Been scrambling like mad with writing, playing catchup with same and trying to make deadline. Been a little behind in communications, but gaining on it.
Sorry about the long silence. Re-hi!
by CJ | Feb 23, 2020 | Journal | 141 comments
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Welcome back CJ.Glad everything is ok. Ignore the haters BlueCatShip you’ve been keeping the fires going.
Aarrgh. I may move my websites to a new hosting service. I couldn’t get it to create the new email address needed for a new forum, which is before even messing with creating the forum. It looks like some of my services renew in April, but some range out to next year or later. But just trying to navigate through my current site provider’s system, with it logging me out periodically for no reason…aarrgh.
It’s been so long since I had to transfer the domains, I am not sure I remember that.
So during the day, I am going to see about signing up with another hosting service and move my websites, then set up the blog and forum for one and the email for both. More news when I know something. Aggravating.
Oh for crying out loud. Thought I’d get started overnight. Signed up to transfer my domain and get a new site started. But it appears to have incorrectly assumed I wanted only a blog as my main site. Going to have to talk to tech support during the day and get the info on how to FTP in, setup up my site with a main site and WP and other options as I want, and hopefully not have to switch plans and pricing. Plus after the one is setup, add the other domain and do it. And…ugh, stupid auto setup is intended to be simple for newbies, but that doesn’t help someone with moderate experience and blasted vision-impairment. This should be fixable, but dang, irritating.
Note: It is possible my shinyfiction.com site will stay up in the interim, but at some point, it should automatically switch over to the new host, and when it does, that’ll scramble things until I get my new site and email and blog squared away. oh frell. My font stylus.com site will follow when I have the other straightened out. aargh. thought I had it all set to build it from scratch, upload all my stuff from before, and then do the blog and forum and email accounts as needed. Why so difficult?
Bear with me, y’all. Unplanned changeover gone temporarily off-kilter.
LOL, what a wacky morning so far. — Kittens running around the room while I chatted with tech support for the two hosting companies, and I think I am in the right direction to do the transfers and upload the files for one or both sites. But this is going to take a while, and may need another call or two to the new hosting service.
shinyfiction.com is likely to go down, then show up again as if it were only a blog site, before I get things straightened out, and font stylus.com is likely to go down and show unavailable until I get it going again. I have most of the info I need, but not yet sure of where to put what in their interface, to get where I need to be, before setting up to upload my existing files, so I can be back up to speed.
Therefore, it may be a few days or just today, I don’t know yet.
No, I have not dropped off the planet. But hey, if there’s a passing startup that likes humans and wacky cats,….
The cats all vacuumed up every bit of moist food, so the plates just need a scrub. Full little kittens. I nearly stepped on one kitten who’d already come back to my bedroom and was playing around. While on chat, two more were at the bed foot, and they[ll find out how to get on the bed any day or hour now. One kitten was brash enough to try eating with Goober. I thought for a second it was mama, but no, that’s junior! Goober took it for a second, then hired, then, bless him, backed off with a complaint. But no harm to the kitten. Goober gave up his bowl instead. If he does that consistently, I feel sorry for the big skinny sweet lug, but I am also glad he didn’t try to fight the kitten. (Mama was in the other room, rare for her not to be with everyone.)
So — Any plans I had are out the window in favor of getting my sites going again. Sigh. But maybe that’s a good move. I’m out an amount for one host’s prices, and now billed for another, but hmm, the initial year’s price is OK. If this does what I need and gets me back with everything working right, I’ll be in good shape. If not, then extra time spent getting it untangled. Looks like what I’d thought was third-party may not be, so maybe it’ll be simpler than I anticipate. — No news on it until I have something resolved, or know where I stand until it is.
Goober and Peppercorn and the kittens are fine, but still need that vet trip. (Ew, cat liter, scooping a lot due to kitty health issues.) Hoping to see Mystic today. Heard two cats fussing outside before dawn. And half the morning is gone already, I can’t believe such little work took so long, about the site. (I am more succinct on tech support chat, heh.)
Aarrgh — Unanticipated Delay — I’ve gone through everything now, supposedly, but I can’t get my sites up yet. Waiting for the old and new hosting service to agree after my approval for the transfer was given today. So it won’t be until Sunday, March 1st that this is final and I can then try to setup by uploading my files and doing other setup. In the meantime, my websites and email and blog are down, and the new ones won’t be on until after March 1st.
Supposed to have the vet appt. set for March 2nd, if the cabbies work out, with a friend scheduling. He’s going to run me through setup on the Uber app, but I will look at it over the weekend too. My old phone and tablet were too old for the current app as of more than a year ago.
Hoping Peppercorn will do OK until her appointment. I guess she’s used to this, but I don’t see how she isn’t dehydrated, sore back there, and feeling generally awful and cranky and depressed. No wonder she is eating so much, to replenish her fluids and energy.
The kittens have been underfoot whenever they are awake, and if I hadn’t been watching where I stepped, I would have nearly stepped on one, curled up right in the middle of my bedroom doorway on the carpet. Looked cozy to the kitten, who was very comfy asleep. I do a head count every time I have to go out the door (dumpster, mail, etc.).
Gonna have to recheck: Kitten Lady had a suggestion for telling kittens apart, non-toxic, think it was lipstick or nail polish, add distinguishing marks to an ear or head, vary for each kitten, when it’s hard to tell them apart due to marking the same. They are beginning to get the idea they can trust me and talk to me and get some answer. Not quite fully there yet, but getting thee. I think in the next day or two they’ll be on the bed, as they are all starting to climb and explore all through the apartment.
It’s a bit of work, but oh, they are a joy, rewarding. Hoping I don’t have to give mama any oral meds. Kittens won’t be a problem, they are tame enough and I’ve done that before for prior kittens. Been a while. I know Goober by now. He can be stubborn, but mostly good.
Heh, in 2 or 3 weeks, anybody want a semi-feral mama kitty? (I would rather get her a good home than have her have to go back outside. She may decide she _likes_ it inside enough to actually stay. (Hoping Mystic will want to stay once Peppercorn is calmed down after the kittens are adopted out.) The kittens, I expect will be tame enough for typical pet-friendly homes, once they are old enough. Gotta find options for mama and babies. And dang, they are nice. I’d keep mama if I could. I’m resisting the unrealistic urge to keep the kittens. I can’t, I know that. They are starting to develop more, and 2 to 3 seeks will pass so quickly.
I’m still impressed with Goober for not swatting the kitten who tried to take Goober’s bowl. Daring little kitten, more fair-minded elder male kitty than I would’ve given Goober credit for, and I’m pretty willing to give him credit anyway.
Mama is still prone to fuss at him. If only she would see she can have a friend, an ally, a helper in him, and not keep on at him so much that he loses patience and she makes an enemy of him, to her and the kittens.
Man, I hadn’t realized I was so out of practice with kitten rearing. Good thing they are an easy bunch so far.
Well, it looks like your site is well and truly down; clicking on your name doesn’t take you to your site any more. As long as you have all the important stuff stored elsewhere, maybe starting over from scratch would be good.
I need to double-check a small number of files to make sure they don’t have something for the old hosting service, but for my main site, I’ll only need to upload what I’ve got and set up emails and the blog, and then the forum. For the second site, font stylus.com, I will only need to upload what I had.before, minus work files, so I think I should be good there, and again, set up emails and maybe its own blog.
But after that, a redo on my main site is probably a good idea, and a separation of work files from web files for the other, I should have done anyway.
Once I’m back up and running, I’ll let everyone know, including audio contacts.
Note: I checked outside just now and saw and fed Curry. He’s thin, needs to rest and bathe himself, possibly right back where he was before I tried to take him in. But he’s doing OK and seems happy enough. He would have come in and eaten and probably stayed, but I don’t want to invite him and Peppercorn to arguee and fight.
Goober is exasperated with everyone, possiblyy also me. Last night, suppertime, Peppercorn got to Goober’s bowl, then later, while he was sitting up out of the way, minding his own business, she growled at him, plus the kittens were very active. I think that was the last straw for Goober, being fussed at for no reason by her, with the kittens involved. She is nagging at him so much, she is likely to create an enemy, if she didn’t do so last night. I complained, gave her a stern talking-to, and then went back to mild a little later and pleaded Goober’s case, that he’s a good cat and owould be a good friend, a helper to raise her kittens, an ally, if she would just cool it and give him a real chance. Of course, I don’t expect she understood what I was saying, maybe a word here and there, but if she could catch the tone of voice, the emotional content, and the idea that I’m defending Goober and like him, maybe it could get through. I Aldo told Goober, hey, don’t give up, make Peppercorn see what a good guy he is instead of getting mad at her now too. Again, if only they could understand what we say. Cats and dogs seem to get a little of it, just like we can read their emotional state usually, and learn their body language.
The kittens, meanwhile, are doing fine, exploring more each day now, growing almost while you watch. I now get that one is bigger or bulkier than the others by a bit, two more are nearly so, and two are smaller. They tend to split three and two or two, one, and two, and probably swap as they like. I am not sure yet but one , maybe the one I’ve been calling Squeaker, can like being held, sitting in a lap or against my chest, when held or when given the chance. Squeaker is a sort of spokes-cat with a distinctively higher voice, female, I’m guessing so far on alll of them as to m/f. One or two are more introverted, contemplative cats, and three of them love to play, very active. But all three are inquisitive and exploring nd are shaping up into good housecoats. I don’t know if it’s the same kitten each time, but it always seems like a fifth kitten is elsewhere, sleeping or into his/her own thing. I tend to like the contemplative, introverted cats or runts of the litter, the quiet ones. But that/s not always how it goes.
