~*~On Tuesday the 8th, I showed up at 9AM (what was I thinking?!) for my mammogram. I put on the requisite pink mammo-shirt and walked into the chamber--freezing, of course. The technician greeted me warmly and said, "What a great day for a mammogram! Happy International Women's Day! It's the perfect way to celebrate!" Luckily, I am a Tactful Person, born of years and years of teaching teenagers, and I was able to respond with, "And to think I had no idea when I made this appointment. What a terrific coincidence!" She was kind, professional, and even gave me a nice pink pen.
~*~Piper and Marlowe, the Resident Cats, turned twelve earlier this month. Our relationship has become...strained. Shall I blame it on The Pandemic? The old adage "Familiarity breeds Contempt"? They've gotten mouthy and demanding. They start staring at me and snarking for their meals at least an hour before time. Marlowe never, ever shuts up unless she's asleep. I cannot sit down without having Piper commandeer my lap. AND THE HAIR. Is there such a thing as an industrial strength vacuum that one can install at one end of the house and it just sucks really hard and pulls out ALL THE CAT HAIR AT ONCE? I need that. Pronto.
~*~I cannot believe that I have to say this on March 10th, but here it is: CHRISTMAS IS OVER. TAKE DOWN YOUR OUTDOOR DECORATIONS. At this point, they are abusive. If you would like to keep Christmas in your heart and in your home, for whatever reason, please do. Keeping them outside to lower property values and everyone's spirits is selfish and lazy. Today on my walk, I had the jarring experience of witnessing a deflated Santa flanked by a shamrock wreath and an Easter egg tree. If there were a bar on my route, I'd have stopped in and had a stiff drink.
~*~Things are, however, Looking Up. We're getting longer stretches of decent weather between winter storms. The silver maples are full of bright red buds. The magnolia trees have soft little catkins all over their branches. My daffodils have emerged from the landscape beds about an inch or so--brave things! Robins, having arrived back in early February, are now everywhere and singing. My sage, chives, oregano, and thyme are already coming along in the herb garden. With the weather giving me safer sidewalks, I can walk far more often, so my moods are less gloomy and grey. I'm starting to believe that Spring May Come.
Tell me if our Worlds collide or anything about Your World in Comments.
I don't know whether it is age or being thrown together 24/7, but Giroux is much more chatty (what I really wanted to write was demanding). He starts about an hour to and hour and a half before supper time with that look that says he is starving and nobody cares.
ReplyDeleteOh and the hair. For the love of Pete! THE HAIR! I can't imagine what people with long-haired cats have to put up with. Giroux is a short hair, but has a fluffy belly. But ---- yikes! With the amount of shed hair he should be bald. He is not.
Dee--My cats are enormous, yet, like Giroux, they continually act as if they are near Death's Door from starvation. I wonder if I caused the conversational problem since I have always talked to them, even moreso since retirement (a year after I rescued them).
DeleteI share your amazement at the amount of hair still on the cat even though so much hair is left EVERYWHERE ELSE. Piper, an orange tabby, sheds freely on contact. Marlowe, part Maine Coon, is hugely fluffy, so her hair floats. And neither of them submits good-naturedly to brushing.
Why, oh WHY can they not hold it in?
Those are EXACTLY my cats. Only difference is that my two are only 9. Mouthy? Staring? Demanding? OMG. Must be the pandamnit. And yes, hair.
ReplyDeletekayT--Bless you. I am feeling, at least, not so put upon now that I know I'm not alone in my Cat Travails. My previous two cats were not this way so much about noise and food protesting. Of course, they had their own maddening quirks. Apparently, I did not learn and re-upped for two more. Sigh.
DeleteYour mammogram story had me smi1ing.
ReplyDeleteYour neighbors1ights have me snickering!
thanks Nance. !!
kathy b--You're most welcome. Your cats must be angels. I'm glad to know it.
DeleteMulder starts begging for his dinner about an hour prior. He does not whine nor bark, thankfully, just gets REALLY loving. It's pathetic and we enjoy it. But the hair. Sigh. The hair is EVERYWHERE.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely spring here, warm beautiful afternoons, chilly to almost cold mornings. It was down in the high 20s a few weeks ago, warming up to the 60s by afternoon. I suspect that was the last gasp of winter. I'm bitter about no real rain in Jan/Feb/March, but it's hard to be too miserable about it when it's so pretty outside. Perhaps I'll rip out all of my plants and put in fake ones.
