#30Daysof...Me: Day 1

I found a few blog ideas with the idea of writing a blog every day for a month. I’m going to start with 30 Days of Me. Since I don’t always have access to a computer I’ll just double up on the days I won’t be around one. It’s sort of a cheat but it’s the best I can do.

30 Days of Me: Day 1- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.

Photo...

For whatever reason I love this photo & the color to it.  I've edited it to protect the innocent.  =)

15 interesting facts about me.  Maybe not so interesting but it's all I could come up with...

1. I swore I’d never watch anything with the Kardashian’s in it and now that I have cable I’m totally addicted & lovelovelove them. It’s a guilty pleasure for sure.

2. My last name technically should have been Summers.

3. I can throw darts better with my left hand after a few drinks than I can with my right sober. (I'm right
handed)

4. I hated taking pills while growing up.  So much so that I wouldn’t even take Tylenol for anything. Now I take at least 4 pills daily, basically just to get through the day healthy & happily.

5. I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night without waking up at least once.

6. I can pop my right elbow & knee but not the left side.

7. I wear turquoise jewelry when I want to feel close to my mother.

8. Amethysts remind me of my Nana, and are my favorite gemstone.

9. As a kid I was afraid to vocally finish the children’s prayer “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” because I was afraid by saying “I pray the Lord my soul to take” meant he’d just come down & take me away. I’ll be teaching my children a different version & the meaning of the prayer. Not that my kids will have the same issues as I did growing up.

10. I seriously love donuts but I’ve given them up because they give me such bad heartburn now.

11. Admitting that makes me feel older than finding grey hairs…which I’ve been doing since high school.

12. I haven’t died my hair for almost 10 years and I’ve only had highlights once during that time. A seriously bad home hair dying “incident” back then finally taught me I liked my natural hair color better than what I could get in a bottle.

13. I’m still afraid to look in the mirror at night when the lights are out. I probably only played Bloody Mary once as a kid because I was too afraid to.

14. I was so shy in school that a few of my elementary school teachers finally gave up on me speaking loud enough for everyone to hear & would read my reports for me as long as I stood up there next to them. I was beet red the whole time & hated it just as much.

15. As long as my bedroom closet is clean the rest of the house is usually pretty clean. Once something gets disorganized or messy in the closet it’s all downhill for the rest. I don’t understand this, especially since the door is always closed & I can’t see inside the closet.

For those interested... 

30 Days of Me:

day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

day 2- the meaning behind you blog name

day 3- a picture of you and your friends

day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have

day 5- a picture of somewhere youve been to

day 6- favorite super hero and why

day 7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

day 8- short term goals for this month and why

day 9- something youre proud of in the past few days

day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad

day 11- another picture of you and your friends

day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one

day 13- a letter to someone who has hurt you recently

day 14- a picture of you and your family

day 15- put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play

day 16- another picture of yourself

day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have

day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them

day 20- someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future

day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy

day 22- what makes you different from everyone else

day 23- something you crave for a lot

day 24- a letter to your parents

day 25- what I would find in your bag

day 26- what do you think about your friends

day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge

day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?

day 29- in this past month, what have you learned

day 30- you favorite song

Meet Remington

Apparently the "Why Cats Are Awesome!" graphic/spiel worked! 

Yesterday, without any prompting Will sits me down and tells me that what he's about to say is good for only one night (that night!), and (drum roll please!)... he wants another cat.  I could go pick out a kitten but only if I could get it that night!  His only other request was that it be awesome & that it was not white.  He refused to go to the cat store with me so Nathan went with me instead.  Nathan's been wanting a cat so going to the cat store wasn't torture for him. 

The first Petsmart we went to only had 4 older cats that would not fit into our cat family so we went to another Petsmart.  They had tons of cats & kittens but they only adopted the cats out between 9-5.  It was 5:30 so they wouldn't let me adopt one.  Right when we were getting to the 2nd Petsmart Will called to say Chelsey had found a lady who had free kittens & she was going to go get one for Nathan for a late b-day/early Christmas present & she was going to check them out to see if there was any we might like. 

I was a bit nervous for Chelsey because Nathan & I were talking and he was saying he didn't think he could afford a kitten right then & that he was very particular about what he wanted.  I know he wanted a grey, chill boy kitten but nothing else he said was something someone else could pick out...it was something Nathan would know when he saw the kitten.  Chelsey has been planning on getting Nathan a cat since he first mentioned it so I know they've talked a lot about it so I figured she'd have a good handle on what he wanted but you just never know.

My whole trip to Petsmart was more a joke than anything since I didn't really believe Will was being serious.  I was going to "scar" Will by finding a cat & sending him photo's of it, making him think I'd gotten it, but not really getting it because I knew he didn't really want one.  I didn't have my heart on actually getting a cat that night so when Will said to come back to his dad's & we'd wait to see what Chelsey had to say about the free kittens I was okay with it.