So I am starting to get a handle on personalities and little details in looks, but I still can’t really tell for sure, enough to say definitely who’s who and have names stick. This is the first time I’ve had a litter where they are all the same markings and color, everyone all-black. Oh, and I think their eyes are all still blue. Probably not five weeks old yet, or they are running behind the growth curve still. I’d guess three to five weeks before they are old enough to give them away confidently.
Hah, Goober, if you think it’s busy around here now, just wait until these little suckers are 6 to 8 weeks old and really into everything.
I will be checking today to see if the info has gone through so I can upload my sites, but from what I was told and written files, looks like March 1st.
I didn’t get to baking that other cake, so when I do bake one, it’ll be close enough to my birthday. 🙂
Hi all – glad to have Ms. Cherryh back with us. Take your time with life and writing. So I just finished rereading the Bren saga starting with the return from outer space. Intense. There is a real physical letdown when you run out of books in the series. So now I am listening to the Gene War books. You really have to listen or read these seriously in order to get the most out of them.
Gene War – blue, washed, Autry, Levi. And of course just about the entire history of the war remains hidden.
Jonathan up here in slowly warming New Hampshire.
Parker’s Maple Farm Restaurant: winter antidote.
CJ – amazon says a new book DIVERGENCE will be available in early September. Is this so? I hope so, but I don’t see it here on your site.
I am a mean old man and my heart shriveled up some today.
Mystic showed up as I was coming back from the dumpster. But he dawdled so much that Curry showed up again and got Mystic’s food, and Mystic then wouldn’t come near.
Curry got in while I was negotiating the doorway with Goober, who’d gotten in the room before I’d closed the inner door. (Think of it like an airlock.) I dithered over whether to let Curry stay in. Peppercorn was on the other side of the inner door, with her kittens, and I’d need to move Goober.
I picked up Goober and carried him out, got the door closed, without Curry entering the rest of the apartment. But Goober was so freaked out with Peppercorn meowing right under me, that Goober scrambled to get down and away, heedless, scared. And maybe scared I was going to banish him or some such. But mostly worried about Little Mama with the Big At-ti-tude. Goober was away, launched himself into my bedroom to relative safety. (If he were jumping from one ship’s airlock to another, he’d be a good little astronaut. Cosmonaut. Spacer.)
Whereupon, I went back in the room with treats, intending to lure Curry out, because he’s prone to argue with Peppercorn. Spicy names for reasons, they have.
There, I discovered one of the kittens had got in the room and was on hind legs, fore legs on the box edge, curious to smell Curry, this stranger tomcat, wild from the outer world, surely adventurous, he. — And Curry didn’t care (yet). He only wanted to be left alone to sleep. Which, knowing him, could be a threat if the kitten got too pesky curious. So I picked up the little kitten and very, very quietly set him/her down outside the door to the safety of mama and siblings. (And with Goober viewing from the bedroom.)
And then — Here’s the mean part — I picked up Curry, hoping he wouldn’t decide to fight me, and I put him out, with a few treats into the bowl still there. Curry is too thin and is dusty from outside and hadn’t bothered to bathe yet. Worrisomely thin. — He backed up against the door sill and gave a low growl against some cat, maybe Mystic, maybe not, I couldn’t see who it was. Curry didn’t want to budge to come back in when I went back in, but sat there against the door as if it were his last refuge, with the food owl right there.
So I feel about two inches tall with a heart shriveled up like the Grinch. Yet if I had let him stay in, he’d likely spray the bedroom or poop. If he got in the rest of the apartment, he’d surely get in a fight at some point. He’d want out later.
But right now, he only wanted shelter and food, and I think he’s run down and hungry and possibly has parasites again from being out.
Meanwhile, Mystic didn’t get any food, but did get a greeting from me, so maybe he knows I’m still friendly.
I feel bad for Curry. But back inside, there’s Goober and Peppercorn and her five little kittens. I wish I could have let Curry stay in. Maybe I should have let him stay in the room and sleep it off. I almost took him back inside, but with him growling at the other cat, I didn’t want to be a misfired target. So Curry is out there, and I don’t have the resources to really help him, and he is not likely in true danger of losing his life, but he is too thin, and he expected I’d let him stay, because I have always done so before Peppercorn was here.
I showered, which felt slightly better, checked my website status, no luck still. Wrote a post at TerraFirmaScapers.com, a Farscape fan forum which seems not to have much activity for a long time now. I miss it there. But I let them know why my website’s down, if anyone wondered. Now it’s 11:00am already, and my morning’s gone on little stuff or big stuff.
Mama Kitty is meowing like crazy for some reason. Hungry already? Or what? I don’t know. I’ll check.
So…you know the trouble with being such a dreamer idealist, too sensitive, having a conscience, wanting to help out? The real world is so big and filled with so many problems, that even when you do right, you can’t do enough, and sometimes you still get punished for doing the right thing. You can still lose, even if you do your best. And I am not sure yet again if I’ve done what’s really right, or if I’ve been selfish, by putting Curry back outside. Yes, he zinged me before. But if there’s true need there, I shouldn’t hold that against him. I could probably keep the door closed and keep him and the others separate, but I can’t guarantee that. And I don’t have the resources to do what he really ultimately needs, which is to get neutered, any treatment again, and mostly, to relocate him someplace where he could thrive. — I have entertained the crazy idea of putting him in a carrier, getting a cab, and taking him out into the countryside, where he might have a chance at a free life and could hunt. But he’s a city cat, a semi-feral apartment complex cat, and I have no guarantee he’d know how to survive if I were to move him like that. It feels like an imperfect solution or a kind of betrayal. And I still feel somehow connected and responsible, even knowing his aggressive, arbitrary side from being semi-feral. I also know his sweet, charming, handsome side. And he came to me for help and I feel like I turned him away.
These are the kinds of decisions, moral dilemmas, that I do not know how to deal with as a mature adult. I think I’ve done the best I can for him in this, and the best for the many, the group, with little ones a major concern. But it still doesn’t feel like it ought to be this way. It still feels like there ought to be some other way.
This kind of thing gets to me. It’s the difficult to call cases that bother me. I get myself mixed up over unsentimental, practical stuff at times, when I could see more clearly if it were someone else. I have my personal weak spots and shortcomings. I don’t always live up to my own standards, or surely I’d be doing better in life than to have a cluttered, messy apartment and low income and blah-blah-blah.
I wish I could help Curry for real, that’s all. I wish I had a home and family, roommates, something, and if I did, then having these extra cats around, would not be a problem. They came to me for help and I took on the responsibility because I felt I should, because I was soft-hearted enough to get bothered, hearing cats outside all the time. So I called Curry, half a year ago, and kept calling, trying to help him, even after he made it clear he didn’t want to stay inside. And so one stray became two and then three with kittens. If I had my own place and a good income anymore, it wouldn’t be a problem. Curry could hang out outside and belong here. Mystic could be in or out as suits him, and so could Peppercorn. They could have separate room space, without too much chance of tangling. — But instead, here I am, and it is not ultimately tenable. I know Peppercorn’s kittens have to get adopted out. I know she needs a home, but is semi-feral, I think. Curry is more feral or semi-feral, despite his good side. I don’t know if Peppercorn will simmer down and ever accept Goober or Mystic. Mystic, I think would do fine with me and Goober when he’s neutered, and when Mama Kitty and kittens calm down or are adopted out.
So…what the heck? I am never going to be truly hard-hearted. I will always have a soft spot for animals. I don’t know why I don’t seem to have the relationships with people that I want. But that’s how it is for me still. And so I am bothered by my decision for Curry right now. He wandered on off, I’m sure. and Mystic did, and I hope Curry will be OK. Mystic is in pretty good shape, so I’m not too worried there.
I used to have a house and a middle class life and people I thought I could rely on. That ceased to be, and I still am trying to live like it was before.
Nuts. I just needed to vent, I guess. I just wish I could get life to be better, and for Curry and these other strays, I wish I could do better for them. But this is the best I can manage.
I don’t know if I’ll ever have roommates or if it’ll work out.Here I am for now. — This afternoon, I’ll look at my website files and see if anything needs to be changed due to changing host providers.
I’m OK, but yes, I am frustrated and wish life could be better. I keep getting discouraged when I know I need to be doing more, getting ready to move, if that can happen.
So folks, some good thoughts and prayers my way would be appreciated, even though of course I’d never know about it.
One sweet thing: As if to balance things out, to be good — When I came back in after dealing with poor Curry, the kittens crowded around me, glad I was back inside, and two played with my pants legs, one of whom was trying to climb, haha. — Such bright little lives in such dark black bodies. The world is stacked against them and they do not know it, fortunately for them. I am glad thyey are here. It’s really cheered me up a lot and made me see how much I’ve needed that love. Goober is more cheerful and healthier, because he has other cats and interesting stuff going on, even if he’s exasperated by it.
I realize there are human beings in this world with bigger problems than these stray cats. I don’t think I am equipped to handle that, and I think I am too near that need myself.
