We took kitten in to be neutered, and she’s fine. Then Shu got sick. We have delayed for years taking him in because he goes wild….
I bought, however, a kind of poncho that zips shut, with velcro ports for a vet to work, and we got him there.
He was absolutely horrid. He was a cage away from FInity, whom we boarded there night-before to let her settle, then day-after to and overnight to leave her where she wouldn’t bounce around and get into trouble.
Shu apparently was Terror Cat, and was growling nonstop in a cage with a blanket over it. He hated everybody. But they found his problem, ahem, the pesky tail glands were impacted—and we were able to get him back into the poncho for a trip home. Back in the car, he stopped growling. He was pretty sore, but ok. Exhausted. Not eating. Tuna fixed that when we got him home and rested.
It’s been a zoo, however. The good news is that the kitten gets along with Tanner ok, and comes upstairs at dawn and likes to hang out with Shu and SEi. They’re starting to lose their growls and even play with her a little. So that is going well, but they are all super-clingy, and Jane and I are trying to write, while being sat upon by needy cats. It’s only three and a half cats, but it feels like a herd of them.
Had a coupon for a free 25$ at a new hoity-toity restaurant we tried to use, but after all this fuss about reservations, they had their door locked, leaving us in the cold, (opening hour customers) and they knew we were out there. So we said Meh to you guys and walked over to their competition, for a cheaper, nicer, tastier menu anyway. We’ll go back there. The snooty ones who use a ‘reservation service’ in, Lord help us, Spokane —the capital of Casual—can go take a hike.
We’re both well, just swamped. Catted. Overwhelmed. But the kitten thing is working. Tanner no longer howls 24/7, and the kitten is making friends upstairs and down.
Thanks for the update; I (and I suspect others too) were wondering about the long silence again. Life being “frantic” is much better than life being terrible and bad. Clingy kitties do make it difficult to do things… like type blog updates in addition to the stories we all adore from both of you.
Interesting that you used the cat sack contraption to get Shu to the vet; I’ve seen it advertised on FaceBook and wondered if it worked (our cats do fine in the cat carrier, luckily).
Have a lovely, friend and cat-filled Thanksgiving…and everyone else on this blog too!
Where did you get the poncho to carry Shu?
My youngest, Dusty, was having issues and I wasn’t sure if it was an upper respiratory infection, as she was coughing, or seemed to be. Of course, it was Saturday, Nov 17 and my regular vet is closed. No other vet in the city would take her unless she were already a patient. So, I called the nearest emergency vet clinic, about 35 miles away, and made arrangements to get her up there. Well, never bring the carrier out to where the cat can see it. I caught her and tried to get her into the carrier, no luck. Moved the carrier out of the room, waited a bit, tried again, no luck. She hid behind the couch. I reached back and grabbed what I thought was scruff of neck, only to find it was her lower back. She let me know she didn’t appreciate it and put a decent sized hole in my hand with one of her fangs. I got it bleeding, let it bleed for a while, and just gave up on taking her at that moment. I called the clinic and told them and they said when I catch her, call them and they’ll alert the doctor. Tried one more time just after 10 PM, and wearing gloves, got her into the carrier, and out to the car. The vet looked at her and did X-rays, and said she has a hairball and to use a petroleum jelly compound designed for removing hairballs. I also found out that Dusty is what’s called a “dilute tortie”, a tortoise shell with the colors muted.
Fast forward to Friday, Nov 23, and that evening, I got very chilled and didn’t feel well. Went to lie down, was very hot, but still shivering. Had a rough night of sleeping, and when I woke up the next morning, my left hand hurt. I’d noticed the red marks a couple of days before but thought they were blood blisters from handling an appliance incorrectly and pinching my hand. But, the back of the hand from the index finger to the webbing was swollen and the whole area was red. By that afternoon, it had spread, and I made the decision to go to the emergency room. I chose not to go to my local hospital, but rather the Air Force base hospital 45 miles away – I trust them more. They admitted me, and by now, the redness is clear up to the elbow. Blood cultures, and an IV full of antibiotics were the order of the evening. They did X-rays to ensure that Dusty’s tooth hadn’t broke off inside, but they were negative. So, they sent me home with a hefty dose of oral antibiotics and a return to center in 2 days. The return appointment was yesterday and the physician said it appears to be clearing up, but I have to go back in another week. I’m still waiting on the results of the blood culture. I can’t be mad at Dusty, she was scared, and I grabbed the wrong spot…..
Oh, ow! sounds like you got a good dose of cat scratch fever. You indeed can’t really blame the cat for defending themselves and not understanding that you want to help.
