Observations on this and that

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My cat Mollie got caught in a mechanical recliner lift this week. Fortunately I was able to stop it immediately and reverse. She lost a large chunk of fur but was ok. Nothing broken. I, however, was not good. That feeling of getting the life sucked out of you doesn’t change no matter how big or small the tragedy. I felt a tremendous sense of fear and loss. As I’ve gotten older my threshold for seeing a loved one hurt has lowered. Add some fur and it’s even lower.

The beloved husband’s daughter and her spouse are visiting this week. Even though they haven’t lived in the same state for well over 25 years, they see each other in suspended time as they were then. It’s nice.

Morgan is my crazy cat. Despite temps in the mid-90s and humidity at 80% plus, she prefers lounging in the screened porch rather than the air-conditioned house (which the other two cats prefer). The outside stimulation keeps her active. All those chipmunks and birds to talk to. I admire that. I enjoy my porch but I had to go inside to cool down more than once.

We had some people in for dinner last night. Much as I wanted to keep it simple, it never is. We reminisced about a dip that a neighbor made and before you know it I was volunteering to make it. We were also in the mood for ribs which are never easy. It’s more fun to cook for a crowd than just the two of us. If only I could keep it simple.

My tomatoes are finally coming in. I am sharing (unwillingly of course) with the chipmunks who prefer to take a bite and then move on to something else. My neighbor put a “sacrificial” tomato plant out in the open and then planted a few next to his house. His “decoy” is working so far. They are enjoying the one that is out. Or maybe they haven’t discovered the others yet.

 

 

34 thoughts on “Observations on this and that”

  2. How funny about the tomato decoy! That was a clever attempt! I am so glad to know that Mollie isn’t seriously injured. I do understand that you would feel the effects of the adrenaline spike. It’s a wonder you don’t lose your own hair right along with her! It sounds like you had a very enjoyable dinner, and I don’t know why most of us just don’t know how to keep things simple! It would be a good habit to develop early in life!

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  3. I was intrigued by your comment about the Beloved Husband and his daughter. It reminds me of coming together with a group of old high school or college friends after many years. The first thing you notice is how you relate to each other in the same way you did “back then.” Then you notice that, no, not exactly. Some people have changed in a way you didn’t expect. One of my daughters complained once that her sisters were acting as though she were still the child they grew up with, not the much more mature woman she had become. Either way, it’s intriguing when past and present are brought together.

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  6. I’m glad Mollie is okay, that must have been scary.
    I think when we don’t see people for a period of time or only occasionally, time is suspended for us. You’re right, that’s a great feeling.
    I’ll be curious to see if the great tomato con actually works.

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  8. YOWL!!! That’s a sound I do NOT like to hear. Tigger used to hang out under the recliner and we always had to check before lowering it to make sure he wasn’t in his man cave.

    Glad Mollie is bouncing back from her fright.

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    • No one has ever climbed under the recliner. She was under it in the closed position so you couldn’t see her. We will be putting barriers in the way because my heart can’t take another close call.

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  9. Alas. We haven’t got a decoy peach tree. For the second year in a row, no peach cobbler. Thank you, squirrels and red-headed finches.

    With fur babies, it’s awful because they can’t tell you they are okay after an injury. I try and remember that I’m far more scarred than they are, because they’ve already forgotten.

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    • You are so right! The next day I was still nuts about Mollie and she was hopping around. I didn’t understand the injury as the surrounding fur was sticky but the skin wasn’t broken. It’s a few days out now and I have clipped the mats surrounding the bare spot. She doesn’t favor it nor does she wince when I touch it so clearly she recovered much faster than me. However, I will never forget her scream.

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      • Your comment about her scream reminded me of the sound my (elderly) dog would make when he would accidentally lock himself in any room. I could be dead asleep, and would hear his piercing panicked cry … my feet hit the floor faster than I thought possible at this age. Didn’t remember I could move that fast. He is almost blind now and can barely hear, and that terrified squeal just rips through me. To fix the problem, now every door in my house has a piece of a pool noodle clamped on the edge to keep the door from shutting all the way. Seriously. Not the most attractive look, but solved the problem.

        Sorry that your Mollie got hurt, but also glad to hear she’s healing up nicely, and the injury wasn’t more serious. Could have been so much worse, right? It hurts so much worse when it’s someone we love. Poor girl. Thank goodness Mom came running to help her before she was hurt any worse. Extra scritches for her, for sure. Sweet Mollie.

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        • Your journey with your elderly dog reminds me of my last year with my old cat Jake. He would wake up in the night disoriented and terrified. I don’t think I got a full night sleep for at least a year.

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  10. I like the sacrificial tomato plant idea. Reminds me of an acquaintance who believed that you needed to understand that when you made a big meal, one dish would be a flop– that you’d sacrifice it to the gods of cooking.

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  11. I know that feeling of all emotions in the throat over the near disaster with cat. Its like my brain already accepted that a disaster has happened and so the fact that it’s actually just “near disaster”, doesn’t seem to mitigate the emotional pain in my throat all that much.

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