What to do, what to do, what to do. Hmmmm, take meds for back? ::nods:: Yes, and find Dr. Flop Cat. Oh O-ber-on!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Flop Cat... Paging Dr. Flop Cat!
Okay, I've managed to get up and wake up long enough to finish putting in Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Cats. Whew! Now only five zillion... no, it just feels like that! ::grin:: I think that what I'll put in next will be this one
or else this one
What to do, what to do, what to do. Hmmmm, take meds for back? ::nods:: Yes, and find Dr. Flop Cat. Oh O-ber-on!
What to do, what to do, what to do. Hmmmm, take meds for back? ::nods:: Yes, and find Dr. Flop Cat. Oh O-ber-on!
Weird... going to need cat doctors...
I keep have short catnaps at the computer. This is... Not Good in the Worst Way™. ::sigh::
Seriously, Can I Just Go Back to Bed??
I slept from 10 pm to 7:30 or so... and I'm still tired. Evidently the cats did the Changing of the Cat Guard™ last night. I started with Star, felt Zaphy at one point, my husband says that Oberon was in there, and woke up with Thomas. So it was evidently One of Those Nights™. ::sigh::
I saw the neurologist's NP yesterday. To say that I was less than impressed would be an... understatement. Mr. BooBrain failed to check my current med sheet and was going off of my old one...
Him - "Let's try lowering your topomax from two in the morning and three in the evening"
Moi - "Huh? I don't take two in the morning and three in the evening. If you'll check my current med sheet I take one in the morning and one at night."
Him - "No you don't."
Moi - "Yes, I do." pull out med list from my purse where I keep three in different compartments, which I had given at check-in for them to copy "Look on my new med sheet."
Him - holding out a printout of my old meds - "Yes you do, see, it's right here."
Moi - hold up current med list, "Look, you should have a copy, just like this, showing my current med list."
Him - "I'm not seeing that."
Never mind the fact that he also paid no attention to why I was really there and kept talking about my headaches. ::head:desk:: Good thing that I don't carry Weapons of Mass Destruction™ with me. grrrrrrrrrr
I saw the neurologist's NP yesterday. To say that I was less than impressed would be an... understatement. Mr. BooBrain failed to check my current med sheet and was going off of my old one...
Him - "Let's try lowering your topomax from two in the morning and three in the evening"
Moi - "Huh? I don't take two in the morning and three in the evening. If you'll check my current med sheet I take one in the morning and one at night."
Him - "No you don't."
Moi - "Yes, I do." pull out med list from my purse where I keep three in different compartments, which I had given at check-in for them to copy "Look on my new med sheet."
Him - holding out a printout of my old meds - "Yes you do, see, it's right here."
Moi - hold up current med list, "Look, you should have a copy, just like this, showing my current med list."
Him - "I'm not seeing that."
Never mind the fact that he also paid no attention to why I was really there and kept talking about my headaches. ::head:desk:: Good thing that I don't carry Weapons of Mass Destruction™ with me. grrrrrrrrrr
Monday, September 28, 2009
Now, let's see....
Two sections down... because I managed to actually finish up Season's Greetings and I already had חנוכה שמח done. ::whewsh!:: So, next I'm planning on Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Cats. But because you can't just copy a section, it will take some time. I have to create each new section separately and then and then and then. I also need to see if I can't track down someone more savvy in html than I to fix some stuff on the site. I've got a fairly wide screen and I'd really like to make it work so that it would fill the screen correctly no matter what someone's screen size is; but that's a bit over my head!! Sorry! No speak computer! ::rueful grin::
Which is rather odd really, since I can only draw on the computer. You don't even want to look at what my hand drawings look like!! At any rate, once I get through Wednesday or get in enough cards in the More Holiday Cards! section then I'm going to put up a Breast Cancer items in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I come from a family with a history of post-menopausal breast cancer. As I say, my great-grandmother died, my grandmother had a radical mastectomy (and lived for years thereafter in remission!), my mother had a lumpectomy. Oh yeah, I've been getting a yearly mammogram since I weaned my son. I already have these graphics made, it's just a matter of putting them up... ergo, I give you a preview...
Which is rather odd really, since I can only draw on the computer. You don't even want to look at what my hand drawings look like!! At any rate, once I get through Wednesday or get in enough cards in the More Holiday Cards! section then I'm going to put up a Breast Cancer items in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I come from a family with a history of post-menopausal breast cancer. As I say, my great-grandmother died, my grandmother had a radical mastectomy (and lived for years thereafter in remission!), my mother had a lumpectomy. Oh yeah, I've been getting a yearly mammogram since I weaned my son. I already have these graphics made, it's just a matter of putting them up... ergo, I give you a preview...
Go to Sleep Now??
I admit it, I didn't get to sleep last night until about... oh.... ooooh.... 4:30 am. I woke up at about... oh... ooooh.. 6:30 am. (I love my children soooo much). As an upshot of this, I'm exhausted. But I have to take my daughter to her Variety Show tonight & call is in less than an hour.
I did to manage to get twelve cards put up into Season's Greetings. whew! I still have three more graphics to put in there... including Mistletoe Cat. I have one graphic to make for work tomorrow... then if nothing else happens I'll get this and the other two done and do Merry Christmas, Joyous Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, ... and on... and on... and on.... oh wait, I do have two doc visits tomorrow. hrmmmm.
I did to manage to get twelve cards put up into Season's Greetings. whew! I still have three more graphics to put in there... including Mistletoe Cat. I have one graphic to make for work tomorrow... then if nothing else happens I'll get this and the other two done and do Merry Christmas, Joyous Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, ... and on... and on... and on.... oh wait, I do have two doc visits tomorrow. hrmmmm.
::head:desk::
Okey dokey. I've revamped my business cards & my brochures; so I went online to price getting some more made.OfficeDepot had exactly what I wanted. But I like to compare shopping before I buy something. Particularly when I have money issues. I pull up Staples. I find their page. Looking, looking, looking. Why yes, they do print business cards. How much do they cost? Shhhhhhh! It's a secret! ::rolls eyes::
Squeaky Wheel??
I got up this morning and went about my usual routine. When I went into the kitchen there was a... unusual noise.
It was not a mouse.
It was not a bird.
But in my house,
A squeak was heard!
::shakes head:: Oberon evidently needs throat drops or perhaps some hot tea. You guessed it. He was the source of the squeaking!!
It was not a mouse.
It was not a bird.
But in my house,
A squeak was heard!
::shakes head:: Oberon evidently needs throat drops or perhaps some hot tea. You guessed it. He was the source of the squeaking!!
Second wind? Naaaaah
Not tonight anyway... I was lucky as it was to even get in what I managed. Howsoever! I finally managed to get in the first section in a new section called More Holiday Cards. Right now, the only thing up in it is the Hebrew Version of Happy Hanukkah. In this new section, each section will consist of a greeting and then within the section you pick which of the cats you would like. For this particular section I created a new cat... meet Kippah Cat!! Now I just need to get some sleeeeeeeep. I am starting to feel better though. ::crosses fingers::
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Before the Shut-down due to Lightening...
Whence cometh Sleeping Cat? Last night I walked into the bedroom and Star was asleep on my pillow in the Sleeping Cat pose. Now you know.
Where, oh Where, Has Kat Been?... Warning! Warning! Danger Will Robinson! Lots of medical stuff in this post!!
A very good question. Saw the Fill-in on Tuesday and she said, "I'd be happier if we had an MRI (that took three tries to type btw) both with and w/out contrast if your insurance will pay for it. As luck would have it, the insurance said, "No MRI with contrast without more documentation for need" ::rolls eyes:: So I got a call-back saying that I had an appointment for Thursday at 12 for the MRI. Okay. Now mind you, during all of this I started having three to four cats whenever I got up on the bed. Some of it was "Mom needs us" and some of it was "You know, I think Mom has treats. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm treeeeeeaaaaattttttsssss".
So Wednesday at 4ish I'm picking my son up from Chess Club (I have this 13 yo who is massively into chess), when suddenly it feels like someone is stabbing me in the neck. I put my hand up and there was what felt like a blood blister pulsing in time to my pulse. At this point I've got boychild in the car and am heading home (takes about 5 minutes to get there from his school). I just so happen to have a bluetooth on at all (okay nearly all) times that I'm in the car. Sorry, Charlie, but if you're going to call my cell phone while I'm driving I am not going to be fumbling for my phone and if things get busy, I'll just Talk To You Later™. You'll live. Trust me.
Not being an idiot, I have my doctor's all on voice call. Given the amount of meds I'm taking, this is a duh. I also have my husband's cell number both under his name and 911 so that if someone finds me unconscious they can contact him. That's if they don't run across one of the four med/allergy/contact sheets that I keep in my purse (three different compartments and one in my wallet... why, yes I am a Girl Scout, why do you ask?). Anyway, I call up the office and they say, "Go to the ER, go directly to the ER, do not pass GO, do not collect $200, and DO NOT DRIVE."
At the point I have to find someone to drive me. My daughter doesn't even have a learner's permit. My husband had left for Nashvegas already to go to see his mom, take too long to turn around. ::sigh:: I finally get ahold of someone who could pick me and my daughter up and drop us at the ER. Yes, I took the responsible 16 yo daughter & left the 13 yo son at home playing chess on the computer. "Do you mind if I leave you here alone?" "Huh? Okay. See you later." "Answer the phone, take messages,don't let the Huns in, and whatever you do, do not sack Rome!" "Okay, Mom, later."
Short version of ER...
ER receptionist - Why are you here?
Me - My doctor sent me in for a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow.
ER receptionist - Okay, Triage will call your number later.
half an hour later or more after calling back to the ER several patients with Swine Flu symptoms, I am called to Triage
Triage - Why are you here?
Me - My doctor sent me in for a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. I have notes on the symptoms as they have changed over my wait time here in the ER including both the stinging and sharp pains in my left shoulder. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow. [they take temp & bp which are normal] I have fibromyalgia and have migraines and know these symptoms do not feel like the symptoms I am experiencing now.
Triage - Okay, we'll call your number later.
an hour after that... two car wreck victims go back... expected... flu victims bitch & moan whereupon I roll my eyes because I would never go to the ER unless someone was in obvious need or my doctor sent me... more suspected Swine Flu patients go back... my number is called (oh yeah, some of them were ticked because the numbers weren't sequential, they hadn't figured out that the numbers are not given out sequentially... oh and the asst. rector stopped by and made arrangements to get pizza to my son so that he'd stop playing chess long enough to eat)
ER nurse - Why are you here?
Me - My doctor sent me in for a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. I have fibromyalgia and have migraines and know these symptoms do not feel like the symptoms I am experiencing now. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow. I have notes on the symptoms as they have changed over my wait time here in the ER including both the stinging and sharp pains in my left shoulder.
ER nurse - Oh he won't care about that.
Me - Oooookay.
ER doc - Why are you here?
Me - I called my doctor who told me to come here because of a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. I have fibromyalgia and have migraines. I was treated for migraines and know these symptoms do not feel like the symptoms I am experiencing now. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow. I have notes on the symptoms as they have changed over my wait time here in the ER including both the stinging and sharp pains in my left shoulder. I do know that I've had a stroke before but don't know when it occurred.
