What are you doing these days?

[Happy Lemming]

@Ruby Slippers

Any updates on the cats??  Any new mischief/adventures with the two of them??

I enjoy reading about the cats...

[Azincourt]

Sweating my life away under 110F without air conditioning and watching Interview With  The Vampire.

[Ruby Slippers]

They're doing great!

I took the kitty for his free 2-week checkup, and unfortunately, he has ringworm, a fungal skin infection that causes little flaky spots, very common in kittens, especially shelter animals. Fortunately, though, it's supposedly easily treated with an anti-fungal pill in his food for 21 days, and all the cost was covered by the SPCA. 

The SPCA let me know he was treated for this before and cleared before adoption, but with just a dip/bath, which this vet said isn't the most effective treatment method, so it came back. I'm a little annoyed with the SPCA for not treating it properly from the beginning, but trying to understand that they're probably flooded with unwanted animals. I read the negative reviews on them, and many of them say it's another crooked organization where the people at the top are skimming off most of the donations and the animals aren't getting the care they should. Way of the world, unfortunately. I'm sure they're not all bad. At least they gave him all his shots, neutered him, and tested him for the big stuff. And the adoption fee was reduced to only $20, so basically free.

I'm keeping the cats separate in their two sides of the house with the homemade cat screen for the next 2 weeks as his medicine takes effect, per vet's orders. I sprayed down anything fabric I couldn't wash with vinegar water. Annoying, but not a big deal.

Before I took him to the vet, they were playing more. The adult cat has been disciplining him, teaching him that he can't just do what he wants, like running and leaping on her, with stern bats of the paw. They're not cuddling yet (a good thing with his recent diagnosis), but a few days before the vet visit, they were chasing each other around the house, which was adorable. The grown cat loves being chased, and the kitty is a total fireball, so I imagine them doing this a lot once they're together again.

Overall, the kitty seems very happy here. When he can calm down his crazy energy for a minute, he's super cuddly and lovey, just purrs like a steam train 😊

Edited September 6, 2020 by Ruby Slippers

[Happy Lemming]

8 minutes ago, Ruby Slippers said:

I took the kitty for his free 2-week checkup, and unfortunately, he has ringworm, a fungal skin infection that causes little flaky spots...

 

Get well soon (for the kitty).

Its great news that the two of them have adapted to each other and are getting along so well.

[Ruby Slippers]

Kitten update: he plays fetch. Never gets tired of chasing the toy and running it back to me over and over and over. I tell him "good boy" and I swear his little chest puffs up. If only you could bottle up the energy of a feisty little boy kitty... 😊

[schlumpy]

I finally made it up to the zoo. The rules there are masks are required only indoors. We kept ours on all the time regardless.

I would estimate the crowd size one-third of normal. Several of the exhibits were down. Maybe it's a good time for maintenance or they can't afford to hire enough people to keep all the exhibits open. The place felt empty compared to the past. 

[Ruby Slippers]

Tomorrow I have my first virtual tutoring session with a high school sophomore on college essay writing. I don't know anything about her yet, other than she's considered "under-served" due to low income and she's aiming high for some of the most prestigious schools. This should be fun. I volunteered for many years, then got busy and drifted from it, looking forward to getting back to it.

[FMW]

That's awesome Ruby!  I don't have the patience for that kind of thing, I have a lot of respect for people who do and are willing to volunteer for that.  

[Ruby Slippers]

2 hours ago, FMW said:

That's awesome Ruby!  I don't have the patience for that kind of thing, I have a lot of respect for people who do and are willing to volunteer for that.  

Thanks! It's very rewarding. Some years ago I was tutoring a 6th grade boy with an exhausted single mom working 3 jobs. In one semester, with just an hour a week of help and attention, he went from a 1st grade reading level making Cs and Ds to a 6th grade level making As and Bs. His mom told me that for the first time ever, he was reading books at home for fun. 

Another time I was helping kids living in a homeless shelter make Christmas cards. It was a dark time in my life and I knew it would help them and me to tutor these kids. This tiny little 3-year-old girl hugged my leg, looked up at me, and said, "I love you, Ruby." It took everything I had not to start crying like a baby 🥰

[schlumpy]

I went back to the Zoo yesterday.

