I don't think we can deny the truth any longer. The likely GOP nominee will be a billionaire businessman who is best known for his disgusting quotes about women, Mexicans, and prisoners of war. This is the same party that produced Abraham Lincoln.
I keep hearing that people are angry, and "voting with their middle finger". I get that. I'm angry too, at a congress that can't seem to work together. I'm angry that the gun violence continues unabated, and that any reasonable suggestions to slow it down are either ignored, or ridiculed because they come from a sitting President that is reviled by the right.
But, angry as I am, I'm not about to be stupid when it comes to my future. If I have a bad day at work, I don't tell my boss to take this job and shove it. If the market has a downturn, I'm not going to sell everything, go off the grid, and build a bomb shelter in my backyard.
So why are so many Americans making the decision to support a racist, narcissistic, misogynist? I'd like to think that at heart, 99.9% of people are good, decent, hardworking folks that just want to live their lives. So are the people voting with their middle finger poorly educated (the billionaire LOVES the poorly educated; he said so himself), or are the cockroaches of America coming out to feast in the darkness?
Cockroaches eat what is available to them: cockroaches that inhabit sewers feed on sewage, while species living on dead trees consume decaying wood. So is America rotting internally, or will this election period shine a light on everything that's wrong with this country and send the cockroaches scattering?
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Living in the Moment
In a previous post, I talked about how having pets was somewhat like having small children. And when one of those kids is chronically ill, life can be stressful.
My days with Meep revolve around her breathing and her eating. At 8 months old, she should be 7 or 8 pounds, but instead is 3 1/2 pounds (and it was a struggle to get her there). Every morning I wonder if she's going to eat or not, and how much she'll eat before she turns away. Immediately after breakfast Meep gets weighed. It's one of the ways I can monitor her health.
Since she was found on the beach by the Detroit Lakes pavilion, Meepers has had one respiratory infection after another. She's been on antibiotics most of her short life, and the Vets I've taken her to don't hold out much hope of her living to a full year.
Night before last, her breathing was worse than ever. She was breathing through her mouth, and every 6 or so breaths would struggle to get air. In bed, she immediately curled up under my chin to "sleep". I could hear every agonizing breath she took, and cried because there was nothing I could do that I hadn't already done. I truly thought that she was going to die in my arms. But then, in the middle of the night, she stood up and sneezed 3 times. And then she could breathe again! When morning came, she was able to eat, and while her meouw was hoarse, it was there.
Last night, she was struggling again, but this time she wouldn't come out from under the bed. Knowing that cats often go off to die, once again I thought she was a goner. Until 5 am, when she bounced on my bed and started to wrestle with Leo. She ate a good breakfast, and has been engaging in play, which is rare for her. Most of the time she doesn't have the energy to chase after Leo and Maggie.
So for now, I'm living in the moment. Meep is alive, and is having fun. When I hold her upside down, she seems to have tremors of her head and feet; perhaps from oxygen deprivation. And by late afternoon, my guess is that she's going to be struggling again. But this is enough for now.
My days with Meep revolve around her breathing and her eating. At 8 months old, she should be 7 or 8 pounds, but instead is 3 1/2 pounds (and it was a struggle to get her there). Every morning I wonder if she's going to eat or not, and how much she'll eat before she turns away. Immediately after breakfast Meep gets weighed. It's one of the ways I can monitor her health.
Since she was found on the beach by the Detroit Lakes pavilion, Meepers has had one respiratory infection after another. She's been on antibiotics most of her short life, and the Vets I've taken her to don't hold out much hope of her living to a full year.
Night before last, her breathing was worse than ever. She was breathing through her mouth, and every 6 or so breaths would struggle to get air. In bed, she immediately curled up under my chin to "sleep". I could hear every agonizing breath she took, and cried because there was nothing I could do that I hadn't already done. I truly thought that she was going to die in my arms. But then, in the middle of the night, she stood up and sneezed 3 times. And then she could breathe again! When morning came, she was able to eat, and while her meouw was hoarse, it was there.