Anyway — It is what it is. I just want it to be better, is all, and I can never seem to get far enough ahead and stay there, to get back to the life I once had. I guess I need to get used to this life and make the best of it. — I’m glad for Peppercorn and her kittens. I am so glad I still have Goober. I’m glad for Mystic, even though he’s not inside now like I’d wanted. (I hope he will be once mama and kittens are adopted out.) I am glad for Curry’s infrequent visits, and I am vexed that I am still so very attached to him, and that I can’t do better for him and yet he won’t change. So this is my world today.
I haven’t done a thing on fonts in a week. The place needs cleaning. Gotta gt groceries next week, because that hasn’t happened yet. And a few items are on the to do list still.
My world is too small. But I am making it, and maybe I am still better off, with more chances than I think. I just wish I could find my way out of this into a good life again. — But OK, I am blessed to have the cats and an apartment and food and all. So…back to it.
…Back down to earth…a little…
Feeding times this morning and then after noon — This morning, mama and kittens all came running and crowded around me, meowing, all those little kitten meows, as if I was the provider of all good things. After noon, feeding them, mama was ready and waiting, then the kittens heard and, instant kittens, again with all of them, kitten voices crying for food, as if somehow I had all the answers, all that was good, and not just the provider of good food. The need and the gladness to see someone who cares about them. Mama too, in that. — And Goober, who seems to have finally caught on that he will also get fed, separately, so he gets a good chance to eat all of his before anyone can take the rest of it from him.
Sure, I’m reading some into their feelings or motives. But when you get kittens greeting you, around your ankles, sitting on your foot, or trying to climb your pants legs, haha — It is a reminder of the simple things and what’s good and needed in life, a reminder that a little bit of caring and providing for such a basic need can do more than just fill a hungry tummy, it can help satisfy a soul, in humans or in critters.
So the kittens, mama, and Goober, were there to remind me to keep at it.
I know being a caregiver got to me, and during and after that, having to fight for things to get done, or having some people not help or live up to the friendships I bought were there, sometimes including relatives… That and my time on my own since then, too far down — I know it has deeply affected me, but then there are times I see how much it has gotten to me.
So I’m glad to have the kittens here. This is a challenging thing, but it’s also a blessing. And in a few weeks, it will be time for them to get new homes. I’ve got to get ahead of that. I had to remind myself today not to get so attached, that they have to get new homes when they are old enough. But maybe this is a way to help out and a step in the right direction. I don’t know if I’ll be fostering kittens again any time soon, so I am enjoying them now. As spicy and feisty as Peppercorn is towards other cats she thinks are threats, I also like her sweet, loving side. She is learning too that I can pick her up and that I will help her. Hah, no knowing how the vet trip will work out with her. Sure hoping that taking Goober at the same time will be OK. No idea how she will react to a carrier. The kittens are likely to do fine. They have been sleeping lately on the ottoman or the rocking chair cushion, or on the bedroom carpet.
Note: I had washed and dried my black tennis shoes (sneakers). But since two of the kittens had tried sleeping on a corner of the bedspread on the floor, I decided that putting my black sneakers there might not be the best idea. That pair is retired until after the kittens are adopted out. Heh. I have managed (barely) to avoid stepping on a kitten so far, though. Came close a couple of times.
Funny, Peppercorn hasn’t objected to her collar, but Curry slips out of his, so I gave up on that with him.
When you get your blog up and running again, how about some pictures of the 3 ring Feline Circus?
I will have new photos, and likely a spot on the main site plus trying a photo gallery on the blog. You may see hints of a messy apt. with a very greyed color scheme and khaki / camel -ish carpet. 😉 Goal to get things clean, neat, de-cluttered, organized again.
I napped this evening, worn out, but am going to sleep again tonight. I’ve got a couple of appointments tomorrow to look at small houses with one of those friends. — I thought to print out the size of pegboard I need for the box springs, thanks to WOL’s handy suggestion. Don’t know if we can take care of that tomorrow, or have it on the to-do list.
So much for plans. My friend didn’t show, and finally answered my message later. But in the meantime, Curry had shown up, got in, he and Peppercorn nearly had a fight, but no damage to either afaik. All the kittens are fine. But this was too risky; it needs to be solved. I called the vet, and no, they won’t relocate Curry, and they only have the list I’ve already been through. I admitted I was considering releasing Curry out into the couthryside, but I didn’t want to do that, as he’s a city cat, and I’m not certain he knows how to hunt. He knows how to beg for food and, er, how to get himself in big trouble, and how to be charming yet aggressive.
Meanwhile, my friend called and I asked him, and he’s got a cab scheduled for today. Curry is going to the vet to check his health to see if he can get neutered or has to stay over or will come back with me. But this is TNR, not relocating him to a barn or other home that can handle a semi-feral or feral cat.
I still have the appointment for Peppercorn and the kittens Monday. It’s gong to be a very expensive couple of weeks.
So Curry may or may not get the help he needs today. I know I can’t give him oral meds again if he has an infection. Maybe he can stay over until he’s well enough to get neutered, and that will help a little. Then I guess he’ll get released back here. Taking him out of town and releasing hm, I am not sure if that is as good as it sounds at the moment, but I feel out of options for him. I am still attached to the little scoundrel.
He begged for help, to get food, stay in and not get put out, and wanted attention from me, an acknowledgement or greeting. In his own independent way, he does like me, to a degree, and I feel obligated, plus I like him, as untenable as his aggressive side is.
Hoping to get good results somehow.
My friend and I are rescheduled for next week, the vet appt. for mama and kittens and Goober is still on for Monday, and my eye appt. for the 10th is still on.
My websites are still adamantly down, and after the 1st, if things aren’t approved for me to start up again, I will be calling the new hosting company to straighten things out.
Nearly time for the cab. At least I lucked out on this one a little.
Bad News For Curry: He is FIV+ and it’s active, respiratory trouble (cough/sneeze, hoarseness, etc.) that I’d noted for weeks, more than a month. From 11.4 lbs. on Oct. 8th, he is currently at 8.3 lbs. He’s awfully thin. He has to be separate from the other cats to avoid risking them getting infected. I don’t have a good way to do this, short-term or long-term. If he goes back out, again, there’s the risk he could pass on the virus to other cats. (And he got it from some cat out there, surely. Unlikely he’s the source.) — Rather than confine him in the bathroom, which I and the other cats use (the main litterbox) I have put him in the spare bedroom for the night. He was sent home with an antibiotic for the respiratory illness. We didn’t do a round of internal organ checks to see other complications; that would have doubled the bill as it was.
The FIV and FeLV blood test results came back just before I was leaving, with the news he’s FIV+ and it’s active. There is no good vaccine / cure for FIV, but there is something now for FeLV if they are not already carrying it. (Feline Leukemia Virus; Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.)
I thought about it while there and when I got home, and the vet I saw today was to have called me back. But before closing, I had my answer. Cats can carry FIV dormant for years or their entire lives. Why it doesn’t go active for so long is not understood, still. But once it does go active, there’s not a good treatment to put it into remission, and no cure. I cannot in good conscience risk the other cats, both strays and neighbors’ cats who are let out, nor can I risk Goober or Mystic or Peppercorn and her five kittens. I do not yet know if, since October, Goober caught it from Curry, or if Mystic or Peppercorn are positive or negative. Probably the kittens are negative, but since humans can get HIV in infancy, passed from their mothers, I presume it’s similar in cats. So the cats need to be tested. But I can’t keep Curry in indefinitely and I can’t keep him separated all the time, and that would not be fair to him or the others anyway.
I have made the difficult and painful decision that the risk is too great, and so I have to ask for Curry to be put to sleep. I have a tentative appointment for tomorrow morning, but no guarantee of a ride, and the trips to and from the vet today were iffy, even with my friend scheduling them, so again, not just me. So Curry may have to wait until Monday. I can try to keep him in all weekend if need be. If I can’t get him in tomorrow, due to the cab, then mama and kittens and Goober may have to wait, but I want to get them in for checkups, and then Mystic again. — I would be really crushed if any of them are also positive and it’s active. I hope they are all negative.
I am deeply saddened by this. After over half a year of trying for the best for Curry, who is so adamantly, cussedly independent, now this news, and my painful, unwanted decision. I wish so much that he could’ve liked being in and truly wanted to be my cat, or rather for me to be his person. I think in his own way, he does regard me as his person.
Curry came to me for help yesterday and today, as I’d posted above, where I’d been unhappy with myself for putting him back out yesterday. But today, I couldn’t turn him away when he asked again for help, showed up, wanted in, got in. I guess I may one of the few people who has been feeding him or who cares about him. He was hungry and thirsty enough, and needing shelter to rest up, and feeling poorly, so he sought me out.
And the best I can do for him is to keep him from having a long period of decline and suffering. He may not be quite there yet, but this is serious, and the risks to the others are serious too.
I am still very attached to the little so-and-so. I love him. I wanted I’m to have a good home here, permanently, and not to have to be outside and needy anymore. He could not abide that, and had to be out. It is certainly not his fault that he got FIV and it went active. He is a good cat, despite his aggressive side. He has a sweet and loving and charming side in there, but he has been so messed with in his short life, that he does not know how and can’t change.
And I am saddened by this decision, but I don’t see any alternative. There’s nowhere I can find that will take him as a semi-feral cat, and very few places will take an FIV+ cat. I had an FIV+ cat for years, but his did not go active and he passed away of other causes.
