working out for Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

Checking in with some fitness updates. My gym stuff is pretty stable. I add when I can, pull back when I need to, and just stay consistent with my 5-6 days a week. Also a few new things here and there, but still finding consistency is key. While not perfect, I do truly believe all of the core, hip and glute work I've been adding in is keeping me from the pains/injuries I experienced in previous distance endeavors. I am dealing with some hopefully minor foot issues, but I'm starting to transition to new shoes, so that should help. Not that my old shoes are bad, but the new version has a wider toe box and feel a bit more springy (even compared to brand new versions of the old shoe). Plus, I just invested in some ultra cushy speed trainers that should be here on Friday. They're unisex, which means they're cut a bit wider for men and are super springy. I'll spare you all of the distance and speed data, but I'm getting faster and more efficient even at the longer distances...to the point that my next time goal might actually be achievable. My distance maxes are now also about 10 miles off from full marathon, so we're getting somewhere.

Not too much else new here. I'm going up to OK in a few weeks to see Kendall. She was home for a few days at spring break with some friends, but we didn't see her much. We'll also be celebrating David's birthday while we're up there. I think we're going to utilize Walmart's custom cake app and get him something pretty and pink. He'll love it! The week after, my parents are coming into town. A little nervous because I have some follow up testing that week. My mammogram came back abnormal/inconclusive so they want to follow up with another and some ultrasound images. The tissue is not dense and the office said there was nothing seen that was cause for alarm, but they just need clearer images. I suspect that it's due to my weight loss and how much I've changed and ultimately shrunk. Also looking towards summer. Not sure about travel for camps just yet, but it looks like I will be heading back to Colorado and likely St. Louis this summer. They will also be going to Kansas City but I can't get that time off. I MAY see if I can get a cheap flight to go up for the weekend but with the way things are going, that seems highly unlikely. We also have smaller ones in Plano and OK City that I'll be there at least for part of the time. Hard to believe we're at this time of year again.

 

[Songbird76]

Checking in with some fitness updates. My gym stuff is pretty stable. I add when I can, pull back when I need to, and just stay consistent with my 5-6 days a week. Also a few new things here and there, but still finding consistency is key. While not perfect, I do truly believe all of the core, hip and glute work I've been adding in is keeping me from the pains/injuries I experienced in previous distance endeavors. I am dealing with some hopefully minor foot issues, but I'm starting to transition to new shoes, so that should help. Not that my old shoes are bad, but the new version has a wider toe box and feel a bit more springy (even compared to brand new versions of the old shoe). Plus, I just invested in some ultra cushy speed trainers that should be here on Friday. They're unisex, which means they're cut a bit wider for men and are super springy. I'll spare you all of the distance and speed data, but I'm getting faster and more efficient even at the longer distances...to the point that my next time goal might actually be achievable. My distance maxes are now also about 10 miles off from full marathon, so we're getting somewhere.

Not too much else new here. I'm going up to OK in a few weeks to see Kendall. She was home for a few days at spring break with some friends, but we didn't see her much. We'll also be celebrating David's birthday while we're up there. I think we're going to utilize Walmart's custom cake app and get him something pretty and pink. He'll love it! The week after, my parents are coming into town. A little nervous because I have some follow up testing that week. My mammogram came back abnormal/inconclusive so they want to follow up with another and some ultrasound images. The tissue is not dense and the office said there was nothing seen that was cause for alarm, but they just need clearer images. I suspect that it's due to my weight loss and how much I've changed and ultimately shrunk. Also looking towards summer. Not sure about travel for camps just yet, but it looks like I will be heading back to Colorado and likely St. Louis this summer. They will also be going to Kansas City but I can't get that time off. I MAY see if I can get a cheap flight to go up for the weekend but with the way things are going, that seems highly unlikely. We also have smaller ones in Plano and OK City that I'll be there at least for part of the time. Hard to believe we're at this time of year again.

It's good that you are improving your times and distances. I can't imagine being able to run half so far. I'm finally getting back the ability to walk longer distances since I sprained my ankles in November. I'm hoping with the nicer weather I'll be able to get out more and will get back to normal.

