Life Goes On

What a cutie !!!

Life goes on over here in the woods.
Each day we make it through.
We go out back and it's too quiet.
She was just such a presence in our lives.
Jodie Belle is ok.
As ok as you can be with losing your sissy.
Jodie doesn't play.
She just sits by me.
We've been looking at rescue dogs.
Not sure we want to bring one into our cat world.
It's hard to find the purrfect
dog to fit into this cat and one dog world
that we have created over here.
I'll update you if we do get another fur ball.
Til we do, it's just me and Jodie.
In the back yard, reading a book.
I'd  be the one doing that.
Jodie will be exploring the woods.
A chip monk did entertain her
for most of the day.
Nothing like chit chatting
with the wilds of the woods.

Hope your world is doing fine.
Nothing like losing a loved one
to make you realize how precious
our days are.

Til Next Time.
JC and Meredith Ann

She is napping on the desk.
I've moved the key board
so that I'm typing sideways.
The mouse has a fluffy tail on it.
What I do over here.
I tell ya ...

Purrs to all of you !!!

I Miss Her

This is Maddy Jean in her younger years.

It's been a few days now since I put my love to sleep.

I am doing fine.

As fine as one can when they've lost so much.

I miss her.

~ JC ~

Maddy Jean

Madeleine Eugenie

Also known as 

Maddy Jean

She went to puppy heaven this morning.

We think she'd had a stroke sometime on Saturday.

The vet agreed with us that it was time.

She was the best dog ever.

~ JC ~

Schmickaleedoo

This cat looks so much like my Jasmine Marie.

Except the feet.

 Jazzy is darker and her white feet pop out at you.

Anyway, this reminds me of her.

My Silly Snowshoe Siamese.

We call her Schmickaleedoo.

That's Sch Mick A Lee Doo.

How was your week ?

I moved back to the woods.

It's better for Maddy Jean.

The remodel of the kitchen is done.

New counters, back splash and 

the floors were refinished.

Some of the appliances are new.

Some aren't.

Still things to do but for this Summer,

we are done.

So, it was time to come home.

I had gotten used to living at the beach.

It's an easy life.

Nothing to do but read and enjoy

the birds that fly bye.

Here in the woods,

I was welcomed by a lovely

coyote family enjoying

their evening.

That I do not like about nature.

The heat is still here.

Warm as can be.

The lawn isn't doing well.

I had two men here.

They forgot to water.

Who does that ?

My flowers sort of survived.

I've fertilized and am hoping.

I can't complain though.

It's been a very nice Summer.

Except for Maddy Jean.

Each day she gets worse.

I up the pain meds.

It's a nasty time in her life.

I told her that the only thing

she's ever done wrong

is get old.

And, that is my update.

Hope you all enjoy the weekend.

Not there yet, but soon.

Oh, and remember to dance

even to the music

at the local gardening store.

I did.

~ JC ~

Young, Tired, Crazy and Old

I am having a blueberry muffin and coffee.

This is a yum kind of start to my morning.

Normally, I don't eat breakfast

but I am trying to boost

my ever slow metabolism.

It seems to have stopped

and that's not good.

I have heart troubles.

Have been on meds for almost two years.

The second med which I started last July

has done a real number on me.

I've gained more than thirty pounds

 and basically my mean 

old metabolism went away.

I tried to stop taking it.

My heart let me know that I could not.

Thus, I started it again.

No more headaches.

No more dizzyness.

I can drive.

I can stand up without passing out.

(fun times)

Only the med makes me all bloated.

You know that feeling.

Yuck.

I'm still trying to figure something out.

Til I do, it's two pills

for the ever mean heart.

The Purr and Fur Gang

is with me at our beach place.

No, they don't get to relax

outside like this.

Our beach is a rocky one.

Sand dollars and oysters.

On an inlet.

The tide is either out or

it's a big lake.

They do get to go out on the deck though.

Which is purrfect for them.

They can't get off of it.

They nap and relax

but because they are indoor cats

they tend to come in after a while.

This is a photo of Maddy Jean and Jodie.

Was taken two years ago when Jodie was a baby.

Maddy is doing ok.

She isn't in a hurry.

She naps a lot.

We are taking it day by day.

Normal life over here.

A young dog, a very tired old dog,

five crazy cats and a very old cat lady.

That's our update.

Never a dull moment.

That is for sure.

Enjoy your weekend.

Remember to dance.

~ JC ~

Madeleine Eugenie

Madeleine Eugenie

Also Known As

 Maddy Jean

~ ~ ~

As I type this, my Dear Sweet Daughter

is napping on the rug next to me.

She has had a bad bad day and night.

Today, she is just a bit better.

She ate.

Yesterday, she did not.

