Holding on…

Mama’s about 3 days away from possibly knowing something she doesn’t know now…

Why do humans have to be so cryptic?

But that’s my mama for ya.

Good luck figuring her out.

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Chirps and Quacks

As I said yesterday, I finally got to reconnecting the camera to the phone so that when I took a picture, a smaller copy of it went automatically to the phone. Of course I only had my short lens out so I wasn’t able to get so close, thus the tight cropping and blurriness of some of the pics (at least I hope that’s why, I haven’t examined the full pics yet). I took them shortly after I posted the blog post yesterday, shortly before sunset. The first pic is looking over a neighbor’s house as the sun’s falling below his roof line. I had INTENDED to grab some cloud pictures, but the clouds hadn’t rolled in yet. Perhaps another day…

It felt good to get back out with the camera, partly because it’s been so busy lately, partly because it’s been so blasted WINTERY the last month or so! I almost smacked a couple coworkers for whining that it was hot outside – 82 is NOT hot! It felt heavenly out there.

I want to thank everyone for their love after Cary’s passing. It’s truly a loss all of her friends feel very deeply. But I know she’s buried under cats by now… especially if Nimbus has found his way to her. We all know he was quite the ladies man(cat) lmao!

Looks like I won’t be going anywhere too soon. Cat paw rules!

Hello and I’m sorry

Hello my friends. I am so terribly sorry mama has been such a bad secretary lately. It’s been rough here. I wouldn’t necessarily say in a bad way per se, but it’s just been crazy. Since sisfur left us the humans are still trying to get out of what they call a “funk” whatever that means. But they’ve been so focused on me it’s actually been annoying! Mama says her life seems weird now that it’s slowed down a bit and seems intent on getting it back crazy. I don’t understand it. And some of you know we had a major phone crash at the beginning of the year as well that took mama a long time to figure out. Well, mama FINALLY got her digital camera back connected to her phone after that and took the above pictures. The camera fools me because sometimes a light will come on so I close my eyes in preparation for the flash but it never comes! The humans also took me outside yesterday while mama put something on that clear thing on the big zoom thing she drives. She also a week or two ago introduced me to daddy’s littler but faster zoom thing! Daddy got scared because of something about claws and leather but I listened to mama and was very careful in daddy’s zoom machine. Mama says once hers is a little cleaner she might take me for a ride, but that sounds like a VET visit and I don’t like the sound of that. She’s even talked about taking me to sisfur’s vet! She thinks I’ll treat him better… humans! I am the one with probably a red flag with the current one. Maybe they shouldna touch the paw! MOL

One final thing before we go.

I wanna dedicate this post and all the love and laughs therein to our FB friend Cary who just passed away. We are truly devastated as she was a beautiful human being that brought light and love to all that knew her. Our love to Vicat even more as those two were as close as friends could ever be and she’s taking Cary’s loss very hard. Cary we love you and miss you. We know you’ll be buried in all our furry ones who have gone before us. Please give Nimbus a kiss and a hug for us. May you feel our love forever, because we will miss you forever.

On Photography and Felines

I got bit the first time by the photography bug many, many years ago. Kittens will do that to you. I wanted to document every last bit of their lives, but sadly I lost most of those photos. Few survived, but I’m so forever thankful for the ones I have. When Nimbus was born, he was my redemption, my second chance to thoroughly document a cat’s life from the very beginning.

Yes, the Prince really was – once upon a time – TINY. He really was more rodent-looking the first couple weeks, but thankfully by a month old when this picture was taken he started looking a little more, erm… feline.

Nimbus grew up being photographed, before he could even see, he had his picture taken. I, as gory as it sounds, even took one last picture of him before he passed, because in his tranquilized state, he was much BETTER looking than he was before, and I wanted his final picture to not show the misery that was in his face. Dignity in life, dignity in passing. I will not share that picture – I have once or twice before, but rarely – because it still brings back many painful memories, and I do not want anyone else getting weepy.

When Nimbus passed, I was really afraid I’d lost my muse. I’d discovered other photography hobbies, even while I (tried) to keep the muse with the twins.

I journeyed out to Valley Forge, PA.

This was taken a couple years ago, over the summer, and I got to watch the fog dissipate over the hill. I tried to capture it again but instead I got this:

And I took up animals…

(And if you know me, you’re cracking up laughing that I took this pic because you know I do NOT like these birds, because they do NOT like me.)

