Hey, Can Opener. You need to find another weatherman. I don’t like this one’s reports.
The Rain is here again. Time to get creative.
Once again it’s raining constantly. As if that wasn’t enough, its also freezing cold. There goes my hunting plans. I’m convinced that the rats and mice in the neighborhood have orchestrated this debacle just to torment me, only I can’t figure out quite how they managed it.
But boy, when I do figure it out- they’re going to pay!
Meanwhile, I have to find less appetizing ways to entertain myself until the rain stops and the sun comes out again. I can only play so many tricks on Sushi- (she’s got no sense of humor)- and the Can Opener only plays with me for a few minutes at a time before she darts off to do something else, so I’m connecting with some of the neighborhood cats to get some fresh ideas.
Hey- This idea promises to be fun!
Maybe I’ll just start hunting for Bigfoot-
Well, What do you know! I found him!
Well, that was short-lived. Now what am I going to do?
The Can Opener started this earlier today- but then she went to work, and after that, Sushi got her sidetracked- Thanks, Mount Sushi.
It’s been a while- (it’s Sushi’s fault).
We’ve been busy keeping the rodent population down- (well, I have… Sushi only works on keeping those pesky blankets down). The Can Opener has a lot going on, and we’ve been telling her to get on the ball and post for us- but she’s as stubborn as ever and we can’t always get her to listen to her overlords (us) as well as she should. We are discussing disciplinary options now, but really, what can we do?
We threaten to with-hold treats from her, but she’s the one who buys everything so that doesn’t always work out. The closest we can come to with-holding her treats, is to stick our paws in her ice cream before she can dive in. But that lady is faster than lightening when it comes to ice cream.
Still, we’re working on getting this lady under control- but for now, she’s falling asleep and we haven’t had our nightly grooming and snuggles yet- so we’re going to make her give us attention now, and we’ll let her have her computer back in the morning. (Maybe)…
Too many people are burdened by anxiety, stress, and grief- and cats are the cure.
Our Can Opener has had her paws full lately. And everywhere we look we hear bad reports and see a lot of anxious or grieving people. The Can Opener herself is still grieving- and so is her sister. But they know of several things that really help- (we’ll talk about those later)- but guess what? We cats are great therapists!
From the beginning time, humans have seen that their cats make them smile, bring them warmth and comfort, and give them a reason to get up in the morning. That’s because if they don’t get up in the morning, their cats will eat their donuts before they can have a chance to.
But besides serving as your faithful alarm clocks (to remind you of our 3 am feeding schedule), and helping you avoid those un-necessary calories in those donuts that you always regret eating later, cats are great for your mental health in a ton of other ways.
Grab your coffee and get ready to learn!
We help you stay on the Light Side. And help you learn what cookies are worth our your time.
We give you ideas for reining in those two-legged noise machines when you’re driving.
We’re great at keeping secrets.
We help you control those unruly pets.
And we’re always willing to sample your cooking- even when it’s a little “RARE.”
We keep your melons from rolling off the counter while you’re putting the groceries away. You’re welcome.
And we remind you to recycle those big boxes that you keep tripping over. This one’s MINE.
I smell bananas and spinach- and it had better be for Sushi.
I think the Can Opener’s obsession with fruits and vegetables has gone a little too far. Of course, some cats (like the psycho cat next door- Sheba-) actually like some of this weird stuff. She even goes crazy when her human has watermelon until she gets some of it.
So, if you’re one of those cats that like people food- you’ll love this. But if not- just remember, this wasn’t my idea- the Can Opener did it!
Twilight was going to post this morning, so I got the computer turned on for her- but instead, she saw her favorite spot next to the laptop and decided to take it back from Sushi. Now she’s snoozing- so I’ll take it from here, and let her nap since she was out all night being a wild child.
I’ve been up since 5:00 this morning, and I don’t have the little Critters today- but I stayed up anyway because I have had a difficult time lately finding a chance to just be still for a bit and take some much needed time in prayer and God’s Word.
I have sensed Him reaching out to me over these last couple of weeks more and more. But life -(and responsibilities)- have a way of draining us of our energy- and (as you have no doubt noticed)- any form of creativity.
I haven’t said anything about things that have been happening- but my sister- (who happens to also be my neighbor)- kept having attacks that looked and felt like a massive heart attack was building up. So I have spent the last two weeks trying as much as possible to make myself available to her, staying with her when they happened, taking her vitals, calming her down, and caring for her.
