Ivy’s new cat tree/condo arrived yesterday. I had to get Nathan to get it out of the huge box and put it up on the sewing machine table for me.
She hasn’t really taken to it yet. I’ve put her up on the table a couple of times. She sniffs around but doesn’t seem all that interested yet.
This reminds me of birds with a new bird feeder. Often it takes a couple of weeks before they trust it and will eat from it.
If that hole to the house portion was much smaller, I’m not so sure she could get herself into it. I wonder how much more she’s going to grow? Seems she’s had quite a growth spurt.
Bringing Moisture In For Charlie:
I am running both a portable humidifier and a vaporizer for Charlie. I have them both on little tables to keep Ivy out of them. It does seem to help him.
I haul it all to the living room during the day. And then take it to the bedroom at night.
Did you know that when the mucous membranes in your nose become dry, there is a greater chance of getting sick? The nasal mucous membrane should be humid to defend itself against infections, I read.
Pharmacy Shooting:
In other news, my pharmacy is the scene of a crime.
Apparently two days ago a man in his fifties went to the pharmacy photo counter to pick up his photos.
I don’t know exactly what transpired. But sounds like there might have been an argument. Apparently the photos had been left there for over a year.
There was some confusion. The clerk pulled his gun and apparently the customer pulled his. Now the customer is dead and several were taken to the hospital.
This is what happens when you take two men and two guns and unleash them in a store full of people.
Yes, the clerk felt threatened and I understand that.
But if there were two men and no guns in the store, there might have been a raising of voices. Perhaps even a fist fight. But I doubt anyone would be dead and others injured.
I don’t like this carry and conceal stuff. Because I worry about my grandchildren walking around in a world where there are so many guns in so many hands.
I don’t want a gun. I’ll never own a gun. I’d probably shoot myself in the foot with it. And that would either be the foot with the bad ankle. Or the one that is fine.
Either way, I would have more problems than I have now.
And a bit of news about Liz:
Liz emailed me yesterday and said that she and the dog have moved out.
I know she saw an attorney on Monday. He wanted $2500 up front. I guess that’s pretty standard, because 7 years ago that’s what I had to come up with as well.
She said she needs to get a job, which she has been searching for, to get that kind of money. Remember her husband cleaned her out. Right now she is waiting for her nursing license to be processed, I believe she said.
I’m beginning to think women need to put their money in a safe deposit box at the bank. I don’t think there are passwords they can steal to get into that. It would be a pain in the butt to take money out, but at least no one could steal it.
I hope to talk to her soon. I’m just glad she and the dog are out of there. These situations can get volatile fast.
I pleaded with Liz to leave before he gets back from his business trip. She has read all of your comments. And you must have convinced her that time is of the essence.
I’m having lunch with my daughter and Andrew today. My daughter is attending his school Christmas party and then they will pick me up for lunch.
I’ll be giving Charlie a Composure pill and won’t be gone more than about an hour. I try to keep my times away from him to a minimum.
I’m worried about this injection I’m supposed to get on the 26th. If it looks like I may have to be away from him more than two hours, I’m not sure I’m going to do it. It’s late in the day and you know how they can get behind.
The whole thing makes me nervous. And I’ll be worrying about how Charlie is doing.
Ivy & A Box:
Ivy got in this box and then turned it over, as you can see. Then she proceeded to rip at the paper bits she could pry up. Ivy has this thing with shoes and paper.
What is it about a cat that makes them act completely bonkers over a tiny piece of paper?
Ivy is flipping and flopping about with a tiny piece of paper. Jumping, running, sailing through the air, skidding into furniture.
All over a tiny piece of paper.
She put it on the glass coffee table just now and then went underneath and batted at the glass. Then she jumped on the coffee table and played with it some more.
If I lived to be one hundred I’d still never understand a cat.
When we had a cat we would put a plastic bottle cap on the floor. He would play with it for hours!
I saw on the news that the guy dove over the counter to get his pictures & they fought. Crazy.
For Charlie’s poor health, I feel you go high above & way beyond where I’ve gone at the end of my pets’ lives. There have been so many rescues over the past 20 years. I feel lucky I was able to put them down when it came time, & accept that I gave them a good life.
I love Ivy’s new condo. She is so big!! I wonder what she thinks those scraps of paper are??!! LOL Merry Christmas Brenda! Love and hugs!
It is amazing how our fur babies control our lives. Every time I have to leave I talk to my little Hayley and tell her I will be back very soon. She looks at me and turns around and heads for her blanket with those big sad eyes. Makes me feel so guilty??
Ivy’s new cat condo is beautiful. I am sure she will soon adjust to it soon.
I am so glad that Liz has made the move to leave. There are legal aids out there that can help. She can go to a local church and ask about legal help in the area. Most Pastors can point them in the right direction.