I spent some time with Curry, let him out of the carrier into the room, showed him the litterbox and his water bowl and food bowl. He’s had his antibiotic until later. I would have stayed in with him longer, but he’d had enough of people bothering him and gave a low growl of objection. So I knew to leave him be for a while and check on him later.
Folks, if I had some better situation, maybe I would try to keep him until he gets even worse than he is now. But I don’t have the resources and the other cats’ lives matter too. I don’t want to do this. I love him. ut I don’t want him to suffer, and I don’t want others to suffer by catching it.
It will be either in the morning or Monday that I bring him in for the last time. Poor little friend, I wish I could cure you. I don’t see a good alternative.
Mama and kittens and Goober were all very anxious to see me and get fed again when I got back, hours more tan I’d thought it would take. They are fine and separated from Curry for the duration. Their checkups and Mystic’s will be Monday or later as necessary.
I am not in any mood to eat right now. I will try to eat later. I will check on Curriesy though the night and try to give him time and love.
This world..how I wish it could be better for those like Curry, critters in need; or the humans in need. I am too near that myself. So…I will give Curry some time tonight and do what I can. — I am going to miss his bright and handsome and charming self, and his cussed independent streak. It hurts most because I love him and this is not fair, not to him. But I have to think of more than him. This is the best I know how to do and the decision is not one I want or like, but I don’t see any better choice. I will miss him a lot.
I hope and pray for better news for the other cats. I hope they are all negative.
I am so sorry and sad to have to report this news. What a messed-up day.
Take care. everyone. Show those you love how much you love them. Spend time with them. Life is so brief and it can be so senselessly unfair and mean to those who’ve done nothing wrong.
Curry is just a cat. It is not his fault that he is how he is. He’s good, despite his misbehavior. That’s just because he doesn’t know any other way to be than what he’s been through in life, and how he is, a semi-feral cat. He can’t help being himself.
I want a better world than this. There must be a way for people and creatures in need.
I need to eat and need to rest. I need to give time and love to Goober, Peppercorn, her five kittens, and Curry. Mystic hasn’t been around today.
All this time and effort and love, and it’s not enough to save one ornery little cat. I want something better than this. But this is what we’ve got. I find no good choice in this, and I have to do what’s best for the most who need it, and I owe it to Curry to keep him from having to suffer more. I just wanted so much better than this. Poor little guy, my friend and one I wanted to be welcome always.
There is still difficult time to go, and then I have to live with the results. Bless him, an I hope someday I can see him again, in whatever there is after this life. I don’t really know if we get another chance, another life, reincarnated, or some afterlife. Of course I know what I was taught to believe, and what I guess I still believe. But if cats get to come back, then I would hope he could have a happier life and someone who needs him as much as he needs someone. I would have been happy if that could have been us, but I guess it was ntot to be in this life. So I hope I’ll see him again someday, if that’s possible.
The next few days are going to be terribly hard. Bless him.
It’s always rough, even when you know you’re doing the right thing.
Mine had to take that last ride when she got down under five pounds, from her normal eight or nine. Don’t know what caused it, but she was about 16 years old. (I scritched her until the sedative took over and she fell over on my hand, and left my hand there until she was gone. She purred until she was asleep. )
My sis keeps trying to adopt some of the feral/semi-feral cats around her apt complex, even though she has two perfectly fine cats, and the ferals never work out.
I think that’s the best any of us can hope for, going happily and quietly, and helping others do so when needed.
BCS, you can’t save the world. I think you should put yourself higher in your own priorities, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Maybe start a GoFundMe for the cats once you get some pictures?
I didn’t hear back from my friend over the evening, so I doubt the cab will get scheduled for in the morning. So I guess Curry may be staying in over the weekend, then going in on Monday. Not sure if I can schedule him then separate from Goober plus Peppercorn and her kittens. Curry may get bumped up and the others may get postponed a day or two.
I think it was also loneliness and frustration that had me try to take in Curry, then Mystic and mama and kittens. So it’s both putting others first and my own ego going, as contradictory as it sounds.
Yep, this is rough. I’ve been through pets passing away or needing to be put to sleep for failing health. Curry’s case feels so like it should have been avoidable. But he grew up semi-feral and couldn’t get past that deep drive to be outside, roaming, doing what adult male cats do, fight, mate, hunt, etc. I’d wanted him to want to be in and stay, but he couldn’t put up with that, always wanted out. And so he was out long enough that between October and now nearly March, he got FIV and it went active, and the weight loss and respiratory along with it, compromised immunity, kitty AIDS. (Yes, that’s a real thing, not a mean parody.)
I went back and spent some time with him. I’m still down plus fatigued, so I’m going to try to sleep before I have to get ready in the morning, if the trip is going to happen Saturday.
While sitting with him, I tried to make my peace and just take time with him. Of course, found myself talking to him.
However, both when I got back and now, Mama and kittens and Goober all knew something was up, and the kittens were a bright diversion to remind me life goes on, they are cute, funny, learning, having fun playing, were glad to see me and play a little. Goober has twice come over to comfort me. Peppercorn senses something and has been sweet.
Curry has mostly slept and not budged except to eat a little. He le me pet him and napped after eating just now.
So – back to bed. (I ate a little too, needed it.)
— I’ve never tried to do a GoFundMe or Patreon before. My impression has been people expect a reward tier for helping out, and they want to see tangible results of their help, not just brushing it off. I should look into it. I had a PayPal donate link at my two sites. If and when my sites go back online, that will be there stilll.
I am weathering this. It’s going to be rough for a couple of weeks, this plus the cats plus my upcoming eye appt. Had to caution my friend that no, it’s not like a simple checkup regular exam, this could take an hour or two. Oh, he said. It hadn’t occurred to him.
I will try to be in and out. My local friends are very busy, so not much support there. I think I’m OK, just sad, mourning’s.
I’ll have an update at some point on Saturday. Thanks folks. Poor Curry, he should have had better, but he couldn’t be other than true to himself, to his nature as a cat. At least he had someone who cares. Just wish it could be better. — I
I got to the vet this morning after all.
Curry is gone. I stayed with him. I miss him, all the good things about him, the sweet and charming and wonderful, the spark of his personality, his very cat-ness. His deep need to be out, to be independent and his quickness to defend himself, the anger and fear and misunderstanding of human cues, I had sympathy for, didn’t like, but dealt with. I wish he could have learned to be an inside cat, to calm down and trust more.
But mostly, I hate that a terrible virus could so quickly do so much harm, and could add together with other illness and the many risks and hardships of life outside to put him so far down in such a short time. I wish there had been a way to save him, to undo it, to cure it. But I wish he could have grown up indoors and loved, so he could have understood this was genuine, that he was wanted more than his great need to be out.
I came back, cleaned up where he’d been, and I’m trying to get through it. I am dealing with it. I would have hated for him to have gone down further, which is where he was headed.
I fed mama and kittens and Goober. In cleanup, mama found some cat supplies, including a catnip toy. She did not want to get out of the box. Heh. And I see I need to get a doorstop or two, as the kittens have been playing around the doors and nearly shut everyone out from the main litterbox. Heh.
I am just now getting to food for me, a frozen pizza, not the best circumstances.
It’s been a crazy, off-kilter day. But the kittens and mama remind me life goes on, that there can be laughter and joy still, and I think I have needed that for a long time. I am so glad to have them.
They and mama wanted to look in the bedroom where Curry had been. They got in while I was back and forth, cleaning up. I hope I got to anything before it could put them at risk. But mama and babies were at risk by being outside before, exposed to Curry and any other FIV+ cats.
I asked the vet: It depends. The kittens might or might not get FIV passed to them from mama, and sometimes they can fight it off and be negative, even if exposed. But yes, she will be checked, and if she shows positive, they will need to be checked. Mystic remains to be checked too. I don’t believe they are in an active stage (feline AIDS), though. Once the probable parasites are gotten rid off, ideally, the cats will all thrive. But I will know Monday how they fare. If possible, Mystic will get in for his follow-up and neutering, but it may be rescheduled. (Sigh.)
So life goes on. — And I hope Curry will be there with the others waiting by the rainbow bridge, when I get there someday. He was here half a year and a week and a bit more, with me, plus around a year before that. Such a bright life, so strong a personality. I will miss him very much. I wish there had been some better way, some good choice, but no.
So, awaiting whatever happens Monday. I want good news for them.
My sympathies Blue 🙁
I’ve lost one to cancer, one to diabetes, one to kidney failure and two to life. It never gets easy. Curry was safe and loved at the end, and passed without pain. That you were able to give that to him means a great deal.
Thanks, Deesha and WOL. Curry confounded me, and maybe I confounded him. That fierce independence was so admirable yet it meant he was always at risk and ultimately lost too soon. He miss the sweet and charming and loving, happy side of him, the smiling side. I had to get used to him wandering, not coming around for days. I miss him. I got very attached, and I think he loved me in his way.
It’s been 14 years since I last faced one passing away. That cat was a real sweetheart. It’s been almost a year since I gave up Smokey, which I still regret, but which is a dull ache, long ago now. — Goober is still in good health, so I think he may reach 14 or 15.
I saw Mystic this morning, but he was standoffish, only stayed for a bit of petting. Another cat came around, and Mystic wanted to ward that one off. So Mystic is not in. I hope to get him in tomorrow, but it’s likely he’ll miss and I’ll have to get him back in to the vet another time. He’s due for his second, last dose of de-wormer and neutering, plus the blood tests he wouldn’t let the vet do last time.