What does Kendall do in the summers? Does she come home or stay at school? I always got a job and stayed at school so I didn't have to go back home and have curfews, etc. as an adult. I loved the independence of living far away from home, but I don't think most parents are as controlling as my mother was. Most college students have that independence even if they live at home. My kids both live at home even though they are in college, and they come and go as they please. But I also had a lot more opportunities for entertainment and socialization by staying at school. My home town only had about 1200 people and there were no fast food places, no movie theater, skating rink, or bowling alley. We had to drive 40 miles for anything. But where I went to college, even in the summer there were probably 10 times the people, and ther was plenty to do there. It was so much nicer than being "home". But you live in a very urban area, right? I can't imagine Kendall lacks any resources at home that would induce her to stay at school in the summer. Does she go with you to Sams tournaments and such?

 

[HouCuseChickie]

It's good that you are improving your times and distances. I can't imagine being able to run half so far. I'm finally getting back the ability to walk longer distances since I sprained my ankles in November. I'm hoping with the nicer weather I'll be able to get out more and will get back to normal.

What does Kendall do in the summers? Does she come home or stay at school? I always got a job and stayed at school so I didn't have to go back home and have curfews, etc. as an adult. I loved the independence of living far away from home, but I don't think most parents are as controlling as my mother was. Most college students have that independence even if they live at home. My kids both live at home even though they are in college, and they come and go as they please. But I also had a lot more opportunities for entertainment and socialization by staying at school. My home town only had about 1200 people and there were no fast food places, no movie theater, skating rink, or bowling alley. We had to drive 40 miles for anything. But where I went to college, even in the summer there were probably 10 times the people, and ther was plenty to do there. It was so much nicer than being "home". But you live in a very urban area, right? I can't imagine Kendall lacks any resources at home that would induce her to stay at school in the summer. Does she go with you to Sams tournaments and such?

This is *JUST/ONLY* walking that I'm doing. I put it like that because I'm having a hard time getting David to stop using those qualifiers to diminish my efforts. Back when I was interval running and prepping for a 19+ mile challenge, he would cut down my efforts because my speeds weren't what he ran for a singular mile back when he was 16. He'd go as far as saying whatever running I was doing was really 'just' jogging... like it wasn't anything noteworthy. Now that it's strictly walking, when I come home excited about improvements in distance or speeds, everything out of his mouth is that's pretty good for "just walking" or "only walking." It's hard enough to stomach it when he just sits around like a big lump, but it stings a bit more with it this time now that I'm learning that I'm actually good at this and have speeds fast enough to justify finding races with competitive walker divisions. I don't think I want that pressure but it's crazy to think that I could be a worthy competitor. I mean, I know there are race walkers (different technique than power walking) who are significantly faster and of course, there are plenty of runners who would smoke me, but I finished just outside of the top 1/3 in my last two half marathons (and that's walkers and runners). So, I guess I'm a speedy turtle!

Kendall is taking classes at OU this summer. She has a job at a restaurant but also does work for the university with their program that welcomes in new students. So, she'll also be busy prepping and working their big Camp Crimson event this summer. We personally live greater Houston area, which has a total population of around 8M people, when you count the suburbs. Her university is in Norman, OK, which I believe is considered greater Oklahoma City area...total population around 1.5M. She's only about 2 hours north of the Dallas metro area, which is similarly sized to Houston. So, she's got lots of resources. She has zero desire to go to tournaments for Sam, but we'll be in the OKC area playing in July, so she will probably come for some of that. She doesn't mind coming home and did so over spring break. In fact, they liked being here because I'm pretty relaxed with the rules. Still, she's almost 20 and she's working on finding her way in life.

 

[Songbird76]

This is *JUST/ONLY* walking that I'm doing. I put it like that because I'm having a hard time getting David to stop using those qualifiers to diminish my efforts. Back when I was interval running and prepping for a 19+ mile challenge, he would cut down my efforts because my speeds weren't what he ran for a singular mile back when he was 16. He'd go as far as saying whatever running I was doing was really 'just' jogging... like it wasn't anything noteworthy. Now that it's strictly walking, when I come home excited about improvements in distance or speeds, everything out of his mouth is that's pretty good for "just walking" or "only walking." It's hard enough to stomach it when he just sits around like a big lump, but it stings a bit more with it this time now that I'm learning that I'm actually good at this and have speeds fast enough to justify finding races with competitive walker divisions. I don't think I want that pressure but it's crazy to think that I could be a worthy competitor. I mean, I know there are race walkers (different technique than power walking) who are significantly faster and of course, there are plenty of runners who would smoke me, but I finished just outside of the top 1/3 in my last two half marathons (and that's walkers and runners). So, I guess I'm a speedy turtle!