CJ, are you sure Finity’s proper title isn’t paidhi?
Ugh! “Recovery typically occurs within 4 months but can require a year.”
I think you have something there, Chondrite!
My best wishes for your speedy recovery, Joe.
It’s very good that you went to the hospital with that; already red to the elbow and increasing that fast sounds as if it could have been very dangerous if you’d waited any longer.
It’s nice to hear about how Finity, Tanner, Sei and Shu are doing, and the ladies themselves. It sounds like it was an inspired solution, to add to the cat tribe, even though the result can be a bit overwhelming sometimes!
My Coco-cat (big brother) is being a needy kitty too, much more so than I’m used to from my earlier cats. He wants to sit on me, crawl all the way up under my chin, lick my chin and nose if he can reach there, keep at least his front paws on my skin at my throat or face… I was used to companionable cats who liked sitting beside me but not on my lap; all this in-my-face stuff is a bit much.
Especially as it seems to declare me his territory and scare off his little sister (unless there’s human food to be had), without him doing anything mean : he doesn’t hiss or growl or swat at her, he’s just restless and/or wants her to lick him or play with him; but she moves off as soon as he looks as if he might be approaching. Not fair to her, but I don’t quite know how to get a better balance and sharing into that dynamic.
I keep pushing him down and to one side a bit, claws off my throat, no licking my face, keep on your half of me so little sis has some peace on her half, one hand to pet each (and keep him in check while petting), but her avoiding him has only grown stronger. Except around bedtime, when she often initiates the chasing him around game… ?
Any advice on how to handle this would be welcome.
@BCS, it looks like Curry will be gone for a few days at a time whenever there’s a receptive female around, at least until he gets neutered. Without that hormonal imperative it sounds as if he might become a fairly content indoor-outdoor cat, who needs to have room to go outside but also likes coming back home for food and drink, petting and a safe place to sleep.
If Curry will just stick around long enough for me to schedule it and get it done….
He is a quandary, a puzzling mix for me. I suppose I needed the reminder that cats are not always what I think, and I don’t know everything. Heh.
He’s happy to be in again, for now. (See below.) He’s been happy to get attention and renew the acquaintance, when I’ve been by, back and forth from room. to room. Some serious cat napping going on there too. 🙂
Goober decided he needed, had to, come in with me and get attention too. 😀 Good kitty, sticking up for himself. I like seeing that. He could do that more.
—–
I’m not sure what advice to give about Coco-cat. Yes, that’s definitely wanting to monopolize your attention and devotion to you, wanting your devotion in return, and an alpha cat’s way of. shoehorning his sister out of getting the, uh, lion’s share of the attention. (Sorry for the pun!) Yes, she needs me-time too. Yes, it’s right for you to set boundaries, maybe more firmly. — Goober has never quite learned not to knead my neck/chest with his paws lightly or with the claws all the way in. He’s not aggressive intentionally, it just is a little much for me sometimes. So I have to keep that in check a little. It frustrates him, because he’s never understood it’s not a slight to him, it’s just, dang, kitty, keep your claws in. (It’s not serious, but annoying.)
Maybe there/s another way for Coco to get the affection he wants, reciprocal, that would be less, hmm, overwhelming? — If you wear perfume, or use lotion for skin care, he may like the scent. But it could easily be just that he loves you a lot.
Is it just the to cats, presently? Would a third cat help balance things, female or male? Maybe Coco needs some play to wear him out a little?
Others surely have good suggestions. I can sympathize. Kinda overwhelming there, kitty. LOL. Good , but a little much. And goodness, share, don’t hog all the attention. 😀 Cats. Always something new.
My sis has one called “Cat-in-the-Bag” ( https://www.cat-in-the-bag.com/ ). It has a zipper, velcro at the neck so it can’t slide out, and both handles and a long strap (a shoulder-belt will fit through it.) Comes in sizes, too.
Search cat bag carrier on Amazon. The large size handles Shu.
Yikes! We prefer you all, cats and humans, healthy and happy, not sick and hurt and unhappy or angry at the world. However, oh, we (I) do understand how that goes.
Bless Shu and bless little Finity. That’s rough. Good thing calm is returning. While it is indeed difficult to work with a cat betwixt you and the keyboard, well, perhaps you both need the R&R and the cat needs it too. Heheh. Familiar with this problem, but Goober is not a lap cat, he is a sit-by-you cat, a hang-out-with-you cat.
Dusty and Joe — Oh, ow, major ow. Good thing you got to the doc and got good treatment. As long as it’s healing up OK, chances are you’ll do fine. Likely, they won’t know beyond, “Yeah, it’s some kind of bacteria or virus, but you’re OK now.” Whew. Thank goodness for modern medicine, and go, Air Force.