At first she wouldn’t let me call 9-1-1 because she was sure the pain and shortness of breath was coming from a pulled muscle in the back of her neck.
I didn’t agree. I can’t say much about the details, but her symptoms were bad enough that I was afraid of what I may find when I went to check on her in the couple of days that followed.
The attacks happened suddenly and when she was relaxed. Complete with pain in her arm, etc. She would call in the middle of the night and say “It’s happening again”- And I’d rush over in my pajamas and do everything in my power to calm and reassure her while urging her to get checked.
After about 2 days she finally agreed (after it happened two days in a row)- to go to Urgent Care. She went to urgent care, and they sent her to ER.
That led to an 8 hour languishing in the waiting room of the hospital, where she sat in pain, one of a countless multitude of other people waiting for care- and some even laying in the floor sick in the ER. The doctors and nurses did the best they could- but they didn’t have enough staff. She was supposed to be there for an ekg (which after being done twice, was said to be normal)- and for two blood tests which had to be taken an hour apart.
They did the first blood test, and said they’d be back in an hour to do the second one. All this time, she was still in the waiting room. Three hours later they came back for the other blood test.
Several times she and her daughter told them she was in pain (from sitting so long)- and she needed to go home but they wouldn’t let her leave. Finally at 11 pm she said, “I’m going. I can’t do this anymore.”
She went back home, exhausted and in (more) pain- though she wasn’t having pain in her chest or shortness of breath anymore)- and the next day it happened again. She started her morning feeling finally rested (when she woke up around noon)- and within 45 minutes it happened again. Again she called me, and the hospital had not told her the results of her blood tests, but they had said it looked like she might have heart damage.
I prayed with her after doing everything I could to make her comfortable and help her calm down. The incident passed quickly- but 30 minutes later, It started again, and this time, I told her she couldn’t play with this and I needed to call 9-1-1. She finally agreed.
While I was still on the phone with the dispatcher, my sister suddenly said- “The pain is gone!” She was no longer clutching her chest, or holding her arm- and was completely calm. I told the dispatcher, and she had me ask if My sister still wanted them to come (they had already left).
They came (6 emts)- and checked her out and did an ekg and it was normal! They said if she wanted to go to ER, they would take her in, but they assured her that her heart was okay. And, they made a point of telling her that the “ER is not the place you want to be right now.” No kidding. She had been there for 8 hours the day before.
A couple of hours later, the ER staff from the day before called her back and said they needed her to come back to ER because they had to re-do the two blood tests. She refused. But the vascular surgeon’s office called her to set up a test for her heart. So the next morning she checked in to the hospital (not ER) for that and had a stress test, and another test that let them check her heart valves. Fortunately, that experience was completely different. She was immediately taken to a room with a tv and was given every imaginable comfort. The proceedure went smoothly and a few hours later, she went home.
Then finally, (two days later and after a visit with her regular doctor)- she was told all her heart tests were within normal range and she wasn’t having a heart attack.
However, clearly certain enzymes were elevated, and her blood pressure was high- so her doctor asked if anything had happened lately. That’s when she told him that a couple of months ago she lost her brother in a fire. Then the doctor understood what had happened.
She has not been able to get grief counseling, and the full effect of his loss is beginning to become more real to her now. She is now feeling relieved at least knowing that if the pain starts again, she’s not having a heart attack- and now I can relax and not be afraid to check on her anymore – But she is in pain of a much different kind.
It has now been 9 months since my husband passed from stage 4 cancer- and I thought I was doing okay- until the last couple of weeks. Suddenly for me, the reality of his permanent exit is beginning to dawn- when holidays come and go- and what would be his birthday is next month- and our daughter’s birthday is a week before his- so there is a shadow of death hanging over the next few months with birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas approaching.
But for my sister (and for countless others that I don’t know)- there is a much more recent wound- and though we put a smile on our face, and stay busy and “life goes on,” there is still the shadow lurking always in the back of our minds.
Hear me- Whether you know anyone who has recently lost someone or not, Please be kind and compassionate toward those around you. Life is short – and especially now in this time of upheaval and division spreading across the world with its unrest and uncertainty- it is more important than ever before to SHOW KINDNESS – to forgive- to love.
Be the person who makes the difference in your world. You have no way of knowing what the person around you may be struggling through.
