Geriatric Ginny

In my house, I have cats that nap between naps. This one who is now in her 23rd year only wakes up to do her 'walk-about' and scoff any food that might be sitting left in a dish. I don't move furniture around EVER because Ginny has lost most of her sight and she likes things just the way they always were. Sometimes it is quite amazing to see her flitting around. I have witnessed her take a bug out of the air with one swat. Her health is good and her appetite is embarrassing so we don't worry too much about her disadvantage. She spends her mornings, afternoons, evenings and night-time in bed usually reading Geriatric Cat Fancy Magazines. I should wish for such luxury when I am 100 and something :)

A little more of James & Riley pops in for a visit

This is my friend of 33 years. Mary is the reason I make sure I get to Toronto at least a few times in the summer. A good concert is the icing on the cake. This concert was the MOTHER of all concerts.

Here he is in all his fuzziness. I had some problems with my camera and I was probably a little excited. :)

Here is another photo of JT as he was leaving the auditorium. I can't tell you how exciting this was to see this man so close and then he turned and gave me a 'high-five' and a squeeze. Oh, SWEET BABY JAMES!!My little bundle of pinkness paid a visit today. She was out for her first outing with mom & dad. Dad had arranged a picnic for them in a little town called Appleton. They dropped in to see us and of course I could not let a photo opportunity go by.Aunt Jess, Riley and Brit.

The sweetest eyes in the world.

"and Nana's going to teach you all about kitties and we'll have tea parties on the porch"

"How Sweet It Was"

I'm back from the most amazing concert I have ever seen. James Taylor and Carol King sound as good as they did in the '70's. JT's original band was with him and they put on an awesome show. I had floor seats and after when the show ended everyone was ushered down my aisle and out the back doors. SO.......I got to 'high-five' the master of music and he gave me a squeeze and a smile. Can I die now.......you betcha! I will post more pics later. I am off to kitty-sit. Wait 'til I tell Rosie about my weekend. :)

Off to TO

Today was another beautiful day in CP. My daughter Allie was gardening for a friend while her little buddy kept her company.Little buddy being Lexy. Isn't she a cutie!
Little Rae-Rae was given some time-out from her lampshade to bask in the sun and do some bird-watching. She has become quite used to the silly contraption but I know she will be glad to be done with it.
This little fella is Ozzie. He is one of my son's cats. He and his playmate Cooper have had quite a week getting used to now living with a baby in the house. Move over cats! Aw...they are still pampered and loved all the time by John & Brit. They just have to wait for their turn now. I am quite amazed at how well they are doing. I will be away now for a few days as I am leaving for Toronto. I have been waiting for this concert tomorrow night for a long time. James Taylor and Carol King. Woohoo! I will be visiting with my good friend Mary so I am sure this will be one of the best weekends in a long time. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. "Shower the people you love with love" :)

Riley is doing great. Rae-Rae is once again..bad-bad.

Poor, poor Rae-Rae. Look at the new hat on her.

JT

I am off to see this guy in Toronto Friday night. OK - he is a bit older now but this was always my favorite picture of him. This man can sing with the angels so all I can say about him is that he is DEFINITELY someday going to Heaven.

Our little Riley is doing so well and I do believe she already enjoys being photographed. Here she is at 5 days old.

I need to get over to see her again very soon...maybe tonight. Rae-Rae has been back to the vet's office because she pulled out some stitches so now she wears a lamp-shade on her head.

I have a question to ask all my blogging friends. Have you ever looked back on your posts to find that a lot of your pictures are missing? And if so, do you have to re-post them or is there another way to retrieve them? Thanks.

Planning another garden.

" Peak-a-boo"

The sun-worshipers are out bright and early this morning. It will be 30c today here in Carleton Place, Ontario. There is grass to cut, more pots to fill and I may start a little herb garden. I have had a request to plant a cat-herb garden so if I want to stop all poopin' in the perennials I had better get on that right away. Have a nice day, everyone.

Closure

I am so thankful for all the thoughtful comments on my last post. There is no doubt that all of my blogging friends who felt the need to express their feelings have experienced the love of an animal companion. I have allowed myself to bring closure, find acceptance & feel peace. Maggie was laid to rest on our property in Manotick under the apple trees. I placed a stone Collie dog at the foot of the tree to protect her. Her memory will always be with me. Rest in Peace, Mag.