Things would be very quiet here, except none of the neighbors have been quiet much at all, even late evening or occasionally at night. It’s getting old. Adults, little kids, both. But no fighting recently. (I sort of assume the fighting couple broke up and parted company. I sure hope so.)
I am expecting a very quiet Thanksgiving, just myself and Goober and maybe Curry. I’ll order groceries after the holiday, as I still have too much surplus, despite needing other items, being out.
It’s the second full night, tomorrow morning will bet the third day since I last saw/heard Curry. With so much going on, I can’t really blame him for not showing up, but I’d rather he were here and guaranteed safe thereby, with all the benefits of a home base and a sort of family. — If and when it quiets down this evening / night, I will try calling him again. If and when he shows up, he is going to be one hungry, thirsty, needy semi-feral cat. — But at least it is overly warm outside and not raining so far, so not wet and cold.
I have a couple of choices I can fix for a Thanksgiving dinner. If those erstwhile friends call and come by with any holiday leftovers / goodies, I will be surprised; I’m not expecting it this year. That’s just how things have been going. I am making do, still frustrated, still trying. Surely things will change; I hope they get better soon.
However, I hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving and caring people, loved ones, friends, and a good situation, home and good food. I hope the weather will be kind to you all. It looks like here, we may escape the storms predicted for most of the rest of the country. So stay warm and dry and take care.
Hmm, cats hanging around, being cozy, even if a little clingy and needy, is, haha, mostly a good thing.
Wishing you good success with the ongoing writing and file recovery. Very much looking forward to the second book for Alliance Rising, and whatever else might be in the pipeline or percolating.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Happy thanksgiving all.
Cats – that’s what you get for letting a real predator into your home.
Weather day ahead up here in New Hampshire.
Jonathan
5 something a.m. I woke up to hear what could only be Curry, fighting/mating or chasing or maybe trying to get in, right near the apt. back door. So I, fool that I be, of course got up out of bed, threw on a robe, and went to call him. No cat. To the front door. No cat. Well…. Oh, I had to compound the folly. Back door again. — Bingo, there he is. “Meow?” As if he just happened to be there and had never left 3 days ago. And oh, I let him in. With a smell I really hoped was outside, and not him. (What I hope is dog poop somewhere outside, and it’s raining. Oh, ugh.)
He smells of, ah, cat pee or scent-marking. I hope he will clean that up immediately. — Already, I was asking myself if I should have opened the door. But I got myself involved a quarter of a year ago and…seem to insist on staying involved…and he…continues to be the cat about town, brawling, wenching, plundering, as wayward or piratical cats are won’t to do. And is unrepentantly exuberant and charming about it all, the little handsome rogue. Ah, I had thought last time he might have learned better and was changing his ways. But after him being gone 3 days, I think now I have his number. Little rotter is just going to be this way. Until and unless I can get him in to be neutered. And by now, well, I think the behavior pattern is probably fixed in place, so that even after…well, I don’t know, but I suspect Curry is Goober’s diametric opposite, in some ways. (Curry still wants to be sweet and loving in some ways, and no, he still doesn’t know how to keep from wanting to hold your hand to keep you there to give him attention.) Told him just now, I don’t like to play rough that way, and let him be.
And yet I like him anyway. I am still attached. (Oh, I hope and pray I would have better sense in a human relationship, romance-wise.)
As soon as he got in past the bedroom door, straight to the water bowl for a long drink. Thirsty from all that catting around, the fight/mate earlier. (I think I know when it’s one or the other, yet not always sure. This is, ah, disconcerting. Not how this human would like to go about that, at least. Though I get the idea, some humans seem to _like_ fighting as part of courtship before and after becoming a couple.) Editorial comments aside, Curry’s thirsty and hungry.
In order to avoid the problem I knew would be there — Just give Curry a whole can of moist, and maybe that’ll keep him from taking Goober’s. Fed them both. Ah, peace in our time! (Yes, I am aware of the irony of that Chamberlain quote. It seems too relevant these days, although I don’t compare Curry to that, thankfully, or he would not be inside with us. Vehemently. Sorry, it’s early, my mind’s wandering more than usual.)
Curry is ensconced once more on one of the boxes he likes. I thought, well, it’s raining, but I could save us some time (my estimation of Curry’s real loyalties, and malodorous, not too bedraggled state being at a low point) so I opened the front door. “Do you want Outside?” Well, no, he does not. Little character knows he’s got a good chance to rest up out of the rain. It’s still unseasonably warm at 5 or 6 a.m. OK, kitty, and yes, I petted him because, well, I’m a fool, as previously established.
