2023 to 2024 tarot reflection

 These questions were provided by Amy at Strength Reversed.

1. Card of the Year 2023: The card that sums up this past year. 

The Knight of Pentacles. I've made slow progress and it has been very much focused on work and physical environment.

2. Card of the Year 2024: The card that represents the upcoming New Year. 

The Knight of Cups. I would like to continue with movement, maybe a little faster but definitely more heart and nourishment focused.

3. The tarot practice or habit I'm leaving behind in 2024 

Regular reading. The only thing left of that is the weekly substack and I'm starting to regret that. Tarot just can't be a focus for now.

4. The tarot practice or habit I'm embracing in 2024. 

Keeping things easy and minimizing shuffling. Probably continuing to reduce the number of decks I have based on my physical ability to move them and shuffle them--and how much I use them. Some I like the idea of more than I actually use them (Fractal Tarot, both tree based decks). Decks that require reversals for a good reading must have very easy shuffling card stock. I'm increasingly getting impatient with having to find where a deck is. Maybe I need to try reorganizing the boxes first.

5. Decks going on hiatus in 2024. 

I won't know this until I do more evaluating. And then I will be giving away rather than putting something on hiatus.

6. Decks I'm welcoming in 2024: show off new decks or wish list decks. 

No particular goals in this regard. In 2023, I ended up getting 13 decks, mostly around my birthday and the months thereafter. I occasionally check my wishlist or publishers sites for sales but there's nothing I'm especially excited to acquire. When I feel the need for a little something new and curious, I'll select something from my wishlist.

7. The biggest tarot takeaway of 2023: a memorable lesson, fact, spread, or understanding. 

Shuffling less can still result in an accurate reading. Animist tarot readings can be interesting. Randomized deck combinations can be interesting.

8. Tarot plans for 2024: goals, resolutions, focuses for the New Year.

Reorganize my deck boxes and reassess which ones are most valuable to keep and "do no harm" or the least harm to my hands. Finish my randomized projects and read only when I feel moved to read. I don't need "priorities for the day." That being the case, should I keep those decks--or any decks that I had to create meanings for? Should I only keep easy readers? If I were to keep the decks that take up the least room, then I would be getting rid of all of the Llewelyns that are in big boxes but are also the easiest shufflers. So i need to create a criteria for keeping decks.

Family technology trials

When Zoom only half way worked on Xmas day, Amy stepped up and arranged a facebook facetime, which neither I nor Dad had ever done before. From there, I worked with Dad so that we could do facetime on our phones.

Mom did not remember that I'd cut my hair. Didn't remember the email even when reminded nor that I'd provided pictures along with it. I hadn't realized that I might be messing with her mind. She said I didn't look like the same person, which could be difficult for her at this stage in a way I hadn't considered.

Dad thinks that if my house sells without me having a place to live, that he can force a truce with Mom over my animals. I believe that might be true with the dogs, but I doubt it with my cats. And if there's an "emergency" regarding my animals, then I am also vulnerable. Dad says he can step up and be the leader. But I so rarely see him doing that that his declaration is not very believable. And I believe Mom would act out, maybe not at the dogs but at the cats. 

Also, Dad is not realistic about the dogs getting along. Zippy and Lucy would absolutely get into it in a horrible way. I'm increasingly ready to put Ginger down. I'm not ready to put Zippy down. And Dad hasn't seemed willing to put up a separate fenced area for the dogs. So if Zippy gets into it with Abby, then Boo will get involved, for better or worse. If it were just Boo and Abby, it would probably be alright.

I'm wondering if I can work something out with Ben, though it doesn't seem likely.

I finally had someone pick up the dresser w/shelf that's been on my porch for over a week. It was a man who wanted it for his teenage son and the boy seemed happy with it.

