Introducing the Family...

I've been blogging for almost 3 months now and I just realized that I haven't introduced my family.

This is Cory. He has been the love of my life since 1993. We met in Wolfville, Nova Scotia when he started a job at one of my favorite hang-outs, Louis Pizza.

He had funky hair and the most wickedly blue eyes lined with double thick, amazingly long eyelashes. His hair isn't anywhere near as funky but his eyes are still amazing.

We got to know each other over a Ren and Stimpy marathon and haven't looked back. Ren and Stimpy are no longer on our "must watch" list but we do have to give them some credit for bringing us together.

He is my best friend and my favorite person in the whole world. He makes me feel safe and protected. He supports me in everything I do. I only hope that I can make him feel half as special as he makes me feel.

This is Ralphy. Ralphy came to live with us when he was just a little over a year old. Ralphy's pet human moved in with a dog who also had a pet human.

Many battles for dominance ensued and in a final attempt to tame the second human, Ralphy made a error with his tactics by leaving a steaming "present" on the pillow of the second human.

Now Ralphy lives with us. He agrees, in hindsight, that perhaps the human was not prepared for the present and has chosen not to use that tactic again.

This is Bobby. He was our chosen one. We decided that Ralphy needed a friend. We failed to ask Ralphy his opinion and found a friend with a litter of kittens. Ralphy was a little offended that we would allow a tiny little fur-ball into his house but within a few days they were eating out of the same bowl.

Within a week, Bobby had convinced Ralphy that he would make a great mother and began nursing on Ralphy. (as an FYI, Ralphy is not a misnamed girl kitty, just a sucker (I slay me) for a cute face).

Bobby is a mama's boy and spends his day attempting to get me to go to bed so he can snuggle OR play with a pipe-cleaner.

We lived happily with 2 kitties for 4 years. Then we moved.

This is Woogie and below is Diddy. Originally they were called Douglas and Charlie but with the passage of time things evolve.

We moved to a new flat in 1999. When we moved in we heard two kitties meowing in the apartment building across the lane. Having lived with vocal cats, we didn't think anything of it.

About a week later, a gruff looking fellow approached me in the driveway. He said that he noticed the sign on the side of my car (I was running my pet sitting business at the time) and was wondering if I could help. He told me that the kitties in the bottom of the apartment building were locked in and abandoned. He said that he had "gained access" to the apartment and fed them. He said that the fleas were jumping 5 feet into the air. He said that he could not continue to "gain access" to the apartment and was wondering if I could call the SPCA as he did not have a phone.

I agreed and proceeded to sit on hold with the animal shelter for 2 full business days without speaking to a human once.

After two days, the gruff looking fellow told me that he had let them out to fend for themselves as he was afraid of breaching something... no question asked.

I put out a bowl of food to keep them away from the traffic.

This was working out for a few days. We received a few presents of dead things... ew and caught sight of Woogie on a few occasions. Then the weather network said a hurricane was coming in... After a few failed attempts to build a suitable shelter for them, they came in...

Woogie was visibly tramatized and Diddy was aggressive. Woogie was immediately plopped into a flea bath. He sat in the tub like a trooper, with complete trust in his eyes and let us, total strangers, pour water over him. The flea dirt that came off this cat was mind boggling. Diddy was too busy attempting to beat up both Ralphy and Bobby to even consider bathing. He got relocated to our basement to wait out the storm and await a trip to the vet for a well needed neutering.

Woogie slept between us in bed that very first night, something has hasn't really done since. Diddy got a vet trip the next morning. The vet fast tracked his neutering after his shots for us. Sometime between the shots and the neutering, he managed to have a de-gloving injury to his lower lip exposing the bone. The vet fixed this during his neutering while under the same anesthetic (extra cost $29 for 6 minutes of additional gas). Diddy got to come live upstairs.

In his first week with us, he had his bottom altered, his lip reattached, was given strawberry flavored antibotics every 12 hours and pain meds every 6 hours and I can still rememer the day he fell in love with us.

So now we had 4 cats for 6 years... then we moved.

This is Tweak. While on vacation in the spring of 2006, we were heading somewhere in the early hours of the morning and when we walk out of the building, this little girl ran out of the darkness and jumped into my arms. It was like she said "I live with you now!"

She was surrounded by mean kitties who had evil intent for the little girl. She came in and photographs and flyers were put up for her. Noone called to say that she was their missing kitty. Within a week, Cory was completely smitten and couldn't give her up.

In hindsight, she has proven that she most definitely could have held her own against the mean kitties and the way that she physically forces attention on our guests is shameless. I doubt very much that she would have been outside for long if we hadn't found her first.

