomorrow.  And apparently I needed some extra sleep as after waking up to call into work and feeding the cats (an absolute morning must) I slept for nearly 4 more hours!

Since I have a little more time to blog today I thought I'd introduce my cats since they are a huge part of my life.  They say dogs have people and cats have staff - it's pretty accurate (hence my getting out of bed early to feed them).  They get away with it, because for me, there is nothing more calming or relaxing than a cat curling up on my lap with a contented purr. 

This is Sasha, born about mid-May 2000, we got him as a stray from the Regina Humane Society when he was only 7 weeks old.  He has bright green eyes, is especially attached to my son, and is the only one who will go outside (briefly and only with one of us to accompany him - he's too precious).  Most of the time we call him Sasha but sometimes we use the nickname buddy.

This picutre is a photo of Sasha with our princess Silver, born October 2000, deceased April 15, 2009.   We also adopted her from the Humane Society. She truly was a princess, she didn't like the other cats who came behind her, but loved Sasha.  She was quiet and shy, rarely did a guest get a glimpse of her, nor was she a cuddler.  But she would deign to be petted as she curled up in her special chair, and she frequently would curl up on the arm of the couch or chair to be next to me.  We've never been able to find out what caused her death, she started throwing up bile and within a few days had passed away.

About eighteen months later two cats were so great we decided to get a third so back to the Humane Society we went.  This time I decided we should adopt an older cat (because they don't adopt as easily as kittens), however Sami chose us.  Imagine a tiny kitten climbing the bars of her cage, chirping away, calling to you.  How could we say no?  She was born sometime in July 2002, was found in a garbage can foraging for food at the age of 6 weeks!  Sami doesn't meow like most cats, she has this little chirp which sounds more like mmrrrtt.  When you pick her up she'll squeak - so her nicknames tend to be chirper girl, squeaker, and squirt. 

Next came the twins - Shady and Silas, born mid June 2003 at my brother's acreage (they'd purchased it in March and it came with a pregnant cat!).  Shady passed away in May 2010 - again, no real diagnosis, she began gagging on her food and water, lost copious amounts of weight so the vet figures it was likely cancer.  Shady was a sweet girl, had both a purr and a snore that you could hear from the next room, though she rarely ever meowed.  Her nickname was fuzzy because her coat was so thick and soft.

Silas, her brother is our current sick kitty.  I'm been so worried because he's lost copious amounts of weight (we were calling him the bulemic cat), but we've changed his food to a hyperallergenic brand which he seems to tolerate better.  He's a friendly boy, happy and content, and more recently he's become more of a cuddler.  When this picture was take he weighed close to 22 lbs. but has lost at least 10 lbs so far (scary!)  We used to call him fatty-fat-fat, but now he's the skinny-mini (not nice I know but cats don't always understand people talk - thank goodness).

Saku is the last and final addition(at least that's what I say now).  My daughter brought him home after spending a year working in another community.  He was born mid-March 2008 and came to live with me in June of that year, since she moved again and was unable to take him with her.  Saku is the mischevious cat, if any one is going to figure out how to open a door, or empty a container of sugar, or cause a ruckus with the rest of the cats it will be him! Despite his antics, he's a special boy and I can't imagine my life without him - so though he's still my daughter's cat he has to stay here with me.  I call him monkey face though his most frequent nickname is "the brat". 

So now you've met my cat family.  I don't consider myself the crazy cat lady because I have my limits.  Six is certainly enough!

Restless night

Does anyone have a cure for hot flashes - anyone???  Or perhaps I should say, as a fellow sufferer once suggested, "I feel a chinook coming on".  A wet and warm wind, maybe, but I'd prefer if it came with a stiff breeze!

For those of you fortunate enough to have never experienced this phenomenom, the sense of warmth is overwhelming, at times I feel as though I want to peel my skin off.  I've tried some herbal remedies but one of the symptoms of menopause is forgetfulness.  I rarely remember to take the pills before bedtime and I figure once I'm in a full blown hot flash it's probably too late. Instead I spend my night flipping the covers off and turning my pillows over trying to find that sweet spot - a cool one!  Good thing I sleep alone; the cats have learned to sleep at the top or bottom of the bed to avoid my frequent movements.

I do have one cat who loves my night damps (I won't call them sweats just yet because they aren't so bad I have to change the sheets!)   Silas loves to lick my arms or hands - what a way to wake up!  Well, that's probably more information than you truly wanted to know.  Time for work - so off I go.

Relaxing Sunday

No, the weekend housework isn't finished but I declare today (Sunday) pajama day!  I'm tired, for no apparent reason, feeling a little blue - probably because of the grey, cloudy, damp weather, and simply can't find the energy to do anything else. 