ER doc - [obviously pissed off - while feeling my neck (and not very well I might say, having had many many many... make that many... lymph node checks in my life... used to get strep three times a year as a child)] I don't have time to look at that! I have 30 patients in here!
Me - Ooooookay. [suspicions are raised that he hasn't even listened to a word I've said... iow he's not really paying full attention to what he's doing... this is not a Good Thing™ btw]
ER doc - I'm going to give you something for the pain and have a CAT scan done.
Me - Ooooookay. [I'm not in here for the pain. I'd like to know why my neck is now swollen up like mumps... although I have to admit it wasn't as swollen as it had been because I'd been laying down which lowered the swelling & pain.]
get taken to CAT scan by lovely tech who appreciated the fact that "gee, you must have done this before" because I happened to have a sleep mask in my purse. Hello! I said that I was familiar with migraines, right? Anyway, we had a loverly hour while I meditated and he ran the machine. Back to my bed.
ER doc - Your CAT scan is normal, it only shows the one stroke, so I'm giving you a referral to a Rapid Access neurologist. They'll work you in in a day or two.
Me - Oooooookay.
ER nurse - Here are your discharge papers.
I call the Rapid Access Neuro clinic & have an appointment with their nurse practitioner for Tuesday.
Thursday morning I get up, go to my MRI where I find that my neck is still swelling when I sit up for an extended period of time. I discovered this because the MRI was about a 45 minute drive from my house. So I called my pcp's office to see if they had an appt open. (I had a pediatrician who trained me well. He said, you know your body better than anyone else. Trust your instinct. If something doesn't feel right, call your doctor. Be an active part of your medical team.) They didn't have anything open Thursday but did on Friday with her nurse practitioner (who also kicks butt & takes names).
I get up in the morning and put together the symptom list from the ER visit (because I know they'll want to see it!) and the other papers from the ER I notice something strange. The papers show me as having gone in for a migraine. ::head:desk:: I get to my doc's office. Everyone goes "Hi Kat! How're you doing? What's up?" "Now, why are you here again so soon?" etc. My temp is taken, I'm backed into a room (I was in my chair), and the nurse does blood pressure (and tells me what it is because I always want to know), and takes detailed notes on what is going on with me. How do I know? Because she did it where I could see it, duh. She also double-checked it with me verbally to make sure that nothing was left out. Hello? Remember, my pediatrician trained me well. I have very high standards for docs.
Upshot. After 21 day round of 2xdaily penicillin , one week off, 7 day round of 1xdaily penicillin, I still show signs of a sinus infection. "Tell me, did they do a CBC at the ER?" ::snort:: "Why, no, they did not" ::astonished look:: "I think we should run a CBC." "I agree, that's an excellent idea!" Viral load is normal. Bacterial load is 71 and normal end range is 76. My last dose had been Wednesday and this was Friday. We looked at each other. "I'd like to put you on one of the heaviest antibiotics out there... and I just so happen to have samples." Yaaaaay samples! "Do you mind taking steroids?" Well, I don't like them butttttttt. So I'm on steroids and if the neck doesn't resolve by Monday we're doing an ultrasound on my neck... wheeeeee!
So that's where Kat's been.
So Wednesday at 4ish I'm picking my son up from Chess Club (I have this 13 yo who is massively into chess), when suddenly it feels like someone is stabbing me in the neck. I put my hand up and there was what felt like a blood blister pulsing in time to my pulse. At this point I've got boychild in the car and am heading home (takes about 5 minutes to get there from his school). I just so happen to have a bluetooth on at all (okay nearly all) times that I'm in the car. Sorry, Charlie, but if you're going to call my cell phone while I'm driving I am not going to be fumbling for my phone and if things get busy, I'll just Talk To You Later™. You'll live. Trust me.
Not being an idiot, I have my doctor's all on voice call. Given the amount of meds I'm taking, this is a duh. I also have my husband's cell number both under his name and 911 so that if someone finds me unconscious they can contact him. That's if they don't run across one of the four med/allergy/contact sheets that I keep in my purse (three different compartments and one in my wallet... why, yes I am a Girl Scout, why do you ask?). Anyway, I call up the office and they say, "Go to the ER, go directly to the ER, do not pass GO, do not collect $200, and DO NOT DRIVE."
At the point I have to find someone to drive me. My daughter doesn't even have a learner's permit. My husband had left for Nashvegas already to go to see his mom, take too long to turn around. ::sigh:: I finally get ahold of someone who could pick me and my daughter up and drop us at the ER. Yes, I took the responsible 16 yo daughter & left the 13 yo son at home playing chess on the computer. "Do you mind if I leave you here alone?" "Huh? Okay. See you later." "Answer the phone, take messages,don't let the Huns in, and whatever you do, do not sack Rome!" "Okay, Mom, later."
Short version of ER...
ER receptionist - Why are you here?
Me - My doctor sent me in for a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow.
ER receptionist - Okay, Triage will call your number later.
half an hour later or more after calling back to the ER several patients with Swine Flu symptoms, I am called to Triage
Triage - Why are you here?
Me - My doctor sent me in for a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. I have notes on the symptoms as they have changed over my wait time here in the ER including both the stinging and sharp pains in my left shoulder. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow. [they take temp & bp which are normal] I have fibromyalgia and have migraines and know these symptoms do not feel like the symptoms I am experiencing now.
Triage - Okay, we'll call your number later.
an hour after that... two car wreck victims go back... expected... flu victims bitch & moan whereupon I roll my eyes because I would never go to the ER unless someone was in obvious need or my doctor sent me... more suspected Swine Flu patients go back... my number is called (oh yeah, some of them were ticked because the numbers weren't sequential, they hadn't figured out that the numbers are not given out sequentially... oh and the asst. rector stopped by and made arrangements to get pizza to my son so that he'd stop playing chess long enough to eat)
ER nurse - Why are you here?
Me - My doctor sent me in for a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. I have fibromyalgia and have migraines and know these symptoms do not feel like the symptoms I am experiencing now. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow. I have notes on the symptoms as they have changed over my wait time here in the ER including both the stinging and sharp pains in my left shoulder.
ER nurse - Oh he won't care about that.
Me - Oooookay.
ER doc - Why are you here?
Me - I called my doctor who told me to come here because of a stabbing pain in my neck with a throbbing pustule which has resolved into a wider area, concurrent with a headache which is not a migraine. I have fibromyalgia and have migraines. I was treated for migraines and know these symptoms do not feel like the symptoms I am experiencing now. My doctor has been treating me for some confusion typing and dropping things since Monday and has an MRI ordered for tomorrow. I have notes on the symptoms as they have changed over my wait time here in the ER including both the stinging and sharp pains in my left shoulder. I do know that I've had a stroke before but don't know when it occurred.
ER doc - [obviously pissed off - while feeling my neck (and not very well I might say, having had many many many... make that many... lymph node checks in my life... used to get strep three times a year as a child)] I don't have time to look at that! I have 30 patients in here!
Me - Ooooookay. [suspicions are raised that he hasn't even listened to a word I've said... iow he's not really paying full attention to what he's doing... this is not a Good Thing™ btw]
ER doc - I'm going to give you something for the pain and have a CAT scan done.
Me - Ooooookay. [I'm not in here for the pain. I'd like to know why my neck is now swollen up like mumps... although I have to admit it wasn't as swollen as it had been because I'd been laying down which lowered the swelling & pain.]
get taken to CAT scan by lovely tech who appreciated the fact that "gee, you must have done this before" because I happened to have a sleep mask in my purse. Hello! I said that I was familiar with migraines, right? Anyway, we had a loverly hour while I meditated and he ran the machine. Back to my bed.
ER doc - Your CAT scan is normal, it only shows the one stroke, so I'm giving you a referral to a Rapid Access neurologist. They'll work you in in a day or two.
Me - Oooooookay.
ER nurse - Here are your discharge papers.
I call the Rapid Access Neuro clinic & have an appointment with their nurse practitioner for Tuesday.
Thursday morning I get up, go to my MRI where I find that my neck is still swelling when I sit up for an extended period of time. I discovered this because the MRI was about a 45 minute drive from my house. So I called my pcp's office to see if they had an appt open. (I had a pediatrician who trained me well. He said, you know your body better than anyone else. Trust your instinct. If something doesn't feel right, call your doctor. Be an active part of your medical team.) They didn't have anything open Thursday but did on Friday with her nurse practitioner (who also kicks butt & takes names).
I get up in the morning and put together the symptom list from the ER visit (because I know they'll want to see it!) and the other papers from the ER I notice something strange. The papers show me as having gone in for a migraine. ::head:desk:: I get to my doc's office. Everyone goes "Hi Kat! How're you doing? What's up?" "Now, why are you here again so soon?" etc. My temp is taken, I'm backed into a room (I was in my chair), and the nurse does blood pressure (and tells me what it is because I always want to know), and takes detailed notes on what is going on with me. How do I know? Because she did it where I could see it, duh. She also double-checked it with me verbally to make sure that nothing was left out. Hello? Remember, my pediatrician trained me well. I have very high standards for docs.
Upshot. After 21 day round of 2xdaily penicillin , one week off, 7 day round of 1xdaily penicillin, I still show signs of a sinus infection. "Tell me, did they do a CBC at the ER?" ::snort:: "Why, no, they did not" ::astonished look:: "I think we should run a CBC." "I agree, that's an excellent idea!" Viral load is normal. Bacterial load is 71 and normal end range is 76. My last dose had been Wednesday and this was Friday. We looked at each other. "I'd like to put you on one of the heaviest antibiotics out there... and I just so happen to have samples." Yaaaaay samples! "Do you mind taking steroids?" Well, I don't like them butttttttt. So I'm on steroids and if the neck doesn't resolve by Monday we're doing an ultrasound on my neck... wheeeeee!
So that's where Kat's been.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday... interesting day...
Yesterday started off with an appointment with my pain management docs, then went on to my pcp's office where we decided to schedule an mri for my head with/without contrast, and finding out that my mil has been admitted to the hospital because of having a fever since ~Sunday with a fever of over 101. ::sigh:: Oh yes! And on top of that my daughter had dress rehersal for the school's variety show (drama & music department, she's in the Woman's Select Choir this year). I had to pick her up ~9:30 and they were rehearsing one act and still had one to go. yeesh!
I took her to school this morning for a 7:00 call. Anyway, once I got home yesterday the cats decided that I needed a three to four cat nursing crew. So I didn't get up much. I just found out that my mil is worse this morning so odds are that I won't get much done today. Just an FYI post. Take care.
I took her to school this morning for a 7:00 call. Anyway, once I got home yesterday the cats decided that I needed a three to four cat nursing crew. So I didn't get up much. I just found out that my mil is worse this morning so odds are that I won't get much done today. Just an FYI post. Take care.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Drats! They did it to me... again!!
I swear, Oberon and Star have it in for me. Well, that or they know when I'm having a really really bad day. I did one graphic for my day job and got in two graphics into Winter Holidays. Then I took a break for lunch... okay, I admit it... it was 1:30...ish. So there I am, laying down with my legs propped up, eating a crunchy peanut butter and guava jelly sandwich (mmmmm) when suddenly... popping out of nowhere... I swear, one second nothing... the next second... fifteen pounds of cat laying across my legs. I'm not going anywhere.
