Monday, August 15, 2022

August 15, 2022 Monday--12:15pm Big News!!

Good afternoon!

I won't leave you in the dark...no chronological order to this big news because it's been in the discussion works for a bit.  I mentioned a couple of months ago that Dagan and Leah were planning to finish off their basement next...well, they are going to make a MIL apartment...for me!  When it is finished I will be moving in with them.  Alley, too, of course.  

We've been over the pros and cons.  Lots more pros then cons.  Last week Dagan, Leah, and I had a video call and we officially made the final decision that--yes--I would move in with them and the project would begin.  Needless to say, this is down the road with construction being what it is and all.  They want to do as much as they can themselves and with the help of friends and family...kind of like they did with their deck.  Not all of it, of course, but as much as they can.

So the texts and emails have been flying between Leah and I.  Throwing out ideas for the kitchenette...where a washer and dryer might go along with a cat box for Alley (probably maintenance room)...would I like to go with a wardrobe & drawer units/dressers vs. a closet (yes)...what would I like Leah to sell on Facebook?  This puts a completely new light on downsizing and purging!

Anyways, was a good week!  Alley has been feeling more and more at home.

Monday

I finally called when someone was in the office.  I said I had all the paperwork on the new cat and she said I had to fill out a form and she'd clip it outside my door for me.  Okay.

What a joke! (can click to enlarge) 

It has nothing specifically to do with a pet at all!  Said nothing about needing a letter from my doctor--nothing.  I filled it out--wrote about having been approved years ago for a companion animal--and enclosed copies of the letter from Dr. Kessler and Alley's vaccinations.  Walked it down and the girl I have dealt with was just walking in the front door (another coincidence?) so I gave it to her.  Done and dusted--as they say on my British shows--LOL!  At least I hope that is the end of it.

Tuesday
Was the first night Alley didn't wake me up at all!  And she hasn't since!  She has quit looking for her old home and seems to have adjusted to me being a night owl and not a lark--LOL!

Went out to water on the patio.  Was deadheading before I got the hose out...went to step backwards to set some dead geranium blossoms on the chair out there...and tripped on the foot of the chair...didn't want to fall backwards onto the hard arm of the chair so twisted myself in the air to land on the cement in front of the chair...right on the left knee that has been bothering me, of course.  I think I also hit my right shoulder on the planter because it was very sore the next day.  Still is.  So is the swollen knee.  But amazingly--no bruises!!?? 

I got myself up, caught my breath, finished deadheading and watered the plants.

The most embarrassing thing is one of the routine questions they are always asking at the clinic--have you fallen in the past year?  Now I will have to say yes.  Duh!

Obviously you can tell I am still falling in love with Alley.  I'm so pleased to see her getting so relaxed around here.
I have snapped pictures all week but don't know on which days--but these are chronological.
Alley will sleep wherever on the floor.
She will follow me into the kitchen and is relaxed enough now to lie down to observe what I am up to.
I can't remember which day my big hourglass shaped pour-over coffee pot fell over and broke.  Had it seven years!  I ordered a new one--completely different shape and with a handle!  I really like it even if it has a little smaller capacity.  Easier to clean, too!
Alley still does get a bit nervous when I go out to get mail or go to the dumpster or garage...any time I leave she must still wonder if I am coming back.  She's now coming up for a bit of petting, reassurance, and happy time when I come back in the door.
Thursday
One of the times we were doing a drop off and/or pickup in the parking lot--before the boys were told about me moving in--I was telling them that by the end of the month (after they go to the Renaissance Fair and we wait like 5 days) we will probably be in the same bubble again and be able to visit each other without masks.  The first thing Ian said was--"Gramma Days!!"  (My heart swelled so that it almost oozed out my eyes!)

Well, Dagan and Leah told the boys about me moving in downstairs on Thursday morning and I had a video call with them over dinner that night.  Ian can't believe I would be that close for Gramma Days--LOL!  And--since I haven't been able to sleep in a bed for several years--the "bedroom" will be the studio!!  I will be able to have a lot of my art & craft stuff still in there--tada!!  Which means lots of stuff we can do on Gramma Days and Liam will be able to have Gramma Days, too!  ;)

That night I had a video call with Leah (and Dagan popped in, too, a couple of times).  We keep thinking of more positive things all the time about the move.  Leah and I keep going over how to set things up and I keep thinking of things I can get rid of--either sell, give away, or toss.  She is doing the same at her place.  It's good for both of us.  ;)

