The weekend went by quickly

Here it is, Sunday night already. Did I sleep it away or what? No, I was plenty occupied, the days simply went by so quickly. My previous posting elicited such a great response comment-wise and I sooooooooo greatly appreciate the outpouring of concern and condolences. Just do not make me do that too often in order to get comments! That was enough drama to last me a good while!

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Yesterday, after having Lynx put to sleep, I went on down the road to help Kris in her booth at the St. Margaret's Fair. The Art Guild also had a booth there with sufficient staffing so Kris and I held court on the opposite side of the parking lot. The weather was gorgeous all day, and I kept moving my chair further out of the tent and into the sunlight. On the way to Fleming Island I stopped to get a Route 44 from Sonic plus a plain hot dog since I had not eaten anything that a.m., with all the cat business and such. Kris walked down to get some bbq while I tended the booth. Oh, it smelled so wonderful, the smoker belching out the aroma of pork butt being roasted...mmmm......

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When she came back, I took my turn strolling the grounds, stepped into the new church to use the bathroom and then checked out a booth two down for ours. They had leather purses on display, one of which was motioning to me...purple leather! Sort of patchworky-looking but primarily purple. And one sale at that! She was having a sale, 20% off all purchases so I came away with a lovely purse, for which I was in the market, as Justin would tell you, and saved money in the process. Since I won't be going to Florence any time soon, I had to give in and buy one 'round these parts instead. A purse is a very personal purchase, it has to be just right....being purple does not hurt either!

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After a certain point, I told Kris I had to get going since I still had to clean at church that afternoon. She thanked me for keeping her company, so she didn't have to sit alone or leave her booth unattended for bathroom breaks, etc. It was my pleasure to do so, and I told her this. Kris then commented that she appreciated having me to herself for awhile, instead of having to "share" me with Dee and Julia. Sometimes people surprise me and that comment certainly did. It stinks to be me!

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After vacuum cleaning the church, I was totally kaput so I rested when getting home rather than work on the newsletter as originally planned. What I had not planned on was having to have my cat put to sleep, making all other bets off for the day. After my rest I got busy with a few things, like watching TV or something until it was time to go join the Shelf Sitters on the 2nd floor deck. The ladies were still trying to make a decision on the paint and trim colors for the building, which I politely abstained being involved in. A couple reasons for not wanting to help was #1: I like brighter colors than the ones they were leaning toward, and #2: I have done that so much in my life already, including for our new classroom building at church, that I will just pass this time. It is too big a decision to mess up with, you know?

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Joanne came home later, having already eaten dinner. She asked me if I had made something for supper and I said I had. Somehow or another, I had gotten ready for bed and left all my food out on the counter! I never do that, never make myself dinner and never leave it out! It is rare that I cook something and then to leave it out was simply senile of me. She took care of it so I didn't have to come out, but then came to tell me news which required me to stay seated: her father, an athiest, asked if he could attend church with her today!!! Joanne was right, I did need to sit down for this one! And he did join her for worship this a.m. and to that I can only say, "Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit!"

You have to be careful for what you wish....

......you might get it! My home is now free of pets after I surrendered Lynx to the care of the vet's office this a.m. The doctor could not figure out by physical examination or by going over the symptoms what was wrong with Lynx. She gave me the price for the blood work, $104, plus the cost of x-rays at $120....and then, what, if anything, the tests would show, the treatment would be added to that. I had already spent nearly $100 this week and simply could not justify spending more money. Since the doc could not make a determination for sure, she speculated that it might be liver or kidney trouble, with a long road to healing. I asked the technician what other people do in these cases. She said some folks would spare no expense for their pets, even if they had no chance of recovery or did not really have the money for the "repairs". Some recognized the fact that there just was not a chance for the pet and simply let them go. This was the option I chose. I let Lynx go..........

Saturday morning decision making

Morning came early today, not because of the cat, but because of the sun shining on me in my bed. Not complaining, mind you, only commenting. I found myself awake the first time at 3:45 a.m. when possibly a phone ringing on TV made me think my cell phone was going off. With my son out of town and not in my realm, it would not have been out of the question to get a call from someone in Miami, you know? I checked the phone, which was on my vanity, no calls. As long as I was up, I took care of some other business and went back to sleep. I woke up again right after 6:00 a.m.