Goober and Peppercorn and the five kittens are doing fine; the kittens have been playing. Goober and Peppercorn still give each other space, no friendship yet. She’s missing out.
I tried dry kitten kibble with broth last night. About two cups of water plus one packet of Knorr chicken stock/ bouillon and one veggie. And I put a couple of ounces of the broth in with their dry. — Goober liked this and one of the kittens liked it. The others and mama were nt too impressed. At the next meal, they hadn’t eaten it all, so I gave them a can of moist on each plate, added to what was there. Still no sale. By comparison, the moist food disappears in about 10 minutes, wiped clean by the crew. I will keep trying, but with smaller portions and more broth, as a supplement to moist. They have dry kiibble available, but aren’t eating it much. (Seems they’ve gotten used to the good life.)
Mama gets out at times if I open the door, but I pick her back up and bring her back in. She is not thrilled at this, complains a little, but she doesn’t really want to leave her kittens, and so far, she’s happy inside. I don’t think she’s convinced that the domestic life is for her yet, but she likes this for her and her kittens, food, water, shelter, safety, a human who is friendly and helpful. She trusts me with her kittens more than with herself. I am still surprised at this, but glad.
I have the carriers ready for tomorrow and one letterbox got cleaned out early. The other will be done before they go to the vet tomorrow. — I goofed in doing cleanup, got water on the bathroom floor, with a little litter tracked around. So that became a slurry or slip. Sigh. I will clean It up when it’s dried some, and then mop. — The rest of the apt. is overdue for sweeping / vacuuming and mopping.
Hah, I have almost every clean light-colored towel in use for the cat carriers. A dark towel for black cats, not such a good idea, hard to see for me or the vet and staff. I’veordered cheap light towels and two cheap light bathmats for this. — Funny, cheery brighter colors weren’t available for the ones I saw. All muted tones, light or dark. One had a mustard color. This is not a favorable color when taking pets to the vet. Too close to, ah, unpleasant pet output of either end. Heheh.
I’m doing a couple of loads of laundry, and since it has to air-dry, it won’t be dry by tomorrow’s vet trip.
I’m physically and emotionally way more tired than I should be, taking it easy but dong chores.
When the kittens are awake again, I’ll spend a little time with them. — Oh, and I need to get a couple of doorstops. They’ve nearly shut themselves out of the bathroom twice now, and one of the bedrooms once. Heheh.
Still haven’t climbed the bed or other waist-high or taller furniture, except once briefly. But any day now Goober will have to put up with kittens finding out they can get on the bed.
Peppercorn has not tried to get on the bed at all, and has only once gotten up on anything else. Not the boxes the other cats like to perch on. She sleeps on the bare floor or on the carpet, and is often underfoot, and doesn’t yet understand she needs to give me a little space when I’m walking. I am surprised by this. I would’ve expected she’d be everywhere and investigating, then find places she likes to nap or sit. Not sue why she hasn’t yet. It seems very unusual to me.
So — Life goes on. I am still reminded of little things, and miss Curry. But I’m getting through it. Got to.
@BCS, Sorry to hear about Curry, but good that you could help him die peacefully, without too long a period of inevitable deterioration. With his choices to live the (semi)feral life outside, and the fighting etc., it’s not that surprising he caught the virus, bur it’s still sad to see a vibrant young animal succumb so quickly.
Re the broth, most soup and bouillon powders/cubes/packets are way too salty for my taste – I tend to use at least 150% of the recommended water, up to double the amount indicated. If you’re putting a whole packet in only a cup of water it might be much too salty for the cats, not to their taste and not that good for their kidneys either.
As to Peppercorn’s favorite haunts, I’ve been told each cat tends to have one clear favorite out of the two options: either they stay low and hide under stuff, getting into small holes a predator couldn’t get into, and trying to stay unnoticed, with a chance to pounce on a passing mouse; or they climb and try to get above any possible threat, lying in wait with the chance to catch an unwary bird or jump down unexpectedly on any prey. Peppercorn appears to be of the ‘stay low’ persuasion, rather than the ‘get up high’ school of catness.
Releasing a (semi)feral town cat in the countryside would not be a good idea, for teo reasons. First, the high chance of spreading diseases (TinyKittens keep TNR and rescue cats from different colonies in separare rooms for this reason, and only realeases them to their own home colony) – a new intruder would likely have to fight his way into a hunting range or existing cat colony’s territory, increasing the chance for transmission of bloodborne disease.
Cats also regularly fall prey to coyotes; from what I understand the Texas countryside does harbor coyotes, and a young city cat would have no idea of how to escape from those, especially in an unknown area. Traffic is dangerous, and so are humans with pellet guns, but he’d grown up around those. The countryside in Texas would hold as much danger of being shot, or maybe more, and there would be traffic too, near any place you could take him. Then add in the coyotes, and the danger he’d pose to the local animals, and that would not have been a good idea at all.
Life. is where we look for a place to stand, while we Scream Defiance at Time. Just because we can never escape Death, is no reason not to stare it in the eye with Disdain. 😉
I just had a thought wander across my mind: what if formal dress in one of the Star trek universes is like Atevi formal wear: the lace and brocade and the whole bit. (Women can wear breeches and tail coats or frock coats as they prefer.)
If you’re into the formal dress thing, P. J., check out the books of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. They have an interesting take on formality and manners in their Liaden books, of which there are more than a few, as well as a great set of characters in the Tree and Dragon bunch.
I think we’ve seen that before in the Next Generation franchise. Only other time we see formal ( can we say that in lower case? ), or Formal Dress though mostly in uniforms, would be at the start of the assorted films, whilst they’re dealing with Admirals at HQ.
I wasn’t thinking of uniforms, but of civilian clothing.
Hanneke and Deesha, thanks. Yes, it was a bad and desperate idea, thinking of taking him out to the countryside. Curry would have likely thought of a coyote as a strange kind of stray dog, and he knew dogs. But that would be a bad risk, like the others you talked about. I was desperate enough I was thinking about it, but I kept countering with him being a city cat around the apt. complex, and without knowing if he could hunt, or if there was sufficient game around there for him, yeah, it just wasn’t a good idea, so I had held off. I’m glad I didn’t do that, since I wouldn’t have known before that he was FIV+.
He went peacefully and quickly and I was with him. He was on the cusp between a chance of recovery from the immediate health problems, or getting worse at an accelerating pace. With how he was there, with how unhappy and fussy he was, but coming to me, begging for help (his tone of voice and body language), I’m more sure now it was the right choice, but early enough it was arguable. If I’d had a better way to care for him and more money, maybe he could’ve gotten past the immediate stuff and lived a little longer. But he could have kept declining too. Ultimately, there is no cure yet, and no really good treatment to stave it off, so once they go into the active AIDS stage, there’s not much we can do for cats. (For humans, there’s been some progress since I was college age, but only treatments, ways to keep it from going active, maybe, but no cure.) So it was right for Curry, ultimately. If it had not gone active, if he could have been healthy and recovered, and lasted longer before the virus went into the feline AIDS stage, then my decision would have been for treatment so he could keep going with a pretty good quality of life. One of my previous cats before Goober was FIV+ for years without it going into AIDS, so he died of other causes. His case was how I learned there was such a thing as FIV.
The bullion stock in this case is kept semi-moist in sealed tiny plastic containers and is a Knorr product, IIRC. Versus the more traditional dry cubes or the cartons of liquid stock. I would guess the salt content is indeed high, although it might be (supposedly) reduced from the traditional kinds. I will look that up. — Yes, that might be too concentrated for them. — I think it’s the taste and/or texture of the kitten dry food, when it is soaking up the broth, or when it has soaked it all up, that may be bothering them, just like we don’t go for some textures or tastes. It was a no-sale again when I put a small portion with moist food. They ate the moist and left the dry or moistened kibble. (It’s not Purina Kitten Chow but another brand.) I can use up this kind somehow, and will try another. — Thinking more, if I add a teaspoon or tablespoon of flour to the broth, then use tat as a gravy, maybe with the adult dry food I use, that might work, or a mix of the kitten and adult kibbles (different brands and flavors)_. — I will look for low-salt bullion / stock.
Tonight, I spent a little while with mama and kittens, and had better success with the kittens and with mama. She napped, so I ut my hand by her She sighed and relaxed and curled against my hand. She’s getting more used to me as a possible trustworthy friend. The kittens liked me using my had to tap fingers as if scurrying prey, near them so they could follow where my hand went, and they are young enough to go with the game, knowing it’s pretend play. So I had three and then four interested, until they got sleepy enough to want to nap. One liked being wit me, another thought that was sort of OK, and the other three went about playing then napping. At least one may like being a lap cat and cuddling, if this is the same one as before. This was funny and sweet, with them lulled into relaxing and enjoying the game of pretend. But hmm, That will need a toy mouse on a string to simulate prey scurrying. 😀
Just now, an early last feeding for tonight, I fed Goober separately as usual. Goober had enough and left his bowl, and so I got my food leftovers. Aha, Goober wanted some (well, no, kitty, you wouldn’t like this but you are feeling left out and put upon with everyone else around, so I will give you attention.)
