On Thursday

 

Flowers from the Vet's Clinic

On Thursday morning, this lovely bouquet of flowers arrived from the doctors and staff at the animal hospital/vet clinic where I had taken Dancer from the day he came into our lives.  I thought it was very sweet of them to do so.  

Thank you, everyone, for all your kind comments on the previous post about Dancer.  My daughter and I appreciate all the sympathy, empathy, and love you've extended to us.  Your comments have brought us comfort as we grieve the loss of our Dancer kitty whose presence in our lives was such a blessing.

Daughter, especially, is heartbroken over losing Dancer.  She cried herself to sleep on Wednesday night and woke up crying on Thursday morning.  She took the day off from work because she needed a little time to grieve.  

I, too, miss him, but, I think I had been mentally preparing myself for this eventuality for a few months, now.

I busied myself doing household tasks.  I did laundry and washed all the sofa dust sheets as well as our clothes.  Now that Dancer is gone, we won't have to cover the sofas to keep his fur off them.  I dusted and vacuumed the living room and dining area and removed the bowl of kibble and the open bag of kibble he insisted on having access to, as well.  I washed all of Dancer's food and water dishes; I'm not sure if I will donate them to the animal shelter or just toss them.  I cleaned his litter box one last time and removed all the pee pads and newspaper we had put down around it for the times when he couldn't make it to the litter box.  And I tossed the fluffy white knitted scarf he had claimed as his "lovey", which he would carry around with him:

Dancer and his "Lovey" in Happier Times

I also ordered and picked up groceries as we needed more half and half, bread, fruit, and a few other items, including a couple of treats.  Ground beef was on sale for $5.99/lb. and I bought two packages.  I kept one in the fridge to cook this weekend and froze the other.  

I had boiled mung beans for brunch on Wednesday and daughter had some of the leftover mung beans for her brunch, on Thursday.  Later, she ate some of the croissants I bought as part of my grocery order.  I had a croissant sandwiched with tuna salad for my brunch.  Later, I cooked curried pork chops and broccoli for dinner, which we had with leftover rice.  For dessert, we had a Sri Lankan treat called kalu dodol - made with coconut milk cooked with jaggery until it forms a dark, sticky, gelatinous fudge.  It is one of the items I brought from the Sri Lankan store.  

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- The bouquet of flowers the vet's clinic sent
- All the kind comments everyone left on the previous post
- Daughter was able to spend time with Dancer before he had to go
- Daughter was able to take time off from work to grieve
- Memories of a loving kitty

Thursdays joyful activities included reminiscing about Dancer.

Plans for Friday include putting away a mountain of clean laundry, tending to the garden with M, cleaning the kitchen, and a visit from friend R who is coming to pick up her packages.

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday?  

Dancer

 

Dancer: Always Found the Sun Beam 

He "danced" into our lives one August evening in 2008, after a Friday evening ballet class at the dance studio where my daughter and I took dance classes.

Another student had found him and his two siblings behind a shed and rescued them.  When she brought him into the class, we lost our hearts to a tiny ball of grey fluff we named Dancer.

And for 17+ years, we danced to his tune when it came to his choice of food and favorite napping spots, yielding our seats on the sofa when he chose to sit there and stopping what we were doing when he wanted cuddles.

He was always our helper kitty, always willing to lend a helping paw with whatever we were doing:

Quilt Quality Control

Assembling the Raised Planting Bed with Daughter

He would, sometimes, write a blog post and share his view of things and his words of wisdom.

He always found the spot with a beam of sunshine and that's what he did, on Wednesday afternoon, December 10, around 3:00 p.m., when I took this picture of him.

Dancer, in the Sun Beam

This is the last picture we took of Dancer at home, asleep in the warmth of a sunbeam.  We took him to the vet's clinic, one last time, at 4:00 p.m. and, of course, true to his self, he threw up on the way, just before we reached the parking lot.

He had been having health issues for a few years now, diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and arthritis, decreasing in weight from 16 lbs. to 5lb. 6 oz. today.  We noticed a rapid decline in the past couple of days .  He was not eating.  He was not drinking.  He was finding it hard to walk with his hind legs sliding out from under him and his front legs buckling.  He cried in pain and he hid under the furniture.

The vet diagnosed him with kidney failure.  She said they could do some aggressive treatment but, it would not enhance his quality of life and only prolong the inevitable for a short while.  We made the difficult decision to spare him the pain.