Goober, meanwhile — oh, kitty, don’t eat from HIS bowl…. Too late. But by now, anything Curry has from his forays outside, Goober has probably been exposed to anyway, via food and water bowls. So…sigh. OK, Goober.
Goober’s reaction? Again, that chittering, when he first saw Curry drinking at the water bowl, a little sniff, I think, of Curry, and — I think Goober is so used to this by now, he’s no longer much fazed one way or the other about the appearance of this vagabond guest his hew-mon keeps insisting on letting back in into the household.
I hereby nominate one Goober, cat, for kitty sainthood. — He isn’t perfect, he does have a passive-aggressive way of showing his disagreements, but on the whole, Goober is among the finest of cats I’ve ever known, and…he is putting up with all of this without much of a fuss. I have no idea if he finds Curry charming or a nuisance or just some cat who shows up and then leaves a perfectly good deal for no reason besides wanderlust. Heh.
I don’t know if Curry will stay in all day and night as before, or if he’ll be chez nous, staying in with us at home, for Thanksgiving. Well, kitty, I’m afraid you won’t get the traditional Thanksgiving feast at this place, but it will be a nice meal, and you two will get cat food and maybe a few scraps. — I will try for a better feast for Christmas. I’m waiting to order groceries Monday, as I’m still overstocked on some, and out of some things.
So…whee, the joys of having cats around. (I can’t claim I own Curry or he owns me. Goober, however, definitely, we have each other.)
Little Finity, and Tanner and Sei and Shu, have a much better deal than any of them realize. Goober knows he’s got a good thing going here and is, like them, a confirmed housecat, though Shu may have ambitions of being the wild boy. 😉 Curry is…I’m not sure that pirate thing quite fits him, but he is definitely something like. He doesn’t seem to be the biker cat type, either. I don’t know.
One point: So far, Curry appears undamaged by whatever fights he’s been in. Lucky, that, young fellow. This says either he is pretty good at being top cat, or else maybe the competition isn’t quite a s all that as they think. — But the laws of chance being as they are, Curry can’t continue indefinitely to be unscathed. Humans, cats, dogs, cars, hazards around the apartments, and the parasites he’d had previously, which I pray he won’t get again…. That is a lot, even for a fine little so-and-so like him, to deal with, long-term. — So I hope he’ll continue to be OK.
Despite all my fussing, yes, I am glad to see him back safe and sound, even though I also know, he will want back out there, as soon as he feels the urge and is well enough fed, watered, and rested.
Maybe he needs a leather jacket like James Dean? A pirate’s coat like Long John Silver? (Hmm, there must be a name for that style….)
Well, anyway, he’s back for now, and I let him in, and I am beginning to wonder about my heart versus my noggin. Both seem a might too mushy for good sense. Sigh.
Hmm, well, Curry hasn’t brought home a cute girlfriend yet. Or, as some cats will do, some little waif kitten of either sex, to take under his wing and for the human to look after. I don’t think that even occurs to him yet. I’m not sure he’s the settling-down kind of cat, at least not yet, regarding the ladies. (I do, however, feel certain it’s the young ladies, and not the young gentlemen, whom he fancies.)
So — well, ’tis better than it could be, by far. We three are in where it is relatively dry, warm/cool, and safe, and there’s food and water and good sleeping spots, barring my bed, which Curry cannot have, thanks very much. He’s in where he won’t get up to mischief or misfortune. So…all is well on the day before Thanksgiving.
Cat supplies, the Amazon Pantry order, are due today. Oh boy. In whatever configuration of boxes for cat litter, food, etc., and human supplies. We hope it all finds its way to my door rather than the apartment offices, like last month. Hah.
Also, I get to discover whether my bank card will update properly and whether any automatic payments, such as rent and utilities, cell phone and storage space, go through without a hitch. (I think they’ll be fine, but these days, even checking it is not a guarantee against the whims of the techno-gremlins.) I will know at the start of next month. Oh, joy.
So…all in all, everyone please have a good Thanksgiving, and I hope your situation, place to live and people to like/love, is good or will soon get better.
Hah, I have a cat whose definition of that somewhat varies from my own expectations in the matter, and yet he seems quite happy with his way. I’m just confirmedly not that way. I get attached. I want that. I like having a home and would much favor having people , a family , a crew, whatever you want to call it. I think I could be happy living a starship life. I seem to have some of that need for something else, something more in life, if not the itchy feet my grandpa had. But I can identify with that urge enough. Just…I don’t quite know what to do with C?urry’s cavalier errant approach to friendship and love. He does, however, have his own brand of it. — And OK, at least he showed up and stayed again. If he were truly so much uncaring, he wouldn’t. So maybe that’s the answer, and I just need to figure out how to deal with his brand of attachment and his wanderlust. Curryy the Pirate Cat? I don’t know.
