Memories Monday

I was just researching my first blog about Kali. Maybe the archives don’t go back to December 9th, 2016. That’s the day Laura, my daughter brought Kali to me. The first blog I can find is This One. There is a picture of me from when Kali was still my grandpuppy and lived with Laura.

Now, this picture will make me cry forever. Kali is so sweet and full of energy. It is hard to remember her from back then. But if you do a search on the name Kali on my blog, you will see she even had her own blog for a while.

Please forgive me as I journey down memory lane.

As I said, Kali was Laura’s dog. They were inseparable. Laura took her everywhere. They shared a home with Logan, her brother, and Vader, Logan’s huge dog. Sometimes my brother and I would pet sit if the offspring had to go to a place where dogs weren’t allowed. Kali would sleep with me. Vader would sleep with my brother.

I felt we connected during those short visits.

Soon Laura decided it was time to get her own apartment. Kali didn’t like being alone while Laura went to work. Separation anxiety caused Kali to rip up Laura’s apartment.

Our house had four adults home all the time. We all thought we might be able to help her. And so it was decided Laura brought Kali to me on my birthday in December 2016. Doesn’t that seem a long time ago?

~~~

Please excuse me while I curse internally for a moment. I had a LONG blog ready to publish and only the top bit was saved. I am going to attempt to rewrite the WHOLE thing, even though it was full of painful memories. But I best get on with it.

~~~

Kali, a rat-terrier, had a lot of energy. We rarely had a quiet day at first. And that was good for me. Even though it was a very cold winter, I had to take her outside. I got a good tam that first year. We did a lot of playing in the yard or taking walks. She loved rides in the truck.

If you wanted to see a dog dancing pirouettes pull out the leash. It was hard to hold still but she wanted to go badly enough that she’d hold still to let you put on the harness or the coat if needed.

But she had social anxiety and couldn’t tell who was good or bad. She might attack the sweetest dogs and made some walks very scary for me.

After three donut turns at night, Kali would curl up in her ‘donut dog’ shape and sleep with me. It made me laugh every night.

Before Kali came it was only Teddy and Rosey. Teddy divorced me the minute Kali moved in. I tried to explain to him that I still loved him but he wouldn’t sleep with me or sit on my lap for the longest time. Only recently did he come back to me sleeping in the bed and spending lap time. I’m glad he forgave me before he left us for that rainbow bridge a few weeks ago.

Though we only had her for seven years it seem like we were together forever. Kali was a part of my daily life. Even with her quirks, she was my best friend.

In the last few months Kali was diagnosed with doggy’s Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cataracts. Her inability to see and her confusion would have her lost in a corner here or there. She was in a lot of pain and we finally had to give up outside jonts as she could get hurt falling up or down the steps or get lost in bushes. We lined our house with piddle pads and eased her shame that it was all she could do. I gradually had to have her sleep on a little bed at the foot of my bed. I felt badly that she couldn’t sleep with me but she fell off the bed so many times and I was always scared she might hurt herself. This whole process was so painful for all of us. From the high energy of her youth to seemingly older than us in the end. Taking care of an elder dog is heartbreaking.

~~~

I know there was more here but I forgot what I wrote drat it!

~~~

So the last couple weeks she just got more and more tired, just laying at first on the sofa but soon even that was too dangerous so we would scoope her up and put her on either the bed in our room or the bed in the living room where she was right on the floor.

The last few days she gave up food and water. We could no longer give her the pain meds as they needed food or she’d get sick. This was so hard. Look up what to expect from a dying dog. She was all that list. The only good was she preferred lap time with me and I would spend that time talking to her and petting her ears. She loved that.

We live so far from a vet that the trip to have her euthanized seemed crueler than just easing her with love. Yes there was pain but that trip is very painful.

We four adults took shifts in the last days so that she was never alone. We did all we could to keep her comfortable and knowing she was loved.

At 5:11 this morning my husband woke me (I’d just gone to bed at 3:30) and told me that Kali went peacefully.

I woke to an already cleaner house as my brother had picked up and thrown away all the piddle pads and all the bedding and towel were in the washer. He even had a small funeral with the little cat outside as witness. We were all wet faced for several days. Kali is missed. How many dogs love loom knitting?

Here’s a little poem my husband, Chris created with the IA program.

