I usually do a little research of my blog title, to get a photo or two, and read up about the topic. I read that cats are being used in hospitals, cancer centers, nursing homes and with veterans. I have a friend who took her cat to school everyday and was used in her Special Ed. classroom to calm the students.
When Jean moved in with Mom over a month ago, she brought two cats with her. I think they have been helping Mom in many ways, except when they trip her (oops).
I find my cats are great company, warm and cuddly on a cold day, entertainment and comic relief, and help to calm and relax me. Even though they get into all kinds of trouble and their occasional fighting upsets me, their positive influence in my life far outweighs the negative.
I love this series of photos of Mama Styx on the floor playing while it looks like her kitten (Babe) is holding the stick and swinging the bird on the end.
The stick is actually wedged in the couch and the bird always hangs there to be played with. Styx was making it swing by batting at it and Babe was watching.
I lingered here at my desk longer than planned, waiting for it to warm up outside.
When I spotted these deer while siting here at my desk (you can't really see them in the first photo) I took this second photo on zoom.
Mid-afternoon, I bundled up and went out to move wood chips. Joe had moved a bunch more in the morning and the day before. This was what was left to be moved by the time I was finished working, compared to an earlier photo of the pile when first dumped.
The large wooded area down back has been finished. The steepest part of the hill has been converted from grass (and lots of weeds) to mulch, and the flatter section (seen in this first photo) has just been re-mulched.
This panoramic view does a fairly good job of showing you the whole area.
Joe left for a weekend away, mostly playing poker, but to also deliver stuff (from Florida and some old yard toys) to the kids in Nashville.
Patty, Shirley, and I went to the Moonlighters dance to celebrate 2020 by going back in time (a century ago) to a Roaring 20’s Speakeasy. Many people dressed as gangsters, silent screen stars, or flappers. The night started a little slow (with 1920's slower music) but it gave us a chance to chat. The music and dancing really picked up in the third (and final) set.
Maggie (like myself) preferred to laze around, rather than go out in the rain.
No matter what the weather, there are always fun things to do.
Since you can't change the weather, it's a good idea to find a way to enjoy what you've got.
I sat at my computer, worked the jigsaw puzzle, enjoyed a great cup of hot chocolate (Christmas gift) by the fire, read my book, and took a nap with some of my fur babies on the floor, in front of the fire.
Micki, Sherri (and her parents), and I went to Spikes for DJGT and the Best Dressed 70 & 80 Contest.
I had grabbed this dress from Courtney's Goodwill pile when helping her clean her house last September. It worked well for the 70's attire.
The DJ was great, keeping the music going non-stop. And the crowd had a fun time.
In this photo and (video) we were dancing to YMCA.
We three ladies went to Reds once the party at Spikes drew to an end at 9:30. Karaoke and more dancing occurred. I was in bed by 11:30, but too wound up to get to sleep for almost an hour.
Sunday 1/19 - The temps had really dropped and it was cold walking the dog. I finished a game of Spider Solitaire in under five minutes.
Babe and Styx were napping in the sun by Maggie. But by the time I had gotten my camera to get a photo, they woke up and had started wrestling (video).
I had a big lunch when I got home from Church and then napped on the floor in the sun. One of the cat's (probably Stevie) was on my back during part of the time.
At one point I got too hot and rolled over into the shade with my head on the dog bed by Monita. She left and then Stevie came and laid on my stomach, purring away. My cat therapy session for the day.
I took a 45 minute long dog walk in 30 degree temps. While across the creek, up on the hill by the golf course, I took this photo.
Monita on the couch staying warm in the sun.
I followed my walk with 90 minutes at the gym. The music wasn't working and most TVs were also 'down.' I found it very boring to row and do the elliptical. So I tried a bike that had a TV going and watched TN get beat my KC.
I was being watched by mama cat and her kitten while at the table eating a yummy salad for dinner.
A movie, in front of a fire with my fur babies finished off the evening.
Not much snow stuck to the ground, although the 17th green turned white.