Then, as I'm finishing up my sandwich, drinking my water (hydrating... being good... uh... right), getting ready for dessert (oatmeal creme sandwich... mmmmmm)... suddenly... popping out of nowhere... I swear, one second nothing... the next second... there is a little black circle next to my thigh purring. I was lost. There was nothing to do but give in. I was going to rest more whether I liked it or not. Two furry enforcers were on the job. Purring. Puuuuuuurring. Puuuuurrrrrrrring.
The next thing I know my kids are coming in the door going, "Hi! We're home!" Say what?! I was only going to give in for... a... minute! And as I look around... there are no cats to admonish. ::narrows eyes:: Just wait. They'll be at it again later. I'm sure of it.
Tomorrow looks like a tough day to get anything done in the shop. But I wish I felt like I wasn't alone here in blogspace. And if anyone ever does wander by and wants something in the shop or a specific graphic in a section... please let me know!! Trust me, my self-esteem could use the comments. ::wry grin:: Now, I need to go find a couple of cats and wait for House.
Then, as I'm finishing up my sandwich, drinking my water (hydrating... being good... uh... right), getting ready for dessert (oatmeal creme sandwich... mmmmmm)... suddenly... popping out of nowhere... I swear, one second nothing... the next second... there is a little black circle next to my thigh purring. I was lost. There was nothing to do but give in. I was going to rest more whether I liked it or not. Two furry enforcers were on the job. Purring. Puuuuuuurring. Puuuuurrrrrrrring.
The next thing I know my kids are coming in the door going, "Hi! We're home!" Say what?! I was only going to give in for... a... minute! And as I look around... there are no cats to admonish. ::narrows eyes:: Just wait. They'll be at it again later. I'm sure of it.
Tomorrow looks like a tough day to get anything done in the shop. But I wish I felt like I wasn't alone here in blogspace. And if anyone ever does wander by and wants something in the shop or a specific graphic in a section... please let me know!! Trust me, my self-esteem could use the comments. ::wry grin:: Now, I need to go find a couple of cats and wait for House.
Peace on Earth - Couples v1 and Star... duh
Because Star is the computer kitty! He came in this morning and jumped up on the back of my chair. He started clawing on it, which I discouraged, as always. Then he went weaving around to the arm and around my arm and began licking my left hand (my right being busy with the mouse). The funny thing was that he started licking my armwarmer as well! ::shakes head:: Eventually he went over to 'his' chair and curled up and he's asleep there right now.
As for me, I ended up switched armwarmers (I have a plethora of them, most of them from SockDreams which is my favorite place to get them. My love just got me two new pairs for my birthday. Whoot! They have the very best customer service I have ever run into, seriously, they kick butt and take names. I've never been disappointed with anything I've gotten from them.
Anyway, I've now managed to get another graphic up into Winter Holidays! and I had an epiphany. So I'm going to make a section that has cats with no words on the front and a set of blanks & inscriptions in a separate section. It shouldn't be too hard. Other than the fact that it take a gazillion years to put stuff into cafepress. Iiiiieeeeeeee! Run away! Run away!
As for me, I ended up switched armwarmers (I have a plethora of them, most of them from SockDreams which is my favorite place to get them. My love just got me two new pairs for my birthday. Whoot! They have the very best customer service I have ever run into, seriously, they kick butt and take names. I've never been disappointed with anything I've gotten from them.
Anyway, I've now managed to get another graphic up into Winter Holidays! and I had an epiphany. So I'm going to make a section that has cats with no words on the front and a set of blanks & inscriptions in a separate section. It shouldn't be too hard. Other than the fact that it take a gazillion years to put stuff into cafepress. Iiiiieeeeeeee! Run away! Run away!
More Holiday to go in...
I've got to see if I can get in the other five Winter Holidays graphics today and get started on Hanukkah. Once those are in, I'll start on Christmas and then Kwanzaa. Wheeeee! I just talked to the test write I work with for my day job... I'll probably get a couple of graphics today. ::crossing fingers:: Oh cool! He just said I'd have one in five minutes! Navy shower!!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
First scared me, then scared the cat...
I have done all I can for today. And just as I was working on the last set of cards, suddenly my keyboard wasn't working! Oh no!! Okay, I thought my keyboard wasn't working. I tried it over in my composer and it worked find. Hrmmmmm. But it wasn't working where I needed it in my store. This was bad. This was beyond bad. This was... dump dump duuuuum!... ssssserious bad.
So I pulled out the big guns. Yes, I was worried enough. Tired enough. Not Thinking Enough™... that I pulled out the compressed air. Now, mind you, Star is ensconced not more than 20" (for all the engineers out there, yes, I measured... yes, I'm like that) from the keyboard at the time. This was Bad. Very Bad. Really Really Really... BAD. Of course, I put my hand between the keyboard and Star. But nothing, and I mean nothing, gets a cat like the sound of something spraying. It sparks Terror in the hearts of cats. Don't ask me, I don't get it either and I've been living with them for 48 years now.
So he goes supersonic speed OFF of the chair, hitting the corner of the doorway to the hallway...at approximately 16" off of the floor for a loss of 2" from the height of the chair (yes, I measured again). I'll bet you anything I'm going to have to track down more treats. Now if I can just remember where I left them.
Storewise, I'm getting of the 'puter but I did manage to get three sections started with three graphics in each one. Each section will carry the same graphics but each sections will have different items. For example, if you go to Winter Holidays, you'll see three gateways... each one leads to a different type of product stock (does that make sense? I'm exhausted at this point!) sooooooo...
Winter Clothing has your shirts, sweatshirts, kid & baby shirts
Winter Gifts has mugs, mousepads, aprons, coasters, ornaments yada yada yada
Winter Cards has cards with the first set being blank and then A-D each having a different message inside. Oh! and two postcard types... vertical & horizontal
Now this is just the general "Season's Greetings", "Happy Holiday" section. I'm also planning "Hanukkah", "Christmas", and "Kwanzaa" sections. Christmas will probably be the largest simply because I have so many Santa kitties ready... there are at least two very evile ones asking Santa... no no... not gonna tell ya!
So... something to leave you with? Hmmmmm.... Oh yes!! From the Medical Expressions section... which I will work on sometime... as I will with all of the sections... but this is one that I came up with when I looked into my morning med box which has fiber pills, fish oil, glucosamine, vitamin, magnesium (prescribed), plus all the other prescribed meds I have to take ::sigh:: I said something about this to someone else later and they said "That would make a great shirt! I want one!!" so what could I do??
So I pulled out the big guns. Yes, I was worried enough. Tired enough. Not Thinking Enough™... that I pulled out the compressed air. Now, mind you, Star is ensconced not more than 20" (for all the engineers out there, yes, I measured... yes, I'm like that) from the keyboard at the time. This was Bad. Very Bad. Really Really Really... BAD. Of course, I put my hand between the keyboard and Star. But nothing, and I mean nothing, gets a cat like the sound of something spraying. It sparks Terror in the hearts of cats. Don't ask me, I don't get it either and I've been living with them for 48 years now.
So he goes supersonic speed OFF of the chair, hitting the corner of the doorway to the hallway...at approximately 16" off of the floor for a loss of 2" from the height of the chair (yes, I measured again). I'll bet you anything I'm going to have to track down more treats. Now if I can just remember where I left them.
Storewise, I'm getting of the 'puter but I did manage to get three sections started with three graphics in each one. Each section will carry the same graphics but each sections will have different items. For example, if you go to Winter Holidays, you'll see three gateways... each one leads to a different type of product stock (does that make sense? I'm exhausted at this point!) sooooooo...
Winter Clothing has your shirts, sweatshirts, kid & baby shirts
Winter Gifts has mugs, mousepads, aprons, coasters, ornaments yada yada yada
Winter Cards has cards with the first set being blank and then A-D each having a different message inside. Oh! and two postcard types... vertical & horizontal
Now this is just the general "Season's Greetings", "Happy Holiday" section. I'm also planning "Hanukkah", "Christmas", and "Kwanzaa" sections. Christmas will probably be the largest simply because I have so many Santa kitties ready... there are at least two very evile ones asking Santa... no no... not gonna tell ya!
So... something to leave you with? Hmmmmm.... Oh yes!! From the Medical Expressions section... which I will work on sometime... as I will with all of the sections... but this is one that I came up with when I looked into my morning med box which has fiber pills, fish oil, glucosamine, vitamin, magnesium (prescribed), plus all the other prescribed meds I have to take ::sigh:: I said something about this to someone else later and they said "That would make a great shirt! I want one!!" so what could I do??
BTW Never, ever, ever take medication that hasn't been prescribed for you. It can KILL.
(moi? mince words? naaaaaaaaaah)
Have a good night/day!
Teenagers, Winter Holidays, Thomas, and the wailing of Zaphoid.
The teens had a blast yesterday. Last night Thomas slept with me and evidently wouldn't allow any other cat on the bed. No, he's not the Alpha Cat in the house. NoooOOOooo, not at all! Harumph! ::chuckle:: I did manage to squeeze in a cuddle with Star this morning while I rested and Zaphoid put in an appearance. Although I think he was just checking in to see if I had any treats.
Lately Zaphoid has taken to hanging out on the steps leading to my daughter's bedroom and meowing piteously. Mind you, he's a Siamese mix so his pity cry is... quite dramatic. If he could manage it, I think he'd hold his paw to his forehead and look for a fainting couch. No, really. He's that bad. He'll stick his head through the railings and look all emo and crushed at us.
Oh please! Please! ::paw to forehead:: Won't someone help me!! I can't get into the room of she who loves and adores me. She, whom likewise I love and adore. The one whom I wish to cuddle up with and purrrrrr! Woe is me for I can not enter into her chamber. Meeeooooooooooowwwwwwwww"
Anyone but Jen, "Zaphy, her door is open. You can go right in." [repetition of wailing] "No, really, look! See! Her door is open. You can go in, Zaphy." ::he looks over his shoulder at the open door::
Neeeeeoooooo! You don't understand!! I can't get innnnnnnn! Oooooh wweeeeeeooooooooeeeeee is mmmmmmmmmmeeeeeee!etcetera.
"Zaphoid Beeblebrox! Jen's door is open!! Just go in the door!!" About this time we get disgusted with him and leave him or Jen shows up and he goes, "Oh! Oh! I can get in neeeeeoooow! Look! The door is finally open!" Whereupon everyone shakes their heads.
I'm getting ready to put up the general Winter Holiday section at the store. This section will have "Happy Holiday", "Season's Greetings" "Peace on Earth" etcetera. And yes, there will be shirts, mugs etcetera as well as cards but I'll put the cards and ornaments in first and I think I'll set the shirts into their own section under the section of each graphic. Preview time!!
Lately Zaphoid has taken to hanging out on the steps leading to my daughter's bedroom and meowing piteously. Mind you, he's a Siamese mix so his pity cry is... quite dramatic. If he could manage it, I think he'd hold his paw to his forehead and look for a fainting couch. No, really. He's that bad. He'll stick his head through the railings and look all emo and crushed at us.
