Caturday

 Well the past few nights mum has been exhausted.   Her Friday night was a sandwich  on the couch at 5pm and in bed at 6.30pm for a nap and not waking  until 2am.  Up for a power pee and a snack and then not up until 8am.  She truly is turning into a senior cat like me!!

Our Caturday was spent quietly with some chores and plenty more relaxing.  Just two old girls enjoying our day together. 

Early

It is cold and wet here, mum and I had eaten our dinner by 6pm.  So mum is going to pop into bed and it is only 7pm.  She's going to watch some Doc Martin on the laptop.  Night 🌙. 

 

Alarming

Mum found her phone  at work this morning  - crisis averted.  She did try putting the alarm on on her laptop.  She followed all of the instructions,  including  making sure that the computer  would not go to sleep, putting  the volume up high and making sure it was on am not pm - which she has done before.   If course  it didn't  work.  Luckily I came and woke her up at 6.30am which mum was happy about.  So I got extra treats and cuddles  today.  Mum said I was a good girl.  She is pleased  that her alarm will be set for tomorrow morning. 

 

Annoyed

 It looks like mum has come home without her phone.  She is sure that it will be at work somewhere hopefully.  So annoying.  Now she knows she won't sleep well as she can't rely on her alarm.  If someone has taken it from her bag they might just get a nice wake up call at 5.50am.

Cloud

Isn't this beautiful photo of clouds over Mt Cook Aoraki amazing?  Taken last week by photographer Susan Blick, she turned to take a photo and saw this cloud formation that looks like a bird, and managed a couple of clicks before it was gone.  

 

Father's Day

 Happy Father's  Day to all the dads out there.  Mum found this photo  of her parents and brother from before  she was born.  She is pretty  sure that it was not her parents  actual car - they never owned anything so flash.  

She misses her dad every day, so if you have yours enjoy them and thank them for all they have done for you and the love you share. 

Caturday

 Hey friends.  Mum woke up to her alarm at 8am and then rolled back over to carry on dreaming, then woke up  but stayed in bed to read her book.  She felt like a lazy morning.  She had a moderately active afternoon  with a bit of housework/dancing.  She has taken to doing the chores with her headphones  on listening to music or podcasts.  

Dinner was a healthy bit of chicken with a kumara/onion/carrot/broccoli mix eaten sitting  on the couch watching a show for her, and a fancy feast and a snooze for me.  Mum is missing the 89c she used to pay for a can as since the virus it has been $1.29-$1.39.  She will pay whatever  it costs even though like tonight, I just licked the jelly off and left 95% of my dinner on the plate.

Fridaying

Yippee it's the weekend  and we are ready to relax.  Mum got home and I missed her so much, I demanded cuddles, straight after my dush of feast.  She was happy to oblige.   She just wishes that each weekend  could be four days long,  and there was time for all the plans she has.  She is planning for a mix of chores, relaxing and some treats and more cuddles.

 

More Flowers

Mum admires the flowers in the shops and the ones on the outside displays.  It has been years since she has brought any, even though she loves them they  make her a bit sad as they don't last very long.  She will go looking soon for some potted flowers that will last a couple  of months  and she can look at every  day and enjoy.

 

Wordless Wednesday - Me and My Mums Mask

 

Hello September Spring

 Not much happening here.  The winds changed to rain, and a southerly, which is cold for us, and brings snow to other places.  Thank you first day of September and first day of spring.  The heaters are on, and the quilts are piled back on the bed.  Mum reheated some roti breads for her dinner and had them with a beef salad, which in theory seemed good, but was rather disappointing.  So she turned up the heater and binge watched a couple of episodes of The Split, a series that has sat on the DVR for almost 2 years and which she is enjoying, and glad she has recorded the recent series.

Guidelines here are masks to be worn on any form of public transport, buses, trains and planes.  The buses that mum has been on to and from work are much quieter than usual, as many people have chosen to drive to work rather than take the bus.  Things may change though as more people get used to it.  Mum doesn't mind, personally she thinks that if we all wore masks until Covid hopefully passes through it would be less risky for everyone. Mum doesn't understand the people that complain about masks - suck it up buttercups.

