Tecfidera: conquering the side effects. Notables. And the shoes of the Boston marathon runners?

     So I am at the end of week 2 out of 4 of my dose titration of Tecfidera.  And to my ecstatic surprise, the last 3 nights I have not eaten anything concurrent to taking my dose, and have not only not suffered any itching, but have not had even an inkling of any warmth, let alone the flashes.  I am so excited that it really is true, the side effects do lessen as time goes.    So now, I am not so worried about tonight's increase to 2 pills, or 240 mg giving me a flash similar to the first dose or the first increase.  Although, nothing has come anywhere near the flash I got the first night!  And I am baffled as to why the night time dose results in significantly more side effects than the morning dose.
    But as I progress through the next two weeks, I will be updating regularly, and almost exclusively until I am at the full dose...

     Then, we will start to have more fun here.  I need to get some of my jewelry projects going, recipes, DIY projects, and a little diabetic talk, but this Tecfidera is such big news, I felt it deserved priority for now.

     Hang in there....good times will come.  I even have plans for drawings for jewelry, craft books, craft items, group projects...  So share this blog with others, cause a drawing, or group project is no fun with just me!

     Other random notables for Friday:  My grandson, 13 mos., is now walking!  Yeah, and oh no all at the same time.  It's so fun to watch, but now he can reach more things cause he can see them better......yikes!  Time for some more baby proofing!

     I was a very bad girl, and ate a piece of pie each day for the last 2 days.  I know, I know....no no.  Don't tell my doctor.  But, I guess because I am eating very healthy the rest of the time, and it takes me about 2 hours to get through just that one piece,  it has had absolutely no effect on my blood sugar!  I am really surprised.  I thought it would hit me harder.  This doesn't mean I will do this often.  In fact, this is a rare occurrence.  It has to be.  The sugar addict in me will take over, and the next thing I will be back to my old junk food/sugar habits.

     Question:  What do you think?  Is it OK to indulge every once in awhile?  Or should one maintain their dietary restrictions?   Do I confess to my doctor?  My blood sugars stayed at 90's and the most 100.  I suspect some of this is because I am obviously not a brittle diabetic.  In fact having only been diagnosed 4 months ago, and being right on the edge to begin with, I think just cutting the sugars, and controlling my carbs has made a huge impact on my levels overall.

     Now, if I could just lose some weight!

     I found this great recipe for a fun summer 3 bean salad that I have converted to sugar free.  It includes my fav's: edamame and black beans with green beans.  I am threatening to add chicken to it the next time I make it!  I will get the ingredient amounts and get it posted here very soon,

     Lastly, I last night while online, I was my next wall decoration project:  Boston Magazine  (http://www.bostonmagazine.com/ ) created a large heart from the shoes of the Boston Marathon runners.  In the center of the heart it reads:  "We will finish the race".   I was very moved by this tribute, and very excited to read in the article that they are planning to release it it poster form, with the proceeds going to charity.  That is a poster I plan to not only buy, and frame, but put on my wall!  Inside the magazine will be several interviews of runners with pictures of their shoes.  Today News wrote an excellent article about this, along with a picture of the magazine cover!  http://www.today.com/news/boston-magazines-heart-shaped-shoes-honor-city-victims-6C9601866

     Be well my friends.

     I leave you with a copy of that magazine cover...

Ready to die for homemade frozen yogurt?

     So I think I have discovered a secret for getting through the side effects of the Tecfidera, especially at night when the side effects seem to be worse.  Since I am also diabetic, I can't eat traditional ice cream, or else that's probably what I would try instead...who wouldn't?  But since there is not much to be said for the sugar free ice creams on the market, I tried this instead. 

 A couple of years ago, while visiting with a friend of mine, her husband brought me a mug with some Greek yogurt in it asking if I wanted some.  It was vanilla flavored, and they were adding cherries and strawberries.  Simple, and delicious!  Since then I have altered their recipe, so to speak, and this is what I have come up with!  I think it's to die for, and,  if my husband knows I have some,  he comes snooping around in order to sneak some of mine!  Sometimes I will take pity on him and make extra so I can share.

