An unexpected outing...

On Monday, DH ended up taking Eduardo the cat, and I out for a short drive later in the morning...it all started like this...
DH reported that the cat had not eaten the dry food that he had put out for him early that morning; Eduardo had ignored the food and just stayed curled up on the chair on the veranda. Now this is the cat who starts up his cacophony of piteous meowing as soon as he hears footsteps in the morning.
I checked him and he was quite listless. I checked for ticks and then for any wounds etc from a possible catfight early in the morning. I didn't find anything.

The next step was the 'chicken test'. I got some uncooked chicken from the freezer and shaved off some pieces...let them thaw and then offered them to him. He wasn't interested, so I knew something was wrong. You know the old saying about 'walking across hot coals'? Well Eddie would certainly do that for raw chopped up chicken! lol   So I rang the vet and organised an appointment at 11 am.
(Now through all of this, DH thought I was overreacting and that the cat had just had a 'hard night' and would be perfectly fine but because he loves me 'he went along with how things were going').

So the cat carrier was brought upstairs by DH, taken out of its covering bag, dusted and a towel put on the base. Unlike other cats I've had, Eduardo did not sneak away when he saw the carrier, lol. So that's how I had my outing...DH drove us to the next suburb to the veterinarian practice that I have been taking my pets to for years, although the original owners have sold up and retired for quite a while now...

We had to wait about 10 minutes, so Eduardo 'sang' in his carrier...

That's bags of expensive dry food for dogs in that unit in the waiting room...

The vet checked him over very thoroughly; also taking blood and urine samples and checking his temperature. I noted that the vet looked between the cat's toes, looking for ticks there too...I didn't realise that ticks could be there as well as the more obvious places! The vet could find no ticks and no cat bites or scratches that had been infected. Eddie's kidneys were fine but two sore spots were found on Eduardo's back. Shane, the vet, decided to treat Ed with an anti-inflammatory drug and gave the cat a dose straight away.

While DH put eduardo in the car, I just had to take a photo of the bougainvillea growing over the fence of the front carpark at the vets..

Within an hour of getting home Eduardo was back to normal, walking around, eating etc. Phew! And that evening I took this photo of him looking rather smug sitting on the sofa...on the rug I made years ago especially for DH...Eduardo thinks the rug is his! lol

Birthday celebration...

Last week  DH's DD3 turned 25, but she has been working nights until yesterday, when we could have our family get together to celebrate. The girls had no idea that we had had the building work done so that was a big surprise for them! We used some of the furniture stored downstairs (folding chairs and trestle tables that we've used for parties for many years) and set up on the new veranda. No cramped conditions this time and it was a lovely balmy spring evening.

Cake cutting time

We had a cold buffet but DH also cooked some 'fancy' sausages. In years gone by I would refuse offers of help from guest offering to bring food, and do all the catering myself. Not any more! When the offers came I was ready with suggestions. So my SIL brought a big garden salad and a cousin brought the 'nibblies' for the beginning of the evening. DH's DD2 made the birthday cake and brought that along too. The chocolate cake was lovely and moist and DD2 waited until we had all eaten a slice and thoroughly enjoyed it...then told us it had beetroot in. I'd heard of using beetroot in cakes but had never sampled it...it makes the cake so moist so I might just get the recipe from her!

Birthday girl with her dad and Jimmy

Cousin Pamela with Jimmy

Jane with Jimmy

Nikki was meant to be the guest of honour as it was her birthday but her position was usurped by little Jimmy Hans, my DD2's new puppy. Our dog passed away at the end of Easter 2010, so DH and I were entranced by this little man...but so was everyone else. He is only 9 weeks old and took all the cuddling (and a few kisses) in his stride. He is a jack russell , miniature pinscher cross and he's gorgeous!

The cat's birthday...

By 2004, DH and I had quite a menagerie; all animals that needed a home for various reasons. We had Ozzie, the dog and the cats, Merlin, Paolina (Lina) and Eduardo. Now we have just Eduardo or Eduardo Phillipe to give him his full name. Today is Eddie's 10th birthday...so what is his story?

In 2001, DD2 and I were living in a little rented house. In September 2000 I had searched for a rental property that would allow us to have pets. We'd been forced to leave our 2 tabbies behind and I had hoped to reclaim them when we found suitable accomodation. 'Nice' places usually don't allow pets so we ended up renting a more rundown property which was freshly painted inside and had excellent security...so not so bad after all. Then DD2's father decided not to let us take the cats. We missed not having a pet!
In September 2001, at a suggestion from a workmate, I 'adopted' a mature cat called Angus from the 'Paddington Cat Practice'...in other words a rescue cat. He settled in well but then a few days before Christmas that year, I found him dying under the mango tree in the backyard. I bundled him up and raced to the vet but he died in the car. The vet suspected poisoning which is a terrible thought.