She is ten years old.

Going on eleven.

Has nasty tumors all over her old body.

Had cancer surgery two Summers ago.

Nasty nasty nasty surgery.

Terrible months of healing.

We said we would not do that to her again.

I wish I hadn't said that.

I did.

Her leg is bothering her.

She has troubles getting up.

Troubles walking.

Oh those terrible stairs.

She lies down and you have to look.

To see if she is still breathing.

Last night I just hugged her.

On the rug.

Just her and me.

She didn't lift her head.

She was breathing though.

I did that for a long time.

Later, she did come up the stairs.

Very late at night.

I though oh my.

She feels better.

It's not easy.

Letting go.

Will it be this week.

Next month.

I told her to take her time.

She's always been one

to be in a hurry

to eat.

When she didn't eat last night.

Well, I knew we were in trouble.

So, today I am happy

cause she seems a bit better.

Sad, because I know my time

with this Sweet Dear Daughter

is running out.

What a grand time it's been.

She's the best dog.

No one has had a better one.

So imagine all your dogs

and how great they have been.

My dog is better than your dog.

Just had to say that.

Here's to 

Madeleine Eugenie

AKA .. 

Maddy Jean

~ JC ~

Mew At You Later

Jodie Belle is enjoying her birthday present.

A squeekie blue green dog.

All four paws make noise.

Even Maddy Jean has been in on the fun.

It's lasted longer than I would ever have thought.

~ ~ ~

Tomorrow I go in for my surgery.

I'm having both kidneys worked on.

This will be my fifth surgery

in less than two years.

I think I'm ready.

I had a list and got it all done.

The lights are up in the yard.

A few at least.

Mr. Boatman wanted me to 

have something to look at

while I'm stuck at home.

~ ~ ~

I hope everyone who's not feeling well

is better soon.

I told my gang not to get sick.

They listened, I think.

Til next time,

JC and The Purr and Fur Gang

Yum

It's almost December.

How did that happen ?

No, I mean it.

Today in the woods it's in the 20's.

Frozen and did not get warm enough.

The sun did come out.

The girls went out back.

I checked them every ten or so

to see if they'd become

frozen puppies in the woods.

They are now inside.

Warm and napping.

Dreaming of the Spring and Summer days.

I'm dreaming of those too.

 

The cookies above are what I make

during the Holiday Season.

Nothing fancy.

Just darn good.

Yum.

I don't usual bake.

Not my talent.

Cooking in general is not my thing.

Not that I wouldn't want to have that ability

to make a q tip into a shopping mall.

(think about it and let me know if you get this)

 

I seem to ruin most recipes.

Cookies, not so much.

 

Anyway, with it being so cold,

I thought of these and was shocked

that it was almost that time of year.

 

The leaves in the woods are almost gone.

Was actual pretty with them.

Was a nice Fall over here.

The cold now is a

yell out that it's almost Winter.

 

I hope it doesn't get too cold.

I don't mind it but not on the roads

or on the sidewalks.

I just want to look at it.

Ya know what I mean.

I also have to find my warm coat.

Jean jacket isn't thick enough for today.

Gloves, where are they.

I know I have some in the closet.

 

The cats are all napping.

Heater vent or soft blanket.

The girls are in the hall.

Me, I'm in the den.

I was watching bird tv.

I think I enjoy it more than these furry balls

that I set it up for.

Seriously, I swear I go eee eee eee.

 

Til next time,

This is a very cold old lady,

who lives in the woods

with her purr and fur gang,

 

~ JC ~



Mondays With Meredith Ann

Meredith Ann 
~ ~ ~
She would love to go out in her back yard.
Not happening any time soon.
Too yucky out there for her furs.
Maddy Jean was out
and Meredith Ann wanted to join her.

This was taken last week before it started to rain.
Now, it's wet and yucky.
Look at how pretty her back furs are.

~ JC ~

Purr and Fur Gang

My life is just dam complicated so

 I'm not even going to talk about it.

Instead, I'll step over it and on to other things.

The Purr and Fur Gang are all well.

Which is sort of amazing considering their ages.

(checking to see if they are listening)

Cause I'm going to talk about them.

Big Al is fourteen and doing great.

He naps a lot but so do I.

Ashton Rosevelt naps a lot too but he's still talking away.

He's the one I watch close.

I'm always wondering where he went.

He has gotten locked in a lot of closets in his life.

I never leave without knowing where he is.

He's eleven  now.

Jasmine Marie is still a crabby old Siamese.

Sweet though when she wants to be

but basically any growl you hear is from her.

She's nine or ten.

Riley Andrew is still getting in trouble.

Every chance he can actually.

I think he's around eight or nine now.

