No leftovers here...

That's what happens when you go to friends for a feast...so I had nachos and ice cream for my post T-Day dinner! Slept in, stayed in and am now eating my newest favorite ice cream, H-D Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle and sipping some Banana Rum.

T-Day was delicious and fun, as the photos below will attest. I took 2 bottle of Portuguese wine, a Vino Verde & a Tinto and tried a new way of roasting chestnuts...I will watch the BBQ more closely next time, but people were kind and said they were yummy, but as you can tell by the pix, because I blanched them in water, olive oil and sea salt, then put fresh rosemary branches on the coals and put on the lid just to smoke them a bit after cooking them in the oven first...well, they flamin' caught on fire!

There are no pictures of the actual table laden with food--we were all to busy eating! All the food was wonderful, the friends together being thankful and many helpers in the kitchen afterwards, too. The photo shoot of Candi didn't happen, but I did get one shot of her, on her throne, close to the activity but not in the midst of it...just like the princess she is.

My kittens are feeling much better and just about over their colds; and I'm enjoying the extra day off of work and catching up with a few things around the house. Seems to be taking a while to get it together...think I spend too much time on the computer! I am off to a cat show next weekend, so I better get lots done this weekend!

So, without further ado, here's my Thanksgiving Day pix.

Countdown to Feast Day!

I just got an email from the friends who I will be spending Thanksgiving Day with (they, too, have a Furrydance cat so of course they are friends!) and I can hardly wait to join the Feast! Here's the menu:

Apple brined Turkey (the recipe published in this weeks Wash post) with mustard shallot dressing
Mashed potatoes (duh!)
Cranberry relish (of course!)
Green beans with lemon and shallots (I think!)
Wild rice with butternut squash (maybe)
Apple cranberry leek dressing/stuffing (one batch with sausage and one without.)
Dessert....possibly pumpkin pie and or a cranberry, pear, ginger crisp
Pinot noir and Chardonnay, Sparkling cider, Beer

AND

there will be a photo shoot of Ms Candi, for their Holiday cards!
Sounds like much more fun that feigning interest in a football game!

I am Thankful for precious friends


Photo by Kathy Manley, Work2Snap Photography

Mike brought to mind...

Somehow, the dates of Mike and I's anniversary (August 11) passed without me remembering until a few days later. Same thing happened when his birthday came (November 3).

I don't know what that means, but I know I think of him so many other days, that to me it's like every day is an anniversary of some kind or other.

But on Wednesday, I got a call from someone from the Machinists Union, reminding me that Mike would have been 60 on November 3rd, and that's when his pension benefits would begin for me. Funny, I still think of Mike as 58 years old, always will I guess. And somehow I had a feeling he would be happy that his presence in my life was still helping me out, he was still protecting me.

Another plus, this year they made a change to the benefits and instead of receiving 50%, I will get 100%! While Mike only worked for them for 6 years and it was many, many years ago (when he was in college), the pension isn't grand, but it will help me meet expenses and use less savings

So, instead of me giving Mike a gift, he gave me one! I love you, Mikey

Tee

Kittens Under the Weather

I was supposed to head down to a big cat show in Atlanta on Thursday, but Coco and Kiki's kittens have come down with an upper respiratory virus, possibly caught from their mothers licking and grooming them, and I just wasn't comfortable leaving that responsibility with my petsitter (who also has vet assistant experience) so I am staying home with them and with supportive care, I I hope they will be over this bug soon. 

 I took them all in to work with me on Monday and had little Jack, who was the most congested, xrayed to make sure he wasn’t developing pneumonia (he was clear) and the rest of the kittens had exams too, and no congestion or bad lung sounds at all. We are waiting for the eye swab test to come back (checking for Feline Herpes Virus), but are treating them on their symptoms, which is the wise thing to do. They are all on antibiotics and lysine and vitamins with iron, to help keep their immune systems strong while they fight the cold virus. They are also getting ointment in their eyes to keep the bacteria and virus under control. 

 I hope to make good use of my four days off, but have gotten into Blog searching and think maybe part of it is work avoidance, but part of it is that there is so many interesting people out there, makes the world feel like a village... Here's a photo of some of the kittens, doing what is as close to bed rest as kittens can get.

 

Crazy Cat People

Of course, none of us think we fall into that cat-a-gory, but a friend just sent me this video interview from that New York Cat Show I was at, and I thought you might enjoy a giggle or two...I'm not embarrassed, cuz I'm one of the normal ones, right? I did have to giggle myself when most everyone said they had "7" cats, like that's the number that is well, more than most people have, but not out-of-control like a hoarder...and how most everyone said their cats are "dog-like", like that is something a cat-lover would want, MOL! I think I will find another by-line now, when asked about my cats personality!

I got another kitty back from it's home, for "inappropriate urination". I hope Toby has a successful rehab and can find the perfect home, just like Nacho and Peachie have. I think his home was just too busy and his comfort level was maxxed out. Each cat is different and his owners tried many things to try and get him over that behavior, but nothing worked. So we made the decision together for me to try him here as I have been quite successful with retraining them and figuring out what makes them happy. Today is his birthday, and his family came over to give him a present (Fancy Feast Medleys) and play with him. They are also my petsitters, and have another kitty from me, but so far she seems totally happy--though she was nervous around Toby and began obsessively licking her fur off, and now that he is out of their house, she is more relaxed, too.
Here's a photo of Mr Tob's:

Still feel like I've just moved in...

Heading in to the second week of November and I pushed myself today to attack the living room! I kept telling myself I wanted to wash walls and steam clean knicknacks before putting them back, so for 2 weeks I've been tripping over stuff, moving rough totes to get into the fridge, living out of the guest room still. I sort of lost interest for a while. But today, I hit the living room and kitchen and got quite a bit accomplished. I need to stop soon so I can enjoy a steak and a glass (or 3) of wine...

Had a cat show this weekend, and it was lovely that it was just one day, so I could get moving round the house today! One of my favorite clients at the cat hospital where I work, was "benched" next to me with one of her "household pets", a cute blue classic tabby and white old lady, who didn't look a day over four years old (she is 17!). It was nice to share the day with Carol, and keep up on what our cats were doing. Mine spent the whole day pacing and yowling and marking his territory--he is my new stud cat, Mister. Carol and I felt like bobble-head dolls watching him. He had lots of competition and while I thought he was the nicest Cornish Rex there...the judges felt otherwise and he came away with only 2 points...27 points to go to get his Grand Champion title.

The kittens are doing well, having a little setback this weekend with weaning tummy issues, but they are feeling better this evening and I am watching them closely. Here's a video of them playing on the stairs, quite an adventure for a kitten! Me, I tell people the only exercise I get is going up and down those stairs...and that's not too far from the truth! I need to find a fit SO that might push me to add exercise to my daily routine, instead of just putting on my "to-do" list.

Oh, and that's my new carpet and wood flooring in the video, too!