Kendall is taking classes at OU this summer. She has a job at a restaurant but also does work for the university with their program that welcomes in new students. So, she'll also be busy prepping and working their big Camp Crimson event this summer. We personally live greater Houston area, which has a total population of around 8M people, when you count the suburbs. Her university is in Norman, OK, which I believe is considered greater Oklahoma City area...total population around 1.5M. She's only about 2 hours north of the Dallas metro area, which is similarly sized to Houston. So, she's got lots of resources. She has zero desire to go to tournaments for Sam, but we'll be in the OKC area playing in July, so she will probably come for some of that. She doesn't mind coming home and did so over spring break. In fact, they liked being here because I'm pretty relaxed with the rules. Still, she's almost 20 and she's working on finding her way in life.

Wow, good for you!! I've never timed myself with walking, but I generally don't power walk or anything....I focus more on just getting out, getting some fresh air, etc. I know a lot of people really do their best to improve times and have goals, and that's great for them. It's just not what I need. I'm lucky my husband has never been an athlete or anything and he isn't a walker. He doesn't comment on my routines or anything. I think I'd be really hurt and frustrated if he did.

Do you know what classes she'll be taking? I took an Astronomy class one summer, and a literature class. It was really hard to fit in non-music classes as a music major, so getting my other requirements in took some creativity. I did some summer stuff, and I did an online class for my political Science requirement. It sounds like Kendall is really busy!! Good for her! E is almost 20 as well....she'll be 20 in May, and I don't really feel the need to have a bunch of rules. She's got a good head on her shoulders and she knows what she needs to do without me trying to micro-manage everything like my mom always did. I like having the kids home...I want them to actually LIKE living at home.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Wow, good for you!! I've never timed myself with walking, but I generally don't power walk or anything....I focus more on just getting out, getting some fresh air, etc. I know a lot of people really do their best to improve times and have goals, and that's great for them. It's just not what I need. I'm lucky my husband has never been an athlete or anything and he isn't a walker. He doesn't comment on my routines or anything. I think I'd be really hurt and frustrated if he did.

Do you know what classes she'll be taking? I took an Astronomy class one summer, and a literature class. It was really hard to fit in non-music classes as a music major, so getting my other requirements in took some creativity. I did some summer stuff, and I did an online class for my political Science requirement. It sounds like Kendall is really busy!! Good for her! E is almost 20 as well....she'll be 20 in May, and I don't really feel the need to have a bunch of rules. She's got a good head on her shoulders and she knows what she needs to do without me trying to micro-manage everything like my mom always did. I like having the kids home...I want them to actually LIKE living at home.

My casual walking has always been really brisk. 2014 was the first time I looked at my pace but it has improved greatly over the years, especially after relying on the experts for fittings, investing in better socks/gear, working on my hydration/nutrition, learning about techniques for improvement, and focusing on muscle strength in areas that created overuse injury issues in the past. It's funny, but I'm now fast enough that my Garmin often thinks I'm running. These new shoes that I bought last week have tech in them that make me even faster. I laughed about owning magic shoes...even though there are even faster models out there. I may make that leap before January. David's commentary is partly my fault...in that I talk to him about some of it. Still, with the amount that I'm doing, it would be really bizarre not to discuss it with my husband. I disappear for hours on end putting in long mileage out on the trails, I'm at the gym 5-6 days a week, and much of this starts as early as 4:30am depending on my schedule. It's also normal for me wanting to share my excitement if I did well. What bugs me is that a man who hasn't had any real focus on physical fitness since the late 1980s, who hasn't used his gym membership in months (and never consistently), who considers pushing a cart around Costco to be cardio, and eats and drinks like he's 20 has the audacity to be critical of any of my fitness/health and racing endeavors. In other words, don't say "just" or "only" about my half marathon when you've never done anything longer than a mile or two and sound winded if you walk down the driveway to get the mail.

