Rest my Ricky-boy

I'm here to write about a cat.  My cat who was killed on the highway on March 21, 2013 .  I've been looking at this blank page for days and cant think of a thing to write.  I want to memorialize him, to remember, but that hurts ...a lot...and I'm not sure I'm ready.  Then today my dear friend Cheryl Canada sent me this poem, written by an unknown author...originally written for dogs, I have substituted cats...

"It came to me that everytime I loose a cat,

they take a piece of my heart with them.

And every new cat who comes into my life

gifts me with a piece of their heart.

If I live long enough
all the components of my heart
will become as generous and loving as they are..

And so its hard to be ready when the hole that his loss left in my heart is open, raw and still unoccupied.  The thought came to me that maybe being "ready" has nothing to do with producing a memorial.  Maybe the pain holding me back from sharing who this furry little boy was, is a selfish thing...If it's my emotion, my broken heart, my hurt that keeps me from writing, then he will be forgotten or never known.  Ricky deserves to be remembered and known.

Ricky was born during the spring of 2007.  His known history began when he was about 2 months old when he and his sister were found in an abandoned trailer in a town close to ours.   Skinny, full of fleas and worms, he and his sister were rescued and brought back to health. Then his waiting for a new home began.

My husband and I had rescued an abandoned kitten a year earlier (Possum)  and I felt that she needed a buddy.  Having had a male cat before, I longed for the affection and fun personality that I knew a boy cat would provide.  I had let Avoca Veterinary Clinic know that I was looking for a male kitten.

The day I got the call from AVC is like yesterday for me.  They basically said they had a little boy cat and I was instantly in the car and on my way to get him.  What his color was, his size, his age...none of that mattered.  I had found my boy-kitty and I was going to get him and bring him home.   The carrier sat on the counter at the clinic and I remember peering in and seeing not two brilliant blue eyes, but four!  Two frightened kittens were peering back at me...both near-white with seal points.  I immediately saw that they were Siamese mix and they were beautiful.   One was a male and of course he was the braver and came right to me.  I scooped him up, put him in my carrier, completed the paperwork and headed home.  Two blocks from the clinic, I called my husband to give him the good news of our new baby.  When Larry asked me how it went, I said "The hardest part was leaving his sister behind"   His reply will be a gift to me forever...."How much harder would it be to have 3 cats as opposed to 2?"....I headed right back to the clinic to get his sister.

Ricky and Lucy became part of our family that day.  Lucy is my beauty queen  and Possum is my quirky, plump sweet girl that is every one's favorite because of her independent mind!  But Ricky was my boy....my Ricky-boy!

Ricky was boy through and through and wanted outside from day one.  Trying to keep him inside was like trying to keep flies off the watermelon!  He made himself quite clear that going out was of great importance to him.  He would smack nick-knacks off tables, try to swipe pictures off the wall and wail like a sick cow until he allowed out.   A very verbal boy, I knew when he wanted in or out, a snack, a meal or attention.   He was as annoying as he was endearing. He could open cabinets to get to his treats, could eat through Styrofoam to get to the feral cat food and he could steal my heart by curling up on my lap for a long afternoon nap or by allowing me to cradle him and nuzzle his tummy.  I chuckled at his "squinty eyes"...he would lower them when he wanted something, sit straight as a stick and stare! A statue model should have been his career!  A great communicator, I always knew what he wanted.    We had a game we would play at supper.  He would come to my chair, lay down and kick the chair leg with his back feet.  I would reach down grab both feet and say "I'm gonna get your feet!" and I would shake them gently back and forth.  As soon as I stopped, he would kick the legs again until I took his soft little feet in my hand again and played our game over and over...

And so for nearly six years I enjoyed the presence of this sweet little soul.  Our morning routine included a full breakfast dish...a litter box run and a short visit to the outside. The morning of the 23rd, I had to go to Omaha for the day.  I let Lucy in, but Ricky didn't enter.  I intended to let him in before I left for the day, but I forgot.    I got the call in the late afternoon that he had been found.  The trip home feels like a dream.  I was so happy that my neighbor and my friend took care of him and took him to the vets office.  I was able to go the next day to see him.  I decided to bring him home and let my girls say goodbye...and I needed to see him, touch him and love on him just one more time.

