Is it just me?

 Does anybody else think $50 for a cookie and a latte is a bit excessive?

Unless the line "...take home a beautifully decorated Cookies!"  is a tray of cookies.

Still,  $50?    This establishment also offer cake decorating I think for about the same $$.

How rich?

 Did anybody ever ask you "How rich do you want to be?"

I want to be rich enough so I can have this structure to house my garbage cans in.

LOLOLOLOL!

Truthfully, I don't want to be rich.  

Matters of the Heart

 Not sure how they got the image on the right from the real image on the left.  Close enough, I guess.

I am writing about the heart not because this is Valentine's day but because my SIL (sister-in-law) is in hospital with AFib.  Her doctor wanted to try a new medicine and she needed to be admitted and monitored.  It didn't go well.  She coded (I had just left, my brother filled me in later).  They had to use the paddles on her ....While she was awake!   I can't even imagine.  She is okay now and all is settled down and I am not sure the next step.  I'll see them again tomorrow.  I researched and my best guess is the medicine is called Digoxin.

My brother had open heart surgery four  years ago.  3 of 4 valves were blocked.  He said he had no pain, just indigestion.  The doctor that examined him almost let him go.  As the doctor was walking away he said he has had indigestion.  That stopped him in his tracks.  More tests and realized he'd had a heart attack.  Since my brother said no pain, no chest pain, no arm pain etc... I think it was an annual exam. 

They (my brother and his wife) are both seasoned EMTs and he mentioned usually when they take somebody in (to the hospital) with a heart attack are writhing in pain and the sweat is just pouring off of him. So as they say,  different people have different symptoms.

Fortunately, my nephew (this brother's son) is a doctor and stopped to see him today.  He was visiting his mother for the week-end (my brother's first wife).  I stayed away and let them visit and will catch up tomorrow.  

But really, can you imagine getting shocked with the paddles while you are conscious and aware of what is happening?  

I hope I never find out.

Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin'...

 

"Time can feel like it’s speeding up when your daily routine is repetitive and lacks new experiences. Engaging in novel activities can help slow down your perception of time by creating more vivid memories." -- this is from the Internet.

Yeah, okay. Create more vivid memories. Sounds expensive.

I noticed that it has been 2 weeks since I last posted. How did that time go by so fast? Well, I did get a flat tire and got that fixed. Not sure that is very creative.

I read a book about the Kennedys (by Jean Kennedy Smith). I also read "His and Hers" by Alice Feeney because I saw that Netflix created a series from the book. Alice has a couple more books, not sure I am going to read them. Then I watched the Netflix show. I did the same with another book "All Her Fault". Read the book then watched the show.

The show is always different than the book. I know they can't be the same. I think it would be hard to be the screenwriter and adapt the book to a movie or television.

I watched the first episode of "Vanished". I think I will continue to watch that one.

My cat Moses was glad to be done with the vet's visit. I think he had three shots. He weights 13.5 lbs. Same as last time he was there (maybe a year ago?). He will be 8 years old in March. My old dog Milton is still hanging in there. Can't be sure how old he is since we rescued him as a Senior. What year did my daughter get him? Let's see....I didn't have him during COVID so...after 2020. Before Chong died so before 2025. When I renewed all the dogs licenses this year I see where he still has the name Terrance. LOL! No idea where we came up with that name. But I quickly changed it to Milton. I call him Milton Bradley and sometimes Milton Berle.

I get Milton Berle and Mel Brooks mixed up. Mel is still hanging in there. I find it interesting that he and Anne Bancroft were a couple. Another odd couple (I think) were Shirley Jones and Marty Ingles. Speaking of odd couples and speaking of Marty - how about Martin Short and Meryl Streep? I watch 'Only Murders in the Building' and when I saw the rumors that Martin and Meryl were a couple in real life (you know you can't always believe what you read) I just loved the idea.

I was supposed to go to a show tonight but I bowed out. Just too cold. It was at a craft brewery and I didn't care for the place when it was first opened then they sold it and I went afterwards and I still don't care for it. It is too open. It is like sitting in a school cafeteria. And you get to look at the huge vats they make the beer in. Most breweries have them in the back room or somewhere. It is just too open and cold. But they don't play again until the end of the month - oh rats! It's the same place. Oh wait. They play the 21st at a winery. I'll probably go to that one.