Merry Christmas
Marilynn and Hayley
I like the GoFundMe idea for Liz too, I would contribute!
Tania
Great news about Liz moving on. I’ll keep her in my thoughts. Please try the shots for your neck. ?? Charlie should be okay enough for the amount of time you need to take care of yourself. At least this is a planned time away from the house so you can prepare him for it. I’m hoping Ivy will be a comfort for him, making him feel he’s not alone.
I’m going back and forth on it at this point. Not about getting the injection or even Charlie. But for other reasons I’ve learned in the past week.
I love Ivy’s new tree house! Once she gets used to it she’ll enjoy the heck out of it.
Please try to keep your appt for your injection(s) – you must take care of yourself.
My main doctor doesn’t seem concerned with my getting the injection; just that I see the neurosurgeon. I don’t know. I want to get it now. But not sure, for various reasons that I’ve learned, that I want to get it there. The doctor is moving Jan. 1.
According to News on 6, the customer fired first. The clerk was able to defend himself.
Oh, I didn’t read that. Thanks for letting me know. Still, I imagine the store will be sued for the others that got shot. Because the store policy was not to have guns in the store.
Regarding Ivy’s new cat tree, try sprinkling loose cat nip on the tree. The cat nip will definitely attract Ivy unless, she is a part of the feline population that does not like cat nip! Something I also do is place weights or big rocks/geodes at the base of the tree. The weight will stabilize the cat tree so that Ivy and the cat tree don’t tip over!
I first thought of catnip but, LOL the last thing Miss Ivy needs is catnip!! She’s sounds crazy-pants enough already! Do you still have her original cat tree up somewhere? She might miss it. My cat is finicky with treats too. Maybe try the freeze dried chicken, duck, fish etc by Stella & Chewy
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/cat-food/freeze-dried-raw-dinners/morsels/chick-chick-chicken
They are 100% protein and cats love it. You can break off pieces as treats but they are meant for meals.
Best wishes with the injection should you decide to get it. My friend got them 2x year for RA in her neck. She said they helped and never complained that the injection hurt.
I hope you can get back in an hour and Charlie will just sleep while you are gone. Maybe Ivy will calm him down while you are gone. Merry Christmas Brenda.
I have some concerns about getting it. Yesterday I got a letter that said my doctor will no longer be associated with that office. And I was told they lost most of their providers this month. Sounds weird.
I don’t think she could tip this one over. It’s why I bought it, the structure is very strong and it weighs about 50 pounds.
I just wanted to tell you that every time I scroll to the bottom of the page and see Abi’s picture – it always brings such a smile to my face. I know you miss her dearly but she still brings joy to others.
Thank you for sharing her and your love for her. ?
Oh, how I loved that sweet little Abi, and I miss her so much! I had to put it at the bottom because it makes me cry to see it.
Ivy’s like little kids. You buy them a fabulous toy, something they’ve said they liked, they unwrap it and put it aside to play with the box! Try a different type of treat for Ivy. Maybe she just doesn’t like the one you got. I know, I know–how much coddling must you do for this feline??
So happy to hear that “Liz” and her pet are out of that house. I hope she can get legal help soon. I wonder if she has consulted a Legal Aid office. I don’t know if it is a nation-wide organization or only certain states. I know there is one here in Michigan, but beyond that I don’t know. I bet she could google it and find out. That is so much money to just retain a lawyer, especially considering her financial situation. There’s got to be some organization that could help her or help her find a less expensive way.
The shooting you mentioned at your pharmacy is just an example of the stupidity of our gun laws. What was the clerk carrying a gun for on the job? Ridiculous and frightening. I would never own a gun either, Brenda. I just keep thinking the word “stupid, stupid, stupid” when I hear of another shooting. And I mean that word to apply to all the people in Congress who are unable to enact the laws that would protect people because they are all in the pockets of the NRA. As you can probably tell, it gets me riled!
I did know about it being important to keep your nasal passages moist. I run a humidifier in my bedroom at night and irrigate my nose with saline solution every day since I had the bad nasal infection back in the Spring that landed me in the hospital for ten days. In addition, since my nose has healed with lots of scar tissue I will have to have reconstructive surgery the first of the year because my nose is now distorted on the one side. I can breathe fine, but look somewhat odd! Thank goodness for small favors! But, yes keep your nasal passages moist! I’m glad the humidifier helps Charlie, too.
As a final thought, would one of your neighbors be willing to sit with Charlie while you got your injection? What about the lady who just moved in that you liked? Or even Nathan? Would Charlie be comfortable with either? Just a thought.
The woman next door is either never there, or she has her friends over. I had hoped to be friends with her. But it seems she has plenty of friends. Nathan would have to take off work, and that wouldn’t be right.