I took the hand truck out for them to use if they wanted and Boo got out. She went far enough afield that I lost sight of her for a while. I'm not up to chasing her so I just waited and checked periodically. She's chipped so I figured that would have to be her saving grace if it came down to it. She did eventually swing back around and came to me but didn't want to come inside. I let her stray and then come back to me a couple of times on the porch until she finally came in the house. She clearly doesn't let her neck stop her from running. Thankfully she didn't run into any trouble while on her frolic. I should take her into the back field some time. I've been thinking about it and they've now mowed it. So long as it's brisk, it shouldn't be too ticky.

 

Cats and new bed

 Jasmine didn't originally like the new bed, possibly the foam off-gassing put her off. Pooka took right to it. She's all for anything cozy. This evening, one day shy of when I set it up, Jasmine has decided it's okay and slept on it by herself for a while. A few days ago, she tried going under the covers but quickly decided she didn't like that. I think the way the foam warps doesn't allow her to rest against my body in a stable way. She has preferred being on top of me. Tonight, she settled at my feet for a bit before laying on top of me. It's easier for both cats to get on since there's no box spring.

Good-bye Rufus

 On Monday of this week (this being Friday), Jamie, Rufus's current owner, let me know that Rufus had bitten a male friend of hers on the face. On Tuesday I talked to her to better assess how serious the situation was. It was very serious, a level 4 bite to the man's nose while he was petting Rufus that required 10 stitches. I researched on youtube about dog bites and learned that if a dog does what Rufus did, it's an act of aggression not defensive or a warning. After realizing that, I could see no way to make taking him back work for me. I'm already missing two family holidays this year because I can't find someone to help with my pets. How could I ask someone to watch a big dog with a bite history? I couldn't. How do I ask a groomer to groom him even with a muzzle? I don't think he would accept a muzzle well. It would be an extra source of anxiety. I couldn't take him to live with parents. Both of their faces are at his level. Though I'm marginally better than when I let Rufus go, I'm just now, like in the last week, getting a grip on my home environment--and not completely at that. Re-introducing Rufus--even without the bite--would tip things back into a level of labor that I couldn't keep up with. 

And Jamie has two children. Though they're not always with her, muzzling Rufus will just agitate him when they're around. I've long had the attitude that if a dog bites, it should be put down and let a dog that doesn't bite fill that space in the home. I gave Jamie the support to put him down and she did this morning. 

Part of me was continuously second guessing myself and Jamie, but in the end we are two pet owners. We're not looking for dogs we have to continually be drill sergeants with or where we constantly have to be aware of potential triggers. Our pets are supposed to augment our lives not stress them continuously. Together we had done everything we could to help him overcome a bad start. It didn't work. 

Knowing that he is gone, the decision over, the deed done, leaves me with greater peace. Lots of regrets but there's nothing more that can be done. No more pets after this batch is gone. My mental and emotional health don't need the stress. I don't need the extra cleaning, decision-making, health management, purchases.

Another trial behind me

Today was the day that the full-sized bed left and I set up the new twin bed and mattress. My bedroom seems so much more spacious--partly because I moved some things out of it for the move. I woke up this morning feeling awful and having a twinge in my back but taking it slow in the morning sitting in the recliner seemed to have gotten rid of the twinge and I ended up with enough step-by-step gumption that I cleared the deck for the mattresses to be removed. It turns out the male part of the couple who came to pick it up was a former student. The new bed was fairly easy to put together, though it did take some time. The mushiness of the mattress doesn't initially impress me but I hope it's okay to sleep on--at least not worse than the other mattress. I haven't introduced the dogs and cats to it. I may have trouble keeping the dogs off of it. It will be much easier for the cats to get up on. In any case, I'm relieved to have had a day when I felt well enough to tackle such a big project.

In other news, I thought I had a potential pet helper but then saw he was picked up by Marshall Co Sheriff in April for failing to appear. Though I don't know what for, I've decided not to be curious and will just ignore the email he sent.