Oh please! Please! ::paw to forehead:: Won't someone help me!! I can't get into the room of she who loves and adores me. She, whom likewise I love and adore. The one whom I wish to cuddle up with and purrrrrr! Woe is me for I can not enter into her chamber. Meeeooooooooooowwwwwwwww"
Anyone but Jen, "Zaphy, her door is open. You can go right in." [repetition of wailing] "No, really, look! See! Her door is open. You can go in, Zaphy." ::he looks over his shoulder at the open door::
Neeeeeoooooo! You don't understand!! I can't get innnnnnnn! Oooooh wweeeeeeooooooooeeeeee is mmmmmmmmmmeeeeeee!etcetera.
"Zaphoid Beeblebrox! Jen's door is open!! Just go in the door!!" About this time we get disgusted with him and leave him or Jen shows up and he goes, "Oh! Oh! I can get in neeeeeoooow! Look! The door is finally open!" Whereupon everyone shakes their heads.
I'm getting ready to put up the general Winter Holiday section at the store. This section will have "Happy Holiday", "Season's Greetings" "Peace on Earth" etcetera. And yes, there will be shirts, mugs etcetera as well as cards but I'll put the cards and ornaments in first and I think I'll set the shirts into their own section under the section of each graphic. Preview time!!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Saturday Plans....
I have gotten some Holiday items ready to go in finally! However I'm going to be at any SCA event today with my teens (and my daughter's bff) so I've got to go get ready to leave. I am determined to get them in tomorrow!! I realized that I need to put in some different styles of address cards in the store as well. Any suggestions?? Hope everyone has a good day/night!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Rain, rain, go away!
Now I have nothing against rain. Oh wait, yes I do. At least, so long as it doesn't progress further than gentle or splopy rain. (as an aside, the word splopy is not in Merriam-Webster's online dictionary. I find this an affront since that is the only real way to describe rain that comes down in splops. harumph!) Anyway, because it's more of an OMG we've got to pull out the mucking big umbrella and occasionally take down the computers because of lightning (damn you, you evile lightning!) it means that my joints go "Woman! Woman! What do you think you're doing?!" meh
Fortunately I found a heated mattress pad last year (the last one in a queen size, which turned out to be a king which only worked on one side when we got it out of the box), the only one left in town. So we set it up so I have the heated side and my husband has the unheated side (he wouldn't ever use the heat anyway. The minute I turn it on, zooooooooom, there are cats going, "Why thanks mom! I thought you'd never get around to fixing the cat bed again!" Serious.
But last night I was abandoned. I almost cried because there was nary a cat to sleep with me. Alas. I got on my side as I normally do and turned out the light. After a minute, there was a heavy (but not 15 pound kitten) stealthy set of paws working their way up my body. My savior!! Sir Thomas of Snuggle came to my rescue and snugged himself right up against myself so that I could feel him purring. ::sigh:: It was just what I needed to go over the edge to sleep.
Today's sneak peak, in case you haven't checked out the shop, is from the Wicked Kitty/Woman section:
Oh yes, and I'm still hard at work on the Winter Holiday cards. I have a few 'Santa' Cards done so now I'm going to do a few Hanukkah cards, more Christmas, some general Happy Holiday, and Kwanzaa. I'll see if I can't get some of these in today or tomorrow. My weekend is already booked so if I can't get them in before then it'll have to wait until Monday... all contingent on getting anything from my day job! Some of my older graphics have been on sale but I need to put them back to regular price now. BTW the Winter Holiday cards will have their own sections on the main page to make them easier to find!!
Fortunately I found a heated mattress pad last year (the last one in a queen size, which turned out to be a king which only worked on one side when we got it out of the box), the only one left in town. So we set it up so I have the heated side and my husband has the unheated side (he wouldn't ever use the heat anyway. The minute I turn it on, zooooooooom, there are cats going, "Why thanks mom! I thought you'd never get around to fixing the cat bed again!" Serious.
But last night I was abandoned. I almost cried because there was nary a cat to sleep with me. Alas. I got on my side as I normally do and turned out the light. After a minute, there was a heavy (but not 15 pound kitten) stealthy set of paws working their way up my body. My savior!! Sir Thomas of Snuggle came to my rescue and snugged himself right up against myself so that I could feel him purring. ::sigh:: It was just what I needed to go over the edge to sleep.
Today's sneak peak, in case you haven't checked out the shop, is from the Wicked Kitty/Woman section:
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Dead Kats Can't Post...
First, I overslept. Maybe partly due to the fact that I took a sleeping pill last night (which I'm supposed to do on a regular basis but don't ::sigh::) and partly... ::flings out accusatory finger:: it's all the cats' fault!! Yes! That's it! It was a catspiracy!! Zaphy, Oberon, Star... even Thomas was in on it!! All of them! All of them, I tell you! They wanted to make me sleep. Those vicious evile cats just kept laying around me, on me, over me, near me... purrrrrrrrrrrrring. All part of their diabolical plan to make me wake up, look at the clock, freak out when I saw that it was past time for my daughter to be at the orthodontist appointment that I had rescheduled for October, and then for them to laugh their little kitty heads off... except when I was looking, of course.
I think they did it in retaliation for my not going to bed early enough to please Their Majesties/Highnesses (titles vary as they go in and out the door or as the cat guard changes... don't ask me, I'm not in charge here, I just feed them). Star just realized that I'd come into the office for more than a few minutes and suddenly poof! here he is on the chair beside me. That's okay, I'm going to shut down as soon as I post this and he can come cuddle up on the bed. We're still working on his skittishness.
It never fails to amaze me how cats can change in their lifetimes. But even more so with feral/rescue cats. If anything happens to put them under stress, they often revert back to their early behavior. So it's like winning their trust all over again. You have to show them that you are a member of their pride.... their family. Show them that you are not going to go away, not going to leave them to starve, to shiver, to die. Now in some cases of rescue cats, it wasn't the owner's fault, death and/or illness and/or job loss can make a bad situation happen and if there isn't someone to immediately take the pet. ::closes eyes:: I've had to say "I'm sorry, but I have all the cats I can handle right now" to friends and it hurts like hell doing it (pardon my french).
Back to what I was saying, sorry got off track there a bit, but when something traumatic happens in a cat's life (which may or may not be visible to the cat's companion) it's back to the beginning, do not pass GO, do not collect 200 cloth mice. So, now I am patiently trying to restore the confidence and love in Man in a little skitty black cat... carefully. Not that I won't always worry about him. I worry about all of my cats, but he's a black cat and some people, quite frankly, are... strange... in a bad way.
Good night/day... and may it be a quiet one.
It never fails to amaze me how cats can change in their lifetimes. But even more so with feral/rescue cats. If anything happens to put them under stress, they often revert back to their early behavior. So it's like winning their trust all over again. You have to show them that you are a member of their pride.... their family. Show them that you are not going to go away, not going to leave them to starve, to shiver, to die. Now in some cases of rescue cats, it wasn't the owner's fault, death and/or illness and/or job loss can make a bad situation happen and if there isn't someone to immediately take the pet. ::closes eyes:: I've had to say "I'm sorry, but I have all the cats I can handle right now" to friends and it hurts like hell doing it (pardon my french).
Back to what I was saying, sorry got off track there a bit, but when something traumatic happens in a cat's life (which may or may not be visible to the cat's companion) it's back to the beginning, do not pass GO, do not collect 200 cloth mice. So, now I am patiently trying to restore the confidence and love in Man in a little skitty black cat... carefully. Not that I won't always worry about him. I worry about all of my cats, but he's a black cat and some people, quite frankly, are... strange... in a bad way.
Good night/day... and may it be a quiet one.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Work? What Work?
And that was on both fronts... now normally when I'm working on graphics for the shop; I end up going nuts, making a ton of them all at once with husband, kids, and cats all going, "Hey! Hey! You're not only in pain but you haven't eaten anything in hours!! This is Not A Good Thing™!!" Today there was evidently an Evile Cat Conspiracy™ to head that off. I ate lunch with Star beside me. As soon as I put the plate down beside me (I eat sitting up in bed so my legs are resting), there was a Changing of the Cat Guard™, with the Kitten Oberon, putting in a surprise appearance (he'd been upstairs bugging my sick daughter all morning). Oberon proceeded to plop all 15 pounds over my lap.
Now mind you, as my husband never fails to point out, I could always pick the cat up and move. But I often feel that it's a sign. Even more so now that I have a chronic disease. Because I'll start to make moves to get up and the cat(s) will make themselves heavier. As the Lord is my witness, this is so. Fifteen pounds becomes twenty... twenty-five... Oberon? What did you do? Swallow a dwarf star? At any rate, I made three Santa graphics this morning. And one gray cat holiday graphic this evening. At this point, I'm going to follow their continuing advice and get off the computer but I'll give you a little preview.
Now mind you, as my husband never fails to point out, I could always pick the cat up and move. But I often feel that it's a sign. Even more so now that I have a chronic disease. Because I'll start to make moves to get up and the cat(s) will make themselves heavier. As the Lord is my witness, this is so. Fifteen pounds becomes twenty... twenty-five... Oberon? What did you do? Swallow a dwarf star? At any rate, I made three Santa graphics this morning. And one gray cat holiday graphic this evening. At this point, I'm going to follow their continuing advice and get off the computer but I'll give you a little preview.
The Changing of the Sleep Guard
While Star skipped a night, being a skittish kitty, he did join me last night. This is a Good Thing™, since I sleep sounder when I have a cat beside me (or on top of me). It seems that Star has learned that I truly need to turn over at night. Several times I came up enough out of sleep to feel Star, not so moving, as flowing over me. It was a very distinct sensation. Not one that I have ever felt from any other cat. I've had cats keep up with me turning, but never one that felt like this.
If you've ever read the Honor Harrington* series by David Weber, then you're familiar with treecats. He felt like what I've always imagined treecats to feel like when they flow into someone's lap or onto their companion's shoulder. It was wonderful. My husband says that about 5:30 there was a Changing of the Sleep Guard™ and Thomas actually came in and laid beside me!! He hasn't done that in ages and it was nice waking up with him beside me, even if he has a purr muffler.
What is a purr muffler you ask? My husband teases and says that Thomas has a quite effective purr muffler these past few years because you can feel his purr or hear it if you get very very very (make that very) close to him but that's it. OTOH when I lived in my old house with my children (long story), he had a very very very (make that very) loud purr. So loud that you could hear him across the room. Ergo, purr muffler. A serious purr muffler. I think that he switched his purring for more talkativeness. Especially because he's now saying "ooouuuut!!" a lot more. ::grin::
Sometime I will tell you the story of my cat, the late Christopher T. Cat, who was rescued at the age of about six weeks old with a broken hip.
*You'll need to scroll down to see the books. This is the publisher's page. The treecat url also has information about Honor Harrington. If you like good science fiction, written with reasonable tech, good character development, in the style of Horatio Hornblower, then this is for you. I have over 2,000 books in my SF/F library and have read many more. I rate authors by how many times I want to reread their books/series. I read all of these books whenever a new one comes out as well as at other times. I think that speaks for itself.