A loyal friend who loved to play, 

A furry companion who brightened each day, 

A faithful pet who stole our hearts, 

Our beloved dog who now departs. 

With wagging tail and happy bark, 

You greeted us each time we embarked, 

On walks and runs and games of fetch, 

Your presence made us feel so blessed. 

You snuggled close on cold, dark nights, 

Your warmth and love were shining lights, 

You listened closely to our tales, 

And licked our tears when we felt frail. 

But now you’re gone and we’re alone, 

Our hearts are heavy, our souls are moan, 

We’ll miss your smile, your silly ways, 

And cherish memories of better days. 

Rest in peace, dear furry friend, 

Your love and loyalty will never end, 

Though you’re no longer by our side, 

In our hearts, you’ll always reside. 

Made by Chris https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt 

Words, Words, Words!

Suddenly My Fair Lady is playing in my head!

Anyway, here’s the word count.

No, I’m not finished. The screen shot didn’t quite work right. 931 words needed to achieve my lesser goal. Certainly not 50k. But I still like the story so I need to keep working it. 17k till the 50k. I guess that will be the goal for December.

I have to say that what happened, besides crazy life of leaks, old dog, dying kitty, electrical issues (the guys replaced two breakers today-finally the house is getting warm) is starting the new crew mid-flight makes a new book mid-writing. I think there’s a way to do it. But like I said with all that was going on my muses couldn’t find me.

Time for bed!

Teddys, Tigers, and Toes

Theodore Tigre Trouble (pronounced Tru-blay) and his best friend Shiva. Who suddenly is possessed by Teddy’s parents. Teddy doesn’t know, yet that he can reflect certain animals, like tigers.

So with all that’s been happening here, leaks, fluffy Internet, snow, electrical issues, my NaNoWriMo, Reflexion had to go on the back burner. I readjusted my goal. I think I can get to 33,000 by the 30th. The story won’t be finished, but I’ll feel more like writing if I feel I’ve accomplished something. So word count for today is 31,047.

Ah, but look what I did finish today with a Kitchener closed toe. I’m so excited! Another pair made with DPNs (double pointed needles). Hehe! Thanks, Jennifer at the Willows for teaching me the hard stuff!

Mister Golden Eyes

He came to us by way of Garden Grove on a long drive to Reno. Kieu was loading her car for the trip to see her boyfriend. It was three in the morning. Suddenly this little tiger kitten hopped in the car.

Kieu bought a disposable kitty litter and a small amount of food and water for the kitten’s first car trip. The kitty sat on Kieu’s shoulder as co-pilot, or Argh the cat.

It was too late to do a door-to-door search for a missing cat. Kieu did her due diligence the next morning by calling her mother to see if their neighbors were missing a kitten. No.

So Kieu asked if we wanted the kitten. Of course.

It was love at first sight. Mister Golden Eyes. Tiger Eyes. Dragon Eyes. Names ran through my head. Nothing quite did the job. I looked over at our tuxedo cat, Panda. OH! We have a Panda Bear. How about a Teddy Bear to make the team?

And he was a cuddly Teddy Bear. When not cuddling, he was energy-plus. He could rocket through a room, flying for places only a bird could. He kept me busy. He kept me company while my husband worked nights, and I felt so alone for a while.

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was in pain. Teddy could figure out where I hurt the most. He would climb on me and curl up. Then he would purr the pain away. I called him the magical kitty.

Teddy slept with me. If it was cold, he would crawl under the covers with me.

There was only one problem. Everything we owned soon smelled like Teddy. He scratched and sprayed everything. I still have things I can’t repair or eliminate the scent. But he was mature enough to get neutered. That problem was easily fixed. Now my little buddy was at his best.

Teddy was happy if I read to him, if I sang and played the piano, or if I needed to chat. He was there.

One day, Teddy slipped out of the apartment. He just disappeared. I thought it was months. I missed him so much. I cried in worry that he would be hit by a car or someone awful would hurt him.

Chris says it was about a week that we got a phone call. The lady said that she had a cat on her bed whose tags said Teddy and had this phone number. He had just wandered into this apartment that looked like all the others in our complex. He had just wandered in like he lived there.

I was in a lot of pain. Emotionally and physically. I couldn’t leave the house. Chris went to the lady’s place to get him.

