OT April Chit Chat

[jendie]

Jeanie posted a couple of days ago. Hope you're doing OK, Jeanie.

Nuthatch hasn't been here in over a week, at least not posting, but she stays pretty busy with various responsibilities and activities, I think.

I hope that Sally is doing OK and will be back here soon.

No word from or about renee.

Anyone remember or know anything about Jiane, by the way? She had the signature line "Keep your stick on the ice." I believe she wasn't doing very well and she vanished from here.

One problem with a message board is that those posting are often the ones who feel well enough to be here posting while those who are doing badly aren't up to checking in. Or they might just be busy or tired of message boards or mad at us. There's no way of knowing.

I remember Jiane, well the name at least.

My middle son was up here for a few days.

He took me out shopping and to look at new furniture and wore me out. He finally found a job...Yay!!!

Now both of my sons with drivers licenses are working, I wish they would come up more often to see me. I know, I know, a normal parent's lament.

Yes, proud parent that I am of my older two, now to get a fire started under my youngest. I have 2 appointments with the school district before the week is out, one tomorrow and one on Friday. Ugh

As if my life isn't stressful enough right now.

[Virginia]

There you are Jeanie. I am glad to hear that Andy is seeing a lady. I hope she is really a nice person. He deserves a real nice lady friend.

Jendie, hope you get through the meetings at the school without too much stress. Your life has been stressful enough lately, but I was glad to hear that the older two sons now both have jobs. With drivers license and a way to get there they just may begin to come to see you more often.

Thanks Agate for update on the people you know about. I expect Nuthatch may be expecting at least one of her children home for Easter.

[Howie]

Here it is, Thursday, the 13th. It just has to be bad, just from the sound of it!

My grass DID get cut. The only mower I could hear was running SUPER fast which was needed I'm sure, to cut it as long as it got.

I'm watching the black channel on TV. They show better movies than anyone else, late at night. Race and skin color means NOTHING. We are all just fragile humans trying to get by in this world. It's not easy for anyone.

Well, back to the movie.

Sam, what's that echo?

[agate]

Actually here it's Wednesday the 12th.

I watch movies too but on DVDs from the library. I sometimes watch movies set in Chicago so I won't get homesick. I watched "Medium Cool" which is set during the 1968 Democratic convention there, and I'm still watching episodes of "The Goodwife" though I'm on the final season now. It takes place in Chicago too.

jendie, congratulations on your sons' jobs. Jobs aren't so easy for younger people to find nowadays. I'm sure your youngest son will get his ducks in a row pretty soon.

Jeanie, that's good news about Andy and the lady in his life.

And now for this little Easter story:

A man is driving down the highway and sees a rabbit in the middle of the road. He swerves to avoid hitting it but unfortunately he hits it. The driver is a sensitive man as well as an animal lover, but to his dismay the rabbit is the Easter rabbit and he is dead.

The man is overcome with emotion and starts to cry. But then a beautiful lady pulls alongside and asks what is wrong.

After he has explained how he has accidentally killed the Easter bunny, to his amazement the young lady pulls an aerosol can out of her handbag, sprays it all over the rabbit, the rabbit gets up, hops away, and keeps waving, stopping, hopping, waving until he is out of sight.

The man is astonished, and he demands the young lady tell him what is in the can.

The lady turns the can around so that the man can read what it says:
Hair spray--restores life to dead hair and adds permanent wave.

[Howie]

What was that loud groaning sound I heard?

I've done so much today, before you guys even got up! I went to the store, for beer and cat litter. Odd combo, eh"

I've been having trouble with Seven pooping on the floor, RIGHT in front of the litter box. But I've watched her, and she sticks her head in the door, sniffs, then backs up and poops.

I figured it was time to dump the litter, and start fresh. She ended up doing the same thing. So today, I went and bought a big box of unscented litter. Took both litter boxes, washed and dried them to make sure there was no scent of the old scented litter.

Filled both with the unscented litter, and I wait with fingers crossed. If she continues doing it, then so be it. I won't put her down. Her time may be close anyway, and she is doing and acting like she never has.

My mom had Alzheimer's, and became a different person completely. I think Seven has a cat version of Alzheimer's.

So that's it from here in Cat land. Everyone have a great day!

[agate]

Sounds as if the litterbox is the hooded kind?

Some cats don't like them. They contain the odor so the rest of the house doesn't get it but the cats using the litterbox get a substantial whiff of it, and some cats are fussy enough not to like that. You might try taking the hood off.

She may just be getting more particular as the years go by.

[Cat Dancer]

Cats do have a keen sense of smell. Even though you might not smell it, the cat will...and indeed, they can get fussy in their old age. She's pooping? If she is peeing -- that might be a sign of a bladder infection.

I'd try removing the hood (if indeed it's a hooded box) and see if that makes a difference.

I hate when our furkids get old.....

[Howie]

Actually, I have three litter boxes, and all have the hoods. I'll take the hood off one, and see if it makes a difference. Thanks for the suggestions Cat and Agate.

[Virginia]

She also may just be figuring out that she is old and wants to assert her independence as much as she desires. I have seen old people who do that. They say things that are hurtful and would never have done that when they were younger. (Anyone here who catches me doing that be sure to call me out on it).

Thanks for the poem Agate. Sounds as though you had a nice evening watching a movie. I have had Dr. Zhivago out for a number of weeks and never get around to watching it.

I had planned all week to go out and do some things today, but when I woke this morning I felt so bad that I just couldn't do it. I have felt bad all day. It is quite warm here, but I have been cold most of the day, and I have a slight headache.

Howie, glad your lawn got cut. Pretty soon the heat will probably be so bad that it will die and you will not have to worry about it. But I wish that would not happen.

[Howie]

I remember the Summer days of the distant past when it was so hot and dry, and almost the whole yard would be brown and not growing. I wouldn't mind it a bit these days.

[Virginia]

I watched Dr. Zhivago tonight. I watched the first part until time for intermission, but it was too late for the second half. Maybe I can do that tomorrow night. I really had forgotten how good it is, because it has been so long since I saw it. I am not quite as cold as I was earlier and some of the chills have stopped.

[agate]

With Alec Guinness and Geraldine Chaplin? I saw it years ago. Did you like it?

[Virginia]

Agate, I first saw it in early 1967. I loved it. I finished the other half this morning. In addition to Alec Guinness and Geraldine Chaplin the main people were Omar Sharif and Julie Christie. I had just returned from Europe and was working in the Pentagon. A Major I was working with asked what I had done over the week-end and told me he had gone to see this movie. He hummed "Lara"s Theme" from the movie and told me it was long. I remember he told me his favorite scene was one in the ice house.

You said you were watching "The Good Wife". I saw all of that when it was on TV. I enjoyed it and did not realize it was going off the air until it was just gone.

I do not feel quite as bad as yesterday, but still did not feel I could go out. The weather has looked so beautiful here the past couple of days.

Howie, is Seven doing any better with the hood off the litter box?

[stillstANNding]

Virginia, I hope you feel better soon. Is it possible that you might have an infection (tooth, bladder, toe)?

Do you have plans with your family for the weekend?
ANN

[agate]

Virginia, I was wondering too when you mentioned chills. I've had them with UTIs. No fun at all. I hope you're feeling better but maybe a visit to the doctor just to make sure you're not going around with a UTI that flares up now and then and sits there waiting to flare up the rest of the time?