The Ciel Show

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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

The Sneeze Factory

We have both been sneezing today. A lot! And that raspy back-of-the-sinuses feeling that's so often prelude to a head cold... I feel it, maybe Embers does, too. I sucked on a couple of zinc tabs a while ago, and I'll take an allergy pill. Tomorrow I will call the vet and ask about what sneezings portend and whether there's something to do about it. The antibiotic shots they gave her should still be active, but of course they do nothing for viruses. It is not unlikely she picked up something at... Sign in to see full entry.

So--Scam making the rounds?

My landlord got a notice claiming to be from the utilities company that said I am in arrears by $45.01 and if it isn't paid by Dec 2 they will shut off my power. First, I have been paying my utilities ahead for the past several months, and nowhere on my current bill does $45.01 appear. (First.5-- the current bill is in my hands, and it is due on Nov 30, after which they typically give anyone a 10-day grace period to get it paid) Second, after the grace period and a notification by mail and... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Feeling lightheaded...

I'm guessing Embers is, considering they took out 6 teeth yesterday! She has chosen a spot on the kitchen floor, I'm not sure why, as her personal spot, and mostly just hunkers down there. When I pick her up, she purrs a lot, and wants to rub, especially along the sides of her face that are sore. This rubbing on things or with her paws is to be discouraged, but cats don't discourage as easily as dogs. I can only try to distract her when she starts pawing at her jaw. She was on IV for rehydration... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Embers is sleeping...

The blood work determined that all her systems are good and could handle the anesthsia, so she is having several teeth removed, and will be waking soon to come home again. I am waiting now for the call that she is ready to be collected. Since she won't let me put the pain meds in her mouth, I'll be giving them to her by injection under the skin. I used to do this for our cats when we had several, and we needed to be frugal: we got their regular annual shots at the farm store and administered... Sign in to see full entry.

back to usual...

Today Charlie's dad flies home, the last of yesterday's dishes go into the dishwasher now I have the first load shelved, and Embers returns to the vet. She has been eating a little, drinking very little, and so she'll go in today and possibly be put under to have her mouth x-rayed. They'll take measures to rehydrate her, too. She is sitting on me now, purring. Soon she will be less pleased, being put into the carrier again, then the car. The vet she doesn't mind so much: they are people, and she... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

The Table of Truce

This day, this year, this season is a mixed bag of the glad and the sad. Our tradition has long been to sit at the table of many dishes, to raise a glass and put into a few words something each of us is thankful for. We don't do long speeches, typically, not with all the good things on the table awaiting our dedicated attention. And they are usually pretty much what you'd expect, reflective of family and personal accomplishment and appreciation. There's that older American tradition that started... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Long days, early dark...

Waking at 6:30, the sky is beginning to lighten, and it is dark out by 6pm. It's only November, a month yet before the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. But also when the nights again begin to grow shorter, though it won't be noticeable for some weeks. I invited Charlie's dad here for his birthday (today) and Thanksgiving, as I believe I have mentioned before. Birthday dinner was a culinary experiment: a more or less medieval recipe for pork and apple pie. It has been a very long... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

"British Problems"

I watched a show called British Problems, which is almost maybe a tongue-in-cheek look at how the British character is prone to be seriously skeptical of just about everybody and everything, judge everything as improper, as not good enough, as untrustworthy; to be insular, preferring to stay home alone in their skivvies, and really stressing over having anyone in their house. Some of this made me laugh because I am so that way, sometimes... Except for the friendliness thing that Americans are so... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Silence in the night... not always a good thing.

In the dark hours of the night, I heard a crunching sound... the sound of a cat eating kibble. Yay! Her gums are no longer inflamed and red, just a nice wholesome light pink, and she is eating again, at least more than one bit of kibble at a time. What a relief! I went to see ONE SIXTEENTH OF AN INCH last night, and it was quite an event. I wrote about it over on my Loosely Speaking blog. It was a very moving presentation that invited participation with a Talk Back session afterwards. Before the... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Perky Cat and other news

Embers seems to be feeling better, eating a few bites of kibble at a time, though not what you could call chowing down. She really despises the pain-killer meds I'm supposed to squirt into her mouth twice a day. I doubt she connects any benefits with the unpleasant event of being squirted. There was a bit of snow flying in the air yesterday, but not enough to leave more than traces on the ground today, though the temps are around and below freezing today. This evening Charlie is in, and I'm... Sign in to see full entry.

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