Where's Tails!??? A True Terrible Tale of Tails

Last night after the kids left I noticed Tails around 7PM. Then, no more Tails. I did not think anything of it, until around 9PM, particularly after the sounds of my evening snack preparation, particularly the microwave I use to heat her canned food, did not prompt an appearance.

I enjoyed my snack, and by 10PM I was starting to get concerned. I called her in various parts of the house, she did not appear, and she did not respond with a meow. By 11PM I was frantic; she was nowhere to be found. As I had not gone outside the house or into any of the kids rooms, or the unfinished part of the basement, I had not checked these areas. I did, and there was no trace of her! I opened every cabinet, every door, even the dish washer (because she loves to go in there when it is open).

I even checked out the inside of recliner in case I had injured her (though I would have expected to hear something if she snuck in there and got trapped by the mechanism. I upturned both sofas in fact so I could look inside. NO TAILS!

Midnight approached, I even went in the garage and outside, in case she had somehow escaped. I was quite frantic, upset and so worried at this point!!

Again I went into my bed room calling her, and this time I heard a faint meow. I called again and again and finally heard a bit louder of a meow coming from my dresser. I opened one of the drawers, and there she was, curled up in a little ball sleepily looking up at me. I do not know how she got in there and I had not been in that drawer all day so I would not have closed it.....yet there she was! The only thing I can think of is she maybe was in another drawer I had opened and get in that way. I picked her up, so happy to have found her!

Water, Water, Everywhere!

Last Friday was my son Chris' 19th birthday. He had to work later in the day and he had slept over my house after work on Thanksgiving. He got up around 10:30 (that's got to be some kind of record) while I was riding the exercise bike. I told him we would go out afterwards. Scott was off at the mall with Emma, so Chris, Danielle, and myself headed out. I bought lunch for us at Smoky Bones and we headed over to GameStop so we could pick up the present I was buying him for his birthday, Guitar Hero III for the Wii.

As we were looking around the store my cell phone rang. It was facilities at work informing me a chiller on the second floor at work had died releasing copious (so copious!) amounts of water and some was leaking into my data center and there was smoke and sparks coming from some equipment. We paid for Chris' present and then I speedily (thank you Mustang) dropped them off at my house and headed into work calling one of my people to meet me there. Upon arrival I found that a row of equipment was getting hit by water from the ceiling. Facilities had already gotten some buckets and plastic on them but it was not enough. With security's help we got a large tarp over the row of equipment and began venting the room so the automatic fire suppression system would not kick in as that automatically powers off the whole room which contains about 300 servers and other equipment. THAT would be disastrous!

To make a long story short the damage could have been a lot worse. I spent 5 hours insuring that all the water was pumped out from under the floor and that the owner of the server equipment was in looking at the problem.

What a day!

Turkey Dinner

With thanksgiving tomorrow I thought I would share this recipe someone sent my way. From what I understand this works best with a large family gathering, particularly if the Chef really does not want to be there or does not get along with their in-laws or other guests present! If you don't like turkey, it will probably work for any bird or roast. Try it - the results are great!


Step 1: Go buy a turkey
Step 2: Take a drink of whiskey, scotch or Jack Daniels
Step 3: Put turkey in the oven
Step 4: Take another 2 drinks of whiskey
Step 5: Set the degree at 375 ovens
Step 6: Take 3 more whiskeys of drink
Step 7: Turn oven the on
Step 8: Take 4 whisks of drinky
Step 9: Turk the bastey
Step 10: Whiskey another bottle of get
Step 11: Stick a turkey in the thermometer
Step 12: Glass yourself a pour of whiskey
Step 13: Bake the whiskey for 4 hours
Step 14: Take the oven out of the turkey
Step 15: Take the oven out of the turkey
Step 16: Floor the turkey up off the pick
Step 17: Turk the carvey
Step 18: Get yourself another scotch of bottle
Step 19: Tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey
Step 20: Bless the saying, eat and pass out.

Yet more Tales of Tails

Last night around midnight, before putting Tales to bed, I gave her a small can of Sheba chicken cat food. Since she could not have any food after midnight because of her surgery today I waited until right before the deadline for her last feeding. I had been dreading this trip to the vet all week plus the loss of my constant feline companion for a few days. Particularly this week when I do not have the kids overnight, as tails has been an excellent source of companionship in such circumstances.

This AM after I got cleaned up,she spent about 20 minutes on the couch with me getting petted, scratched, and cuddled. I was going to miss her!

Looking at my watch I realized it was time to go, so with Tails safely encased in her cat carrier, I took her out to the Mustang and we headed off at 7:45 AM arriving just in time for our 8 AM appointment and drop off.

