Writing Friday

I had a very wonderful Friday, in the sense that I wrote and wrote and wrote ~ tons today. In my notebook. Long-hand. 15 pages. It makes me feel good to do it.

I'm thinking of taking the time to type out all that I wrote and timing myself to see how long it takes. I also wrote a three-page letter to someone that I know cannot read my writing so that will definitely have to be typed as well.

It's ragingly hot here. My desktop weather.com says it felt like 100 degrees outside today. It is just too much. If you have A/C, stay inside. If you don't, go to the library and sit in the A/C, go somewhere that has it.

Thank you, Raine for encouraging me to keep writing on the blog.

I learned about Advanced Directives on Thursday, how to write them and it's about encouraging people to write them.

Advanced directives are about writing what you want, in terms of a psychiatric advanced directive what you want or don't want done in the case of a psychiatric emergency. If you want or don't want certain medications, who you would like or not like to visit you, etc. - it's about making decisions while you are well for those times that you may be unwell and unable to express what you want. Our state seems to be getting more and more interested in helping the mentally ill help themselves, and this is a big one in the advance in that direction.

I may be helping people with them at the Drop-In Center, but I am definitely not an expert so it may be a long time before that happens.

I've got an 'In Our Own Voice' presentation on Monday for our local Clubhouse staff.

Went fishing last Sunday. I used small minnows for bait and for the first time in my life I actually caught three little small-mouth bass. It was a thrill. That little boat and this new discovery has been the best investment. Summer = fishing.

I am also working on an easy slipper pattern in knitting. And I bought some pea green yarn to do a baby blanket. The mom-to-be chose that color in her nursery so I know she likes it. I picked a Lionbrand.com free baby blanket pattern knit it in.

The Jungle is doing well. Little Blossom Pug has a tooth issue that can wait till February so at least I can save up money for that. Both Emma Pug and Blossom will have to have Bordatella and dog virus shots for when they are boarded for this Christmas (it's a Wisconsin year!).

Reese, my beautiful Siamese on the other hand lost 3 pounds in one year and that really concerns the vet. They did tests and he does Not have kidney issues or Thyroid issues, common ailments for older cats (beautiful or no, that's a joke) thank God. So they dared to suggest Cancer. I said no, maybe I haven't given him wet food in a while. Maybe his teeth are bad and he does not like dry food. They said feed him all you want for 2 weeks and then re-check him for weight gain. So I feed him wet food three times a day in the hopes to fatten him up. He LOVES it. Eats it right up. Nothing wrong with his appetite. :)

He loves to be up on the table where my laptop is. My desktop died a few months ago and Husband set me up with a laptop (never underestimate his computer powers - he puts these laptops together himself, he's a computer geek for a living!!)

So now you know what I've been up to lately. I hope everyone is well, and doing the best they can in blogland. :)

Back from Vacation

I had a wonderful week, visiting my Mom. I went fishing, caught a Spanish Mackeral (a very weird fish with teeth!), saw dolphins, boated, saw beautiful beaches, ate the best shrimp ever, swam in the pool nearly every day (and got a rooster red sunburn mostly on my back!), had long talks with my Mom, and even played pool with my Mom. It was a very special time and she looks great. She is very healthy right now and happy.

I also visited my inlaws. It is always a bit of trial for me to go there. I am not sure what it is but I feel squashed there. The moods come up and there is strong encouragement, just by weird osmosis, for me to suppress who I am and what I feel. As long as I make everything look normal, they are happy. Wanda talked about 'undamaged wealthy people' on her blog, and I am sure that these must be them. The thing is that they are damaged people too, its just about suppression of their own selves and others, in this case anyway.

But when I get on the road and start coming home and listen to some music and talk to my husband eventually I shake off those bad feelings. I am so glad to be home and have the Jungle all together again. We brought the dogs with us and pet-moteled the cat. I know Reese kitty is glad to be home too (it's too loud for Princely kitties in the pet motel!)

The sunburn is bad, but the sunburn spray is Cold and icky so I am just handling it. It's good to be back and I will visit you all as I can.:)
Good times to you,
Tart

I have some pictures of my Spanish Mackeral catch that I can put up on the 'Good Stuff' blog. Give me a couple of days to get my pics loaded on the computer.:)

Happy Mother's Day from the Jungle.

Ah, a fresh post. A beautiful Sunday. Again, Happy Mother's Day.

I went with a friend today to check out possible new digs for her. A very nice complex and enjoyed lunch with her and hanging out and talking.

I also spent a few hours with Auctiva figuring out profiles and how to list and problem-solving. That Auctiva is really neat, because its the free site that has a constant slideshow of everything you are listing on each listing on Ebay, plus free nice templates too.

I am proud of myself because I saw it on another site and then checked it out and downloaded it myself and figured it out. That really did make me feel good. I would not let it be a mystery.