Addiction

 

 I grew up with this type of pizza so that is what I prefer. Onn the rare occasion that I would be visiting my home town area, I would pick some up for me and my brother.  And, my neighbor who said when he was in high school he was on a golf team and they would stop and get this pizza.  He loves it.

  It took quite a few years but pizza shops did start to replicate the recipe.  When eating Domino's, Pizza Hut or Papa John's pizza, I'll eat a few pieces and be done with it.  I don't want more for a long time.

 But this pizza.  I am completely lost.  I will continue to eat it until my stomach hurts so bad I just wonder why.  I feel as if it is a drug.  Perhaps it is.  A new shop opened up an hour away from me.  I happened to be in that area and stopped to get some.  So delicious.  So gone.

(Not my photo)

Book and TV Show

 I've read the book and I made it halfway through the first episode of the TV Series.  Then I got company and never got back to the show.  I am visiting tomorrow but Sunday looks good and most of Monday.  With that storm coming in, this will be a good time to watch the show.  It is a bit different than the book (of course) so I am trying to keep up.  I am plodding through the biography of Tim Curry.  Meh.

 A lot of businesses and other establishments have closed for Sunday and Monday.  At least we are not scheduled to get the ice.  I remember driving two times during an ice storm.  Not a very good time.

I did some grocery shopping yesterday.  It was quite busy for a Thursday morning. I chatted with the cashier a bit about panic shopping.  I try not to engage too much with the cashier, I read the people behind me and if I see any irritation I stop chatting and get the heck out of the way.

My cat Moses goes to the vet on Monday.  He does not like that particular event at all.  I had let sister 1956 borrow my cat carrier and I thought yesterday, I'd better get that thing out, clean it up and have it ready to go.  Then I remembered.  She is over an hour away.  It's cold.  We're old.  So, what do we Americans do?  Amazon said it will deliver my new one tomorrow (hopefully the storm won't interfere).  She can keep my old carrier since she now has 3 kittens.

I found and made a recipe for a lemon cake.  One box of yellow cake mix and one box of lemon jell-o instant pudding.  Add 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup water and 4 eggs. Bake for 30 minutes at 350º.  For the glaze, 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp water and 2 Tbsp melted butter.  Poke holes in the cake after it cools and pour the glaze over the top of the cake making sure some goes into the holes that you poked.  I use the handle end of a wooden spoon to poke the holes (I  used to make a pineapple poke cake all the time for events).  Anyway, the lemon cake stays very moist and the sweetness of the glaze compliments the lemon flavor.

I remember my friend and I ( in the mid 70's) wanted to make a cake for our bus driver's birthday.  We had a spice cake. My mom told me how to make the orange glaze to pour over the top.  I don't recall how I made it (I do know I used an orange) but I think it must be the same as the lemon glaze.

This bus driver used to put chains on his bus tires.  We could hear him coming as the chains made a certain noise.  After I graduated high school I worked at an auto shop where we would put studs in car tires. (I didn't do it, I worked in the office, but the shop did). The studs had to be removed by April 15th (tax day!).  I never hear about anybody getting studs put in their tires now. In fact I never hear about anybody getting snow tires put on their cars any longer. I guess it's because they came out with front wheel drive?  

I also remember cutting keys at this auto store.  That was a heck of a process. The machine had two identical parts, one on the left and one on the right where  you would clamp the original key on one side and the blank on the other.  You would  turn the machine on and the two sides would work in tandem. The left part of the machine would copy how the original key was cut and make the identical cuts in the blank on the right side.  I  used to make these very carefully as I didn't want the customer to have to come back because the key wouldn't work.  At first we had to manually move the cutter over the keys ourselves and later we got a device that did it automatically.  I was in awe when a few years later (okay 45 years) I needed a couple of house keys made.  You just dropped the key into a slot in this box (that looked like a big space invader game machine) and out came your original key and the copy.  All those years of cutting keys by hand!  Now I'm trying to remember if we had to choose the blank and drop it in with the original or if the machine magically knew which blank to use?  

Vroom vroom

 I was just bragging about not going anywhere for a week or so.  Sigh.  Next week I have three appointments on three different days.  I am a homebody. I like staying at home.