So then there was 5....

Less than a year ago, I was asleep snug as a bug in my bed and I woke up to Cory saying... "I need you know this is here." And here he was holding an itsy, bitsy little kitty. I shook off the sandman pretty quickly at that point. This little fluff ball who is now known as Munchkin Man came to live with us.

Cory had found him crying under our deck in -20 celcius weather at 2 in the morning. Within a few hours, it was decided that he required immediate vet attention due to stress and poor diet.

For a month while his system adapted to a holistic diet, he leaked some of the most vile gas but now he is a healthy kitty who according to his vet records turns one on New Years Day.

So now we have 6... we have since found homes for 2 more strays... Lily who lives a charmed life with Carla and Izzy who lives with Sean. Izzy had a belly full of babies when Sean adopted her and he has found good homes for her 4 babies.

Many people who visit our home are surprised that the house isn't overrun by the cats. They spend a large amount of time sleeping, as cats are known to do. They are clean, well cared for and well behaved. They eat a holistic diet, their litter box is cleaned frequently and the house gets vacuumed daily. They are all spayed/neutered.

So that is my family... I wouldn't trade any of them for anything... but I think I need a bigger bed.

Snow - Who'd have Thunk it?

I found this on CBC.ca and it tickled me... So here it is... everything you ever wanted to know about Canadian Snow...


Snow
A guide to the white stuff
Dec. 21, 2007
CBC News

It's just falling ice composed of crystals in complex hexagonal forms – a major part of Canadian life between November and early April. Unless, of course, you live in Victoria or Vancouver, where the mild Pacific is usually enough to ward off the white stuff.

So what is this substance that so consumes Canadians? Snow forms in clouds when water vapour turns directly to ice without going through the liquid stage.

We've developed quite the lexicon when it comes to the white stuff, but not quite the myth of the 400 words the Inuit allegedly have for snow. English or Inuktitut, there really are only a couple of dozen ways to describe snow – and the various ways it tests our patience.
Here's a quick guide to snow in Canada – and how to prepare for it:

While picking up your morning coffee at the local doughnut shop, you overhear the following conversation:
"I hear it's gonna snow today."
"Yup, we're getting some snow."

Here, the term snow is used without qualification. It means you can expect precipitation of significant duration and extent. Try to remember where you put your snow shovel.
Had the doughnut shop people said "we're expecting snow flurries or snow showers," you would have breathed a bit of a sigh of relief, because you knew that not much of the white stuff would accumulate. At least not enough to shovel.

You would have been even less concerned had they used the term snow grains – although very few of us do in normal conversation. Snow grains are very small snow crystals or the ice equivalent of drizzle. Not much to worry about – but you might have to scrape the windshield of your car a little.

One stage up is snow pellets, which are white, opaque particles that form as ice crystals fall through cloud droplets that are below freezing but still liquid. The cloud droplets freeze to the crystals forming a small lumpy mass – not the multi-pointed crystals of ice that make up snowflakes. Usually easy to shovel.

Among the nastiest stuff winter has to offer is sleet. This is formed when drops of rain or drizzle freeze into ice as they fall. Sometimes called ice pellets, these things sting when accompanied by a strong wind.

Even worse is freezing rain or drizzle. These water droplets maintain a temperature below 0 degrees C but do not turn to ice in the air. But they freeze as soon as they hit anything on the ground. Leads to much scraping of your car's windshield and slipping and sliding on sidewalks.
Ice crystals are tiny sprinkles that sparkle in the sunshine and hang in the air – usually when it's really, really cold out.

Snowstorms are a fact of life in Canada – and they can vary, depending on where you live.
Good old-fashioned blizzards, for instance, are rare in most of the country. The folks who watch the weather for a living define a blizzard as a severe storm that lasts three or more hours, and brings low temperatures, strong winds and poor visibility due to blowing snow. They're most common in the southern Prairies, Atlantic Canada and the Eastern Arctic, and are rare in the western Northwest Territories, British Columbia and the Yukon.

On Jan. 30, 1947, southern Saskatchewan was inundated with a series of blizzards that lasted 10 days. The storm blocked all highways in Regina and buried a train under a snowdrift that was one kilometre long and eight metres deep.

Thought that blowing snow and drifting snow were the same thing? There's an important distinction between the two. Blowing snow is lifted by the wind from the earth's surface to a height of two metres or more. Drifting snow is blown to a height of less than two metres. So if your head's poking out of a mound of snow and you're a little taller than two metres, it's drifting snow that got you.