My friend and I stopped at a flea market today, which gave me the idea - what if we were to sell some of the books at a flea market? She has so many and will be moving soon, it would be nice to reduce the inventory.

She thinks this is a great idea and somehow when things involve her, she gets me moving and I actually follow through and get stuff done. Like the fundraiser we did at a dollar store, or even getting my angel pins done so I could donate and sell them for the Center. It makes me feel good to be part of something larger and I give what I can.

The Jungle is doing well. They are all healthy and have passed their respective exams by the vet. Well, Emma Pug is next for a wellness exam, to keep up with her shots, but Reese the Siamese did just fine for the Doc.

He was so manic when I brought him in, he got into every door they had and I had to pry him out from under their sink (it had doors - oh goody, he says!) and once I blocked that off he went for the doors on the wall that hides all the vet equipment.

All this between the time the tech left (after taking his temperature, How Undignified) and the doctor walked in! He does not act like this at home because it's not a new place with neat smelling stuff everywhere. He's a very smart, vocal kitty, too.

I know some people don't understand, but the Jungle are easily like kids for me.

I hope Mom's everywhere had a good day.

The Puppy

So's I get a little sleep deprivation from the puppy but each night she sleeps a little longer and I am getting more used to her and she to me.

She is also having a blast playing with kitty and he with her. They have spurts of rabble-rousing play then they both crash and sleep (the puppy on me, the kitty in one of the pet beds around here - they're not sleeping together YET!!:)

This pug girl seems ahead of her time, at least developmentally ahead than our other Pugs at this age. She got up to the second step on of the stairs and was able to get down a step which is developmentally difficult for them at this young age (almost 9 weeks), but obviously not impo-ss-ib-le.

Sometimes she goes after things she shouldn't (like the edge of bottom of the stairs, or tries to pull apart a dog bed) but some Bitter Apple sprayed on the bottom of the stairs was a Big Deterrant and giving her a toy to chew on instead of the bed helped with that.

Will B Gone for the Holiday:)

Greece, The Cyclades Islands, Webshots. (Not going here, but isn't it beautiful? I'm thankful for scenes like this.:)

Collection of kitties, Webshots.

Made my cupcakes today, after getting up early and taking Husband to work since my car's battery/alternator has given up the ghost (a-nother expense!!) and the only way to have a car is to share.

I had to take my beautiful Siamese to the kennel today. I felt like I was signing away my only child (my Pugs are a different kind of children) to the nut house, where he was not going to understand that I was coming back for him, an' it made me sad.

We are going to see the inlaws. Everyone - have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thankful for many things, amongst them wonderful friends.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Well, I KNOW you want to see her! Presenting Mia, the black Pug with Emma the Apricot Pug!!:)

Welcome to the Jungle!

I really do have a cat and a dog. They know they are not simply 'cat,' 'dog' but Siamese and Pug. It's not that I'm some kind of elitest, it just happens to be true. Okay, we treat them like furkids but I couldn't imagine it any other way!

I have not published pics of them, at least not for a long time, and so maybe you should just enjoy that I have broken down and now present them here!

Okay, Okay - These are not mine! But they ARE Alpacas and I really, really want some. They are sweet and mostly silent, like cats. Within 5 minutes of this picture they were swarming around Husband, nose to nose and really had him surrounded. It always happens. I work so hard to get a pet in our family, and they end up liking him the most! Sheesh.

Reese kitty, Siamese cat extraordinaire. If you are impressed, go online to the Siamese Cat Rescue and get yourself one! We had good experiences with them. He's so beautiful that I am sure he would do well in real competition. He is even neutered so well that it fooled a vet tech at my vet, at first. But neutered cats can only be entered in the Household Cat division which I'm sure he'd win, but he is so people shy, I think he'd hate it. He has red-eye in this pic, in reality he has gorgeous blue-blue eyes.

See more of his coloration. He's really perfect - black arms, tail, ears and face. Almond/white body with perfect color stratiations. Oh and did I mention Mr. Man's fangs? You can't see them, but they are there. He has killed two mice and we have boasted and bragged about him everytime. We really are proud parents.

Emma dog! This is my Pug baby. That 'look' is her begging for a grape. I had video and it was so cute because she spits out the grape because that's how she plays with it! I love her, I love her! There's a curly tail hiding in back too. Both animals are too smart for their own booties!:)

Paddy-Pug! She is cute as a dickens! This my Mom's Pug standing here with curled up tail. Those are water provisions for Mom's long journeys in the RV and yes, Paddy is there for everything! That funny round toilet-looking thing is Paddy's water dish - it will not fall over! Great for little travelers.

Oh yes, we end this with Paddy. She is like Emma but different, she looks more like your average Pug, basically. I love this pic because this is a typical insolent face she makes, it's the stubborn look. I did photoshop this pic. She had typical blue-eye, a common picture condition for young Pugs because the back of the retina is still so wide (my vet explained, 'cause Emma had the same problem). These are our sweet babies, enjoy.