Needing Time to Grieve

Maggie at her finest.

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Maggie (July 27, 1992 - May 23, 2010)

My little Mag lost her battle today. Dr. Anne found a mass on her kidney that was already causing her problems and she has been battling a respiratory problem for over a year. Since Friday she has not been well and I knew that the time had come to let her go. I need some time to cope with my feelings. It has been a roller-coaster ride with emotions this week. Maggie's love would always mend my soul. Now I need to learn to live without her.

An update on the day.

2 Days on Earth....imagine! Nana (that's me *giggle*) spent a little time with this angel today. Mom & dad are doing so well and are amazed at how little this baby cries. She seems to already be very much at home here. Tomorrow the mid-wife will be in to see her and her mom and answer any questions that have come up. I think this is wonderful how the midwives continue care-giving after the birth of the child. It gives such comfort to the mom and family.

Rae-Rae is lovin' our cat tree and since she has been made to stay quiet for 2 days we let her have some fun today. She is recovering from her spay very nicely and has not shown any signs of complications. She has been given a pain-killer every day since the dirty deed which seems to have done it's job. This cat is a photographer's dream. She stares right at the camera and seems to know you want some silliness. She's a ham.

My daughter's cat, Joe was helping me in the garden today. He has fit in quite nicely with all the old geriatrics but every once in awhile he gets a little too rowdy and they have to put him in his place. Hence, the nose scratch. He still has Rae-Rae to wrestle with but even she has been out of commission since her spay. "Just a few more days, Joe."

Another busy day.

#3 Best Seller

Up early today to pamper these poor, neglected cats of mine. They have a special breakfast and I shall serve them even before coffee. How's that for a good kitty-mom?

This weekend will be a mish-mash of weather but there should be lots of time for gardening. I still have 4 pots to fill and have decided to give our apple tree a flower skirt. You can never have too many flowers.

There are two special kitties I am anxious to visit today. I haven't seen them in awhile and they are two of my favorites. Then off to Almonte to deliver some biscuits. I have my eye on three dishes that are up for auction at a shop in Almonte and have entered a bid. I'll drop in and see if I am even close to getting them.

Here is some new *bling* I will be sportin' from now on. I can't wait to see that little munchkin later today. Life is so full right now. LOVE IT!

Plight of neglected cat.

"Well, she forgot our before-bed snack last night all because of her new grand-baby. Now tonight, she tells me I can't play with Q-tips. She's losing it these days. AND WHERE IS DINNER?"

Riley June Steckly

Three Proud Aunts (Caitlin, Allie & Jess)

Riley with Aunt Allie

Proud grandparents - John, Sandra, Gary & Deb

Here is daddy John looking all proud of his new little girl. Photo taken May 20/10

It's A Girl!

We have a grand-daughter and she is just gorgeous. Riley June Steckly arrived this evening at 8:30 weighing 8 lbs. 5 oz. and she has a full head of black hair, my son's eyes and a cute nose. All the family made it to the hospital in time to see her before closing time and lots of pictures were taken It was a first for everyone. New parents, new grandparents (both sides) & 3 new aunts. It was wonderful. Mom & baby are doing great and dad is on cloud 9. I hope to have pics on my next post and you will see this little bundle of joy.

It's a............

Stay tuned....beautiful baby being born today.

Spay-Day

Rae-Rae is at the vet's this morning being spayed. "Sorry Love, but no need for any kittens right now. Too many already waiting for good homes. Tonight you will have a special dinner."

Learning Young

This picture was taken 23 years ago at a Heritage Farm we were visiting on a Sunday afternoon. I took the opportunity to teach my son, John, who was 3 at the time, how to pet a little barn cat. I told him there was a difference when petting a cat you live with and who knows you and petting a cat that has never met you before. He was always gentle with our cat, Charity so I was not surprised to see how careful and gentle he was with this little guy. That is my oldest daughter Jessica also in the picture. She was a great little teacher for him.

John is about to become a father any day now and he lives with 2 young cats. He has been asking questions about getting the cats prepared for the baby and I have enjoyed giving him advise on this. I so look forward to teaching my new grand-child all about animals and how to properly respect them. I just can't believe how fast the years have gone from this day and now.