If you've ever read the Honor Harrington* series by David Weber, then you're familiar with treecats. He felt like what I've always imagined treecats to feel like when they flow into someone's lap or onto their companion's shoulder. It was wonderful. My husband says that about 5:30 there was a Changing of the Sleep Guard™ and Thomas actually came in and laid beside me!! He hasn't done that in ages and it was nice waking up with him beside me, even if he has a purr muffler.
What is a purr muffler you ask? My husband teases and says that Thomas has a quite effective purr muffler these past few years because you can feel his purr or hear it if you get very very very (make that very) close to him but that's it. OTOH when I lived in my old house with my children (long story), he had a very very very (make that very) loud purr. So loud that you could hear him across the room. Ergo, purr muffler. A serious purr muffler. I think that he switched his purring for more talkativeness. Especially because he's now saying "ooouuuut!!" a lot more. ::grin::
Sometime I will tell you the story of my cat, the late Christopher T. Cat, who was rescued at the age of about six weeks old with a broken hip.
*You'll need to scroll down to see the books. This is the publisher's page. The treecat url also has information about Honor Harrington. If you like good science fiction, written with reasonable tech, good character development, in the style of Horatio Hornblower, then this is for you. I have over 2,000 books in my SF/F library and have read many more. I rate authors by how many times I want to reread their books/series. I read all of these books whenever a new one comes out as well as at other times. I think that speaks for itself.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Aha! Finished Just in Time!
I managed to get all of Magic Men/Cats and Witchy Women/Kittys in just in time to get one graphic request in from the day job. Which means half an hour of work and then it's off to take the sick daughter to the doc-in-the-box. Depending on how I feel, I'll start working on Christmas, unless I have something else from the day job.
Star has had his outdoors gadabout for the morning and is back on the job here in the office in the chair beside me. He started to get up on the top of my chair and then on the arm of the chair so that he could peek at the screen to make sure that I was Doing Things Correctly™ but then decided the chair was a Much Better Place To Be™.
Another Busy Morning!
BTW if you ever want to see a particular product in a design and it isn't there, don't hesitate to ask! I'm more than happy to throw it in for you! Actually this morning it wasn't as hard as it is sometimes. Only one of the designs required me to go into every... single... one... of... the... products... ::falls over onto the floor:: (hey! I can do that in cyberspace!!). Star is curled up like Sleeping Cat on the chair beside me and Oberon is being a flop cat (hmmm may have to make one of those) on the lower shelf of the craft bookcase. I just might emulate them for a bit. I do at least need to lay down for awhile. However I should be able to get the Chair Cats up today!
Wence cometh "Get Off The Table?" or Off Mommy Brown's Table!!
In the store there is a Gray Cat who says "What Means This... 'Get off the table?!'". As I'm sure you know, all cats do this. So do ours. But while ours sometimes get onto other tables, it primarily comes from one particular table. You see, leading from the living room to the kitchen there is a wall where the pantry is located. Against this wall is a drop table which belonged to my wonderful husband's grandmother, Mommy Brown.
:::sighs:: This morning, I said to Zaphoid as I went to make coffee, "Get off of Mommy Brown's table." As I came out of the kitchen to come back to the office to turn on the computer I said to Star, "Star, get off of Mommy Brown's table!" After I got dressed and headed back to the kitchen I looked at Oberon and said, "Get off of Mommy Brown's table." Thomas has not been getting onto Mommy Brown's table lately. This is because I scored 14 boxes of books from Freecycle (this afternoon I'm giving away an old computer to someone who needs one, whoot!). But then he's always preferred to work on silly sleeping poses instead anyway.
I'm going to check with the day job and see if they have any work for me. Until I hear from them, I'm going to head over to the shop and put in some more of the graphics in Magic Man/Cat and Witchy Woman/Kitty. And if they don't, I'll just keep on working on the shop today. Once I get the other eight for each section (four cane cats & four wheelchair cats) I'll start working on Christmas Cats, unless someone requests cats for Thanksgiving.
:::sighs:: This morning, I said to Zaphoid as I went to make coffee, "Get off of Mommy Brown's table." As I came out of the kitchen to come back to the office to turn on the computer I said to Star, "Star, get off of Mommy Brown's table!" After I got dressed and headed back to the kitchen I looked at Oberon and said, "Get off of Mommy Brown's table." Thomas has not been getting onto Mommy Brown's table lately. This is because I scored 14 boxes of books from Freecycle (this afternoon I'm giving away an old computer to someone who needs one, whoot!). But then he's always preferred to work on silly sleeping poses instead anyway.
I'm going to check with the day job and see if they have any work for me. Until I hear from them, I'm going to head over to the shop and put in some more of the graphics in Magic Man/Cat and Witchy Woman/Kitty. And if they don't, I'll just keep on working on the shop today. Once I get the other eight for each section (four cane cats & four wheelchair cats) I'll start working on Christmas Cats, unless someone requests cats for Thanksgiving.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
One-third of Magic Men/Cats Done!!
::head:desk:: I admit it. I got called away from my desk. I had to admire the new ramp that my husband built to go up to the desk to the 24' above ground pool in the backyard. This is a Good Thing™. My knees will like it muchly much. My knees also liked me laying down as well. So that took up some of the time. But I did manage to get all four of the paw-raised versions of Magic Man/Cat into the store!
None of the cats would go out while Dale was working but as soon as he was done the "inspectors" came. First Zaphoid, the primary inspector. He was followed by Star, the assistant inspector. Finally Thomas ambled by, Jumped onto the platform while Dale and I were talking, sniffed around a bit, and then looked suspiciously like he was going to mark it. He got shooed off. That kind of inspector write-off we do not need. ::shakes head::
Now for dinner & computer shut-down. G'night/day!
None of the cats would go out while Dale was working but as soon as he was done the "inspectors" came. First Zaphoid, the primary inspector. He was followed by Star, the assistant inspector. Finally Thomas ambled by, Jumped onto the platform while Dale and I were talking, sniffed around a bit, and then looked suspiciously like he was going to mark it. He got shooed off. That kind of inspector write-off we do not need. ::shakes head::
Now for dinner & computer shut-down. G'night/day!
One-third of Witchy Women/Kitty Done!!
Wheet! Now I'm going to go on and make the section for Magic Men/Cat and start on the first four that go in there. Two designs with two versions each. You see, what I do is make two versions of one of my paw-raised cats, two of one of the cane cats, and then two of one of the chair cats. That makes six sections for each of the two main sections - Men & Women. Although I must admit that I put unisex clothes into the woman's section, because I have too many friends (and too many times I've done it myself) who want a shirt in the man's version. So, onward & upward, inward & outward!
Star has abandoned me, probably to eat & romp around outside. But I still have a cat in the office. Oberon has taken to sleeping on the bottom shelf of my craft bookcase. It only has some picture frames & heraldic things on it at them moment which he finds ideal for laying on... plenty of room for cats!
Star has abandoned me, probably to eat & romp around outside. But I still have a cat in the office. Oberon has taken to sleeping on the bottom shelf of my craft bookcase. It only has some picture frames & heraldic things on it at them moment which he finds ideal for laying on... plenty of room for cats!
One Down... Eleven to Go!
I've just finished putting in version one of Wicked Woman into the shop. Whew!! It seriously takes some time since I have to go in and manually change the size of the graphic. gaaaaaaaaah ::head:desk:: I'm hoping that most of the rest won't take as long. Many times when you import items from one section to another the size stays the same so you don't have to do that. ::crosses fingers:: At any rate, I've got to take a grocery break. Wheee fun! Not. I am also happy that, while I didn't find the information I was looking for, I did manage to figure out how to get the darn sidebar to close up to just the section headers. Now if I could just figure out how to get them to open up when you went to that section. ::sigh:: I'd better head out. The sooner I go, the sooner I'll be back. Star will be guarding the computer until I get back.
How to Get a Cat to Cuddle With You or Blatent Evile Bribery
Last night, once again, I had a StarWalker BitCat the ComputerKitty curled up on my lap as I was getting ready to go to sleep. IOW I was laying down reading in bed and getting sleepy. Tenuously he came creeping up my legs over the bedcovers. Now since moving here, Star has become more easily startled. Mind you, he loved the space with a pink purple passion. There are Stairs From Which To Bat Humans™, Hallways To Race Down™, and Many Fieldmice To Play With™ (that's another story). Oh, and he likes the new, taller kitchen chairs. They make it easier for him to lay in wait and Grab Humans By The Arm™ (remember, this is also Ninja Kitty).
Howsoever, he has also become quite shy of humans and startles easier. Whenever I get home though, there is Star, waiting to greet me. I'll open the car door and there Must Be Pettings™. He is more my cat than anyone else's cat. He's been sleeping at my feet, but I've missed having a cat curled up with me since Thomas has been neglecting his duties. So when he did sleep with me the night before last I wanted him to repeat the performance. But he was a bit skittish last night. Thus, I had to use one of my infamous evile tools.
I pulled out the treat container. It's a very small tupperware container that is filled with cat treats (which reminds me, that one needs refilling asap!). So I got myself positioned on my side, which is my preferred sleeping position, as opposed to my back. Then, I opened the treat container. Fortunately none of the other cats were around. More about that later.
Star perked up, I mean come on, this is not a stupid cat. He comes creeping over the body pillow and I feed him three treats on the quilt covering the pillow and close the container. While he is thinking about whether he should stay I give him some pettings. Then I carefully open the container and pull out two more treats which I feed him out of my hand. I put the container up and settle myself down while giving him some more pettings. He thinks about it and decides that this isn't such a bad place to go to sleep.
Now I'm the type of person that when a cat is sleeping beside me I'm like another littermate. I don't move. I woke up about 6ish after going to bed at 24:00 (that's midnight for those who don't use a 24 hour clock, sorry, I'm a Navy brat raised on one!). I've been sleeping about 8 hours although I'd been sleeping about 6 before I moved. But beginning to think about it, I wonder if I sleep better/deeper when I sleep with a cat beside me, because I don't feel tired this morning. At any rate, Star backed up as soon as I moved. I tried moving to my other side but he didn't think much of that idea because my husband started moving.
Eeeek! Nooooo! Yeah, Star was having none of that. He retreated to the bottom of the bed. I tried to do the evile & vicious treat trick with him again but alas and alack... it's a horse! it's an elephant! no! it's Oberon! the 15 pound, 3 year old "kitten! galumphing his way into the bedroom and nosing his way up and onto the bed going "Treats?! Treats?! I like treats!! Can I have some treats, mommy? I've been a good kitty! Really, I have!!" ::sigh:: So much for that idea. I might as well get up. Ergo, I got up, took my meds, fed the cats (one must know the priorities after all!), and made coffee.
I've got the computer up, checked email, lj, facebook, written this, and almost finished my one cup of coffee. Now I'll go grab my shower and then come back to work on putting in the Wicked Kittes/Women and the Magic Cats/Men. If I get that done today I'll start working on Christmas Cats. muahahahahahahaha! I promised a friend of mine that I absolutely would have cards for Christmas. And knowing how early some of my kith & kin start buying things for Christmas I figure I'd better get to work neow! ::grin:: And yes, I promise to tell the story of the field mouse later.
