A Comonplace Book

It's been two and a quarter years since I posted this about Mishka, our elder cat, when he started having seizures. Three days ago he stopped eating, and yesterday we finally had him put to rest.

He was an amazingly tough and tenacious cat. He came to live with us after stealing my sweetie's heart by nudging his head against his hand through the bars of the cage at the pound. He did indeed prove me wrong and got in not just one but two more winters.

There are lots of good things to remember.  We had a futon chair where he liked to perch - on the back, like he's doing on this deck chair.  If you sat there he'd give you a complimentary scalp grooming.

When we adopted a five-week-old Nambé, Mishka hissed at him at first, then after about a day something clicked in his head and he became Nambé's foster-father, grooming him and showing him the ropes.  They were good buddies (though Mishka was alpha to the end, stealing Nambé's food whenever he could).  When they were both younger they would play together, but it's been a few years since either had the energy.

Caring for an elderly cat is demanding.  We're already noticing the freedom of not having to be careful about making sharp sounds, not having to watch him constantly, not having to clean up messes.  Regardless, we'll miss him.  He was a loyal friend and companion for over two decades.

I spent yesterday saying goodbye, holding him a lot.  He was too weak to do much of anything but lie still and purr.  I found myself wondering if Nambé would be there to greet him, as it's believed humans do.  I like to think they're romping together again, in a meadow full of butterflies. Regardless, he's free of pain and trouble now.

Farewell, Mishka.  You were a grand old cat.

Whew!  This spring has been super busy for me.

Today my first original novel ebook came out from Book View Cafe!  First as in the first to come out first as an ebook.  There will probably be a print edition later this year.

The novel is IMMORTAL, an urban fantasy.  Here's the cover, and here's a description:

What do you do if the most gorgeous guy you've ever seen asks for your help?

 

No brainer. Len Whiting is smitten from the minute she sees the stranger's amazing eyes. She agrees to help Caeran find the healer he's been seeking in rural New Mexico. What Len doesn't know is that neither Caeran nor the healer is human: they're immortal ælven, and they're locked in an ancient struggle with the vampires who are their kin. Len wants Caeran’s love, and wants to help the healer find a cure—but first they must cope with the bloodthirsty vampire who's got his sights set on them all.

Sat out and watched the Geminids for a bit last night.  It was nice to stare at the sky after a stressful day.

Last night was the peak of the shower but there will still be meteors visible for the next few nights.  In fact, it should be interesting to watch the sky during the lunar eclipse in a week.  Looking forward to that.

I think I have figured out one thing that was bothering Mishka.  He would get sick now and then, and I pinned it down to after he'd eaten one particular flavor of cat food.  I eliminated that flavor from the menu rotation and he hasn't been sick since!  (Knock wood.)

Happy to report that Mishka had a good day yesterday.  Thought I should mention it for a change.  No tummy troubles, just a nice day hanging out on the couch with family.

He is bugging me to build a fire.  No sunshine to lie in, since it's a drizzly cold morning.  Think I'll oblige him.

Am I sounding like a broken record?  If so sorry - I'm just trying to track Mishka's health and this is the place I chose to do it.  Small seizure yesterday (11/11), set off by my clicking a spoon on a dish of yogurt I was fixing for him.  Poor guy.

Yogurt seems to help with his digestion a lot, so I'm giving it to him every day.  He loves it, fortunately.  Unlike pumpkin - which he won't eat!  It might be the only people food he won't eat.  I've tried every which way to get him interested in it, but no go.

I need to bake up some pumpkin and freeze it.  Love the stuff!  I still have the big pumpkin from my garden and a couple that my friend Pat brought me, plus there's one coming in next week.

Off to get a slice of pumpkin bread and more tea.  There's the power of suggestion for you.

A seizure this morning.  Mercifully short in duration.  Poor old guy has trouble pacing in circles (an after-seizure symptom) now.  He kind of stumbles around in a circle. 

He's been off his feed lately - doesn't eat much breakfast.  I think the cooler weather is getting to him.  He's ready to have a fire in the fireplace all the time, now.

I didn't post the day it happened, for various reasons, but here for the record:  Mishka had a seizure on Tuesday (8/10).  He bounced back as usual and is his good old crochety self.

The Perseids meteor shower peaked this week.  I adore lying out staring at the sky, and since I got glasses this summer I can see things much better. 

I invited friends over to watch the meteors with me, but only one of them came up (hi, Peg!).  The others were scared off by thundershowers or found themselves too tired to drive around the mountains.  I understand.  However, in future I'm going to plan star-gazing parties a little differently.

We went out at about 10:30 and saw a handful of really great meteors, plus a sideshow of lightning going on to the west, then it clouded over. Went inside and watched a movie for a couple of hours, during which it rained.  When we came out again around one, the sky was clear and the meteors were again wonderful.  We pooped out after an hour or so, just when the show was really getting good.  Hence, different plans for next time:  in future, the agenda will include a nap.  (Man, it sucks getting old!)

Visited family on Saturday.  They are well (their good old crochety selves).  Watched Casino Royale with mi esposo.  Good for a Bond movie.  I'm not really an aficionado, but it was fun. 

Today, gaming with friends.  All in all a good week.

Mishka had another seizure on Wednesday.  (Pardon all the seizure reports - I am using this Comonplace Book to keep track of when they occur.)  This one scared us because he had been lying on his grooming stand, which is about 3.5 feet high, and he fell off it when he started seizing.  Luckily, no broken bones.  That cat has the hardest head in the world (I know because he's whacked me with it.)

No more napping on the grooming stand.  Sorry dude.

In other news, we had a swamp cooler installed this week.  It has made a huge difference in our comfort especially at night.  Our bedroom is at the southern end of the house, and at about 3:00 a.m. the day's heat works its way through the walls and we wake up hot.  Not happening with the thermostat-controlled swamp cooler.  Yay!  Sleeping better!

For those of you wondering what the heck a swamp cooler is, it's an evaporative air conditioning system.  (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporative_cooler).  They're ubiquitous here in the southwest, where they function well in the arid climate.  Not so useful in humid areas.

Another seizure yesterday.  It had been over a month since the last one, unless he had one while we were away from the house.  Slightly different behavior this time.  He was on the couch, which was good because it made it less likely that he would hurt himself.  Not so good because he wasn't able to pace in circles afterward.  Instead he seemed to be watching something go around him in circles - his head went back and forth like someone watching a tennis match.  

During the seizure I tried something that my spouse did the previous time, which was to hum a low, steady pitch.  Both times this seemed to help Mishka calm down and come out of the seizure faster.  I offer up this information in the hope it may be useful to someone.

I have some new pics of Mishka, which I will post anon. 

Mishka had a seizure at 2:30 a.m. this morning.  As we were all sound asleep, this one can't have been brought on by a sharp sound, unless he dreamed one.

He's been off his feed a bit the last couple of days.  It's hard when we know he's not feeling well and can't do much to help.  He's been wanting lots of lap time, and we're giving it to him.  Right now he's snoozing in the sun. 

Me, I have a cold.  Going back to bed.  Sorry world, I'll get to you in a bit.