I had filled bird feeders the day before, and the birds also were enjoying a bounty of food.Ten minutes shy of spending four hours at the gym, I came home starving and fairly tired. I made a great big salad for a late lunch, and exercised my brain with a puzzle while I ate.
This salad started with iceberg lettuce. I then added red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, hard boiled egg, chicken salad, ground flax seed, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and Ken's Steak House sweet onion dressing. It was delicious, typical of most salads I make.
Joe got home from Tunica and I finished the jigsaw puzzle.
I then pursued reading by the fire. Monita joined me, and see the little kitten in the basket?
She is so cute, and not so little anymore.
After a short nap, I went to the barn for a quick ride in the 20 degree weather. It was already 4pm so I was surprised Emily was still there working. She was in the process of trying to catch five of the livery horses that had escaped from the winter pasture across the street, so I helped her out. Then I rode Amiga bareback, until I got too cold, and it was almost dark.
Dinner was just popcorn.
I made a trip into town to shop, with the intention of picking up my new prescription reading glasses. Well I had forgotten to make the deviation in my usual route, so turned around and had to backtrack a few miles.
Three of my four bird watchers.
I thought it interesting, quite phenomenal actually, that the sunlight coming in through the two sky lights just happened to hit the wall exactly where each of the valances are.
A long dog walk once home left me a little cold and somewhat perturbed. I had come across these bags of leaves dumped on the side of a gravel road. It is frustrating that people do this. The leaves will decompose, but the bags will be there forever.
It was a quiet evening at home with Poker Joe gone.
I had to move the food dish up to where Maggie can't get into it. So instead of eating beside each other, Babe had to wait her turn to eat while Mama Styx went first.
Line dance, Zumba, weights, and then stretching took me through the lunch hour, and I again was feeling exhausted and hungry while trying to lift weights. I will need to change my weight workout to a different time than after the two dance classes on Mon and Wed so that I am not at the gym so long.
I rode with Jan for 90 minutes. The trails were still too muddy, so we found places to ride around the barn yard and fields.
In the video, the white line on Amiga, where her neck meets her chest, is a cut she had gotten several days ago, that I have been putting Desitin on.
Joe and I took Brian out to dinner at Vegas for his birthday. I had been hankering for a steak for several days now, and thoroughly enjoyed the mouth watering cut of beef I ordered.
Thursday 1/23 - The dreary morning made it hard to get going, and by the time it had warmed up outside and I felt motivated to work in the yard, it had started raining.
Stevie is watching the stand off between Monita (who is monopolizing the food dish) and Styx.
A little later, Monita started pulling kibble out of the dish (circled in yellow) and then knocking it onto the floor.
Babe came over to get in on the action, while she and Mama Styx chased and ate the food as it slid across the floor. Monita thought this was quite entertaining.Maggie on watch as always. If she hears or sees anything out front she goes to see what it is and scare it off.
I timed my elliptical and rowing workout to be followed by the one hour stretch class. I'm not sure why I haven't done this class in ages, because I sure feel good afterwards.
It was another evening in front of the fire watching TV. Babe and Styx were loving on each other (video).
But soon they started wrestling and got rather aggressive towards each other (video). Monita was after Babe's tail while the kitten was preoccupied.
I did weights before line dance and that made a big difference. It was the best workout I have had in awhile.
The cats and dog were laying in the sun when I got home, which looked quite inviting. I joined them after lunch, reading for a bit and taking a nap. Stevie was laying on my back again.
Babe is still very cute, even though she keeps getting bigger.
I went to the barn to ride, since it had warmed up, but it was a mucky mess everywhere because it had rained overnight and most of the morning.
I kept Amiga at a walk and she actually did quite well for me, even out in the open yard out front.
I also let her dine on the big tufts of grass that were in various spots.
The cut on Amiga's neck looked a lot worse. I washed it well with soap and water to get a better look and clean it out. Well, now it appears that she is developing proud flesh, also known as exuberant granulation tissue, which is the excessive growth of the connective tissue and blood vessels that begin to fill in a healing wound (Equus). I applied triple antibiotic ointment and Jan lent be a product specifically for proud flesh treatment I will use in another day.
It was a quiet evening at home with Poker Joe gone.
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