I posted this in the Kitties Group - but just in case some of my friends don't belong to that group...

On Saturday, I went to Petsmart to meet up with the founder of the rescue and drop off my foster kittens. They had improved *so* much ~ their eyes and weight had improved by leaps and bounds. Fussy stopped hating people, Zero became more outgoing, LiL Brudder became a great little snuggler and Doom Kitteh got FAT. I was sad to see my little ones going, but hopeful that they'd find wonderful homes.

I had a bad day

This was meant to be a happy post, but today, at 3:49pm, Puddin' died in my arms. She was always the smallest, and a week ago I started syringe feeding her primarily as she lost interest in food. Her eye infection came back. The consensus between the vet & the rescue was "Failure to Thrive" - but I didn't give up. Puddin' slept with me Saturday night, as I was worried about her getting cold in the night (as it was her first night without her siblings). When she wasn't curled up in bed with me, or snug in my hoodie, she was with a hot water bottle closeby. It wasn't enough.

I had kept Puddin' with me, not just because her being underweight/not being healthy enough for adoption - I kept her because I wanted her to be my kitty. She was such a love. She snuggled with my dogs, she tolerated me fussing over her. She was awesome.





Heckler stayed online with me during Puddin's last moments (and the time leading up to that) - and I couldn't be more thankful. Pagz waited patiently for the news. Thank you guys so much. And to AsciraHalcyon & Faytal_Kraydel... I don't know how I'd get through this without my closest friends.

Here Comes the Sun

I filed my divorce papers yesterday. I've been working up to it for awhile... and I finally did it. I had to drive right into the core of The City, and that freaked the crap out of me. But I did it. I found my way there, I filed the papers, and I smiled.



Not to say that I'm happy that the relationship I had is "officially" over - I love my ex still very much, we just weren't meant for one another. He's found someone to love and so have I... it can be over now.

Also, the elevators went wicked fast. I'm one of those kids who *loves* rollercoasters, and I literally had to sit down afterward. Just for fun, I went all the way up, then all the way down before I left

/divorce talk

In other news, yesterday was also a big day because Heckler booked his flight for his visit in November I'm SO excited!!!! He'll be staying with me for two whole weeks. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

My very best girlfriend joined SG recently, and I couldn't be happier about it. I think she'll fit in well around here. Her name is AsciraHalcyon, and she's amazingly fantastic (she also outdoes me in Star Wars nerdery ).

I've made a wonderful friend here on SG from my hometown I'm excited for my trip home this December even moreso now - just to hang with Pagz. Since I'm name-dropping like mad anyway, I'm going to pimp his webcomic, which really makes me giggle. There are so many nerdy references in there, it's rad.

Farewell to Foster Kittehs

Four of my five foster babies are headed to Petsmart this weekend. It'll be a bittersweet goodbye. They've come SO far ~ Doom Kitteh is actually getting a little fat Their eye infections are all gone, leaving their eyes clear and bright. They are all well-socialized now, even tolerating the dogs when they come into the bathroom to have a sniff around. All of them purr for me now - at first I really had to work for that. Fussy hasn't hissed at me in at least a week now, lol.

It'll just be little Puddin staying with me. She doesn't eat enough food on her own (wet or dry, Stage II weaning food or no), so I'm syringe-feeding her twice a day in addition to the little bit she eats that gets placed in front of her. The foster kitten that was brought in a week after the first four - L'iL Brudder - is weeks younger than her and is so much bigger than her. Her bones are very easy to feel through her skin I'm hoping the syringe-feeding will help to bulk her up (she does drink well on her own). She'll stay with me til she's healthy enough.... who am I kidding? She's prolly going to stay with me til she's an old old old kitteh.

I'll update with pics soon.