Lake effect snow is most common near the Great Lakes. These squalls occur as cold air picks up substantial moisture as it moves over the lakes. The moisture gets dumped as snow inland from the downwind shore. Usually, they follow major storm systems that are cleared out of the area by blasts of Arctic air.

Often, the affected region will get a much bigger dump of snow from the squall than from the storm itself. In the more severe lake-effect snow squalls, accumulations of more than 75 cm per day are not uncommon, and fall rates as high as 28 cm per hour have been reported. Such severe snowfalls have been termed snowbursts.

These nasty little storms are often confined to small geographical areas. It could be snowing like crazy over your house – but bright and sunny (but really cold) a few kilometres away.
They may have some of the same characteristics, but there are some major differences between blizzards and snow squalls.

In a blizzard:
Winds must be sustained at 40 km/h.
Visibility is less than one km.
The wind chill value is greater than 1,600 watts per metre-squared, or the temperature is at least -25 C.
The above conditions must be met for a minimum of four hours.
You do not have to have snow falling.

In a snow squall:
Snow must be falling.
A strong wind of at least 22 knots or 39 kilometres per hour must blow for at least one minute.

Yet another type of storm is sometimes called an Alberta clipper. This is a fast-moving winter storm that forms just east of the Rockies and sweeps south and eastward across southern Canada and the upper Midwest states. They're usually weaker than most winter storms and don't usually drop much snow. But they often bring along their evil twin – a surge of frigid Arctic air that can produce near-zero visibility in blowing and drifting snow.

There are various levels of warnings you will receive from your local weather forecaster. Pay attention, because there are significant differences between them.

If you hear a blizzard warning, expect snow or blowing snow, with a severe wind chill and visibility reduced to less than one kilometre, for four hours or more. Stock up on heating fuel and food. Stay indoors and wait out the storm – could be a long one.

A snow squall warning, however, means you might get hit by blizzard-like conditions over the course of the day. Or maybe the next town down the road will be. But be prepared for terrible driving conditions if you're in the path of a squall.

When you hear a heavy snowfall warning, you can expect 10 centimetres or more of snow to fall (15 cm or more in Ontario) in 12 hours or less. Travel could become hazardous, unless the plows get a good jump on the situation.

In Ontario, a winter storm warning is issued when two or more winter conditions reach warning proportions, such as wind and snow or freezing rain followed by heavy snowfall. You might want to think about hanging around the house for the day.

Winter storms and excessive cold claim more than 100 lives every year in Canada, more than the combined toll from hurricanes, tornadoes, flood, extreme heat and lightning. Many of those who die are killed trying to get rid of the stuff – stricken by heart attacks while shovelling snow off their driveways.

Some people may find freshly fallen snow very enjoyable to look at, but it can be pretty dangerous stuff. If you load a shovel with five kg of snow once every five seconds, you would move 60 kg of snow in one minute. Keep it up for 17 minutes and you will have shovelled one ton of snow.

Shovelling produces a rapid rise in heart rate and blood pressure – a combination that's tough on the heart. But cold can also act as a trigger for heart attacks, which is why some people suffer heart attacks while using snow blowers. Add to the mix that most people tend to ease off on the physical activity in the winter months, and you're looking for trouble if you try to crank it up after a big snow dump.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada offers these tips to avoid becoming a snow shovelling casualty:
Do take the time to do warm-up exercises to get your body accustomed to the vigorous exercise in the cold.
Do take frequent breaks so your body doesn't get too strained. The effort of picking up heavy show pushes up blood pressure more than aerobic exercise such as walking.
Do the shovelling as part of a group activity. Get the entire family out there to pitch in.
Do listen to your body. Stop shovelling if you experience any suspicious symptoms, such as sudden shortness of breath, discomfort in the chest, lightheadedness, nausea, dizziness or severe headache.
Do wear the appropriate clothing. You should layer clothing so you can remove the top layer if you get overheated.
Plan ahead. On days when heavy snowfalls are forecast, avoid rushing and allow adequate time for clearing the snow.
Don't continue shovelling just to get the driveway cleared in a hurry. If you're tired, quit.
Don't shovel or do any other vigorous activity directly after eating a meal. Your body is working hard enough just to digest the meal; adding vigorous activity on top of that could put too much strain on your heart.
Don't stoop to pick up the snow; bend at the knees to avoid back problems.

Ponderings

Today, while watching Much Musics top 50 videos of the 1980's, I pondered whatever happened to Gowan. For those who are thinking who is Gowan... tsk tsk tsk.