Monday

 Mum worked all day, the last day of August  and the first day she had to wear a mask on the bus, which  was ok as the bus was quiet.  She stopped  for groceries  on the way home and made herself a veg stir fry and steak and while she was cooking she baked a fritatta in the oven for her lunches for the next couple of days. 

I relaxed and only stopped relaxing for the meal break and the mini meal break.

Sunday

 Mum brunched with a bestie, had a chicken  bagel, bought a new cushion,  walked in the sun, read some of her book, took the washing in, leftovers for dinner, took the washing in, gave me pats, dished up my feast and finally a snuggle in bed.

Caturday

 All is quiet in the land of Q this Caturday. Mum has things to do tomorrow, so devoted today to stay at home with me.   She washed her uniforms, her casual clothes, the towels and her underwear and put it all outside to dry, for the breezes now have a touch of warmth in them and they blow about on the line, and smell fresh when she puts them in the drawers, ready to be worn during the week.

She wonders if you had seen this Steve the Talking Cat who uses a few talking buttons to show his mom what he wants.  If I were younger mum would loved to have let me have some buttons, although she would imagine I would be hitting the treats one all night.  She never believed that they would find a way to get cats or dogs to talk in her lifetime, but one day soon she believes we will be able to communicate with out people .

We hope you all have a fun Caturday, don't wear the washing machine out - have some fun!!

Rush

The other morning  mum woke up at 07.21am, and as she normally leaves 4 minutes  later she had to hurry up and get ready.  Unbelievably she got up washed and ready and out of the house, and even arrived at work five minutes early.

Luckily I don't have to go anywhere  - I can get up and be back in bed two minutes  later.  Yet again mum wishes she was a cat.

Spring

It is looking like spring out  there with daffodils  and tulips filling up the flower shops.  We love all the bright colors and the promise of warmer days ahead.  Mum is noticing  how much lighter it is in the morning as she heads to work.  We love springtime. 

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Four

 The most exciting part of the day is that mum threw out the old towel on my warm cat bed and gave me one of her ones.  So I have four places to sleep in the bedroom - on the shopping bag, on the little chair  on my heated cat bed and on mums spot.

Sam and Charlie

 

View this post on Instagram

My dear little friend Charlie died this week in my absence . I am very sad right now . Charlie was an affectionate friendly little creature, and I was very attached to that little duck . Last time I saw Charlie I thought she wouldn’t make it through another winter . We think Charlie was 9 or 10 , which in fairness is a good old age for a duck . I can’t post a pic of Charlie post mortem- too upsetting . But here’s a few bits and pieces of Life with Charlie.

A post shared by SamNeillTheProp (@samneilltheprop) on Aug 22, 2020 at 12:42pm P

Not sure if this will copy properly.  It made our news here in NZ.  Sam Neil lost one of his special friends Charlie the Duck.  How sweet, and you can see the bond in the videos and pictures.

Tired Napper

 Mum she got up real early like 7am, and got herself all tidy and stuff.  She went out to the cinema and saw The Booksellers (3.5/5) and 23 Walks (4.5/5).  Then she took a bus into town, did a touch of shopping,  got a pizza and came home.  First things first - fancy feast for yours truly, pizza and Pepsi Max for her, then a wee talk in the bedroom before I had a photo session before I tuckered out at 5pm.  Time for my 23 hour nap.  Night nighty.

Caturday

 Caturday was a cruisy  one.  A little sleep in, piles of washing and lots of chores for the mumster.  She thought of her dad today when she made curried  sausages for dinner.  She hadn't  made them for about 20 years, but they were one of her dads favorites.   He used a recipe that mum had written up in a schoolbook when she was twelve years old at school cooking  class.  Even though she didn't  quite remember  the  recipe she knew she was pretty close, and everything  tastes better with mashed potatoes. 

So I supervised the chores for a little while, and then needed a mega nap.  We hope you all had a fun and restful Caturday.

Friday Night Funny at the Cat Cinema

 

Enjoy!!!

