Not the virus. Just crud. But ok.
We’re saying a reluctant goodbye to Scott—he’s been with us a long time, part of the ‘family’, he and Andrea. But construction jobs have to end, and he has to move on to a shower install elsewhere. He’ll pop back in to help us with a couple of things, but not having Scott around during the day is…well, we’ll miss him.
We’re still locked down. Some people in Yakima and Snohomish counties decided they were immune and bunched up without masks. Bad move.
Ben, there’s worse things than a house deal gone, its one that ‘takes’ and turns out to involve legal tangles and personalities. This too shall pass, is my motto, and the chambered nautilus my totem. When things crash, you just build a new chamber and grow. Wishing you and the furry terrors the best. Youngster and nippiness; do what mom-cat does: tap firmly on the leather of the nose with one finger and say ‘No’ sharply and firmly. Takes a while, but that nose-tap is catese for I’m really serious here. Kitty faces are sacred as you may know, and the mom-pat is serious stuff.
Hope all of you are snug and safe, no bar-hops, no wild parties. Waiting for the vaccine, here.
Meanwhile I have a box of mushrooms (the watery marine kind: if you don’t specify marine you get recipes on google, but not to be deterred, one company offers recipes for marine mushrooms… ) and I’ll be dealing with those. Inability to reach the sump for maintenance did as much damage as the 8 day winter power-out 2-3 years ago. This is my first chance in about 3 years to get it back in real good form.
It’s good to hear that you’re doing better.
Monsoon rains are starting here in AZ. Hopefully this will damp down the fires burning in the state. Lightning strikes and high winds could negatively affect fire hazards. Covid numbers are skyrocketing among younger demographics and among those who can’t stay at home. I’m tired of the attitude that the economy is somehow more important than the lives and health of our citizens. The economy will only thrive when it is safe for people to work and conduct business in safety. Fort Huachuca soldiers have been ordered to wear masks at all times on and off post, so the area is relatively sane, but there are still individuals who claim masks infringe their rights. Oh well, ignorance can be cured but stupidity is forever.
No, not in this case. It’s tantamount to playing Russian Roulette! People DIE from dissing this virus!
But a breakdown of the economy often leads to a breakdown of society. And that is fearsome too.
I like your Crusader outfit for this month, Paul!
We have been warned about the fake cards that purportedly allow people to go maskless because it infringes on their ‘rights’. Yeah, right.
Had a “minor” fever this week. Kept me from an eye doctor’s appointment yesterday! Confident now it’s diverticulitis again. 16hrs of antibiotics and already the fever’s gone, so it’s not viral. 13 days to go.
Funny thing though, when I was hot from the fever I felt chills. Now that I’m back down to normal range, I don’t.
Funny thing, running a fever. Hot, cold, hot, cold …
Hope everyone is on the mend. Stay safe and read something good (or for some of us, keep writing something good !). I’d recommend ‘Minor Mage’ by T. Kingfisher, a delightful YA short book.
I second that; T. Kingfisher is Ursula Vernon’s pen name that she uses for more ‘adult’ writing, so it doesn’t get confused with her very good children’s books. All of her writing is good; her short stories repeatedly have won awards.
CJ, when you get the fish tank up to snuff, can you post more pictures? I miss the adventures of the motorized clam et. al. Shoots, pictures of the koi, the garden, the cats, Jane (if she’s willing), all would be welcome. Stay well and safe.
Day 2, and yes, I am, thanks. The sharp pain in my lower left abdomen, about half-way between the bottom of the ribcage and top if the frontal pelvis, is about half as severe. Another couple days will take care of the infection, the other ten are to make sure nothing with partial resistance survives. Now, if someone could do something about the God-awful TASTE of metronidazole, that would be appreciated. (Guess that also suggests the fever wasn’t CoVid-19.)
Good to hear, Paul. Be safe and healthy.
Chronic complaints suck. Good to hear yours is subsiding, at least.
Thanks for the good wishes, but that’s not the half of it, as they say. Diverticulosis, IBS, “packed” gallstones, and metformin messing with metabolism. I don’t know how, or even if, I can keep them all “happy” at once for any length of time. Haven’t found the magic yet! 🙁
A few years ago at an annual physical my doctor said he had given-up on “the Fountain of Youth”. He’d settle for “the Fountain of Middle Age”. Amen! Oh, to be as I was at 50!
It’s a different world, one in which we say “oh, that’s so lucky” instead of “that’s too bad” when we learn someone has been ill (but not with coronavirus, of course). So, let me say that I’m happy everyone is on the mend, but sorry that they have been having some bad days.
CJ, I hope you and Jane will be well soon. Having anything right now, even just sinus, can sure be worrisome. Paul and others, I hope you feel better soon. Apt. neighbors still are often gathering and their kids still play periodically. It’s a gamble between needing social interaction and relief for most people. I and many other neighbors are keeping inside, though. Uber now requires riders and drivers to wear masks, by the way.
The kitten: I have had trouble the last several days, losing patience with him or almost, worrying if I’m only making things worse in my attempts to get him to learn, and at times ready to give him away, other times, when he’s tired and wants to snuggle and sleep, aw, darn it, cat, you are so sweet and charming and not stupid, I still want to keep you. — But he had another timeout this morning, and nearly earned a giveaway, because he pesters Goober so. Goober won’t take charge enough. — However, the renewed shutdown here may mean shelters are closed again, and as I am waiting on money released from investment, so I have money to live on again, the kitten is staying until either are resolved. His 3rd round of shots are due before the end of July. Sometime between now and then, I have to decide to give him away or keep him. I keep hoping I see enough improvement that I can trust him not to be more nippy and not turn aggressive, and make friends with Goober, so he can stay. If he can’t learn not to nip and not to hassle Goober, then I’ll have to let him go. He is darn cute, charming, the bad behavior is his only fault. He’s not stupid, just stubborn and supremely confident we must not mean him. And separation anxiety gets to him, but timeouts have had to happen. I keep trying things. My patience has been severely tested, and I don’t quite know what’s going on with me on that. I feel like I’m somehow out of whack. So I am trying to learn too. Goober is, bless him, long-suffering and non-assertive, almost to a fault.
I think the news has reported we are shut down again here. The state, county, and city are hotspots for the recent surges.
The house: My friend has found a rent-to-own deal that might work, in a small town between Houston and Dallas. If it works, I could save a good amount on rent per month and close out the storage space and move things there, almost half what I’m paying now, maybe. There is a small remodel starting, putting in central A/C and heat, doing away with window units, besides whatever other items to remodel. I just heard about this. Not sure yet it can happen, but I said, OK, look into it. If it might work out, we may drive up to see it around the end of the month when the remodel is done. I don’t know what to think, except that saving money and having a home, putting money into ownership, would be so much better for me.