Last night, she was struggling again, but this time she wouldn't come out from under the bed. Knowing that cats often go off to die, once again I thought she was a goner. Until 5 am, when she bounced on my bed and started to wrestle with Leo. She ate a good breakfast, and has been engaging in play, which is rare for her. Most of the time she doesn't have the energy to chase after Leo and Maggie.
So for now, I'm living in the moment. Meep is alive, and is having fun. When I hold her upside down, she seems to have tremors of her head and feet; perhaps from oxygen deprivation. And by late afternoon, my guess is that she's going to be struggling again. But this is enough for now.
Monday, February 15, 2016
A (Not So) New Cat Litter Solution
In a previous post, I talked about traditional litter solutions. My choice was an unscented, clumping litter, which has served me well over the years. Except when the litter was scattered out of the litter box. Except when the litter was tracked all over the house (ever try to sleep well with a bed full of it?).
My new pet sitter told me that most of her clients had switched to Tidy Cats Breeze, so of course I had to check it out. The system consists of a box, much like a regular litter box, with a drawer below it. The box has grates in the bottom, and the actual "litter" is pellets. A pad in the bottom drawer soaks up the urine that comes through the grates, while the pellets hold the poop. For a healthy adult cat, the poop rarely sticks to the pellets, so your daily chore is to scoop the poop only. Weekly, the pad is changed, and monthly the pellets should be replaced.
I bought a couple of the systems, and replaced one of my regular litter boxes with the Breeze system. Before I could even step away, Meep used the new box, and the other two kitties were not far behind.
Now, as I said, a healthy adult cat's poop is great for this system. Kitten poop and loose stools? Not so much. It still works, but the pellets stick to the poop, and diahrrea will mean a total cleanout before you wanted to.
Pluses:
Minuses:
My new pet sitter told me that most of her clients had switched to Tidy Cats Breeze, so of course I had to check it out. The system consists of a box, much like a regular litter box, with a drawer below it. The box has grates in the bottom, and the actual "litter" is pellets. A pad in the bottom drawer soaks up the urine that comes through the grates, while the pellets hold the poop. For a healthy adult cat, the poop rarely sticks to the pellets, so your daily chore is to scoop the poop only. Weekly, the pad is changed, and monthly the pellets should be replaced.
I bought a couple of the systems, and replaced one of my regular litter boxes with the Breeze system. Before I could even step away, Meep used the new box, and the other two kitties were not far behind.
Now, as I said, a healthy adult cat's poop is great for this system. Kitten poop and loose stools? Not so much. It still works, but the pellets stick to the poop, and diahrrea will mean a total cleanout before you wanted to.
Pluses:
- No tracking or minimal tracking (the pellets sometimes find their way outside the box, but it's easy to throw them back in)
- Less odor - the pads not only soak up the urine, but have something in them to keep the smell down
Minuses:
- Expensive. I was able to find the complete starter system at Amazon for $19.99, but now the price is $29.99. For replacement pellets and pads, Chewy.com seems to have the best prices.
- Availability in my area is online only, although some Walmarts carry the supplies
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Motherhood at 55
I don't have human kids, but I do have three feline kids, all about 8 months old, and all with different baby daddies. Growing up as they did in a shelter, they came with their share of issues. Leo and Maggie both came home with colds, and they are both still blowing snot everywhere; on each other, on me, on my keyboard, on the wall...it's amazing how far that stuff travels. Getting dried snot off a painted wall is not easy; I finally found the toilet paper and water trick. Put a wet piece of toilet paper over it and it comes right off a few minutes later.
And Meep, well, she's definitely a special needs kitten. She's mostly blind in one eye, and has had breathing issues her entire life. The last Vet I took her to said he didn't hold out much hope for a long life. The possibilities of what are wrong include Feline Infectious Peritonitis (no treatment, fatal), feline heartworm (no treatment, mostly fatal), and congestive heart failure (no real treatments, mostly fatal).
I can imagine what a mother goes through, at least a little. The nights when Meep's breathing becomes so labored I spend hours with her inside a bathroom with a hot shower going. This afternoon, Leo had explosive diarrhea - all over the wall behind the litter box. I discovered that when I picked Meep up and found that she had diarrhea all over the side of her face - of course she had to lay in it!