This mood or feeling has me thinking about depression.  I have had times in my life when everything appeared pointless - when I felt as though the effort to get up and get moving was more than I could bear.  Generally what prompted these times where my thoughts - when I believed I hadn't lived up to expectations (my own usually) or hadn't reached some goal in a specific time period.  I recall going through a lengthy period of depression in my early 30's - when as a single mom of two, I hadn't been married (OMG) and was struggling financially. 

It took a dramatic step to move me out of that blue period.  I quit my job and went to university!  I was terrified as I moved through those hallways, past all the young people (after all, I was ancient at 33), having to study, take notes, and write exams for the first time in 15 years.  But I did it and today, when I look back at that time I realize that it took a low period for me to take the steps toward a better future.

So today, while I feel a little down, I'll start making plans to do something different in my life.  I don't that means yet but I know I'll find something to shake this world of mine!  Just thinking about what that might be makes me feel better already.

A guilty pleasure

It is quiet here at home.  Not surprising since it is early Saturday mmorning (well not really early except for my family).  Both my kids are sleeping in this morning; even the cats slept in which meant I could doze a little longer.  That was a welcome treat from a long week of waking up early to be at work by 7:30 a.m!

Now I'm indulging in my Saturday a.m. guilty pleasure.  Did I make a special breakfast?  Am I pampering myself with a home pedicure or manicure?  Nope - nothing like that at all.  Instead I'm enjoying my first cup of coffee and watching...are your ready...Cops!  I have no idea what my fascination is with the show - my brother is a police officer and I'm an auditor so perhaps it has something to do with the type of work we do.  Or maybe it is that the lives that play out briefly on my television screen are so different from my own that my voyeur personality comes out.  Whatever it is, I enjoy it!

Guess what the cat did now?

I was awoken this morning to the sound of a scratching, which in this household of four cats, is not entirely unusual.  However, this sound was little different.  I wandered out of my bedroom without my glasses - a mistake since my eyesight isn't great.  I couldn't find the source of the noise nor could I find the fourth cat, Saku, the most mischevious and youngest (3 years), 

I was back in bed for only a brief minute or so when the noise started again.  THIS time I put my glasses on and went looking again.  As I came into the kitchen I heard the sound of a cat jumping down from the counter.  I'd found Saku and the open sugar canister!  I quickly realized the sound I'd been hearing was Saku digging, yes, digging in the sugar.  So at 4:45 this morning I spent ten minutes cleaning the counter, lower cabinet doors, and floor of the sugar.  Rotten cat!

Such a nice day

The sun is shining, it's a nice temperature for this time of day (and above freezing!).  I was out watering my plants this morning before getting ready for work and enjoying those few minutes of quiet and peace.  It came to me that our lives truly do revolve around the weather - despite heat and cooling sources.

We prairie folk tend to be pre-occupied by the weather.  I think it's because we spend so much time wishing for the winter to give up it's grip so we can fully enjoy the few months of warm(er) weather.  This spring has been especially trying as it has been cool and very wet, with only a few temperatures above seasonal to remind us that summer will eventually arrive.

Yet, I realize that there are others facing far more difficult weather challenges.  Over 100 people perished in the tornado that hit Joplin and flooding persists in parts of both U.S. and Canada.  So while I wait for the sun to warm up the earth, seeing my perennials opening their first leaves, I'm reminded that I'm very fortunate to live where I do even if I have to put up with 6 months of winter!

A need to explain

I said yesterday that I am a lucky woman...and I realized that might sound a bit arrogant!  I do consider myself fortunate, both in my career and my personal life but I feel the need to explain that this does not mean everything is simple or easy in my life.  For example,my adult daughter lives with me due to personal issues and I have opened my home to her in order to support her as she tries to come to terms with those issues.

While I usually love my job there are days when I too, would rather stay home and not face the issues that crop up there. And most worrisome for me now, is a sick kitty - we don't know exactly what is wrong with him but he's lost a huge amount of weight in a short period of time.  I don't know how everything will work out but I am hopeful Silas will soon be healthy again, (my daughter too), and I will learn to handle problems at work with grace and patience.

In spite of, or possibly because of these concerns, I am so grateful for all that is good in my life.  As the old song said, "there has to be a little rain sometime". 

Where do I start?

And why now?  I've never aspired to be a writer and I'm not even certain anyone will want to read my musings.  I've been following a number of blogs for some time - and what I like best is getting to know someone through the thoughts and feelings they willing share with their readers.  Without knowing it they have had an impact on my life - a positive impact - perhaps I can do that too.

So who the heck am I anyway?  Hmmm..to start with I'm a short, overweight, middle-aged woman (52) working my way through menopause.  I have two adult children who live with me, along with my four cats in a small Canadian city where I work for the "feds".  I'm at the point in my life when I'm starting to think about retirement - I love to travel, to garden and where I live is currently is not the place where I plan to do those things. 

Though most people wouldn't think it to look at me, I'm a lucky woman.  I've had many interesting experiences along the way, I have people I love in my life, and I'm looking forward to what will come.  I hope you'll share in this journey!