There was a hiccup, so by tomorrow or by Monday, I should have money to live on again out of investments. I still need better long-term income. — So my rent and other fees may or may not be late past the grace period. Aarrgh. And I have to reduce my spending even more for the next six months to a year, at least, to make it.
Fonts — I am back to working on fonts. The one program no longer works on modern MacOS; the upgrade to its successor from the version I have is more than I want to pay. The Glyphs Mini app I have been using recently got a slight update. The full version is around $250, but I have been holding back, only using the mini version so far. I may do the upgrade later if I can afford it, but I don’t intend to upgrade that other, much pricier program.
My writing attempts lately have been…not good, though a couple of ideas are kicking around.
I’ve been so discouraged, depressed. The recent dip scared me. I’m trying to get productive again.
So…my life feels like utter chaos right now. Emotionally, I’m very pillar-to-post, and that’s on top of the overall feelings of depression. I haven’t had quite this combination before. I am trying to get through it and get back to being productive. I haven’t been at a stand-still, but too close to it.
Hmm, Goober either stayed on the bed for a change or went to his sleeping spot in the bedroom with me. The kitten has settled into his favorite napping spot behind the computer (iMac). Heh. So for now peace reigneth again.
I’ll be doing rewatches of a few shows and have a handful of audiobooks before getting down to ebooks to read. Reading printed books is more of a chore for me now than it ever was. Ebooks and audiobooks are far moree doable these days.
CJ, if/when you have news on the audiobooks for Alliance Rising or the most recent Foreigner title, please let us know, as several folks have asked about them.I’m grateful to have ebook and audiobook versions of whatever I can these days. There are titles I miss that still aren’t in either format, and I sure hope my books in storage are still safe, in good condition. (I don’t know what made it and what didn’t.)
I hope everyone is doing OK or will be feeling better soon. It’s good to hear from people via CJ’s blog.
@Hanneke, I saw your note and have emailed you, thanks.
Deesha, I hope you’re doing OK; nice to see you back again!
Editing can be the most difficult part of writing, BCS.
Kids playing together isn’t so bad. Dutch Covid research has concluded that children do not play a significant role in spreading the virus.
https://www.rivm.nl/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/children-and-covid-19
Re-opening Dutch primary schools (4-12 years old) at the beginning of June, and high schools (12-16/18 y.o.) two weeks later, with adequate protections so adults can keep safe distances and everyone can wash their hands more often, has not led to an increase in cases.
https://nos.nl/artikel/2338642-weekcijfers-corona-besmettingsbeeld-nederland-tegengesteld-aan-vs.html (in Dutch, use Google translate)
(RIVM = Dutch national institute for public health and medicine; NOS = Dutch public broadcasting company)
Hope everybody is doing better. Getting stamina back after surgery is an uphill battle. I still haven’t gotten mine back from the chemo in 2018, never mind the knee surgery. Hang in there. CJ, hope you kick this krud soonest. Hopefully, as the remodel winds to a close and things get sorted out and put away and life gets back to normal, the reduction in stress on both of you will make things much better. Have you considered that there might be an allergy component? I’ve noticed we’re now in that part of the year when my allergies turn me into a zombie and sitting down almost guarantees I’ll doze off.
I’m finally almost done with getting that new tooth implant. Had the post/socket put in Tues. Now, once the graft around that heals in, there’s just one more step — putting on the tooth/crown. Long, involved, and co$tly process, but I’ve been so happy with the first one I had done.
Had a narrow escape last week. On my way to get my hair trimmed, saw that my duplex neighbor (who does the yard) left her clippers in my yard. My hair was wet and down, and blowing around in my face. On the way back from putting the clippers where she could see them, I tripped on this little raised concrete wheel stop that’s in between our duplex garages and fell flat in the driveway. Miraculously, my only injury was some skin off the knuckles of my left hand, and a blood blister on the tip of that ring finger. I didn’t even bruise anything! I had some soreness in my shoulder because I landed on the flat of my forearm (but no scrapes or bruises). I was so incredibly lucky!
It’s times like these that make communities like this one even more important.
Funny, I just had two done on Thursday, WOL.
I’m only partly through my ‘honey-do’ list; I was a lazy sod yesterday and only vacuumed and ran the carpet steamer where Junior has taken to pooping on the carpet for — reasons. I have a lot of housecleaning to do, plus laundry, plus I am going to Costco and Target on Monday, after the Independence Day insanity subsides. If I run our of kibble, the cats will not let me forget it.
Nip-nip-nip. I thought he was doing a little better yesterday and the day before, and we had some quality time for giving him attention. But today, he’s being a brat and nothing works. Nose-tap? He fends it off with his forearms/paws and when tapped, no effect. Ditto the scruff of the neck, holding him down. “Ow! No! No biting,” and variations but bite or biting is the keyword along with ow and no. He’s hassling Goober, which he thinks is play or keep-away (from food, bed, me), while Goober fusses at him and tries to fend him off, including holding him down, but too lightly. This little kitten is stubborn and will not learn. Timeouts in the bathroom only produce separation anxiety, and if it makes any real change in not biting, I don’t really seee it. He/s contrite and wanting to make up to me after a timeout, but I don’t think he gets why he got it, even though all discipline is right when he nips. I’m about at or past the end of my patience and ready to give him away. It looks like the shelters are shut down for intake again, but Monday, I will check. I would keep I’m if I saw he was learning, but I’m so unhappy with him and disappointed that I’m ready to give him away. I feel like I’ve tried everything. I don’t know how to get through to him and I can’t figuree out if iI’m ding something wrong so he isn’t getting it. (?What? Who me? I’m so cute, surely you don’t mean e!” Nip, nip.) I am sure Goober is tired of it. I am, and I’ve had some dark, uncivilized thoughts too. So…I guess it’s time to give him away, but that will have to be worked on and can’t happen immediately, due to circumstances, mine and the pandemic situation.
Still no sign of the money getting into my account. If it doesn’t happen by Monday, I could be in trouble. However, I _think_ evictions and foreclosures are still forbidden for the duration of the shutdown. I’m hoping I won’t have that threat and won’t lose utilities, including phone and web (which are on me, not including with the apartment fees). I/ll call my friend again Monday if I still don’t see it at least there but not yet avail. for use.
Neighbors upstairs and outside are clattering around as usual, but no great activity, including no grilling as of yet and only one tiny pop of fireworks on site last night. But the kitten will likely have his first taste of loud noises outside from that tonight. — I have leftovers for dinner later and a bbq TV dinner for supper later. So, good enough, but not great. I may add bbq sauce to the leftover meat, haha.