In Daughter's Arms at the Vet's Clinic

For 17+ years, he was a big part of our lives.  He leaves his paw prints on our hearts and a big Dancer-sized hole in our lives.  

May you sleep in the sunshine and be at peace for ever more.  

I am grateful for Dancer and the love and joy he brought us.

Yet Another Cat Hair!

 

The First Decoration

The poor Christmas tree is still without the additional strands of lights, but, I hung the first decoration on it - a felt stocking that my daughter made in grade 1.  For years, she disliked how it turned out, because she tried to "dress" the gingerbread man with bits of felt and it didn't turn out the way she envisioned it, but, now, she is old enough to appreciate the efforts her 5-year old self took to decorate her stocking.  

Today (Tuesday), I had my annual check up with the ophthalmologist.  Last year, during my visit, he found and removed a cat hair from my left eye.  Today, he gazed deeply into my eyes and asked me, "Do you have a cat?"  I said, "Yes".  And he said, "I knew it!  You have a cat hair in your right eye!"  And I reminded him that, last year, too, he found one in my left eye.  He called two of his assistants to have a look for themselves before he removed the offending cat hair!

"Meow gets blamed for everything!"

The rest of the visit was quite routine and I am to return in one year's time.  I made the appointment before I left the office.

Daughter had taken time off from work to accompany me to the ophthalmologist's so she could drive me back.  Then, she returned to work.  

I made myself a peanut butter toast with a little strawberry jam for brunch and daughter made herself a bagel sandwich.  

Friend R called to say she would be passing by my house a little later in the afternoon, and could she stop by to pick up her packages.  I told her that yes, she could, but, I couldn't drive her home because my eyes were still dilated and daughter was working; R would have to wait until daughter finished work to drive her back.  R decided that she would stop by tomorrow, instead. 

Afterwards, I took another nap on the sofa!  

After I woke up from the nap, I brought in the emptied recycling bin (daughter had brought in the emptied yard waste bin and the trash bin, earlier, before the recycling bin had been emptied) and made us some tea.

Dinner will be salmon, with rice, dhal curry, and curried green beans, plus chutney.  

Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to have an annual ophthalmology examination
- Everything seems to be fine other than having a cat hair in my eye!

- Medical insurance

- Daughter being able to drive me home, afterwards
- Weekly trash/recycling collections

Today's joyful activities include knitting and taking a nap!

Plans for tomorrow (Wednesday) include:

- Tending to the garden with M
- Ordering and picking up groceries
- Waiting for friend R to collect her packages and driving her home 
- Making some phone calls to set up appointments

How was your Tuesday?  What are your plans for Wednesday?

Dental Appointment on Monday

 

Pokemon-Themed Gift Boxes

My daughter designed and made these Pokemon-themed gift boxes for the gifts she made for an up-coming "Stocking Stuffer" gift exchange with some of her friends.  She said they are called "blind boxes" because one is blind to what's in them before one opens them.  

I had a dental appointment on Monday.  It was my final deep cleaning for the year.  I went by myself as daughter couldn't take time off from work (she's taking time off on Tuesday to drive me back from my ophthalmologist appointment).  The appointment went well and I received the numbing injections, so I didn't feel pain.  

But, after I came home and the numbness wore off, I was in pain.  I took a Tylenol and a 4-hour nap!  I woke up only because my daughter woke me up to eat something for dinner!  She made me a scrambled egg and reheated some of the potato soup I had made earlier.  Later, I made us some blueberry pancakes for dessert.  

I took the trash cans to the curb as soon as I came home from the dentist's, paid a bill that was coming due, and ran the dishwasher.  But, I didn't do the load of laundry I had also planned to do.  

On Monday, I was grateful for:

- Another warm and sunny day
- The dental appointment went well
- Local anesthesia
- Pain medications
- A safe drive to and from the dentist's

Monday's joyful activity was taking a long nap!

Plans for Tuesday include going to my ophthalmology appointment.  Daughter will accompany me and drive me back.  I am so thankful that she will be able to drive me back.

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

On Sunday

 

The Tree is Up

On Sunday, daughter and I unpacked the artificial Christmas tree and set it up in the family room.  It is a pre-lit tree, but, there are sections of the tree that no longer light up.  The tree was bought some twenty plus years ago, so, the fact that at least some of the lights are working is something worth celebrating.  I have some additional strings of lights in a bin in the garage; I might look for them and put them on the tree before we do any decorating.  