Little

 There is little to talk  about at the moment.   Today was rainy and windy but not too cool,  and the hours between  mum going to work and arriving home were just spent in a gentle snooze.   Dinner at 4.30pm back in bed at 5pm.  Repeat every day.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Rude

 Someone stood up on a world stage today and made  rude comments about New Zealand and our huge unsafe  surge in Covid cases.  Would that be the 13 today, currently 6 patients in hospital,  the horrific toll of 22 dead since it entered our country in March,  with fortunately no deaths since May?  Our 1643 total cases in our country of 5 million.  We've done our best, we've closed our shops, worn masks, stayed home, worked at home, done school at home, and supported each other. . Our government have communicated, have lead, have protected, have educated, have listened to the scientists and the senior doctors, have protected as many jobs as they could. They've done their best.  We've done our best.  And we're sure it's not over yet.  

Mondaying

 So the mumster was up and awake  at early  o'clock and went off to work.  The mornings are getting  lighter but it was 4 degrees C , which is cool for us and mum was glad of her jacket  and gloves.   I  did some rubbing of sticks in the garden , ate some grass and had lots of sleeps and seemed somewhat  surprised  when mum came home.  

Mum was glad to relax when she got home.  She may have fallen asleep reading her book, what an old lady!! Anyway she made it a short nap as she had nachos  to reheat and dishes to be done.  Mum says the first  day back at work is the worst.  She'll  feel better tomorrow. 

Over

 Mums staycation is over and the alarm is set for 5.44am as normal again.  Her coping strategies  are her uniform  is clean and ready, she has loaded up some good podcasts  to listen to on the walk to work.  She also has Chilli nachos  leftovers to take to lunch, and leftovers  for dinner so she won't  have to cook when she gets home tomorrow.   I got extra cuddles today.  I get the whole mum bed back to myself tomorrow  too - bonus.  

Frosty

 It's been frosty overnight but with beautiful days which we like.  Mum and I had a wonderful sleep in, and she has surprised  herself and me by heading to bed at 9.30pm tonight.  Her eyes feel heavy and she won't  manage to read more than a few pages of her book.  

Shave

 Today begun real early.  Mums alarm went off at 6.45 am and she just rolled  over and didn't  wake up for another hour.  She then bundled me up in the cat carrier - the horror!!  You see yesterday  mum picked me up, and my tummy was tender and quite matted.  Luckily  the vets had an early appointment  available, so mum dragged me there.  First the weighing - I actually  lost a little bit.  Then my joint injection,  and then the shaving.  The nurse  had to come  in and help because  I don't like my tummy being attacked.   Mum hold my top half and I only managed  one small scratch, luckily the vet was quick.  Then home for treats and a big sleep.

Mum went and got some groceries, they weren't  too busy.  At 5.30pm they announced  that Auckland  would continue  lockdown for another 2 weeks.  We have lesser restrictions  here, no big gatherings, social distancing  and wear a mask on public transport.   Things we can manage.

So we are ready for our weekend  - how about you?

Plans

 Mums  plans for nice days out have been a bit disrupted with covid  back in the country.   She spent the day relaxing  at home with me which was nice.  She is super happy  to potter about reading her book, doing a few chores and watching a show or two.  Tomorrow  at 5.30pm the government  will announce the new covid plan so mum will keep herself busy until then and maybe have a nice drink ready.

Me - well I've been soaking up the sunbeams  which are moving back over our house again.

Wordless Wednesday - Vintage Me Just Laying On The Street

 

News

 Tonights news has just come on.  There is now some community  spread of Covid 19 in NZ.  We had been lucky and been free of cases for 100 days, with the only known cases from people travelling  into the country  from overseas who are all in isolation.   So Auckland  will be in lockdown  for 3 days, but not as many restrictions  here - yet.  Just when life was feeling  normal again. 

Nesting

 It was an exciting  start to mums day.  Her first job was to go and get her ears hoovered.  When she had been to the doctors they had mentioned  that she had lots of wax in her ears.  She only remembers  having  her ears syringed as a kid, so it might be a few decades of  build up.  Anyway the nurse was nice and just explained  that it would not be painful, just super noisy.  Apparently  mum has small canals and was a bit bunged up but it only took 10 minutes and $50.

She then went and had some pork and chive dumplings for her lunch and wandered  around the library  and got some groceries.   She can't  decide if she can hear any better but she feels better for getting  it done, after thinking  about it for a few months.