I was awake all night, only two naps about two hours, if that, each, so I am dragging but going, and don’t want to try to sleep again yet. — I binge-watched Stranger Things season 1, so I’ll be through with the full rewatch before end-of-month. Going to do some font work.
Taking it easy and wishing the Little Nipper would learn instead of misbehaving despite discipline attempts. Frustrated with my overall situation, discouraged. But maybe things will improve by Monday.
Don’t know whether to laugh or cry: Here I am, waiting on money transfer to live on for the next few months, to avoid eviction or shutoff of utilities, yet while hoping for a rent-to-own house deal, now elsewhere, small town Centerville; and I have enough food in the fridge if it stays on, yet didn’t get all my order, thanks to a global pandemic. The universe has a very, very warped sense of humor or justice, and yet my problems are tiny compared to many other people. Still, I wish I had friends and loved ones and someone special locally, a roommate, something…and a non-bitey, well-behaved kitten. (His only faults, though.) So…I am OK, other people are OK or have it worse than my farcically wacky situation. So life goes on, make the best of it, don’t lose sight of the goals and dreams on the horizon.
Oh, and alcohol wipes I’d ordered way back in late March or early April, and had given up on, thought were lost, arrived in my mailbox this week. Hah, so surprised to see those this morning. A cat bed / hut ordered when I first got the new kitten, a wild splurge but under $40, is supposed to arrive before mid-month. No idea if/when it will arrive on my doorstep, but maybe Goober or the kitten will get to enjoy it. How topsy-turvy everything is! Funny.
Take care, everyone. BBQ or grilled meat and/or veggies, whatever you like, maybe some potato salad or watermelon if you’ve got it. Something else if not.
@BCS—yes, evictions and foreclosures are still forbidden. Hang in there!
BTW, twice before, under previous and current mgmt., I had trouble when the apts. billed their fees in two chunks on one day, so that auto-pay only paid the one chunk. This is the first time I’ve had a late payment without funds. Even so, the mgmt. office could deliver a notice threatening legal action and eviction as before, if payment isn’t received in teen days from receipt of the letter. I objected each previous time that it was their own system’s fault, not mine, and therefore I didn’t appreciate getting a threat like that. Of course, they “talked pretty” but weren’t listening, clear from tone of voice they’ve heard it all and said it all to other tenants.
So, as long as my money gets in, or if it isn’t in by Monday, if my friend can help out, then I should be good. So foreclosures and evictions being off-limits by state and county mandates are a good thing. At least maybe it will carry me through so I can pay.
So, so ironic that I technically have the money to pay and to last a few months before needing to withdraw again, but that this also shows, yup, I’m way too low on funds — and yet hoping to get a rent-to-own house, now in a small town not quite halfway across the state. I need to be able to hang onto it if I do move, and it would save me money to do so, as opposed to here. This is somehow ironically, tragically comic. And yet so many people live like this. I have been lucky to extend it this long. But also clearly, I have to tighten my spending to the bone now and find some way out of my situation. Danged frustrating. I wonder how many of my neighbors here at the apartments are in similar month-to-month shape and just quietly (or not so quietly) bearing it. It’s surely contributing to some of those domestic disturbances. BTW, those have ben, thankfully, few in the past few weeks, unlike earlier.
If I had roommate / friend / partner / spouse , it would halve the burden in more ways than cost, but that hasn’t happened and I don’t see someone landing on my doorstep. Oh, well.
More home economics: Probably will be canning this weekend. Green mango chutney, unripe fig jam. BCS, I sent you some of the chutney last year; what was your opinion? Too spicy, not spicy enough; a friend gave me fresh Cayenne peppers, so some may go in…? Depends on if I trim back the fig tree and harvest the figs, or get shelled by more mangoes… Neighbors have requested cuttings from the fig tree, so some of the trimmings will be destined for that.
I just pickled some mixed peppers using Mrs. Beeton’s Pickled Capsicums recipe. one of the people I know who likes pickled peppers said that they were quite good, if somewhat hot. The heat has to do with the kind of peppers I was given to work with, rather than willful departure from the recipe:
Gather the pods with the stems on. Slit them with a small knife and remove the seeds and placentas. Put them in a heavy brine for 3 days, changing the brine daily. Drain them on a cloth, covered with another until entirely free of moisture.
For each quart of vinegar use 1T nutmeg and 1T mace. Bring to a boil and cool. Pack peppers in to jars and add vinegar to cover.
I weighed and remeasured the spices to get the amount right. The brine used to cover the peppers gave me a good idea of how much vinegar I would need. I strained the vinegar before adding it to the peppers. I heat processed the bottled peppers for 15 minutes, as I had no idea of where to get bladders.
I know, I got wordy!
I found it useful. Tommie. The friend who gave me the cayenne peppers says her bush is going bonkers. Maybe she would hand off a bunch to me to pickle! I’m not fond of the hot stuff save in moderation, but she might welcome a jar or two.
I’m embarrassed to admit this, but it’s also funny, so — I still have a partl jar in the fridge, and the jar with the paw print sticker is on the counter awaiting use, because — I forgot to write back and ask if that was just a label to differentiate, or what. I had forgotten since reading the note when you sent it. So, um, I do sort of presume that paw print jar is for me rather than for the cats, but I haven’t checked it. So…yes, no, maybe, total laughter? 😀
Dang it, I need to eat the rest of the one jar, too. I presently have tortillas and a few hamburger buns, but am out of bread or biscuits. I’ve been too lazy to find a recipe and make bred or biscuits. Man….
The chutney was spicy for me. I’m pretty mild on the caliente hot-and-spicy meter. Medium salsa is about my heat level. — My mom and her grandmother on her mom’s side were both chili-heads, and would have loved it as hot as you wanted to make it. Me, I do better with a mildly spicy mix. But I’d try the chutney again.
I often just omit hot peppers from recipes, but I have wondered if I should try that some. When I do use peppers or ground, dried spices, I use about half or so. — I wonder, would pickled peppers be a good solutions, or does that alter the spice heat too much?
Tommie, my mom typically kept Tabasco sauce and the green pepper sauce (which I think was made in Louisiana) and liked to keep pickled or jarred jalapeño slices on hand for beans or many other dishes, Mexican or Italian. So she would have loved the pickled peppers y’all (Tommie and Chondrite) have done.
It won’t be for a while yet, but that has me yearning for an étouffée or gumbo, whether shrimp, fish, whatever. Tommie, do you or someone else here have a good recipe? (Dang it, my big stock/soup pot is in storage or gone. I can do regular to small batches with my regular pots and pans, scale down the recipe.)
BTW, my grandmother (mom’s side) and my dad’s brother used to make fig preserves with jelly, which may have been strawberry, besides the straight fig. I think my grandmother included a little lemon peel in hers, can’t recall. They had different recipes and compared and liked them.
