Jennifer’s posterous

My mom passed away...

My mom passed away on Oct. 4, 2009.

She was a nurse, but she did not manage her health at all. She wanted to live alone, and we are not sure why she passed away except that we are highly suspicious that she fell and hit her head a few days before and so we think that she died of a hematoma a few days later. I am sure that she was happy to go quickly and we hope painlessly. She had a button around her neck to push for help, but she did not and we do not know why and hope that it was the speed of the onset since her dinner was in the microwave.

My mom had a great sense of humor and was a direct person. She loved comedies, talk radio, Charles Bronson, Frank Sinatra, ice tea, booze and cigarettes, not in that order. She would complain if your bra did not have enough support, want you to wear make up, and taught us dirty jokes as kids. Halloween was her favorite holiday and she would dress up as a witch and scare off the kids. We were never given soda unless we were sick, no junk food, and loved crafts as she was a great artist.

However, my mom did not manage her diabetes well at all, and had several strokes due to her high blood sugar. She refused to move closer to us kids as she loved her home even though she had put it in such a sad state that it was not as safe as we would have liked, but as probably others have experienced, it is very hard to win a battle with parents. My brother did a great deal to help her out, even seeing her a few days before she died and she was doing better. We were planning on Christmas together this year instead of her birthday.

Mom, you are sadly and greatly missed... you were only 73 and I sure wish we had more time together. I love you and miss you...

This years tomatoes...

I planted two plants in pots, but as last year I tossed a few less than perfect fruits (blossom end rot got me) in the mulch, I was fortunate to get some "volunteers, or so I thought...

One plant is threatening to take over the stairs. Coincidently, this was a relative of the same plant that took over the porch last year, going up and out. There are also plants in all the bushes. The crop has been healthy this year - but overall, yield has been poor - no sun!!! Tons of blooms, green tomatoes but had very few red ones.

Also pictured, the "'Mater guards" - they like to look out the front and watch the birds. The next pic is their "nest" - we had given them a bunch of toys and some, well, some they had taken as no, we did NOT give the cats hot tamales - but soon after we gave them a toy, it would disappear, never to be found and it was costing a fortune to keep them occupied (or they would steal things!). Finally, I moved a dresser and voila! almost all the toys! Josie likes to eat receipts. How very green of her to recycle like that.

Next, a couple of necklaces and last, well, I went to get some allergy testing and apparently, to keep the patches on, it needs tape. I can already tell I am allergic to the tape. Hubby says it looks like, and I quote, "chicken in the plastic, you know, when you see all the blood". Ah, it should be lovely after two days.

Mine, all mine!

Well, there seems to be a power struggle... both cats want the top bunk (hammock) on the kitty city, and it gets sometimes hilarious when then are both in it. Sometimes I see them in an "x" pattern but so far I cannot get a picture of it. They are both "fixed" now... Oz had a terrible time with the Elizabethan collar and well, we had to keep an extra eye out as he brought out extra goodies from the kitty litter with it when he walked around. Jo on the other hand went Bah! and never kept it on at all. She at least never bothered her incision while when we took pity on Oz, the first thing he did was lick his... where he was not supposed to. I tried to hide a toy from them - Oz got it and wrapped the long string around the coffee table, the kitty city (through the hide-away, and around more than 3 legs mind you) as well back around some of the same areas before he ran out of rope, so to speak and then tried to chew on the tube it was on. I was only out of the room for a few minutes! The last is a necklace I made for my mom - Halloween theme!

The tease...

Josie is smaller, but she really gives Ozzy a hard time...

 Case in point, Ozzy is king of the box, sure, but, Josie manages to trump him.

 Then she goes over and settles on the stool in the kitchen (I cannot stand long to cook so keep one near the stove) with her tail hanging over, swishing... This makes Oz go nuts and attack her tail. She remains cool, and even changes position to hang her tail further over! Ozzy makes himself small and even goes commando, sliding on his back...

More kitty pics (tired of them yet?)

The kitties are getting big... soon they will being getting fixed. Oddly, my hubby is only concerned about Ozzy and constantly tells him that mommy is going to take away his marbles or other similar things... The fact that poor Josie is getting a more extensive operation is lost on him. Also, he wants the poor balls back and for me to make earrings out of them. I am not sure how the vet will take that request...
 
We see that Oz has extra whiskers now (kewl!), maybe you can pick them out on the facial close up pick. They are on both sides of his nose, white and thin, growing up towards his eyes. We expect that when he gets older that he will solve crimes a la Koko! If so, he has to brain up in the next few months as well, he just tends to be a free thinker... Josie tends to be way more destructive and daredevilish though while Oz can be more loving when he is not skittish.
 
Anyway, a few pics of them playing, sleeping and just being - kittehs. The ones a bit blurred where they are playing with a "string" - that is Josie attacking the drawstring on my shorts. I am nothing but a toy to them. Whenever I where those shorts, either one may climb my legs to get those strings. Needless to say, my legs are beautiful at this point. If only the shorts were not so comfy...
 
When we came back from PA, they found a ball we had hidden (not a cat toy *sigh*) but I hope now that I am back on growth hormone, one I get some energy (when I get a decent dose, sheesh!), I will be able to keep up with them.

Action shots - Josie vs the Balloon

Josie has been fixated on a mylar balloon that I received in May - and even though we attached it to something a few feet off the floor, alas, we came home one day to find that one of them had chewed through the ribbon (remember the B&O headphones? I do... *sob*) in the middle! So the balloon has been floating free and driving them nuts (just like the ceiling fans seem to fascinate them - ok, they seem to lack a bit in the IQ department maybe but they are still babies).
 
Hubby gets the brilliant idea to attach the balloon to the kitty city. Well, Josie went nuts. I have to say, we were impressed that the thing not only did not tip over, but stayed together as she certainly did do a lot of contortions to get to the balloon and then after it was free, to get back to the ribbon... It took a few attempts - she went up three levels, dropped back, and went right back up! Persistence paid off!
 
A pictorial for you to enjoy...

recent creations

These are intended to be the sets for a wedding, to be used by bridesmaids, mother of the bride, and the bride. Depending on the dress, either a bracelet or necklace.

vet check - all is ok...

The vet said they are developing normally, growing fine... They are 4lbs each now - with Ozzy just a bit heavier even though he is larger. Soon they will have to go in for the fixing! Good thing as they are a bit er, close.
 
They are having fun, tearing up the house, and then napping. Ah, such a life... I will try to get some action shots if I can...
 
Ozzy decided that when my hubby bent over, that his back would be a nice place to sit... I was unsympathetic to pleas, and instead went and got the camera... bad wifey!
 
The kitties are still sleeping together. They like to cuddle around the foam pad to my i-lap.
 
Then I see Josie now likes to sleep with her head on the pillow. Great. I hope she does not drool on it!
 
Ozzy also has his cute moments... so I got this pic - I like his paws and his pink nose.
 
The last one is them sleeping (or they were) at the kitchen table chairs. Josie is talking to me (cripes, another picture?) while Ozzy is just bored with it all...

Recent kitteh picks...

Ozzy... or Travolta?