Getting rid and rearranging

I hate the trials of getting rid of big items. Today I thought I had someone picking up the dresser w/shelf. She was supposedly on her way but never showed up. This was through Facebook. In readiness I put the components on the porch, so now they're sitting there in the way of the people who were wanting to pick up the bed this weekend. I've given her till tomorrow noon to pick it up or I'm going on to the next person there are 2 more interested.

I've managed to get all of the big bins that were in my living room into other rooms. The moth ball one is out on the porch. I'm not sure if airing it will result in it being usable. I'm thinking of giving it to the recycling center. Last week I was finally able to dismantle the wheelbarrow that has been on the porch and put the bucket

I also moved the black shelves into the "office" to put my file boxes on, which has worked out well, so that room is also feeling more open--even though it's currently housing the mattress and frame waiting for my old bed to depart. 

The living room is feeling much more open even though I've got the recliner in there and the big corner desk (still waiting for me to organize the disability paperwork). Using my hand truck (which is how I moved the parts of the dresser), I moved some bins of books to the window where the black shelves had been and it works well while being less bulky. Once I get the corner desk out, I'll move the recliner in that corner. It's a bit too close to the gas heater where it's currently sitting.

So far I'm pleased with how the rearranging is going. I do look at all of my bins of tarot and oracle decks and wonder if they're really worth keeping. I've got 11. I wonder what I'd have to give up to wheedle it down to 5 or 6. It would mostly require getting rid of ones that were in larger boxes with larger books. Off the top of my head, those would be:

• The Green Witch Tarot
• The Mermaid Tarot
• The Tao Oracle
• The Weavers Oracle
• Tarot of the Hidden Realms
• Forest of Enchantment Tarot
• Herbcrafter's Tarot

4 of those are Llewellyn decks with soft cardstock, which I would miss. But I have to say that 4 of them are seldom to never used and one only serves one purpose. The one I'd most hate to lose is the Forest of Enchantment because it has such wonderful storybook images. But could they all be replaced by other decks already in my collection? Yes. Consolidating might eliminate one since there aren't many decks in the Missing Persons bin at the moment. I don't know how ruthless I'll eventually be but there's no need to make deck decisions at the moment. I really have very few possessions compared to most people.

I also took another box of books to the library and have another box of items to take to the Mission store, including some clothes.

Slowly but surely wheedling things down. I'll be glad when the big furniture items are gone.
 
 
 

Not looking good for Xmas

 Though there are still groomers I can call, I've made a lot of calls and have now put up flyers at all of the local vets that have boards, as well as at TSC. 

The plan to get a new bed and ask Leah again also hasn't worked because no one wants a free bed frame. Honestly. The mission store only comes out for a full house load of furniture. Facebook is a bust. I'm left trying to figure out how I can get the mattress and box springs out of my house without damaging my back and then how to dismantle my bed. I guess I could take the chain saw to it. I hadn't thought of that until just now. Or I could cut the posts so that it would fit it out the door. We'll see. I need to try putting a poster out at the road first.

Both Mom and Dad hounded me today about making it for Xmas. I wish they wouldn't second guess me or make obvious suggestions as though I'm an idiot or as though I'm somehow intentionally delaying. If I can't make it for Xmas, I can't make it. Eventually I'll find someone and I'll visit then. Until then, I won't be traveling.

Mom needs to own part of this situation since she nixes any attempts at a compromise that would allow me to stay with them with my pets. So it is what it is.

Gma Inman and Gpa Inman Messages 12-3-23

 Grandma Inman--Herbal Tarot

8 of Cups (Gravel Root)

A need to step outside of the usual emotional attachments in order to understand a more essential, personal source of emotional renewal. Honoring the need for time detached from the usual connections regardless of how supportive they may be.

Fool (Ginseng)

Making friends with the void. What is worth carrying into a new phase? What do I need to feel optimistic about leaving behind the known without having a firm footing in the future? Following my nose or knowing what the right scent to follow is. What scents will help uplift me?