Hmm…. When I was little, I had one of those little storybooks with all kinds of cats, in which one was a sailing cat, a ship’s cat or tar, and others were other kinds of cats. I think this started as four kittens in a litter, who went on to have adventurous lives. Or else that was another little story. (There were several of these. I don’t recall if that one was the Little Golden Books or the other main series. … But my gosh, I haven’t had those since my parents gave them away when I was in college, and I hadn’t really looked at them then in years. So I’m fuzzier on the details than I would’ve thought I’d be.)
If anyone know which little storybook that is, it seems to apply to young master Curry. Heh.
Relieved to see that CJ is posting again, and that everyone is well.
But, Joe, I wasn’t relieved to see your news! The granddaughter’s Bengal bit me a few times when I catsat for a few months a couple of summers ago, and I noticed that the slight wounds didn’t heal up right away and were reddish and swollen, but I had no idea that I was lucky. I was especially surprised to see that the serious symptoms didn’t appear for almost a week. I’ll watch for updates, and send you healing thoughts.
Poor Shu. Yikes, Joe.
I think it’s that third cat. When you just have two, they’re concentrated on each other and oppositional things can happen. Having that third cat confuses the issue just enough to keep the whole shebang on an even keel.
Yes, I confess, I got a rolling start on that 10-inch pumpkin pie that’s been calling my name in the Hope refrigerator.
Hope everyone has a happy, safe, warm and snuggly T-day.
Pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce are two of the best things about the holiday season, food-wise. A pumpkin pie was calling to me today too, haha.
I was in the mood for chili and cheese and tortilla chips, and ate early tonight. Half a can of the chili (yes, Wolf brand) so I hope, ah, I will do fine this evening and tomorrow. LOL. It was worth it anyway!
Right now, I’m listening to the History of English podcast with Kevin Stroud, the newest episode, on the poem of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. My old English prof (one of them) Dr. Maclean, would be happy to know I still think well of his course on English lit., including reading Chaucer and some other Middle English in the original, and trying to read it aloud. — Hmm, I think I’ve spelled his name right, but that has now been 30+ years ago, and somehow, my memory of exactly which spelling he used is now fuzzy. — Anyway, I’m enjoying the podcast. There is a backlog of episodes I still have not listened to, but I’ve listened off and on for months now. (I do not always agree with his assessments; I think occasionally the pronunciation would have been different than he uses, but I still really like the series. He does a very good job and has been doing it for years now.)
Curry has been very busy sleeping, and absorbing any petting with a great big feline smile and purring, whenever I’ve been by. Heh. And this, from a semi-feral, one year old tomcat. Heheh. — Goober has, meanwhile, wanted more attention from me, and when I’m in there, he’s shown me the cold shoulder or the hard to get cat routine. 😀 And yet, when I fed them, Goober didn’t mind getting very near Curry to say he wanted food, and curiously, Curry and he did not hiss at each other over that. But then, they had a whole can of food apiece, this morning, so any immediate needs had been more than met then. (5 or 6 a.m., though.)
The cat food and supplies mostly arrived, and somehow, never mind the order is a monthly subscription, parts are supposed to arrive Friday and Monday. G figure.
I think WOL, and CJ and Jane, have it right on the triad cat arrangement working better than a duo, er, diad.
It would be nice if we get to see Finity in photos, and maybe Tanner too. We haven’t seen Shu and Sei in photos lately, either. — Ah, I need to take photos of Curry and Goober too.
CJ and Jane, Your new kitten sounds fascinating, and it’s been interesting to read her journey so far. It’s wonderful she seems to be easing Tanner’s distress somewhat. Covered with kitties, writing away paints an overwhelming picture in my mind; I can’t imagine … you are good souls to care for Tanner so.
Lots of entertaining “kitty” reading here lately. I miss having a cat or cats. The closest we get these days is if we visit relatives who have 2 cats who dislike my Austrailian shepherd type rescued dog. She’d like to make friends with them; one hides, one has jumped on her and attacked her so she’s afraid of him now!
Wow, Joe, that’s distressing. Infection moves so quickly once it really sets in; it’s good to hear you got such good care, and I do hope you continue to improve.
We were kept quite busy late fall with the end of the camping season; the silver house is put to bed with no travel in the window, and cataract surgery on both eyes for hubby in January & February to look forward to. Given the weather here in PA in those months, that schedule is a house of cards … sigh. LOTS of books were read in my camper this fall, by me, and that rascal grandson … happy kids, both of us! Finished a re-read of all the Chanur books, the Kesrith books, and the library is sparse at the moment, so not sure where I’m going next.
