Has it really been that long

.....since I posted here?  Yeah, guess it has.  Just can't seem to make this a regular part of my activities.

I know, priorities!  So, I guess it just isn't up there these days.

I do manage to stay busier than I thought I would at this stage of my life, and I guess that's good.  I surely never get bored and always seem to have a list a mile long of things I want to do.

Am missing my big, ole indoor-outdoor cat today.  He's at the 'kitty hospital'.  He was limping on his right rear leg - had to wait to take him in because we had a weather event in Alabama.  Anyway, he's been there since Thursday.  No broken bones, no abscess, she thinks it may be a pulled muscle or sprain.  So, he's on "bed rest" - meaning he's on medication and confined, so hopefully he's healing.  Here are a couple of pictures for your viewing pleasure.  That's Frosty with him in the second picture.  Frosty weighs 3-1/2 pounds, Boots weighs 14.  He's a sweetie and I'll be glad when he's home and well.

Kitty cat update

Thursday, 7/4/13 - now there's good news AND more good news... Boots is back home.  He arrived about an hour ago - ate a bowl full of food and is now sleeping soundly in a living room chair.  He's lost weight, but otherwise seems to be okay.

Well, there's good news and there's bad news.

The good news is that Fluffy is doing well with her medication, and I've even found a treat that she likes - it's called "Lickety Stik" and is a salmon flavored liquid she can lick off my finger or off the little roller ball on the bottle.

It's the FIRST thing I've found that she'll touch and it took several days for her to try it, but now she loves it.  She's being really good for her meds and gets treat licks after her medication both morning and evening.  She knows too and she's ready for that treat.

The bad news - is that Boots is missing...

He's been gone since last Friday (5 days today).  He's ALWAYS there in the morning for breakfast - even if he had a 'treat' earlier (he's a hunter).  He spent time Friday afternoon in the living room reclining in a comfy chair but was ready to go out at bedtime.  That's the last we've seen him.

I pray he's not somewhere hurt and is just off on a safari!

Happy Birthday Frosty

It's Frosty's birthday - he's 13 today and still as cute and sweet as ever.  Here's a couple of pictures made on the day I got him (he wasn't quite 8 weeks old)

I've always loved poodles and Frosty is my 4th. He was a gift from my late husband who knew I'd always wanted a 'tiny' poodle.  My others were miniatures - so I was especially pleased with him.

Unfortunately he came from a puppy mill (that's another story I guess) and had some issues, but it was definitely love at first sight for me.

He's got the very best personality but is definitely a "mama's boy".  He's crate trained but howls if I leave him and he thinks anyone can hear him.  Don't leave him a lot - and wouldn't leave him at all if I could take him into all stores.  Actually, he's cleaner and better behaved than most kids - and his feet don't touch the ground when we're out and about.

He was just over a year old in this one.

Another older picture - just after he was groomed.  We have a great groomer, but Frosty isn't particularly pleased when he goes.  He's cut shorter than that now as our groomer is temporarily closed because of health problems.  His fur grows fast though, so he'll be a puff ball soon enough.

This is him with Boots - my outside cat.  Boots weighs 20 pounds, Frosty 3-1/2. Needless to say, he's considerably smaller - but he's definitely the boss.  Emma Grace (inside cat) is his favorite though and they play together.

And, this is Frosty today.  That's his bed at work - oh yeah - he's a working dog. He takes his job seriously - guard dog and greeter at our local Cross stitch shop.  He's starting to get cataracts and can't jump quite as well as when he was younger, but he's still going strong.

Frosty sticks to me like velcro, sleeps with me, goes most places with me and is my loving companion.  I pray he's around for MANY more years!

More kitty stuff

This is Boots - he was one of two kittens that was 'dumped' on my property in 2009.  

These pictures were made not long after he came to our house and at the time I didn't know if he was a he or a she.  Vet determined that and fixed it :-)

I love the little black dot down under his chin.  Here's another "now" pictures:

He was really shy at first.  He became the 'front porch kitty' as long as Halloween was alive, but since she's been gone he's moved to the back deck.  He's also grown BIG - probably because he's such a hunter.  He's always bringing me 'prizes' to the deck - and leaves them right at the door (or leaves parts of them after he's had his fill).