J--Mulder Cuddles have to be absolutely wonderful. He is bushy and cute. But that hair! It has to be a constant battle as much as my cats'. If he doesn't wander all over the house to escape the brush, then you're one up on me. My back kills me by the time I'm done brushing cats and it takes forever.
DeleteI was so hopeful for Rain in your area. It looked awfully promising there for a time. Darn. I hope your spring is a harbinger of our own. We are getting snow again (AGAIN) today, but the biggest storm will miss us, thankfully. Still, we won't even see 30 tomorrow (Sat.). But next week looks more like springtime, and it's saving me from sinking.
I gave up on real plants in the house, save for my wintered-over geraniums. Marlowe got into a plant-eating frenzy in her old age. I did get a fake plant for the bathroom, her favourite snacking spot. My daughter-in-love killed so many hanging plants because she loved the look but not the maintenance that I got her all fake ones for Christmas, along with macrame hangers. She was thrilled and they look great.
Just saying...! LOL.
It is Really Annoying, when I am still living in a world of snow, to read about robins and daffodil shoots and clear sidewalks. Well, it would be, if it weren't you. My mother used to do this to me every spring as her town was two weeks ahead of dear old frigid eastern Ontario where I slither through snowbanks until late March. However, I slithered out this morning and had a hot chocolate with a friend in town and she was wearing RUNNERS, the snow having been cleared back enough to allow this.
ReplyDeleteWe may be at the end of the mask mandate next month. Whee. And just to make your day, there is an end, also, to mammograms when you have aged enough. Almost worth it.
I confess to an evergreen wreath with a red bow on it. I would remove the bow if it were not fastened so firmly with glue that it would distort the wreath to wrench it off.
At the beginning of April, my vine wreath will replace the evergreens. Until then it is winter here, damn it.
Buds! Herbs!
Weeping. And you have a commenter with even more warmth.
Do the cats stop shedding once spring has really sprung? Our dog did and once I had brushed the dickens out of her, outside on a windy day, I had a few months almost hair free.
Dearest Mary--We are getting snow today. Do not think for one moment that in NEO spring has sprung. It is to laugh. My snow shovels will NOT GO INTO THE GARAGE LOFT UNTIL MAY. Last year, by the way, it was May when we had our last snowfall. And on yesterday's walk, I wore my heated coat on the highest setting.
DeleteAll of our masking is Optional now, and the retail outlets have removed all the social distancing stickers and signs. I still mask, however, lest anyone think I am a republican. Our numbers are Very Low for transmission and hospitalizations, but I cannot let go yet. Seriously--I feel like making sure people know I'm not One Of Them is probably the biggest reason I'm still masking in uncrowded indoor spaces.
I do know about the mammogram age threshhold, especially since I have never had a callback for a scan and no history. They don't bother me; I just hate medical appointments, period.
Mary, I have to say that were the bow on your wreath gone or any other colour, I'd give you a pass. But as it is, you are Part Of The Problem. It is a Christmas Wreath. Take it down and let your door be Wreathless until April. Please.
I am certain that every single Reader and Commenter who read your thoughts here got a hearty chuckle out of the mention of cats not shedding come spring. CATS NEVER, EVER STOP SHEDDING, EVER. They shed freely and continuously and, perhaps, out of spite. If one has a loving, kind, and dear cat, that cat may, perhaps, shed copiously, thinking it is offering a precious gift. Regardless of purpose, cats shed neverendingly and everywhere, the product of which could cover many small bald cats on an hourly basis.
I hope I have made my point. A complementary point would be: think of this if you ever contemplate getting a kitten/cat.
Stay warm, dear friend.
Okay, the wreath will come down. But it is going to have to sit on the garage floor for at least six weeks until I can get back behind the garage to my workbench to take it apart. For you, because you Care.
DeleteOutside there is a howling wind and the snow is advancing across my screened porch, being blown through the screen.
I am going to continue to wear a mask because I am almost 80 with compromised lungs and a bad heart and if any of the yobs in trucks call me on it, Look Out. (Inside or outside of the vehicle. I parked behind one last week that said Fuck Trudeau in glorious colour. Um, no thanks.)
Mary--I do care, and I think it will help in many ways.
DeleteI am currently at the lake; Rick had to attend some meetings. The ice has advanced again after two days of below freezing weather, high winds, and snow. Yet there are mallards, mergansers, redheads, and even a dear, cute bufflehead out on the open water of our shore. A robin perches in the maple nearest our deck which is covered in snow. My solace is in the forecast, which shows 50s and 60s starting on Monday.
