A Sign From Daisy

When I found out that Daisy died I didn't have the luxury of curling up into a ball and hiding from the world for a few weeks.  We were still in California and after days of searching we still hadn't found a house.  So I put my pajamas on, convinced myself that I had to find a house for the sake of our other fur babies and we headed out the door to meet the realtor.

I really felt like there was no way I would like any house we saw that day.  I was pretty sure I was going to hate everything I saw because I was so upset.  But the moment we walked into the first house that day we knew it was THE ONE.  It just felt like home.  We kept walking through the house expecting to find some horrible flaw but it actually kept getting better and better.  I actually had the thought fly through my head "did Daisy send this house to us?"  It was perfect.  We even kept joking that we weren't cool enough to live in this house!

A few days later I was looking at pictures of the house to try to cheer myself up and distract myself.  And I stopped on this picture and gasped........

Do you see what I see?  Look closely.....do you see it now???

There's a bouquet of daisies on the coffee table of our dream house.  I'm normally not one who believes in signs.....but signs don't get anymore obvious than this, do they?

As of Friday, the dream house is now ours.  And in a few short weeks we'll be living in the house where Daisy left a little sign for me to find.  Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Hugs,
Jenny

And I want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who left such sweet comments on my last post.  I'm sorry I haven't been able to personally respond to all of you yet but your comments have really lifted me up and warmed my heart.  It's so incredible to know that so many people would take the time to leave such kind words for someone they've never met.  Big hugs to all of you!

Daisy: March 26, 1997 - May 6, 2013

I'm crushed.  I'm broken.  My heart has been shattered into a million little pieces.

While we were house hunting in California last week my precious little Daisy died unexpectedly in her sleep while boarding.  She was 16 years old.  She had a few health problems that were being managed with medication.  But she was playing and purring and eating and snuggling and acting like a completely normal, happy, healthy cat before we left.  There was not even the slightest hint that something so tragic was about to happen.  It was a shocking blow to hear the news that she was gone.

I boarded her and Cassi (19 years old) at the vet because of their age and they're both on medication.  I also boarded Bailey because he and Daisy are inseparable best friends and I didn't want them to have to be apart.  That didn't work out so well....

And all I can do now is torture myself with questions.  Was Daisy terrified the last few days of her life because she was boarding and not at home?  Did the anxiety of boarding cause this to happen?  Did she think her Mommy abandoned her?  Was there something else we could have done for her?  Some other test?  Some other medication?  Something that would have prevented this?

It gives me small comfort to know that she peacefully died in her sleep and that she was sharing a "condo" with her best friend but I will never get over the fact that I never got to say goodbye.  I never got to see her one last time.  I didn't get to hold her and tell her I love her and be the last thing she saw before she left us.

And in a bizarre twist of fate, that was the same day we found our dream house in California.  So what should have been one of the happiest days ever ended up being a tie for "worst day of my life" with the day that Max died.   I know life has ups and downs.  And sometimes they're really big ups and downs.  But wow.....have you ever had them both on the same day? 

Yesterday we had her funeral.  Col. Sew Fab took me to a private pet cremation service three hours away.  It was almost as traumatic as the day I got the terrible news.  It's just so final.  Daisy doesn't exist anymore...

I am exhausted.  I can't sleep.  I can't think clearly.  And we are moving across the country in four weeks.  It's just too much to deal with all at once.  

You've probably already figured out that my pets are not just pets to me.  They ARE my family.  They ARE my babies.  I like them more than most people I know.  Sorry.  I know that's not an appropriate thing to say but it's true.  My life revolves around my fur babies and they are spoiled and loved and treated like the earth revolves around them.

I am so glad I've always been someone who drops what they're doing if one of their pets wants attention.  I've always known that I never wanted to look back and say "why did I ignore a fur baby who was begging for attention because I was busy folding laundry or paying bills or doing some other mundane task?"  The trivial tasks will always be there.  But your loved ones won't.

So give your fur babies some extra attention today.  Even if you are overwhelmed with tons of other stuff to do you will NEVER regret taking some extra time out of your day to take your dog out to play or snuggle with your purring cat.

Hugs,
Jenny

Work In Progress Wednesday - Monotony

Two rows down.  Seven to go.  And loving every moment of monotonous, soothing, no-thought-required tying of this quilt.

Daisy loves it too. 

And do you happen to remember the big, huge, secret project that I started working on back in November?  Well....it's almost done....it's so close to being done that I can almost taste the celebratory champagne......but the project is at a stage that is so boring and monotonous that I look forward to taking breaks to fold laundry and do dishes.  Yeah.....sometimes monotony is good.  And sometimes it makes you delusional.  With a little luck and a lot of work I'll be putting that project in the DONE column next week.

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

Work In Progress Wednesday - No Turning Back

There's no turning back now.  I picked a sashing color and started sewing.