I make this one serving/batch at a time...I don't measure, just eyeball it, so these are approximate measurements.  Figure out what works for you!  Also, I have tried to substitute regular yogurt for the Greek and it just doesn't work or taste the same.

3/4 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/8 -1/4 cup sugar free Cool Whip thawed

2 packets of Splenda    (can adjust to taste for more or less)

1 tsp vanilla

Stir the above together until creamy and smooth. 

Add frozen fruit of your taste about 1 1/2 cups total.  I use:

2-3 Tbs frozen pomegranate seeds

4-5 frozen,  pitted Bing cherries

3/4 - 1 cup no sugar added frozen triple berry mix (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) from Sam's Club.

Mix together immediately, but then let set for a few minutes.  Re-stir, and enjoy!

Be well my friends.

Lets talk 'Tec', aka Tecfidera

     On March 27th, 2013 the FDA approved the latest pill for treating Multiple Sclerosis, Tecfidera.  The first two pills, both out for awhile, have not been well received by patients or doctors, and have limited use.  Most patients and clinics have been waiting for this one, seen to be very promising in trials.  It was released with a much higher rating than previously expected.  According to my personal MD, Tecfidera is better than any of the currently used self injected meds, but not quite as effective as Tysabrie, which is given IV, but has a possible lethal brain disorder as a side effect!

     Before we get into the side effects, here's some interesting trivia I learned when doing my research before taking the drug.  More than 2 million people suffer from MS,  400,000 of them from the USA, and I would swear most of them live in Utah...no kidding, the neighborhood I lived in when I was diagnosed, (two streets about 1/2 mile long with 3 cul-de-sacs) I was the 5th person to have MS.  When we moved 5 years later, there had been 3 more people diagnosed!  
     Dimethyl fumarate, the chemical form of Tecfidera, was used at one time to protect sofas and shoes from mold!  But it was discontinued, even banned in Europe, because of the skin irritation people complained about.  (uh, yeah, more on that later)
     How they determined it would be good to treat MS is beyond me, and the reason it works is not entirely clear, but it's expected to reduce relapses as much as 53%!  (the injectables are 30%)
     Biogen, the company producing Tecfidera, has not released the exact cost of treatment, it's expected to be around $50k a year, but my insurance statement put the cost at a little over $3000 a month. Of course I only have a co-pay, but for those with poor or no insurance, there may be help.  Visit the official drug site http://www.tecfidera.com for information about a $10 copay program.

     Whew!  That's a lot to take in.  But those of us who have been on the shots are so excited, because to be blunt, the shots suck!  I have been on the shot that is taken daily....let me tell you, I was running out of sites, because the golf ball sized nodules that used to go away after 3-4 days now take 2 weeks or more!  And they hurt!  Now Tecfidera, nicknamed 'Tec' in my doctors office, has some serious side effects, but none of them include any deadly possibilities! (that I know of)

     So now for fun stuff.  Actually taking the drug!  I have been on Tecfidera for 10 days.  I am currently on a titration dose over 3 weeks to get to the permanent dose of 240 mg twice a day.  My doctors warned me of some side effects, and the medication insert informed me of the same effects.  The most common side effect is flushing.  About 40% experienced this in trials, so be prepared.....you will likely get flushing.  I, however, would not call this specific side effect simply flushing, but 'The Burn!'  Then came the itching, and a rash.  There was also some GI distress, mostly heart-'Burn', some nausea, and for some, even diarrhea.  I called the first night of treatment Hell!  I did not know how severe some of these effects would be...but take heart, they are easily dealt with, and mostly short lived.

     My first night I did nothing else but take the drug and go to bed,  I woke up 45 min. later on fire!   This was not your typical flushing, nor anything like hot-flashes.  This was like having my head stuck in the microwave on high!  Then I started to itch...my earlobes, the palms of my hands, the bottom of my feet, and scratching did nothing to help.  I broke out in a rash over my chest, and my face was as red as a lobster!   I had a slight burning feeling in my stomach.  I was very concerned I was allergic, but unsure whether I could take Benadryl, I waited them out.  I did take some Tums, ate a little food, and wrapped my neck in a wet, cold towel which all made a big difference. ( I found out you can take Benadryl before or during, to assist with the itching and rash.)   After about 1/2 hour, things started to go away, and I'm not sure how long it took, but everything was totally gone by the time I fell asleep.