I honestly have no idea. She discusses her schedule with her advisor and books what she can based on class availability. It's entirely out of my hands. I only hear about it if she's having issues, and even then, what I hear is minimal. Not sure if she'll take astronomy but that was one I regretted. Not that I had a ton of options, but I needed a certain amount of credits of non-lab sciences. Geology and astronomy were what was recommended, but I was not prepared for it to be astrophysics nor was I a fan of going out in the bitter cold at night to spend hours measuring parsecs. I love getting to see K but I remember being her age and not wanting to be with my parents...and mine weren't overly strict. I want them off of my payroll, so I do not want either one of them to consider living with us as a longer term option. I realize that it might come to that depending on the job situation but I'm really ready to be an empty nester.

 

[Songbird76]

My casual walking has always been really brisk. 2014 was the first time I looked at my pace but it has improved greatly over the years, especially after relying on the experts for fittings, investing in better socks/gear, working on my hydration/nutrition, learning about techniques for improvement, and focusing on muscle strength in areas that created overuse injury issues in the past. It's funny, but I'm now fast enough that my Garmin often thinks I'm running. These new shoes that I bought last week have tech in them that make me even faster. I laughed about owning magic shoes...even though there are even faster models out there. I may make that leap before January. David's commentary is partly my fault...in that I talk to him about some of it. Still, with the amount that I'm doing, it would be really bizarre not to discuss it with my husband. I disappear for hours on end putting in long mileage out on the trails, I'm at the gym 5-6 days a week, and much of this starts as early as 4:30am depending on my schedule. It's also normal for me wanting to share my excitement if I did well. What bugs me is that a man who hasn't had any real focus on physical fitness since the late 1980s, who hasn't used his gym membership in months (and never consistently), who considers pushing a cart around Costco to be cardio, and eats and drinks like he's 20 has the audacity to be critical of any of my fitness/health and racing endeavors. In other words, don't say "just" or "only" about my half marathon when you've never done anything longer than a mile or two and sound winded if you walk down the driveway to get the mail.

I honestly have no idea. She discusses her schedule with her advisor and books what she can based on class availability. It's entirely out of my hands. I only hear about it if she's having issues, and even then, what I hear is minimal. Not sure if she'll take astronomy but that was one I regretted. Not that I had a ton of options, but I needed a certain amount of credits of non-lab sciences. Geology and astronomy were what was recommended, but I was not prepared for it to be astrophysics nor was I a fan of going out in the bitter cold at night to spend hours measuring parsecs. I love getting to see K but I remember being her age and not wanting to be with my parents...and mine weren't overly strict. I want them off of my payroll, so I do not want either one of them to consider living with us as a longer term option. I realize that it might come to that depending on the job situation but I'm really ready to be an empty nester.

It sounds like he downplays your achievements because he doesn't have any recent ones to speak of. He knows you're doing well and it makes him feel insecure, like you are excelling without him. But also, if you were to call him out on it, he could say he was trying to be helpful. At least that's what it sounds like to me, just based on what you've said, but obviously you know him and I don't.

Yeah, I wouldn't have made it through Astronomy without my boyfriend at the time and a couple of other friends who explained things to me. I was golden with most subjects....I helped other people in my math class. But the Astronomy with all the physics....yikes. Our Lab TA was a complete arrogant jerk. He kept bragging about how smart he was and how he understood the theory of relativity when he was 5, and then he'd make calculation errors on the board and we'd have to show him what he did wrong. It was frustrating. And he wasn't good at explaining the math, but I was lucky to have some really smart people in the class with me who could explain it in a way the TA couldn't, or I'd have failed. I think I ended up getting a B, which disappointed me, but really, I would never have passed if it weren't for people who could explain the stuff to me so I actually understood it. Some people just should not be teachers.