Before we brought the tree in, I vacuumed the family room and daughter pushed the second sofa to make room for the tree.  The family room sofas are usually arranged at right angles to each other in an "L" shape.  They are now facing each other, with the coffee table in the middle.  

I did a load of laundry and changed the sofa dust sheets, on Sunday.  Daughter and I also ordered some Christmas gifts for a friend of ours.  We also ordered some chocolates to be offered at the almsgiving.  It is traditional to offer a variety of sweets (at least five kinds) during an almsgiving.  I now have four items for the plate of sweets and daughter has offered to make chai muffins as the fifth item,

Later in the evening, I made a few cards.  

Daughter picked some of the Japanese herbs and greens, sauteed them and had them with a fried egg for her brunch.  I made a sort of fried rice from various leftovers in the fridge for my brunch.  We had assorted leftovers for dinner, We had grapes and tangerines for fruit.

On Sunday, I was grateful for:

- Another sunny and warm day
- Working appliances
- Making memories with my daughter
- Freshly picked greens from the garden
- Phone calls, emails, and texts from friends

Sunday's joyful activities included bringing in and setting up the Christmas tree and making cards.

Plans for Monday might include a visit to the dentist's; I need to call and confirm the appointment in the morning.  

What are your plans for Monday?

Saturday Fun

 

Stripey Socks 

Saturday was another sunny day, with a high of 70F (21C).  I finished knitting my new pair of socks, using leftover yarn.  I have now knitted myself three new pairs of socks for this winter, to replace the old socks that have been mended so many times that there are patches over patches.  I want to make one more pair of socks to give as a gift to one of my friends because she said that the pair of socks I gave her earlier had torn.

I did a little dusting and tidying this morning and daughter helped with the tidying.  I also boiled the garbanzo beans I put to soak overnight and sauteed them with onions, curry leaves, green chilies, and curry powder.  They will be frozen and kept for the almsgiving.  .  

In the afternoon, daughter's friend came over and they sat and made another batch of fish cutlets while I knitted my socks.  Daughter sent half the cutlets home with her friend.  She has told my daughter that she wants to learn how to make mallung (shredded leafy greens cooked with grated coconut), another day.  

On Saturday, I am grateful for:

- Being able to knit
- For a pair of warm socks
- Being able to prepare another dish that can be frozen and kept for the almsgiving
- Daughter spending time with her friend
- Another sunny and mild day.  

Today's joyful activities included having daughter's friend over, knitting, and enjoying some of the Sri Lankan treats we bought.

Plans for Sunday include making a few more cards and some holiday gifts.  

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?

On Friday

 

Calamondin

The calamondin tree is starting to form fruits again after being pruned back in December of 2024.  There aren't that many fruit on the tree, but, there are enough to pick a few to make infused water.  

On Friday, daughter had the day off from work and we picked up my friend R and we went to the Sri Lankan store again.  I mostly wanted some items for the almsgiving, but, as always, there were some treats that found their way to my basket.  Afterwards, I dropped friend R off at her apartment and came home.  

We had hamburgers for lunch after we got home and then, daughter and I watched some videos and we napped a bit, too.  

Later in the evening, M came over to tend to the garden.  He did a little tidying up and watering of the garden. He also brought us Green Dragon apples. 

We had tea after M left and I did the dishes.  Then, I cooked a big pot of dhal, which I froze for the almsgiving.  I put a bag of garbanzo beans to soak overnight and I will cook it on Saturday and freeze that, too.  Then, most of the almsgiving dishes I can make ahead would be done and I'll be free to work on other things.

Daughter did some crocheting and I sat down to make some Christmas cards.  I think I made more mess than cards, but, I am trying to streamline the process.  I also finished knitting a sock and started on the second one.

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- Having access to a Sri Lankan store 
- Being able to give friend R a ride to the Sri Lankan store and back
- M tending to the garden
- Time spent crafting with my daugher
- A safe drive to the Sri Lankan store and back

Friday's joyful activities included chatting with friend R on the drive to the store and back, picking up some treats at the Sri Lankan store, and crafting.

Plans for Saturday include one of daughter's friends visiting in the afternoon.  I think they are planning to make fish cutlets.  I will continue to make my cards and knit.  

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for the weekend?