This is only the third time I have driven in the car with Tails and she was her usual vocal self, perhaps louder than last time. I was filled with memories of my last trip to Cascade Hospital for Animals with Spock, my long time cat of 17 years, who was very ill and I was taking her to be put to sleep. That was a most painful day....and a journey most sad. I remember once I had arrived I stood outside, not wanting to go in, for about 20 minutes cuddling and petting Spock and crying into her fur, telling her how much I loved her, what a good kitty she was, and how much we were all going to miss her.

Anyway, back to the present, Tails and I entered Cascade Hospital for Animals, and sat next to two women with a sick cat. Tails, bug-eyed, opted to venture out of the cat carrier and let me pick her up as she glanced nervously around. Something spooked her and instead of successfully bolting as she intended, I kept a hold of her and got her back into her carrier until we were in the examination room.

I signed the requisite forms, answered questions, met with three people (one of the handlers, the Doctor, and a technician) and Tails was given a complete physical. She did not like the getting my temperature taken portion of this exam at all! She did manage to charm everyone who came in contact with her and prowl around the examination room, walking across the computer keyboard and playing with the cords.

After a final hug and cuddle with Tails (I am so attached to this cat!) I headed into work, feeling buoyed by the news that she seemed to be in excellent health, only to get a call shortly afterward that her blood test have higher than normal numbers on some liver and kidney functions. This could be as simple as too much protein from kitten food, or a sign of something else to come I was told. They recommended having Tails on intravenous fluids during the surgery because of this and I agreed. Of course this is an extra costs, so with all the tests and shots and such to bring the Tails up to the minimum rev for surgery plus this cost, my $400 spay and laser declaw is now around the $600 range. Sigh!

I am more worried about Tails than the cost, but, this is one of the reasons I held off getting a cat that the kids just do not seem to understand. This is expensive and I really do not have the money for this. However, she is one of the family and will have the best possible care I can swing for her. I'll just tell the kids no presents for Xmas this year to offset the surgery costs! Ha! That should go over well!

Oh well. Tails will have to go back in a month after being off of Kitten food to see how her numbers are.

I will be calling this evening to see how Tails fared with her surgery.

Alas, a Tale of woe for Tails

Poor Kitty! She does not know it, but, Monday she goes into the vet for spaying and laser declaw on the front paws. The laser declawing costs more, but, it is evidently a more humane method of declawing a cat. There is less pain and bleeding and recovery time is faster too.

I will miss her! She has been my constant companion this weekend (a weekend I do not have the kids) and she has either been on my lap or within arms reach except for some brief intervals of tearing around the house kitten style.

Jack Frost Sucks!!!

Tuesday morning at 3AM as the winds howled outside at around 35 MPH and the sound of hail impacting my bedroom windows brought me forth from slumber, I decided Jack Frost really sucks!

Yesterday there were snowflakes falling, though at least around here no accumulation to speak of!

Winter indeed has already come to Michigan! On the bright side, temps in the 50 range by Sunday for a few days.

A Kitty Cartoon

The video below, suitable for viewing by all age groups, is amusing, cute, and startlingly true to life....up to a point. Whether you own a cat or not, you will enjoy this!

The Prodigal Son

My son Christopher came home from school at the beginning October. He goes to a co-op school so he has 3 months at school, the three months at a job, etc., etc., until he graduates. As his Mom has a much nicer, much bigger house he ops to live there when not at school. Can't say as I blame him, her house is much nicer than mine. Oh well, a divorced Dad paying his own bills and mortgage, plus child support, can only do so much....

Well, he came over Friday and we spent about five hours watching TV and hanging out, it was nice to have his company for an evening. I hope he will come back sooner for his next visit....that way I don't have to leave the mess he left around too long waiting for him to come back and clean it up!

No Tricks, No Treats

The night before Halloween so long as I remember is mischief night when all manner of tricks including toilet paper on trees, soap on car windows (or worse, wax by nasty kids), eggs, and such can happen. Back east this was a lot more pronounced and this year in my neighborhood I did not detect any traces of this at all.

As this was the first Halloween in at least 17 years that I would not be trick or treating with at least on of the kids (it was there turn to have Halloween at their Mom's, and had friends to go with). It was somewhat sad that I was not part of the kids Halloween, but, as they get older this is something that happens and something I am getting used to. So, I decided to give out candy here.

Anyway to make a long story short the weather was chilly and there were some brief periods of showers and over the course of the evening I did not get one trick or treater nor did I see any down the street the several times I checked over the course of the evening.

My kids were happy though since I sunk about $20 into candy that they get to eat; I think i shall have to take some into work next week.