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  1. I’m a little late reading your blog, but I love the new dining set and I’m going to browse through newer posts to see it for real ! My late dog also didn’t have any teeth left at some point and I loved seeing her little tongue stick out. When I think about it, my old cat Piano had many teeth missing as well and could only eat wet food at the end, but his tongue didn’t stick out… Maybe cats and dogs are different when it comes to tongues!

  2. Your new dining room set is beautiful. I love the style. I have one very similar in white with a butcher block look top.
    Ivy seems to really keep you and Charlie entertained. I am so happy for you. It is amazing how happy our fur babies can help us humans get through the hard times in out life.
    Marilynn and Hayley

  3. This has been a problem for quite awhile. So many jobs can’t be filled because they can’t pass the drug test. Businesses don’t want people to drive or go into people’s homes if there’s a chance the person has a drug problem. I know of many people that are stuck because they can’t hire any of the applicants.

  4. I love your new table and chairs. I’ll be watching for your post to see your newly decorated dining area.
    I know it’s going to look really pretty.
    Ivy and Charlie are so cute together. I think Charlie thanks you for bringing his new companion home.

  5. I haven’t been on the computer as much lately and missed your news about Ivy! How wonderful! So happy for you and Charlie…she seems like a perfect fit! And she seems like she has a lovely personality, too!
    The new dining room set will be great!

  6. Brenda, I’m so happy for you and Charlie to have a new little companion! We lost our little dog in January, and I can totally relate to how you’ve been feeling. It has taken three dogs for us to fill the void – two for me and my husband, and one for our daughter (but I watch her dog during the day while she’s at work)! It is doggy pandemonium around here many days, but very healing! Blessings to you and your fur babies ?

    1. I don’t think the pain of losing them ever goes away. It just dims somewhat. I miss her. So sorry for your loss.

  7. Nice table and chairs, Brenda. I think you’ll enjoy them.

    Sounds like that Ivy kitten is making her presence known in a big way! Kittens really can be full of it. One of the things that always annoyed me when we had kittens was them getting on the table. The first kitten my daughter had was a sweet little grey tiger that she named Willow and I was always finding her curled up on top of my buffet in the dining area. She looked so cute I never scolded her. But I just don’t like their feet which have been the kitty litter to be where my food goes! It’s been quite a while now since I’ve had a kitten in the house. The two geriatric gals don’t get up on tables or counters. They do get up on my bed, though, but I don’t mind that.

    I hope your MRI doesn’t show anything worrisome.

    Hope your week is going okay. Hugs and pats

    1. I feel the same way about their feet. That’s why her table and food are going back in the bedroom. And if she gets on the new table I’ll either get a can and put coins in it to scare her, or if that doesn’t work get the water spray bottle out.

  8. I keep my kitties attention focused on their scratching post by regularly rubbing a couple of fresh catnip leaves on it. Then I sprinkle some fresh or dried catnip on the base so they can roll in it. It’s a positive enforcement to keep their clawing habits confined to their post. Some cats have preferred locations in a room where they like to scratch. If Ivy starts to claw a piece of furniture, move the scratching post in front of the targeted furniture.

    1. Great idea! Thanks! I don’t know what to do about the back of the couch. It is mostly against the wall. I guess it curves out a little and that’s what she’s scratching. I finally got my wood ruler out and hit the floor with it a few times and that scared her out of her scratching spot back there.

    1. Ivy will be put in the bedroom with her food on her table when my daughter is here for a meal because she jumps on the table. One day of eating like that and now I’m standing up at the counter eating until the other table comes Friday.

  9. Your new dining table/chairs are just right for your space; love the simple design and the contrast of light/dark colors. I know you will treat us to a tour once your dining area is complete.

    The photos of your furry babies are terrific. You are capturing so many fun moments (and I know you must smile/laugh once you go back through the photos — you make it possible for us to see their personalities in these photos). And it is like Charlie is experiencing youth again!

    Hope all is well with your test results. Take care.