My sister came up from Florida so we spent the day at the zoo. Along with her was my younger sister, two nieces and associated family.

We all met for breakfast. Walked the zoo. Went goo goo over the five month old gorilla. Had an early supper and then off they went. 

My wife and I had more potential exposure to Covid in nine hours then I'd had in the last five months.

Was it a step in the right direction or a step into the ICU?

I have to get back to the real world at some point.

 

[QuietRiot]

1 minute ago, schlumpy said:

I went back to the Zoo yesterday.

My sister came up from Florida so we spent the day at the zoo. Along with her was my younger sister, two nieces and associated family.

We all met for breakfast. Walked the zoo. Went goo goo over the five month old gorilla. Had an early supper and then off they went. 

My wife and I had more potential exposure to Covid in nine hours then I'd had in the last five months.

Was it a step in the right direction or a step into the ICU?

I have to get back to the real world at some point.

 

I hope you were all wearing masks at the zoo, yes? If not ,then you may want to mark your calendars on the day you were exposed to the virus (without masks)

Edited September 17, 2020 by QuietRiot

[jspice]

36 minutes ago, QuietRiot said:

I hope you were all wearing masks at the zoo, yes? If not ,then you may want to mark your calendars on the day you were exposed to the virus (without masks)

🙄 Give it a rest. 

[QuietRiot]

23 minutes ago, jspice said:

🙄 Give it a rest. 

So did you, or did you not all wear masks?

[schlumpy]

2 minutes ago, QuietRiot said:

So did you, or did you not all wear masks?

The state rules for Ohio is that Masks are required inside but not outside. My wife and I wore our masks as much as it was practical. We did have to remove them for breakfast and brunch. My family was off and on but many of the people at the zoo were also not wearing masks.

I don't know how to understand the risk because although I wear a mask whenever I'm out, my understanding of viruses and disease transmission tells me that it is not much protection. It's main protection I believe is to give the masses something to focus on.

Right now my throats a bit scratchy but ragweed is high this time of year and I'm sore and tired from pushing a wheelchair for 5.2 miles.

I very much aware that I may have been rolling the dice yesterday.

[jspice]

9 hours ago, QuietRiot said:

So did you, or did you not all wear masks?

You’re not the mask police. You don’t have to keep harping on it.

People know the consequences and if they wear masks, they wear them. If they don’t, you going on and in about it will do nothing. You’re like a dog with a bone. 

[CautiouslyOptimistic]

On 9/15/2020 at 7:23 PM, Ruby Slippers said:

Tomorrow I have my first virtual tutoring session with a high school sophomore on college essay writing. I don't know anything about her yet, other than she's considered "under-served" due to low income and she's aiming high for some of the most prestigious schools. This should be fun. I volunteered for many years, then got busy and drifted from it, looking forward to getting back to it.

That's awesome :).  I just started training this week to be a CASA.  

[GorillaTheater]

8 minutes ago, CautiouslyOptimistic said:

That's awesome :).  I just started training this week to be a CASA.  

Kudos. That's important work.

[Angelle]

9 hours ago, schlumpy said:

The state rules for Ohio is that Masks are required inside but not outside. My wife and I wore our masks as much as it was practical. We did have to remove them for breakfast and brunch. My family was off and on but many of the people at the zoo were also not wearing masks.

I don't know how to understand the risk because although I wear a mask whenever I'm out, my understanding of viruses and disease transmission tells me that it is not much protection. It's main protection I believe is to give the masses something to focus on.

Right now my throats a bit scratchy but ragweed is high this time of year and I'm sore and tired from pushing a wheelchair for 5.2 miles.

I very much aware that I may have been rolling the dice yesterday.

Oh, you're in Ohio? I was thinking of trying the zoo, but didn't think my dad would want to wear a mask (the Cleveland zoo), so I gave up on that idea. I suppose I could walk through alone, but I don't really want to. 

[schlumpy]

4 hours ago, Angelle said:

Oh, you're in Ohio? I was thinking of trying the zoo, but didn't think my dad would want to wear a mask (the Cleveland zoo), so I gave up on that idea. I suppose I could walk through alone, but I don't really want to. 

You should go Angelle. Cleveland has a wonderful zoo. No way you can't have a good time there.