Me - my ears are fine.  I was glad she got out if bed - I wanted her spot on the bed.

Day Out

 Mum took herself out today.  She stocked up on vegetables - spring onions, pumpkin,  kumera, onions, beetroot,  swede, carrots, avocados  and parsnips.  

There were lots if people  out and about as the sun was warm even though it was a little cool and windy.  Mum enjoyed  sitting  beside the water as she enjoyed  her lunch of a satay chicken  roti wrap.  

So roasted chicken  and piles of veg for mums dinner with leftovers  for tomorrow  night.  Mum had never  roasted beetroot  before and she didn't  really enjoy  it.  Oh well live and learn.

We hope you enjoyed  seeing  her day out.

Snuggle

 I have been having  a nice time snuggling  up on my mum in the evening  before the lights go out.  She likes to read her book and I like to sleep  tucked up between her legs.  It is chilly tonight so we will be off to bed soon.

Spring Flowers

 Mum felt a bit better today and headed out with a bestie for lunch where she had a pile of corn fritters for her lunch - that will get her bowels moving again.  Then there was a wander around the garden center where there were lots of spring flowers ready for the gardens.  The girls did lots of walking  around some other shops, so mum was tired getting home.  Luckily  I was keeping  her bed warm and she might even get a full nights sleep.

Home Shows

Mum was going to write about her day, how she got out and about and finally left the house after a weeks sickness.  How she was tired of sitting at home and watching shows of cookie cutter houses looking all the same.  She was also feeling that she had got a handle on the new blogger.  Until the text came out blue and underlined and she can't change it - which has given her a big headache.  Grrr!

Wordless Wednesday - One from the archives

Doctors

Mum says that a lot of you were surprised that here in New Zealand, people have to pay to visit their GP.  Going to the public hospital is free, if you needed emergency surgery or treatment in the ED, or cancer treatment it is all free.  Mum doesn't mind paying for the GP, as you get good service here.  Most times mum has managed a same day visit, and the doctors are all super helpful.  Mums GP wasn't working on Friday but another doctor saw her, after an initial phone assessment.  She arranged blood tests and contacted mum twice yesterday to offer mum support and check she was ok, and offer some imaging if things don't get better.  Today mums GP was in contact with her regarding the blood tests and follow up.  All great service from one appointment.  

So while mum has been stuck at home recovering she has learnt a lot.  She has learnt about the Bongo, an Antelope that is protected, but is surviving at the Sydney zoo.  She has learnt that Vancouver real estate is very expensive - too much Love it or List it Vancouver.  She was surprised at the amount of cities in the US where you can buy a fixer upper for a song and do renovations so cheaply.  She has been looking at lots of websites and twitter, and ordered some masks because things are good here now, but can go bad so quickly and easily - best to be prepared.

And she has managed to give me lots of pats and brushed my furs.  Purrfect.

Foods

Mum says a sign of feeling better is an appetite returning, and today mum managed to keep down some ramen noodles and an apple which has made her feel much better.  Her sore throat has eased by 90% over the day, making her feel much better.  The pain had been right below her mandible and felt like it was in the deep tissues surrounding her neck, making it difficult to swallow and she was unable to lie down for 3 days, as as soon as she got flat the pain would increase after a couple of minutes and make her jump up.  

She agreed with the dr that she saw that there was no external swelling or difficulty breathing which are warning signs, and her blood test results came back as normal, which the dr said was probably that something was very irritated and swollen, but not infected.  Anyway mum is glad that it is almost over.  A couple of times over the weekend she was tempted to call the ambulance to go to the hospital as the pain was super intense and getting unbearable and not being managed by the pain relief.  

So now she is off to get some rest and hopefully have a bit more normal tomorrow.

Healing

Thanks for all the well wishes.  Mum has never had so much pain in her life, but has had moments when the pain relief has given her some ease in symptoms and today she even managed to sleep for a couple of hours.  She never thought that she could survive three days with no sleep, but actually her body doesn't feel to stressed out.  It has been quite the weekend though, and mum is glad that next week is her week off, but what a way to start a staycation.

So she is off to try and get some more rest and I will try and snuggle up with her if she is able to lie down again.  Thanks for all of the healing purrs.