    1. It is fun to go back and look at them. I’ve taken probably hundreds of them in the past 5 days!

  10. I LOVE your table and chairs! Great choice. Ivy is such a pretty cat!

  11. Your new table and chairs will be so nice to have. Good idea to have Ivy’s “own feeding table” in your bedroom. When we have company, if our cats are in, they all run to our bedroom and either get under the bed or on the bed. We just close the door and they can be in there for a few hours and not bother our company or us while we eat. Of course, they can go outside too. As far as Charlie playing, you’ll be surprised how much he’ll probably start playing! We have a 13 yr old cat who I’ve NEVER ever seen play before. She has always been a bit skittish and very calm and quiet. When we got our two rescue kitties (one is 3 now, one is 2), she actually started playing with them! It was amazing to watch. Her mate had always been a boy that was either her brother or cousin, and they grew up together and both were very “staid” and didn’t really play. But seeing our grandmother cat play was a riot! Now she will actually play by herself with a little catnip mouse! Kittens can do amazing things for those older fursters. Our 2 yr old boy really does love water too.. he loves playing in the sink.. I put about 1/2 inch in there and stop it up.. then he swishes the water around and drinks it! Also, our 2 rescues love their OWN water on the bathroom counter so it’s fresh. They don’t usually touch the water bowl on the floor that our older cat drinks from! The 2 younger ones always loved playing in the bathtub too (without water)… and would chase each other around and around. They are all certainly very entertaining!

    1. I once had a cat named Bonnie who loved water and the sinks. She would often curl up in the bathroom sink and sleep. They are so funny!

  12. I like your new table and chairs – can’t wait to see how they look in your place. It’s easy to find cushions for the chairs – every store has them. You just have to find ones you think are comfortable. Believe it or not, I like the ones from IKEA the best – and they’re the cheapest!

    I hope all is well from your MRI scan. What are they looking for in your neck?

    So you went out and got Ivy a scratching post…umm, you’ll be getting another one in the next day or two! lol Well, never hurts to have more than one. 😉

  13. I love that dining room set and what a great price! The pics are adorable of Ivy and Charlie and I’m so glad you got a scratching post for Ivy as it will serve as a deterrent to her scratching any furniture. Keep a spray bottle of water nearby and give her a little spray when you don’t want her to do something in the house. I had my first cat trained so that if I even put my hand close to the water bottle she would scrunch up her little face in anticipation of a spray; she was a fast learner (LOL!). Yes, a rolled up ball of paper can bring a couple of hours of fun. I’m glad Ivy is ridding the house of the bugs; sometimes with my first cat I would wake up in the morning and I would find a dead cockroach (hate them!!!) on its back, missing its legs. I figured she tortured the thing all night before killing it. I’m so glad Charlie and Ivy are starting to play together. They are going to give you many hours of laughter and happiness. Have a lovely Tuesday evening.
    Carol and Molly
    xoxoxo

  14. I love the picture of Ivy scratching at her new post. She looks fascinated by it. Your chairs are exactly like ours !! My table is two toned woods and the two chairs are too but exactly the same design. I took like how they fit under my table. My husband has a special license he needs to drive a larger truck for his company to deliver furniture or shelving units when the usual driver is tied up on another job. Not everyone has those licenses needed and for good reasons if they aren’t familiar with depth and turning with larger trucks as they need to be. Look at what happened in NY over the weekend with the 20 people killed in a limo accident and that wasn’t even legal to be driven.

  15. Try putting a ping pong ball in the bathtub to entertain Ivy. My current cat isn’t enthused about it, but the cat before would be enthralled because the ball kept moving.

      1. I second the ping pong ball in the tub. One of our cats loves to play in the tub.

  16. Brenda, When my dad died I inherited his beautiful grandfather clock. As soon as it was delivered my cat, Toonses started sharpening her claws on it. She had also been clawing the door frames all over the house. I immediately wrapped the grandfather clock in aluminum foil as high up as she could reach. I put clear packing tape on the door frames. No more problems. I think she didn’t like the sticky from the tape and the foil looked and sounded uncomfortable for her. She had lots of scratching items to play with, so after a while I could removed the foil and the tape. Ivy is beautiful and Charlie is just too cute. I’m so glad they get along. Sandra

  17. Brenda if you have a spot you don’t want Ivy to go on, put a piece of tin foil on there. We have a buffet in front of the window and I didn’t mind our Lucy going up there but she very gently started pushing all my things on the floor breaking quite a few things. I put the tin foil on there and she stopped going up there.

    1. I’ll try that. Thanks. It’s so funny how Ivy likes to splay out with her tummy up sometimes when she’s sleeping.

  18. You may have to give us all another “tour” of your apartment one everything new is in place!

    It was a joy to see Charlie getting in on the fun with Ivy.

    1. I sure will. I already had new paintings in place over the dining table (purchased over the months) I haven’t shown you because I was waiting to paint the table. I decided that was not going to work (painting) with Ivy. And my hands hurt so much, I knew painting would make the pain worse. So yes, I will give you a new tour.