Mostly, just wanted to THANK everyone here for the interesting reading! Happy Thanksgiving to all. Back to finishing the baking, to go to nephew’s home tomorrow, and spend the day with grandson too.
I am on two immune-system suppressants, because I have rheumatoid arthritis. When they gave me the antibiotic, the rheumatologist’s nurse called me and told me to stop taking the immunosuppressors until after I’ve finished the antibiotic regimen. So, having a compromised immune system with the bite, and taking the antibiotics as well, would have been problematic.
Ah, Joe, that’s a delicate and high tight rope to walk. Husband’s cousin had rheumatoid arthritis. Hope you continue to improve; rest up. Comment
Cathy, good to see you. I’d been wondering if you were OK, and hoped you were just busy.
Joe, ack, good the meds are adjusted so you can get better quicker, one hopes.
Curry is (sigh) back out. — I went in to feed them their evening moist food. I put my hand down to pet Curry, and somehow he misread that or was feeling exuberant and playful, or…. I don’t know, but, ZAP! “Ow, Curry, let go!” (Surprised me, holding with his claws, didn’t really dig in, just, ow, and surprise, and I think that was a misfire, in the way that someone used to having to defend themselves can act without intending to. Or I hope that’s what that was.)
I went over to the door, in case, but hadn’t fed them yet. Oh, instant interest from Curry in the door, not the kitchen. Huh? Well, try it and see, I guess. Open the door; zoom, out goes the cat. I checked in case he wanted back in, but no, he’d teleported elsewhere already. Darn, kitty, you missed your chance at a good meal before you went out, and we left on a sour note. (I’m telling myself it was only a misfire, not intentional.) I also think he’ll be his happy-go-lucky self, glad to see me, when he shows up again.
No idea if he’ll be back tomorrow. Darn little vagabond cat. (Hmm, I’m sure there’s a better word. Bohemian doesn’t quite suit him.)
Goober once again has me and the apartment all to himself and had the food all to himself. A very please gato.
Cathy, tell your grandson, «callejero» for a stray cat; /kah-yeh-HEH-roh/, but he’ll know how to pronounce it, seeing it written. Ask him if he thinks it’s related to another word. If he guesses, la calle, the street, that’s it exactly. Literally, it’s a “streeter,” someone of the street, out on the street, a stray: un gato callejero. (¿Sin boots de caballero?) — (Without a knight’s boots?) 😀 He’ll like that.
——
My Mac had an unaccounted delay booting up tonight, and I couldn’t recall if I’d replaced the ext. hard drive since I’d moved in, now 2-3/4 years ago. So I hunted up the spare (unopened) and will do a complete transfer of my data to it, do a USB flash drive (or a few) backup also, and then likely redo the old drive, in case. And since that would leave me without a new spare, I’ve ordered a new one, surprisingly affordable, but not a solid state drive, I think. — I need to look at those. So next week, I should be back to a good status on backups and hard drive, precautionary.
——
The upstairs neighbors had been quiet all today…until I got on the computer just now, and…eegad. Surely that sounds louder than they are actually walking / running / doing activities. My best guess is there’s a young kid or two involved, but I rarely hear any little kid sounds from up there, for months now. The alternative is, of course, they are actually elephantine or hippopotami, early for Christmas? Visiting from outer space?
(If the grandson has never heard the Three Stooges sing, “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,” then that is highly recommended. Heh.)
Neighbors…clomp-clomp-clomp…furniture or something moving around regularly, it sounds like. I have wondered at night, or some days, what’s going on up there. I don’t think it’s anything untoward, it’s just…dang loud and annoying, and sometimes at very odd hours.
But no fighting from up there, thank goodness, so it’s OK, I guess.
Happy Thanksgiving again, all. — Joe, please take care.
Miss Finity Ma’am and the other cats, good for them. (I’ve just realized I don’t know the proper, traditional form or address if the mascot reference I’m making there is a sir rather than a ma’am, but presumably, Mister Reveille, Sir. When I was there, it was Miss Reveille, Ma’am. And by tradition, if she (or he) chooses to stay in another cadet’s room (I was a non-reg, a civilian) then, as a cadet officer, she/he stays where she/he chooses, and the cadet is thereby honored to host the mascot.) I’m fairly sure that would extend quite nicely to a cat rather than a collie dog. 😀 Old, old tradition going back to a rescued dog in the 1800’s, I’m told.