In about 7 - 10 days it looks as though we have temperatures in the below zero range coming. I have a sister who purchased an old fixer upper with no furnace. She's been there two years or so.  She has electric heaters and I think she may have a propane one. Keeps her warm if she is right in front of them but what about her pipes?  I don't know.  She will go on and on about how hard life is for her and how lucky I am that my pipes don't freeze or my car doesn't break down.

Yeah - it's called common sense and maintenance. I purchased a house with a working furnace and I spend a good bit of money on my car so I don't break down unexpectedly.

Some people. You can't win with them.  They are perpetual victims.

Five

 Almost 11 p.m. and it's 5º.  My dog does not want to go out. I can't blame him. I do have a sweater on him as he has short hair.  I am so glad I do not need to go anywhere until Thursday.

Dog License

 

Time to renew our dog licenses.  We have 3 dogs, now.  Last year we had 4.  My cat thinks he is a dog but he doesn't need a license for that.  I order mine online and get them through the mail.

We make sure all dogs have a collar and their license is attached to it.  Years ago I was negligent. I would get the proper licenses for my dogs but I never  had them wear a collar.  Our two best dogs (Cheech and Chong) rarely left the yard.  The boxer I had left the yard about once or twice  a year and he would get picked up.  One time the police brought him home.  I can't remember the details but the dog catcher had picked him up and when I called they just had a policeman drop him off or the police had picked him up and brought him home.  Isn't it weird how we can't remember details sometimes?

Our boxer for some reason would end up at the Enterprise rental car location. Or he did a couple of times. I had him 10 years.  It was very negligent and I struggle with the fact I should have known better.

Two dogs need to be on a tie/cable when we let them out and one (my daughter's raised from a pup) is such a good dog she always stays in the yard.  When I let her out, I put her on the cable/tie.  I'm not taking any chances.  She isn't my dog. 

I've spent  hundreds in dog licenses over the years.  Glad I don't have to pay for cats.  I need to make an appointment for Moses (cat) to get a booster shot.  I will call tomorrow. I don't think the vet is closed on MLK day. 

We also get a rabies shot and a tag every year for them.  Along with all the normal vaccinations, kennel cough and tick/flea medicine.  It adds up. Currently my older dog has teeth issues and it costs about $400 to have them remove a tooth.  I no sooner get him home and bam - the rotten smell is back and I need to call again.  This time I'm going to tell her - take them all.  I'm tired of this.  I did not have this dog as a young puppy.  I only got him about 4 years ago and he was gray muzzled even then.  He is showing signs of pain and trouble walking in his back legs.  I'll see what the doctor suggests about that.  Most of the time it's not fixable, or if it is - there is no guarantee.  It can cost thousands.

The last time when the boxer passed and I had no pets, I was able to go four months before I broke down and rescued a dog I saw on Facebook.  Sigh.  I hope this time I can hold out after poor Milton passes.  I'll still have my cat I suppose.  He is only 8 years old.  I want the freedom of not having to worry about letting the dog out and feeding him.  A cat can go longer but I don't want to leave him alone. Currently my daughter and her husband live with me, but they plan to move out of state at some point.  They hate the winter. I don't blame them. But, from what I am reading, we all need to just wait a few years and we will have Florida weather up here in the northern US states if Climate Change keeps happening.

The Hobby

 I've been tending plants as one of my retirement hobbies.  (The other is watching my bank account drain away as I make home/car repairs. Such is life).

I joined the subreddit for houseplants (Reddit is a site with thousands of subjects you can join and chat about with others in similar situations or with similar interests).

I'm learning the best way to get rid of mealy bugs.  (I used to feed our bearded dragon mealy worms).

I am no longer squeamish about bugs like the one(s) shown above. Magnified several times via my phone camera. There are two and they may or may not be up to something nefarious.  We fed the bearded dragon Dubia roaches and that helped to allay my fear of creepy crawlies (or most of them, creepy crawlies and fears).  I would feed the Dubia roaches (which yes, look very much like cock roaches) and then wait patiently (because they are extremely shy) until they came out of their hiding places to feed. I trained myself to see the biology aspect of these creatures and appreciate whatever value they may provide.