He hasn't really slowed down much.

He still owns the perch by the window

and watches bird tv with me.

Yes, I watch it every morning.

Meredith Ann has been with me for three years.

(this coming November)

I can't even remember life without her.

She has changed my days so much.

I think she's about five or six.

She is an absolute doll.

Except for her silky furs that get nasty clumps.

That she and I could do without.

Maddy Jean is ten and still going.

Her tumors are unfortunately growing with her.

She's been with me one more year.

That nasty cancer surgery is a memory now.

No more of those for her ever.

She naps a lot.

I'm fine with that.

She doesn't seem to be in pain so more time is what I get.

She watches Jodie play.

So do I.

She's quite entertaining actually.

Everyone should get a Collie.

At least we think so.

Jodie Belle is the cutest Rough Collie ever.

No, really I mean it.

Barks too much but so do I.

Let's face it, who doesn't bark too much.

Just love her so much.

She has made Maddy Jean happy.

All the cats like her too.

Ok, not the Siamese but Jazz doesn't like anyone but me.

See, that was more fun than telling you about my life.

Hope you all have a nice day.

I'm off to dance a bit.

It seems to make me forget and I like that.

~ JC ~

Wednesday With The Girls

Maddy Jean and Jodie Belle
~ ~ ~
Jodie has dropped an old leash
on Maddy Jean.

Play with me .. please.

~ ~ ~
These two give so much joy.
The peace that I am
always in search of.
It's right here.

~ JC ~

Maddy And The Woods

This is an August report 
about the weather in my woods.

Warm. Hot for us. Muggy in the evenings.

Windows open at night.

Fans going.

Been nice all Summer.

Really really nice.

One of the warmer ones that I can remember.

Sometimes we just get clouds.

Muggy and clouds.

Wet and clouds.

Grey with a touch of clouds.

Thus, this is fun.

I sit in the back yard.

Shade of the woods around me.

Dogs are playing.

Ok, Jodie is and Maddy is watching her.

I read my not so great book.

I just got done with a three part adventure

and this is just a story story kind of book.

The coffee this meowning is in my cat cup.

When isn't it actually. Winter. Snow cup.

Went to the vet yesterday with Maddy Jean.

A recheck for her nasty skin infection.

More medicine. She did fine.

Like she always does.

Sweetest dog ever.

It's been almost a year since her big surgery.

The cancer that caused her so much trouble.

The vet says she has lots of tumors.

One small one that keeps growing is of concern.

I said no surgery.

We looked at each other.

I said we could maintain.

Everything else but.

I'm sure she wrote that in her notes.

Maddy Jean.

I watch her enjoy her days.

Knowing that they are counting down.

I got an extra year.

I can't complain but I will.

My heart breaks.

I know my dog is dying.

Who isn't though, so I enjoy each day.

You'd like it in my woods.

I'd give you a drink and a book.

Add in those cute purr and fur gang

and you'd never want to leave.

You would though when those clouds

come back, which they will.

Until they do, Maddy Jean and I will be enjoying.

Taking in each moment.

~ JC ~

Eeyore, I know what you mean

~ ~ ~

So, the buzz saws continue

but are manageable

with lots of coffee

and now a beer.

Yes, it helps.

 

It's windy today.

I'm at the beach

with Meredith Ann

of course

and Maddy Jean and Jodie Belle.

 

The warms are here

but the wind

it is a blowing.

 

Too much to be on the

back deck so I go in

the front yard and watch

Mr. Boatman work on the front porch.

 

It is sinking.

Yes, down it goes.

He is putting boards under

the posts to make it level.

This place looks nice

but the builder sure must

have known someone

cause it has troubles galore.

 

Anyway, I'm going in and out.

Meredith is on the chair.

I let her out back

but she came right in.

Her furs didn't like the blowy effects.

 

Hope you all are having

a warm non windy Saturday.

 

~ J C ~

Mondays With Meredith Ann

This is a photo of my Mom's foot.
She is at her beach.
Sitting and relaxing.
The tide was out.
She'd just walked along the shoreline.
Looking for shells.
She found two small scallops
and one mini sand dollar.

Maddy Jean and Jodie Belle

were just to the left of Mom.

This is our beach area.

We own up to that thingy in the sand.

Most of the time it's a big lake.

This last weekend, it was a beach.

This is the view to the right of Mom.

The stairs to the beach are sort of old.

Jodie Belle isn't.

Me, I was up on the deck.

Looking down at Mom.

She told me it was too cold

for me to visit them.

I agreed.

(Mom said she wanted to show

all of you her beach.)

Til next week,

this is 

Meredith Ann

Friday Update From The Woods

~ ~ ~ ~

It's still moist out but trying to clear up.