Oh! Spiced peaches — I have not thought of those in ages. I don’t have my grandmother’s recipe. Do y’all (anyone) have a recipe for those?
BTW, mail / courier delivery has been somewhat better during the shutdown. Two pkgs. went AWOL, supposedly were delivered but I never saw them. Other than that, the only thing has been the occasional weird delay, or availability of grocery items, say. — No idea yet if/when I might be moving, but not until Augst at earliest.
Less spicy in my case, but good stuff. I am trying to learn to take more spicy/hot stuff. — Good thing I have bbq sauce on hand, since I didn’t get the bbq I had in the last grocery order, and I’m craving it. Haven’t checked on local delivery restaurant options. I haven’t seen a flyer from a local Chinese restaurant in months; they used to send flyers every couple of months.
Fireworks here. The kitten doesn’t know whether to hide or keep with me. Poor little guy, his first July 4th, scary human goings-on! — Goober is blasé, he’s in and knows he’s therefore safe. I wish the kitten would learn. He’s good otherwise, but just isn’t learning not to bite. 🙁
I need to check; I think I have CJ’s bread recipe; know I have her pizza dough recipe.
First, I must tell you that if you add one pod of okra to a soup or stew, it becomes gumbo. Add a beet, and you have borscht.
Sea Monster Gumbo
Slice and fry onion in butter with a little cayenne. Add some okra and tomato product. Simmer until okra is tender. Add some imitation crab meat and heat through. Serve over rice.
LOL, too funny. 😀 — Immediately followed by wondering how long it’s been since I’ve had okra and tomatoes or fried okra. No wonder I’m so off-kilter lately! 😀 I have, however, had black eyed peas fairly recently. Hmm, but I haven’t had turnips or turnip greens in too long either. I see my grocery list will need some good Southern / soul food staples.
I’m fairly sure most gumbo is more complex than that, but hmm, I can do that. Haven’t bought crab (real or faux) in a while. (It’s funny two of the first things I learned to cook were pork chops and gravy and my parents’ version of spaghetti sauce; oh, and pinto beans. Hmm, three, then. I was an adult before I learned I’d been making a simple roux for the gravy, and learned what a roux is. So I’m not too afraid of simmering stuff to make gumbo, étouffée, or other dishes, just have to get motivated and do it. (Naturally, rice is usual along with either. Rice is easy. Heck, I think fish is easy as long as it’s fileted.)
I’m sorry, I don’t remember which jar had what; one was chutney and the other was mango jam. I thought I used a Sharpie to label them, but it may have worn off. The only way to tell is a taste test, although I believe the one which is more orange is the mango jam. The paw print jar was recycled; a friend gave me some cookie mix they got for supporting the local animal shelter, and it seemed appropriate 🙂
Nipper Update: The kitten was (almost) behaving himself earlier. He wants to play, he’s got tons of energy, but he’s also being a total brat with the nipping. I am fine with him playing, not with the nipping at me or Goober.
Tonight, he chased Goober and harassed him so badly that Goober spit up after being interrupted at the water bowl. (There’s another in the bathroom.) But the kitten wasn’t through chasing Goober, all through the apartment, with Goober complaining the whole way. “Get away from me, quit bothering me!” So I separated them, putting Goober in the bedroom with me and closing the door so the kitten was out of the bedroom. Oh my, the protestations.
Goober got a little attention and I thought he was going to settle down. He moved to a box, but then got down and pawed at the spot where the litter box had been. (I’d moved it from there to the kitchen / breakfast nook.) I got the message and let him out.
The kitten promptly chased Goober, while Goober dashed into the bathroom and…had an accident beside the litter box. As though it was only water, clear, but smelly, as if from his bowels instead of his bladder. He has done that at least twice before, but not under bullying. I haven’t remembered to ask the vet if that means anything internal, health-wise. But this time, it was surely stress.
I cleaned up. And when Goober sought refuge in the kitchen and living room, the kitten chased him again. Goober did get up to a safe spot for a while.
I’d have enough. I scolded him, by the scruff of he neck and a couple of nose-taps, not too subtle. I shut him up in the bathroom. He has been meowing non-stop, begging to be let out, yowling, separation anxiety and general distress at being thwarted. I doubt he understands. But I don’t see an alternative to separating him and Goober for a long while tonight. I went to the door and tried to explain, but of course I don’t think he understands that, with me telling him no biting, no bullying of Goober, no biting me, no biting Goober. He’s still in there, still meowing. I feel bad for him, my hearts broken, but I have also had it with this bad behavior. He is not getting the message, no matter what I ry. Not the first time today he got scolded. I’m making him wait until he settles down. I may keep him in there the rest of the night, as I did once before. I cannot have him hassling Goober, either by attempting to play or by outright bullying, which this was just now. It isn’t right for Goober’s sake; it isn’t right for the kitten to get away with nipping me; it isn’t right for his interactions with other cats or humans. Little kitten learning to be an alpha or leader or not, just wanting to play and not knowing the rules, or being a bully, he can’t keep doing this. I don’t want to set up a pattern of him acting out, becoming aggressive towards me or Goober, cats or humans. I don’t want him scared and not understanding. But I can’t let him get by with the misbehavior on this scale, either. That’s way over the line. Goober hasn’t done anything wrong all day. He’s only tried to avoid the kitten and has been interrupted or run off each time he’s wanted attention from me and come to ask for it.
I still don’t want to give him up, but I don’t see any alternative right now. This was so far over the line that I can’t stand it. So he’s getting a night-long timeout. (I’m sure I’ll have to go in to use th bathroom and will give him attention a time or two tonight. If he eats all the dry in the bowl there, I’ll refill it, and there’s a water bowl.)
I think I have to face the notion that I have to give him away, as much as I want to see the potential in him when he doesn’t nip or harass. He’s bored and lonely, but he still hasn’t gotten the rules, don’t bite to make friends, or to invite play, and don’t bite your friends or loved ones. — He wants love and attention. He wants to be with me on the bed. He’s happy to nap near me or spend a while getting a cuddle in my arms or on my lap, when he’s tired out and wants that. But constantly, his play behavior is nipping, pestering. A wand toy is the only time he has enough distance not to try to nip the hand along with a toy, or track the hand instead of the toy. Or play with Goober by nipping, which Goober does not like or want, and objects to by vocalizing plenty, all through it, and by pawing at the kitten or trying to hold him down, sometimes nipping back. But Goober still has only rarely delivered a smackdown hold or anything serious. Nothing gets through to the kitten, whose ego or drive is immune to Goober or me.