I called Chelsey when I got back to see what she had to say & if she got Nathan a kitten.  She had, he was grey & totally chill and she was sure he was exactly what Nathan wanted.  There was 2 kittens left, a black girl and a tabby boy.  She thought Will would really like the black one but that I'd probably like the tabby one.  She was worried about the tabby because it was "whining" a lot when she was there earlier.  She was going to go get kitten supplies for Nathan and then come home so Nathan could have his present, then  Will & I could see the kitten and decided if we wanted to go see the others.

Well, once Will & I talked and I figured out he was actually serious and wanted to get a kitten there was no way I was not going to go check out the free kittens.  If we didn't like them, then I was going to totally figure out a way to talk Will into extending his offer so we could go rescue a kitten from Petsmart the next day.  I asked Will why he'd changed his mind and he said he didn't know really, just that he'd been playing with Chelsey's cats Itty & Maggie and he decided having a kitten would be pretty cool.  We talked more about what having a new cat would mean & he seemed to still want a new cat so I told him I wasn't joking anymore I was going to get a kitten that night! 

Of course, Nathan's cat was freaking ADORABLE!!  He's charcoal grey with grey eyes.  He was totally outgoing & not afraid of all of us new people.  He was just checking things out and letting everyone pet him.  I'm pretty sure it was love at first sight for Nathan.  The kitten just ended up sitting on the table while we talked about him & waited for the kitten lady to call us back to let us know if we could go back to look at the other kittens.  When she called back she said she'd just given away the black kitten but we could have the tabby if we wanted it.  I decided to go check him out but told Will if he was cute & had the right personality we were getting him.  He said that was fine as long as he wasn't really a whiner.  Again, he didn't want to go with us to pick him out.

As soon as I saw the kitten's face I fell in love.  He's got white rings around his eyes with what I call black Egyptian eyeliner.  He was just as freaking ADORABLE as his brother.  He only meowed twice when we were checking him out & that was when we held him in a way he didn't much care for.  He was snuggling into me & purred when Liz had him.  He seemed to really like us & was being calm & cute.  I met the mom (a tabby) and the dad (a HUGE black cat who looked like a mini black panther).  The mom was really friendly but the dad was a bit wild as he's more an outside cat.  We sent a picture of him to Will & once he said he was cute we told the lady I'd take him.

I held him cuddled to me on the long walk back to the car & he was so calm & snugly.  He did freak out once in the car but I haven't met a cat who doesn't freak out in the car.  He seemed to like Will, and vise versa, when I handed him over & we all sat at his dad's kitchen table & got to know each other.  The kittens were happy to see each other again.  We got them to play with wrapping ribbon, until Nathan's cat sat down & fell asleep.  At first Nathan named him Cole (Chelsey's suggestion) but by this morning his name was Wesson.  I think both are great names but it's coll that the brothers both have gun makers names.  Will named our kitten Remington.  We need to decide if that's with one 'm' or two.  Yesterday I was spelling it with one but today I've been doing two.  I think it's going to stick (the name) but if not I have a suggestion if we need a backup. 

It was so sweet!  When I brought Remington in I set him down in front of Parker & Cyrus since they greeted us at the door.  Rem walked right up to Parker and knocked his head to her chin and rubbed him self against her in welcome.  Cyrus immediately freaked out & took off like Remington was going to eat him.  Parker got a bit more on edge then but didn't hiss or freak out until I was petting her & then petted Remington.  Then the hissing & growling fits began.  Poor Remington can't figure out what's going on because he just wants to be friends with everyone.  He follows me & Will everywhere we go.

Settling down once everyone else went to bed.

There may have been an hour or two of cat napping before bed.

I didn't want to upset everyone too much last night so I left the bed for Parker & Cyrus (though he wouldn't move from the floor on Will's side of the bed) and made Remington a bed (from a small box, sheet & the shirt I was wearing that day) on the floor next to my side of the bed & laid there with my arm hanging down so my hand was in the box to settle Rem.  After he washed my hand he fell asleep & stayed there until Will's alarm woke us up.  He stayed up with Will until Will he left & stuck him back in his "bed".  Remington wouldn't stay & climbed up onto the bed and crawled around on me until my alarm went off.

Some bonding time before we went to bed for the night

Remington followed me around all morning, attacking my feet (his favorite thing) & attacking cat toys he'd find.  He spent forever attacking a large furry mouse (his 2nd favorite thing).  By the time I left for work he'd curled himself up on the bed & went to sleep.  Parker & Cyrus are a bit less tense, Parker & Cyrus, can be by each other in the same room but any movement from Remington sets them off.  They're all home alone together all day so we'll see how things are when we get home tonight.