Watching the cats say goodbye will stay with me forever.  But they are at peace, knowing that he is gone and not lost.  Not waiting by the door wondering where he is. I am still trying to find peace.  Ive known the risk of allowing him to go outside.  We've talked about how we realize that his life may be shortened because of it.  But he was so happy to be out there, to chase bugs, and butterflies....to play in the snow...to lay in the sunshine...to be a cat in every sense of the word.  I don't regret that.  I only wish we could have had more time together and I pray that he didn't suffer...that he wasn't mad at me and sitting the porch with squinty eyes...waiting for me to let him in.

Rest peacefully, my Ricky-Boy, mama loves you my little man!

Too cute Not to Share!

Well, he's done it!  Gibbs has wormed his warm little heart into ours and whined long enough to gain entrance to the house.  He is the best cat ever!  A big baby who just wants to be loved and live inside!  Im giving him short visits for now.  Soon he will be a regular and maybe spend the night in the house even.  I still havent seen him use a box and until I see that, I harbor some distrust.  MUST USE BOX...but like my bff Pam says, he is a smart boy...He wants to fit in and he will.  The other 3 are getting used to him.  Lucy is the most resistant, but her nature is to not like any change AT ALL, even if it involves her brother and sister.  Possum seems to like him the best.  They lay close by each other and just hang.  I think soon they will be touching. 

I guess if you are going to live in the country in a big old house, one might as well have multiple cats!  :)

My Life as A Cat Lover...

Having 3 cats has had its challenges, but the love and comfort and humor they bring to our lives makes the expense and the sharing of the bed well worth it.

I have set my limit at 3. I've been tempted during the past 3 years to take in another one. But I have respected the limit I have set for myself. I found homes for 2 very tempting felines and have seen a few be taken to a shelter in hopes of finding a fur-ever home or to a friendly farmer's barn for mousing...It truly has not been an issue...until Gibbs.

This little guy blended right into our feline "family".  I was seeing glimpses of him, thinking he was one of my 3, until one day I realized there was actually a 4th out there.  He was very frightened and hid beneath the porch.  When I saw him sitting out in the rain, I knew he was stray and most likely hungry.  I began leaving a bowl of water and food out for him and each morning the bowl was licked clean. 

After several days of putting a full dish of food at his hiding place entrance, he decided to emerge and say hello.  Still a bit skittish, but very thankful for the food I was bringing. It was the beginning of my new love affair with Leroy Jethro Gibbs, my gray haired - blue eyed, handsome man.  This kitty must have belonged to a family.  He is so tame and loves people once he knows he can trust them.  He's a lap cat and has the most comforting purr.

He's had his "visit" to the vet, so he can't become a daddy and he has had his shots, worming and flea medication, so he's set!

He isn't allowed in the house, but he has a cozy bed on the front porch.  He loves to be held, brushed and follows me around the yard like a shadow!

The hardest part for me is NOT letting him in.  The other 3 aren't sure yet if they like him.  Our limit is 3.  Seeing him outside, wanting in, breaks my heart.  We have months of warm weather ahead and I'm sure he is safe out there.  But when colder weather comes around, I don't know what we are going to do.  Limits...ick.
For now, I will make frequent "dates" with my buddy.  I take a cup of tea and a book and sit with him.  A good excuse to take time out of my day and relax with a cat. You should try it.  Proof positive that a cat brings down your blood pressure!

Nothing Where A House Once Stood...

This is the site where my cousin and her husband's house stood on Monday and actually stood for decades before they moved there seven years ago. A cute little farm house that Susan had made her own. Complete with the vintage look she loves and the many cats that make it home.

Here it is today...I don't think Ive ever seen a house so consumed by fire. It brings a new vision to my mind when people use the phrase "burned to the ground". It truly was burned to the ground.

There is nothing left. They have lost everything, including 7 beautiful, wonderful kitties. Susan has been able to retrieve one of her outdoor cats, Spooky. He is resting comfortably at the Avoca Medical Clinic until Susan and Rich decide their next step.

There is a donation savings account started for Rich and Susan Prince at Rolling Hills Bank in Walnut Iowa...at this point, the only way to help is to give them a shoulder to cry on, or donate. They are currently in a motel room, so food and clothing would be a storage problem. I personally thank anyone and everyone that will pray for them. Pray for direction and comfort.

Its amazing to me how a small community comes together during times like this. Total strangers have given money to help, and many, many are offering assistance in any form. When the trees began burning and they had to come down, people just appeared with tractors and equipment to get the job done.

An interesting bit of information: This upturned block, is located within the foundation of the house, under where the front porch was...this is the block where my kitty, Possum was trapped for days...only a few weeks old, she could not get out and we found her right there! What a memory! We had to saw apart the porch and remove foundation blocks to get to this piece of concrete! Why it was inside the foundation, under the porch , in the corner, upturned, I will never know! A trap waiting for a small kitty to fall in! I will ask if I can have that block!