So…. He has to stay until I can give him away, but I think I don’t have an option anymore. I don’t see how to get him out of this into a well-behaved young cat. I can’t ut up with being nipped now or in the future with real biting. His current nipping is beyond the careful control that kittens and cats can use when just playing or feeling or giving a message. I know the difference. The kitten does not. I’m so unhappy. I’d thought I could get him to learn and we’d be a good team, the three of us. But in the nine plus weeks I’ve had him, he hasn’t learned any better, and he’s now a newly adolescent cat, somewhere at the start of that, at 14-plus weeks, estimated. If I thought he could learn, get past this, and get along with Goober and be trustworthy not to nip or bite at me, then I’d be glad for him to stay. And I wanted him to stay. Seeing him grow since I got him at 4 to 5 weeks, so tiny and needy, seeing his quirky, funny, cute, charming, sweet side when he’s behaving and wants to cuddle and love, I love that side of him. he’s beautiful, too, charming. — But if he can’t learn and get past the biting, and can’t get along with Goober, to the point he’s making Goober that stressed out, to spit up or have an accident (poop/etc.), that is too far. If it were not so frequent lately, I’d say he has a chance.
I don’t know what else to do but give him away, at this point But he has to say until I can find a shelter and until I have spending money again to take him there. No place will pick him up and the vet won’t take him, I know from all previous attempts. I only got the shelter to take Peppercorn and kittens because I took a chance and they’d had contact with me a week prior. I don’t think shelters, except the county, are doing intake with current shutdown again. I don’t know if I can get him into a shelter or how long that might take.
Obviously, in the meantime, he and Goober can’t be separated all the time, and he can’t be cooped up all the time. He deserves and needs love and socialization with me and with a cat, therefore Goober. But I don’t intend to put up with him bullying Goober, either.
I haven’t had any luck with this since giving away Smokey, putting him on the curb. Only Mystic or one of Peppercorn’s kittens might have worked, but that was not to be. I had thought Ned would do fine. I can’t believe we’re in this position, and I can’t figure out if I am somehow doing something that is making this not work.
I intend to go solo with Goober for the remainder of his life, which may be another year to a year and a half or so; he’s 13 and 8 months now. After Goober, I intend to wait a while and then I’d take an adult cat or a kitten who won’t nip/bite, no such behavior problems. Or I could take two so they have another cat to be with.
At this point, I couldn’t take another cat unless I knew for absolute certain they would get along great with Goober, who is so non-assertive and rarely passive-aggressive. He is a rare cat to be like that; I’ve never had one so much that way before.
I’m so disheartened about the kitten, but after this, I don’t see a choice in what to do. I just can’t find how to reach him to get him out of the misbehavior and make it stick, or to solve it so they make friends, so Goober doesn’t get hassled / bullied. The kitten needs a good home. He deserves a good chance. Surely someone out there can take him, and train him, along with other cats, so he learns better, or else has enough space so it isn’t a problem.
Dang it. I still love the little so-and-so. But I’m also beyond done with the misbehavior, and having been angry at him a few times has shown that. Tonight, I was just past it, just done, weary and trying to get through to him with gentle talk, except for that firm rebuke.
I don’t want this but I don’t think it’s right anymore to make Goover or me continue to put up with this. I wish the kitten had a good home to go to right now. For tonight and through the weekend, he’s going to be on probation, and subject to more timeouts, stuck in the bathroom. Smokey, Curry, not Mystic, Peppercorn but not four of her five kittens, and now Ned. If it’s me, I urgently need it to change. But I can’t reach little Ned, so he needs a better home. Goober and I have to have some peace from this. All three of us deserve better. But I can’t believe it’s come to this. The kitten came to me so needy and I guess so unsocialized or Mal-socialized. I don’t seee any choice. Yet I also still love him, I’m heartbroken, and we need some better life. No more bullying. No more nipping or biting. Tired of it.
Sorry, folks, I just don’t know what else to do, and yet it’s happened too often over the past year and four months.
@BCS, can you contact the people who took Peppercorn and her kittens, explain about little Nipper and how he bullies Goober?
They might be willing to make another exeption to pick him up.
It looks like I didn’t write down the names of the staffers at Special Pals I spoke with last time with Peppercorn and crew. But they are my best bet, even though they may not be taking in pets now, and ordinarily, they go through a filtering process before taking in animals.
The there major volunteer shelter has caveats about severe aggression, diseases or injuries, for which they euthanize. They call their system “managed” and say they avoid it. They still might be a good enough option, but I will try Special Pals again. — It’s for sure nothing’s going to happen tomorrow. As of yesterday, my money transfer still had not happened; it is supposed to be in process.
The kitten did OK this morning, got some cuddling time after breakfast and loved that, got play time a while after that, and I think is napping now. But I will no longer put up with it if he hassles Goober. Enough was enough last night. As smart cat and others have said, it’s not fair for Goober or the kitten or me. I just wish it could have worked out. If only the kitten could get a n Attitude Adjustment so he’d quit nipping and would get along with Goober and make friends the right way.
I don’t understand why the kitten is being so persistently aggressive. He was young enough to regard you as ‘mom/parent’, so should have understood if ‘mom’ disciplined him when he chased or bit. I know you have a very tender heart in the cat department, but if he is driving Goober and you to distraction and the shelters can’t or won’t take him, as a last resort you may have to put him outside. NOT what I would usually suggest, even in extremis, but the Nipper has worn out his welcome.
2020-07-06 | BlueCatShip | Ben W. | Reply about Ned Kitten Little Nipper
The vets have sympathized with me when he’s been in, and said that for kittens separated too early like him, it can be common for them to nibble / nip / bite and hard for them to get over it. I can’t understand this either. He arrived with this nibble-nibble-nibble trait, mostly gentle, which I took for, alternately, hunger (wanting to nurse) and exploration by mouth-touch; after all, human babies mouth things too, to explore. His vision and hearing are OK, which I thought of early one. He kept on with that nibbling, and “ow” and “no,” both of which should have worked, didn’t.
I think the nose-tap has backfired. He wanted to argue with me just now. He’d come up to the chair and wanted attention, but my slow moved and he hopped to the bed. When I picked him up to hold him, oh, nip, nip, as if he expects to be scolded again. It’s been a very rough day. He’s been in the bathroom three times today for squabbling / bullying Goober.
He never has gotten past that nibbling thing, and it’s only grown. He very clearly looked up to me as papa / daddy / substitute mama when I was taking 24 hour care of him those first weeks. The nibbling wasn’t bad then, but wouldn’t stop. It wasn’t as frequent.