He's really a sweet cat and very loving - sometimes comes inside for a little while, but is always anxious to get back out.  The two inside cats are NOT impressed when he's in.  He's more than twice the size of either of them, but they hiss and complain when he's in, and he usually backs off from them.

At the vet last week for yearly shots, etc. and weighs 20 pounds.  Obviously, he's a heavy rascal but loves to be picked up, sit in your lap or generally have attention.  I really wish he and the inside kitties were friends.

Fluffy kitty

Here's Fluffy - she's a gray calico 15 year old barn cat rescue.  She's been in my house since she was about 3 months old, but wasn't crazy about human contact when she was younger... and HATES to be picked up.

She did get out about a year ago and spent the night outside.  When we found her she was under bushes at the end of the house and terrified - I managed to pick her up (without her going ballistic) and bring her back in.  That experience apparently gave her an attitude adjustment and she's been a nicer kitty since then.  However, if she's going to be petted, it's going to be on her own terms.

She had been losing weight, throwing up and her coat had gotten really scruffy looking.  The only thing she'll eat is the dry food she's been on all these years.  I've tried everything trying to entice her with food, treats, etc.  Nada - she won't touch anything else.  She'll sniff it and walk away.  These pictures were made before she got sick and her coat was much nicer looking.

Her and Emma Grace close to the window.

She looks nothing like her mother (who was Halloween and featured in an older post.  Though Halloween had a LOT of kittens over the years, Fluffy was the only long haired.
She went from being a gorgeous, long haired cat to a skinny, ratty looking one.  This is "mama" Halloween:

Anyway, finally got her to the vet a few weeks ago (a challenge itself) and blood work showed she has hyperthyroidism.  Now, there's not a snowball's chance in hell that I could dose her with pills, but fortunately there's now a transdermal medication that can be rubbed in her ears.  That sounded doable - except this is Fluffy we're talking about.

This is twice a day and the first week was rough - took two people and she was NOT pleased.  However, I've been sweet talking her and after about 2-1/2 weeks she's decided it's not so bad after all.

She still isn't going to tolerate being picked up, but has become a bit more affectionate and doesn't hiss and run now.  She's not throwing up and hopefully will soon put on some weight and her coat will improve.

Cats are such peculiar creatures - at least the ones I have are.

Who's bed is this?

... well, actually it's Frosty's - but Emma Grace tries it out occasionally.

Heard Frosty barking the other day and went to see if he wanted to go outside - no, he wanted Emma Grace to get out of his bed!

Coffee table is finished

... and I'm officially out of the furniture refinishing business.  I'm TIRED of painting furniture.  One table wouldn't have been so bad, but of course, I had to get carried away and do 3 pieces.

Aside from the 'hunt' to find the tables (several months actually), I started the first one on January 19 and the coffee table was moved into my living room late yesterday (February 8).  Almost 3 weeks.

My coffee table actually has 'sage green' legs - they don't show nearly true color in the photo.  I used a fabric swatch of my drapes and had the paint matched to that.

In case you missed the original post - here's what it looked like when I started... pretty ratty and scratched up - but all wood and quite solid.

So, I sanded... gave it 2 coats of primer (then curing for 7 days), 3 coats of sage green on the legs and skirt, 2 coats of stain on the top, then 3 coats of polyacrylic on the top.  In case you're counting - that's TEN COATS of some sort of paint, with all the waiting/curing time time between each one which means it wasn't a quick project!  I don't understand how they do this kind of stuff so quickly on HGTV.  Oh wait!  It's TV, right?

And, here's the inspiration photo (which did come from HGTV):

And here's what it looks like altogether:

I considered doing the coffee table in yellow (did I mention, I love yellow?), but decided to use the green.  I'm really pleased with the results - but I did get pretty tired of painting stuff.    (note - that's a cat on arm of love seat, and dog sitting on love seat... though he does like his new dog bed.)