Another Cat Story!

This little baby should be named MIRACLE or LUCKY. I don't know what her name will end up being, but she is really one fortunate kitty. Maybe her name should be Cookie..like fortune cookie...LOL! For the purposes of this blog and until she is properly named by her new owner, that is what I will call her.

The stray little one got up into the undercarriage (frame) of a pick up truck that came into Walnut last Thursday morning. She was crying her little head off but in the hoop-la of the day, no one could hear her. ANOTHER stray cat that hangs downtown and is a new mama with babies hidden in places unknown, literally took us to "Cookie". The mama kitty fretted and cried and ran back and forth from the shop to the truck until someone finally got down low enough to hear the baby.

They got her out and who do you suppose they called with their kitty crisis? Yep! me. I was working all day, so I took her home, sequestered my kitties to the basement and made a nice little nest for Cookie in my butler's pantry. She was so frightened, crying and shaking...poor baby. Since I had to work all day, she had a good chance to relax and feel safe in a darkened, quiet space. When I got home, this pictures shows how and where she was!

She has found a new home with my nephew, David and will be going to her new home on Saturday.

I really think "Cookie" fits her...She is sweet and certainly she and anyone who comes in contact with her is fortunate!

The Newest Quilt Block in the Alley!

This is Bob and Linda Hilligas, owners and managers of The Victorian Rose in Walnut. They are the most recent to add a Back Alley Quilt Block to their building. You can check out their site at www.victorianrose-walnut.blogspot.com Our alleys are sparkling and ready for "The Walk"!

Our First Two Back Alley Barn Quilts go UP!

Josh and Tom attach the "Flower Basket" Block to Sow a Seed-Prior Attire

So cute!

Finished "Swinging on a Star" on Heart of Country

Neil and son...working on attaching the block!

Its so fun to be part of a project and then see it come to reality. We are no way done, but seeing the first fruits is exciting and motivating.

Two Almost Ready to Hang!

Even though these are NOT completely finished yet I could not wait to post the progress...the top block is called "Swinging on a Star" the only thing to do is take the tape off our two boo-boos and its ready to hang! You can see this one behind "Heart of Country" owned and operated by Dorine Knop and Pam Schirm.

This block is called Flower Basket (who knew?) and still needs it's inner black band part of the border. This one will be hung behind Cheryl's shop, Sow-a-Seed/Prior Attire.

We have two more "in the hole". Watch for "Squash Blossom" and "Bird of Paradise"!!!

We also have plans to make some smaller 2'x2' blocks for yards and smaller areas.

And So Begins the Back Alley Barn Quilt Project!

Here we go, folks! Many of the shoppers here in our little Antique City must drive through the back alleys to pick up their items. Larger pieces that need to be loaded will be done behind the building. In an effort to beautify this area of our town, and create a little surprise, we decided on "Back Alley Barn Quilts"! The craze of putting quilt block patterns, painted on wood and attached to the sides of barns is a big craze these days. We are taking it a step "inside" and bringing them inside the city limits of our town!

Several of our shops are involved in this project and our City has been very kind about budgeting some funds to pay for materials. Not only will we be doing the quilt blocks, but also a major clean up effort and landscaping to include flowers, shrubs and such!

Here are me and Cheryl taping and getting ready to paint our first block ever! A little nerve wracking but tons of fun.




Primer on, base coat on, taped and ready to paint the basket for Sow-a-Seed!

Keep watching for final results.

And yes this is putting a damper on my Internet business work, but I'm having blast!

My Texas Pictures

There is absolutely nothing more beautiful!

I thank God for allowing me to see His Glory in these sights!

From Fascination to Focus!

Even tho we are still in the throws of winter snow and ice, my sister, Kris has (once again) inspired me to get my ducks in a row, my life in order, my priorities straight and my act together! How quickly things get out of control and without even a wink, we are overwhelmed and blinded with busy-ness and disorganization.

My visit with her was not only fun and relaxing, but inspiring and motivating.

So I'm home now and find myself brainstorming on how I can be like her! :)

If you know me, you know that I tend to get myself into more than I can handle. I fill my plate because my eyes are bigger than my stomach, so to speak. The end of 2009 brought the end to several obligations and commitments I had made which has freed up a lot of my time. I now must be careful not to "reload".