In late January 2002, DD1 rang to say that she had seen a cat who looked like a beloved cat we used to own, Holly who was tortoiseshell and white. It was in a nearby pet shop. DD2 and I went to meet DD1 at the shop and have a look at the kitten. I would have bought her in a flash but this kitten was for DD2 to replace Angus and she didn't want the little female.

DD1, aged 2, with our beloved Holly

She said she didn't want a cat but if she did, she wanted ...'the ugly one'! We went and did some grocery shopping and then went back to buy the 'ugly one'. (he wasn't and isn't ugly!!!) At the time DD2 was going out with a Colombian boy and was in what I call her 'Spanish phase' so that's how he ended up with the name, Eduardo Phillipe.

Late 2002 we all moved into where I live now as we were housesitting while the future DH completed a 3 month tour of duty in PNG with Ausaid. Then in September 2003, DD2 married and moved into accomodation where pets were not allowed. So DH and I have cared for him and now he's the only one. He's a very vocal cat...quite a strident meeow in fact! I love the way he 'chats' to me and also the way he runs to meet the car when it pulls up. Happy birthday Eddie, we hope you have lots more. (recently Eddie needed vet treatment; the vet described him as elderly...no way!)

When DH is away, Eddie can be naughty; here he jumped up on the table to get a scratch behind the ears .

On my mind...a bit of sadness but it will pass...

Last night my cat Lina died peacefully at the vet’s. It was a tough decision but one that had to be made...she was near death and there was no chance she could get better. I am so fortunate to have the loveliest vet; Cecelia is a wonderful and caring person.

1998: Lina in front, Finbar behind, lolling on the dining room chairs

Paolina Melody Coulthard was born sometime in late 1997. Early in 1998 a dear little black cat which I had named Moses got run over and killed on the street outside our house. We missed not having a cat so eventually towards the middle of the year, as a family, we decided to look for another cat. A vet practice at Eaton’s Hill advertised some rescued kittens and one was a male, so we set off to see if we could buy him. We were shown the cage where he was. There were 2 kittens in the cage and the smaller one was licking the male’s ears and head. We were told that it was a female and both had been rescued together. I felt I couldn’t separate them as there was obviously a bond...so impetuously I said, ‘I’ll take both’!  My husband at the time and one daughter were very cross with me...but my other daughter was my ally. Might I add here that I was the breadwinner, my husband didn’t work but I have to admit that my job was only as a relief teacher but I felt it was something I had to do i.e. rescue both!

My daughters named her.  The male, I named Finbar Ambrose and he was the loveliest gentlest cat imaginable. It became obvious that Lina was not a cuddly cat but we accepted that...you didn’t pick her up but you could pat her and tickle her ears and she would respond with the loudest purr! Lina was also a good ‘smooger’, especially around our legs or our hands. She was also a bit of a ‘guts’; we nicknamed her, ’Lina the Cleaner’ as she would lick out all the food bowls. Despite our best efforts she grew rather rotund.

Taken in 2009; she still liked to let the 'arms' hang down!

Due to the marriage breakdown, Lina, Finbar and I were parted for 4 years. Finbar went missing in the 3^rd of those years, never to be found. During the ‘settlement’ I regained custody of Lina and she came to live with us. She loved our garden as it was bigger that that at our former home. She loved the cane lounge on the side veranda, covering it with her cat fur, she loved her food and she loved to run to me, when I was hanging washing on the line, for a smooge or she would sit beside me on the bench seat enjoying the winter sun. When I was working, she and Eduardo would run down to the front garden to greet me when I got home from work.

Lina’s health started to suffer this year...problems with the kidneys have been identified. While we were away she lost a lot of weight...she regained a little when we came home but sadly started  ‘going backwards’ in the last fortnight. She had a ‘mass’ in her abdomen...sadly she was too weak to even consider intervention...I said my good-byes, Cecelia pushed in the needle attached to the canula, ‘Leenie’ put her head on her paws and then her heart stopped....I stroked her fur and gave her one last kiss.

Vale, Lina

A busy Wednesday...

Yesterday was a busy day for both DH and I. I've mentioned before that DH is working on the coming Australian Census. A Census of the population is done very 5 years and there are a number of part-time positions which become available before, during and after Census night. DH is an Area Supervisor and is 'in charge' of recruiting, training and supervising 8 Census Collectors and 1 reserve Collector. Yesterday was Training day for the Collectors and DH chose me as the caterer for this event...lol

Tuesday night's baking; slice and 18 mini quiches

I started this role on Tuesday with shopping for supplies and some baking after dinner. On Wednesday morning I made a mountain of sandwiches, a fruit platter as well as arranging morning and afternoon tea drinks and food. Because DH left well before I needed to load the car up, I had to make a number of trips from kitchen to car but at the other end (a local public library conference room) I had willing helpers to assist with unloading the car.