I dread E moving out. I don't see A moving out any time soon...I don't know if he'd be able to live on his own. There's always the possibility of a group home with other people who have Autism, but they really only do that if the home situation isn't working, and that's not an issue for us, so I don't foresee that happening. If he ever did live on his own, he'd need a lot of help, I think, and I think he'd be too anxious to even try it. Here, he always has someone to ask for help. At some point, obviously we'll ask him to pay rent when he's done with school and has a job. But for now, the situation works for everyone. E helps with cooking and cleaning when she's not studying or in classes, which is an enormous help to me, and we enjoy spending time together. If you've ever watched Gilmore Girls, Lorelai and Rory have a really close bond, and we're like that in the sense that we're each other's best friend. We don't really tell each other everything, but we do spend a lot of time together and have very similar taste in clothing, food, music, movies/shows, etc. Right now, I don't think it would be beneficial to her to move out. Here, she has everything paid for and I do her laundry, etc. If she moved out, she'd have to do everything herself, which she totally COULD, but it would mean not having as much time to study, because she'd have to get a job to afford the apartment, and she'd have to spend more time preparing meals and whatnot. Right now, she has an hour and a half commute to school, and she uses that time to study or read, which she wouldn't have anymore if she lived on her own, because she'd have to have a job. I dread the day she moves out though. I know she will, and that's as it should be, but I will miss her terribly.

 

[Sans Souci]

I'm so sorry. She must have felt that love though. She came to you to spend her last moments. She wouldn't have done that if she didn't feel that love. Sending you hugs. How is your son?

Thank you. He was upset. His friends offered to come back up from Louisiana for support, but he declined. He was in his bed in a dark room all week.

 

[Sans Souci]

This is *JUST/ONLY* walking that I'm doing. I put it like that because I'm having a hard time getting David to stop using those qualifiers to diminish my efforts. Back when I was interval running and prepping for a 19+ mile challenge, he would cut down my efforts because my speeds weren't what he ran for a singular mile back when he was 16. He'd go as far as saying whatever running I was doing was really 'just' jogging... like it wasn't anything noteworthy. Now that it's strictly walking, when I come home excited about improvements in distance or speeds, everything out of his mouth is that's pretty good for "just walking" or "only walking." It's hard enough to stomach it when he just sits around like a big lump, but it stings a bit more with it this time now that I'm learning that I'm actually good at this and have speeds fast enough to justify finding races with competitive walker divisions. I don't think I want that pressure but it's crazy to think that I could be a worthy competitor. I mean, I know there are race walkers (different technique than power walking) who are significantly faster and of course, there are plenty of runners who would smoke me, but I finished just outside of the top 1/3 in my last two half marathons (and that's walkers and runners). So, I guess I'm a speedy turtle!

I have things I want to say, but I won't because I don't have the complete picture. But I don't feel like this is fair to you. You've clearly tapped into a niche you're excelling in and he is not celebrating your accomplishments. Not only is he not celebrating them, he downplays them. I don't know if he is jealous or feels threatened by your successes. It's death by a 1000 cuts, bc you've mentioned him not getting on board with your efforts to improve your health. I hope your daughters are cheering you on, because you deserve *at minimum* that much.

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

I have been continuing my circuit training and walking.

The first week without Callie was hard. I was having nightmares about her passing away. We got her ashes. I am sending some to a glass blower who makes glass pendants with ashes inside of the glass. I got her paw prints in clay, too. I felt kind of embarrassed about being so upset about her passing, because she was feral and not a typical house cat.

We booked a weekend in Washington for last weekend based on cherry blossom peak predictions. But they bloomed early. We decided to go anyway and our son came with us, too, since there was no cat to cat sit. I am glad we went. It was good to get out of the house.

But, last Monday, I applied to adopt 6 year old male grey tabby with FIV from my local rescue. I wanted to adopt someone who needed a little extra help, in honor of Callie. We went to meet him on Friday, he was a little charmer who loved being the center of attention and another cat saw him getting fussed over and he came over for some fussing, too. The volunteer said she had never seen him do that because he is a very shy cat. When we left, my husband said what I was thinking, which was we wanted to adopt both of them. So, I texted the volunteer we'd like to adopt both. So, another volunteer called me yesterday because she wanted to know why Callie did not have a vet. Once I explained why, she totally understood why I could not get her a vet. I told her about how we treated her for worms, fleas, ticks and made the house more suitable for her. I told her I would absolutely be taking these cats to the vet and I even told her where I would take them--which happens to be the vet she goes to with her cats. She said she liked that I had put we would get a catio for the cat on the application, if we were selected. She made it seem like we might get them both, because the family who wanted the shy cat had a large dog and she wanted to place him in a quiet home. Then she said the woman who applied for the FIV+ cat "would be mad at her." She explained the adoption process and told me she would call me back yesterday--today at the latest. I haven't heard from her yet--so fingers crossed. She might decide none of us are suitable.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

The first week without Callie was hard. I was having nightmares about her passing away.