After all of the sashing "audtions" and requests for votes and orders of new bolts of fabric and my complete inability to decide I finally did what any sane girl would do.....I turned it over to the "man of the house."  And no.....I don't mean Bailey the Sourpuss Cat......

I mean Col. Sew Fab....

I showed him the options.  He immediately picked Royal Blue.  Yup.  I let a Fighter Pilot make my quilting decisions for me.

And speaking of Bailey the Sourpuss Cat did I tell you that he's no longer a sourpuss?  He's been an incredibly sweet and kind and affectionate and loving cat since he had oral surgery in January.  He's not beating up the other cats.  He's not hissing.  He's kind to the dogs.  He's even being nice to Col. Sew Fab who he used to glare at with utter contempt and disgust!  What's going on?  Did he have a bad tooth that was making him grumpy for his WHOLE life?  Is he just trying to behave himself so we don't do that to him again?  Or did they just give us the wrong cat at the vet's office?  Hard to say but I'm leaning towards the "wrong cat" theory!

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

P.S.  The "Royal Blue" that I'm using is actually Moda Bella Solids in Dusk.  It just looks Royal Blue to me so I call it Royal Blue.  And the bolt of "Navy" fabric that I ordered is actually called "Royal."  So confusing!

P.P.S.S.  Thanks to everyone who who left comments about the sashing color.  It was really fun to read all of your opinions and ideas.  And it seems like Royal Blue was winning in the voting when I let Col. Sew Fab cast the final vote!

 

Recovering

There's not much that I wouldn't do for my kitterses and pupperses.  Poor little Bailey had to have oral surgery on Friday for a bad tooth that was so painful he was starting to lose weight!  Ouch!  And there's only one vet hospital in the area that I trust with my babies and it's conveniently located......one and a half hours away in the town that I used to live in.  Sooooo.....on Friday I woke up at 4:30 a.m., got ready, left the house at 6:30 a.m., dropped him off at the hospital at 8:00 a.m., ran errands all day, picked him up at 5:00 p.m. and then drove the long hour and a half back home.  Double ouch.  I felt the same way he looked by the end of the day....poor little guy....

Bailey after oral surgery on Jan 25, 2012

And Daisy.....wow....I haven't told you about Daisy yet, have I?  Do you remember this?  The huge, scary looking mass we found in her chest back in September. And do you remember how all the experts were fairly certain it was the Big C?  Well......guess what???!!! Her latest checkup shows that it's most likely NOT the Big "C."  I won't bore your with all of the medical details but wow.....just WOW!  What else is there to say?! 

Daisy and Bailey in 2012

I think it's time to whip out the tuna, the catnip and the laser pointer and have ourselves a little party, don't you?!

Hugs,

Jenny

P.S.  Bailey is recovering well.  He kind of looks like he was in a bar fight with a swollen face and squinty eyes but he's eating and snuggling and starting to act like his normal self again!

A Tale Of Two Kitty Beds

As I'm sure you all know, today is National Cat Day!  What?  You had no idea???  Well, there's still time to rush out and get some fresh tuna and organic catnip for your kitties......assuming that you don't live in the Northeast in the path of Frankenstorm - Ugh!  If you're in the Northeast just stay home and you can make it up to them on another day!

Anyway, I decided to buy a really nice heated cat bed for my 18.5 year old, Cassi.  The ol' girl has been seeking out warm spots lately so I thought she could use a luxurious, snuggly, plush heated bed now that winter is almost here.  Aren't I a nice kitty Mommy?

Well.....the cat bed has been here for two weeks and here's how things have been going.....that's Cassi on the left in her ratty, old, sunken in bed.  And that's Bailey on the right in the brand new heated cat bed.  No matter what I do she refuses to get in the nice, new bed.   What's up with kitties these days?  You buy them something wonderful....something you know that they need.....and they just don't appreciate what you've done for them!  But at least someone is getting some use out of it.  And maybe Cassi will come around one day......

And to all of you in the Northeast....I'm sending lots of happy thoughts your way and keeping my fingers crossed that things won't be as bad as the weather forecasters are predicting.  Big hugs to all of you and just do lots of sewing to stay calm and pass the time!

Happy Sewing,
Jenny

P.S.  Daisy is doing great!  There's no picture of her in this National Cat Day post just because she's soooo camera shy.

It's National Cat Day.....Seriously

Today is National Cat Day. Yup, a holiday to honor cats and to encourage cat adoption. So, here are the "fur babies" who will be celebrating this holiday with me.

Cassi - The Queen Of The Universe...
Daisy - The sweet, shy, delicate little angel...
And Bailey - The brat who gets away with everything. But just look at him and you'll see why...
So, today is the day to treat your cat like royalty. Obviously, I can't figure out how this is different from any other day. But I'll rush out and get some fresh tuna and catnip so at least it looks like I'm making a special effort. And since I can't give the kitties what they really want (No, I'm not getting rid of the dogs!) I've got to do something.

Now, go give your kitty a hug....as long as it doesn't disturb their nap.

Happy Sewing,
Jenny