Now, he is entering his teen months and testing limits and VERY stubborn and VERY self-confident. — I think this with Goober is a combo of wanting to initiate play or make friends, but not knowing how; plus a component of wanting to dominate if Goober won’t; plus, it looks a lot like how some little kids will pester another kid if they like him/her and want to play or make friends, but the wrong way. You know that kid on the playground who might pull hair or poke or otherwise annoy a kid, but the kid doing it liked the other kid and just didn’t know how to act right yet? It reminds me of that. He is bright, inquisitive, quirky, funny, and charming as all get-out. And yet I can’t get him to quit this bad habit, and it’s driving us nuts. Plus, he’s developing further bad behavior because he doesn’t understand me or Goober’s ways of telling him no, don’t do that not acceptable.
Sigh. I have been struggling with what to do. I was lucky they took Peppercorn and the kittens, because normally, they would not have yet, even though I thought I’d been OK’d to bring them in. — And at times, my temper and patience have been so gone that I’ve had some dark thoughts about punishing him or, yes, booting his little butt out the door, putting him on the curb in a carrier as I did with Smokey (and regret still), or taking him somewhere in the country and letting him loose. — If I let him out here at the apartment complex, I know he is almost certain to get worms again, and fleas, and could get FIV, since Curry got it from some cat around here. (When I last saw Mystic, he had a cough like the same respiratory crud Curry had, and Mystic looked thinner and shorter-coated than I’d seen him before, but it was him. So he may have caught FIV besides a respiratory illness.) — And letting him loose here (the kitten, that is) would just undo what I’ve spent two months and a chunk of money undoing. Plus, er, he could show up at my door repeatedly or the boyfriend and girlfriend pair could realize, hey, that sure does look like that little kitten we gave Ben, he must’ve gotten out and got lost…. Sigh. But I’ve caught myself thinking about those kinds of things.
Still no deposit pending. That was supposed to have been in process more than a week ago, then reminded on the 1st or 2nd and definitely was supposed to be in process. The bank has a note up that things are slowed due to the pandemic restrictions. — But this means I don’t even have money for a trip to the vet or to a shelter, and I had told the apt. mgr. that I expected to have my rent payment in by Monday. I think I’ll be lucky if it shows up tomorrow.
The kitten is currently out of the bathroom. He and Goober fussed a bit, but then parted. (Goober has been just a bit more proactive sometimes, but always gives up and retreats, never puts his food down, and rarely will really hold down the kitten, who squirms and nips anyway.) I’m trying to give the kitten attention and love so he doesn’t lose socialization. But I think he’s getting the wrong message, not understanding, by my attempts to get him to quit the behavior. Oh, the separation meowing was bad, this evening. — I don’t get why he’s not getting it, and why this is a string of stray or semi-feral cats now who have had similar issues. That makes me feel like there’s a component of me in this, not just the cats. But it’s been a long time since I’ve been around semi-feral cats, and the mama cat when I was a teen always had beautiful socialized, loving kittens. Until Smokey, I had not had this problem wit other cats.
If this little guy could just LEARN why this is not acceptable, and learn NOT to nip, and cold learn to act right with Goober, he’d be a good cat. I don’t get why he’s not learning it. I do think he got the idea that, because I raised him, spent so much time spirit him when he got here, that he must be top cat, and didn’t want to share with Goober. But Goober was here in the room with him most of the time too, since I had Goober mostly separated from Peppercorn and crew by then. So I don’t get that part of this either.
But yeah, it’s gone past the point of reason. I’m giving the kitten ample time out of the bathroom, but putting him in there if/when he overdoes the misbehavior. I can’t believe it’s come to where we’re at odds like this Since I took him in, I thought he’d do great with me and with Goober and bond to both of us as best friends. He still wants my love and approval and attention (and food). But the bad behavior towards Goober, I can’t ignore, and nipping at my hands when he should know better by now, also not tolerable, past the point of tolerance.
I guess I’ll see if I still have utilities past tomorrow; shouldn’t affect phone or Kindle yet and maybe not cable, but no electricity would mean no wi-fi because no router. it’s only the current (upcoming) month due, but when I had trouble before having to sell the house and move here, I learned companies no longer give two months’ grace, they’ll cut off either in one month or immediately. So…we’ll see. I will call that friend tomorrow. I may have to ask if he can intercede, take care of it, and me pay him back when my money does come through. I hope it goes OK.
I will put up with the kitten as long as I can before I give up and put him outside. I hope he can go to a shelter; that’s by far the best option. Honestly, I was not thrilled with the vet that they wouldn’t take a kitten and arrange fostering him or taking him to a shelter or pick up, given that they knew my eyesight. But no one in town will do that that I have found. If it goes on too long, I may have to put him outside and just have an outside kitten, I guess, or let him find his new owner. Not what I want, but yeah, I’ve been thinking of all the options, ones I don’t like and ones that would be good. So…I hope things go better than it looks like they are now.
I still love the little guy, despite being at wit’s end and unhappy with him. I still want good things for him despite the aggravation making me want to kick his furry butt. I still have this forlorn hope somehow he’ll have this magical “aha!” moment and act right. But he’s been here 9 weeks plus, now, and he’s driving Goober batty, and it’s too, too much to ut up with.
Gooer had a second incident with his bowls this evening. I think, hope, it’s stress at all the uproar around and the kitten’s bad behavior. Can’t go to the vet yet if it is something physical and not psychosomatic / stress.
Little kitten, if only you’d get past this, you could be a great cat for someone. Dang it, I wanted that to be me. Had no idea it would not be. Don’t know why the discipline message isn’t soaking n to change his behavior. It’s like he thinks he’s in charge and not me, and that should not be, given that he looked up to me and still seems to. (He’s napping on the bed where I sleep, not just any old spot.) So despite everything, there is some corner of his fluffy, stubborn brain that still loves me and thinks I’m daddy. If only I could get him over this. Nuts, I’ve tried everything. So dismayed and unhappy at being in this position, to give him away or just turn him loose outside.
If he stays bonded to me and here as home and is an outside cat…I guess I could live with that too.
BTW, after his last vet appt., I tried to put a collar on him. It was way too big but I had it on there. He freaked, panicked, and I nearly got bitten for real before I could get it off him, he ws moving so much I couldn’t get the release to let go for a minute. I haven’t tried since, and I don’t have a name tag for him because I wasn’t satisfied with his name until lately. I do have collars, kitten-sized, and will start trying those. If the money comes in, it’s worth it to get a couple of tags for him before or until he’s given to a shelter, or if he has to go outside.
Phooey, what a mess Got to get through tomorrow and the next day first. One step at a time.
Ben, the virus quarantine and general shutdown is probably stalling things, but you need to find kitten a new home ASAP. It’s not fair to Goober, you, or kitten for that matter.
Toes crossed you get the house situation sorted soon. Waiting is the pits.
