Curtin Call

Yes, you’re reading correctly.  I have a plant that actually makes me feel old:

That plant was actually given to me by a childhood friend.  Without giving too much away, that means that that plant is 30+ years old.  How can that be?

This picture actually doesn’t do it any justice.  It’s actually much bigger than it appears.  The picture wasn’t taken to show off the plant, it was actually taken to show the color of the walls.  A coworker and I were discussing wall colors and her living room is a dark hunter green and her bedroom is a very deep maroon.  Another coworker piped in that her kitchen is the same bright red that is in our new office.

I tend to go with pastels.  My bedroom is a pretty mauve:

And my living room/dining room/hallway are a very pale yellow.  I hope to have a peach bathroom soon and sometime thereafter, a baby blue kitchen.  I think I just find light colors to be more relaxing and after the insanity of any given day in my life, relaxing when I arrive home is just right!

So, how about you?  Do you prefer dark colors or light?  Why?

Brian managed to get Shadow into his carrier and off to the vet yesterday.  If you ask him how he did it, he’ll tell you he “offered him an ultimatum”.

I’m happy to report that the vet called to let us know that he is out of surgery and resting comfortably.

We call at 3:30 to see what time he’ll be ready to go home.  I’m hoping I can pick him up on my way home, if Brian isn’t able to pick him up earlier than that.  I miss him!!!

So, the question has been asked – when IS Shadow going to get “fixed”?  Tuesday.  Yup.  That’s the plan.  We’ll bring him in after work on Monday (there’s someone at the vet’s office 24 hours a day to watch them).  And he’ll get fixed Tuesday.  Yup.  That’s the plan.

Yeah.  Right.

Twice now, I’ve tried to post a nice update.  The first time I decided to bounce out and add another picture and when I came back, the post was gone.

So, I started again and did the entire post.  When I went to create the news item, I had to go over to another application and when I came back – poof! – gone again.

So, here it is.  A nice short, boring post for all my followers to  read so that I can see if this blog is still working without frustrating myself to the point of no return.

Hope everyone is well.

Okay.  So, today was supposed to be “the” day for Shadow! 

As you may have read previously, Shadow does not want to go to the vet.  He actually makes it quite clear that he will not go to the vet.  However, after four attempts and a bit of trickery on my part, I managed to get him in last month for his second shot.

When leaving the vet that time, they suggested that I bring him back on December 4th, between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. to get his final shot and to be “fixed”.  Yeah.  Right.  Just like that.  Waaahaaahaaaa!  They are funny.

As I was getting prepared to attempt to trick him into letting me get him in the carrier this morning, he once again made it very clear that he would not go to the vet.  Now, I know this sounds rather harsh but since he was not able to eat or drink after midnight, I figured my only weapon in this war on vet visits would be food.  So I sprinkled a few niblets on the kitchen floor  (which he prefers over the bowl anyway) and as he bent to take a bite, I went in for the grab.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough and he flew (almost literally) down the hallway and under the spare bed.

So, out comes the box of food again and this time, I pour some into his metal bowl and sure as heck, here he comes!  I again go in for the scoop and he again takes off down the hallway and under the spare bed.

Okay, I think.  I’ll get him!  So I proceed to close the doors to all the bedrooms which will leave him only the bathroom to hide for cover.  I figure if I can get him in the bathroom, he’s all mine!  Yeah.  Right.

So, down the hallway he goes again, this time confused for just a brief moment when he discovers the doors closed!  Ah, ha, I think!  I’ll get him now!  Yeah.  Right.  Rather than get himself trapped in the bathroom, that cat did a 180 faster than I could blink and came running back at full speed to get downstairs.  Unfortunately, I was in the way and he barreled into my shin at such a speed that I thought I would be knocked to the ground.

Now, I was concerned for him  because I figured with the pain I was feeling in my leg from this collision, he would have been all but passed out (which would, of course,  have made it easier to get him in the carrier but we wouldn’t want things to be that simple).  So, downstairs I went and in my search, went into the storage room only to have him go running out of that room, once again at break neck speeds and back up the stairs!  I did peek again, and he was lying under the pool table and actually allowed me to get within a few feet and he appeared to be back to his purring self so all should be well in that department.

Needless to say, Shadow didn’t get to the vet today and in his efforts to be certain that he did not, I darn near needed a visit to the medical center myself!

Okay, where has the time gone?  I can’t believe it’s been nearly 3 weeks since I posted.

It also does not seem possible that Thanksgiving has come and gone and now just 4 short weeks until Christmas.

No way.  This just can’t be!

We did it, we did it, we did it!

On Saturday, Shadow went to the vet for his second kitty shot.