Howsoever, he has also become quite shy of humans and startles easier. Whenever I get home though, there is Star, waiting to greet me. I'll open the car door and there Must Be Pettings™. He is more my cat than anyone else's cat. He's been sleeping at my feet, but I've missed having a cat curled up with me since Thomas has been neglecting his duties. So when he did sleep with me the night before last I wanted him to repeat the performance. But he was a bit skittish last night. Thus, I had to use one of my infamous evile tools.
I pulled out the treat container. It's a very small tupperware container that is filled with cat treats (which reminds me, that one needs refilling asap!). So I got myself positioned on my side, which is my preferred sleeping position, as opposed to my back. Then, I opened the treat container. Fortunately none of the other cats were around. More about that later.
Star perked up, I mean come on, this is not a stupid cat. He comes creeping over the body pillow and I feed him three treats on the quilt covering the pillow and close the container. While he is thinking about whether he should stay I give him some pettings. Then I carefully open the container and pull out two more treats which I feed him out of my hand. I put the container up and settle myself down while giving him some more pettings. He thinks about it and decides that this isn't such a bad place to go to sleep.
Now I'm the type of person that when a cat is sleeping beside me I'm like another littermate. I don't move. I woke up about 6ish after going to bed at 24:00 (that's midnight for those who don't use a 24 hour clock, sorry, I'm a Navy brat raised on one!). I've been sleeping about 8 hours although I'd been sleeping about 6 before I moved. But beginning to think about it, I wonder if I sleep better/deeper when I sleep with a cat beside me, because I don't feel tired this morning. At any rate, Star backed up as soon as I moved. I tried moving to my other side but he didn't think much of that idea because my husband started moving.
Eeeek! Nooooo! Yeah, Star was having none of that. He retreated to the bottom of the bed. I tried to do the evile & vicious treat trick with him again but alas and alack... it's a horse! it's an elephant! no! it's Oberon! the 15 pound, 3 year old "kitten! galumphing his way into the bedroom and nosing his way up and onto the bed going "Treats?! Treats?! I like treats!! Can I have some treats, mommy? I've been a good kitty! Really, I have!!" ::sigh:: So much for that idea. I might as well get up. Ergo, I got up, took my meds, fed the cats (one must know the priorities after all!), and made coffee.
I've got the computer up, checked email, lj, facebook, written this, and almost finished my one cup of coffee. Now I'll go grab my shower and then come back to work on putting in the Wicked Kittes/Women and the Magic Cats/Men. If I get that done today I'll start working on Christmas Cats. muahahahahahahaha! I promised a friend of mine that I absolutely would have cards for Christmas. And knowing how early some of my kith & kin start buying things for Christmas I figure I'd better get to work neow! ::grin:: And yes, I promise to tell the story of the field mouse later.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Time! The Time!
Which I just noticed. This is a Good Thing™ since my kids really should take their night meds sometime before midnight! Now, granted they are both teenagers now. Oh wait, what was I thinking? ::stares about innocently, whistling tunelessly, and rocking back and forth with hands folded behind her:: What was I saying? Ah, yes! The time! It's about time for the Changing of the Cat Guard™ as well. Oh you thought I was just making that up, huh? No no no no no! That graphic comes from vaaaaaast vaaaaast, make that vaaaaaaaast experience of the Changing of the Cat Guard™. I've already Changed the Cat Guard™ at least three times tonight.
At any rate, I did manage to finish uploading all, and I do mean all (oh I'd kiss my computer but that would mean moving!!) of the Witchy Woman, Magic Man, Witchy Kitty, and Magic Cat graphics into Kat's Kats. muahahahahahahahahahaha! Oh no!! Now I have to put them in!! arrrrrrrrgh! That's okay. I just wish I could figure out a) how to make the link to the blog not look like... typing... ewwwwww. and b) now to nest things so that you don't have to see everything at the same time. grrrrrrrr It bugs the heck out of me and I don't know enough about programming to do doodleely squat about it. PoohBears!!
::sigh:: That's okay. I'm going to find a Good Book™, a Good Cat™ (or two... or three... dare I say it? four?), and Go to Bed™!! Have a Good Night/Day!
At any rate, I did manage to finish uploading all, and I do mean all (oh I'd kiss my computer but that would mean moving!!) of the Witchy Woman, Magic Man, Witchy Kitty, and Magic Cat graphics into Kat's Kats. muahahahahahahahahahaha! Oh no!! Now I have to put them in!! arrrrrrrrgh! That's okay. I just wish I could figure out a) how to make the link to the blog not look like... typing... ewwwwww. and b) now to nest things so that you don't have to see everything at the same time. grrrrrrrr It bugs the heck out of me and I don't know enough about programming to do doodleely squat about it. PoohBears!!
::sigh:: That's okay. I'm going to find a Good Book™, a Good Cat™ (or two... or three... dare I say it? four?), and Go to Bed™!! Have a Good Night/Day!
Whence Cometh the Cat... or Who is Emo Kitty?
Okay, so I lied. I'll take a few more minutes before I take a break. I thought I'd let you know who is the inspiration for emo kitty. ::sigh:: I have to admit it. It's Zaphoid Beeblebrox. It's tragic really. He was just a normal sable point Siamese mix. Lounging gracefully. Demanding the best of food, pettings, spots in the sunlight. But something changed. One day we looked and there.. there... there... on the bed... in that very same pose...
emo kitty.
It's true. I swear. And he's been like that ever since. Okay, sometimes he lays his head on a pillow instead and gives us That Look™ or hangs his head off of the bed and sighs theatrically while giving us That Look™. As a result, we come into the bedroom, take one look at the bed, and say...
emo kitty still emo.
emo kitty.
It's true. I swear. And he's been like that ever since. Okay, sometimes he lays his head on a pillow instead and gives us That Look™ or hangs his head off of the bed and sighs theatrically while giving us That Look™. As a result, we come into the bedroom, take one look at the bed, and say...
emo kitty still emo.
Busy Morning!
Whew! I've got to take a serious break before I put these up but I managed to finish all of the graphics for the Magic/Witchy section. Now I'll just have to put them up. Which, oddly enough, usually takes longer than making the graphic itself. meh. At any rate, for those who are interested, this is what will be upcoming...
Witchy Kitty 1 & 2
Witchy Kitty Cane Cat 1 & 2
Witchy Kitty Chair Cat 1 & 2
Magic Cat 1 & 2
Magic Cat Cane Cat 1 & 2
Magic Cat Chair Cat 1 & 2
Witchy Woman 1 & 2
Witchy Woman Cane Cat 1 & 2
Witchy Woman Chair Cat 1 & 2
Magic Man 1 & 2
Magic Man Cane Cat 1 & 2
Magic Man Chair Cat 1 & 2
I'm sure you've noticed the trend of having a Cane Cat & Chair cat in my designs. There's a reason for that. Actually, two reasons. First, I've had friends all my life who've had to use canes or chairs and it's always kind of bugged me that there weren't any cool shirts etc designed for them. Then my knees went out when I was 26 and I started to have to use a cane or chair off and on through the years and noticed, gee whiz, there still aren't a lot of really cool shirts out there with regular people using canes or chairs. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.
Witchy Kitty 1 & 2
Witchy Kitty Cane Cat 1 & 2
Witchy Kitty Chair Cat 1 & 2
Magic Cat 1 & 2
Magic Cat Cane Cat 1 & 2
Magic Cat Chair Cat 1 & 2
Witchy Woman 1 & 2
Witchy Woman Cane Cat 1 & 2
Witchy Woman Chair Cat 1 & 2
Magic Man 1 & 2
Magic Man Cane Cat 1 & 2
Magic Man Chair Cat 1 & 2
I'm sure you've noticed the trend of having a Cane Cat & Chair cat in my designs. There's a reason for that. Actually, two reasons. First, I've had friends all my life who've had to use canes or chairs and it's always kind of bugged me that there weren't any cool shirts etc designed for them. Then my knees went out when I was 26 and I started to have to use a cane or chair off and on through the years and noticed, gee whiz, there still aren't a lot of really cool shirts out there with regular people using canes or chairs. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.
A Strange Thing Happened Last Night...
Now it's not unusual for me to have a cat either on me or near me when I go to sleep. However, normally it's usually Oberon or Zaphoid. Last night I saw neither head nor hair of them. Until a certain black cat came slowly, carefully creeping up my legs to my lap. Could it be? The Ninja Kitty aka StarWalker, who never ever comes up to anyone but is known to lay at the foot of the bed?
In a strange turn of events, Star sat in my lap and made it known that it was time to put down my book by beginning to lick my left hand. You see, it's rather hard to hold on to a hardback book and read when one has a cat doing such a thing. Ergo, I took his suggestion, and laid down my book and glasses in their appropriate places. He continued to lick my hand as I began to pet him and got calmer and calmer... sleepier and sleepier. Which was a rather odd thing. For, you see, I had been having a bad day. My fibro had been flaring hard and my pain levels were up, even with meds.
While this was going on, Oberon bounced his way onto the bed, noticed that his usual spot was taken and proceeded to flop all of his 15 pounds onto my husbands lap; making it difficult for my husband to work his crossword puzzle! I turned off my light and Star settled down and began to curl up into my lap. So I went to sleep on my back instead of my side, which is my usual sleeping position, because I didn't want to disturb him. I woke up in the middle of the night, on my side, and he was sleeping at my feet; which where he normally sleeps.
The interesting thing is that Thomas rarely comes to sleep on the bed anymore. He used to sleep with me when I was with my ex and after we split up. But then I met my husband. Thomas evidently approved. Every time we were together he would come up to use and sit across us and purr. Now we'd both been burned before so neither of us wanted to commit to a serious relationship or admit that we were falling in love with each other. But for some reason, during a Titan's game, we turned to each other and said "I love you". The rest is history, and now Thomas doesn't feel obligated to come on the bed that often. When he does, he bosses everyone around, for he is obviously the Top Cat™. So now you know.
It's all Thomas' fault!*
*I made my husband a shirt that says that! ::grin::
In a strange turn of events, Star sat in my lap and made it known that it was time to put down my book by beginning to lick my left hand. You see, it's rather hard to hold on to a hardback book and read when one has a cat doing such a thing. Ergo, I took his suggestion, and laid down my book and glasses in their appropriate places. He continued to lick my hand as I began to pet him and got calmer and calmer... sleepier and sleepier. Which was a rather odd thing. For, you see, I had been having a bad day. My fibro had been flaring hard and my pain levels were up, even with meds.
While this was going on, Oberon bounced his way onto the bed, noticed that his usual spot was taken and proceeded to flop all of his 15 pounds onto my husbands lap; making it difficult for my husband to work his crossword puzzle! I turned off my light and Star settled down and began to curl up into my lap. So I went to sleep on my back instead of my side, which is my usual sleeping position, because I didn't want to disturb him. I woke up in the middle of the night, on my side, and he was sleeping at my feet; which where he normally sleeps.
The interesting thing is that Thomas rarely comes to sleep on the bed anymore. He used to sleep with me when I was with my ex and after we split up. But then I met my husband. Thomas evidently approved. Every time we were together he would come up to use and sit across us and purr. Now we'd both been burned before so neither of us wanted to commit to a serious relationship or admit that we were falling in love with each other. But for some reason, during a Titan's game, we turned to each other and said "I love you". The rest is history, and now Thomas doesn't feel obligated to come on the bed that often. When he does, he bosses everyone around, for he is obviously the Top Cat™. So now you know.