The beardie passed away (and they are not my choice of pet so we are done with them) and now I focus on plants. 

I am still reading.  Just finished an autobiography by Priscilla Presley.  I have on my list to read:  Tim Curry, James Lovell and I will try again to read Virginia Giuffre's story. In non-fiction I am reading "Down Cemetery Road".  I watched the first season of the show (Apple TV +) with Emma Thompson.

A lot of shows I watch are starting up in the next couple of weeks.  Call the Midwife, Animal Control, Dark Winds, Shrinking, and Hijack.  'Hijack' was canceled after it's first season which aired in July 2023 (I don't recall what Network) but Apple picked it up. I've only seen the first episode of the second season and I might not continue. Kind of meh. The first season focused on an airplane hijacking and this one looks to be a subway train or tube. Most of it is in a foreign language and you have to read the English subtitles. This does not work well for me because I don't just 'watch' a show. I usually do other things like tend my plants, work a puzzle, play a computer game. The foreign language sub titles do not let me do that.  'Call the Midwife' is a classic but wearing thin in the storyline and 'Animal Control' is just fluff entertainment.  

I watched "Song Sung Blue" and I think I recall the original document that was made in 2008.  I do know that the wife in real life, Claire -  makes a small appearance in this recent version (I did not know this until afterwards so I may go back and rewatch to see if I can spot her).  I have always been a Neil Diamond fan. I mean my God!  I was watching this and was like "I forgot about this song and that song!" Now, I want to listen to Neil all day.

My sister 1956 was scheduled to have cataract surgery yesterday and I was going to take her. She lives an hour away and the hospital was another 40 minutes. She canceled. She said she didn't want us to be on those icy roads.  We didn't get much snow but it was pretty slick and when I went out later (much later) the roads were very slick so I can imagine what they were like at 6 a.m.  I was up and showered, hair fixed, dressed and had even started my car to warm up.  She messaged me on Facebook and by the time I called her she had drank coffee so there was no going back. She was not to eat or drink anything before the procedure.  I said okay, another day.

Both of my garage doors are broke.  So we have to clean off our cars when it snows.  Yuck.  I never had a garage until I moved to this house (2002).  Like I said above - repairs, repairs.  A garage is a luxury, a new roof is a necessity.  I still can't decide on the color.  Of course I am getting the newer metal one. I thought I would be the first in my neighborhood to get one but the family behind me did theirs in black.  AND they added solar panels.  Now, I'm like "Can I...?"   After researching I realized 'maybe not.'

My culinary side of life has slowed considerably. I found myself making things that nobody ate and either I ate them, froze them or tossed them.  I don't need to eat any more, and my freezer is full. I am not one to over indulge my pets with people food so it was tossed.  Such a waste and I realized I needed to stop.

I attempted to help at a soup kitchen for the Salvation Army. What a dork. I was not used to standing for long periods of time and I found myself in such pain by the time I left I decided to postpone it for now.  The people were not homeless as I thought they were. The cook said there used to be a guy who slept in the shelter (roofed area with picnic tables) but she had not seen him in a few weeks.  I was actually just helping the cook do her work.  I was helping prepare the food, put the food on trays and wiping down the tables afterwards.  I could tell that she was going to ask me to start sweeping and mopping the floors and I knew my back would not tolerate that so I had to relinquish my time. I will donate money and/or food as I can.  The people were wonderful there and I can't help but feel that I let them down.  Then I came to find out my niece's best friend from high school works in that area and she is at the Salvation Army facility sometimes.  I will reach out to her when I want to donate. 

There was another "little" reason I stopped.  The cook was warning me about one of the participants who came daily for the free meal. To be careful when I spoke to him because he had a temper. She said if you even look at him wrong it could send him into a rage.  I was like "Uh, I don't need this. It may be better if I help out from afar."

So fast

 I can't believe it's been a week since I posted. I feel as though it was only two days ago or so.  I looked at the date and was like "What?  How can that be?  A week already?"  The days are but a blur.  Water my plants, get the trash out, pick up some prescriptions, go to a hair appointment and a 2 year old's birthday party. Not to mention the daily/weekly chores.  Dishes, clean the kitchen, clean the bathroom, I even skipped an event because I don't like driving at night in the rain. I did lose a bit of time to a headache for a day and a half. I was able to do some things but it did kind of keep me out of circulation.