We are now 9 days over the due date. I say it's a boy and he's just too comfortable to leave.

My post is short today as I am busy with gardening. My feline helpers have been wonderful.

Have a great day.

4 Little Waifs

We have a wonderful woman in our town that cares for kittens and mother cats that are dumped and brought in to our local pound. Unfortunately, it is far too often that kittens come in with no mothers and have to be hand-fed which is a very tiring job for any one person. All four of the kittens posted are doing well as there is a surrogate mother (calico) who is willing to nurse from time to time with some coaxing. Shelly had the mother cat still at her home after all her kittens were adopted so she tried these little ones with the mom and she co-operated. Still, there are lots of feedings in between to keep them alive. It is a lot of work (every 4 hours) and I think Shelly is a real hero.

Oh No! More Dishes

These are my love-birds.It was a beautiful day all across Ontario yesterday. The trilliums were at their best. We headed up to the Log Farm to do some junkin'. My plan was to purchase a china cabinet, the mother of all china cabinets because I have so many gorgeous dishes to display. But, oh no! Nothing bigger than what I already own and lots of pretty dishes to add to my collection.I found these glasses that I decided would make great dessert cups. They are circa 1880-1930 and they are called Carnival Glass. I thought they would look nice in my dining-room so I had to have them. NOT THE PLAN!

It was too nice a day to stay in and all my cat-sitting was done for the morning so we headed out with Kane for a hike. This dog actually smiles when he is out running loose in the bush. Being a herding dog he keeps us in view at all times and we trust him to never take off. He hasn't disappointed us in 9 years. GOOD DOG!

Just look at that smile.....No, not mine....my dog's. Cute eh!

Easy like Sunday Morning.

Sunday morning around here is pretty quiet once the cats have been fed. I'll just sit here and enjoy some coffee and cinnamon toast and wonder if my grand-baby will be a boy or girl. We know it will be either or. I am hoping today is the day so Brittany can start her new journey into motherhood. She is so ready.Sierra has not moved from this obviously too-small basket all night. This was placed on a table ready to hold cosmetics in the bathroom when it was discovered and claimed within minutes. Good thing I bought 2 of these.
I am off to cat-sit this morning and then heading out to do some 'junking' as I am in need of a larger china cabinet or at least an addition to a cabinet that will hold dishes. Some type of shelf addition. I don't know......

There is a great place 20 minutes from here that has many old barns filled with antiques and junk. They always have tons of furniture and every time I go there I see something I love.

I will post again later if I score something fantastic. Today is warm and sunny here so a good day to hike with Kane later.

I wish you all a beautiful Sunday.

How Sierra spends her Saturday night.

"Deb, crack me open another cold one, will ya."

Pavlovian Peanut Butter Bells are baking - "Stand Back - Dogs May Drool" & China-cabinet overload.

Rae-Rae is resting. She has been running up and down the stairs like a lunatic all morning. I told her she must learn to pace herself or she will need to sleep more than her 16 hours a day. Will she listen?...I think not.Just look at these plates. Are they not adorable?
This is my favorite tea pot and cups that were given to me as a gift. They sit out on a kitchen shelf just for show. I am in the market for a BIG china cabinet because, as I think you know, I am a dishaholic and I need to display them right. My kitchen is filled to the brim with doggy treats for a big order going to Ottawa this afternoon. These are the #1 Favorite.

Dog-tired after a busy week of cat-sitting

The day started with not being able to find Rae-Rae (cause she is bad-bad) but when I opened my armoire, there she be. After this picture was snapped she went.............. ZOOOOM (she never stops running around and I love it. I miss young cat action.)This has been a busy week and although I do have cat-sitting this weekend, most of the owners are home now and their cat's will be happy snuggling with them tonight. The more I cat-sit the more I am so sure that this is the way to go for your kitty when you are away. These cats slept on their own beds, snoozed in their familiar chairs, ate meals at their regular scheduled time and soaked up the sun in their baskets on their very own window-sills. On top of it all, they had a maid that popped in every day to pamper them silly. They are always happy when the owners return and these folks don't have to travel to a kennel to pick up their disgrunted cat at the end of their holiday.

Well, I am dog-tired this Friday night and ready to watch a hockey game (only the play-offs for me).

Hope you all had a great week and I wish you a fun weekend. No grand-baby yet.