6 of Wands (Hawthorne)

A new arena in which I'm a natural, that's familiar and in which I'll succeed.

Together I think they're saying that only after I find a method of emotional renewal will I have the courage and optimism to take risks. I have no idea what the arena of activity referred to in the 6 of Wands could be.

Extension: 

Empress/7 of P/Star

It's appropriate to make use of the generosity of my mother because her resources are a more collective resource than I realize and because they give her hope...

Tower/5 of C/Judgment

...that I will be ready to help them when there is need.

To be honest, I don't think I'll be able to be that much help because of my health but certainly there's no chance of my helping if I'm too bound up here.

On a whim, I pulled a Black Angel card and received a message about having faith and trusting in the unseen. This deck makes it more clear that I need to shift away from spending my time and energy on making money and instead focus on what it will take to be more involved with family, which means figuring out how to pave a way forward. Even when it feels like spending Mom and Dad's money is all about me, it's not. It's about our final days as a family.

Grandpa Inman--Tarot Illuminati

Princess of Sw/Ace of Sw/7 of W

Use your head and clear the deck.

9 of P/9 of Sw/Lovers

Worry less about myself or money and more about my parents.

Hermit/Moon/World

I need to forge ahead regardless of uncertainty. It may take a year for things to come to fruition.

I tried asking about how the housing situation will resolve itself and didn't get a response that made any sense. It is apparently the Moon in the set above.

Gma & Gpa Pearson Message 12-3-23

Herbcrafters Tarot

4 of Earth--Willow (basket construction)

• Creating a base frame on which to cumulatively build a complete structure.
• Planning to be sure to have all of the supplies for steady progress.
• Planning the stages of the process so I know where to pick up again if there's an interruption.

I think this refers to seeking housekeeping and pet care help. It is also generally good advice for anything I'm doing.

5 of Earth--Slippery Elm (sapling needing protection and support)

• "You have what it takes to survive a crisis."
• "The home is old and in need of repair but is sturdy."
• "Alienation from your support structure compounds an issue."
• "Create a warm and comfortable place to hole up until your situation improves."

This clearly refers to my home and encourages doing repairs on it and making it more comfortable until it's time for me to sell it.

3 of Earth--Raspberries (3 full baskets)

• "Teamwork multiplies productivity."
• "Trust your leadership and organizing skills."
• "Approach people with clear expectations and agreements."
• Direct skills toward something you will enjoy in the end.
• Being stronger and happier together.
  

This could apply to either pet help or home help all of which are directed toward bringing me into contact more frequently with family. There's mention that raspberry canes don't produce fruit until the second year so I should expect this process to take some time.

Surrender Cards 12-2-23

NEW DIRECTION

Surrender to Receiving Support and Love

Stop trying to handle everything myself. Allow the help of others to take the pressure off and allow me to feel nurtured.

In practical terms this means getting home care help and possibly leaving US Chess or taking a leave of absence so I can focus on seeing parents and taking care of myself.

PHASE ONE

Surrender the Habit of People Pleasing

It's significant that this continues to come up. Focus on my own happiness is the key message. 

Who will I inconvenience if I prioritize my own happiness and why am I unwilling to inconvenience them? In what way will I inconvenience them?

PHASE TWO

Surrender Your Addictions

I'm working on this and am making progress. I think I need a better understanding of what holes the addictions are filling and what would better fill them.

PHASE THREE

Surrender to Success

I need to define what would be success for me at this time and do what I can to employ others to help me get it. It clearly is not monetary success or work success, so what success is it going to be and which things need to go for the new success to come into being

What to be grateful for 12-2-23

Divine Circus

Her Wicked Ways--Comfortable in Winter

Yes, the winter is a break for me physically, though I don't know why. Speaking of the weather more generally, it has finally rained enough to cause puddles for the first time in months. I'm also grateful to have a secure home and all the clothes needed to get through the seasons.