I make a list and I laugh.  Monday's to do list gets pushed to Tuesday. I need to change the list to "weekly to do list" as it will get done when it gets done, doesn't matter the day.  Except the garbage.  That one is non-negotiable.

It sounded like a good idea at the time

 

Have you heard of using "weighted blankets" to sleep under?  I thought I would like one.  In the winter I add an extra blanket or comforter for the weight so I thought I would just order one.  I have a Queen size bed so I ordered a larger blanket.  It shipped and I didn't realize it at the time but this sucker is 15 lbs.  Holy what the what was I thinking?  Now, every time I go to bed and get up it feels as if I have been lifting weights.  Don't get me wrong, it is nice once I get in and under the darn thing but it's getting there is a chore.  I'm wondering if I can pawn this one off on a family member and order myself maybe the twin size blanket?  

and I liked it!

 I fixed our usual pork roast, sausage kielbasa and sausage hotdogs in the crock pot with sauerkraut. I made corn bread (I think its called Homestyle - something).  My Mom always used Jiff.  I like other brands.  Anyway, I was reading the instructions on the box and it said for sweeter cornbread melt butter and add honey.  I did this and scored the corn bread and poured this honey butter over it....and I liked it!

I am lucky, as nobody else eats corn bread. I had some left over and this morning I fixed cheesy potato soup. I have the recipe on here somewhere from years ago.  (Jan 6 2011) I use butter, celery, whatever cheese I have (today was mild cheddar that I shredded),  whatever canned or jar cheese I have (such as Ragu jarred cheese - I have also seen this in little thick boxes), Cheez Whiz or Kraft Old English in a jar, any alfredo sauce and if I have cream of celery soup. I use half and half if I have it. This time I used heavy cream and alfredo jar sauce. I save some of the hot potato water to pour into my cans and jars after I empty them into the Dutch oven.  I had a can of chicken broth ready but did not need it. For spices, I do salt and pepper, chives and onion powder. I use a Dutch oven to keep the soup from burning on the bottom.  I have still burned it but at least with a Dutch oven it is much harder to do.

It came out just the way I like it. I crumbled cornbread into the bowl and added hot potato soup.  I ate 2 bowls.  I can't recall eating a second serving of anything for ages. I'll do leftovers but I usually eat one serving of a meal and then wrap it up and refrigerate it asap.

Sigh. And of course I have some left over.  My sister stopped in today so I gave her some.  I may go to my brother's house tomorrow to give him the extra soup and sauerkraut and kielbasa.  Actually, I am taking him a cheeseball.  My niece requested one for a NYE party she was going to; but the weather got bad so she canceled.  I am the only one in this house that eats my cheeseball and I just threw two half-eaten ones away from Christmas.  I don't want any part of this one.

The recipe and instructions for that are in this blog somewhere also. Cheese ball May 24 2008, Nov 28 2011 and Dec 29 2011.

2011 was a good year.

Sure...no problem for you

 

This is a picture of the restaurant party room before 41 family members got there.  I make all arrangements for our family for our Christmas parties.  I think the restaurant staff really did a great job at decorating.  Towards the end of the evening my one (high on the Narcissistic scale) sister came over laughing and said that she and her daughter each took one of the decorations from the ceiling (I'm pretty sure she meant the smaller ones, at least I hope so).  I thought to myself "Sure. Go ahead. It's not a problem for you.  It's MY phone number they have."  

Dumb Cane

Certainly they could have come up with a better name?   Dumb cane? 

My most recent hobby is houseplants. I also found out that what once was the "Wandering Jew" is now the "Wandering Dude".  I love it!

 

Latest read

 I don't read a lot of fiction. I think this one was recommended to me through a magazine I read or similar. It seems to me like the last part was rushed and wrapped up quickly.  Like the author had to make the deadline and just rushed it out.  I don't know. It seems like the story was plodding along and then, wham, bam - it's over. I was left scratching my head and had to go back and read and re-read the last two pages to try to figure out exactly who was responsible and what happened afterwards.