Not being much for New Year's resolutions, I try not to list out my goals. Maybe that is more because I feel if I don't list them, I wont have to keep them. It becomes another thing in the mental list that keeps me frozen and near unable to accomplish much.

Where Kris was very intentional and exact with her lists and goals, I may be a little more vague. I have a list of "ideas" and am not at all sure how I will put it all together or "ger er done"!

She and I discussed the adrenaline rush we get when we see or hear of a new project or idea that we want to try...we get all involved and then get bored quickly. That is the way of creative people, I think...I hope. She said someone told her we become very "fascinated"... Thus my motto....I want to go from Fascination to Focus.

My goal is to first see "where I am on the map"! Go through all my projects in my sewing room, sort and separate. Look to see what is done, near done or will never do, then go from there. This is a bit of a scary thought since I have been sort of throwing things in piles in my attic sewing room for the last 6 years and I'm pretty clueless of what is there anymore. At this point, as far as the sewing part of my life, this is the first and only step I will "focus" on right now. I will keep you posted on my progress!

As for the business end of life, things are actually pretty good. I have my etsy shop and I manage Cheryl's shop too. Ive been good at the listing and the shipping. Its the bookkeeping and the marketing that I have fallen back on.

My immediate goal n the bookkeeping side would be to prepare for 2009 taxes. That is a daunting task for sure. Again, throwing things in a box for a year doesnt make things easy.The second part of this goal will be to implement some new methods for 2010 that will make this time of year in 2011 much smoother

The marketing to me will be the fun part. I must be careful not to "focus" only on the fun parts. Balance should also be one of my key words for 2010...I have some books on marketing that I am planning on reading and using new ideas and methods to market my little online shop.

So there you have it! I hope to keep myself accountable by using this blog, so I hope you will come back and watch my progress.

Happy 2010!

What is it about Cats?

Simply decide to change the mattress pad and believe me, you will ask the same question!

Ricky could not stay off or out of our new heated mattress pad as I was attempting to put it on our bed. I got it it out of the package and in a heap and in seconds all the cats were there.

Here's a question for you. Are cats like ducks? When they come to you as babies do they then think of you as their mother? I think they do...

When a female cat that lives in the wild has a litter of kittens, she creates for them a nest. They stay in this safe little place with their mama (or without her when she commands it), for protection. She releases them for food, play and potty breaks.

My cats think our bedroom is their nest and that I'm their mama. In the morning, they wont leave the "nest" until I get up. They have various ways of annoying me to get me to rise. They run across the bed, they knock things off the dresser, they stare...they touch their nose to my face. Lucy's favorite way...tap on my glasses which are on the side table just enough so they rock and make a very irritating noise. Ricky's favorite way....perch on the high dresser and jump onto the bed and run! Possum's way is to very quietly tip toe onto my chest, hunker down and stare into my face...for a long time.

As SOON as my feet hit the floor they fly to their food dishes or the litter box. Now if the door was shut so they couldn't access their leftover food from the night before, or their boxes, this would make sense, but no, the door is open, the boxes are available and they have food...they just want their mama to release them. Or else they have a pact with each other to be annoying in the morning.

Our Bag Lady Christmas!

Roberta's daughter in law served us...what a blessing to be so spoiled!

Roberta's son ( a real life chef!) serves up our delectable dinner!

A good motto: eat dessert first! Got these loaded backwards, but oh well!

Chicken Marsella! One of my very favorites!

Our beautiful handmade menu on a table fit for royalty!

Rosie, Me, Pam and Roberta!

Kandi, Kathy and Corliss

A night of fun, laughter and a splash of sadness!

One of my very favorite nights of the year is the Bag Ladies Christmas get-to-gether. I have been a part of this wonderful group for at least the last ten years. I've had so much fun and been so blessed to be one of this group, that I cant remember not being with them.

Mix together dry humor, a bit of "twitchy-ness", boldness, lots of intellect and a boat-load of creativity and you will end up with the Bag Ladies. We are named thus because of the "bags" we tote to our meetings. Bags filled with various items, such as magazines, unfinished projects, completed quilts; you name we we bring it. Sometimes its grand kids in tow (for only a minute or two, we must show off, you know), sometimes it's photos and sometimes its even just our keys and a huge sigh of relief to be able to recede from the hectic-ness of home life and resort to the welcome arms of our friends. This is reminiscent of days of yore when there were "quiltings" which were really more about friendship than bed covers.

As the pictures uo top show, the night was filled with fun and laughter and the delighted feeling of being spoiled like little kids. Everything was so special, from the handwritten menu all the way to the coffee and cheesecake. Perfect in every way....except one.