I had that happen when I lost Belle. Heck, I still have dreams about her where my brain decides to torture me. She's been gone for four years now.

But, last Monday, I applied to adopt 6 year old male grey tabby with FIV from my local rescue. I wanted to adopt someone who needed a little extra help, in honor of Callie. We went to meet him on Friday, he was a little charmer who loved being the center of attention and another cat saw him getting fussed over and he came over for some fussing, too. The volunteer said she had never seen him do that because he is a very shy cat. When we left, my husband said what I was thinking, which was we wanted to adopt both of them. So, I texted the volunteer we'd like to adopt both. So, another volunteer called me yesterday because she wanted to know why Callie did not have a vet. Once I explained why, she totally understood why I could not get her a vet. I told her about how we treated her for worms, fleas, ticks and made the house more suitable for her. I told her I would absolutely be taking these cats to the vet and I even told her where I would take them--which happens to be the vet she goes to with her cats. She said she liked that I had put we would get a catio for the cat on the application, if we were selected. She made it seem like we might get them both, because the family who wanted the shy cat had a large dog and she wanted to place him in a quiet home. Then she said the woman who applied for the FIV+ cat "would be mad at her." She explained the adoption process and told me she would call me back yesterday--today at the latest. I haven't heard from her yet--so fingers crossed. She might decide none of us are suitable.

Also speaking from experience, it did help me heal from Belle when I got the brat (Ella). But for some reason, I've noticed that this time of year up north, there's fewer cats in shelters. I had trouble finding Ella, and I didn't have much choice because Jasmine was frantic the only time she was left alone and I was like "okay, clearly you don't do well without a companion." But then they get innundated because of kitten season come May.

 

[Sans Souci]

I had that happen when I lost Belle. Heck, I still have dreams about her where my brain decides to torture me. She's been gone for four years now.



Also speaking from experience, it did help me heal from Belle when I got the brat (Ella). But for some reason, I've noticed that this time of year up north, there's fewer cats in shelters. I had trouble finding Ella, and I didn't have much choice because Jasmine was frantic the only time she was left alone and I was like "okay, clearly you don't do well without a companion." But then they get innundated because of kitten season come May.

Yeah, it's difficult. Because I could not find a vet who would treat her, I had to watch her decline and I am not trying to be dramatic, but it I felt traumatized. When I picked her up outside for the final time, it was like picking up a bag of cotton balls from CVS, she had become so light. I had no control, no power to end her suffering and that haunts me, because she deserved better. I often think about how frightened she would have been and not understanding what was happening to her. But these were the kinds of nightmares I was having.

The reason we wanted to adopt these guys together is because the grey tabby is Mr. Social and the other cat is very shy. So I thought they could help each other with the grey tabby having a friend and the shy cat having an outgoing cat around to give him a little confidence.

The local shelter is holding a "Kitten Shower" this weekend in preparation for kitten season where they accept monetary donations and donations from their Amazon wish list. They also have info about becoming a foster I can't deal with a kitten right now. I love Callie, but keeping my house clean with her in it was a lot of work and I don't have the energy for a kitten right now.

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

Checking in with 20 min strength training workout and a walk.

So...we were approved to adopt both cats. We're picking them up Friday. The cat with FIV is named "Delphin" (This is his shelter name.) and the shy, white cat with grey patches is named "Shimble Shanks". (yes, I know that's supposed to be Skimbleshanks), but we're just calling him Shanks. They are 6 and 5, respectively. I'm a little nervous, but also excited. I've been ordering items for them and getting the house "cat-ready." Delphen has a little nubbin for a tail and is an absolute UNIT.