Ra! Ra! Ra!--Elaborate Ideas/Ambition

Maybe this should be in reverse. I'm still in simplifying mode and am doing fairly well progressively letting complex projects fall by the wayside or be on indefinite pause. My absence is not particularly missed, which is all the more reason to continue on my current path.

Gypsy Columbine--Explore your eccentricity

This is the beauty of living alone.

Majestic Earth Celtic Cross Spread 12-2-23

1. Situation--Hierophant's Domain

• A desire to do the right thing, especially regarding elders.

2. Present influence--Spirit of Stone

• Stability, but also distance and obstacles. Things set in stone can make goals seem impossible. I need to learn to fly to overcome the distance and obstacles--or to plan a longer timeline.
• This combined with the Hierophant hints at a spirtual journey or trial.

3. Card representing me--Rider of Trees

• Yes, the need for travel and swift action, which I'm not really capable of these days. Maybe this represents what I want to be true.
  

4. Recent past--8 of Clouds

• Waylaid, shipwrecked, stuck in the ice of my body. The ice is breaking up but I need a crew to sail the ship.

5. Desired outcome of situation--9 of Stone

• To be master of my destiny, stable, without the need for travel, to be more permanently and comfortably ensconced in one location.

6. Entering influence--Rider of Water

• Emotionally adrift or lackadaisical. No desire to move beyond my local environment. Feeling foggy and unfocused.

7. Trending outcome--5 of Water

• A time of grounded isolation. Not being able to pull off a Rider of Trees save of the situation.

8. Bridge between present (center) and trending outcome (northeast of center)--4 of Water

• Love where I'm at. Be patient with myself and my process.

9. Bridge between desired outcome (top) and trending outcome (right of top)--10 of Stone

• Allow the financial help of parents. Or again appreciate what I have even if it's not as grand as the past.

Overall this set of cards strike me as showing the benefits and disadvantages of stability. It would be best and would make me happy if I didn't have to go anywhere for the holidays but there currently isn't any way for me to resolve that situation. This reading and this deck don't offer solutions.

Being busy and spending money

 In large measure, it's just as well that I didn't end up traveling for Thanksgiving. I felt well enough on Thanksgiving day, Friday, and Saturday to get some things done around the house.

I finally got the three of the big bins out of the living room and took the two glassed end tables to the Mission store. I love how it has opened up the living room to something more normal. I still have two bins in there to decide on and one of the bins removed from the living room is sitting on a kitchen table because it needs to be repacked. I've ordered bubble wrap for that purpose.

I also had enough time to do shop online for a twin bed and mattress. Mom had invited me to help spend some money. I'll spend some on home maintenance/improvement but I also need to make my home more livable until I move and to allow for more storage space for boxed items.

I also attacked another box of books and got rid of all of them that were large because my hands can't deal with large books anymore.

Finally, I brushed dogs, clipped their nails, swept the kitchen, got rid of the roach bait (this was the year of the roach in my house for some reason) and vacuumed the living room (which I find so much more taxing than sweeping a floor). I discovered that Ginger has a nasty wound on her neck. I put triple antibiotic ointment on it but may have to take her to the vet. It appeared to have proud flesh developing around it. I wonder if it's related to the fight with Zippy and whether it's the spot where her large wart was. It was a large crusty wart that grew quickly then stagnated. I hadn't noticed it in a while. Lordy.

Today, Sunday, I crashed. I was really dragging and didn't get up (except for feeding animals) until late afternoon.

November Catch Up

Had my hair cut short. Mom was the only one who had anything to say about it even though I informed the whole family and included pictures. She was positive. Amy eventually responded but only regarding other topics.