Gowan was a wicked awesome singer from the 80's... he sang songs like "Criminal Mind" and "Strange Animal".

So I googled him... Here's what he has been up to in his own words...


THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LAWRENCE GOWAN (the unauthorized auto-biography)

They needed to use forceps to pull my rather large head from my poor mother’s womb. (This however had little effect as my head has continued to grow daily none the less.)...

Soon thereafter we left Scotland for the tropic of Canada.. At age 7, I wanted to join the Beatles but they weren't hiring so I had to do it without their help.

At 19, I earned an ARCT in classical piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto.

The band Rhinegold occupied my next 5 years. After the inevitable ugly break-up, I went solo using but one name,"Gowan". I recorded some multi-platinum and gold records for CBS, and cultivated one of the first mullets on Muchmusic.(Canada’s MTV) Big tours, Juno awards and rampant egos were sure to follow...and they did.

In the 90's new touring opportunities emerged. Playing solo, recording a French disc, compiling a Greatest Hits collection, a UN tour that allowed me to perform through Israel, Egypt, as well as war-torn Bosnia and touring England with The Stranglers made life very unpredictable and enjoyable. Also playing an original piece with the BBC Orchestra at Althrop for the opening of Princess Diana's memorial highlighted that period. ...and then came STYX.

In 1999 I joined this legendary bunch of fine Americans and have toured Europe, Japan and North America extensively for the past four and a half years. We've played the Superbowl twice and we met Regis...once.

This has been the year of the Carrot (all praise and honour be upon the holy root vegetable)... And the Cyclorama of a life in music progresses and unfolds as it should. We are among the highest grossing acts in the USA...(he added boastfully) and we play A Criminal Mind which I consider a signature piece.(he whispered in a tone laced with false modesty)

Cheers to all who have endured this riveting tale , which I dearly hope is

TO BE CONTINUED......

L Gowan

Merry Christmas, The Final Chapter.

Well after weeks of panic and planning, the big day is finally done and I have a confession to make... This was truly one of the nicest Christmas's I've ever had.

We had a fantastic night with my family on Christmas Eve. We had a great meal but most importantly we had good conversation. I truly felt at peace surrounded by those I love most in the world.

Christmas day was a slow start after a wee bit of sleep-in. We headed down to Gwen's (Cory's mother's mother) and spent a few hours with Kathie (Cory's Mom) and Dave (Cory's Step-Father). They are always a fun time, full of laughter and silliness. They make Christmas into a sport with the amount of gifts they give.

At 3, we headed into Pat's (Cory's Father's mother) and spent a few hours with her and Steve (Cory's Uncle). I really enjoyed this visit. In the past few years, Cory and I have transitioned from children to adults in her eyes and now the conversation is absolutely amazing. Due to Christmas dinner plans at Gwen's, we could only stay for a few hours and then off again... I wish we could have stayed longed and will definitely be back for a visit soon.

Back at Gwen's, we ate way too much turkey and then napped with our eyes open in front of the television before heading back into the city.

Now I sit here with a kitty spending every ounce of his soul trying to convince me to go to bed... I guess I can grant his Christmas wish... I got mine!

Merry Christmas - Part One

Merry Christmas everyone.

Part One of our holiday festivities is the evening with my family. My mother, Sarah and Iain came to our place for some eatin' and rippin'. Christmas Eve is also Cory's birthday so he makes out like a bandit.

We had a fantastic night. We ate Roast Prime Rib, yorkshire pudding, fresh veggies and mashed sweet potatoes.... then we had apple pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. I am so full even hours after the meal.

We exchanged gifts... I got a laptop (using it now), a digital camcorder and a veterinarian text book on feline medicine to name a few. I have been playing with the laptop for hours, Cory has mastered the camcorder and I know the blood volume of a cat is 20-25 ml/kg less than a dog.

Tomorrow is dedicated to Cory's family. Morning with one grandmother, Cory's mom and step father, Dave. Then to Cor's other grandmothers for a few hours before supper. Part two will be tomorrow....

Christmas Shopping...

Well the whole idea of Christmas shopping is buying stuff for other people, but occasionally I get distracted by shiny things that I would DIE for... well not really die but would really really really really love to have.

As we dragged ourselves through Home Outfitters, complaining about sore feet and aching lower backs, from across the aisle this shiny beacon glowed....

It's counter-top hydroponic garden. How freakin cool is that?!?! Home Outfitters had the base model at $175.99 but I found it online for $149.99. It's about the size of a small mircowave. It promises a harvest in 28 days. This is on my must have list for moving North!!

http://www.aerogrow.com/

P.S. I can post this cause unfortunately noone will be recieving this item on my christmas list even though it was the COOLEST thing in the stores.