     The second night I took 25mg Benadryl, and ate something before I took my dose, but was so scared of the 'Burn' that it took me until 2am to finally take my bedtime meds.  I waited, and waited.....nothing.  No 'Burn', no GI distress, only slight itching on my hands. That was it!

     Night three I felt prepared and confident, I went without the Benadryl, but still ate some food.  This time there was nothing!  Since then, I have had 3 nights of some slight burn, but nothing anywhere near 'The Burn', and a few, not enough to count, episodes of itching.  I am currently taking 120 mg twice a day.  The next increase will be 2 pills at night, and I expect to have some more symptoms, but I will definitely keep you updated as to how it goes.

     Something weird I have noticed was that if I ate something very cold right after taking the drug, the 'flushing' seemed to be mild or non-existent.  Also being diabetic, I can't eat ice cream, but have a homemade experiment I call frozen yogurt, so to speak, that I eat for my night-time snack. I did not have my snack the first night of treatment, and 3 other nights, and those nights are the ones that I had more of a flushing effect!  Something to think about when your trying to deal with side effects.

Anyone with suggestions, information...comments welcome.  Questions...please ask.

Beginning again....

I have started this blog many times now, and just can't seem to be consistent.  But it's time to try again.  New events in my life have forced me to reflect again, and I find the need to share, reach out, and look for a new network of friends, support, as well as re-connect with the old network of friends and support.

I have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, adult onset, or type 2.  I have been dealing with Multiple Sclerosis since 2000.  Along with the M.S. has come Fibromyalgia, chronic pain issues, chronic depression, hormone deficiency... Losses to include job, income, friends, mobility, independence, home, sex life, body, image...need I continue?  Am I bitter...not really, not anymore.   I try to deal with each day as it comes, greeting each morning as a new opportunity to 'turn my life around', start a new project,  get dressed, shower, get out of bed, or sometimes just get to the bathroom by myself.  Every night, regardless of the success or failures of the day I try to find something positive, something I accomplished, however small it may be.

I recently started the new M.S, drug, a pill, (no more nightly shots!) and would like to document how it's been for me....the side effects can be severe...but fleeting, and then return.  I have had to teach myself how to deal and manage my diabetes, regardless of being a nurse.  I didn't treat anything chronic.  I dealt with the acute, trauma, not one patient for more than 12 hours, except for the "frequent flyers".  I have been out of nursing school for over 25 years, I don't remember those dietary care plans.  Help was hard to come by for me, I can't imagine the new diabetic in my shoes without the medical background.

I am trying to start my own small business selling the jewelry I create, and hopefully do some long-arm quilting as well.  Lofty goals, considering, but I can't just continue to sit and stare the rest of my life.  I love all things crafty, and have done just about everything a little.  I had to settle on just a few crafts to continue and let the rest be things I used to do.  Just about a year ago we moved into the first rental we've lived in for over 20 years.  I thought this would be so temporary that I have been living out of some boxes, living among a lot of boxes, not really unpacking, and still not able to find most things I go looking for.  I still have at least one box of clothes, all my dresses and skirts, that I have been unable to find.  Although I swear I have been into every box at least 3 times.

I love to share/exchange craft projects, decorating ideas, recipes, information, knowledge.  Stories of children, grand-children, pets, husbands, and families.  Good, bad or nightmares. I would like to invite you to come along for the ride, encourage your comments, welcome your help.

Please explore this journey with me, and be patient...after all I am beginning again!

Spoiler Alert:  tomorrow I will begin to chronicle my events with the new M.S. drug, Tckfidera, and it's wonderful (ha) side effects.  I'm not sure, but I think I'm on to something.......

