mollymouser's Journal

LOOKING AT THE WEEK ....
Nov 09 2008 21:54

Well, Monday morning I have an appointment with my endocrinologist ... it looks like she will need to increase my thyroid medication AND put me back on insulin since I've not been able to keep my blood sugars under control for several months now. This, of course, is a bit depressing, but pretty typical. I've been diabetic for years and years and seem to have "good seasons" and "bad seasons" when it comes to control. Anyway, it's hard not to be down and depressed about this ... it's already pretty hard to stay on a healthy eating plan while battling hypothyroidism and diabetes. (big sigh)

On a lighter note, we're heading out of town Wed-Thu-Fri to Monterey, California ... with Carmel right next door. We wanted to spend Ron's first week at home (though he did work Thursday and Friday) ... and then sneak away to the coast for a brief "get away" his second week home, once he was more settled in and rested. After that, it's back to work full-time for him... at least until we leave for Hawaii Dec 2-12.

For those of you keeping track, fluffy white Marsha the Marshmellow is now fully healed with sweet little round ears. (Imagine a ferret head, or a roly poly polar bear!) There are a couple of our cats who really don't get along with her, so when we leave town she will be kept by herself in our office for her protection ... that way she won't get picked on while we're gone. Our friend Laura (who will be catsitting) has promised to visit her and give her plenty of pets.

Gosh, I hate being diabetic.

FINALLY FRIDAY
Nov 07 2008 09:12

Friday morning here in sunny central California. On today's agenda is getting some flowers/bushes planted in the back flower beds. I've got 5 new rose bushes (yellow, hot pink, red, 2 light pink), 2 new euryops (yellow daisy bushes) and three small (hot pink) geraniums. We pulled out 5 trees a few weeks ago, and now we're filling in with some shrubbery/flowers before our first frost ... so that they can get settled in and go dormant before blooming magnificently next spring.  I also need to fill up some bird feeders back there; bought new black oil sunflower seeds at Lowe's yesterday.  Ron said he would shore up the back fence tomorrow ... it needs some TLC. He went back to work yesterday and is back again today, weighted down with tons of paperwork. Next week, Wed-Thu-Fri (12-13-14), we're heading to Monterey/Carmel for 3 days, which should be nice. He gets Tuesday Nov 11, off as well (Veteran's Day), but I think we're going to the Veteran's Day Parade.

HE IS HOME!!!
Nov 03 2008 19:48

He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home! He is home!

I MISS MY HUSBAND, DARN IT!
Oct 17 2008 21:10

OK, I'm not feeling very bloggy.

FUZZY EARS!!! FUZZY EARS !!!
Oct 15 2008 14:45

PRESENTING MISS FUZZY EARS!

I was petting Miss Marsha Mellow on her bathroom window sill this afternoon, and I couldn't help but notice how amazingly FUZZY her little earlets are getting! She's now about 4 weeks post-surgery and healing verrrrry nicely!  It looks like OPERATION PATIO TRANSFORMATION should be getting underway shortly. I contacted a local craftsman who makes custom-designed bird aviaries, and he's going to turn our small covered patio into our very own cattery for Miss Marsha, Emily-the-Escape-Artist, and anyone else brave enough to venture into the backyard!  He is supposed to call me back later today with a final bid, with work to start NEXT WEEK! (It's basically floor-to-ceiling redwood with special wire in three interlocking four-foot panels, plus a door to the backyard. There will also be an 8 foot long kitty resting shelf!)  I've already started sprucing up the grey stucco walls on the patio in preparation for putting the tall blue cat condo out there, and just bought cushions for a kitty bench that will replace the fountain that is moving to our larger patio! Once it's installed, I will get a 4' x 12' piece of outdoor carpet/fake grass from Lowe's to cover the grey concrete floor to protect cold little pussycat footsies. I also want to update the overhead light fixture with a more modern flush-mount one, and then we'll need to install a cat/dog door in the glass sliding glass door.

 Bench for snoozy kitties

a little wall decor for some color

 new butterfly for the corner

SAVING WHILE SNUGGLING!!!!
Oct 13 2008 16:13

One of the many ways I plan to save money on our cool weather heating costs is by NOT turning on the heat at night and just staying warm n' snuggly under our cat-covered covers! So far, so good! We've hit the low 40s at night so far (and since I tend to sleep with our sliding glass door wide open, it's pretty gosh-darned chilly in our bedroom) and last night I went to sleep with FIVE kitty cats on top of me, lol! (Daniel, Miss Cricket, Tigger, Emily and Scampi). Throughout the night I definitely felt the pitter patter of not-so-little feet (ok, more like cats in siletto heels) ... and when I woke up this morning I STILL had three cats in bed with me (Daniel, Cricket and Emily!)

