In Search of a Slower February

Another month gone! Where did it go? One moment I was looking at the beginning of it thinking of all the possibilities it had to offer, and the next breath I took left me stunned in wonderment. What the heck happened to all that time? I realize February is shorter than most but does it have to speed up? I won’t ask anyone who lives along the east coast or mid-west that question? They are probably ready to have February zip on out.

February calendar courtesy of my friend at in cahoots with muddy boots.

The weather went from this:

Winter in my Portland back yard.

to this:

Another view of winter in my Portland back yard. Any questions?

My son is fully ensconced in his tiny room where he works and sleeps. We squeezed real hard. I’ve had to compact my ample supply of stuff too. Fortunately, Tech support (my son) came with a bonus. Somehow, he ended up with the shelves that came out of my sewing room in Arizona. I didn’t much care for them in that small room but since they were available, may as well make use of them. So I sanded them and painted them white to disappear into the walls. I had plenty of leftover paint.

There is one valuable lesson I learned in this process. Even though I was outside, the dust from some of the sanding blew back at me and left me snizzeling, sneezing and coughing for several days. It hasn’t been pretty. But the two shelves that are already up are pretty…useful.

I did 4 of these. 2 longer than the other.

There is less clutter on my workspace and I’ve found things I had misplaced to keep it from getting lost. Go figure. My organization is so much better and will continue to do so as we get the other two shelves up and then build shelves for the closet. It’s been fun except for the snizzeling part.

Shelf on one side of sewing room ready to load up

Using wasted space and helps with insulation.

2 more ready to put up. Want to drop by for tea? This is my living/dining room floor!

We spent one day this week meeting with a fellow blogger from Portland. When I saw her photographs and all the places she had been, Tech Support and I had to meet and ask her as many questions about the hiking/riding trails and photography as possible over one meal. She has been blogging so much longer than I have and we had a delightful visit. Check out Conscious Engagement’s wonderful photographs here. She gifted me with a few in magnetic sleeves for the fridge.

These look wonderful on her blog.

Tech Support is eager to get on the trails as the scenery here draws one out the door. That’s as far as I want to go but he bought a bicycle to ride since Portland is such a bike friendly area with lots of trails. In the search for a bike, he made the acquaintance of this cute fellow that wandered into the bike shop and never left. The owners call him Shop Rag and he goes up to everyone and greets them hello. Checking for treats is my guess. I’ve never met such a friendly cat towards strangers.

T.S and Shop Rag in the bicycle shop the cat runs.

Shop Rag really runs the bike shop and certainly owns that sunny strip of floor.

That’s only part of the things that made this month fly by. I think we are all ready to say goodbye to winter. The wind is blowing cold today with a fooling sunny day. I’m certain in the months to come, I’ll wish for another taste of winter, but for now I’ll enjoy the new view.

I wish they were in my yard but they are a few houses up.

first flowers of spring in back yard. I don’t even know what they are called,

New buds on the Hydrangea. Hooray for spring

Did February fly for you or did it slog on at a snails pace?

From my heart to yours,
Marlene Herself

In Search of Easing the Ache

I had to remove this part of last week’s post on celebration. I’m sure you’ll understand in a moment.

My daughter was at my apartment both days the weekend before to finish her very first skirt for a wedding Labor Day weekend. As she was getting ready to leave Saturday evening, I walked out with her. There was a cat sitting on the step outside my door. We have lots of cats loose around the complex so I paid it little mind. It didn’t budge as we walked by. Sunday morning the cat was still sitting there when I looked out in the early morning and when my daughter came back for the finish work. It sat at the top of the landing as we left to shop for a top to go with the skirt and remained when we returned. We asked the neighbors but no one knew anything of this seeming friendly cat.

She of course, like her mother, never picks an easy pattern for a first try.

As my daughter left happy with her completion for the evening, this cat reached up and stretched itself up my pant leg to be petted or picked up. I did both. There were no front claws! Outside for days with no protection and infested with fleas to the point of fur in the ears and eyebrows being worn away. I was horrified and angry. First thing Monday morning, I called a vet down the block that saw cats only. They had to be good if they specialized, right? I made an appointment and picked up a cardboard carrier for $10. Then I checked with the office to see if anyone reported their cat missing. There were posters up near our mailboxes for lost animals but this one was not there.

She was cool and comfortable at the wedding. It was 94 that day.

The Vet determined that this was indeed a female between age 3-12 and infested with fleas so she treated with a deluxe dose of flea killer and prednisone for the itch. I had secretly longed for a companion but have been reluctant because of my location and the cost of caring for an animal. That this cat was female and declawed were bonuses, though I would not declaw a cat.

We confined our newly named Gracie to the bathroom and she allowed me to gently comb her with a flea comb regularly to speed up the process. She ate voraciously as she had while still outside my door. I always keep cans of food around for strays and have for many years. We’ve even managed to get many back to their rightful homes. Gracie had no chip or collar. I claimed her and paid the vet bill. I expected the pet deposit would be next.

By Wednesday, she was flea free and I opened the bathroom door putting her in the bedroom window where she could look out. A few moments later, I found her back in the bathroom on the counter where her towel was. She remained there till my sister made out the futon for the night. Gracie slept with her. I noticed her breathing was a bit labored and wondered if it was the meds. The next morning, the breathing was still labored and her heart rate was high. She seemed to be trying to cough up a hair ball from too much grooming with all those fleas. My gut said we needed a different Vet that day and I made the appointment. My sister went to her job and Gracie and I took a ride. The Vet did X-rays and called me. Blood tests wouldn’t be needed. Well over age 12, she had lungs full of fluid, a tumor under her extremely arthritic ribs. There would be no saving her. She had bitten me already three times as I tried to gently pet her. Every bone in her poor body hurt.

The Vet was kind and gently recommended an end to this poor, very old lady’s suffering. Fortunately, my sister was able to be there with me and Gracie in her last moments. The tears still sting at the loss but I could not let her hurt one moment more. Gracie is now in a gentle state of rest. She came to my door and asked for help. I did the best I knew how, hoping for a different ending. My job was to invest in this sweet creature’s peaceful journey. She has carved a deep place in my heart and I must write her story. The timing was obviously not right for me to keep her but for me to help her go. It brings to mind a picture of coming to the end of life alone. I have tried to make this shorter and happier, it just can’t be. Gracie deserves the space and the ache. I wish her story were unusual, but it’s just too common. When will we stop abandoning animals?

Have you had an animal that put that kind of ache in your heart in a few days?

From my heart to yours,
Marlene Herself