Hellooooooooooooooooooooo Kitty

LoL, I'm not giving myself much of a break from kitteh care - the rescue has a pregnant barn cat who needs a quiet place to have her babies, where they can be socialized and properly fed. I'm picking her up on Saturday when I drop off my four babies. I'll have them until December I wonder who'll come next? I positively draw the line at house llamas

... and I guess that's about all that's going on. Life is throwing me curve balls left right and centre, but I'm doing well. Thank you to all of my friends who help me through it all, really ♥

Foster Kittehs!!

Here is their story from the beginning....

Here they are after 6 full days with me


Zero ~ his eyes are looking much better now Upon closer inspection, she has testicles, lol. He has become a household favourite with most everyone. He's totally adventurous and is often found scrapping with his sister Fussy.


Doom Kitteh ~ the eye infection is definately clearing up; the pic really doesn't do her eyes justice... they're sooooo big and such a beautiful shade of green. Doom is very skittish though, she's none too thrilled when I try to pet her. And she hisses when she sees me holding the tube of eye goo


Miss Fussy... who might be in need of a new name soon. She is turning into quite a little love. I mean, she still glares at me a lot, but the hissing is getting less and less. The other night the bathroom door was left open (the kittens are living in there for quarrantine reasons mostly, but also because I'm not entirely sure how gently Georgie would play with baby kittehs), Fussy decided to go on a little adventure, and I found her fast asleep on top of my entertainment unit at 4am.

and here's the one I am in love with

*sigh*





she kinda fits into that so-ugly-she's-cute catergory... or she did at least. She's the smallest of the four, but she's plumped up a little already ~ still feels like she's got lego under her skin though... soooooo bony! I still haven't given her a proper name... I like to call her "Puddin" because I already have a "Georgie Porgie" and a "Pi" in my life

I absolutely can't keep another cat. I absolutely can't keep another cat. I absolutely can't keep another cat. I absolutely can't keep another cat... I'm kinda hoping if I keep saying that I'll believe it Honestly though, I'll be lucky if Puddin AND Zero don't stay. Oh, poor poor Heckler. In all seriousness though, "The more you keep, the fewer you can help" in the words of MDF, and I'm going to try to keep reminding myself of that.

The kittens are still waaaaaay skinny and have a long way to go til they will be healthy enough to be put up for adoption. They are fed about every three hours (many many many many thanks to mydogfarted for his suggestions on feeding them!) a mixture of Royal Canin Kitten dry food, wet food and Stage II Kitten Weaning Food. They're such little piggies! I dewormed them the other day, but I honestly think they're too skinny to receive their shots (I don't feel comfortable doing it anyway). I'm seeing a little tiny bit of bright red blood in somebody's poop, and if it continues I'll take them in to see the vet on Monday.

And that's where we are as our first week together comes to an end. I'm so incredibly grateful that they all pulled through ~ especially Zero & Puddin ♥

A Question for You

What is the best animal experience you've ever had?

Rescue News

The rescue I volunteer for had it's Fall Adopt-a-thon kickoff today - basically we camp out in a pet store from open til close all weekend, showing off our animals in need of loving homes. We have been hit by a huge wave of puppies & kittens... tis the season, I guess It breaks my heart.

[GRIPE]

[/GRIPE]

I did have a very fun time playing with the puppies today I LOVE puppies. There were the four Boodles (8 months old), a lab/husky puppy with brilliant blue eyes (~3 months), a cream-coloured terrier mix (~3 months), a HUGE shepherd/rotti cross (~3 months), a big lab/shep/akita cross (~3 months) and then a dog with severe separation anxiety that someone came in and dropped off to the rescue today. Petsmart let us use the "Training Centre" for all of our puppies to run around in - it was great. The boodles were hilarious, and the best fetchers I've played with in a long while. The little lab/husky was the second smallest there, but he was clearly the boss of everybody

Here are some pics


"I can haz adopshun?"


the little terrier cross... and my bewb


the lab/shep/akita and the shepherd/rotti cross all snuggled up awwwwwwwwwwwwwww


the four boodles - one was adopted today woo hoo!


my favourite boodle ~ the name "Wiggle" would suit her perfectly

I has Kittehs

As the evening wound down at the adopt-a-thon, I went to the kitty adoption area to pick up my new foster kittens. I have been wanting to take in kittens again for awhile, and the opportunity came up to take in four little ones who were 8 weeks old. I was told that they needed eye drops a few times a day before they could be adopted out - no problem, thought I. Holy smokes... they need a lot more than eye drops!