Friday
I made a trip to the dumpster and to the garage.  Got Annie's old catnip and her favorite bed.
  Seemed wrong to give her Annie's favorite bed of 17 years, but Alley hasn't slept in it yet, anyways.  But she sure likes catnip!  I filled a couple of catnip toys (have a ton of toys from Annie) and she played and played.  
Alley did decide she liked this one bed I bought...but won't go near the other two or Annie's.
So, I sprinkled a little catnip in the other cat beds...no go.  Not Annie's or the super fluffy one...
...or the other big soft bed.
 She smelled them, licked off some of the catnip, but barely wanted to step in them.  Not even catnip would entice her to like these beds--ROFL!

I wondered if it was placement--you know--location-location-location.  But I switched them around and she will only sleep in the one bed--floor or chair or wherever.  So, if she doesn't ever take to the other beds and Leah doesn't want them for Blink...I'm sure Cat's Cradle would love them.  ;)  And, yes--that bed looks the most similar to the one she was in at Cat's Cradle.

I did laundry and Leah and the boys dropped off some cat food in a parking lot exchange.  I had packed up over half of Ian's bookcase--a lot of puzzles and workbooks.  Wanted them to use them before they're too young even for Liam, you know.  A lot changes in 2 1/2 years!  
Mostly what's left is art supplies.  (Ignore the dying spider plant--not sure when Leah will be able to come over to transplant my house plants with so much going on.)
Anyways, the boys had picked out toys for Blink at the Natural Pet Shop.  When I was telling them how much Alley likes catnip they decided (Leah's suggestion) that they'd give Alley a catnip toy.  Ian made me promise to make a video of Alley and her new toy.  I told them she was catnipped out today so I would wait a while.
Sunday
I brought the catnip toy over next to my chair and she smelled it before she saw it--LOL!  Fresh catnip makes all the difference, I guess--LOL!  Here's the promised video I made for the boys.
What an exciting last couple weeks!!  Changes!  Changes!  My mind just tumbles with ideas and plans and questions and imagining.  I have never had a "forever home".  It's a brand new feeling.  And been a long time since I lived with family, you know?  But I will have my own "home", too--my own separate space.  Will likely be a year at least, I figure.  Dagan hopes to have it done by the time my lease is up end of June next year.  That seems hard to imagine with so much to do.  But a friend of theirs has already been over yesterday to discuss building the kitchenette!  So-who knows?  When there are plans to share I will show them to you.  Whoohoo!!

Meanwhile--besides not waking me up off and on all night or at the butt-crack of dawn...Alley has passed another hurdle this past week.  She has adapted (most of the time) to letting me be in my chair with my pillow and lapdesk stack on my lap so I can write letters or work on crafts or whatever.  A big deal for me.  She can relax and watch the birds on the footrest.  
Annie always took it as rejection of her and would never, ever sit up on the chair with me if I had the pillow and lapdesk there.  So I had always felt guilty, you know?  

And Annie had a hard time with the laptop table.  She had a low tolerance for noise so if I had a video on--she usually left.  Alley has been okay with my typing and videos, too.

This is a huge part of my life, really.  So, Miss Alley accepting it as tolerable--priceless!  She does let me know when she's had enough and wants some lovin' up and personal attention, though...and that is fine with me.  She's also okay if I am typing like I am now...but if it is too wiggly for too long ser she moves down on to the floor.  Which is where she is right this moment.
Oh, and look who just came by for some water!
OMGosh!  I am still just amazed by technology!  I can share what I am seeing right now...and even in video!  My grandsons will never know what it was like to take pictures with a camera and drop off the rolls to be printed...getting them a day later (at the fast places) only to find so many of them were blurry or people's heads were cut off--ROFL!  What a world!  We live surrounded by small miracles!

Have a fabulous day!!
Till next week.  :) :)


15 comments:

Rita said...

No idea why the font changes size randomly--LOL! You can thank Blogger. ;)

Thanks so much for each and every comment. I treasure them. :)

JoyM said...

I am so very very happy for your wonderful news - lots to plan and make decisions with your loving family.
Hugs.
Joy

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Great to have so much to look forward to. You will be living it in your mind until it happens. I hope it all works out well.