And then the clouds…

I started to feel it again. So I shifted back, bug bit again (partly because of a new camera) back to the cats. Of course Curzon would be more cooperative, but never one to play favorites I always tried to include HRH Queen Jadzia in on the photo shoots.

She didn’t always cooperate. Actually she rarely did lol. She was always a lady on the move. But sometimes I got lucky.

Yes, usually it involved her sleeping LOL.

And now with her gone, I just feel so – blah – but Curzon won’t hear of it.

So, with a day off because of all this snow that we were supposed to get but didn’t because everyone a few miles away got it instead, Curzon reignited the flame again.

Yep, the more things change, the more they stay the same. In the very beginning it was me and this ragamuffin little stray kitten and he’s shown time and time again to be my strength and inspiration like only a feline can be. He’s truly one of a kind.

Funny how sometimes one body part grows to full size seemingly overnight and then the rest of the life is spent growing into that one part that just went POOF. Curzon was the ears. Jadzia was the floof. Nimbus, well, I’m not sure on that one. LOL it was either the paws or the tail. That tail… omg. And yes, he knew how to use that thing too lol.

So after a trip down memory lane and a showcasing of some of my hits (and misses), I hope you had a good time. Life is truly short, even if it doesn’t seem like it. May the winds be gentle and the purrs loud and rumbly.

TSB

PS: I really should acknowledge the one who made me into the photographer I am. If not for the one and only Cat Daddy, the cats that have come into our lives and the ones I’m sure will come later wouldn’t know the joys of having their own personal photographer! Never one to stifle creativity, he’s always been pushing me to let my own personality out. He’s still trying in some ways, but in others he’s been the driving force. Mic, I love you with all of my heart, all of my very being. After nearly 16 years, that has not changed. We both have had our struggles, our highs and our lows, and our medical scares (especially mine). Every time I’ve gotten thrown on my rear you’ve been right there to catch me and get me through it. You were there when my world got ripped apart, you were there when I got so sick I couldn’t fend for myself, you were there for me when I was so hurt I couldn’t lift a cat if I wanted to. You’ve laughed with me, cried with me, snapped me back into reality, and nudged me when I needed it. You’ve supported every endeavor I’ve attempted, whether I’ve succeeded or not (and yes folks, I’ve not always been successful). As the seasons begin to change, we are changing as well and I’m so glad that we get to do it together. I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather go through it with. So thanks for the last 16 years and here’s to hoping that there’s at least twice that ahead of us. I love you!

Queen and Prince

he was still so little!!

The Queen and Music

As many of you know I pretty solidly listen only to one band, especially in the van. I can’t tell you the last time that stereo played the radio. And it’s never had a cd in it other than my Twenty One Pilots mix cd. So when I was taken HRH Queen Jadzia to the ER vet the last time, as I did the other two times, I had the cd playing. It really did help calm her down. When I got to the vet I paused the cd and I didn’t unpause it for probably two weeks, too grief stricken to listen to any music really never mind the last thing she heard.

How ironic this was the last song she heard…

I know there was a large part of her that didn’t want to go. She really wanted to fight. If her body would’ve let her, I would’ve given her every chance in the world. But her body was too far gone, and way too fast. I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d said both of our theories were correct, that she DID have something irreversible in her intestines AND the cancer had attacked her bladder. Looking back the cancer makes more and more sense, but I blew the signs off as me not being on top of things as much as she expected. If I am right, it STILL hit fast. and I do NOT fault the vets for not catching it. She had quite the belly on her so it probably hid until she had lost enough weight for it to be felt, and without her showing signs, how were they to know. I will always cherish the time we did have with her, and at 16, she gave us all a wonderful time (though OMG I could’ve done without butt-in-face but Curzon has picked up where she left off lmao).

So anyways, moving on.

Music is truly healing. It is the next best therapy to cats themselves. It can inspire, comfort, spur… and while I only seem to be listening to one band right now – and have been for a year or two now – don’t think I don’t know my music. I love a lot of stuff, and while I don’t listen to too much of the **** that is getting put out nowadays, I have a hubby that listens to EVERYTHING and is my filter lol. He’s famous for finding some wonderful stuff. He gave me a thorough education on all things classic rock, including some artists and bands I had known in passing but, because of the way I’d grown up, didn’t get the chance to thoroughly explore. Thus…

And then there’s this:

I just love the whole sound of this song. And then there’s this (and please note for those of you who don’t know, as young as they LOOK they’re all adults so don’t go THERE):

(I put the english subtitle version up so that you could get the gist of the song even if you get distracted by the karate-influenced dance moves. And I did take some martial arts growing up so I did get distracted the first time by the moves. LOL) And then there’s this, which I was turned onto a long time ago:

Music transcends language. Beautiful is beautiful. But music can also make you laugh. It can take a song that’s “cool” but really is bleh and make it something better than the original. Weird Al is a pro at this, to the point very few artists turn him down when he requests permission to redo one of their songs. This song comes to mind first LOL:

Music takes you places. Just like a good book can. Now that I’ve taken you on a trip, let’s see where we all go today.