Yeah, I see what you mean. What about the gal that helped you take down your living room wallpaper or with the painting? Seems like I remember you enjoying her company. I know it’s hard to ask for favors like doggy-sitting, but I just tho’t I’d mention her.
Back in the day, my mother would hide money under the carpet in the corner of the dining room. (We did not have wall to wall carpet then) She would also put money in the drawers of her sewing machine cabinet. She always told me to “pay yourself first!”
I think about what she said often and wish I had listened to her.
Wise woman.
putting savings in safety deposit boxes is an idea that should be spread. I had a sizable account in a bank that was mine, with only my name on it. My husband went in and put his name on the account and then took the money out without my help or anything. This all happened because it was a community property state. The bank didn’t even call me.
Oh no! That’s awful.
Glad to hear Liz is out of there and safe with her dog. Maybe you could bring Charlie with you as a emotional support dog. I know that might sound crazy but I see dogs with people in the stores all the time. I never mind it a bit. I always resist the urge to pet them as they are “working” but I always smile at the owner because I know how important dogs are to keep so many people calm. The shooting at your pharmacy is so senseless and makes me think we all need to calm down and take a breath rather than draw guns on one another. Now one man is gone and it makes everything else seem so unimportant and trivial. I ,too, detest guns. As a retired teacher the idea of arming teachers is I think a terrible idea. I’ve seen countless teachers forget to lock up their pocketbooks and lose their wallets. Imagine if they left a gun unattended ? Then what if in the panic of the moment they shot a student rather than a bad guy or shot another teacher ? The odds of bad occurrences are just too high. I think they need metal detectors at the doors and clear vinyl back packs and more attention paid to students who appear disenfranchised, bullied or depressed. I saw many students ignored who were not the preppy, affluent, so to speak happy kids. This population in our schools are very real and are screaming for attention in many quiet ways. I hope the gun tide in America gets turned back. I agree with people being allowed to hunt etc but too many psychopaths and irresponsible people have access to guns. We need to study other countries like Japan and Australia to see how they curb gun violence. This won’t be popular with many but it’s my opinion and I just want people to live safe, secure and happy lives. Merry Christmas, Brenda and all the readers of this blog.
Guns are one thing. Semi automatics are another. My ex had one. I couldn’t figure out where he hid it. And he blacked out while drinking! Ridiculous arming teachers. They don’t make enough to take that responsibility on.
That is funny that Ivy plays with the box and paper when she has a brand new cat tree/condo to explore and play! That’s a cat for you! I have similar experiences with my Molly. Keeps us smiling, anyway.
It surely does.
Ivy is simply overjoyed by the wonderful home she has found with you. She is a delightful kitten, for sure. She reminds me of my calico cat. So much personality! Have a super day.
She has a BIG personality!
I am overjoyed to hear that Liz (and her fur-baby) are OUT!! Perhaps she could start a GoFundMe thingie??? I would contribute! Us fellow nurses need to look out for our own ~
I agree with Gail about making Ivy Lou’s new condo smell like her… you might also want to try some judiously placed cat treats in and near it randomly.
Funny thing, Ivy does not like cat treats. I bought her some and she wouldn’t touch them. I have her mouse in there.
Put something(fabric) Ivy’s scent is on and rub it on her new,factory smell tree
I put her red and white curtain tie in there.
I was also thinking about having someone stay with Charlie. Check out Rover.com. You have options such as having someone come to him, or having Charlie stay with them (day care). Plenty of pet lovers like you to offer comfort to poor Charlie while you are away, and piece of mind for you. You can meet several different sitters to ensure you find a perfect match. Good luck to you!
**peace of mind**
It has to be me. He isn’t comfortable around other people.
I’m very happy with the dog sotter i found in rover.com. She is only a mile away and only takes 1 dog, besides her own senior dog. My dog is terrified left alone, so I use this service once in a while. She also sends me photo updates!
I’m sure you’ll do everything in your power to ensure your puppy’s comfort, but the best thing you can do is take care of yourself. Please don’t cancel your injection. Trust. Sending good thoughts your way.
I’ll see. But I don’t want my daughter to have to be there long. She has too many things to do.
Loved the picture of Charlie boy. He’s the cutest thing ever. That Ivy just has so much energy to burn off she just goes and goes. Your writing describing her antics are very entertaining. Hope you have a nice lunch.
She does have a lot of energy and is a nosy Nellie for sure.
Could you have someone sit with Charlie while you’re gone for your shot? Maybe your daughter? Would that help?
I love reading your Ivy stories, she’s quite the crackpot! I’m sure she’ll get used to her new cat tree, by tomorrow she’ll probably be all over it!
My daughter has to be with me. They won’t let the person who brings you to the hospital leave.