mangy cat

In my last post I said our cat is “broken” – I’ll explain! Broken probably isn’t the right word for it, “sick” is a better one. We actually have 2 cats, Sumo is hyper-allergenic to everything – she literally steps outside and comes back with hive-type scabs on her neck and back. But Sunshine has always been the healthy one, the cat that acts like a cat (the “I’ll come to you when I’m ready” type cat). But lately, she’s acting SUPER weird, and I THINK, according to pictures on the internet, that she has mange. She is breaking out in scabs all over her ears and some of them are filled with pus, and it’s spreading over her nose, chin and over her eyes. It’s really painful for her if we touch it (accidentally, it’s kind of gross), and more so, she is acting really somber, like if we move her she doesn’t even try to get away or fight it, she’ll just lay wherever we plop her down. And she’s shedding a LOT. And I’ve noticed during the days I’m home she just lays in the corner, which makes me feel like I have to check to make sure she’s not dead (because cats hide to die?). I would think maybe it was some type of bug, but Sumo doesn’t have any of the symptoms, plus they are both indoor cats. AND, according to the internet (if my research is right, and if any of you know more about cat illness I’d love your input!) cats don’t get mange unless their immune systems are weak..like they have cancer or something :(. So needless to say, I’m worried!! And our car being broken, it’s kind of hard to carry a cat on a bike…I’m thinking. BUT as of yesterday, our car is no longer broken! (knock on wood) Dusty replaced the starter – apparently he took it in to Advance Auto to have them test it and it blew up their testing machine…probably akin to what it’s been doing to our alternators and batteries!! So Dusty replaced the starter, and yesterday and today it hasn’t acted up. So this week I am taking Sunshine to a vet.

This is her right now, curled up against my leg, and although I love the snuggliness, she normally would not have any part of this. And if you’re wondering, that’s catnip all over her – Dusty’s way of comforting her (she perked up when he got it out but didn’t have the energy to actually go to it) - (and, I asked our vet student friend if maybe it’s an effect of too much catnip, like she’s a crack addict or something, he said that’s a negative).

broken

our car.

our dryer.

our dvd player.

our plants.

our cat.

Well that list doesn’t look so long when I write it down…I really do have a lot to be grateful for, huh? Plus, when our car is broken and I am stranded at home on my days off, I have been exploring some bike trails around our house.

AND, we are getting some extra exercise by riding our bikes to work. Lucky us :).

DOUBLE plus, I took this picture as Dusty was saying, “lucky me! I get to go spelunking under the car!” I was there for moral support.

I really have a great husband :)

“There should be more to life than rolling the dice and going in circles”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/24/AR2010112404140.html

I found this article awhile ago, and started this post awhiiile ago, but just opened up my windows live writer and was reminded of it!  I love technology’s little reminders, there’s so much I would forget without them. 

Anyways – I love Settlers of Catan.  We played it over Christmas break with the Williams family, and while it is one of the longer games/has a tendency to spark…healthy debates among players…(although not as long as monopoly or risk – I’ve never played Risk but that’s what Dusty’s dad says), it’s still one of my favorites.  Definitely on my list.  (of things I potentially want when we have enough money to buy things we don’t need) (although, I seem to have a way of forgetting things that are on that list…or they are replaced by other, more expensive things, like skydiving, trips to Miami and/or London, etc.) (and Ct, but that’s more on my “need” list).

Here’s a few pictures for you.  They will have nothing to do with anything, but that’s kind of just how this post is turning out. 

December:  Merry Christmas from St. Augustine!  We found wax figures of the “Seinfeld” cast, which were actually pretty creepy looking.

January:  It’s kind of hard to tell, but that’s a manatee!  (And us, looking at the manatee)

one amazing lady.

For those of you who don’t know Crystalyn, she is amazing, and today is her birthday. Here is a list of words I think describe her (including but not limited to!):

creative, funny, optimistic, self-less, generous, stylish, kind, gives good advice, a good listener, a good talker (seriously, she will talk for hours if no one stops her), loving, a good mommy, awesome friend, beautiful, cheery (even when she says she’s grumpy) (or when she picks you up from the airport at 4am), loyal, honest, determined, artist (of every kind – drawing, sculpture, sewing…etc, etc), and epic rapper, tree-hugger, (and a good hugger!), original, and….OLD this year!! but forever young at heart :)

No matter what kind of mood you are in, Crystalyn will make you laugh. Or think of something crazy to talk about, which will inevitably put you in a better mood. (even if your mood was already good to begin with.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Crystalyn! I love you!!

missing husband

I. hate. being. alone. 

Dusty comes home tonight from Idaho -

6 more hours… 

the hint mix 1

I was going through some of my old stuff the other day, the couple of boxes that I salvaged when Mom and Dad brought ALL the stuff from my old room down to FL when Dusty and I got married – Dusty made me throw most of it away (there was a LOT of stuff…mostly stuffed animals…) and I found a cassette tape titled “The Hint Mix I” 

(sorry my camera isn’t better – I was trying to get the handwriting – is that yours Ben??)

I have no recollection of making this mix tape, which doesn’t really surprise me – I was the 4th kid to move into the much coveted (smaller) corner bedroom in my parent’s house, sometimes things just surfaced out of nowhere.  This tape made it all the way to Florida, AND survived the strict save-nothing-our-house-cannot-be-cluttered hand of Dusty!  (this is good – we balance each other)  So obviously I was curious what was on the tape.  I popped it into the tape deck player in our car (the only one we have, who has cassette players anymore?).  And it. Is AWESOME.  It’s a lot of Paul Simon, Jimmy Buffett and other random awesome artists/songs, plus every other song is an old commercial tune, like this one:

And I really don’t think I’ve ever heard this tape before now.  Who made this tape???  And if you want it back…is there still a way to copy tapes?  Because I’m really loving this one :) 

By the way, I owe this random digging up of my past to my sister-in-law Natalie’s recent gallivantings around Europe, looking at her amazing pictures has inspired me to find my pictures and souvenirs from France (I’ve had them in a shoebox all this time!) and put them (rightly) in a scrapbook. 

So whose tape is this?

i’m thankful for

my husband. Sometimes he drives me crazy (like when he reads by blog posts as I’m writing them and tell me to make sure I sound cool…), but he makes up for it by being amazing, brilliant, patient, honest, handsome, the MOST sincere person I know, and just downright perfect for me. And, he says things like, “Last night I dreamt that I had an affair, but the woman I had an affair with was a clone of you!” :)

my family. In Connecticut, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, London, Arizona – I’m so blessed!! My family is the most amazing/smart/talented/loving bunch of people I know.

my health - and my family's. After working as a nurse for a short while, I’ve realized I’ve been SO blessed with my health.

my job. I love being a nurse! Although, I’m also grateful that I got cancelled from 7-3 today, which meant I got to sleep in after eating all that turkey AND spend more time with the Bryans!

avocado pie, and the people who make it for me. ;) (see above..)

nature/the world.

the gospel.

laughing.

friends! Friends I talk to all the time and friends I haven't spoken to for months (or years...) I've been incredibly blessed by so many people in my life!

movies that make me feel good-

babies,

Christmas trees,

relaxing,

Sumo and Sunshine (our cats),

loans,

showers,

comfy couches,

and…

love!