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi Rita. You have had a great week! That is such great news that you will be able to move in with Dagan and Leah and have your own space in their home. Wonderful news! So glad that Alley is adjusting. Great pictures. She is a beautiful kitty. Good luck with all of the purging. That is always a big, but worthwhile task. HAve a good week. See you again soon!

DJan said...

What a wonderful and upbeat post! I am so thrilled that Miss Alley is becoming such a good friend already. And great news about your forever home!!! I am all smiles for you right now. :-)

Anvilcloud said...

That seems like a very positive development for you, and the cat is settling in too. So nothing but good news this week. BTW, I slept in the chair last night, but I haven’t done that for awhile. Sometimes, I do start there for a very brief period, but last night, I couldn’t settle in bed but did fine in the chair.

Mary said...

Wonderful news. What a relief it will be not to have to deal with the apartment complex folks and the ever changing rules and regs. It is clear that having Alley in your life is a real blessing.

Jon said...

Rita, that is fantastic news! It would be great for you to have your own place and be near your family. There are so many disadvantages to renting. This will be an exciting adventure.

I'm sorry to hear about your fall, but thankfully you weren't seriously injured. I had two incredibly bad falls that injured my spine and the injuries never healed properly. As a result, I have extreme difficulty walking.

The fonts on my blog keep changing, too. Sometimes they are really large and I have to completely redo my posts.
It's so annoying!

Alley is a beautiful cat - - I enjoy seeing her photos.

Divers and Sundry said...

Wonderful news! It'll be so much easier for everyone it seems to me.

You'll just have to tell them you tripped over a piece of patio furniture while you were working with your plants. That way they'll know you were engaged in appropriate physical activity and tripped and that you didn't fall from weakness. It makes a difference in how they look at it.

Being able to share photos and videos so immediately is amazing!

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

That is awesome news, I am sure it will be a great move

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Rita, what great news to have shared. Moving in with family but in your own space will certainly make life easier for you all in so many ways. But, the best part is that you and Alley will be surrounded by loved ones. I am excited and happy at the news.

Great also to see the photos of how your new companion is adjusting to her home now. She seems to have settled in more. Nice that Alley has her own bed too. The ones from Annie, if donated to Cat’s Cradle as you are considering, would surely be welcomed.

Sorry to read about your fall and hope you will not have any aftermath pains.

Nice to see the partridge family doing so well. I hope your future basement apartment will also have a viewing area to outside so you and Alley can continue the Critter Cafe.

This was such an upbeat and happy post, my friend. I am happy for all of you😀

Victoria Zigler said...

I'm glad Alley is settling in so well, and incredibly happy about the future move. I think it will be great that you'll be so close, yet still have your own space. And apparently the boys are enthusiastic about the idea. LOL!

P.S. I'm commenting on your blog directly, since apparently the universe has decided I can't have post notification deliveries any more, but I'm not sure if you'll be able to reply to this directly, since it has a habit of listing me as a "no-reply" email address, even though I have my address listed as public and everything. Just mentioning it so you know to check if you want to reply to my comment.

Serena Lewis said...

Great news about moving in with Dagana and Leah, Rita. I hope it works out well for you.

OUCH on the fall. I've had a few of those myself and yes, the body does complain for days after. I hope you're doing better now.

Alley is a very pretty cat. It's great to see her settling in so well. Too cute with the new toy. So she likes to keep her toys all together....tidy cat. Alley is a nice name but, like you pondered, could it be a name the shelter gave her? Might explain her not responding to it. Let me see... Holly, Molly, Millie, Matilda, Bella, Callie, Chloe...way too many more to mention....lol

Kya isn't really into toys. Maybe due to her being more an outdoor cat in her early years, I don't know. She will play with a bit of wool/thread on the floor, even a cotton bud. She hates mats or toys that make a crinkly sound.

The digital world can be amazing for sure.

Enjoy the rest of your week,
Serena x

Jeanie said...

This post is just full of wonderful and very happy news, Rita. I love that you will have your own home with two people you really love (and the kids!). And, that Alley is settling in so beautifully. You two definitely belong together. Big smiles coming your way from me.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

It suddenly occurred to me that I had not been to visit you for awhile. Then I realized your blog posts are not showing up on my left sidebar. Since you gave me permission years ago to add your blog, I am going to delete the original add it again to see if that gives me updates.

SO sorry I have not been around lately, but I think about you often. I am simply thrilled you are going to be living in Dagan and Leah's basement, hopefully in less than a year from now, dear.