Toes crossed everyone enjoyed a happy and safe Fourth. Here in RI we are in 3rd stage opening, with masks still required.
We’ll see, grasshopper…….we’ll see……
I had some sort of viral thing for a couple of weeks at New Year. Because I’ve had several serious infections I went to the doc and had the battery of tests they do on me. Nothing showed up and while it made me miserable for 2 or 3 weeks it went away. I thought it might be COVID but it wasn’t.
My spouse got what is likely a viral or bacterial infection of the ear about 4 weeks ago or, that’s what the Ear, Nose & Throat specialist thought based on the vertigo she had, via the telemedicine Zoom call. It takes a long time for symptoms to fully dissipate. The vertigo has gone although mild balance issues still pop up occasionally and she has a low but persistent ringing in the ears and headaches when she pushes her balance too far. No COVID, though, ‘cause we both got tested. Mostly, my spouse wants to know how she got a virus when we’ve been so scrupulous due to COVID. (Viruses & bacteria abound in the daily environment, I presume though.)
I just found out that a step-uncle of mine passed away from COVID-19 and that a son of mine needs to be tested for exposure to the virus. I hope this is as close as it gets to me.
Sad Cat Update: Goober still has the weird, almost clear gel-like diarrhea, which firs occurred Saturday, and which may be stress or could be a bug or aging. Twice before in the past year and a half, he’s had this, but only one instance at a time. This is repeating. The kitten stressed him out way too much over the weekend and is still hassling him.
I’ve had the kitten isolated in the bathroom a few times much of Sunday and let him stay unconfined most of Monday, but he keeps pestering Goober. Just now, I ut the kitten in the bathroom, but his cries to be let out got to me. I went in and cried because that part of me still loves him and doesn’t want to give him away, yet I know I can’t let him keep on with Goober. I can’t yet take him to a shelter and I don’t know if the previous shelter will intake him, even if I plead like last time. I may have to put him outside in a carrier near the exit. I don’t want to, but I don’t see any alternative unless the shelter would take him. I’m not sure I can wait that long.
I can’t yet take Goober to the vet for a checkup either. So I am facing the harsh reality that I may or may not lose Goober from this, and I may have to put the kitten outside and not let him back in.
My friend’s personal deposit helped, my rent went through, but the storage unit fee did not, and my account is seriously overdrawn, even once that deposit clears. The investment transfer is supposed to go through this week, any day now, but may take up until Friday.
To one friend here, I will get to that when I can. I haven’t slept more than two hours tonight.
I am fighting with myself over whether to put the kitten out, but he can’t stay, as much as I wish he could. I’m heartbroken over the situation with both of them. I hope Goober recovers, and I expect to take him for a checkup when I can. He is eating, I’m feeding I’m and the kitten separately again. But the very weird condition of his output has me stumped. Although I’ve seen it from him before, I have never seen this in a human and don’t know what it is.
So I am essentially in mourning, but hoping he makes it OK. I expect I may have to put the kitten outside in a carrier near the exit. I have considered just letting him outside, having him out there as an outside cat and continuing to feed and water him. But then I realized first that that seems like condemning him to a slow, ultimately harsh ending, and that I am not sure I can stand seeing him out there in need continually, especially if Goober doesn’t make it. I’m heartbroken. I don’t see any better choices yet.
I am going to try to wait a few days until the money comes through, but I may have to put the kitten out before then. I was so torn tonight hearing him cry from the bathroom, despite that he’d just hassled Goober again while Goober was having an accident. Before, I’ve been much clearer not on the kitten’s side and very much on Goober’s side. Breaking down crying tells me how upset I am too, but the kitten cannot stay anymore, I know that, whatever I do.
To all those who’ve been following this, I’m very sorry there isn’t a better outcome. I hope Goober makes it. He’s OK so far, but this is hard on him, I am sure. I am facing that I will be down to Goober or no cats soon. I intend to wait a while, rather than immediately adopting another cat or two when Goober’s time comes. I need the break and I want a cat who won’t have behavior problems when I do get one. Being alone will be hard when that time comes. I don’t want a cat who bites. Goober has been and is a joy to have, only ever minor problems, never really ongoing. He’s rare and I don’t expect to have such a non-assertive cat again. I have always loved cats, and this past year and a half has been very rough with cats with behavior problems I haven’t been able to get them past.
Feeling very down. Going to be up a bit longer and try to get to sleep again. The kitten will go in the bathroom then, and I’ll have to wait until he gets quiet. A very sad night. Thanks to all who’ve cared about this. I hope to have better news about Goober soon, but it might not be as I wish. Having to face that I may lose one to stress and age and illness, and the other to behavior problems I can’t get him cured of.
Take care, everyone. I’ve been a mess the past few days, I know. You all have been patient and some of you have been good friends indeed. I want us all out of this waking nightmare of virus and political craziness and personal crises. I am often not happy with how humans are, but I still have this wish that we could be better, and it is good to see some folks are still good, a thing it’s easy to lose track of lately.
@BCS, do please call PetSmart and explain he’s stressing your old cat to the point of getting sick, so you really can’t keep him any longer.
If they still won’t pick him up, try calling the animal shelter and explain the same thing to them. If they know the alternative is you putting him out at the curb in a carrier “free to a good home” they might pick him up anyway.
Third option is calling the vet with the same story, explaining Goobers diarrhea that may be caused by the stress, and that options 1 and 2 wouldn’t take him.
Any of those would be better than just putting him outside in a carrier during a lockdown, and hoping someone kind will pass by, see him (from their car?), stop and take him home before he dehydrates or something bad happens to him.
Neither PetSmart nor Petco will intake pets here in town, probably because we’re a major city. They tell you to call local shelters. The shelters won’t pick up and neither will the vet’s office. The vet won’t take in the kitten to send him to a shelter or a foster/adoption. I went through trying that with Curry and then Peppercorn and her kittens. The vets and staff of course know my eyesight, but won’t bend policy. So I was stuck.
The kitten tried hassling Goober, chasing him around the apartment again this morning before dawn. I gave him a timeout while I wrote out a note outlining his medical history and giving his vet clinic contact info, put that in a ziplock baggie and taped it to the carrier with a mailing label, and wrote out, note to veterinary clinic or shelter, with his name. I set him out at the person-sized gate between the outer parking lot and the mailboxes, rather than putting him near the car gate to the parking lot, which is too near the dumpsters. I had said my goodbyes and I’d taken a last few photos. Ironically, he’d been happy to cuddle but then wanted to start nipping to play with my hand, and further irony, he went into the carrier, ready for a trip or some fun. I felt terrible, except that I’d also had to clean up after Goober again, who’d been so stressed (or sick) that he had an accident by the litterbox.