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The first thing I thought of was Lynx, wondering if she would still be alive this morning or would she have breathed her last behind my closet door during the night. She poked her nose out, meowed at me, and then laid back down. Lynx is certainly not right! I dumped out the milk I gave her last night which she merely tasted, and put clear water on the saucer, which she also tasted. And then started to spit up again. Nothing!

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I called the vet's office this a.m. and they have an opening at 10:30 a.m. so I am taking her in again. I don't know what will happen, I feel badly for her not wanting to eat or drink anything, like we feel when having the flu. Joanne thinks she has been without food, other than the nibbles of tuna, no more than the size of my thumbnail, in about 5 days. Not right, just not right. She is thinking that since Lynx is so skittish already, going through a medical procedure will only make her moreso. Let's just see what the vet thinks about it and if she will just put her to sleep and out of misery. Like I told Suzanne in a comment on yesterday's posting, it really is all about relationships. I guess I like Lynx more than I thought, just really dislike the muss and fuss of cat boxes, food, and having someone to watch over her when I am gone....

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A wonderful light breeze is moving through the house and I have shut off the A/C for the real thing. I put on the A/C at night for Joanne's comfort; for my comfort, I use the comforter! Justin has already closed the vents in my bathroom and bedroom so when the air is running, it will not have as much effect in my space here. The temps are expected to get close to 90, if not beyond. I am on duty to clean at church plus agreed to help my friend, Kris, at an art fair at St. Margarets. Much will depend upon what happens at the vet, and due to my discipline, I must sign off immediately!

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I will keep you posted on what's happening with Lynx Day!

It's all about relationships!

The comments have been less and less which probably means that no one is truly interested in anything I have to say, or I have been replaced by facebook! Linda M., my sister's classmate from MLHS, asked me in a comment about the status of Lynx--I will tell...

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Lynx is keeping a fairly low profile ever since Joanne and I wrestled her to the ground, wrapped her in a bath towel. Joanne did the holding as I attempted to squeeze the amoxicillin into Lynx's mouth, all the while she is nipping and fighting and choking. I cannot blame her, I would do the same thing! Less than 30 seconds later, Lynx was standing next to my dresser, retching it up again onto my bedroom carpet, in effect, saying "See??? This is all your fault!"

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In the afternoon I got a call from the vet's office about Lynx, and I reported she was about the same but with less spitting up. She ate a little bit of tuna again but has not put any tootsie rolls in the cat box yet. The nice lady suggested that if Lynx does not improve by this afternoon, I should call them back because they are not in all weekend, only a half day on Saturday. I will give her until noon to show some life or I will take her back to the vet. I did manage to rub some more of the Laxatone on her paws yesterday so it is not like she is not getting any medicine into her. But, when she leaped away from me after applying the thick paste to her paws, she left a skid mark on my brand-new top. Immediately I stripped the shirt off and got it into the machine.

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The topic of yesterday's "tour" with the professor in the DVD series, shown at Victory, was about social order. Wow! It was so powerful and half the time I had tears streaking down my face. If you had come up to me and asked me what was allowing me to cry, I would have been hard pressed to answer specifically. The group who did "The Truth Project" are from Focus on the Family, and I can certainly see how they got their name! We took a Biblical walk through what God describes as being marriage, from the creation of man, when God says, "It is not good for man to be alone, I will make a helpmate for him.." to Malachi where God says, "I hate divorce"....I am with Him!

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Professor Taggett goes on to very emotionally describe the value of family in our lives, showing pictures of his own family and his grandchildren. We, in the class, can superimpose our own family's photos into the shot with the same result. It stirs something within us, our families, whether they are in the next room, or in the next country.

The 'tour' also includes 'man on the street' interviews with the same people each episode, where they were asked this time, "What is a family?" Such answers! Such varied answers! Who would have thought this would be a hard question to reply to? One man, covered head to toe in tattoos and obvious piercings described his mother as being a monster, an alcoholic, and had an absent father. "Clash" is father to a child whom he also never gets to see but claims to love to death. History repeats itself and the term "family" does not really apply. Biology, yes. Family, not so much.