New Year

Well, here it is, another year has gone by.  In the past I was known to set a few resolutions, mostly in my head, and usually concerning weight or my love life.  I never was very successful with those resolutions, sometimes I would get lucky and one would turn out OK, but for the most part my resolutions never amounted to much.  
Then for several years, more like decades, I have not bothered too much with them.
This year I figured out that maybe if I wrote down my resolutions they just might work better....I seem to remember being told in my younger days...'A wish unwritten is only a dream'.
So,
I wish to have a schedule that I can adhere to...for the most part.  When I feel like it.  As long as it doesn't interfere with my nap time.
I wish to increase my jewelry business. Maybe go to a bead-fest.  Go to a beading seminar.  Go out to lunch with other designers.  Buy more beads.
I wish to take better care of myself to manage my multiple sclerosis, not have it manage me.  I need to spend more time in the pool. Spend more time at the spa.  I need a pool.  I need a nap.
I wish to spend more time with my family.  Eat dinner as a family.  As long as they don't chew with their mouth's open. Or sit on my cats.  Especially if they don't spill food or drink on my bed.

Surely I jest.  That's half the fun!  It is said there is truth in joking, and there is truth behind my humor as well.  I really wish to accomplish many of the above sentiments.  And I hope that you will follow along in my journey as I face a challenging year with many changes to come.  Many hopes, wishes and dreams to come.

Be well my friends
  

Farewell, my friend

It has taken me awhile to be able to write this post, and I would rather not do it.  But I owe it to my best friend to dedicate a farewell to him.

Smokie  passed away on November 17, 2011.  I knew it was coming, he had been sick for awhile.  Still, I was not really prepared for him to go this specific day.  Smokie is a cat I rescued during one of the big pet adoptions in 1996.  He was in a cage with a big orange sign that said "senior citizen" on it.  I was drawn to him immediately. When Dennis opened the cage door, Smokie climbed out right onto his shoulder and stayed there.  We kind of chuckled, and when I stepped closer, Smokie transferred to my shoulder without hesitation.  OK, I'm a sucker.  I had been adopted.  I walked with him still on my shoulder to the checkout,  filled out the forms, and took him home.  All the volunteers were so excited that 'grandpa' had been adopted, and would be in a loving home for his 'final years'.  He was 6 years old, but had been living in a kennel for the last year waiting to be adopted. I think the 'senior' sign may have saved him for me.
Smokie was only the second cat I had adopted, and the first full grown.  My first cat, Kitty Kitty was adopted as a kitten, was 2 years old.  I didn't know how they would get along, so I put Smokie in my bedroom with food and a litter box and closed the door.  I checked on him frequently, mostly because every time I opened the door, he would be sitting on the corner of my bed as if waiting patiently for me to come back.  He would greet me with a grunt while throwing his chin up in the air.  We all thought this was so funny we would stand in the hallway and repeatedly open and close the door just to get a response.  Smokie didn't disappoint, every time that door opened he would grunt.  We learned that this was his usual method of communication.  He would meow, but that was a raspy combination of a grunt and a squawk.  Later, when his asthma set in, this raspy meow would literally sound more like a dog bark!

It didn't take long for Smokie to become my shadow.  He would follow me throughout the house, sit with me, sleep next to my head, wake me in the morning for my meds (which coincided with his morning meal), and greet me at the door when I returned home.   The adoption volunteers gave us the idea that he would not live for vary long, since he was 'old ya know'.  We had a hard time believing he was 'old' since he pulled off some pretty amazing feats.  He jumped out of a second story window (twice),  climbed onto everyone, and anything, but most endearing was when he felt the dog (Hunter was 100# lab) was giving me a hard time, he would literally beat up the dog.  He didn't leave scratch marks, or hurt Hunter, but he would run up and pummel him with his paws enough to make Hunter cower in the corner!  Hunter would never look directly at Smokie.  In fact, when he entered the room, Hunter would obviously look the other way, but only with his eyes.  At times, this was very comical!  The cats would frequently seek out warm spots in the house to sleep, only to find the next day someone else had stolen their spot.  No one ever tried to steal Smokie's place next to my head, or the seat next to me.  It's as if they knew what he was capable of if they got caught!
Smokie was with us for 15 years.  He was 21 years when he had to be put to sleep.  His little body had lost several pounds, his kidneys had given up, and you could just tell it was time.  Yet I knew he didn't want to go. I just knew he would stay by my side as long as his body would hold out, and never regret any day he could spend with me, no matter how miserable he might have been.  During that last ride to the vet he clung to me so tight, as if somehow knowing.  Of course I cried the whole time.