He.did.not.like.it. 

Not.one.bit!

After the last three failed attempts, the vet office was nice enough to give me an “open” appointment and just said to bring him in if/when I could get him into his carrier. 

I awoke Saturday morning and went about my day as I would on any other Saturday.  At one point, I’d come in from an errand and Shadow was sitting in the bay window.  I proceeded to the back room and set the carrier up on end.  I then went to the window, patted him and scooped him up quick and calm!  Got him into the carrier and yelled to hubby (he was downstairs) “I’ve got him – quick – let us out the front door!”

Considering the struggle it’s been to get him there, he was actually quite well behaved for the vet so I figure those folks must think I’m completely off my rocker. 

Little man (we won’t be calling him that much longer!) weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 2 ounces.  We calculate his age to be approximately 6 months.  They say the average cat weighs between 7 and 12 pounds and gains most of their weight in the first year.  Do the math here.  We were either given an inaccurate birthday window or we’re going to have one very large man on our hands!

The next visit will be his final kitty shot as well as the snipping.  “Have him here at 8 a.m. on Monday, December 4th”, they said.

Yeah.

Right.

Okay, I’ve now made three unsuccessful attempts in getting Shadow the the vet.  I just don’t understand – he was so much more well behaved than I would have ever expected when he
got his first shot last month.  Exactly what happened that he wants no part of his carrier???

Saturday, I had a plan.  Said plan failed, but I had a plan. 

I asked Brian not to give the cats any fresh food Saturday morning.  Instead, when I was ready to go (and I mean ready – shoes, coat, etc.) he would hide in the room where the carrier is.  I would put fresh food in the bowls, which always brings Shadow running, and I would go in for the scoop!  I would then call to Brian that I had him and we would calmly put him in the carrier and whisk him off for his shot!

Yeah, right.

Fill said food bowls.  Wait for Shadow to come running.  Hmmm….  Okay, he’s downstairs, maybe he didn’t hear it.  Shake box of food at top of stairs.  Wait for Shadow to come running.  Hmmm….  Still no Shadow.  Walk downstairs and find Shadow at the bottom of said stairs looking up with the “they’re up to something, I just know they are” look on his face.  Get within approximately 2 feet, bend down to pat and Shadow bolts and hides in his favorite hiding spot.

Call vet and cancel once again.  Would you like to reschedule?  they ask.  I must admit my surprise that this vet is so willing to continue to play this little game.  In fact, I have an “open” appointment next Saturday.  Any time I can get him there between 8:00 and 11:30, I’m welcome to come on in!

Imagine all this?!?!?!?!

…but no one told me they had 6 senses!

Yup, he did it again!  Shadow managed to avoid yet another attempt to visit the vet.  This time, I decided that I would try to take him – hoping that with Brian and I both there, maybe we could calmly pick him up and place him in his carrier rather than having to chase him down, drag him out from under a bed and get him into it.  Ha!  Not!  He was having NO part of it.   I swear he knew I was trying catch him to take him.  As soon as he saw me, he ran and hid.  He would let me within a couple of feet of him but any closer and off he’d go.

Okay, I did come in through the front door and I usually come in through the garage but, come on!?!?!?  He could figure that out???  I don’t get it. 

It gets better, too.  After 20 minutes without success, I called and rescheduled his appointment for Saturday (hoping if we’re all there and calm maybe it’ll happen – yeah, right!).  So half an hour later or so, I ran out to the post office.  Upon my return, Shadow was up on the ledge looking out the window and he let me walk right up to him and pat him.

What is that 6th sense???

…little thing you’ve ever seen?

Well, my dad wouldn’tve agreed with that yesterday afternoon when it came time to get me in my carrier to take me to that evil man that sticks needles in my bum bum.  I said “Uh, no!  You may have fooled me once but you are NOT fooling me twice!” 

Okay, okay, I confess.  He won but I put up a darn good fight!  Took him nearly 15 minutes to get me in that sucker and when he turned his back, I chewed and chewed and chewed trying to get out.  I chewed so much that there was actual blood on the gate and little plastic thing that hangs off the door.  Huh!!!  That got his attention.  The guilt took over and he opened up that gate and let me run free! 

I did sort of feel bad because I knew he felt really, really bad seeing that.  So, I went and hid for awhile just to be sure it was safe and then I went and let him pet me so he would know that I still love him anyway!

I think I heard my slaves talking later last night and something was said around the lines of “Mom’s going to give it a try tomorrow”.   Waaaahaaaaahaaaa!  They’re sooo funny.  I am Prince of this house (Frosty’s the King and I’m okay with that), what I say goes – and if I say “no shots” then that’s the final word – no shots!!!