Zippy lit into Ginger and appears to have drown blood in at least one place on her neck, possibly two. I didn't initially find those spots but a day or so later I felt places that seemed like dried blood in her fur. I suspect Zippy jumped out the doggy door and hit Ginger in a way that hurt her and so she objected and then Zippy went insane. It took both me and Boo to break it up. Even the next day, Zippy was doing a dominance dance around Ginger but came away when I called her. I waited another day or two and then they appeared to be fine. This incident had me looking into behavioral euthanasia. I think on one offense it's not fair but I could see doing it in the future. Ginger is a really inoffensive dog so attacking her with the intensity that Zippy did, which absolutely requires defense from Ginger, highlights that she's just not right. It underscores that I can't take her up to parents unless Lucy is out of the picture. Even then I question it. If Zippy starts something with one of the big dogs, which she will undoubtedly try at some point, it could trigger a fight between the two big dogs, which would be bad. So that's what I'm looking at: if I move in with a remaining parent, I will need to put Zippy down or have a way to keep her separate.

Leah is not willing to drive up to take care of animals. Only if she can stay overnight does it make sense to her. I'm not surprised and can't blame her, but it's even more house-cleaning for me in preparation to go and she has had bladder problems in which she has wet her bed, so I don't think that's the best idea. I then made other calls to vet staff and etc and no suggestions. I'll need to create a poster to put up in some vet offices or advertise in the paper or on facebook, which means creating an application because I'm not going to accept just anyone coming into my home. I asked a neighbor who had been out walking his dog but he wasn't able to talk well, which made me question if he would be able to understand instructions. I realized that my pets are more complicated than they used to be and that one of the medications is a pain-killer that an unscrupulous pet-sitter might want to steal. So it's all more complicated than I'd hoped it would be. I'm continuing to make some calls but I have little faith in word of mouth at this point. 

It has also made me realize what an obstacle house cleaning is for me in terms of getting out of the house, so I need to also search for a regular house cleaner. Once I get a regular house cleaner and a regular pet sitter/helper, I may be able to visit parents more often.

Mother has gotten her dividend check and wants me to help her spend it by doing home repairs to get my house ready for sale. I'll do some but she doesn't understand how much stuff costs or how little in return I'll get out of the expense. I may see if she's willing to have it spent on making me more comfortable, like getting a twin bed and comfortable chair/recliner or daybed.

House and shadow pics from the past couple of days:

Napping with cats

 I figured out--sort of--how to use my phone in a way that would allow me to take pics of the cats while they were keeping me company.

I wish allergies didn't prevent me from spending more cuddle time with them.

I returned to an old fascination: silverware in the sink.

Jasmine strolls

Jasmine has stage 4 kidney failure. She has shown little interest in going out since this latest decline. But today she decided to step out. It was sad to see her struggle coming up the steps but she did venture forth off the stoop and into the weeds twice. 

Meanwhile, the ever-jealous Boo sulked amidst the fragrant snakeroot when I shooed her away while giving Jasmine some attention.

Fall is beginning to take hold so I hope it will be pleasant enough to have the back door open more often. I need to do some work on this area to tame it and clean it up after a summer of neglect because of my own health which doesn't do at all well in the heat.

Time gets away

Much of my time has gotten lost in trying to maintain life: a little paid work, a little unproductive activity that makes me feel good, chores, sleeping and other self-care.

The pellet litter experiment failed. Since the pellets aren't "finished" on the ends, they're very splintery. The cats didn't like that and it meant potential for slivers that could lead to infection, especially given that my cats are elderly. I've started to use Dr. Elsey's and that is working better than my old litter with less dust. I'm resigned to having dust as long as I have cats.

Today was my trip to CS vet to get Boo's gabapentin for the nerve pain in her neck.

This is the longest trip I make (20 minutes) I usually make each month, south through the countryside. It's pleasant but the thought of having a mechanical failure on that stretch makes it feel risky. I don't feel up to walking far and have no one local to call should I get in a spot.

Some nappy pet pictures from about a week ago:

An extraordinary sky from the last time I was at the grocery store. I actually noticed it reflected in the hatchback window of my car first and then looked up and decided to take some pictures before heading home.