While Marsha is continuing to settle in, it's not without some growly-hissy kitty drama, that's for sure. Part of the problem is that Emily and Fuzzball just don't back off when Marsha so very clearly doesn't want them to come any closer. Some nights I end up locking up Fuzzy or Emily (or Fuzzy and Emily) in their own room so Marsha is less stressed (and less vocal.)  Last night (when I didn't lock any one up) was peacefully calm and quiet until 4am when Fuzzy and Emily had Marsha cornered in the linen closet. Well, THAT woke me up. I shoo'd everyone away and liberally used the squirt bottle. Eventually Fuzzy got bored and wandered off and Emily came back to bed with me .... I returned to bed about 5:15am .... Zzzzzzzz. 

Even though I still have an impressive hip-limp, I ventured out to the grocery store today, mainly because I decided I HATED the trash bags that were left (no ties) and really wanted ones with ties. I also picked up some basics ... tuna, apples, turkey, chicken, carrots, onions, chicken noodle soup, Fiber One cereal, sparkling water and roasted red pepper hummus.  I ate the last of my Trader Joe's egg salad for lunch today, so will probably make a Trader Joe's run sometimes in the next few days. (I took Fiber Cakes out of the freezer, so the only thing I really need is egg salad ... and I can always make some, if I want!) I also got gas for my car (next to the grocery store!).

I filled bird feeders in the front and back yard today, scrubbed out the bird baths, and swept the front sidewalks, too.  I was going to put out some plant food and non-toxic snail bait, but got distracted -- so I've written those down to do tomorrow (Tuesday). Our pest control service, "the spider guy" is also scheduled to come tomorrow, so perhaps THAT will jog my memory and I'll remember "snails!"  Wednesday is payday (yay!) which also means bill paying, too. We'll be back up in the 80s as of tomorrow and for the rest of the week.

SATURDAY MORNING WITH THE CAMERA
Oct 11 2008 10:34

Marsha strikes a regal pose on the family room table.

This morning was one of those delightful, chilly, autumn, stay-under-the-covers-and-snuggle sort of mornings ... all green and golden and gorgeous. The sun is shining and the birdies are twittering and the squirrels in the backyard were DEMANDING to know why I hadn't put a new seed cake out for them in their feeder.  Since I was awake anyway, I threw on some clothes and tended to the squirrels first thing, lol! (You can see where my priorities are, can't you?) Next up was putting out a new can of wet foof for our front porch feral cat, LimpyCat ... no sign of him in his house and bed ... but I am sure he's around somewhere. Since it's now getting cold at night, I got his insulated dog cat house out of the garage and placed it on the front porch for him -- with his snuggly fleece bed inside -- yesterday. I smile as I think of my wonderful DH lovingly "insulating" the inside of that little house for me last winter so I wouldn't worry so much about LimpyCat getting cold.

Fuzzy keeps an eye on Marsha from the OTHER table.

I decide to grab my camera and snap a few around-the-house shots for posterity, Photobucket, as well as for my wonderful DH. Sometimes it's nice just to SEE home, even if you can't BE home, ya know? Anyway, my eye is drawn to some of our stained glass windows, and to our kitty-filled kitchen, and our bright and cheery guest room, and our bedroom. Since I actually made my bed this morning, I just HAD to snap a shot for posterity, LOL!  And what photo collection would be complete without Emily drinking water out of the kitchen sink???

My plans for this sunny Saturday are to get dressed (easier said than done, some days!) and then to head out to (1) get my hair trimmed (I feel scraggly) ... and then I promised my girlfriend Susan that I would help her with organizing and getting one of her condo bedrooms all ready for a new roomie that will be moving in shortly.  I turned down requests to volunteer at a kitty cat adoption event today, as well as the chance to walk precincts for one of the local mayoral candidates.... I am just not in the mood for either, it seems.  I've already cast my absentee ballot (and sent Ron his in Iraq), so I think that satiated my political urges for the moment. (Though I may do some phone banking next week, who knows?)