Their mother abandoned them at four weeks old - I was honestly too shocked by the look of them to hear any more of the story. I don't know if they were bottle fed from that point or if they've been given regular cat food or what... all four of them are underweight and from the look of them, dehydrated. I've never seen 8 week old kittens so small! I've been taking in cats & kittens for the last two years now (this Fall's adopt-a-thon marked two full years with the rescue for me), and never have I ever been able to feel so much bone definition. The smallest of the kittens is extremely weak and I fear she might not make it.

I've posted in the Kitties group here on SG asking for any pointers in helping these little ones. I have drops to help the infection in their eyes, lysene suppliment, very good kitten food & some wet food. I have a dish of fresh water for them at all times, and I'm also keeping an eye on who uses the litter box and when.


"Zero" - not the smallest, but I think her eyes are worse than any of her siblings'



"Doom Kitteh" (see the gooey eyes?) with "Fussy" in front (aptly named... Fussy hisses at everything)


This is the smallest one... she's weaker than the others, and by far the skinniest. Maybe that's why I haven't named her - I'm too reminded of what happened with Bug only a year ago

Happy September

... a week late. I love the start of Autumn. It's already started here - the night comes just a little sooner and the mornings are nice and brisk. Somehow coffee on a cold morning tastes just a little bit better. The school year has started and I'm working with kids again - it's fun (challenging, at times but still fun). Kids are awesome.

Soooo you may recall that I said that things were complicated for me. They still are, but there is some squeeeeeeeetastic news...

... and then there is the not-so-grate stuff. I'm coping. I know I can get through what's going on.

I've never lived alone before - I've never been responsible for every single aspect of running a household on my own before. But I know I can do this. I've got the strength. It's just the fear that's getting to me, I think.

And the other things... well, there's really nothing more to do than just ride it out. Weather the storm. I can't really go into detail for privacy reasons. Two things especially are weighing heavily on my mind, and there isn't a whole heck of a lot I can do but keep on going. So that's what I'm gonna do

So things are... odd right now. Some things are wonderful and amazing and squeeeeeeeeee-filled. In a lot of ways, I'm more optimistic about the future than I ever have been. Other things in my little world are so gut-wrenchingly awful that the very thought of them brings tears to my eyes and an ache to my tummy. The worst thing, perhaps, is that I can't even discuss what's going on publicly.

Soooooo, with that in mind - please enjoy some pics of my furry little family


Nermal & Quiggley


Quiggle Pants


awwwww


First time seeing the water


Georgie girl ♥


Ranger & George

I hate living in this house.

I don't know how much longer I can handle it

I quit my job at the theatre. Somehow aquired 2 new jobs.


New glasses





I spend too much time in used book stores


... I kinda thought this hat suited one of my new nicknames a very silly story....

This past Wednesday I had the chance to hit up the Vans Warped Tour 2008 at Race City Speedway in Calgary, Alberta To be brutally honest, I was there to see only one act - despite the impressive line up of bands - mc chris. I drove home from BC two weeks early (a 15.5 hour drive all in one day) to be able to catch him on stage - and it was totally worth it.

Due to a slight snag with traffic the day of the show, I was almost half an hour late to pick up Synema, but we still made it to the venue over an hour before the gates opened. Another friend of mine had arrived over an hour before us (he was paranoid about parking, lol), and he let us hang out with him near the front gate til it was time to go in. My friends planned out our day - which bands we'd see, on which stage and when. "Is there anybody you absolutely have to see?" "MC Chris" I would mutter distractedly as I stalked his merch tent - my whole day became about keeping in the vicinity of it.