Now his spots are empty most of the time.  My other cats are slowly starting to sit next to me for short periods of time, but no one tries the space on my bed next to my pillow, and I think it probably will remain that way.  His spot in my heart, however, will never be empty, as he will always be with me there.

I can't help myself, it must be the season!  There are so many giveaways and I am determined to at least try and win something,  Although, winning things is not my kind of luck.  As they say, if I didn't have bad luck, I would have no luck at all!

Lori  Anderson of Pretty Things has two books she  is reviewing, and giving away.  Check out her blog:
http://www.prettythingsblog.com/


I'm sure one of you will win just because I'm not usually blessed to win by the 'luck'-precauns!

Good luck to you!
Pamela

Another Giveaway!

Marla James, of Marlas Mud, and Bisque Bead Supply has paired up with Barbara Lewis of Painting with Fire to combine enamel and her bisque beads for some fabulous results!
Visit her blog for a great giveaway!
http://marlasmudmoments.blogspot.com/

Vintaj Giveaway!

 I want to win the @vintajco & @beadaholique.com Crystal Copper Giveaway! #ilovevintaj


Go to their blog http://vintaj.com/wpblog/ for all the details!

Good luck!

October is one of my favorite months. It is also the month I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis ,11 years ago.... 
Fall is my favorite time of the year, but, I have been falling down a lot lately... weak... double  vision...?another relapse.....
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I love seeing the little kids dressed up in costume, so excited, haunted houses, scary movies.... 
Relapses don't usually scare me, I've had far too many for that.  So when my doctor and I decided it was a relapse,  I knew the next step would be a two day course of steroids.  YUK!!!!
I had the infusions 10 days ago, and all went as usual until a week ago when I had one of my famous 'steroid flashes' (similar to a hot flash, but 10 times worse!) along with some dizziness, nausea,.... the inability to stand on my own...
Now I was scared.

Today I am up, and starting to walk a little.  I can get to the bathroom by myself, (I can't believe I said that) and, as I gain more strength, I can sit up in bed to work on a simple project. So,  my daughter and I decided to re-organize the craft boxes full of beads by re-stringing them so they can hang on pegs.  As we watched movies and gorged on Halloween candy one thought of clarity came to me: once my shop opens, I want to make some jewelry designs to be sold specifically with the profits going to the M.S. society.  Maybe someday we can benefit from research, or get the word out about M.S. like it is for breast cancer.  It would be great if more people really knew what it's like to live with M.S.  I am going to do my best to share my experiences with M.S. as well as my jewelry, and I hope to have enough followers to make a difference!

There is a HUGE event going on with some terrific designers this weekend, lots of generous giveaways etc...

1. http://orrtec.blogspot.com/2011/10/550-giveaway-and-huge-handmade-sale-
2. you.htmlhttp://starryroadstudio.blogspot.com/
3. http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/
4.http://marlasmudmoments.blogspot.com/
5.http://suebeads.blogspot.com
6.http://skyejewels.blogspot.com/2011/10/early-bird-designer-sale-and-giveaway.html
7.http://stacilouise.blogspot.com
8.http://marshanealstudio.blogspot.com
9.http://lisa-petersart.blogspot.com/
10.http://firedupladies.blogspot.com

make sure you get to all the sites!

Who is Not Pam?

When I was born, my parents didn't give me a middle name. On purpose. So whenever I got into trouble as a kid, I would hear "PAMELA" shouted in my direction. When my full name was called off the roster at the beginning of the school year I would yell 'PAM'! I didn't really have a problem with people calling me Pam, or at least I really didn't notice.