All wrapped up ready to go!

Having delivered lunch and afternoon tea, I then headed off to another library where my craft group, 'Sisters of Stitch' meet every second Wednesday. I had toyed with not going to the group as I was quite tired but am so glad I did go! Judi, the organiser of SOS, showed us some quilts which the Samford Quilters' group had donated to Project Linus. I think there was a total of 11 children's quilts in this large nondescript 'hong kong bag'! What inspiration for me to get on and finish my raggy quilt for Project Linus. At SOS yesterday, I continued with the knitted throw that I'm making for K4BN; it's about half finished.

The latest update on Eduardo's progress...the abscess 'burst' late yesterday afternoon (yes yuck!) and being a typical cat, he spent most of the evening rubbing it with his paw. The wound looked much cleaner this morning though. The vet rang this morning to see how he was and I filled her in, saying that the swelling is completely gone. She recommended that I encourage him to eat by offering chopped up fresh chicken; I actually had been doing that but now it's like a prescription!!! lol

Best laid plans...

Yesterday I had planned to have a lazy day after my hectic weekend. Following my Saturday spent in reminiscing with people who had shared those high school years with me, on Sunday the memories continued with DH and I attending a surprise 60th birthday lunch for a friend who started school with me way back in 1957.

That's me in the red cardi and black polo-neck; the regal look is actually caused by my back aching while we posed for photo after photo! lol

Jane's surprise party



A colourful DH at the surprise party



A few tears from the Birthday Girl!

On Sunday evening one of our cats, Eduardo, was listless and didn't want dinner. This is the cat who
mee-ows pitifully from 4pm onwards wanting to be fed...so I knew something was wrong. I checked him over for ticks but found a scabby area on his 'face' and I then noticed a pretty strong odour...similar to the smell when children have an ear infection, only worse! Eddie had an abcess, probably from a cat fight!
I sent DH downstairs to get out the cat carrier from under the house, ready for a trip to the vet next morning. I also went down and got out the old pet basket and made up a bed for him in the lounge room. I checked him a few times during the night just as if he was a sick child. Eduardo is actually my daughter's cat but he's lived with DH and I for 8 1/2  of his 10 years, as she has lived in unit blocks and other rentals where pets are not allowed. Therefore when he disappeared once for 2 days and when he's had to go to the vet it's always been at the back of my mind that he's her cat and the thought of having to tell her bad news...is awful!

Eddie with his swollen face, settling down  in the basket

But it wasn't bad news this time either. We had a quite early appointment at 9.20am. It took an hour because the vet wanted to do some blood tests which would make it easier for her to prescribe certain medications. It was an abcess, quite a nasty one and if Eduardo's kidneys were functioning well he'd be able to have some anti inflamatories for the pain, along with a large injection of antibiotics. He was also tested for Feline AIDS as this disease can be transmitted via bites...The little man has good kidney function and he tested negative for AIDS. He behaved so well and by the time we were leaving he was quite sleepy.

Today Eduardo continued to improve. The swelling is still there but the smell has gone, so the antibiotics are clearing up the infection.

Still a little swollen and with a shaved patch, the patient early this morning

Some dogs of Huntington Beach...

In the last week of our holiday in the USA we stayed most of the time with Bruce’s cousin Adrienne at Huntington Beach.

The cousins

Adrienne and Cindy have a beautiful home which they share with golden retriever dogs. Not just any dogs...these are all rescued dogs.

Maddie, Cali and Casey being supervised by Cindy while Felix has his massage

Maddy loves to roll around on her back

Darling Felix who appeared to be at 'death's door' until the massages gave him back some energy

This is Casey (I think; she and Cali are very similar) with one of her toys

They live in the lap of luxury when they get rescued by this pair! Dog beds and blankets spread around the rooms of the house, walkies around the lovely neighbourhood, big dinner bowls, agility classes and even some special massage sessions for lovely elderly Felix who is 15! Felix was rescued at 13 and really was in a bad way. Adrienne said that they thought it was a matter of keeping him comfortable but that he was nearing death. The massages are done by a lady called Bettina and Felix has responded so well; he has lots more energy. I watched a massage session and it reminded me of Bowen treatments.

Bettina at work on Felix

What mess/ I didn't do anything...!

Maddy on one of the doggie blankets.

As well as Felix, there is Cali (short for California Dreaming), Casey and the baby, Maddie. DH and I loved the opportunity to cuddle and pat these beautiful dogs. Our dog Ozzie had died just over a year ago and we still miss her. When we were leaving Huntington Beach, Adrienne said that the dogs would miss us and I guess we’ve missed them too!