I'm wearing my mask, too, regardless of being in a distinct minority. I read that our flu vaccine this year is nigh unto worthless--it is a bad match for the strain that has ended up being the one prevalent this year. My immune system is largely poor as well, so I'd rather be safe.
As to the Trudeau sentiment, it doesn't sound all that unappealing. I find him very attractive and charming, and I like his politics overall. There are Fuck Biden flags around here, which I find disgusting. I must say that I'm glad that sort of display is not uniquely American.
I know about cat hair...the one thing I find is Isaiah will sit by his litter box until I clean it, and then he uses it and soils it up again. We're slaves I tell ya...and cats rule the roost. But, I think of all who are suffering today and stop complaining at my trivial tasks caring for him.
ReplyDeleteThe weather here has improved too. But, yet, another freeze warning looms for tonight.
Maybe they are waiting for Christmas in July?!! (kidding).
Anni--Marlowe does the same thing when I clean the boxes. We are indeed indentured servants to our cats.
DeleteSo many winter storms! We're affected by one today/tonight as well and expecting snow. How long before TX stores start having to stock snow shovels? You stay warm down there.
Our cats have always demanded their meals well before the time - and Pip is a talker no matter what!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at you thinking that 9am was early for your mammogram. I almost always schedule mine for 7 or 7:30am ...
We still have some Christmas decorations on houses around the neighborhood. I don't understand it and the Holiday Police in me is annoyed by it, but I tend to ignore it mostly. Or snarkily judge and amuse myself by it.
And ... animal hair. I've always been surrounded by it, since I was a kid. Sometimes it bothers me, but in the long run, I'd rather have to deal with it than not. Because that would be too sad.
Bridget--Since retirement, I love easing into my day. Having to be anywhere before 10 feels abusive. My sincere wish for you is that soon you feel the same way for the same reason.
DeleteI've always been irritated by tardy outdoor decor. I feel like it's just a lack of effort and organization and, overall, respect for other people. They had a great idea, got all excited, thought it would look awesome, and then...feh. Now they don't have to look at it much because it's outside and they're inside. Why did they bother in the first place?
Wow. I'm really overthinking this, right?
I completely understand what you mean about pet hair. It definitely comes with the territory. I'd just like to have WAY LESS of it. And one day of not using the lint roller. Sigh.
Our dogs (Lillie in particular) start in about an hour before dinner time; luckily she just follows me around and puts her little cold nose on my ankle reminding me that it's almost dinner time. The vocals from the kitties would drive me to feed them early.
ReplyDeletePet hair. It never ends. Although the Roomba helps with it. Maybe if you had one of those you'd not hear the chatty kitty so much?
What is it with the out of season decorations? You might need to leave a little reminder note in their mailbox.
Well, it is officially summer here. It was 90* yesterday. I'm trying to get as much yard/gardening work in now before it's too hot for me. Years ago I could work in the yard all year, but now I'm a bit more 'fragile' I suppose and the heat just does me in.
I love that you are able to get out and walk more now; that is really good for all of us. Well, unless Santa decorations are in your peripheral.
Suz--The walks make a big difference for me. I don't like that I have to bundle up and turn on my heated coat, but getting fresh air and seeing Nature slowly change is a tonic for my mood. I cannot fathom 90* right now. That kind of heat does me in, too. I can only be out in it for short stretches. We had a lot of those days last summer. They're brutal.
DeleteZydrunas is ambivalent about eating. Sam has started to think about simply putting out a self-feeder and allowing him to graze on kibble throughout the day. He is even meh about wet foods. His weight is fine and he is healthy--just not jazzed about food in general. It's like he knows it will always be there, so no big deal.
I would love a little personal Roomba that simply runs up and down my body several times a day, ridding my clothes of pet hair as I go about my routine. When I sit down, it could wander onto the throw pillows, too. I do hope someone is working on that.
Lillie is such a cutie. Perhaps you could fit her with little moppy booties and she could at least clean/polish up the floors as she follows you about. I think it's worth a try. Multitasking for the win!
"CHRISTMAS IS OVER. TAKE DOWN YOUR OUTDOOR DECORATIONS." What a novel idea. And you don't suppose, do you, that the people who still have their decorations up like to whine about a War on Christmas? I surmise that these people believe that by keeping their decorations up all year round they are the foot soldiers in this war. I think they're just lazy.
ReplyDeleteAlly--That's a distinct possibility, I suppose. I'd give it even more credence if the decorations were nativity scenes, but these are not. Like you, I think these are more likely foot soldiers in the Army of Procrastination, Shiftless Brigade.