When I was 26, divorced, and a single parent I decided I needed a new identity to go along with my new job in a new city. I decided to go by my full name, Pamela. Now I wished I had a middle name. Desperately. Do you know how many people automatically shorten your name? Lots more will use the short version even though you introduced yourself with the long version! Lets just say I was always correcting people that my name was Pamela, not Pam.

Shortly after my move, I purchased a new car. I have always wanted personalized license plates, but after looking through the listing of taken plate names, I was discouraged. I ran through several stupid options like 'pamisme', or 'impam', until I corrected yet another person that my name is Pamela, not Pam. Well, it stuck, and the license division approved it too....Not Pam has been my license plate for the last 20 years. Then it became my email, my nickname, a joke....

Now I'm not as neurotic about what you call me. I do prefer Pamela, but if you call me Pam you won't get the lecture. Or the look.

I recently received an e-mail from a clothing company I frequently purchase from. The title of this e-mail touted the 'perfect fitting dress'. Not only was this dress obviously not the perfect fit for me, it was ugly and low-cut. A few days later another company sent me an e-mail about 'the best fitting jeans'. I knew enough to not bother even looking. Nor do I even consider anything rated 'one size fits all'. Over the weekend I was admitted to the hospital for a procedure. In my past life as an RN, I constantly joked that the gowns are "one size fits nobody". I guess I did that to get a laugh from nervous patients. Now forced to be a patient myself I realize my corny joke was the truth. But before I had to walk down the hallway with back end hanging out, the staff produced a gown that not only fit, but was comfortably big.

At least the hosptials have caught on to the 'one size' dilemma. Maybe one of these days the clothing companies will get on the band wagon. Plus size women need to wear clothes, and we want to look hip and chic in the latest styles. A lot of us don't find the mumu's flattering, and they don't fit well either!

I just want to know who this 'one size', 'perfect fit' person is, and see her closet, because it must be jammed full of clothes.

All My Favorites

Today, I lost my favorite best friend. Not my human best friend, but my 4 legged best friend. Of course I have 5 other best friends that all rank number one as well. Almost every day I tell all my kitties they are my number one best friend. They give me so much on a daily basis, I figure why not flatter them and boost their ego's.


My first cat , Princess Peekaboo, aka Kitty Kitty, was a kitten rescued from the side of the road where her siblings had all been hit by cars. She was only about 4 weeks old and could not be adopted for 2 weeks yet. It just so happened I was in the pet store when she was brought in by the lady who rescued her. It must have been fate. I had to take her home! I left my name with the adoption agency to call when she was ready to come home. When they called, there were 2 other people waiting to see if I was going to show, so they could have a chance at adopting her. Boy am I glad I was by the phone that day!

She was very shy, to the point of paranoia. She was primarily Siamese. We used to call her the invisible cat. She knew if someone was coming up the walk and would growl long before the doorbell rang, and when it did, she was already running as low to the ground as possible across the floor trying to be invisible while she got away.

As she got older she developed this 'addition' to her abdomen that could only be described as two boobs. They were kind of loose, and when she stood, they hung down and kind of jiggled. However when she would run, or in her case, trot , they would swing from side to side. This was a most hilarious event to witness. Of course she would be very affronted by our raucous laughter, which would only make her run faster, and us laugh even harder. In her early years she could move with lightening speed. Probably so my sister couldn't catch her!


She was an excellent mouser. Often we would find half eaten mice in the house, always the back half, and twice had to take away a live mouse from her! Dennis likes to give the cats nicknames. Skidmark, Sushi..Kitty Kitty earned the nickname Snakebite. She would snap at your hand if you were playing too much, tickling her, or in the case of my sister Teresa, all she had to do was pet Kitty Kitty to get the 'snakebite'. Despite the nickname, she never really bit anyone, she just made sure you felt her teeth on your hand, but Teresa would sometimes get as far as a pinch.

As shy as she was around others, she was twice as affectionate to the family. Often I would wake in the middle of the night to find her cuddled up next to me. She always knew when I was upset about something, and was the first to come sit in my lap in an attempt to give some comfort. As our cat family grew over the years, she never hesitated to greet the newcomer with a hiss ,a growl, and sometimes a slap on the head, enough to establish who the real boss was, and that would be that, they were friends.