[Ruby Slippers]

My latest excitement is gathering the materials for my virtual Halloween costume. I convinced a coworker to go in on it with me and I know it's gonna be a hoot in our team video meeting the week before Halloween. 

I don't want to give too much detail and blow my cover, but we're gonna be two key lady rock stars from the 80s. We've both purchased neon rocker wigs, I'm sewing my dress myself from shiny hot pink metallic fabric, and just today I ordered some hot pink and neon green makeup including glitter. Hey, ya gotta make your fun where ya can!! 👩‍🎤

[schlumpy]

I think I should look into meditation because I'm going to need it before this is all over.

My wife had a dental appointment. We walked into the building and the two vigilant people behind the barricade didn't want to allow me to take her to the office.

I was just in there the other day.

My wife's approach is to patiently explain how she needs my help and after all we were just there the other day. My approach is to take whatever crap someone feeds me and feed it right back.

Before my wife could start her speech I told the two people that I had no problem with them taking her to the dental office and helping into the chair. Suddenly things changed. They had a little conference and told me that "this time" they would allow it when what had really happened is they didn't want to leave their cozy seats and coffee to wheel my wife to her appointment. Their dedication to avoiding the spread of covid was limited to convenience. Read that as their convenience.

If they would think about it, my wife and I are at a much greater risk from them then they are from us. They interact with many people all day long and are a transmission point for the virus. We get out once in a blue moon and have very little contact with others.

It's all so backwards.

Libraries and churches close down while liquor stores and bars stay open.

It is truly an upside down world.

[Ruby Slippers]

I'm pretty proud of myself. I figured out how to remove this ceiling light fixture I didn't like so I can replace it with one I do like, by watching a few YouTube videos. I've never done anything like this before, so I feel accomplished. I flipped off the braker, climbed up a ladder, and got that big ugly fixture down. Now all I have to do is install the new one when it comes in. The old one came with the house - bronze and ivory, hanging right down in the middle of the dining area where I work, was always a bit of an eyesore to me. The new one is a pretty kinda vintage stained glass blue fixture that'll be flush with the ceiling, adding a nice touch and opening up the room. 

Edited October 9, 2020 by Ruby Slippers

[Happy Lemming]

2 minutes ago, Ruby Slippers said:

I figured out how to remove this ceiling light fixture I didn't like so I can replace it with one I do like...

Great Job!!

Word of caution...  a light fixture here, a new faucet there, next think you know you'll catch the "home improvement" bug and you'll be flipping houses like me.

So how is the backsplash in the kitchen, you thinking about tiling it??

As a side note, I LOVE my new granite kitchen counter top I put in.  It is so easy to clean.  I did the whole thing for under $500 and its a big kitchen. 

Now I got you thinking about it, Ruby!

[Ruby Slippers]

1 minute ago, Happy Lemming said:

Great Job!!

Word of caution...  a light fixture here, a new faucet there, next think you know you'll catch the "home improvement" bug and you'll be flipping houses like me.

So how is the backsplash in the kitchen, you thinking about tiling it??

As a side note, I LOVE my new granite kitchen counter top I put in.  It is so easy to clean.  I did the whole thing for under $500 and its a big kitchen. 

Now I got you thinking about it, Ruby!

THANKS! I hear you.

But I've been dreaming of designing and building my own house and swimming pool my whole life. I'm willing to invest a little bit in my current house to make it nicer, but I'm mostly saving for my dream home on a blissful several acres in the country, with neighbors and their dogs and lawnmowers and blowers far, far away 😁

[Happy Lemming]

2 minutes ago, Ruby Slippers said:

But I've been dreaming of designing and building my own house and swimming pool my whole life. I'm willing to invest a little bit in my current house to make it nicer, but I'm mostly saving for my dream home on a blissful several acres in the country...

One suggestion... when you see something you like on the internet or in a magazine, scan the picture or do a screen shot save.  I keep a thumb drive of things I like.  If you like a certain color, certain tile pattern, etc. put them on the thumb drive.

As an example, I put a floor medallion in one home I re-did, it was easy and beautiful. The couple that bought the house raved about it.  I saw a picture of it, saved it on that thumb drive and easy duplicated the pattern with some scrap floor tile. 

When the time comes, you can show your realtor these pictures and he/she can help you find that dream home!!