It's all Thomas' fault!*
*I made my husband a shirt that says that! ::grin::
Friday, September 11, 2009
Trick or Treat Section is done...
...and sadly so am I. At least for the rest of the day. Alas, my darling daughter, who is 16; has brought home a bug. Not a pretty bug, nor a computer bug (although I suspect there might be one on her cpu which she hasn't even bothered to turn on in almost a week now... paranoid much? I wonder where she got it from ::looks around the room innocently::), but an evile nasty viral bug.
And as such things conspire to do, both my 13 yo son and my heart & soul aka my husband, are not showing any signs of coming down with it. grrrrrrrrr. Oh well, at least that means we can get them to fetch drinks & things, yes? But I did manage to go by the grocery which wore me out. And I did manage, just now, to finish the Trick or Treat section "at" the store. So, there are six new cats up...
Highly Illogical Holiday
Tricked Again!!
Emo Kitty... No Treats
Tonight... a broom
...I Give Toys
Official Potion Maker
Now I'm going to go collapse in the bed and take more painkillers & muscle relaxers & hope that helps. I will, in all probability, be joined by Zaphoid¹ (if he isn't already there and then by the baby of the family (who also weighs the most, go figure!), Oberon. I'll also take my temp again, last time it was only 99.8 which is a Good Thing™. I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be up to working on the new section of Halloween tomorrow which only has four cats right now. I'm going to be doing some editing on those, just changing the names, which is fairly easy. Making "Witchy Kitty" into "Witchy Woman" and "Magic Man" into "Magic Cat", although I'm wondering if that last should be "Magic Kat" instead to match "Magic Kitty".
Okay, closing this post down everyone! Hugs & purrs to those who want them & if I don't see you until later, have a safe & happy weekend!!
And as such things conspire to do, both my 13 yo son and my heart & soul aka my husband, are not showing any signs of coming down with it. grrrrrrrrr. Oh well, at least that means we can get them to fetch drinks & things, yes? But I did manage to go by the grocery which wore me out. And I did manage, just now, to finish the Trick or Treat section "at" the store. So, there are six new cats up...
Highly Illogical Holiday
Tricked Again!!
Emo Kitty... No Treats
Tonight... a broom
...I Give Toys
Official Potion Maker
Now I'm going to go collapse in the bed and take more painkillers & muscle relaxers & hope that helps. I will, in all probability, be joined by Zaphoid¹ (if he isn't already there and then by the baby of the family (who also weighs the most, go figure!), Oberon. I'll also take my temp again, last time it was only 99.8 which is a Good Thing™. I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be up to working on the new section of Halloween tomorrow which only has four cats right now. I'm going to be doing some editing on those, just changing the names, which is fairly easy. Making "Witchy Kitty" into "Witchy Woman" and "Magic Man" into "Magic Cat", although I'm wondering if that last should be "Magic Kat" instead to match "Magic Kitty".
Okay, closing this post down everyone! Hugs & purrs to those who want them & if I don't see you until later, have a safe & happy weekend!!
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde Indroduction
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde (TTMNKH) is currently comprised of four Tims. They can't be Toms because they've all been broken (iow everything was working fine before they were neutered). Each one was a rescued cat
.
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Meet the "twins" Sir Thomas of Snuggle and Zaphoid Beeblebrox aka Dinner. A friend of mine, who happens to be allergic to cats found a pregnant Queen on her doorstep. Well, what's a woman to do?? She took her in and fed her and then there were four kittens. It was pretty obvious that the father was Siamese. They are the oldest of our cats and about 9 years old.
Thomas is the elder and well aware of it. He is a Blue Point Siamese mix. Weeeeell, that is, except when he decides to be a Red Point... or a Lilac Point. Yes, once Thomas became an adult, he learned to change his coat at will... and he will. Thomas, like all Siamese, is quite vocal. He's very good though about letting me know not only what he needs but what everyone else needs as well.He will stand by the door if someone wants in or out. He comes and gets me if the food bowls are empty or the water fountain needs to be refilled. And, of course, he is quite clear about his own needs. When he talks you can ask him, "Thomas? What do you need? Show me." and he will go to the food bowl or the door. He will come get me at my desk or if I'm in bed and in a firm voice let me know that Something Must Be Done Immediately If Not Sooner™! One day when I was at the computer, he came and began meowing as usual. I was busy and kept telling him "Just a minute, Tom". Finally he became exasperated and said "Moo-oom!" I startled and stared at him and he repeated himself quite clearly. "Mooo-OOOOM!" Whereupon I stopped and let him out as he desired.
His younger brother Zaphy is a Sable Point Siamese Mix. He used to be quieter than his brother although he has always talked to us. This year he has begun to need a lot of attention. "Ma-wah! Mawah!" which translated means "pet me and rub my head neowwwwwww!". He also loves to be brushed. He always sleeps at the foot of the bed on my husband's side. No matter what my husband does to discourage it. ::grin::
StarWalker BitCat the ComputerKitty is black with two small white spots... one on his chest and one on his belly button... although these did not appear until he was an adult. He is the lightest of the Horde, weighing in at just over 10 pounds. He is a trill cat.
Star was found as a kitten with his sister at the age of approximately four weeks about 8 years ago. They were covered in tuna, mewling at my ex and a friend of ours as they were walking a trail in a local park area. I was in bed because of my knees (chronic myofacial pain), and my ex walked in with these two pitiful kittens who didn't even completely fill his two hands. They were caked with tuna and covered with fleas. He said, "Please don't be mad at me." I sat up, looked at them and him and said, "However could I be mad at you?! We need to give them a bath while someone drives to the store to get bottles and kitten milk!!" Which is what we did. Samantha, Star's sister, eventually moved to my ex inlaw's beefalo farm where she won the heart of my ex fil who swore he'd never have an indoor cat.
Vicious Miette Pumpkin Thunderblaster Knives Pterodactyl aka the Kitten aka Trouble aka Oberon. My red-headed step-child, Sarah, who is now 22, wanted a kitten. She'd never really had a kitten because the "kitten" that she'd gotten as a child came to them at 9 months old. Tanis Quat the Dragon Slayer aka King is a rescued Abyssinian mix who couldn't live in the house of the friends who'd rescued him because of issues with their Queen (spayed of course!). He's now living with her.
But she wanted a kitten. So Miette came into our lives, a little orange striped kitten that Sarah got from a woman who rescues cats. Miette is now 3 years old and still called kitten occasionally. At first we thought he was a she. At first he got along with everyone and Star and Miette played chase games up and down the hallway. But then things changed. ::sigh:: It's a Good Thing™ that Tanis now lives with Sarah.
Now Miette is called Kitten or Oberon. He is primarily the doorkeeper. He likes to sit by one door or the other and watch who comes in or out. He is also known as "flop cat". He enjoys waiting until someone is sitting or laying down and then flopping himself down all over them.
All of our cats are sensitive to how we are feeling. But it tends to go in order. With me in the office it goes like this. First of all, StarWalker is the ComputerKitty. This means that he must be in the office. He usually sleeps in the chair beside me. He doesn't like it if the chair is not there. Then he has to lay on the guest bed that is just behind me. If he thinks that I'm overworking, he comes and gets into my lap. Eventually he'll decide that I'm just not getting the message and will put his head on my wrist.
Oberon also will come up and get into my lap in the office. This is not a Good Thing™. He currently weighs just over 15 pounds. I can tolerate him for awhile. He also comes to me every night and flops himself over my legs as if to say, "Okay mom, now it's time to chill out and relax." Of course, he also comes if I'm eating an apple. He loves apples with a pink purple passion. mmmmmmm apples. I have trained him to sit if he wants any apple. He used to just mug people. Even to the point of trying to take the apple out of their mouth while they were eating.
Zaphoid is the third cat to come when someone isn't feeling well. He also tends to hang out in the office but he prefers the pillows on the bed. Actually, he prefers pillows anywhere. But when I'm feeling my worst (I also have fibro) the cats start appearing. One, two, three, four. My husband will come in the bedroom and go, "You must not be feeling well today, you've got all of the cats with you."
So. This is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Okay... maybe not...
I came home with the cat food. I fed the cats so they would not bite off our toes (this is a Good Thing™ since we need our toes). I noticed that I was feeling a wee bit hot. So, what the heck, I decided to take my temperature. 100.3. This is not my usual temperature. Generally I'm 98.7 on the nose. As I was sitting contemplating this, along with the fact that I had not picked up the heart of my heart & the soul of my soul's meds (aka my husband), the phone rang.
It was my daughter calling from school. Now she had been feeling a bit punk this morning but she's a Junior now and pretty determined to stay at school and do her work because all but two of her classes are honors courses. ::sigh:: So off I went, stopping on the way to pick up the meds I'd forgotten earlier. I had the thermometer in the car with me. They pulled her out of her Latin II class and we got into the car. 99.7. Of course, normally this might not be considered very high. But Jennifer's normal temperature is 97.6. ::head:desk:: Just what we need. Because my husband is diabetic. So when I called to tell him about this, his first words were, "Don't let her on my side of the bed!" ::grin::
But that's why putting up more things today... just might not happen. I'm off to eat lunch and push fluids!!
It was my daughter calling from school. Now she had been feeling a bit punk this morning but she's a Junior now and pretty determined to stay at school and do her work because all but two of her classes are honors courses. ::sigh:: So off I went, stopping on the way to pick up the meds I'd forgotten earlier. I had the thermometer in the car with me. They pulled her out of her Latin II class and we got into the car. 99.7. Of course, normally this might not be considered very high. But Jennifer's normal temperature is 97.6. ::head:desk:: Just what we need. Because my husband is diabetic. So when I called to tell him about this, his first words were, "Don't let her on my side of the bed!" ::grin::
But that's why putting up more things today... just might not happen. I'm off to eat lunch and push fluids!!
Finishing Up & New Halloween Section Coming Soon...
But it has to wait until I go to the grocery. You see, we're out of cat food. So I have a mission. I must seek more Iams. Otherwise the Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde will eat our toes. No, really!! But since I've only had 5 hours of work on the day job since the 1st of the month, I feel pretty sure that I can put in the rest of the Trick or Treat section and then create the Witchy Kitty & Magic Man. Although I just thought about it and you know, I think I'm going to change that to Magic Cat. I've only got two each of those designs. Both have the same cat in different colors with different fonts. I'm wondering how I should do others. Gray cat? Shy cat? Giggle kitty? hmmmmmmmmm. What to do, what to do, what to do...
Any thoughts out there in cyberspace?
Any thoughts out there in cyberspace?
Monday, September 7, 2009
Four More Sections...
I've gotten in four more sections in Trick or Treat. Halloween Evile Cat, Good Witch Cat, the couple that needs to Buy More Treats, and the Kitten's Halloween Checklist. While I was working on the Buy More Treats one (and cafepress was being a poohbear), Oberon hopped up on the back of the computer chair. Now normally the one who does this is StarWalker BitCat the ComputerKitty.