Her favorite season was Christmas, so she could climb the tree and slap the ornaments until they went smashing to the floor. It only took us one year to learn you don't put glass ornaments on the tree, or place the tree near a tile floor! She developed a real talent for gaining weight, and eventually her tree climbing days were over. After that, you could find her under the tree on the velvet skirt, leaving cat hair everywhere. speaking of leaving cat hair behind, she was the best. You would find her in the sock basket, on the laundry, in the laundry, in the closet on the shelves, and even the dinning room cushions.
She loved to mooch kitty treats from you, but was very patient to wait her turn when it came to handouts from the table, especially salmon and chicken.

One of my favorite things was to get all five kitties on the bed at once. That was the ultimate for me. I have a picture of Dennis asleep with all five cats also on the bed. This is my family picture I have posted on Face book!

She was very smart. When I was working from home, she would visit me at my desk and walk back and forth in front of the monitor. I managed to teach her to not step on my keyboard keys, but couldn't quite get her to stop at one pass in front of the monitor. If she wanted attention, she got it. She didn't earn the title 'Princess' for nothing.


One last story: We bought one of those cardboard scratchers one day, and set it out when we got home. Later we went out again. When we returned, the kitchen floor was covered in catnip! I had accidentally left my supply of catnip on the kitchen table. Dennis was convinced it was Smokie who had gotten into and scattered the catnip. I maintained it was Kitty Kitty. Neither cat was to be found. While we were cleaning up, Kitty Kitty casually walked past the kitchen literally covered in catnip, as if she had been in the sandwich sized bag with it. Mystery solved.


Although I have been richly blessed to have this princess in my life, there is a large hole in my heart tonight not having her here next to me. My other cats know there is something, or someone amiss, and are trying very hard to fill in and help dry my tears.


Of course they will succeed. You see, they are all my favorites.

Animal House? Funny Farm?

I am an animal lover. "Nuff said" according to my next door neighbor. We live in a very rural suburb of Salt Lake. There is farm property around us, and a small peacock family across the street. I admit I own 5 cats, probably soon to be 6, and I am fostering 2 kittens we found someone in the act of dumping in the street in front of our house last week. (They got away before we could get license plate numbers) I think it's posted somewhere on my face. The other day while buying local cherries, a guy walked up to me and asked if I would be interested in a kitten because he is allergic. I ran screaming in the other direction throwing the cherries I just purchased, as he checked to see if he had B.O., or maybe spinach between his teeth!

My cats are like the children I never got to have. Today they were acting like just that, children. Piper is the 3 month old that we have been fostering that will likely become a permanent part of our family. I have had her since she was 3 weeks old and required bottle feeding. She is very active and loves to play with the 2 kitten twins that are probably 5 weeks old, especially since the youngest of my other cats is about 7 years, and they don't play like kittens play anymore. Piper discovered she could slide on the floor mat by running and jumping onto it in front of the shower, and riding it to the end of the wall. She did this at least 3 times. After that, they played 'climb onto the furniture and jump off '...onto each other, the bed, the window,...me. Then there is the books and magazines sitting in a small pile at the side of my bed. I know I stacked them too many times to count, only to have them immediately explode all over the floor as one of the three took turns running out from under the bed right onto the pile! On purpose! Not to mention the 'cat fights' resulting in someone squealing one minute, only to be the bully the next.

Something set off Hunter, our lab/husky, because he just would not shut up today. He started whining, so I let him go out. Then he was barking, so I let him come back in. After the whining again he went out for the rest of the day. I am very self conscious about the dog barking too much, so in between stacking books I would go yell at the dog to shut up. It's wasn't like there were other cats in the yard, the neighbor wasn't moving his camp trailer too close , and the peacocks were not eating his food either! (they love dog food). He had plenty of food, and water (if not, he will tell us) The yard isn't scheduled to be sprayed for weeds until tomorrow. After being sprayed every month, it takes him about a week to go back onto the grass, let alone into the backyard. I have never before seen a dog lift his leg on his own leash, or stand on one of the big rocks to do his business!