Upon arriving home, I took more.

Jasmine has been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease but she's pretty stable. She just isn't interested in going outside anymore, which is what alerted me that she was going downhill. I've got a special diet dry food coming in the next couple of days that I'm hoping she'll take to. I've gotten a cat water fountain in hopes of encouraging her to drink more. However, I'm not going to go to extremes, such as subcutaneous water injections or anything else that will result in stressing her and just making her last months or years a trial. She's an old cat and if this is how she is going to go, then this is simply it. I'll try to keep her comfortable as long as possible.

Pooka seems to realize something is amiss with her buddy as well. It's another thing I noticed. They were sleeping together more often after a long stretch of sleeping mostly in separate areas. And it always appeared from their positions as though Pooka had gone up to Jasmine to comfort her.

Meanwhile, Ginger is going strong. Boo is tolerating the utter boredom of her life. Zippy is very very slowly becoming better at being out in the house without having to be in the same room as me. 

My own health is constantly changing but otherwise my day to day life changes very little, which is why I don't post much here.

Paper Pellet Cat Litter

Mar 2

I'm slowly introducing this into the scoopable litter in one of the boxes. I'm not sure how it's going to work once it's the only material in there. There's a lot of waste when picking out the poo or urine because the pellets are so large the good ones don't fall through the scoop. At least the cats aren't objecting to it. They seem more inclined to use it for pooping and have taken to using the other box more for peeing. Even if I do have one box that's paper and one that's dusty, that's 50% less dust.

Mar 11

I'm continuing the pellet experiment. Even if I don't convert to it entirely, I may continue to mix it. The pellets sometimes do get out. I'm still not sure how they will absorb urine without the clumping clay litter.

A dog nose and nosy rose leaves

 Just wanting to add these pics for the record.

Will I be able to keep the potted dog rose alive?

How much longer will I have the privilege of Ginger's expectant leer?

Photo spree

 Once again I had some fun taking pics on the spur of the moment.

I found these stacked cups interesting.

Attempting self portraits did not go very well.

Dogs got in my way a couple of times.

My current poop scooper set up.

Light on curtains.

Utensils in the sink.

Condensation on the container I'm using to sprout African Violet cuttings.

Sunset in the hood after a storm front went through midday.

Other photos will be shared on my druidry blog.

Jasmine to the vet

The good news was that her kidney function has not decreased. She continues to be in the early stage of kidney failure. So the blood in the urine was from an infection and/or crystals. She was given the 2-week antibiotic shot and a shot for pain. 

She was much more outgoing while on the pain shot, which leads me to believe she's more often in pain than I have been aware of. 

I have to say that I hate that a cat has to be sedated in order to take a blood sample (required to assess kidney function).

Though it was inconsistent, adding liquid to her food helped, whether it was water or chicken broth or the turkey broth at the pet store. I mixed pumpkin with the turkey broth and both cats would finish it with food so I'm going to continue that going forward.

I also need to keep her on the urinary goo daily.

Cat crisis

 I think Jasmine has a very bad UTI infection.

This afternoon, when I went in to feed them dinner, I saw what I thought was orangey diarrhea. It would make sense from the color of the food I've been feeding. There was also a lot in their box for that time of day. I decided to clean it while they were eating. Jasmine only ate a little and then had a fit of vomiting bile. My assumption is that she's the one with the loose poop. One of the cats had also vomited their earlier meal. 

But then when I went in to check about 8pm, it looked like bloody, mucusy pee rather then poo. I dug out some old antibiotics and gave her a dose and am trying to figure out how to keep her from getting worse until I can get her to a vet. Though it's not advised, I may give her some of my clavimox. 

I had given her antibiotics during the week. I had a full bottle provided by my vet for such an event. It ran out a couple of days ago so this seems to be a resurgence of it. --On the assumption it's Jasmine, which is my assumption from her not eating much and vomiting in response to food. Pooka isn't showing signs of illness except excessive hunger.