Tuckered out after playing all morning

Oh, and after holding & petting Remington & then picking up & petting Parker & Cyrus...there's a world of difference.  They are MONSTERS!  I can't wait to get a pic of the size difference.  There's at least a 8 - 10 pound difference in weight.

P.S. Spell check wanted Remington to have only 1 'm' so that's what I'm going with...

Why cats are awesome!

I wish I could say I found this all on my own but I cannot as I found it while reading one of the blogs I frequent.  TP always has neat graphics, photos or whatnot.  I wonder if she's a genius at making such things or if she has some nifty one-stop-spot she goes to.  Or is she just extremely OCD and spends hours hunting & searching for that one piece she's looking for?

Anyway, I'm totally adding this to my spiel...

Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to sway any of the nay sayers in my life, the one's who don't want me to get a kitten.  Those of us who do want me to get a kitten are few and far between, and by few and far between I mean just me.  I'm totally blaming this unlogical want for a new family addition to my raging out of control biological clock.  Really what's a kitten in the scheme of things?  I'm not asking for a stork deleviry to arrive in 9 months.  Nope, just a little itty bitty kitty.  Kittens are much more economic & practical than a baby.  Don't I get a some brownie points for that?  At least, a few after subtracting a couple for asking for brownie points to begin with?  See practical. 

I'm wandering again...

I pushed hard for a dwarf hamster but that idea was shot down faster than one would think considering the other options out on the table.  How is it that the dwarf hamsters, or any hamsters for that matter, don't get any love?  They're cute, seem relitively easy to care for, and don't take up too much space in the scheme of things.  Yet everyone is against getting a hamster.  Main reason...they're stinky.  Um, have you ever walked in on/after your spouse, child, cat or dog finished their business?  The stink factor is there, sorry to say. 

Will suggested getting a dog if I really felt we needed a new addtion.  Really, who doesn't want a dog?  Honestly, I'd love a dog.  Putting the whole cat issue aside, a dog is a horrible idea for apartment living.  Bringing the whole cat issue back, a dog would never fit into the "family" structure we have right now.  Cyrus might finally come around to the idea of livng with a dog but Parker would never come around to the idea.  She hates dogs!  There's been a time or two where she's almost busted through a plate glass window to chase a dog out of the yard.  Aside from all that, such an upset could have an adverse reaction on their health.  So I told him we could get a dog once Parker is gone & we have a house with a nice yard.

Maybe I'll just get a goldfish or something. 

I heart Sedona

 Last weekend the Hill's, Summer's & Parge's went up for a weekend in Sedona for Brian & Nicole's wedding. 

So first, and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS to         

 Mr. & Mrs. Brian Hill. 

They were married Sunday, 10-10-10 at beautiful Bell Rock.  It's not a full picture of Bell Rock but here's what we could see from their wedding spot.

The wedding was beautiful, intimate & totally perfect and fitting for Brian & Nicole.  There was only 17 of us total (not counting the photographers & the wedding officiant). 

We spent Saturday at Out of Africa. 

(photo is missing Jeremy & Will, our photographers)

I'd never been but I've been wanting to go forever. Now that I've been I can't wait to go back.  What's not to love about a place that lets you "kiss" a giraffe & feed lions & tigers.  Of course, I missed out on the "kiss" because I didn't elbow any kids in the head to make sure I got to the giraffe before he got full & bored.  Next time all bets are off & I'm throwing elbows! 

I did get to feed a camel though.

I, also, decided to not feed the lion or tiger & sat back & watched Karie's kids feed them.  It's only with a long grabby stick but you're still FEEDING A LION AND/OR TIGER.  I'd have been more willing to wait in line if I'd had been able to feed them by actual hand but I think that only really means I've got a screw loose in the brain pan. 

It was totally awesome watching Chalet (the tigress) do the "show" Tiger Splash & watching Aspen (a 3 year old grizzly bear cub) do the bear version of Tiger Splash...which I guess would technically be Bear Splash but they didn't call it that.

(not sure whose who but there was Aspen & Cypres)

Monday on the way home we did some sisightseeing...

The view(s) from the Sedona Airpark or something

 The views from the Chapel of the Holy Cross (the church built into the Red Rocks)

Eagle Rock 

Montezuma's Castle

The night Parker DIDN'T die

Last Friday night I woke up & got out of bed, when I returned I noticed that Parker was in her “spot” (the area at the edge of my side of the bed so when I lay down on my right side we spoon with her in the crook of my arm). I laid down, pet her once and then settled in to try to go to sleep again. After a few minutes Parker let out this odd sigh sound, which was unlike any of her “normal” sleeping sounds. It was like all of the air had left her body.