Since he wanted some of my leftovers, I took him back to his bowl. Oh yeah, he might like that. But while I got treats to sweeten the deal,…. Hey, where did Goober go? And that’s not him at his bowl. — Instead, I had a small kitten looking up at me, curious and proud and asking if it was OK to eat here. Well, if Goober’s going to let you have it instead of defending it, then OK, kitten, go for it. (Goober had gone into the bedroom, waiting He wasn’t hungry enough to want to object to a kitten taking his food away.)
So the kitten ate happily while I stayed a minute. He/she was enjoying one’s private dining establishement, haha. I think this is the same one who keeps showing an individual bent, not so much an omega as just, this kitten marches to the beat of a different drummer. But thin and so needing the food. I was amused at how the kitten seemed to be asking me if it was OK, wanting my approval and attention. So he or she got to eat the rest of Goober’s bowl with a little praise for the individualism and gumption.
Goober got treats and attention for being nice enough not to hurt the kitten, but Goober needs his food too, so the treats helped.
The neighbor kids were out in force, sometimes with adults in earshot, from at least 2 to 6 pm, maybe later. I napped starting around 6. — If there were any supplies delivered, I will find out in the morning. Office supplies delivered Saturday either got to the apt. offices or were, ah, liberated from my doorstep after delivery. I will find out tomorrow.
I know better than to open the door at night without Peppercorn and kittens safely elsewhere, with a door closed. I could likely get Peppercorn back in, given previous luck with her. But one or more black kittens, zipping outside in the dark, I would be very lucky to locate them and get them back in safely. So no after-dark door opening without knowing they are safely behind a closed door. — After any such in the daytime, I do a head count for all five kittens. One of them always seems to show up late to dinner, wanting to sleep or be on his/her own. I still can’t tell them apart, but am beginning to learn individuals. Never had an all-black litter or an all-the-same-color litter.
—–
PJ, I wonder, I think you’re onto something. One of the forma uniform coats was long for a while, but they must have decided it looked funny to them, and went back to the short jackets.
I’ve been noticing a trend of more men choosing to shave their heads entirely. This doesn’t seem to be only budget or ethnicity. But I keep noticing it more.
It’s funny, in most cultures and other times, menfolk seem to be just as prone to fancy, eye-catching fashions as the women, at least for more formal dress, not for everyday or working.
So I wonder what would evolve in the future. We won’t stay with the current Western (European) style of dress forever.
BCS, I’m sorry you lost Curry, but gratified you were able to take care of him so well.
Good points about TNR, Hanneke.
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Formal wear: The thing about even suits, much less formal wear, it it evolved in Little Ice Age Europe, which had pretty low temperatures.
With more and more settlement in warm areas, we really need to evolve a warm weather friendly formal wear. In the US, metro areas have two major reasons for success: a strong higher education system and warm winters; warm winters especially predict population expansion. With A/C, warm summers are less of a problem, and–perhaps unfortunately–the US South hasn’t seen much in the way of global warming effects, except stronger hurricanes.
I’m a little surprised Japan hasn’t reverted to kimono. Tokyo is pretty hot and humid in summer.
So, we especially could use a new cooler men’s formal wear, though I think generally men aren’t as comfortable as women showing skin.
I’m a little jealous of women’s business wear. So much variety in neck wear and accessories! Men pretty much have to wear a necktie; a bow tie is nerdy, except formal wear; Ascots are dated; and a bolo is pretty much restricted to the Southwest? Maybe other rural areas? But when are women going to get a pocket big enough for a smartphone in basic clothing?
___
My biggest formal wear faux pas:
First, I wasn’t in dinner jacket myself having underestimated my weight gain–nothing unhealthy, but things were not fitting. The event was near the Canadian border, and I was told Canadians would be attending.
I started talking to this guy in uniform. It was clearly a uniform, but it was cut like a dinner jacket, though shorter as many military jackets are. All out mess dress, not merely dress blues. White shirt, studs, black bow tie–zero help. Naval-like silver stripes on the ends of his sleeves, but medium blue, not Navy blue jacket.
(Aside, in the Canadian Navy, Navy Blue is considered a shade of black. Maybe because it fades to dark grey??)
Anyway, I looked at what insignia I could see, and he had a gold roundish something embroidered on his epaulets that I couldn’t place; it could have been anything, like a crest or a crown and anchor, or the Canadian coat of arms, for all I know. It was fuzzy and roughly circular.
“I’m puzzled by your uniform.”
“Air Force.”
“Canadian?”
“US.”
(Blush.) “What is the device on your epaulets?”
“I’m a major.”
“Oh!” (Blush.) “Oak leaves,”
“Yes.”
No wings that I recall, but he was in logistics, which we had a fun conversation about. “Amateurs talk tactics. Pros talk logistics.” (Which I am not one of!) Anyway, all’s well that ends well.
Walt, just Googled ” US Airforce Insignia badges logistic ” which brings up a whole host of insignia`s but having looked through them I note that logistics badges often appear as a bird in flight (type uncertain) flying right to left ( to the observer ) superimposed or clutching a globe, there’s more than one, and framed in what appears to be laurel leaves
That’s a good thought! Yeah, I couldn’t place that, either. I knew it wasn’t a USMC eagle, globe, and anchor; and USMC cummerbunds are scarlet red. A cousin married a Marine, so I’d seen USMC mess dress at the wedding. If I had seen the USAF hat, probably the “darts and farts” (lightning and clouds) would have given me the clue I needed.
But looking at the majors’ gold oak leaves in those pictures, they’re normal metal badges–clear. This major was wearing embroidered oak leaves that weren’t very distinct. The silver (aluminum) cuff strips should have been a give-away, but I wasn’t then familiar with them.
Interestingly, as far as I recall, for all the ten-plus years of Stargate SG-1, they show USAF dress uniforms but never mess dress, even when they should.
Thanks, Walt. Thanks again to Hanneke for the TNR advice.
I sort of gulped when the vet said, “When the kittens are 3 months old…” since I hope to have them adopted out by then. They’re darn sweet, making progress toward socializing and trusting this human fully. I caught myself thinking, what if I keep the independent-minded, loner, thin, creative one? If I get in a house, maybe, but it’s likely they’ll be old enough to be adopted by then.
Peppercorn is, I think, semi-feral. If I do get a house, I’d be happy for her to stay with us. She’s a fine cat and so far, likes me and forgives my missteps, us bumping into each other or me stepping on her tail too often, either because I don’t see her, or she moves or I move. She isn’t yet truly OK with being picked up and held, moved. This may be too because she’s nursing, and I’d presume that makes her sensitive all over her belly.
I saw Mystic yesterday morning, but he didn’t want to come in. I don’t know if I’ll get him in or see him today, so his vet appt. may have to be postponed, but the carriers are ready for everyone.
Peppercorn woke me or I just woke up way early. Doing a bit online, then I get to sweep and mop, prior to their vet trip, and change the letterboxes once we’re ready to go, or when we get back, before they use them. Thus as defense against any residue from parasites, and basic cleanliness and hygiene. It’s overdue, ugh. I doubt I will get to vacuum and shampoo the carpet in the bedrooms prior, though. But I can get to that this afternoon or tomorrow.
I think the kittens will be an easy move into the carrier, as they are used to it as friendly territory, shelter. Peppercorn, I may have the advantage of surprise. Goober may or may not be a little better about it than he used to be.
So, busy morning ahead, some laundry too, I need to eat, and hope I get everything done before time to go. News when I get back.
My father wore straight ties, the kind you see on gamblers in westerns – though his weren’t all black. Easier to tie, for one thing. He wore bolos after he retired and moved to west Texas, but the centerpiece was a custom job (Siberian agate).
My dad, in the Netherlands, wears bolos whenever he needs to wear a tie for some (semi)formal occasion. He was an astronomer and worked at observatories all over the world, including some in the USA. About 45 years ago he brought back two bolos after having been at an observatory in Arizona for two weeks, and he never wore a tie again except for his wedding anniversaries and the funerals of his mother and my mum.
They are almost unknown here, so it is something uniquely his style, to wear those, and could be a conversation starter among strangers.
Six years ago my sister and her family and I went on a holiday to the USA, around the Grand Canyon. He asked us to look for new leather cords for his bolos, as they were starting to get ragged. I couldn’t find any cords sold separately, so I brought him back two new bolos, and now he mostly wears one of those.
If anyone knows how/where I could order a new plaited leather cord for a bolo online, I’d like to hear about it.
https://www.goodybeads.com/store/products/CH00476.htm?gclid=CjwKCAiA-vLyBRBWEiwAzOkGVOdfbRC0FnNvuj3zks3IN8Bwb5T01tpbiVFoSJzjXl3lNrfM7-37qhoC6e8QAvD_BwE
try here
Thanks, Spence! That is exactly what I was looking for, but in black instead of brown. I’ve looked around on their site, and they have it in black too – I’ll measure the length dad needs and order it there.
Fumny it didn’t show up in the first few pages when I searched online, while it”s so exactly what I need. Knowing the right search terms is crucial, with so much out there.
These days, there are either the cheap plastic / vinyl / etc. braided cords for that, and then there are leather cords, either very thin braided, or single-strand leather thong cords. I will remember to look up some options. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is coming up soon, so people Weill be dressing up western, whether they are real cowboys and cowgirls / country folks or not. 😀 (I am a city boy; my dad was a farm boy and all my grandparent were country folks (one set of great-grands were townsfolk in the country, the rest were farm folks.)