Zippy has a breakthrough

On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, after having her for 7 years (I think), Zippy finally caught on that in order to have freedom in the house, she must 1) Not pester the cats and 2) Not approach their room (where the coveted boxes of cat poop reside). 

She spent an entire afternoon out at the same time as the cats without being a pest. I had to be alert to her sneaking over to the propped baby gate (where she no doubt planned to sneak through and into the inner cat sanctum for some poop pilfering), but, after a few verbal negations, she gave up on that also and settled into a dog bed. Later, she even retired to her crate in another room. It's a miracle.

Self-restraint has come hard to Zippy. She is plagued with fear of thunder and anything that sounds like thunder (hello exhaust noisemakers). She literally (I've checked radar) hears a storm when it arrives in Guntersville, 10 miles away (about 5-10 minutes before I hear any thunder). She must go in her crate when there are storms otherwise she is petrified. In her crate, she is quiet.

Her first breakthrough happened a year or so ago. When a frightening sound occurred (I think an exhaust noisemaker), she took herself to her crate instead of me having to put her there. 

Then also about a year ago she began to mind me the first time I told her to "shut up!" (Yelling, of course, being the only way she'll hear me over the racket she is making.) Imagine, if you can hear a storm 10 minutes before anyone else can, what else you can hear that's nearby. Any little thing under the house. Any minor rustling in the leaves outside. She has a hair trigger and goes into ferocious mode when no other animal is showing interest in anything. She has slowly been able to get a grip when I tell her to shut her yap. (The reason I need her to be quiet is to determine whether there is any real reason for her alarm.)

Or maybe she's losing the hyper-acuteness of her hearing, which would be a huge blessing. Today, a windy day in spring, with a roar of wind in branches but not much in the way of leaves rustling, the mail truck got by without notice. Again, this has been true for about a year. But more surprising is that a woman was out walking a toddler who was making various bleating noises that had me half curious if there was a cat outside. But then I saw the toddler, who was having a wonderful time and toddled down my short driveway to retrieve a bright piece of trash that had blown into my yard. What a great little helper. He took it right to his mother. Zippy's only reaction was a mini-growl.

Could it be she's developing "judgement," which in this instance would be the ability to distinguish what is likely not a threat from what likely is? That would be the best of all possible reasons for these breakthroughs. But it could be that she is losing some of her hearing acuteness or is not well. For now I'm going to assume that she is physically fine but mentally/emotionally finally "maturing." May it continue. It gives me hope that I may some day be able to have visitors that she doesn't want to kill. That maybe someday I can have a repair man over and when I tell her to "shut up!" she actually will so that I don't have to put her in another room where she barks insanely the whole time, regardless how long, the stranger is in the house. May the haywire neurons in her wild doggy brain finally relax and make different assumptions.

Dog Photos

A few indoors. Boo sleeps under the corner desk only when Pooka out and is wanting to be petted. So this is Boo's jealous position. If I won't let her interfere with Pooka being petted, then she will try to be as close as possible--as a matter of principle--or something.

This is one of Ginger's dead dog poses that she's so fond of over the last year or so.

Here she is making a long stretch to play footsies. Usually if she's laying at my feet, which is rare these days, she has to have one foot on my foot and for some reason can't just leave it there but has to keep nudging my foot with hers. In this moment, I lingered too long within reach and she couldn't resist making contact.

Took my phone out with me while cleaning the dog year and got some decent dog pics. And miracle of miracles, Zippy will actually sit still for a picture outside. Alas, outside Boo always wants to be too close for pics.

Cat Photos

 I'm discovering how to use my phone's camera and managed to do an extended kitty photo shoot recently.

The kitties are getting old. It's harder to keep them healthy and yet they don't look that much different from when they were 3 or 4 years old.