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Some of the interviewees mentioned loving people in their group like family where others mention having added to their family when they got married. One interviewee and his wife are now expecting their first baby. He liked having gained a whole another family when he married his wife. Others have same sex partners making up their "family" which is, of course, certainly not in keeping with what the Lord designed. My thoughts immediately went to my family, my blood family, and then to my heart family, as I describe them. Each part is valuable, some not always in "touch-proximity" but never more than a phone call or e-mail away.

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Pastor Hoyer mentioned that this particular episode is about the best he has ever seen regarding the established order the Lord put in place. The professor demonstrated the order or picture of the Trinity, how they are together, yet separate; one, yet three; equal, yet serving each other. He also demonstrated the set up of the church with the Lord as the center and the elders and the members, all serving each other, but with an established order. Hmmm, I hope I expressed that clearly enough. Wish I had drawn the picture that was on the chalk board. Using Titus and Ephesians, the pecking order or established system for who does what in the marriage and the church. "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord...."---how something so lovely became dirty talk by society. "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave His life for her." "For we are all members of one body..."

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If you have a chance, read Malachi 2: 13-17 and you will see what made this a particularly prickly path yesterday. Pastor Hoyer commented afterward that the professor stops short in this lesson, not mentioning the sure and full forgiveness the Lord offers to His people, those who have been divorced. I am fairly certain he said this for my benefit, although I do not feel unforgiven or guilty, but I am probably the only person who was divorced in this class. There is a difference between feeling regret and feeling guilt. Or feeling loss without taking the blame.

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One of the church leaders is in the class and he wondered if Pastor should use this episode in his pre-marital classes. Others felt it could be shown to all the members, I suggested at the St. Valentine's Day time of year or Mother's/Father's Day events. It is not a WELS or other Lutheran DVD series, being more reformed in its nature, so certainly some more thought and discussion are needed. I wonder if our own publishing house has anything that would fit the bill the way this one touched us....I am going to look, that is for sure but we already have the perfect guidebook at our disposal, the Holy Word!

Thursday, Bible study day!

As is my norm, Thursday is my day at attend Bible study at Victory Lutheran. Practicing my newly determined discipline to not go near the computer within an hour of having to be somewhere, I opted to read instead of getting up once waking this morning. Before dressing, I started to read a copy of the report from the LES Team, a comprehensive version of the slide show they presented when at my church in February. Somehow I will find a way to incorporate parts of this report into the church newsletter these next few months. Anyway, back to my discipline: Wednesday I was nearly late getting to Thrasher-Horne to meet Chris because of writing my blog posting----I hate when that happens! Once during Lent I nearly forgot to go to church because of whatever I was doing on the computer. Let us see how this works out, my new discipline, that is!

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When I came out of my room, Joanne was in the kitchen making some coffee, still complaining about her sore throat. She was wondering what had become of me this a.m. because she had not heard a peep from me, and I told her I do not say the words aloud any longer when I read them....I headed toward Victory after stopping for a soda to-go, and called Mom, as usual, for this longer ride. She was surprised I had not gotten her e-mail telling me about the Air Force Band concert as well as the LWMS Rally, so I asked her to send it again. She also wondered why I had not posted anything yesterday in the blog, and I told her that I did---twice! She said, "Well, it wasn't there when I checked!", which naturally means I did not write! We had a chuckle over this, well, at least I did, and I suggested she check more than once a day. She said is too busy to be sitting in front of the computer all day, to which I say, touche! Good answer, Mom! She is busier than me, that is for sure!

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Her e-mail did show up this afternoon, forwarded to me by my sister, Lori, who was the actual recipeint of the message. Both our addresses begin with the word "kim" and Mom sometimes clicks the wrong one! Good thing she did not say anything nasty about Lori in the e-mail intended for me! Plus, Mom sent a comment to one of the postings, so now I know she has caught up!