Tonight, I was trying to do some computer work. Smokie it the only male cat in the house. He is my bodyguard. He will go after, and swat Hunter, (100lb's) who then cowers. Smokie decided he needed cuddle time, right on my laptop, right now. When that didn't work, he decided he needed my shoulder. This cat will ride around on your shoulder, but only the left one. If he gets on the right, he will move one paw at a time to the left. We call that a Smokie hug. But when your sitting down with a computer in your lap, all you get is a mouth full of fur! So I moved outside to my favorite double chaise lounge that Dennis built for me, (take that Pottery Barn!), nestled under the trees. I was engrossed in a quilting book, listening to music off the laptop, when all of a sudden I got blasted by a blaring honk, about the speed of a semi-truck directly in front of me! I don't climb trees, but I needed a ladder to get out of this one!

You see, Dennis not only nick-names them (Pierre, Pedro), he encourages the peacocks to eat Hunter's dog food. They actually stick their tiny pea-brained head with the 80's style "ponytail on top ", into the dog house and eat out of his dish. You may not know, but peacocks are noisy, especially during mating season, (going on for the last 3 months). They honk, yell like cats, scream like two year old's, worse than teenage girls ...noisy. If you drop something, like a board, they scream. When our car alarm got set off earlier tonight, they yelled the whole time it honked, and stopped almost the instant the alarm did. Unfortunately, now that mating season is winding down, they are starting to molt. So the beautiful long feathers they 'show' are thinning and falling out.

So while I was relaxing in the cool evening, apparently I was in his way. He got less than six feet in front of me without my noticing, and let loose! They are semi tame, and will approach, especially if food is at stake. I climbed out of the tree, and went inside to change my pants. How in the world did they know I startle easily and strongly! Someone had to tip them off! I went in ranting to Dennis about his friend Pierre or Pedro or whoever it was this week, and sent him out to put away the lounge cushions for the night. He came back inside with a hand full of the long tail feathers in his hand and said he got revenge! Now the animal lover in me was worried. Did he pull them out of the peacock by force, did he chase him down and give him a noogie? No, Dennis just went out the door and called "hey Pierre, where are you?", knowing he was likely in the doghouse (literally). The peacock startled so bad, he flustered, and did something we rarely see peacocks do...fly. They only get about 6 feet off the ground, only as high as it takes, but in his fluster to move, fly, and get away to go home and change his pants, he left behind a dozen or so feathers!

I haven't stopped laughing since.

So is it animal house, funny farm, animal farm (no that's about communism).... I'm not sure but it is wild, wacky, and a bunch of laughs.

And I love to laugh.
Nuff said.

I'm very neurotic about keeping my kitchen clean, especially with all my cats. My husband's idea of doing the dishes is to wash off his plate in water (hot or cold), dry it off, and put it back in the cabinet. He never goes near the dishwasher, not to put dishes in, rarely to get dishes out. I tease him about not knowing what or where the dishwasher is. Yesterday, he announced he had cleaned the kitchen for me. He was trying to help because I've had a bad last couple of days. When I walked into the kitchen, there were some dishes in the dishwasher, some left out. I proceeded to lavish praise over this deed to show my graditude, and decided to include some education: "your supposed to wipe off all of the kitchen counter", "this can go in the dishwasher, but this can't ", "did you forget to put this in the dishwasher?" , "the sink looks good, but you have to clean this off too". If he was willing to try, shouldn't he do it right? That way I don't have to come back later and do it all over again. He endured this with a smile, and returned to his TV. I shook my head at the floor where I discovered all the counter crumbs.

After thinking about this, I realize he is smart. Very smart. He knows what he is doing, where the dishes go, what doesn't go in the dishwasher,and how to clean the sink, for the most part. If he plays dumb, he gets out of the work, most all the time. It's not about getting out of the work, it's about avoiding the 'education comments'. But every once in awhile, he is willing to forgo the 'lecture' just to be of some help.

I am a very lucky woman.