My blood sugars were inexplicably high this morning ... about 30 points higher than normal ... and I did not eat anything unusual yesterday or last night. Gosh, my body is so WEIRD sometimes.  Then again so many things seem to adversely impact my blood sugars ... my time of the month, stress, weather changes, secondary illnesses and infections -- you name it.  Oh well. I took an insulin shot (darn!!!!) and then I went ahead and had my normal breakfast of a low carb bagel and some Fiber One, since I refuse to live a life without ANY carbs and I'm pretty gosh-darned tires of egg whites, cottage cheese and turkey.

I heard from my wonderful DH Ron yesterday by telephone, which was wonderful. It is a bit strange to have a conversation with someone who really isn't allowed to say what he's been doing. So we discuss the weather over there, the food over there, and his laundry. (YAY! No missing laundry this time ... remember last time when his underwear was kidnapped?) We also spent some time discussing the possibility and logistics of enclosing our small bedroom patio with two-by-fours and chicken wire to make an indoor-outdoor cat enclosure ... with a cat door insert installed in our bedroom sliding glass door. I really think we can make it work -- and our patio is 100% in the shade and would be safe for Miss Marsha. We'd put a 6 ft kitty condo/cat tree out there, too. Doesn't that sound like a GREAT Home Improvement Project?  Now if only we can find someone who can help Ron with the construction since I am absolutely inept with power tools!

HALFWAY THROUGH THE WEEK . . .
Oct 08 2008 20:49

heh heh heh .... I can sooooo identify with this photograph today! Well, I am not exactly sure HOW I managed to do it (other than by being a doofus klutz), but I seem to have REALLY wrenched my hip -- and it looks like a torn or severely strained muscle. Can you say OUCH!??? (I think it was from getting out of slippery bathtub earlier this week.... I didn't fall, but I really wrenched/twisted it trying to stay upright.)  Anyway, it hurts to walk, it hurts to sit down, and it pretty much hurts when I am not moving!!! Anyway, I'm treating it by being very careful and with regular doses of Tylenol. (I'm allergic to both aspirin and ibuprofen, and cannot take any anti-inflammatory.)  And I'm staying out of the bathtub for a while.

My friend Anita picked me up today so we could run errands (it REALLY hurts to get in/out of the car and to drive) ... it was nice to get restocked on some basics (hummus, cat food, sunflower seeds, laundry detergent, radishes, etc.)  And I also made it to the Post Office so I could send my wonderful DH his absentee ballot by Priority Mail so he can vote and get it mailed back in time for the November 4 election.  Then, after dinner, my friend Susan called to see if I wanted to go with her for some sugar free Italian Ice at NeeNee's .... so we made a quick run over there before it got too late.  YUMMMMMM!!!

I went online today to check out my wonderful DH's pay stub for his next paycheck (Oct 15) ... and ..... (brace yourself!!!) .... it was CORRECT! (You could've knocked me over with a feather, woooooooo hoooooo!) Anyway, we don't get paid until next week, but I was pleasantly tickled PINK to see that it was for the normal, correct amount! Tomorrow (Thursday) my friend Stacey is coming over, we're going to grab dinner out some place casual (I have a taco craving, I think), and then we're going to watch the musical CATS on DVD.

THIS IS  MY FAVORITE SCENE/SONG FROM CATS

AROUND THE HOUSE ....
Oct 07 2008 12:51

The morning glories really seem to love the weather this time of year ... not quite so blisteringly hot as summer, but plenty of sunshine and warm weather to bloom and grow! Anyway, they are the most gorgeous shades of purple I've ever seen ... especially against the backdrop of their bright green leaves.

I watched The Fugitive on cable the other night, with some special assistance from the fluffballs that I live with. They can. of course, recline ANYWHERE in the house, but seem to prefer RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN! Cats, lol! And if I am trying to read a book, or pay bills, or even type on the computer ... guess, just GUESS where they always want to sit!

Marsha ignores the train wreck

And she bathes during the escape

At least Smudge was standing NEXT to the screen (not in front of it)

At least she looks comfy, right?

I've been hearing from my wonderful DH fairly regularly, he's working hard and even went swimming today.  We talk a lot about the small little crisis or two that keep my life interesting back home ... the closet door fell off the track in the guest room ... and there are SLUGS in my guest bathroom. (Correction ... there WERE slugs in my guest bathroom ... there are now heaping piles of salt in pretty little snow drifts all over the bathroom tile. Take THAT you silly slugs!) Can I just shriek now? EEEEEEK! Anyway, my wonderful DH has promised to re-attach the wayward closet door upon his return ... for the time being it is propped decoratively against the wall.

HEH HEH HEH .... wonder if my wonderful DH is finding cat fur over in Iraq?