Not for me

 I actually know a couple of people who would like eggnog flavored jelly beans. Maybe I'll get them some. With my daughter it would be dill pickle flavored.  She is everything dill pickle.  No, she isn't expecting.   I was shopping a couple of weeks ago and texted her to ask her if she needed anything and she replied back "Dill pickles!"  I put the phone away and said "At least she didn't add chocolate ice cream."  I searched to see if that combination was still associated with pregnancy and did not find anything. I did see lots of dill pickle flavored ice cream, though.  I had to quit reading.  I haven't had my coffee, yet.

Haven't doesn't look right.  Cripes, neither does doesn't!  Maybe I need to go back to bed.

I've been up for over 2 hours because of a coughing fit.  Well, I'm sure my daughter is going to be after me today to go to stat care. I'd much rather wait and contact my doctor tomorrow.  I thought I was getting better because the cough became productive instead of dry hacking but no - the coughing fits continue. In fact one is beginning right now.  I think I got overheated.  

In sickness and in death... oh wait - or is it health?

 I think I have only been prescribed an inhaler about four times in the past 30 years or so.  I always forget how to use them.  I was reading the instructions and it was telling me to prime the device. I kept trying but I never saw any mist. Meanwhile, the count ticker kept going down.  Finally, I moved on to the next step.  It was then the instructions informed me that I had to turn the device upside-down to inhale.  Why the hell didn't they tell me that I needed to do that to prime it?  I was spraying it like a room deodorizer.

I am sick. Very sick.  Not been this sick in years.  My cough is so bad I choke and can't breathe.  I had a follow up appointment at my doctor's office when this cough first began.  She prescribed Tessala pearls. They did absolutely nothing and my cough became much worse. I texted my doctor and she then prescribed an inhaler and prednisone.  That was last week.  I can't sleep.  Of course the holiday messed things up and I can't text the doctor any longer. It is all I can do to talk my daughter out of making me go to stat care.  I don't want to go to stat care.

If I am not coughing, I am fine. I can do anything (a bit tired, but that is every day all year long for me any more) that I normally do.  For some reason I don't feel like they want to prescribe an antibiotic. Which is fine by me but I keep hearing others are getting better a lot quicker with their scripts of an antibiotic. It's like my doctor and her associates just came back from a "How antibiotics are harming the human race" seminar or something.

Giving thanks. I am thankful that I have the ability to tell family that I choose NOT to go anywhere for Thanksgiving dinner.  I come from a super large family and I've had so many dinners and get togethers to last me 10 lifetimes.  I ate chicken noodle soup on bird day.  The prednisone is making me super hungry but I have not been grocery shopping in ages so I am working with canned food. I usually fix a turkey dinner on Friday or Saturday or even Sunday because I do like the traditional meal that is normally served during the holiday. Not this year.  I have not seen a grocery store in over 2 weeks. I've not left the house in a full week.

I did want to go to calling hours this evening. A good friend of mine's husband passed. I met him once or twice. She is one of the ladies I worked with 40 years ago and we still try to get together once a month or every other month. I called her and gave her my condolences and let her know I was unable to make it but wanted to visit her soon and wanted some good husband stories.

Reading, reading more reading

 

I've read a couple chapters of the above book, but have not returned to it.  It bothers me too much. So, I got an autobiography of a celebrity - Sissy Spacek and am reading that instead. Much lighter reading.

Then I found a real time waster.  A jigsaw puzzle site.  jigsawplanet.com   It has replaced the Christmas Hangman game.  I mentioned before I can't just watch a TV show or a movie or video.  I end up putting a jigsaw puzzle together and just listening to a show.  Currently, there are not many tv shows on that I am interested in and I can't remember the last time I was on Netflix.  

Years ago I recall watching the original pilot of "Gilligan's Island" on YouTube.  Characters for the Professor, Ginger and Mary Ann were not the same ones they had on the show.  And the theme song was quite different - (with a Spanish accented singer).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx7A4sxJi7c

I'll keep reading bits of the above book until I get upset and then go to something lighter again just to even my mood out.  

I am also trying to get through "Endless Love" by Scott Spencer.  After I read the Lionel Ritchie autobiography I came across his famous song he wrote for the movie.  I don't recall reading if he read the book or not.  It is a bit of a different read.  Written in the late 60's I believe.  No, wait.  The story line is in the 60's but I think it was written in the 70's.  