Bolo ties are rare here these days for city folks, unless you’re going country dancing, going to the rodeo, and so on. But that happens pretty often among people who like that, and folks with country roots. For example, one of the vet techs (assistants) today had been in FFA/4H as a girl, and raised pigs. She said she’d given the piglets numbers rather than names, couldn’t always tell piglets apart.
A quality agate as a bolo tie ornament is likely a collector piece and may have some value from whoever the craftsman / woman was. PJ, I hope your dad will pass that to someone who will really appreciate it. They are more rare now, but something like that with sentimental value, a history, as well as the crafts and stone value should be kept by a family member or friend who will enjoy and use it. (I like Lady Ilisidi’s take on such things.) Likewise for Hanneke’s dad. I remember Isaac Asimov nearly always could be seen wearing a bolo tie. I wonder if it’s an astronomy thing, or just a Southwestern thing. (Asimov was a New Yorker, IIRC, a Russian immigrant as a baby or small child.)
It’s funny, I’m not sure why bolo ties became so restricted to the Old West and modern Southwest, to cowboys and western music an dancing.
Those string ties such as Old West gamblers wore can still be found by places that sell Western wear and period reenactment clothing. A place called Wild West Mercantile (I think the website is that too) offers such things. Some are inexpensive and some are quite pricey, but they are good quality.
I’ll check about the cords / leather thong, in addition to the link Spence sent you. He’s out where they also wear bolos. 😀
Galveston is more known for their Mardi Gras, as well as Dickens on the Strand at Christmastime. (People buy or rent period clothing and there’s an area of Dickensian shops to enjoy.) — Houston’s rodeo is still a (very) big deal: real trail riders (and weekend cowboys) come in from old trails, into the modern city, and their wagons (and modern campers) yes, horses and all, arrive at Hermann Park in the heart of downtown. This echoes the old days when the trail rides (and bringing livestock into town for sale) was central to Texas living. These days, kids who raise livestock can earn sizable college scholarships when their livestock are auctioned off. Local and regional investors and philanthropists do this regularly. But these days, they have branched out into multiple music styles besides country and western and bluegrass. Texan and Norteño and Zydeco and other Cajun and Creole Louisianan music are strong here too at the rodeo. Be it noted, it is still legal to own and have and ride horses within the city limits. It’s a part of our heritage we don’t want to lose.
Hmm, my old cowboy boots were ruined prior to my move, and my old cowboy hat (from my last year in high school) is in storage, I hope, along with a newer one from when I had my home. But I have a nice current cowboy hat too, and need to war it more often.
(I’ll have some other clothing comments a bit later.)
(I’ll have a kitten / cats update after I get some supper, now that the cats have eaten.) 😀 (Mostly very good news, some surprises, and the bad news is only mild, curable.)
BCS: “She said she’d given the piglets numbers rather than names….”
I think the whole, “Let’s number everything,” is something of a culteral affiction. (No offense meant, BCS–or should I say 2-3-19? [written 2020-3-2 as it happens].)
Why not name them arbitrarily?
AA Aaron
AB Abby
AC Ace
AD Addison
…
Or lots of name lists exist. In 4X games, I often have a Valkyrie class warship: Alruna, Brynhildr, Eir, Geiravör, Göndul, … (from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie ). WWII Gato-, Balao-, and Tench-class submarines were named after fish. Trout and smelt weren’t used–just the first two fish to come to mind.
Hurricane names are a lot more memorable because they aren’t numbers. Who will forget Katrina?
Signy Mallory commanded Norway–would 23 be as memorable? (I don’t recall Norway’s hull number if it/she/they had one.)
Isoroku means 56. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s father was 56 when Isoroku was born, but how did the admiral feel about that name? Maybe it was a sign of potency, still…?
Norway’s hull number was ECS005
Continuing on the formal thing, Indian and other Asian Countries often exhibit a more ethnic formal wear, not the western style penguin suit. Jackets that fasten up to the neck, no ties like the west uses. Western style evening dresses for ladies can be used, but also a higher level of Saris, and Kimono dresses.
Edit –
Considering Formal Corporate Events, and I accept that I’m working on castles in the air here, as I’ve never attended any corporate events beyond a shareholders meeting. ( note- Said meeting was for a publicly floated utility company ) . Often in film and television ( both News & Fiction ) you see in Corporate, and State Events a mixture of both Western & Ethnic formal wear. This often depends both on the event in question, and the position (rank) of the individual involved.
I’ve been to–and worn–a dinner jacket (aka tuxedo) to charity and cultural events (concert theater events). In Southern California, traditional dinner jackets are rare but not extinct. You don’t have to wear a dinner jacket but you can. Usually, they’re traditional down to black patent leather dress shoes, but sometimes the bow tie and cummerbund are a color other than black; sometimes shirts aren’t frilled or use buttons instead of studs. I don’t think I’ve seen a summer white dinner jacket on a guest (as opposed to wait staff). These rules loosen in Hollywood and fashionista events: they’re more colorful and unconventional.
Next most formal is a suit, but traditionally a suit should only be worn for business, not a social event. Traditionally. Interestingly, often blue for sales and social businesses; grey for experts and management. Blue, friendly; grey, authoritative. Black is traditionally only for mourning. I did suits for a lot of years, and often dressed better than the marketing guys; at times I amused my marketing colleagues by wearing a grey flannel suit. (I was technical marketing. I look younger than my age, so the suits were a way to counter that. They pay for themselves, and more. Yes, it’s weird.) Three piece suits let you shed the hot coat and work in shirt sleeves (always long) and vest.
Business-casual is about the same as semi-formal. Sport coat and not-matching slacks. Tie for business or more formality. Formerly, Ascot for non-business; now usually no tie. Casual (semi-formal) can have a theme, like navy blazer, white slacks, and boat shoes.
After that, you’re pretty much dressing for comfort, and anything goes. It’s a spectrum from semi-formal less coat and tie down to bluejeans and T-shirt. Shirt patterns get less geometric and colors get brighter.
But, all in all, it’s pretty much more layers, more formal. That’s a problem in hot weather. White or khaki doesn’t help except in sunlight. OTOH, sun and bug protection pretty much demands slacks and long sleeve shirts.
For inclement weather, usually a khaki trench coat or for winter snow, an overcoat.
(This is all from my perspective in a somewhat conservative area of SoCal. When I visited London, everyone was in black or a half shade off black. Dreary. In Japan, salarymen all wear dark grey suits, white shirts, and dark grey ties, though I did see one old guy strolling around in…diplomatic dress??)
Kittens and Cats Update: Mostly good news, mild bad news is curable.
Whew, what a day! Mystic must have a 60’s protester thing going on: “Hell no, I won’t go!” Monsieur refused to get in the carrier, nosiree. Amazing how such a mild-mannered cat can have such a flip side. He’s a good-sized fellow, though his long hair adds more than is actually there. I decided, after multiple tries, it was better not to ruin the trust we have going, and not risk getting clawed or bitten, however inadvertently. (He wanted only away, and even scared and angry, wasn’t yet ready to fight me, but he was nearing that.) So good sir did not get his follow-up or his neutering or FeLV/FIV blood tests. If he misses the follow-up dosage, he’ll have to go through de-worming again, poor guy.
When he thought he’d won the battle not to get in the carrier, he hid, parts unknown. (I think under the bed. WOL’s pegboard shield has not yet been implemented, but needs to be.)
Funnier: When we got back from the vet, Mystic had un-hidden, was lounging on the dresser serving as my desk, by the computer. And when he saw me, all was forgiven and then some. Hey, where’ve ya been, human? I missed you! One very affectionate kitty, purring, head-butting, the works. — But after putting out food and water and litter in the other bedroom, no, Monsieur Le Chat wanted O-U-T…pleeeze? Nuts, OK, the others get free rein, but you won’t like it out there as much as you think you do now. Silly old cat.
If he does have an owner, no one came forward after 8 to 11 days, and for a month and or two, that kitty walked around with that massive hair snarl I thought was a growth, a tumor. Huh. Bt from his behavior today, I am more happy with him and hope for a good outcome. Gotta play the long game, I guess.
—–
Goober is OK, down a pound from last time, but maybe this is worms plus upset from having all these whipper-snappers around. — Yes, he needed meds, thanks to exposure to mama and kittens. He’ll be due for another in 2 weeks. But for 13 and 4+ months, he is in good health, still has good teeth, and for now, we’re going with it being weight loss due to having the runs plus all the bother of the others, despite that he mostly might like to make friends. Still, chances are good he is still FIV–, nd his shots are up to date.
—–
Little Mama, Miss Thang, Peppercorn, amused the staff at the clinic, by my reasoning for her name, which they all liked. The verdict is, she may be about 1 to 2 years as I’d guessed, and may have had moe than one prior litter. She is still nursing but starting to wean the kittens. Once weaned and her milk starts to dry up, I can bring her back in for spaying and her shots. They don’t want to vaccinate her while she’s still nursing.
She has both hookworms and coccidia (spelling on that ending, I”m unclear on, haven’t yet looked it up). But the latter is a bacterial infection, sort of ball-shaped or a sunny-side-up egg, the tech described it.