DeleteThe Christmas decor' that stays up beyond the first few good weather weeks bugs that heck out of me too. Easter, Christmas and St Patrick's Day all together would drive me to drink too.
ReplyDeleteYour cat hair problem is a great reminder to me that, no, I can't get a cat with my allergy to cat dander. I've been entertaining the idea of getting retested and getting a kitten.
Jean--Cats are nice companions for the most part. I, unfortunately, spoiled mine terribly early on and now they are arrogant and demanding. And bullies. And the hair, of course, is a given. But I will say that these two shed far more than the cats they replaced. BY FAR.
DeleteI'll bet your condo place removed all traces of Christmas from the outside and common areas in a very timely manner. It's a well-run and classy place. Wouldn't you love to peek inside a few residences and see who's not up to speed? LOL
There's a house in our neighborhood that goes ALL OUT with decorations for every holiday, but they never remove any of the previous decorations, so they have a witch flag out for Halloween, an inflatable turkey for Thanksgiving that is obviously deflated, but is still there, a bunch of Christmas stuff, including green and red lights, and now there's some heart-shaped stuff on their door and windows for Valentine's Day. I haven't seen any St. Patrick's Day decor out there yet, but maybe I'll walk by this afternoon to see if they've put anything up. I think I should be annoyed, but instead I am just amused.
ReplyDeleteNGS--That house is my nightmare, truly. I'm sure that they do it all with great Intention--having it all pile up, I mean. They probably enjoy being labeled as Quirky and Weird. I think being amused rather than annoyed is helping your blood pressure and your mental health, and I should follow your lead.
DeleteI have got to schedule my mammogram! I'm surprised they haven't sent me a reminder. Oh wait - I just checked my calendar & I had mine in April last year.
ReplyDeleteYou will be relieved to know that we switched out our wintry door flag (otherwise known as just a flag, but we hang it on the door instead of a pole) for a rabbit flag. Don't tell Dr. M, but it is not my favorite. It has a sort of Alice in Wonderland flavor and not in a good way.
I'm really glad you posted - I wanted to send you a grammar question & kept forgetting. The suspect grammar is already out in the world because I posted it on Insta & FB, but I'd like to get it fixed before I post it on my blog (or maybe in some sort of grammar miracle I got it right). Keep an eye on your inbox!
Bug--Check your inbox for my reply. It was a very good question.
DeleteI am okay with wintry decor that is not overtly Christmassy. If it's just snowflakes or a snowman with no hollyberries or something, that's okay. But the rest is unacceptable. As you know, I'm a big fan of bunnies overall, but if you tell me it's of questionable attractiveness, I believe you.
I despise seeing Easter decorations before St. Paddy's Day. It is literally the finest day of the year; I'm Irish, and it is my birthday, so we celebrate in style.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for the daffodils to come up at Lake View. I love walking around there but have never been when they are in bloom. I've already promised myself this year is the year!
Elle--Allow me to wish you a Happy Birthday! It's a bit early, but I don't want to miss it. And Happy St. Patrick's Day as well. What wonderful celebrations you must have! It looks like you'll have lovely weather this year, too. I'm so glad.
DeleteI've never been to Lake View for daffodil time, either. Maybe I should make this the year as well since we've had such a harsh and grinding winter. It would be a treat and a reward. We both deserve it, for sure.
I love to see the trees bud this time of year. It's a promise that spring's on its way. When I go to get "squished" later this month, I'll look at the gown and think "mamma-shirt". Great name!
ReplyDeleteMinerva--Isn't it a joyful sight? I am always filled with hope and optimism renewed when I spot the swollen buds on the trees in my neighborhood. They let me know that all is not lost after all.
DeleteThe mammo-shirts are too short to be gowns though they tie the same and are made of the same cloth. They're so blousy and almost not-there that I'd almost rather be nude because of the draftiness. Just heat the room, gently place me, direct me, be quick, and get me out. I appreciate the nod to my Modesty, but it's sort of pointless.
Those maple buds are my number one allergy. I have learned how to manage them after years of agonizing and streaming eyes. But I still have a hankering for spring.
ReplyDeleteWanders--Hello! Great to see you. I'm sympathetic to your early-emergent allergies. Rick's should be firing up soon. He gets the shots, and they help immensely, but when the pines let go of all that pollen, he's still miserable.
DeleteI'm cautiously hopeful that this past weekend's blast of snow and icy winds were the last real stand of winter. (I do, however, remember snow in May last year or the year before.)