The first band we watched was The Horrorpops - and wow, they were phenominal! I will definately pay to see them when they come to town again. Their music is utterly amazing, but I think it was their stage presence and energy that really pulled me in.

I went to my very first beer garden. It was an experience. The "bouncer" (I guess, for lack of a better term) checked my id over thoroughly, flipping it over in his hands about three times before hesitantly handing it back to me and waving me through - nobody believes I'm legal. We waited to get our tickets for beer (I've never been to an event where you needed to line up to pay for tickets for food/beverages, then to line up again for said food/beverages - it just strikes me as odd is all), and in we went. I drank two Rockstars - good gravy… alcohol + hot weather = a rather tipsy Marvel.

We ate some, um, "food" after visiting the beer gardens, and then wandered around to different bands' tents. I kept sneaking over to mc chris' tent to see if he was there. The guy in the tent patiently explained that "MC" probably wouldn't be at the tent til the signing after his set. "Oh," I pouted. I can't remember exactly what topic I was on (mc chris' music, I think), but then it happened… comics. LoL, we totally nerded out poor Synema, who politely nodded along with our geekery. We talked about our favourite titles, comics-turned-movies, graphic novels, all sorts of stuff. He was very cool. Just for the heck of it, I went back to talk to him several times throughout the day.

Jonny Lang is his name. Very nice and rather swoon-worthy We chatted a fair bit each time I'd wander by - just about random stuff. I even manned the merch tent while he went to eat - I sold two cds I was kinda sorta proud of myself. He let me play roadie at the end of the night, and I carried stuff (not very much, mind you) back to the tour bus. As if I haven't gushed about him enough, he's also really funny - his t-shirts make me giggle (*hint* go look at his website ).

Ahem, what was I talking about? Oh, right! mc chris' show! It was great. Seriously. He had sooooo much energy on stage! I hadn't heard much of his new album, so many of the songs were new to me - I sang along where I could though. He actually did Fett's Vette, my all-time most favouritest song of his. I was pretty surprised he did it, because it's a song he did quite early into his career. I belted it out from the front row with all I had. I so wish his set had been longer!

I almost got crushed by the Protest the Hero fans that were making their way to the stage after mc chris' set, but I somehow managed to wiggle my way through them - and I frigging booked it to his tent for the signing. He signed my "MC CHRIS IS DEAD" cd, had I not been so dumbstruck by his presence I might've asked him to sign the mc chris book bag I had bought earlier in the day. I just sort of thrust my cd case towards him and smiled goofily. I'm such a retard. He looked up at my face when he handed it back, and I simply apologised for being starstruck. He just said, "Awwww" and hugged me! ZOMG, I melted. Synema was there with the cam and she snapped a pic when we turned for the cam and posed (lol, well HE posed, I was just frozen in a oh-my-I-can't-believe-I'm-standing-here-with-mc-chris look).

My vacation on the island is coming to an end. I'll be really sad to leave, but at the same time it'll be kind of nice to get back to a little bit o normal. Seeing trocar again will also be nice... after so long of living together, it's really a shock to the system not to interact with him on a somewhat regular basis. I also really really really miss my kitties and my puppeh Ranger. I start a new job in a few weeks, which will require more of a routine... a very good thing for me.

This is a rather photo-heavy post... I'm too drained to do much typing, lol. Here are some random highlights


out for a very early morning walk with the dogs


Georgie & my mom's dog, Trinity


at the beach with my sis


more than meets the eye... at the beach


wavy


my brother in a birthday bag


I happen to have the coolest 80 year old grandmother... ever. lol, actually, the fam forgot to pre order a cake, so it was either Brian or Homer Simpson.

More camping!

The Grad Party