—–
Five Kittens: I may name them after Cajeiri and his aishid. 3 boys, 2 girls. One boy is a bit late: his balls have not yet descended. All are a good size and weight. All are getting treatment for hookworms and coccidia. One has already squirmed free of his/her temp. collar (a sort of medical tape, but not tape) “Unknown #1” because the vet tech wasn’t sure if this was a girl or a boy, as with one other. (The delayed boy and a girl.)
The vet estimates they are 7 to 8 weeks old, not younger as José had estimated. She (vet) said they are old enough to wean, get on dry food as well as moist, I should socialize them more, spend more time with them, playing, interacting, everything. Basically, spoil them rotten. Heh. Oh, I can do that, easily! They are right on schedule for activities, and since they are all but domesticated, they are trays but not “semi-feral.” Good, they are plenty adoptable.
One of the other kittens keeps scratching at his/her collar, and got it under his/her arm like a shoulder holster. IIRC, that one is unknown #2, who turned out to be a girl. I will need to look at my notes again and their collars. But hmm, possibly Guild already, yes? Heh.
The vet reads Peppercorn’s behavior as tame, not semi-feral, only stray, a good, experienced mama, and that she has decided she likes and trusts me. Do I want to keep her or give her away?
Hmm. If I do get the rent-to-own house, then Peppercorn and Mystic could both stay. Otherwise, one or the other needs a new home. I like them both and they are quite welcome. The kittens are also welcome, I love ’em, but yeah, five kittens moving into adolescence soon…yeah, much as I like them, they need good homes. And my gosh, they are as adorable as any kittens you could want.
At least one may be more the contemplative and creative one, the indie/loner, yet friendly enough. If I have it right, who’s who, then this one (or another) also tends to be a bit late to meals, sleeping extra or into their own thing. De-worming may help that. But we might have the runt of the litter or an introverted, shy but sweet and friendly kitten here.
I hadn’t paid attention to it, but there are kitten collars for this age, and I really need a more permanent way to tell who’s who among these five all-black, nearly identical kittens. So kitten collars with little medallions / bow ties / etc; will be ordered post haste.
So all in all, very good news. — Oh — Due to budget, the vet recommended I have the future owners get the kittens vaccinated and tested for FeLV and FIV. But they should be (oh yes, please) free of tiny uninvited hitchhikers in two weeks.)
Since Mama is negative, there are good odds the kittens are, but the vet said it isn’t always a guarantee. Still , it looks like we are fortunate in our numbers this time.
Ah, the other vet had said if the kittens stay to three months or so, then get their shots and get ready for them to be neutered, as around 6 to 8 months, they can start to have kittens. Eek.
Once mama has weaned her kittens, she will be ready to be spayed. Technically, we could now, but the incision would get unduly stressed with kittens still nursing. I said I didn’t want to force that, let them get weaned, then spay mama when she’s not so busy and stressed. No rush and I want her healthy, not risking anything for her.
So, good news, nearly all the way. I am very happy to find they are OK, given the cautions.
Now to order kitten collars….
@BCS, you might look for a cat onesie for when Peppercorn gets spayed. It’s easier than a cone, and protects the incision from her own licking but also from inquisitive kittens who want to comfort-nurse.
Something like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Coppthinktu-Cat-Recovery-Suit-Alternative/dp/B07NRZ5FCY/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=cat onesie for cats&qid=1583216769&sr=8-4"
this is what I used for my Snowy, last year.
She might go a bit brick-like when you put it on, but it’s easier to adjust to than the cone and cane stay on a week while she heals.
Put the stiffer closure on her back, not her belly.
Oh, excellent, thank you! (Heehee, that looks adorable too.)
I’ve ordered the one in Small, Pink, and if that fits, I’ll get one or two spares. I see they have Pink, Yellow, Blue, Purple, and Camouflage. Peppercorn seems like she’d be good in pink to offset the black, maybe not so much a camp girl. 🙂 But if they had a chili pepper pattern, or red-orange, oh, I’d be tempted.
You might get your dad the black and the brown, or cordovan, and I have occasionally seen a nice-looking grayish-brown for hats or other leather. For keywords, try also “leather thong cord,” or “plaited” for braided. — I will look again.
I agree Walt, about numbering. Currently, the kittens have very temporary name tags. Last night, two of the kittens got out of their collar name tags, but by comparing against my notes, I think I can determine which is which. One kitten has kept his/her collar, but keeps scratching with his/her hind foot, as if scratching fleas, when instead, it’s the collar, which I guess he/she finds annoying.
I discovered Amazon doesn’t necessarily know the difference between cat and kitten when searching for kitten collars. Keto was more helpful, so I hope that oder gets here instead of the mgmt. office. — The kittens’ necks are still very small, about 4 inches in diameter, so finding a collar may be iffy.
This has made me wonder how hard it would be to order some nylon webbing 3/8 inch wide, and if the breakaway clasps and bells are available, how to make the collars from scratch.
I need to couple-check their medicine and will give them their new dose this afternoon.
Mystic showed up this morning but would not come in. When I checked a bit later, with food for him, I was greeted by a cat who is likely a neighbor, not a stray, a shorthair calico. I had put the food down because I thought he was still nearby, so the calico girl got it instead. Heh. And was friendly. I feel sure she belongs to someone, because she looked in good condition and well fed, and was immediately friendly instead of wary. Kitty, the food was for Mystic, not you.
This was not the cat Mystic was preoccupied with warding off, the other day. That one is likely male, and looked either grey or black and possibly longhai, he wasn’t close enough for me to be sure.
It looks like the medicine might be helping already after only one dose. I will be so glad to have them in better shape, no strong smell from the litterbox, other than normal. Peppercorn and the kittens should gain weight and energy. — The kittens were very active, running around. while last night, after being confined so much of yesterday.
Goober, last night and this morning, has been more forward. I am not sure if he and Peppercorn are ready to bury the hatchet, but Goober seems a little better, mood-wise.
Such a busy day yesterday. I’m tired today and will cook fish tonight with (frozen, baked) hushpuppies and some frozen veggies on the side. I didn’t get to the cake but maybe Thursday when I have some time.
All 5 kittens are successfully medicated. I am fairly sure I didn’t double-dose one of the two who slipped off their collars, and got each one instead. Two took their meds pretty well, but one was so-so and two were fighting it. Once they’ve had some time to calm down, tonight, we’ll have some time together and play or let them try napping while I hold them. Hoping to get the temp. collars back on the two, and I think I know how to confirm I’ve got the right kitty in both cases.
Two are definitely boys, one is a boy but his testicles haven’t descended quite yet, so he had to be identified for sure by the vet. One is a girl, and the vet tech had not been sure of another who the vet ID/ed as a girl. Evidently, sometimes the boys take a bit longer than average for their balls to descend, but that’s how it is for kittens. So we’ll try to watch out and make sure he does OK. He may be just a little delayed, or it might be that the parasites were bringing down his system so he couldn’t get there at his normal rate.
But this points out the ultimate similarities, an undifferentiated starting point then chromosomes, genes on them, and biochemical factors, plus environment, general health, other organisms, all have an effect on development there as well as elsewhere. They really glossed over, almost skipped right past this in intro biology class, so most of us never realize how there’s a biological and behavioral spectrum, and conditions that can influence this development.
The kittens, mama, and Goober are all doing very well.
Note: 3 boys, 2 girls, IIRC, this would fit Cajeiri and his aishid just fine. If I knew for sure who’s the leader, who is most outspoken and which one is the introverted but creative one who, if it’s the same kitten, is often late for meals, I could think of naming them.
I did not think to ask the vet to check their hearing, in case that might be what’s up with the kitten not rushing with the others. But it could be a health and fatigue issue, darn bugs bothering them, no wonder they are a little reluctant.
Progress there, a little better output was observed today.
I have decided the Feline Pine litter was a good idea worth the try, but in practice, not as good to sift through. I am not thrilled with the clumping clay-like litter either, which is why I was giving this a try. (Plus, a few times now, Today Cat litter has never been shipped, not avail. at the sender, or never got to my door, or had some other error.
Yesterday’s news is another cat litter I will be giving a try. But of course I ordered more of the regular littler, a different brand.
Still not enough luck with the dry food for the kittens. Still trying, and at least it wasn’t a huge bag. (Blue Buffao Wilderness for Kittens, and Iams for Kittens.) So they are still mostly on the more expensive moist food, and need to learn to eat the dry, plus they are ready to be weaned, the vet said.
The vet said to socialize them even more than I was doing, lots of attention, time together or me in the room with them, playing and other interactions to show humans can be fun and friendly and not so big and scary all the time. — This vet said it’s more of a myth, even for birds, but moe so for cats and dogs, about a mama rejecting her babies because of human scent and human handling. I was building up, but the vet said more socialization, so on we go.
Mama and the kittens still have not tried the bed, except that one night by the two kittens who’d climbed the bedspread. I keep expecting to find them climbing everywhere any day now. Goober, poor fellow, will have to adjust, but he seems good with them mostly, just that he’s had so much fussing from Peppercorn that he’s leery of the kittens.
Today at lunch, one kitten got near Goober’s bowl (he eats separately) and Goober, half-finished, sort of yipped and jumped out of the way, yielding to the kitten, even though the kitten was only curious, and had eaten, so wasn’t hungry.
Good progress for them all today, I’m pleased.
Iwill spend time with them, but I’m tired from the past few days, and I plan to call it an early night, later.