I have always had quiet upstairs neighbors for the twelve years since I downsized to an apartment, except for one. Turned out he had a Wii Fit and was exercising enthusiastically at all hours. (My son was staying with me while some repairs were being done on his house, he worked nights and I worked days, so someone was always home to wonder at the thunder from above.) Fortunately he didn’t stay long.
To ALL of our salads – Happy Thanksgiving Day!
CJ and Jane, Mikey and I hope the writing is going well. We miss seeing you.
Joe, take care of yourself.
To all the kittehs, be kind to your human staff as they may have had a hard year…
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I’m glad the kitten is helping Tanner adjust to his new home and that she’s also getting along with the upstairs pair. Our kitchen remodel is finally finished and I have time again to catch up on my reading.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, and all your kith and kin, human, feline, canine, piscine, or other.
Happy late Thanksgiving to all the salads. We were compelled to nap after consuming mass quantities, but at least all the leftovers are bagged, tagged, and either put in the fridge, or sent home with guests.
The post-feast coma has worn off and we’ve talked or texted all our immediate family members. The dog is satisfied with his portion of the feast, so I guess this was a successful day. Now I’m binge watching holiday baking and cookie shows. I’m procrastinating looking for black Friday gifts on-line. It wouldn’t be a holiday without last-minute gift angst.
I have two cans of no-longer-labelled tuna in the pantry, one can of no-longer-labelled cranberry sauce or jelly (don’t know which, surprise!), and a can of almost-unlabelled pineapple juice. These are thanks to, (1) the refrigerator / freezer getting over-iced and subsequent defrosting (it now appears undamaged), and (2) a pantry cleanup necessitated by unwanted tiny invaders with an excess of legs (more than 4). It was not due to a visit from River or some other young lady or young man. There was also no game of Tall Card, nor editorializing of scriptures. Oh well, can’t hav everything, I guess.
No sign of Curry since the night before yesterday. (Oh, why did English give up a word for that; “Yestereven / Yestereen,” I think it was.) Also, but not unexpected, no sign of those erstwhile friends. Curry may show up anytime from this evening to four days from now, as three days to a week are within his pattern. This means he’s more reliably coming around than they are. So, hmm, I’m no longer as glum about him as I was. Heh.
That old saying, “I’ll look for them when I see them,” darkly and pointedly humorous, of a sort, applies. — I’d be more upset if I’d prepared any holiday foods as an exchange of giving food. As it is, I’m just, “Meh. OK, be that way.” But if I’d had any remaining doubts or hopes about where I stood there, I think that answers them. So I’m telling myself, this is just how it is with Curry, I’ll probably see him when he wants to see me, when he’s hungry, thirsty, and tired, he’ll remember we’re supposed to be friends. (And I will say OK, but by now, I’ve gotten used to, he doesn’t see the relationship the way I do, or did.) Those not-too-reliable erstwhile friends…I think are more like former friends who still live / work not too far away. And yet I will still likely have to call on them sometimes. I no longer have any hopes pinned on that, though, of help with things, in any kind of hurry, at least, or much otherwise.
Sigh. I wish it were otherwise. Noisy here last night, and at one point, even the kids were cussing at each other. — I do not, at present, see a way out in the two years or less I estimate I have for remaining savings. — Got to work that out somehow. Currently stymied.
But — I have a mostly decent apartment, heat and A/C, utilities, refrigeration, food and drink and will order groceries Monday, an excess of clothes to sort through to give some away, and I have Goober and occasionally Curry. I have a good bed My computer works, if more slowly than it used to. I still have internet and cell phone (need to get my phone replaced, though, next week). — And I have friends online, long-distance, for what that’s worth.
All in all, it could be much worse.
I’m going to take it easy today and await another part of the cat food supplies subscription, due today. I’m going to read and watch some video, to rest and try to enjoy myself. — I am very glad to have Goober.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, and good luck to anyone brae or foolhardy enough to go out shopping today. :LOL:
Just as there’s yesterday, there’s (your choice) yestereve, yestereven, yesterevening; and yestereen (Scots). Yesterday is somewhat redundant unless you mean yester in the daytime. Also, yestermorn and yestermorning. These are archaic, but clear enough, I think.
Greek and Latin (and maybe Sanskrit) Questions:
I need a few words for concepts in a story idea, please. But I’m stumped as to the Greek/Latin roots and affixes that might best convey the ideas without bumping into pre-existing words that mean something else.
A prefix with the meaning that something has gone beyond the farthest limits, something like ultra- or hyper-, except I think there’s a prefix I’m not thinking of that conveys this letter. Hyper- just means “above, super, very,” which is not near enough to what I’m going for, which is “beyond, outermost, past the edge.”