Oh, my goodness, he was skinny and dirty. He looked like he’d been living under cars this whole time. Now that he was back, I was going to make sure he didn’t get out again. It was time to fatten him up and clean him up. It took a while.

We were at our weekly writer’s meet when we got a call. Panda had been playing and suddenly dropped dead. We were told it was either a heart attack or a stroke. That was sad for all of us. Panda was a gorgeous cat. He has a story of his own.

Okay, let me take the side trip. When we lived in Riverside, we found a kitten howling in the mall parking lot. My daughter and I looked everywhere and found this little guy in a wheel well of a car. He had a little white mark that made him look like a priest. My daughter named him Limey. Don’t ask why. I have no idea.

Limey would play fetch. He was a smart little guy. We all loved him. The kids were getting ready to move out into their own lives. The cat that raised them, as second mom, Kimberlina (Kimbie), was quite ill. She was very old. We think about twenty years old. Limey gave us a bright spot in the day.

But it was near Halloween. Limey was a black cat. Suddenly he disappeared. We didn’t know where. We put out ads. Suddenly there was a call. This lady said she knew she didn’t have our kitten. But this was a black cat that looked to be dipped in white paint. He had been on the lady’s roof for days as he was afraid of her dogs. Would we take him instead?

Well, yes. Never got Limey back. Never sure what happened. But Panda was now a part of our household. Kimbie passed about that same time.

So back to the moment. Panda passed of a heart attack, and Teddy was the only bear. He seemed lonely. So for the first time, we pursued getting a cat. In our lives, cats appear, and we grow together. But Teddy needed a furball friend. So we found Rosey at the shelter. She fell in love with Chris. She is his cat. But she was a friend for Teddy.

And so when we moved from Reno to Christmas Valley, Teddy and Rosey were on leashes and loved the trip. They loved their new home with h more room than that tiny apartment. Teddy had me. Rosey had Chris. Then a new dog came to live with us. Teddy thought I had betrayed him, and he stopped coming to me. He stayed with Rosey and Chris while I learned to bond with Kali, who seemed to be in need of a service person.

These last few years together. Teddy and Kali cuddled close to each other to keep warm. They seemed to watch out for each other. And both kept me warm and feeling loved.

Just midnight, when Chris woke me, Teddy was no longer with us. I can’t stop crying, but I am glad we didn’t have to take him for that hour-and-a-half ride to the vet. That is a hard ride for all of us. But he chose to go in his sleep. He is no longer in pain. But gosh, I miss him. My little buddy. I didn’t know I had so many tears in me.

In dedication to him, I will have a ginger boy in the NaNoWriMo I’m writing who is a curious, adventurous, but a lovable boy. His name will be Teddy. At least Mr. Golden Eyes will live little longer in fun and action!

Poor Teddy

After so much medicine and trips to the vet, poor Teddy is still going downhill. It is breaking my heart. He’s lost so much weight and still has a hard time breathing. We have an appointment for tomorrow, I hope he can make it and they have help for him.

Things Learned

Just 7 inches from the toes. I’m so excited to have learned to divide for the heel, then turn heel, then I shaped the gusset and now it’s stockinette (straight knitting) until the toes. Wah hoo! And I’m ready with yarn and more Double pointed needles for the fiancés socks.

My bathroom is nearly done. I’ll probably have to shower at least once in the guys’ restroom. Ugh! I’ve hated being so scattered, my stuff is everywhere and I had to schlep between my room and their restroom work bags of stuff.

And our poor kitty, Teddy has been having troubles, teeth and blood sugars so my husband has taken the trip through the mountains to the vet to take care of him.

Not to mention, Kali is still getting older and having a hard time with all of it. So lack of sleep is playing hard against ambition.

So I’m trying to be kind to myself for being about a day behind on NaNoWriMo, Reflexion about the Pensées family. So the word count

I need to spend a couple days catching up.

Finishing Friday

I’m grateful for my new laptop but have to admit my frustrations of starting over. All my writing in yWriter7 and WriteItNow and Scrivener are stuck in RTF form and tons of work awaits to bring them back to life. So that’s my time lately in a nutshell.

Sadly I have to report I didn’t get but half my word count goal this month. But I had a marvelous time with family and friends, so not really complaining. Just reporting.