I also have Apollo 13 online to read.  I am juggling 4 books.  My Mom was always reading 4 books at a time.  I also have a few magazines that I plan to read or browse through.  I'll probably ditch Endless Love and Apollo 13.  I don't seem to be going to them very often.

We saw a few spits of snow this evening.  Kind of a rain mix.  It was gray and dreary all day. I did my usual Sunday ritual.  Cleaning my plants and looking them over for white mold.  I started turning my desk fan so it blows over them to dry up the soil.  I read that the dampness can cause that white mold and to keep the air flowing around them.  Found absolutely nothing today.  

Taking Cheech to the vet tomorrow for an x-ray.  I think this might be all for him. He is not enjoying his life at all right now. Scratch that.  We are having him put to sleep tomorrow.  He is sixteen years old and he is miserable.  His new medication keeps him from crying in pain but he has no quality of life. He can't move. We have to turn him and prop him up to eat and drink.  He is still eating and drinking and usually I say if they are doing that then....sigh.  We have to carry him outside to do his business. Which today he did neither.  He was still urinating as of this morning. No BM for two days. I think he may be shutting down.

A very sweet dog

 This is our dog, Cheech.  The date on the photo is May 2015. I brought he and his brother Chong, home in the summer of 2009.  Some degenerate had left four puppies in a box at the end of a farmer's long driveway.  He had two left (both males).  When I went to pick them up, they were running around the patio at my sister's house and dodging in and out of the lawn chairs.  They were so darn tiny, we thought for sure they must be chihuahuas.  Even the vet when she first saw them said how tiny they were.  They grew to about knee high on me.  I almost called them Thing 1 and Thing 2 but Cheech and Chong popped into my head and over the past 16 years we have received several chuckles when we said their names.

Chong passed in 2024. Cheech isn't doing so well.  He was stiff a year or so ago and the vet prescribed carprofen.  That helped for a year as I have wooden floors and a tiled kitchen floor and he had trouble getting up.  He took a turn for the worse about a week ago.  The doctor added gabapentin. That just wiped him out so that he didn't even get up to go to the bathroom he just pooped in his dog bed.  Then he was in the kitchen getting a drink of water, turned around and fell. Then peed all over the floor as he lay there. My daughter and I gently cleaned him up and we have had to carry him outside three times a day to do his business.  He can stand for short periods and I have noticed he will move about 3 feet to another dog bed.  He will cry in pain if he can't turn over. He is eating and drinking water.

I have a message in to the vet and waiting for her answer.  She told my daughter if the gabapentin didn't work, she had one more thing to try but he would need to go off the carprofen.  If she needs me to bring him in, I will have to prepare myself for the worse.  Hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.  She might just say there is nothing more that can be done.  At his age any surgery on his back would not benefit.  We are at the "quality of life" decision. My daughter pointed out that when it gets snowy and icy outside we will have a hell of a time carrying him outside to do his business. Sigh.  

After he goes, that leaves me with just my old dog Milton.  My daughter brought him home to me. He is an older rescue.  No idea how old he is but he has a lot of gray/white on his muzzle.  He has very short hair so I have sweaters for him to wear during the colder months.  Cheech and Chong had a super double coat of heavy fur.  My daughter and her husband have two big dogs downstairs.  And my cat Moses who I believe has always thought of himself as a dog.  Yesterday after caring for Cheech, Moses walked over and started making biscuits next to Cheech on the dog bed.  My cat has NEVER done this since I got him in 2018 as a baby kitten.  It was sad.  He always lays with Cheech or Milton and is very attached to them. 

*Making biscuits is a term used for when a cat kneads his paws onto something and looks as if he is kneading dough for bread or biscuits.  (From when they nursed off their mother and had to knead the area around where they suckled to keep the milk flowing). In 1982 I had a cat that would knead on my head. That just felt weird.

So, it won't be long now for Cheech.  I dream of having no pets so I can be free and come and go without worrying about feeding them or letting them out.  But, when I am in the house alone with no pets, I will hear all kinds of noises.  A dog will bark if somebody is close so I always knew if the dogs were sleeping and quiet everything was alright.  My imagination gets the better of me.