So after Meep got her bath, I sat down to write this post. Focused as I was, I ignored the odd noises behind me. Until it hit me - that noise was coming from behind the stacked washer and dryer. Leo, practising his tightrope walking skills, decided to explore the back of the machines by walking on the cords back there. He should keep his day job, because he fell down to the ground, and there was no room to walk out. Who exactly would you call to rescue a cat stuck behind a washing machine - the fire department? I used my MacGyver skills and lowered a baking rack in the slot between the washer and the sink cabinet. He finally got the hint and clawed his way to the top so I could grab him.
And now to clean up the snot that Maggie just blew all over my keyboard.
And Meep, well, she's definitely a special needs kitten. She's mostly blind in one eye, and has had breathing issues her entire life. The last Vet I took her to said he didn't hold out much hope for a long life. The possibilities of what are wrong include Feline Infectious Peritonitis (no treatment, fatal), feline heartworm (no treatment, mostly fatal), and congestive heart failure (no real treatments, mostly fatal).
I can imagine what a mother goes through, at least a little. The nights when Meep's breathing becomes so labored I spend hours with her inside a bathroom with a hot shower going. This afternoon, Leo had explosive diarrhea - all over the wall behind the litter box. I discovered that when I picked Meep up and found that she had diarrhea all over the side of her face - of course she had to lay in it!
So after Meep got her bath, I sat down to write this post. Focused as I was, I ignored the odd noises behind me. Until it hit me - that noise was coming from behind the stacked washer and dryer. Leo, practising his tightrope walking skills, decided to explore the back of the machines by walking on the cords back there. He should keep his day job, because he fell down to the ground, and there was no room to walk out. Who exactly would you call to rescue a cat stuck behind a washing machine - the fire department? I used my MacGyver skills and lowered a baking rack in the slot between the washer and the sink cabinet. He finally got the hint and clawed his way to the top so I could grab him.
And now to clean up the snot that Maggie just blew all over my keyboard.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
So You Want To Build a House
When I made the decision to move back to the region full-time from Texas, I was torn. Should I be practical and buy a townhouse in Fargo or Moorhead where I didn't have the upkeep to worry about? Or how about an old farmhouse in the country, where I could admire the architecture of the house but would have to deal with ancient plumbing and electrical?
In the end, I let my dream be my guide. My dream was pretty simple. I wanted a house in the woods with backyard chickens and a big garden. The chickens narrowed the field a lot after I did some homework. Dallas and Fort Worth Texas both allow backyard chickens in the city limits, so I assumed that the small town I was leaning towards settling in (Detroit Lakes) would too. One call to the courthouse told me that no, chickens were not allowed in the city, or in the entire county for that matter, unless the property was zoned agricultural. My views on that can be another blog post entirely.
I kept looking. The 2-acres just outside of town were great, but it was zoned residential. And then I happened on a 5-acre, mostly wooded plot 5 minutes outside of town. Mature maple, oak, birch, and aspen grew on rolling hills, and wild raspberries were thick. And the best part? It was zoned agricultural, so chickens were possible.
I decided to build my dream home. Little did I know what I was getting into. So if you decide to build, keep these thoughts in mind.
Do you have a plan? If you live in a metropolitan area, your builder probably has stock plans to choose from. My builder was completely custom, meaning if I drew something on the back of a napkin, he'd build it. Are you thinking about a one story house? Two story? Multi-level? There are lots of free house plans on the internet to get you started.
How confident are you when it comes to design? In my case, I was responsible for choosing everything that went into and on my house. Everything. The color, style, materials of the siding and the roof; do I want a pillar in the entryway? What flooring - tile, wood, carpet, cork? What style doors? Painted or natural wood? And don't forget the door knobs, light fixtures, countertops, kitchen design, and even where should electrical outlets be. If you don't feel confident, you'll end up with a nice house, but probably a little on the safe side. Hire an interior designer if you're unsure.
What's your budget? The cost that a builder will give you up front is very likely to increase as the project goes on. For example, halfway through the project I decided to go with geothermal for my heating and cooling. It's a proven technology, saves about a third of your costs for the rest of your life, and there's a nice federal tax credit for it this year. But it added $44,000 to my budget! I'm getting about a third of that back on my taxes this year, but it's still a big number. Make sure that you're working with a bank that can tell you up front what you qualify for, and try to put at least 20% down to avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).
