The Week in Review

Waffles on Sunday

This past week has been a bit crazy.  I had a sciatica flare up on Sunday, July 5 and spent most of the day resting.

On Monday, I continued to rest and took it easy.  I read, watched some online videos, called and chatted with my half-sister, and called the dentist's office to reschedule an appointment that was scheduled for Wednesday.  My daughter had work on Monday, but, afterwards, she took the trash cans to the curb and watered the garden and the house plants.

On Tuesday, I was still in pain from the sciatica flare up.  I rested, took Tylenol at regular intervals, applied ice packs, and watched online videos or played Sudoku all day.  The highlight of the day was getting a package containing a gift I had ordered for friend R for her birthday that is coming up.  

On Wednesday, I was still taking it easy as my leg was still painful.  Gardener friend M arrived to tend to the garden and I texted him to let him know what needed to be done in the garden - mostly some weeding and watering.  I finished reading the magazines I had borrowed from the library and daughter returned them to the library in the evening, after she got off from work.  

On Thursday, I continued to take it easy.  Thursday evening, the lady from the cat rescue group my daughter had contacted came over to help daughter trap Fluffy and her three surviving kittens (there were originally four kittens, but, one disappeared and we assume it didn't survive).  Fluffy is a feral/stray who has been living in our garden since last year.  She still hisses at us, but, will, sometimes, meow.  She shied away from us at first, but, will now let us get close to her, but, will not allow us to touch her.  She will follow me around the garden from time to time, especially if she wants to be fed.  

Fluffy with one of her kittens behind her
(Photo taken through the glass door)

Fluffy and the kittens hid when the traps were first set up, but, Fluffy eventually entered one of the traps. The kittens, however, were no where to be seen!  The lady from the cat rescue group was here from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., to see if any of the kittens would be trapped, but, they refused to come out from their hiding place. 

Around 6:30 p.m., I told daughter to ask the lady if she eats pizza and, if so, order some for dinner, but, the lady didn't eat pizza.  Instead, I told daughter to cook some rice and we had rice with chicken curry I had cooked earlier and frozen which daughter warmed up, some broccoli daughter had cooked the day before, and peach chutney.  The lady enjoyed the rice and curry dinner.  

After she left, we kept the traps out for another couple of hours and then, daughter closed them because we didn't want any of the visiting possums or, even worse, the skunk to get trapped in them!

On Friday morning, daughter and I were both up quite early to take Fluffy to the vet clinic where she was to be spayed.  The lady from the cat rescue group had given daughter some vouchers to be given to the clinic to pay for the spaying.  The clinic accepted trapped cats for spaying and neutering on certain days of the week between set hours, starting at 7:00 a.m.  We left home just before 6:30 a.m. with daughter driving; I just went along for the ride.  We were at the clinic just before 7:00 a.m. and there was already a line of people with their trapped cats waiting.  Daughter said that there was a bit of a mix up at the clinic with their technician claiming that daughter didn't have an appointment even though there was a text confirming the appointment date and time.  But, eventually, they agreed to fit Fluffy in.  Perhaps it was a good thing that there was just one cat without three kittens in tow.  

We returned to the clinic at 11:00 a.m. to pick up Fluffy and came home.  Fluffy had to be kept in the trap until 11:00 p.m., but, she seemed fine and ate and drank well, both in the trap and out of it once she was released.

On Friday afternoon, the groceries I ordered were delivered and later, M tended to the garden.

On Saturday, I rested as my leg had complained on Friday night, after going to the vet clinic and back, even though I was only riding and not driving.  Daughter had a busy day, though, doing laundry and cooking a chicken curry, sauteed chicken, and curried green beans.  I couldn't help her other than to top and tail the rinsed green beans for her. 

Today, Sunday, however, I was determined to do something a little useful and decided I could make waffles for brunch, provided daughter set up a waffle making station for me in the living room in front of my arm chair:

Waffle Making Station

It meant more work for her as she had to set up the table and mix the batter and bring me all the items I needed (and clean up, afterwards) but, I made us a batch of waffles for brunch!  We both enjoyed them and there are two waffles leftover for a snack, tomorrow.

Later, I made us some popcorn on the stove for a snack.  Daughter brought me a chair to sit on while I did that, but, even so, my leg has been complaining a bit in the evening.  

"D" from the cat rescue group stopped by in the afternoon to pick up two of the traps and the trap covers, etc.  She told daughter to keep the other two traps to catch the kittens when we are able to.  She is such a nice person.  We gave her a jar of homemade blueberry jam as a small thank you gift.  Once the kittens have been trapped and spayed or neutered and we return the other two traps, we will give a donation to her organization to help with their work.

I had a nice chat with friend R in the evening and texted with cousin N.

I am hoping that my sciatica flare up will be fine by tomorrow.  I am still intending to take it easy, but, hopefully, I can do a few things. (Daughter will take the trash cans to the curb and water the garden).

This week, I am grateful for:

- My daughter, being home and taking such good care of me during this sciatica flare up
- Daughter being able to contact the cat rescue group
- All the help that "D" from the cat rescue group has given us
- M's help with the garden as always
- A safe drive to the vet clinic and back

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