We lost one of our beloved Bag Ladies this fall. Our Ardy Olsen had a very unexpected heart attack. To not have her with us was a void, a sadness to our hearts ,a cause to reflect,and remember her wit and elegance. We gave a hearty toast to our friend. The time to begin loosing friends is much too soon.

In honor of Ardy, we had her most favorite dessert of all " Death by Chocolate" and yes, it did just about kill us after all the other wonderful offerings. Love you Ardy, and Merry Christmas!

Splash Park Raffle Quilt

This is a little quilt I made as a donation to Walnut's Splash Park fundraising. Hopfully they will make lots of money! If you would like tickets, please contact Walnut City Hall....

All 3 cats are in the picture, can you find them all?

Been busy...My heart is always open to a new kitty..but

This is Little Miss Tippy-Toes. I happened to go into the Humane Society a few weeks ago. I like to go there and just look around. Not to shop, as I have 3 kitties and that is my max! I like to think that my going in there, saying "hello" and maybe giving a few a loving pat will help their day be a little brighter. It warms my heart to think they find some happiness in that.

Tippytoes was in her cage, laying sort of miserably there, with her spay scar showing...her ears flat and a look of pain and lonliness in her eyes. Even tho she was behind glass, I spoke softly to her and basically fell in love with her on the spot. As I was speaking to her, I realized the scar I was seeing was not the incision from her spay, but in fact, it was the place where her left hind leg had been.

A note on the window of her cage stated the leg had been injured beyond repair and had to be amputated. Poor baby! I went home, wishing I could take and wondering who I knew that might be looking for a beautiful little torty. My Friend Pam came to mind. I called her and, in a nutshell, we went and got her. It took a few days to get the deed done, but little Tippy is now at home with the Witt family.

As you can see from these pics, Tippytoes is just as happy as can be. I must say she is the most loving cat I have ever been around. She just melds into your body when you hold her and her favorite place is in a lap. Her vet check went very well, and we found out that her leg was injured by another animal. So we know, that Tippytoes went thru a horrible ordeal. For her to be so trusting and loving is a miracle. She is calm and purrs softly all the time. She is happy to be alive, and so are we!

**Adendum: Miss Tippy Toes passed away in January 2023 - a beloved family member of Pam Witt and her family

Just a Hang'in

The Kitties have been really funny lately! SO maybe hanging a produce basket from the ceiling wasnt such a great idea after all. Here is Ricky "hanging" from it. Possum fell asleep over the chair arm and hung there for an hour!

Seriously, an hour!


Here, Ricky is just a hangin' on the other chair..

Lucy has just been being her usual beautiful self, so I highlighted her in my header pic. Hope everyone is having great day.

Not a whole lot going on around here.

We are just sort of hanging today...our mom says she has so much to blog about, but no time to do it.

We are just a little upset that we cant go outside anymore, so we get into just as much trouble as we can. We spend a LOT of time looking out the door and trying to get mom's attention by eating pins (pretending just to get her dander up!) and crawling in spaces not intended for us.

She promises to add a new blog soon. She said she realizes she hasn't even posted pics of their San Francisco trip or her visit with nephew's and niece yet! She is behind!

In the meantime, you get to see us!

What do you Mean International Cats in Boxes Day is OVER???

Well, my 3 dont understand why the heck InterNational Cat in Boxes Day lasts only one day...they are confused!

All the mess is due to me getting my etsy shop back up and running and bringing my "inventory" to our new place, so I can ship. Of course I have NOT been able to keep away from the thrift stores and have found some fun new things to put in my shop. Check them out!

Cats in Boxes...a few days late!

International Cats in boxes Day! Soooooo...squished in a plastic bin is apparently comfortable enough for Possum! This was taken while I was sewing. She loves being near...I knew my room was messy, but I wouldn't think anyone would find this comfy....she did!

In celebration of International Cat in a box day, I'm sharing the pics I took a few days ago, just for this occasion. I took an empty box, laid it on the floor and within 10 seconds I had "takers". Lucy sits in the box immediately! "Hurry-up! Take your dumb picture!"

Ricky sniffs for anything to make him actually want to sit in the box...

Nope! Nothing there...he walks thru the box...fully annoyed.

Box???why no, Possum would much rather sit above the peons...in the cupboard...a type of box, I guess. An elevated wooden one! I should buy a new magnet so the cupboard stays closed, but I hate to ruin her fun.

I love my kitties!