In the end, I'm happy with what I did. I wish I would have opted for tankless water heaters, since it takes a few minutes to get hot water to the other end of the house, but that's a small detail. I have a killer view from my home office of the woods, where big fluffy snowflakes are right now floating through the aspen branches. And this spring I'll work on the chickens and the garden part of my dream.
In the end, I let my dream be my guide. My dream was pretty simple. I wanted a house in the woods with backyard chickens and a big garden. The chickens narrowed the field a lot after I did some homework. Dallas and Fort Worth Texas both allow backyard chickens in the city limits, so I assumed that the small town I was leaning towards settling in (Detroit Lakes) would too. One call to the courthouse told me that no, chickens were not allowed in the city, or in the entire county for that matter, unless the property was zoned agricultural. My views on that can be another blog post entirely.
I kept looking. The 2-acres just outside of town were great, but it was zoned residential. And then I happened on a 5-acre, mostly wooded plot 5 minutes outside of town. Mature maple, oak, birch, and aspen grew on rolling hills, and wild raspberries were thick. And the best part? It was zoned agricultural, so chickens were possible.
I decided to build my dream home. Little did I know what I was getting into. So if you decide to build, keep these thoughts in mind.
Do you have a plan? If you live in a metropolitan area, your builder probably has stock plans to choose from. My builder was completely custom, meaning if I drew something on the back of a napkin, he'd build it. Are you thinking about a one story house? Two story? Multi-level? There are lots of free house plans on the internet to get you started.
How confident are you when it comes to design? In my case, I was responsible for choosing everything that went into and on my house. Everything. The color, style, materials of the siding and the roof; do I want a pillar in the entryway? What flooring - tile, wood, carpet, cork? What style doors? Painted or natural wood? And don't forget the door knobs, light fixtures, countertops, kitchen design, and even where should electrical outlets be. If you don't feel confident, you'll end up with a nice house, but probably a little on the safe side. Hire an interior designer if you're unsure.
What's your budget? The cost that a builder will give you up front is very likely to increase as the project goes on. For example, halfway through the project I decided to go with geothermal for my heating and cooling. It's a proven technology, saves about a third of your costs for the rest of your life, and there's a nice federal tax credit for it this year. But it added $44,000 to my budget! I'm getting about a third of that back on my taxes this year, but it's still a big number. Make sure that you're working with a bank that can tell you up front what you qualify for, and try to put at least 20% down to avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).
In the end, I'm happy with what I did. I wish I would have opted for tankless water heaters, since it takes a few minutes to get hot water to the other end of the house, but that's a small detail. I have a killer view from my home office of the woods, where big fluffy snowflakes are right now floating through the aspen branches. And this spring I'll work on the chickens and the garden part of my dream.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
The Straight Poop on Cat Litter
So you want a cat, or have a cat. You know that you need litter boxes, but what kind? How many? And what's the best cat litter to use? From my 25 + years of having cats, I've tried them all.
Let's start with the litter box itself. Should you get a covered or uncovered box? It seems that a covered box will help with odor control, right? Maybe, but it also traps odors inside the box, which makes it less likely that your picky feline will want to use it. A cat's sense of smell is about 14 times as strong as a humans, so if you can smell the litter, imagine how your cat feels. The rule of thumb for how many litter boxes you need is one for each cat, plus one extra. Some cats are finicky enough that they want their own box, or some will use one box for urine and another for poop. Of course, those with space constraints might not be able to have multiple boxes, so if you can't, just make sure that the box is kept really clean to avoid your kitties from finding other spots in your house to do their business.
Along the same lines, it seems counterintuitive to use unscented litter if you want to control odor, but unscented is the way to go. Scented litter tends to waft throughout the house, and everyone will know you have a litter box. Cat litter manufacturers want you to buy the scented stuff; sometimes it's hard to find the unscented in the store, but from personal experience, it's worth it. As long as you keep the litter scooped at least once a day, no one needs to know that you have cats as soon as soon as they walk in the door.