It’s now been over an hour and a half.I came back in, defeated, feeling awful, and fed Goober, who got to eat without interference again. He wolfed down the food like he expected the kitten would appear and take it away, and meowed at me expectantly. He hasn’t yet realized the kitten is not here inside anymore, so he’s in a spot he can defend or spring away from, but not hiding.
My email let me know that my storage space fee didn’t go through at the start of the month. I called the local friend, who is going to call them and either forestall or pay it. Word is still that the transfer from investment should arrive at least pending between Wed. and Frid. this week, slowed by the holiday weekend having the bank closed and the pandemic. I’m hopeful it will arrive as claimed. Otherwise OK and should be able to check other utility / monthly payments to take care of them then.
Whether or not Goober’s problem clears up by then, I’ll get him a vet checkup when I can get to the vet.
I swore I’d never put a pet out on the curb again as I did with Smokey. I’m not happy to have to do it again. But it’s better than letting him loose to a slow decline or daily traumas around the apartments, with known health problems he would get, fighting and so on. It would break my heart to have to refuse him and keep him outside, and if Goober doesn’t get better, I wouldn’t be able to look past that for a long time; I’d always be reminded of it, seeing the kitten. So, as much as I hate doing it this way — I don’t see an alternative, since I can’t get shelters to help. It is baffling to live in a big city, to ask for help from places that ought to be able to take in a pet, but they won’t by policy or because they’re full, and won’t be bothered to bend policy to help someone who can’t get to them or to take in a cat in need. I was stunned at that when I’d tried for Curry and for Peppercorn and her kittens. I’m just as stunned now for the kitten/s sake.
It has made me find sympathy for cases where you hear a cat or dog was left like that.
If I’d been able to get a ride, I had in mind to drop him off at a shelter. But this was my only real option, and I couldn’t see keeping him shut in the bathroom crying for days and Goober stressed out or harassed for days until I could work things out.
I used to not understand why Mark Twain was such a misanthrope, and yet so witty and insightful of the human condition. The last many years have made me understand this better. I still have that naive and sensitive and optimistic side somewhere in there, or I wouldn’t have broken down crying over the kitten’s plight overnight, even while unhappy with him about how he’s treated Goober and can’t seem to learn better.
I ate and I’m going to work to distract myself. If this world were fair, I could’ve found the way to reach the kitten and change his behavior, so he and Goober could be fast friends and so he would quit nipping at me while attempting play or freeing or affection, and I would’ve been able to keep him just fine, as I wanted. But I couldn’t put up with him badgering Goober yet again, and he’s kept on to the point that I haven’t been sure about letting him sleep with me, though he hadn’t in a while, only napped with me some while I was awake.
I hope someone gets him, either adopts him or gets him to a shelter where he can be adopted out after his checkup (2 weeks quarantine at any place before they’d release him).
I still love him, but I had to give him up with the thin hope someone will take him and love him and not kill him. That is my world today.
I’m going to keep busy to be distracted. I’m about asleep on my feet and very much not happy with myself or the kitten or this world. But I have learned to go on and eventually find a way to keep fighting. I didn’t used to think it was necessarily “fighting” to make a good life. — Sorry, everyone, I am feeling very sour right now.
I will be back on when I can face it, later today or during the week. Thanks for anyone’s forbearance. I will get through this, I guess. Trying to get past it, but it’s hard. Today was not somethingg I wanted to do. I have let down, abandoned, one cat friend to keep another. I can’t fathom the moral compromise there. I’m supposed to believe it’s OK, that I did what I could. But I am still going to feel a loss for the kitten’s sake, a friend regardless. I am a sentimental, soft-hearted, soft-headed idiot, I guess.
Phooey, I will be back on sometime this week Just…not happy with the world or myself or the kitten, and too much of a dilemma to wrap my head around and meander through.
At least he has a tiny chance. I hope the universe helps him out. Karma? I feel like I’ve earned some bad karma from it. If only I could have found a way. I don’t know how, though.
Take care, everyone Life is not as easy as we imagine when we’re kids or idealistic teens.
Careful, Ben. You’re going to get yourself Banned.
Comment
I’m appalled that you killed a cat in the cruelest way for acting like the kitten that it was
Crop Tiger, for starters welcome! Second, there was no killing. We are tossing out suggestions for BCS about a kitten he tried to adopt but has not been able to socialize properly. Many of the options available to someone else aren’t practical for him.
He put a cat in a cattier it couldn’t escape from out in a Texas July for acting like a kitten. This is the second time he’s apparently done that. Unless in the very unlikely case someone picked it up in less than an hour it’s dead. I used to enjoy this website, but if the commentators think this acceptable I think I’ll leave.
I don’t think that’s acceptable, and I daresay most people here would agree.
My day lilies are finally in bloom, slowly but surely. And the frogs are cooking away in the pond. These are the sounds of summer. Photos on my blog and FB. http://www.thesmartcat.blogspot.com
We need to finish cleaning the pool and order water, just in time for the rest of summer.
Right now I am debating putting laundry out. Looks like it might rain in a bit.
Ben, do not put the kitten outside. Remember your guilt when you put Curry(?) out? If I were closer I would take him.
I
I hope that they are croaking away. Cooking a whole pond just takes too much effort!
Yes, Tommie! Croaking! Thankyou spell check!
The image of the pond cooking frogs is a scary one indeed! 🤭
Remember the old saw that compared “How to boil a frog” with Global Warming? Stay scared.
BCS, I feel for you, but you are posting long multiple paragraphs with details about your personal life and problems day after day again. You repeatedly promised to take these stories to a website of your own and haven’t. Hijacking this blog again. In violation of Carolyn’s own recent rule about posting.
Stop!
I, for one, agree. Yes, he may have handicaps, but that’s neither an excuse, nor can any of us objectively help in cyberspace. Warnings aren’t working. Maybe a “time-out” will.
How many members avoid visiting her blog because of his behavior?
Stop piling on, people. If you have a complaint, email directly to CJ’s email. You can find it in the contact info bar at top. This is supposed to be a welcoming blog and while I sympathize with both sides we all need to be polite, and let CJ handle her blog behind the scenes.
While I believe everyone has the best intentions, I agree with your advice.
Although as an Aspie I can’t claim a grasp of how to motivate others, as I already have CJ in my addressbook, I made the comment here with deliberate intent, so Ben could see it and might moderate himself knowing it is not going unnoticed. Maybe that’s a forelorn hope, and others don’t function that way, but I know it can work.
And I believe I can say “piling-on” is a pretty foreign concept to Aspies. It requires one to join a group, and we’re not “joiners”. We don’t “connect” very much if at all with people en-masse. But then we are called a “spectrum”.