You totally demonstrated tact with the mammogram technician! But I probably would have done the same. It's hard to respond with WTF? to someone who is so nice and trying to make your slammogram a pleasant experience.
ReplyDeletePiper and Marlowe ... I honestly hear everyone describing their cats' behavior the same way these days. I think it's the pandemic and their concerns about the supply chain. Cat food is the new toilet paper. Haha.
And I know we've promised not to compare pet hair situations but I bought a Roomba (with the idea to run it daily to keep ahead of the collie hair) and the collie hair literally gets all entangled in its parts and takes a half hour of cleaning with my sewing scissors and tweezers. It's bad. I'm giving the Roomba to Bo and Justine. It should work better for their short-haired dog.
That's pretty hysterical on the holiday trifecta ... and also painful. I had a neighbor go from Christmas to one week of Valentine's Day decorations to St. Patrick's Day right after that and she's still adding to her St. Patrick's Day decorations. I'm not sure what will come next. (St. Patrick's Day is now forever changed for me as that was the day of Smokey's memorial service. I don't hate it or anything like that but it will always be different now.) One thing I go "aargh" to every year is how many pumpkins remain in yards and on steps at Christmas. Ridiculous. That said, admittedly, I still have my window candles up. I thought I'd take them down with the time change but now I've decided they may be a year-round, widow kind of thing. Being in a house alone is inherently dark, too dark, and I say that as someone who leaves lights on in several rooms already to prevent that feeling/mood. I always have done that. I just hate a dark house. I want a "warm" and cozy well-lit home.
Yay on the weather improvement, tree buds, herb shoots, and more daylight! We just had a snowstorm (less than an inch accumulation but it snowed all day and the wind was brutal) that took so many buds off the trees. I'm not sure what that will mean when it's time for trees and bushes to leaf out.
As others have said, I don't look forward to the pollen. Not that I suffer from allergies that much but I do hate that never-ending pollen on everything. It's important for our living world though. Statement obvious.
Shirley--Sam has a Roomba and it's among his favourite gadgets. Zydrunas's hair is short, so there's no problem there. I'm glad you said something about the hair issue, however; Rick's hair is long, and mine is too. Looks like no Roomba for us.
DeleteI don't think window candles are Christmassy. There are many homes in our area that have candles in the windows year round and no other decorations outdoors. I like the look. It appears cozy and attractive.
I can well imagine that St Patrick's Day will have a bittersweet feel to it always now. Smokey's life was one that deserves to be remembered and celebrated in so many ways. I know that you do that.
We're supposed to hit near 70 today and tomorrow, and I could not be happier. We've been near 60 each day this week, but a gusty NW wind has kept me from being able to air out the house comfortably. I'm hoping this changes today and tomorrow. I always feel so much lighter and better after a good airing out.
Yesterday, I saw that the Senate voted to make DST a year-round thing. No more clock changes. I was flummoxed as to why not just Standard Time, but we'll see what the House has to say.
I'm not sure if long hair is always an issue. Collie hair seems to be far wispier and well, tenacious, than human hair.
DeleteI guess I either think of window candles as Christmassy or country/colonial and I prefer my house to be "electic" vs country. Haha. We'll see if I decide to leave them up over time. One disadvantage of doing so is that it removes the special act of putting them up during the holidays. They simply become normal.
I am going to take your lead and do an airing out tomorrow after the rain today!
I've heard others say that Standard Time is a better option, as well as reminding us that we actually lived under DST for 2 years under Nixon and we didn't like that. Interestingly enough, I actually don't remember that part of the Nixon administration.
My world keeps me busy just trying to take care of the basics of living. I guess that's to be expected when you reach a certain age and have chosen to "live in place" by staying in your home. Seems to take longer to take care of ordinary tasks. Am spending time "right-sizing" and looking forward to some family assistance for several days I haven't had since last summer.
ReplyDeleteJoared--I'm glad your family is able to come and visit for a time. Having their help and company will be a pleasure, I'm sure.
DeleteMabel is a non-stop talker. And cat food consumer. She is not heavy, she is kind of on the thin side, but she goes through 3 cans of wet food plus treats and a full bowl of dry food daily...sometimes more. she will eat us out of house and home before we know it. BUT, she is more and more affectionate all the time and just a joy to have around.
ReplyDeleteVera--Holy cow (no pun intended), that cat can eat! If I fed mine like that, they'd be even more gargantuan than they already are. As it is, their vet cannot understand why they are so big and chubby. No treats, no people food, and I feed a high quality food according to her directions. They are just bigass cats.
DeleteMabel is aware of how lucky she is. What a sweetie.