And for goodness sake, spend a little more and get the clumping litter. Yes, I know that the clay litter is cheaper, but in my opinion it's not worth it. It's what most people donate to The Marshmallow Foundation and it's dusty, smelly, and a mess to work with. And we end up adding baking soda to it anyway to try to control the odor. Plus, with clay litter, you'll end up having to do a complete clean out of the box much more often than with clumping litter.
So for a happy, healthy cat, do make sure that you provide the best possible environment for them; you'll be rewarded with head bumps and kitty kisses for years to come!
Let's start with the litter box itself. Should you get a covered or uncovered box? It seems that a covered box will help with odor control, right? Maybe, but it also traps odors inside the box, which makes it less likely that your picky feline will want to use it. A cat's sense of smell is about 14 times as strong as a humans, so if you can smell the litter, imagine how your cat feels. The rule of thumb for how many litter boxes you need is one for each cat, plus one extra. Some cats are finicky enough that they want their own box, or some will use one box for urine and another for poop. Of course, those with space constraints might not be able to have multiple boxes, so if you can't, just make sure that the box is kept really clean to avoid your kitties from finding other spots in your house to do their business.
Along the same lines, it seems counterintuitive to use unscented litter if you want to control odor, but unscented is the way to go. Scented litter tends to waft throughout the house, and everyone will know you have a litter box. Cat litter manufacturers want you to buy the scented stuff; sometimes it's hard to find the unscented in the store, but from personal experience, it's worth it. As long as you keep the litter scooped at least once a day, no one needs to know that you have cats as soon as soon as they walk in the door.
And for goodness sake, spend a little more and get the clumping litter. Yes, I know that the clay litter is cheaper, but in my opinion it's not worth it. It's what most people donate to The Marshmallow Foundation and it's dusty, smelly, and a mess to work with. And we end up adding baking soda to it anyway to try to control the odor. Plus, with clay litter, you'll end up having to do a complete clean out of the box much more often than with clumping litter.
So for a happy, healthy cat, do make sure that you provide the best possible environment for them; you'll be rewarded with head bumps and kitty kisses for years to come!
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Moving On
2016 will be off to a good start, with the move to my new home on the 1st. My family has been very generous with their offers of help, and I actually found movers that will work on a holiday, so all is good.
I feel like one of those people that are on a home makeover show - 2 more days until the reveal. There's still work to be done next week, but the house will be livable Friday.
I'm proud of myself. There, I said it. I'm proud that I made it through an incredibly horrid year. I'm proud of the design decisions I made for my new home. I'm proud of the work I've done volunteering for the local animal shelter. And I'm proud of the fact that I continue to do things all by myself.
Not that I haven't had help. Let's start with the bottomless gratitude I have to my brother and sister-in-law, who not only let me live with them for 2 1/2 months, but allowed me to bring two kittens along for the ride. And the countless workers that made my dream home a reality. And the small town bank that financed that dream without a cent down, trusting that I would get the money eventually. My real estate agent in Texas, who doggedly pursued every offer all the way through her pregnancy and childbirth. My big brother who handled all the details of selling my Mom's house, saving us a huge amount of money.
So here's to a new year, a new life, and some peace and quiet in my little house in the woods,
I feel like one of those people that are on a home makeover show - 2 more days until the reveal. There's still work to be done next week, but the house will be livable Friday.
I'm proud of myself. There, I said it. I'm proud that I made it through an incredibly horrid year. I'm proud of the design decisions I made for my new home. I'm proud of the work I've done volunteering for the local animal shelter. And I'm proud of the fact that I continue to do things all by myself.
Not that I haven't had help. Let's start with the bottomless gratitude I have to my brother and sister-in-law, who not only let me live with them for 2 1/2 months, but allowed me to bring two kittens along for the ride. And the countless workers that made my dream home a reality. And the small town bank that financed that dream without a cent down, trusting that I would get the money eventually. My real estate agent in Texas, who doggedly pursued every offer all the way through her pregnancy and childbirth. My big brother who handled all the details of selling my Mom's house, saving us a huge amount of money.
So here's to a new year, a new life, and some peace and quiet in my little house in the woods,
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