Pillowcases, coffee and petfood...

I woke up this morning and decided that the iron is starting to get to the parts of my body which needed it...definitely more energy than yesterday! Took advantage of that and got some loads of washing done and hung outside. I remembered that I had once bought some sheeting which had a line of holes in one spot...well I did buy it at a clearance house! Anyway I found it in the first cupboard I looked in so it got washed as well. I've decided to make some pillowcases out of this fabric. Pillowcases, handcream and carry bags were the 3 items that have been requested as being needed by people in Gatton (flood victims) so the group I went to yesterday will be sending these items as we bring them in.

Now years ago I made stacks of pillowcases for school fetes. Someone had donated a roll of soft stripey cotton out of which I cut and sewed p/cases. I even hand embroidered motifs on them! (wonder where I got the time?) Recently, via blogland, I discovered the  'tube pillowcase' and they certainly are nifty but there is just one niggly doubt...there is no flap . I feel the envelope style of p/case holds the pillow in better...it doesn't slip out all the time. Maybe I'll try the tube one any way just to see how it goes.

Now I did say I had more energy today didn't I. I'm also an aficionado of having coffee with friends. Today was coffee at Chermside library with my friend Val. Val and I went to school a number of years ago , but it doesn't seem like that long ago! Val had not been to this library before but she said she'll be going regularly now. I think there are only a few of Brisbane's libraries that have a coffee shop and Chermside has good coffee and yummy food. There was a little old lady there tucking into a hot meal and I imagined her as living on her own and a meal at the library would be a nice outing for her.

Later on in the day, DH and I went shopping because DH had seen in the sales' catalogues that Coles had a special on Whiskas ...$1 per tin. DH likes to have a stockpile of cat food at any time but especially now because early next month we're heading off on holidays for 7 weeks and our lovely neighbour Judy will look after our pets, Eduardo and Lina. Pet food has increased dramatically in price in recent years and even though Lina will eat home-cooked meat/vegetables mixtures, Eddie won't. So we end up giving them both tinned food. DH says I spoil Eddie...and I guess he's right!

Lina (Full name as given by my daughters, Paolina Melody)

Eduardo Felipe ( as named by DD2)

On the right, my wonderful neighbour Judy!

A disaster continues to unfold...

Here in Queensland the flooding continues. Yesterday all Queenslanders were shocked by the sudden severe flooding in Toowoomba. Toowoomba is on the 'range' west of Brisbane. It does not have a large river flowing through it; it has some small creeks. Yesterday without warning, West Creek became a torrent and flooded the central business district. The flooding continued and Murphy's creek also flooded. News footage shows people clinging on to poles, trees etc to stop being washed away; cars being washed away (sometimes with people inside); people standing on the roofs of buildings that are almost submerged...horrible!!! Eight people have been confirmed dead but there are several people still missing.
Today, thunderstorms are predicted and I can hear very distant thunder...A lot of water is being released from one of the dams today so flooding is expected in my city of Brisbane. It is expected to be confined to about 400 properties and will mainly affect properties in a number of low-lying suburbs and those close to the river. I've always envied those people who can afford riverside homes ...not at the moment however! We live on a hill and about 12 kms from the city centre.

Lina who is staying under the house and only coming out for food . This photo was taken a while ago as there is washing on the line drying! lol

All of that happening makes my little drama here seem inconsequential. On Sunday it became obvious that my cat Lina was missing and hadn't eaten her dried food for breakfast and did not come home for dinner. When the rain eased DH took a torch and went looking around the yard and under the house. He found her under the house (at the point where it's closest to the ground) and she miaowed but refused to come out. Next morning she emerged briefly when DH put out the dry food but she ate so little and then went back under the house. I spent yesterday morning trying to work out how I could get her out as I was convinced that she was dying or at the very least very ill. Late afternoon yesterday she emerged again and had a drink of water and more dry food. I was able to check her out and she seemed fine. The rain had stopped though when she came out.Then when I fed my other cat about 6.30 she came out again and wolfed down some food and then went back under the house. I think she is upset with 2 or more weeks of quite heavy rain and that's why she's staying under the house; it's like a refuge for her, she won't come into the house! I'm so relieved she's ok as I really thought she was dying...

PS DH rang me just before asking me to keep the TV on so I can hear latest updates. The job that he is doing is at the Convention Centre which is beside the Brisbane River. The car park is below ground and because of the water being released from Wivenhoe Dam, he is concerned he may have to get the car out. That extra water is expected at 2ish this afternoon. I'm going to wear my new gum boots to the shops this morning as I'm going to Bunnings to buy some pavers to make stepping stones through the mud and fill some prescriptions we're going to run out of in the next few days. What happened in Toowoomba yesterday has frightened the daylights out of me and so a little prep doesn't hurt..