Animal-less

My first week without a four footed furry companion has passed. This is the first time since 1974 that I don't have either a dog or cat, and usually both. I have had most of my animals, and all of my cats, at least 10 years each. The cat I got as a kitten in '74, Cammy, lived to be 16. I already had gotten a kitten a couple of years before she died, named Peeko. When he had to be put down due to genetic health issues, I went a couple of months without a cat, although I had my dog Cindi. The mice started moving in, and I just plain wanted a cat again. I went to the humane society and found Bazil.

Now, my life is such that I'm not home enough to feel comfortable getting a new cat. I leave again August 11 for 3 weeks, home for 2 weeks, and gone again for 3 weeks. I don't want to bring a new cat home and then leave. Not enough time to bond, not enough time for the cat to be secure before I head out. Not sure what the next few years will bring. I'm taking it as it happens.

I started working on the baby afghan again for my co-worker. I had meant to finish it last weekend. After Bazil died I just didn't have the heart for much of anything. The goal is 30 rows each today and tomorrow, 10-12 each evening till it's done. I made my 12 rows last night.

It is depressing to me that the fluffs of cat hair that I swept up from corners and along walls last weekend have stayed clean all week. I think I know now why too clean houses depress me.

End of an Era

In my quest to become the new me, I'm letting a lot of my past go, in that it is represented by the stuff that I acquired during those times. There is a lot to pare down. One thing I wasn't ready to let go of, though, just passed from my life. My cat, Bazil, died this morning around 10:30 am. He had been sick since Wednesday evening, at least that's when he got my attention about it. I took him to the vet on Thursday, spent $450+ getting tests and such done and was sent home with some antibiotic pills and told it was pneumonia and it might take 2-3 days for there to be an improvement. He got worse, his lungs filling up. The vet wanted a few hundred dollars more in tests because the xray had shown an enlarged heart. We decided to wait to cure the pneumonia first. His lungs kept filling with fluid, and he kept clearing them. I was up with him all night because he could lay with his head on my leg and it helped him breathe. In the end the fluid filled his lungs faster than he could get rid of it. I'm trying very hard not to coulda/shoulda/woulda and just know that I did the best I knew how.

Still the Same Changes

Things swung back around at work, and the week ended ok. I'm getting along with everyone again, even my boss. The 3 day weekend is almost over. I helped Mom get a new flat panel TV and also a flat screen computer monitor. I wanted to put money with what she had to pay some back presents I didn't get because I didn't know what to get. She wouldn't let me. I set everything up and left. That is basically all I accomplished this weekend.

I am still ongoing with sorting and getting rid of things around here. But it goes slowly. I just have no enthusiasm or energy. This is the same as every year around the middle of summer. It would be better if I was to go on a fielding this month as originally planned. I'll be here this month now, and gone in August instead. Oh, well.

Heard from Phil tonight. He's doing really well, and going back to work soon. I'm not sure he thought at the start of this that he would ever be back at work. So, as usual he's beating the odds. Even a cat only has 9 lives, so I hope he stops using them up so quickly as he has been the past couple of years.

Zak had come off the AT a couple of weeks ago, bored and not liking the northern sections nearly as much as he had the southern sections. He has now decided that he likes being back in civilization less, and is headed back to the trail next weekend. He and I will get together Tuesday evening downtown to hang out before he leaves.

And, that is pretty much all the news around here right now.