  19. Brenda, you sound so happy in your posts since Ivy has come to live with you and Charlie! I’m so glad. I’m your reader with the 10 inside cats. We have a big scratching post that my husband made for our cats, and honestly, they are really good about using that instead of the furniture. On the occasions that one of them “forgets,” we keep spray bottles filled with water handy and simply spray (or rather, mist) their little faces. It doesn’t hurt them physically, but they don’t like it. And cats are intelligent enough to realize that sharpening claws on furniture leads to a wet face! My sweet girl Wallie Rae (we found her under a car at our Wal-Mart when she was a little-bitty kitten six years ago) used to “forget” about the scratching post quite often, and one day I caught her and misted her in the face. Oh, was she mad and did she pout!! She had nothing to do with me for about a week. I love to watch ours interact with one another, and each one’s personality is so different — just like people. I know that Charlie is enjoying having someone new to watch and play with; I truly think mixing geriatric furbabies with younger furbabies helps the geriatrics feel (and act) younger. I’m glad that when he gets tired, he’ll go and get on “his” bed (your) bed and take his rest/nap. Our most senior cat (whose name is “Cat”) gets to go outside in the kitty pen. In 1990, my niece had to give up her beautiful Siamese mama cat (MeLing) and her 3 beautiful/colorful kittens; and of course Aunt Faith took them. My husband and I were both working on two masters degrees each at the time, and one day we needed peace and quiet for studying. The kittens were abut Ivy’s age by then and, oh, so rambunctious. I found a pet pen in the Sears catalog (16 ft x 8 ft x 4 ft) with a top made of the same wire and two wire doors with latches; it was actually for a dog and the designs in the wire were large enough for the kittens to go through. My husband had some chicken wire, and he put that over the top and all side of the pen so that they couldn’t get out of it. We could put Mama and the kittens outside in the pen with food and water, and they were fine for hours. They couldn’t get out to get in the street or be attacked by other animals, and we had peace of mind knowing they were OK. This is our 28th year to use that pen. It was around $300 in 1990, but it is the best $300 we’ve ever spent.
    Cat only gets to go out because he lived outside before he came to liver with my son and then us, and he would run out the door every chance he got. Our other cats (who only go outside when a vet visit is needed) don’t even try to go out. Anyway, we are kindred spirits with our furbabies … they love you unconditionally and are so much company. I’m so happy that you and Charlie decided to adopt Ivy, and I look forward to your posts and pictures. I’ve read your blog for many years. We live in northeast Texas (Marshall), a small sleepy town about 45 minutes west of Shreveport, LA, and about 2-1/2 hours east of Dallas. We have a son who lives with us, and he has two sons, ages 15 and 19 years. I look forward to your report of your doc visit/MRI results. I had an MRI of my neck last month and follow-up visit with my neurosurgeon, but my problem is actually my shoulders. I do have a herniated C-7, but the bilateral weakness/problems with using my arms is not from that. So I have an MRI of both shoulders on Thursday, Oct. 11, and he has referred me to an orthopedic surgeon. I hope you and your furbabies have a terrific Tuesday!

    1. My pain has mostly moved down to my shoulders now. Ivy shows no interest in going out, but she likes to look outside. I am careful when I let Charlie in or out.

      1. I hope I don’t have to have another MRI. Even with it being open and having ear plugs, I had to bite the inside of my cheek the whole time to get through that horrid noise.

  20. Writing that Ivy likes to be in the bathtub, reminded me of what my son’s cat did several years ago. While he was at work, the cat jumped into the tub, and somehow, turned on the “hot” water faucet. Of course the “smart” cat, probably didn’t even get wet, but the water ran all day long, until Kris got home from work. Needless to say, there was no hot water for a shower.. He was just thankful that there was no stopper plug in the drain. No wonder cats need 9 lives..(grin)

  21. Love your furniture and glad ivy is settling in. In most states it takes a special drivers license to be able to drive large delivery trucks. Some people aren’t literate enough to study for the tests.
    I also have friends in several Service Industry businesses who talk about the lack of willing employees. They hire two or three times the number of people they actually need because the attrition rate is so high.

  22. you have courage and a heart full of love and love for beauty too.
    and that is a great combination! the dining table and chairs are beautiful.
    I am holding only positive healing thoughts for your MRI results.
    and the pictures today of the siblings are precious. and I don’t use that word lightly!
    your little Queen of the Quilts is like a can of Red Bull.
    you know… the energy drink! for those of us older than RB!
    I can remember when they used to talk about Geritol! LOL.