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Just as Mom accused, I have sat in front of this computer from the moment I returned home, getting one of the newsletters out this afternoon. That leaves the church letter and the one for The Palace. I was unable to attend the Board meeting last night due to choir rehearsal so hope to get a rundown soon on what took place to include in the newsletter. When I got home this late morning, I had the chance to express my sympathies to the family of the man who died. They had busily been packing his belongings, starting already on Tuesday evening, and today, they head back to Miami. Such a sad, tragic situation for all involved, and even those not.

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Home from the vet

Unbelievable!!!! I just spent nearly $100 on this cat!!! Am I upset? Yes!!!

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When I got home after spending time with Chris N. today, Joanne was still here, in her jammies. Jo told me Lynx and she just sat and moaned together all morning. I decided that something had to be done with the cat before it is too late---but how? At Great Hang Ups, Julia offered her mom's cat carrier for taking Lynx in for a check-up but they were going to a funeral today so would not be available for me to stop by and pick it up. Then I remembered my neighbor, Rose, has a small dog and must have to transport it one way or another. Sure enough, I got hold of her hubby and he delivered the carrier right to my door!

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The vet asked me if it was possible Lynx ate something she should not have, like yarn or string. I had wondered about this myself and all I came up with was Easter grass. She thought that grass would probably be too short and would break, so was not likely the problem. The vet took Lynx's temperature, which was slightly elevated, but not enough to be a "sick" problem. Regardless, the vet gave Lynx a shot for nausea and one with an antibiotic, plus a bottle of amox. to go! Can you just see me wrestling the cat to give her a dropperful of the pink stuff? I wonder if it works to pinch her nose shut so she swallows, like we did with Timmy!

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She also recommended giving Lynx some milk or yogurt or ice cream to lick on, in order for her to get some nourishment. I bought a small can of tuna on the way home, when I picked up Tylenol for Joanne, my other sick girlie, and Lynx is actually giving it a try right now. I only hope she will not cough that up on my bedroom carpet later. IF the medicine and other TLC do not do the trick, the vet said our next step would be blood work, x-rays, and probably surgery. I put my hand up and declared, "That will not happen!" and they nodded in assent. I had already told Joanne when I left with Lynx that she should not be surprised if I came back with an empty cat crate....They can just give her a nice shot and put her to sleep, rather than have her undergo surgery on her intestines to unwrap a string or yarn wound around in there. Nope, instead it would be "good night, Lynx!"

I have two sick girlies here....

My mom used to get the occasional phone call from Grandma Sickles, who lived within blocks of our school, when one of us girls would show up at her house, claiming illness. Grandma would get us situated on her studio sofa (now called a day bed), having us take our dresses off so as not to wrinkle them, cover with a blanket, and then place the call to Mom. "I have a sick girlie here...." and her voice would trail off, as Mom tried to guess which one it was today. More often than not it was me, who simply hated math class. I was not smart like my sister, Lori, when it came to many subjects, but smarter in ways that cannot be graded. So, anyway, Grandma would call Mom to report a sick girlie lying on her sofa in her petticoat, waiting for the illness to pass.

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I have two sick girlies here today: Joanne and Lynx. Joanne has complained of a sore throat since Monday, thinking she caught it from Christine, who is also sick. Christine is doing her finals for culinary school this week, managing to get a 98 on Monday although sick as a dog. Or sick as a cat, as Lynx continues with her malady, the medicine not really making much difference. Instead of her usual following me around the house or sitting right here in the room with me, I seek her out, finding her resting on the floor in front of the TV. This is so not Lynx.

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Justin called this a.m. from Miami to check in, and we discussed the sick kittie situation. Apparently he read my blog because he knew about her being plugged up. I told him I felt badly for Lynx but have a real problem considering spending much money on her. Perhaps a simple enima would take care of it, but somehow I would have to get her to vet and back again without a cat carrier. Does anyone have a pet carrier I can borrow? Does anyone want an impacted cat?

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Today my friend, Chris N. was coming over to paint with me but I have also been invited to a lecture at the Thrasher-Horne where Beth and Toni's art show is being featured. Chris is meeting over there as she has not seen their show yet. We are also planning to stop at Great Hang Ups once we are done at Thrasher-Horne for Chris to view that show. Martie is still busy with her grands and daughter-in-law who are visiting from England. The boys are named Logan and Moses---yes, Moses. This officially makes Martie Grandma of Moses!