Also, is there a prefix that conveys the opposite of retro-, progressive motion ahead, forward, upward, onward, rather than behind, regression?
Is there a Greek term for a “poor facsimile,” a recopied object, something like the degeneration seen in something photocopied over and over, to the point that there is information loss and fuzz, lint, erosion, dust included? Something like reduplicated, copied over and over, multiple generations?
What about a word for something that exists in multiple copies, too many to count, like a host or horde or swarm, or an army of uncounted, uncountable numbers? Beyond a Myriad, which is a great word, by the way. (Or a Milliard, which I need to look up again to make sure I know the British number.)
What about a word for: Siblings? Generations? Children? (Children as progeny, offspring, not as juveniles or not yet matured persons.)
I’m familiar with haplo-, diplo-, single, double, triple, multiple, -tuple, probably most of the numeric words for one through ten or so, and the prefixes used for metric units. Also multi- and poly-.
Is there some appropriate word that would apply as a root word for “humans” or “animals” or “living creatures,” without regard to being male or female exclusively? — I got stumped when I tried this with the Greek terms I knew. Hah, poly- + -gamy, -andry, or -gyny, all do not convey the “whole bunch of humans of either sex” meaning, and “polytheria” seems like it might be the right way to say, “multiple animals,” but that might mean, “of many species,” rather than “many of a single species,” and I doubt it would work for “many humans or hominids.” …. “Multi-homunculi” also doesn’t seem like it would get it.
I have two or three ideas trying to merge into one, and each is, I think, an original enough take on something to work as a short story or novel, or a piece of world-building, part of a larger story-universe.
Hmm, what about “batches?” That is, cohorts? I think either of those would work for that idea.
It feels like I’m not thinking of something obvious in word roots, prefixes, and suffixes, modifiers.
I wondered if Sanskrit might produce anything that would work for these.
And is there some term in Sanskrit or in Hindi for the property or concept of being multi-armed, or of multiple avatars of the same being? Or the idea of the succession, progression of lives, reincarnations, taken as a string or series? — Wow, I have way too little knowledge of Hindu concepts, or Buddhist concepts.
Oh, I’ve just realized: How do I say a litter (of kittens, puppies, any mammal babies) or…hmm, whatever you call it when a clutch of eggs hatches for a bird, like a duck’s babies. — What do you call these in Latin and Greek? — I’ve just realized I don’t know how to say a litter, in French or Spanish, and must look those up. But it might fit the story-idea percolating, so I’m asking for the Latin and Greek, and maybe Sanskrit.
Heck, for that matter, I hadn’t considered how to say any of those in Irish or Scots Gaelic. (Both posts’ vocabulary.)
They’d probably just say catuli (puppies/kittens/young/young people) cubs.
“Catuli?” I like it. But that seems to imply cats. Is there a separate word for, say, puppies / wolf cubs, lion cubs, bear cubs, or, human babies / children? Hmm, now I’m thinking of Rudyard Kipling’s “man-cubs.” Heh. Thank you!
Ultima- is uttermost or farthest, like ‘Ultima Thule’ = ‘farthest North’.
You’ve mentioned most of the super- words I can think of, save uber. Maybe you need to use the limit as the root? For example, subsonic, supersonic, hypersonic; subluminal, superluminal, hyperluminal. So, the root (sonic, luminal) defines the limit, and the prefix tells whether you’re below, above, or very much above the limit. I suppose peri- would be near the limit; and hypo- is an alternative to sub-; subdermal but also hypodermic in medicine; hypertension and hypotension.
A single word isn’t necessarily better: many humans, many hani, myriad kif. Unless you want to use it as an adjective, when I think a multi-hani ship would convey Pride or Legacy.
Cohort, clan, sept, nestmates…. Multiple avatars? Consubstantial or hypostases?? But consider the poor reader! An occasional obscure word is fun, but the first times through Patrick O’Brian were work if I wanted to understand everything.
I think I share your ignorance of Hinduism and Buddhism, and exceed it in Sanskrit and Gaelic.
Those are great suggestions, Walt, but won’t work with the root words I need, which refer to people or animals (mammals, typically) or birds. But you’ve given me food for thought on other points.
Chondrite, thanks. Food for thought. — My current thinking is, those are really separate story ideas after all, but in the same milieu / story-universe. Two seem original enough and might intertwine. A third seems like it needs to be its own story, maybe a short.
Hm. Do you mean beyond like extra-? Like extra-familial?
Catuli, I find, is Latin for cub, but can apply to the young of any animal. “Eamus Catuli” = “Go Cubs!”