Slightly concerned I laid my hand on her to feel her breathing and I felt nothing. I start to get more concerned and pressed my hand harder to see if I could feel her breathing better. When I still couldn’t feel anything & I realized that by now she would have normally started to purr (she 99.9% of the time starts purring the moment you touch her), I really started to freak out. So I shook her and called her name. Nothing. Of course, I start hysterically crying & shaking her harder & yelling her name. Nothing. Sobbing now, I’m probably giving her shaken baby syndrome at this point by how hard I’m shaking her with both hands and screaming her name. Not a damn movement from her. So I flip out, jump up and yank the chain to turn the light on above the bed. I’m yelling Parker’s name, uncontrollably sobbing and shaking Parker while she lay eerily still. Then all the sudden her head pops up, eyes as wide as she can manage as she stares into the light in a “what the fuck” manner, she turns her head to me & looks at me all confused & gives me one of her silent meows. Needless to say, I scooped her up, snotting & slobbering all over her.

Honest to God, I have no idea if she was just in an extremely deep sleep or if she had stopped breathing or something, died and I revived her. Who the hell sleeps through all the jostling I did to her?! She was a bit weird the next day but I don’t know if that was because I was imagining it or if she was really a bit out of it. I can’t really put into words how exactly she was being weird but her being out of it is an easy one to say. Plus, for the rest of the night and the whole time we were home Saturday, Parker was walking (sitting and/or standing) around doing her most obnoxious meow, more obnoxious then her normal obnoxious meow. Her normal obnoxious meow is like the one mamma cats do when they’re calling their babies or caring around something like a “baby”, only Parker’s is about 10 times worse. The meow that day was about 10 times worse than “normal”. I kept joking that Parker really had died and she now saw dead people & was talking to them.

After retelling the story to Will’s family I mentioned that maybe Parker had dementia & wondered if cats could even get dementia or Alzheimer’s. Today I looked it up…cats can get dementia. Here’s what I found (I put Parker’s symptoms in bold):

10 Clues that Your Cat Has Dementia

1. Spatial disorientation or confusion - getting trapped in corners or forgetting the location of the litter box. House-soiling is the most common reason for referral of old cats to animal behaviouralists.

2. Altered relationships either with their owners or other pets in the household - increased attention seeking or aggression

3. Increased irritability or anxiety, or decreased response to stimuli

4. Changes in sleeping patterns

5. Inappropriate vocalization such as loud crying at night

6. Loss of memory, such as forgetting commands or breaking house training

7. Changes in activity - aimless wandering or pacing, or reduced activity

8. Lack of interest in food, although some cats actually want more food.

9. Decreased grooming

10. Confusion about time, such as forgetting that they have just been fed

Read more at Suite101: Does Your Cat Have Alzheimer's?: 10 Symptoms of Feline Dementia

It’s hard to tell for sure on some of the listed symptoms or figure the reasoning’s why a cat is acting the way they do sometimes, but in all likelihood, at 16 in human years or 77 to 80 in cat years (there’s a difference in opinions when looking online determining the “real” age of a cat), Parker is experiencing some senior moments and afflictions.

I’ve witnessed what looks like sleep apnea, as well, when Parker is sleeping. It totally seems like she stops breathing when she’s sleeping & snoring and it wakes her up sometimes. It’s the same thing I see Will do some nights. There doesn’t seem to be much information online about sleep apnea in cats but I didn’t look too hard. If she had it what would I do about it anyway? It’s just weird and sometimes scary seeing Parker acting differently or, I guess, acting her age.

Life Is Good...So Is God

Once again, after a long absence of reading Jason Mraz’s blog, I’ve found myself wandering over to his blog and, as always, he inspires me and has some insight into what is going on in my life. Sometimes I wonder if God doesn’t use Jason Mraz as a way to get through to me since my ears are so well tuned to JM’s voice.

The first entry on JM’s blog is entitled #LifeIsGood and is in response to his new EP. I think most of us need to be reminded of this every once in a while…

“To put it simply, Life is Good no matter which way you look at it. You’re always giving or receiving love. It’s your attention and gratitude – actually acknowledging love - that allows you to “in joy” it.”

“Love is always there. Sometimes it just takes our attention being shifted back to it to truly feel it.”

All I have to say to that is…”Well said, brother! Well said!” Anyone feeling down, lonely, or a bit lost I dare you to read Jason’s bog Freshness Factor Five Thousand and not feel uplifted afterwards.

The same, I guess, can be said of the Bible but it’s not always as easy to “get your hands on”, or many people feel too intimidated by it, or they just refuse to look in that direction. I know I’m one of those people, sadly, I fit in there somewhere. Luckily, I not only hear what God is saying to me today but I can, also, feel the swift kick he just gave me. Guess it seems love is not the only thing we need to shift our attention back to so that we can truly feel it.