I meant to post these pictures. We went to Washington DC for Easter weekend and the weather was fantastic, so we ate outdoors one night. This guy pulls up next to our table to wait for the traffic light to change. This dude has a DOG on the back of his motorcycle.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Yeah, it's difficult. Because I could not find a vet who would treat her, I had to watch her decline and I am not trying to be dramatic, but it I felt traumatized. When I picked her up outside for the final time, it was like picking up a bag of cotton balls from CVS, she had become so light. I had no control, no power to end her suffering and that haunts me, because she deserved better. I often think about how frightened she would have been and not understanding what was happening to her. But these were the kinds of nightmares I was having.

The reason we wanted to adopt these guys together is because the grey tabby is Mr. Social and the other cat is very shy. So I thought they could help each other with the grey tabby having a friend and the shy cat having an outgoing cat around to give him a little confidence.

The local shelter is holding a "Kitten Shower" this weekend in preparation for kitten season where they accept monetary donations and donations from their Amazon wish list. They also have info about becoming a foster I can't deal with a kitten right now. I love Callie, but keeping my house clean with her in it was a lot of work and I don't have the energy for a kitten right now.

Kittens I don't think are really dirtier than adult cats, but they are MUCH more energetic. Jasmine was eight weeks old when I got her. The biggest thing was worrying constantly about her because she was SOOOO tiny. But I had Belle, so that was helpful. There was an adult cat there to supervise. I didn't realize until much later how much training Belle did for me with Jasmine.

I did not want another kitten when I got Ella. SPCA listed her as an adult. I got there and was like "this cat is not an adult". They were also trying to say that she was the correct weight. She was underweight. But by that point, it was too late; she was coming home. Plus with them being clueless about her being underweight, I was like "yeah, she's coming home."

She had the absolute worst teenage phase of any cat I've had. Belle skipped it, Jasmine had it, but not as bad, and Ella...OMG. I love her to death, but she definitely had a phase there. Most cats come out of it by age 2...she was closer to 3.5. She was also my boundary pusher for sure. It's funny because I am very much her parent and my parents, especially Mom, are very much grandparents. She will not listen to Mom. Meanwhile, the other day she was clawing the back of the chair, which she knows not to do. I walked in and didn't even say anything, just looked at her. She stopped and very slowly pulled her claws out like "You saw nothing." I finally trained her out of getting on the dining room table, but I used to catch her and all I had to do was get in view and she'd be down. Mom would have to go forcibly put her on the floor.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I realize that it might come to that depending on the job situation but I'm really ready to be an empty nester.

My mom and I are more like @Songbird76 with her daughter. Last year, a tree fell on our house, and they moved back before I did because of my asthma. She was over at the apartment like every day, and if she wasn't there, she called to talk for at least an hour.

Haven't shared elsewhere, but my brother, who is level 2 autistic, recently moved to a group home. She was very ready for him to be out, but then the other day was like "I miss your brother. I want to get a cat." The cats we have are mine; they stayed with me in the apartment, and then when the whole thing first happened, the cats and I went to Grandma's. Belle was my previous one, and even though we adopted her when I was 13, she very much became my cat, not the family cat as much. Jasmine especially is also bonded to me, and these two are bonded. I'm like, so you want to get a third one who would potentially bond to me (and them) anyway? *sigh* We'll see.

I'm also like, good luck talking Dad into it. I had such a hard time talking him into Jasmine. Ella he just came home from work and found she was there. Of course, that is his favorite cat. I have the stereotypical pictures of Dad and the cat he didn't want.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Yeah, it's difficult. Because I could not find a vet who would treat her, I had to watch her decline and I am not trying to be dramatic, but it I felt traumatized.

I totally get it. Belle had a brain tumor, and she started seizing before we took her to get her put down. My brain likes to replay that memory for me every now and then. It's gotten less because she would be 18 now, and my brain goes "okay, well, she's past the life expectancy even if this hadn't happened." It was also hard because I always thought I'd be able to say goodbye to her, and the brain tumor meant that she wasn't really recognizing me or herself. It was hard. Harder than when we put down the cats I had as a kid.

Fortunately, while Belle was always delicate, Jasmine is what I call Sturdy Cat. She's going to be 9 this year and definitely has had fewer issues than Belle did at the same age. The benefit of getting her at eight weeks too is her trust in me is basically unshakable, so any time there's a problem, she comes to let me know about it. Most cats will hide when they're sick. She comes and yells at me until I figure it out.