Peace!

 

TSB

We’re Still Here

Thank you all for sticking around waiting for us. As you all can imagine, it’s been a rough month since Jadzia left us – hard to believe it was a month ago Wednesday. And it’s about a month from Nimbus’ RB anniversary too.

I’ve had some questions as to how we’re all doing. Let me answer them… I’d say we’re fine but that’d be a lie. Us humans are still broken hearted. Jadzia was a very special cat and to lose her so suddenly just left a gaping hole in our little world. I miss her coming up to see me when I walked in the door and jumping up in bed (sometimes barely missing daddy’s head) to snuggle with us at night.

Curzon is day to day. Some days he seems good, if not actually enjoying being an only kitty. Other days, it’s obvious he’s struggling. He’s even been spotted weepy once or twice. We leave the bedroom tv and the kitchen light on for him all the time – I know, not the most energy efficient, but sacrifices have to be made sometimes, and there’s no sacrifice too large for my boy, especially since it’s just short term.

There’s also been questions as to whether or not we’ll get Curzon a new friend. He’s an old man – a solid 16 1/2 – and upsetting the norms at his age, in his health, is a risky venture. Right now we’re focused on keeping him happy and healthy. He’s never been too happy with interlopers in HIS territory. It’s something we MIGHT consider in the future. We haven’t ruled it out. But it’s not high up on the priority list right now. Our main focus is Curzon’s happiness and health. And to do that means that every decision that is made right now is centered around him. He will be making a trip to the ER vet soon. I want them to run a blood panel on Curzon for obvious reasons and to see how Jadzia’s vet does with her red-flagged spunky brother.

I want to thank every last one of you for your love and concern through this difficult time. I also want all of you that follow us on facebook, that left such beautiful comments there to know that we both saw them and we truly did feel the love. We truly are a community… we take care of each other and, while we have our differences – especially on those two sacred things no one discusses drunk LOL – we all agree our furry kids come first and we ALL want the very best we can provide for them.

May 2018 stop being the hellish year that it’s started out being. Curzon losing his sister and his soon to be sister-in-law (Brian’s sisfur Kit) is just too much so early in the year and add on all the other anipals and humans we’ve already lost… it just has to stop.

Cherish the ones you love my friends. Life is truly short.

 

TSB

A Letter From the RB

Hello furiends! Nimbus here. I’m being intermediary between ma and TSB because, as you can imagine, the humans are still struggling with her not being there. So mama didn’t think it’d be good for her to be talking to TSB.

Mama is still trying to adjust. She feels awful that she ran off so quickly and left Curzon alone. But she was so much sicker than anyone knew. What astonishes me is that she LIKED her last vet. MOM! Seriously?

So, otherwise mama is ok. Sniffie has been so understanding that I need time away to be with mom. Her transition hasn’t been easy. I personally saw to her every need. I couldn’t let just anyone do it. Mom did everything for me. I had to return the favor. I took her to the spa as soon as she crossed over to watch the transformation to a pristine healthy ladycat. I took her back to the mansion and introduced her properly to everyone. I took her up to the private salon that Sniffie, in her infinite wisdom, said we needed to put in a year or two ago. I got mama all cleaned up, fur de-matted and all pristine. She sat at the reflecting pond but it only made her sad. So, even tho we generally don’t go visiting so soon after we arrive, I showed mama how to a few days after she got here. Mama started off slow, visiting her bro first. She HAD to assure him that she was ok and that he’d be ok. The next time we went she decided she’d show herself to TSB… in typical zoomy Jadzia fashion!

So yes, mama is ok. I want to personally thank Vicat for being the relay and for trying to keep TSB calm. Please keep purring for Curzon. The humans are trying so very hard to keep things as normal as possible for Curzon and now every decision made is focused on what he needs. They’re laser focused on fattening him up as much as they can, and spoiling him as much as possible… as if he wasn’t already spoiled rotten.

Young lass Jaz

All of these pictures are from when she was between a yr and 2 years old.

Flashback Part 2

Smug little lass!