You all have the power to MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR GOOD. Just decide to be willing, please. ❤️
Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
She’s been licking at her belly so much she has pulled off her some of her fur! The Can Opener called the vet, and they said for her to buy a cone to put on her! She has a vet appointment on the 26th – but she just had her checkup a month ago!
We both have a brand new Seresto collar, and there aren’t any fleas- we think maybe since she likes to lay outside on the porch in the evenings that maybe an ant or bee stung her or something- (it didn’t start until the day before yesterday when ash and smoke from the nearby wildfire finally cleared up and we got to go out again). And Mom’s been spraying this stuff on her (Vetericyn Plus Feline Wound and Skin Care (spray)- and already it’s looking better- and she’s pretty much stopped chewing at herself now.
But hey, Sushi- look on the bright side…. that cone could really come in handy at feeding time!!😹
See? You’ll be able to scoop more food faster!
Well, I see you licked off your sense of humor, too-
The Can Opener has had her paws full – with helping her sister- and a bunch of other stuff. I decided enough is enough!
This lady needs some new brakes.
If you thought we all got abducted by aliens, we didn’t- and we’re not sitting someplace in the Bahamas sipping coconut water, either (yet). But we’re pretty sure that if that was an option for the Can Opener, she’d be on it like a flea on Sushi.
She’s been up at 4:30 most mornings serving us – (after Sushi takes a few bites off her nose)- and taking care of the Critters, plotting gifts for birthdays and Christmas -(no waiting til the last minute around here)- and of course, getting called in to work.
But for the last few days she’s been spending a lot of time looking after her sister who has had some trips to the ER – things seem to have settled down now, so the first thing I meowed to Mom this morning is to take time to relax and do something just because she wants to (like typing for me). For once, she actually listened! 😹
So, before something else happens to make her too busy again, I’ve noticed there’s a dark, handsome, male siamese who has been coming to see me every night! I think I like him! 😻
Last night I was sitting on the doorstep and noticed him lurking around in the neighbor’s garden drinking from her sprinkler…
This is like one of those puzzles where you have to find a hidden object...Can you find him?
I think I’m going to stay out tonight so I can follow him and find out where he lives!
We’ve been trying for the last several days to get the Can Opener to type for us but that hasn’t worked out very well. There have been a few times she sat down and started a post for us, but then something happened and she didn’t get back to it. And sometimes she tried to get back to it but started hurting in her back and knee and couldn’t concentrate, so our draft folder is full of unfinished ideas we gave her.
We’re changing her schedule (she’s objecting)- because she just can’t seem to keep things on her previous schedule before our Backup Can Opener went to heaven. But we have the same schedule, so that means we have to retrain her! Meanwhile….
I help Mom keep Sushi groomed…
That is until she calls me “Tuna Breath!”
This morning it’s beautiful and sunny and after eating and grooming Sushi for Mom, I went outside to lay in my favorite sun puddle while the Can Opener made her coffee and started her morning routine…
Oh yes- this is my HAPPY PLACE!
Then Sushi decided she wasn’t ready for the Can Opener to do her usual brushing, so instead of settling in on Mom’s lap while she has her coffee, Sushi decided to snuggle into her soft, furry bed instead-
She was all settled in and cozy and then…
In walked “Mr.Smokey”- intent on stealing our Can Opener’s heart (and food)-
He was getting all nice and cozy…
And then he looked up and saw Sushi in her bed and growled and flew out the door and down the street!!! 😹
Maybe the Can Opener should take Sushi off her diet- he looked at her (and her “What are you doing here?” look, and decided it was time to move on! Apparently he isn’t used to being confronted by a cat twice his size! 😹
You know, you humans think we cats don’t have problems. But we do!
I’ve heard humans say we cats have it made-
And they’re right- usually. That is if we are living with properly trained Can Openers. Otherwise, well- not so much.
For example… My friend Frisky who lives a few blocks away can never get his humans to get out of bed and feed him on time. So sometimes he has to get a little “creative…”
Then, next door to Frisky is Princeton – his humans are obsessed with persnickity produce that just dares him to do anything about it.
And just down the street a little further, there’s Lizzy– Whose Can Opener thinks it’s still the Elizabethan age.
And (almost) worst of all- poor Twinkie just found out she’s ADOPTED!
So the next time you see a ‘stray’ cat trying to move in with you, have a heart, will ya’? You never know what problems are driving them away from home!
How to Train your Humans 