The blue is peeking out from the grey clouds.

A roll of fog came in and left a few hours later.

I guess sweeping away the drippy drops.

 

A squirrel is eating our beloved bird TV suet.

A small woodpecker made Meredith Ann's morning.

She sings to the birds in a very cute voice.

Napping now while she dreams of warmer days.

 

Riley Andrew escaped last night.

Mr. Boatman was on door duty.

He was letting Maddy Jean in and didn't see him.

He was hiding under the table.

Out into the drips he went.

 

I then had to get my flashlight and go out in the wets.

Dark as can be too.

It took me about an hour of saying nice things to him.

He finally came back in.

By then, I had most of the Purr and Fur Gang

put away in rooms so that the doors could be opened.

Bad orange baby boy.

(no one of the purr variety goes

 outdoors unless on a leash)

 

Jodie Belle found the old dog bone box

 that was waiting to be burned.

She's chewed that up and made quite a mess.

Maddy Jean is dreaming in the hall about younger years.

 

Me, I'm waiting for people to call me back.

I hate doing that.

The not wanting to miss the call.

 

I do need to get out and about this afternoon.

So, I might call them .. again .. to see if they know yet.

I'm trying to get my surgery scheduled.

Would like it at the hospital I want at the time I want.

This guy has three places and only comes to mine

once a week thus, he books out fast.

 

Nothing is ever easy .. is it.

 

Hope you all have a PURRfect Weekend.

Relaxing and dancing, of course.

 

~ JC, Meredith Ann and Riley Andrew ~

*Mere is napping near me and

Riley is on the scratching post*

Friday Meowning In The Woods

Maddy Jean and Jodie Belle

Taken last Summer at our beach place.
Sorry about me in the background.
I had discovered I was recording
instead of just taking a photo.
Swearing is my middle name.
It's the Catholic girl in me. lol

 

~ ~ ~

It's still cold.

Very.

I slept through the night.

First time in forever.

At least it seems that way.

Woke up to cars driving.

I can hear the road through my woods.

It's a welcome sound.

Means that it didn't snow.

 

Maddy Jean is better.

She seems brighter mentally.

Moving around better.

Not as lost as she was yesterday.

What a relief.

Maybe it's just old dog body.

Oh, wouldn't that be nice.

You know what I mean.

 

Having my coffee in my multi cat cup

that I got when I went to Winthrop

last Summer.

 

Jodie Belle is going in and out.

Barking.

Me going back and forth.

Telling her not to.

 

It's what I do each morning.

 

So, this weekend I will be thinking

about what the next steps are for

my Dear Sweet Golden.

 

How did she get old ?

Where did the time go ?

 

I was thinking about age yesterday.

The fact that I can do nothing about anything.

Really.

I can only bring hope for a better day.

That Maddy Jean will improve.

That the universe will do the right thing.

 

Sometimes I do feel at a loss over here.

Like no matter what I do, bad things happen anyway.

Then, I shake my head.

Nope. Not me.

I will always be the one who thinks that after a nap

things will look different.

That there is hope.

And, if there comes a time when hope doesn't cover it,

then I will still hope that days like that are rare.

 

It's just who I am.

 

Enjoy and remember to dance and smile and dream.

 

~ JC ~

Cold Winter Day

Maddy Jean and Jodie Belle last Summer

 

It's one of those cold Winter days.

Even the woods are quiet.

A few birds and a car heard but very quiet.

The purr and fur gang are napping.

On blankets or near heating vents.

 

Maddy Jean, my Golden Retriever, is having a bad day.

Might be the cold.

Might be her old age.

Jodie Belle wants her to play.

Maddy seems to be lost today.

I brought them both inside so Maddy could rest.

 

I have a lot to do.

List a mile long.

Nothing important though.

All can wait.

 

Meredith Ann is sitting by me.

Getting a pet from time to time.

Bird TV has been marvelous.

They can't get anything from the ground

so they visit us and entertain Riley.

 

I hope Maddy Jean gets better.

It saddens me to think that she has aged so much this year.

She's only nine.

The cancer surgery she had last Summer was terrible.

She had recovered but she has never been like she was.

I do hope it doesn't have something to do with that.

 

Anyway, as I get ready to do at least something on my list,

I sit here thinking that my life is nothing

compared to the worry I have for my Purr and Fur Gang.

I'd do almost anything for them.

 

So, I hope you aren't all sitting in the cold.

And, if you are there isn't a burn ban on

like there is here in my woods.

The air is not good this week.

 

I'll just make some tea

and pet a cat

and find a good movie to watch.

 

That is until the evening

when my favorite shows

are entertaining me.

 

Hope you stay warm,

 

~ JC and The Gang ~