Purple waterfall is nearly finished. Front lit.

Back lit

These charms are finished on both sides. I still need to apply sealant and then figure how to make the mobile out of them.

This is the next hand-held charm to work on. These are great for times when you don’t want to bend over the bigger pictures.

Barely made any headway on these. They are almost finished!

Started another pair of cotton spa slippers. I love this yarn my friend gifted me.

Today our three furries had a vet appointment. These two seem none the worse for the wear. Three hours in the non-AC truck can with all windows open. But their prognoses (is that plural?), Rosey, the black one is old but healthiest of the bunch. Not even considered overweight. Her seizures to be watched, nothing more to be done. Teddy, the ginger, has cancer sores in his mouth and had to get a steroid shot. And drops to take. He hates that.

Kali is old and has arthritis, is deaf, with cataracts. Nothing we can do but give pain meds. She is meandering as is her habit. That’s why the picture is blurry. It’s probably time for her meds . Poor babies.

While my brother and husband did the vet run. My son and I cleaned. He worked on the out of control mud room. I shampooed the carpets. It was nice not to have furballs in the way. We were successful in our ventures. Now I need to finish cleaning out the shampooer. Yuck!

Tuesday Tidbits

So I took a nap with Kali. After I got up the cats joined Kali. Like they couldn’t wait for me to let them have THEIR bed!

That’s Kali on the left, Teddy to the right. (At least they don’t take over my pillows.)

Here’s Rosey at the end of the bed.

I almost forgot to share our moment of spring. The mesquite is in bloom. Today was hot enough for shorts. Next week summer.

My natural life in motion.

Ta Da and Teddy Tuesday

First the TaDa:

KB fine-gauge Flexee 20 links. Tie-up starting with Kitchener cast-on. German short-row heel. Cuff two-by-two purl/knit. Stretchy cast-off. Now passed on to charity.

Now the Teddy update.

As you may have noticed, I have many names for this feline, and he reenacts them all at will. Saint Theodore. That’s when he does a CAT scan and finds my hurty spots and purrs it away. It works like a miracle. Not for others in the house, but for me, it is true. Then there’s Teddy, the Terrorist. That is the demon that has decided we can’t have nice things. No matter how many scratching posts or pads we get, he chooses the arms of the furniture, even the newest chair. It’s embarrassing to have scratched up furniture, but he’s the one in charge of our Feng Sui. Teddy the terrific: That’s the one that is having zoom meetings down the hallway. No, not the kind people have. The kind of crazy cats and dogs have running around to show their joy of life. After three days of antibiotics on board, and Tedster seems back to his original multi-personable self. I’m so happy he’s back! And the plus is that he is quite talkative now, and he hasn’t been since he was a kitten. I’m so delighted!

Misery Monday

Well, not for me necessarily.  In fact, my day ended looking like this.

For Teddy, it was a horrid day that has lasted 24 hours. After a long trip
in the car (four hours) and a stressful time at the vet, he was tired. So he
slept until I finally started to get to sleep at 1 AM. At that point, he
started drooling again. Chris got up to give him the pain meds. Not one I like
the idea of. Gabapentin.

They told me to video the subsequent seizure so they could tell more about
it. So I got up to follow The Tedster around. He vocalized his unhappiness with
the world for a couple hours. I swear he likes to pace and chat. He told me
about Mariah. Said a lot more things, and sometimes it felt like he said,
‘Anyways.’ So maybe he likes Ms. Carey’s Christmas albums or something? By the
time he was circling the coffee table, it wasn’t so loud as a constant chat. He
finally had said enough. He hopped up onto my lap and fell asleep. 4 AM. I’d
listened and given the support that whole time. I was exhausted. But getting up
from the chair was nearly impossible as tired as I was.

I managed to get back to bed. Wow! Having pets is more challenging sometimes
than having human baby newborns! Or maybe that’s why Septuagenarians don’t have
babies.

My son and I managed to get in a bit of walk. We didn’t make the mile
because Kali got tired. I nearly had to drag her home. We stopped as she caught
her breath. I gave her water. But she didn’t drink. We got back home, and she
crashed on the couch. So I guess she’s next to see the vet. She doesn’t run out
of energy. This is odd. Maybe Teddy kept her awake, too?

Well, maybe I should take the hint and go to bed while I can!