  23. What a positive impact Ivy has already had on your life. I can tell the happiness in your writing and I am so glad for all three of you. Pets are wonderful.

    1. She sure changed our lives! That’s for sure. Right now they’re sleeping. Charlie is on the left side of me, where he scoots into place. And she is sleeping on his bed.

  24. That’s a nice dining set, Brenda! Isn’t it fun to change things up every now and again? Charlie is finding new joy in his life with Ivy, I think that was a very wise idea to bring her into your family!

    1. I want to be more like you, enjoying my food and the preparing of it. Maybe this will give me a nudge.

  25. Oh wow… Im sure you will be very happy with your table & chairs!! My dear friend has this exact set… she loves it !!!! 🙂 …. its so pretty !!!

  26. You will be all set now, with a new table and 4 chairs. It looks like you could have 2 more chairs, instead of a bench also. Then you’ll be able to entertain, have people over. It’s good for your heart and soul! Did your new neighbor move in yet?

    1. The only people I’ve had over is my daughter and her family. So just three there. Of course that could change. The woman next door travels with her job and still has not moved in. Maybe I will invite her over for coffee once I meet her.

  27. Hi, Brenda, wonderful the pets are adjusting to one another.
    We always have a cat…to teach and trains easy.
    A plant mister with water accompanied by a firm, “no” as you give her a little squirt. Then we call our hands. After awhile all that is needed is a firm “no” and clap.
    Our 18 pound, 8 year old male Bombay has only recently used his claws on furniture. We keep his front claws short, trimming every week after his afternoon nap. I set the plant mister bottle out and He looks at it, doesn’t claw the furniture!
    We sprinkle catnip on upright and flat scratcher pads to keep him interested.
    To calm cats, teach them by whispering them in a quiet setting, while petting.
    Cats are smart!
    Kitties are so loving and a wonderful companion.
    North Central Texas has rain too!
    Have a purrfect day.

  28. Oh I do like that table and chairs. Can’t wait to see pics. We downsized from a huge table to a smaller one. It still seats 8 but it’s so much better. It’s truly a farm table. I agree with you about putting her in the bedroom when the kids come over. I think they are much more comfortable in a quiet place. Sending positive thoughts for your MRI.

    1. The one place she won’t leave me alone is when I sit down at the table to eat. So I will be putting her in the bedroom with her own food so I can peacefully eat.

  29. Brenda,
    The economy is booming everywhere and companies all over are having a hard time hiring ppl. Those that want to work, now have jobs . “Hiring now” signs are up everywhere. We have upped our hiring salaries and still cannot get takers.
    It is a good problem to have. But remember the Grasshopper and Ant story and everyone needs to be saving for a rainy day, which follows a very prosperous economy.

      1. The DOT is now enforcing elog hours for drivers. Which means they can only drive a certain amount of hours then they must stop. They must park their trucks. These logs have a GPS tracking system and a lot of drivers are not happy with this and are quitting. My husband works in the steel industry and this is a major issue for them and it’s being seen all over.

        Ivy and Charlie are precious together! Enjoy them!

    1. Your animals are cuties!

      Yes, I remember that story and the Bible verse that states, “you don’t work, you don’t eat”!

      The leader of Puerto Rico (the woman who hates Trump) made sure supplies weren’t directed to the people. Documented!!

      1. Nita, the lady you are speaking of, Carmen Yulin Cruz, is the mayor of San Juan, not the governor. The problem in Puerto Rico was NOT a lack of willingness to work, but a complete failure of infrastructure. The middle of the island consists of mountain ranges, the roads were impassable, the drivers couldn’t get to the trucks and then the trucks couldn’t get through to where the supplies were needed, no phones worked to communicate any of this. Honestly, the supplies should have been air lifted in. Since almost 3,000 people died as a result of the hurricane, I think Ms Cruz was certainly justified in her exasperation. She was NOT the cause of supplies being misdirected and not reaching victims of the hurricane. Please make sure you’re checking multiple credible news sources and not just listening to far right propaganda. I have heard too many first hand accounts to let that incorrect assessment stand.

        1. I don’t think the far left nor the far right is to blame. I read they could not get enough drivers. I’m sure there was more than one reason and it was not intentional from the right nor the left to let anyone go without water or supplies.

        2. Thank you for fact checking instead of just promulgating “ he said” , “ she said” !

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