Next Oberon proceeds to try to use the mouse and then the keyboard. I kept pulling him off of the desktop and he finally decided that putting 15 pounds of cat in my lap Would Do™. ::rolls eyes:: I figured that this was a sign that I'd better not do much more. So I finished up with the Kitten's Checklist and went ahead and loaded up the graphics for Official Potion Maker, Tricked Again!, I Give Toys¹, Tonight It's a Broom², and Holiday Highly Illogical.
One of my things is this... because it's hard to go through and put up thing after thing yada yada yada, I do a lot of importing. But sometimes the sizes are smaller than they can be on the shirts. I always up the size on the totes and check the magnets & buttons and I've been known to redo all of the shirts but when my fibro is acting up I don't always do it. So, should I go back and do it or no? hmmmmmm
¹ For Halloween, I give toys instead of candy. I've always done it, I don't know why but it's now a Good Thing™ because my husband is diabetic. The kids actually like it and come up to my house going "This is the house with the toys!!". Some of the other people in the neighborhood are starting to do it too.
² I was trying to come up with something for my cane cat... and I was working on a witch hat... and voila!
Next Oberon proceeds to try to use the mouse and then the keyboard. I kept pulling him off of the desktop and he finally decided that putting 15 pounds of cat in my lap Would Do™. ::rolls eyes:: I figured that this was a sign that I'd better not do much more. So I finished up with the Kitten's Checklist and went ahead and loaded up the graphics for Official Potion Maker, Tricked Again!, I Give Toys¹, Tonight It's a Broom², and Holiday Highly Illogical.
One of my things is this... because it's hard to go through and put up thing after thing yada yada yada, I do a lot of importing. But sometimes the sizes are smaller than they can be on the shirts. I always up the size on the totes and check the magnets & buttons and I've been known to redo all of the shirts but when my fibro is acting up I don't always do it. So, should I go back and do it or no? hmmmmmm
¹ For Halloween, I give toys instead of candy. I've always done it, I don't know why but it's now a Good Thing™ because my husband is diabetic. The kids actually like it and come up to my house going "This is the house with the toys!!". Some of the other people in the neighborhood are starting to do it too.
² I was trying to come up with something for my cane cat... and I was working on a witch hat... and voila!
Sleep Much??
Somehow I managed to forget to pick up my lyrica on Wednesday. This was a Bad Thing™ because, of course, I ended up hurting. The weird thing was that I slept through most of Saturday. Well... except for some time spend with my 16 yo daughter. She was up on line with her new netbook and I was reading. Then she wanted to watch a movie with me. Okay. Halfway through she disappeared.
Sunday I took both... hmmmm... they're both teenagers so I suppose I can't really call them kidlets. Okay, I took the adolescents to their father so they could visit their paternal grandparents & their great-grandfather. Then I came home and slept until the heart of my heart came home from a gig in Memphis. Then I slept some more.
Today I slept until the adolescents came home. Then I slept some more. But I'm awake now! So I'm off to cafepress to put up some more stuff into Trick or Treat. I've got a couple of cane cats, a good witch... don't worry... I'll let you know when I'm done!!
Sunday I took both... hmmmm... they're both teenagers so I suppose I can't really call them kidlets. Okay, I took the adolescents to their father so they could visit their paternal grandparents & their great-grandfather. Then I came home and slept until the heart of my heart came home from a gig in Memphis. Then I slept some more.
Today I slept until the adolescents came home. Then I slept some more. But I'm awake now! So I'm off to cafepress to put up some more stuff into Trick or Treat. I've got a couple of cane cats, a good witch... don't worry... I'll let you know when I'm done!!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Shutttttttttt downnnnnnn
I know I need to stop for the night when I look down and the computer clock says that it's 18:06...07... anyway. After lunch, amidst kinderlein coming home and being asked if they had homework et al, I managed to get seven more graphics done for the Trick or Treat section. Whew!! My hands are freezing again. meh. I'm down to just making the three Cane Cats... who am I kidding?? That's just if I don't pop up with something else at the last minute! ::grin::
So, unless they have some actual work from my day job tomorrow (crossing fingers), I'll start putting those up tomorrow. I'm not sure which takes longer sometimes, making the graphic itself or putting it up on cafepress? There are times when one of both will just sliiiiiide into place with ease and click! There you are. And then there are the times when you feel like you are wrestling with a seven-headed hydra... or worse... a two-year old who has had no nap. ::shudder::
So... tomorrow sees...
An evile plan...
Consoling about getting more treats...
Kitten's Halloween Checklist...
Someone who finds the holiday highly illogical...
The Official Potion Maker...
Gray Cat getting tricked!!...
Giggle Cat as the Good Witch!!
whew! No wonder I'm exhausted!!!! Okay, can I fall down now? Yes? I can? Oh good. The ComputerKitty has concurred. All is well. What's that? Am I crossing my fingers for or against? Oh gosh, it has to be for right now. That's the only income I'm bringing in until enough someones ::looks innocently around the room::, not naming names or anything, decide they like what they see at the shop and buy enough to make up the difference. ::grin::
May everyone have a safe and peaceful night.
So, unless they have some actual work from my day job tomorrow (crossing fingers), I'll start putting those up tomorrow. I'm not sure which takes longer sometimes, making the graphic itself or putting it up on cafepress? There are times when one of both will just sliiiiiide into place with ease and click! There you are. And then there are the times when you feel like you are wrestling with a seven-headed hydra... or worse... a two-year old who has had no nap. ::shudder::
So... tomorrow sees...
An evile plan...
Consoling about getting more treats...
Kitten's Halloween Checklist...
Someone who finds the holiday highly illogical...
The Official Potion Maker...
Gray Cat getting tricked!!...
Giggle Cat as the Good Witch!!
whew! No wonder I'm exhausted!!!! Okay, can I fall down now? Yes? I can? Oh good. The ComputerKitty has concurred. All is well. What's that? Am I crossing my fingers for or against? Oh gosh, it has to be for right now. That's the only income I'm bringing in until enough someones ::looks innocently around the room::, not naming names or anything, decide they like what they see at the shop and buy enough to make up the difference. ::grin::
May everyone have a safe and peaceful night.
Slow Going This Morning...
I feel like I haven't really gotten much done this morning. I had to resize the graphics on the two new designs I put in the Trick or Treat section. meh. I also changed one design. My mom, who is one of my critics, said that she really didn't like the Official Costume Inspector so I changed it from using the Doctor Cat to another of the cats holding a magnifying glass. I feel good about finally having gotten Chair Cat in but then I realized that I don't have a Cane Cat done!! Eeeeeep! Now I have to figure out what Cane Cat is going to say for Halloween.
Because I use a wheelchair and/or cane myself when I'm out & about (knees & fibro), I have this thing about having both a Chair Cat and a Cane Cat for special sections, such as cards & holidays. I'm going to be putting in the Witchy Kitty & Magic Man section after I finish up making some more cats for Trick or Treat (as well as a few more Witchy Kitties & Magic Men!). I'm debating whether or not I should make anything for Thanksgiving or not. I will definately be making cats for Christmas so I'm not sure if I should just jump straight into that or not. It's a question of how soon folx want Christmas stuff, ya know? Hmmmmm... it's 12:40... I should probably stop and do a lunchthing. Lunchthings are goooOOOoood.
I haven't been getting any work from my day job. Oh yes! I actually am a graphic artist, although I only make math graphics for XXX. But I'm a contract worker and if they don't me work then... gee, I don't get fed. No, it's actually not quite that bad. But it is why I'm hoping that this shop will take off!! Rather like I should take off to the kitchen for food!! ::grin::
Because I use a wheelchair and/or cane myself when I'm out & about (knees & fibro), I have this thing about having both a Chair Cat and a Cane Cat for special sections, such as cards & holidays. I'm going to be putting in the Witchy Kitty & Magic Man section after I finish up making some more cats for Trick or Treat (as well as a few more Witchy Kitties & Magic Men!). I'm debating whether or not I should make anything for Thanksgiving or not. I will definately be making cats for Christmas so I'm not sure if I should just jump straight into that or not. It's a question of how soon folx want Christmas stuff, ya know? Hmmmmm... it's 12:40... I should probably stop and do a lunchthing. Lunchthings are goooOOOoood.
I haven't been getting any work from my day job. Oh yes! I actually am a graphic artist, although I only make math graphics for XXX. But I'm a contract worker and if they don't me work then... gee, I don't get fed. No, it's actually not quite that bad. But it is why I'm hoping that this shop will take off!! Rather like I should take off to the kitchen for food!! ::grin::
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Welcome!!
Hi! I'm Kat. This is the first time that I have blogged, albeit I've been on lj for years and just been dragged into Facebook. But this blog is all about Kat's Kats, my cafepress store. It all started when someone wanted a t-shirt made from one of my lj icons. You can blame them. However, the shop has grown beyond my lj icons. Don't look at me. It's not my fault.
But you should know about the newest products!! Given that Halloween is coming, I've been putting up great cats for Halloween! There are more cats to go up in this section so make sure that you keep checking! Gray Cat, Emo Kitty, and then Wicked Kitty & Magic Man are on their way with more to say!!
My cat designs are modeled off of our own four Tims (they have been neutered so they are no longer Toms). Sir Thomas of Snuggle, his littermate Zaphoid Beebelbrox aka Emo Kitty aka Dinner, StarWalker BitCat the ComputerKitty aka Ninja Cat, and Vicious Miette Pumpkin Thunderblaster Knives Pterodactyl aka the Kitten aka Trouble aka Oberon aka the Kitten with the Identity Crisis. Yes, it's true. We have an invisible sign over our house that says, "Cat suckers ahem, I mean lovers live here, feed good food, come on in!"
I live with my husband, my 16 year old daughter, and my 13 year old son. Our 22 year old daughter is off on her own but lives close by which I think is a Good Thing™!
I hope that you'll enjoy these great designs. * They'll make great gifts for any cat lover; but be warned, you might just want to keep them for yourself!
*Why yes, I am quite modest. However did you know? ::weg::
But you should know about the newest products!! Given that Halloween is coming, I've been putting up great cats for Halloween! There are more cats to go up in this section so make sure that you keep checking! Gray Cat, Emo Kitty, and then Wicked Kitty & Magic Man are on their way with more to say!!
My cat designs are modeled off of our own four Tims (they have been neutered so they are no longer Toms). Sir Thomas of Snuggle, his littermate Zaphoid Beebelbrox aka Emo Kitty aka Dinner, StarWalker BitCat the ComputerKitty aka Ninja Cat, and Vicious Miette Pumpkin Thunderblaster Knives Pterodactyl aka the Kitten aka Trouble aka Oberon aka the Kitten with the Identity Crisis. Yes, it's true. We have an invisible sign over our house that says, "Cat suckers ahem, I mean lovers live here, feed good food, come on in!"
I live with my husband, my 16 year old daughter, and my 13 year old son. Our 22 year old daughter is off on her own but lives close by which I think is a Good Thing™!
I hope that you'll enjoy these great designs. * They'll make great gifts for any cat lover; but be warned, you might just want to keep them for yourself!
*Why yes, I am quite modest. However did you know? ::weg::
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