So Today I turned 35...

Wow... 35 is a scary number...

Being 35 has already proven to be wiser. During my birthday dinner (which even though was before my actual birthday, I am giving credit to the wisdom of age), I dined with the members of my family who after years of experience, I know that I cannot tolerate the same level of spice as they can.

We ordered a selection of curries and had a free for all. Cory popped a piece of meat into his mouth and immediately began to hiccup from the spice... (Best quote of the night - that Curry can make you see through time). My mother, who has a spice tolerance unsurpassed by any living human, I'm sure, popped the meat into her mouth and immediately said... the top of my head is sweating... My brother who inherited my mothers tastes buds, popped a piece of meat in and immediately began hiccuping. His hiccups continued for quite some time... and Sarah who is the all time mistress of spice remarked... wow that is quite spicy. Then they looked at me to try it....

Not happening! I am 35 now... I now know that if all these spice contenders are remarking on the heat of a particular item, this is officially out of my range. I am no longer require to try it anyways to see how hot it really is... I am confident that I am unable to handle what they are peddling. I stood strong to the peer pressure. I made my wise decision and I still have both the lining of my mouth and stomach to show for it. I am so proud of myself.... this growing up thing has already started to pay off.

On the downside, I learned this morning that my absolute favorite pair of panties, the most comfy in all panty land, are, by Cory's standards... Grannies.

You win some, you lose some.

Olfactory Memories

Ahhhh... I smelled my grandmother the other day... Channel No. 5.

It always catches me off-guard when I have a scent memory. Nothing brings the past into the present like a smell.

Recently they have changed the cleaner that they use in the washrooms at work, it is the same stuff I used during my very short career in Housekeeping in Jasper National Park. Soon as I walked into the bathroom, it was as if I was standing in the forests of Jasper, looking out at the glacier lake.

The hallway of my apartment building smelled like the Chipman's mens dorm at Acadia University the other day... it's a combo of metabolized alcohol, stale cigarette smoke and something else... all in all a horrible smell but representational of an enjoyable time of my life when I was surrounded by friends.

A leather jacket and polo cologne puts me right back into high school.

Stedson cologne reminds me of my first "serious" boyfriend.

There are so many....

What about you?

Quick Charlie Update...

Well, the antibotics are done and the anal gland has drained. Unfortunately, the gland drained through the new hole that it created. EW!! Poor Charlie.

The Cheap Showiness of Nature.

Kearney Lake, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Summertime!

The Cat Registry

So it has been an hot debate item in the local area, the new cat licencing law for Halifax Regional Municipality. Effective April 1, all cats need to be licenced for a cost between $10-$30 per animal. With 6 cats, this means that my annual kitty bill has been increased by a minimum of $60 to a maximum of $180. I really wouldn't mind if there was a good cause coming out of it.

I took the time to read the purposed by-law while it was still being discussed. From what I gathered from the by-law, that the money goes towards building a death row for abandoned/lost/homeless animals. There is no money allocated for the enforcement of the registry and no money allocated for a spay/neuter program.

The board is presenting the by-law as "Responsible Pet Ownership" yet isn't doing anything to resolve the root cause of the problem, the uncontrolled breeding rate of feral and domestic cats.

I would happily pay for a spay/neuter program especially if it also had a trap/neuter/release program in tandem. This would resolve the uncontrolled breeding rate of animals as versus killing off the results. The SPCA charges (last I heard) $30 euthanasia fee when you drop off an animal. My last neutering cost $175 for the surgery and the pain meds which was completed by a "For-Profit" Vet Clinic. The average female cat can produce 3 litters of kittens in a year. Averaging a litter at 4-6, the euthanasia costs (by SPCA charges) would be between $360 and $540 per year. The average feral female produces kittens for 7 years... $2520 to $3780 costs that could be avoided by simply implementing a trap/spay/release program.

I am all for responsible pet ownership but this by-law will not resolve the problem. Responsible pet owners spay/neuter their animals. Animals aren't spayed/neutered due to the excessive cost of the procedure...

My prediction... responsible pet owners will register their cats. The rest of the cats will eventually be discarded onto the streets to produce more unwanted cats.

It's all a matter of perspective...

Nova Scotia is having an unseasonably cold winter (and it's not even winter yet). In the land of the green Christmas, sometimes you need a little perspective.

In 1911, Niagara Falls froze solid. Now that has to be COLD!

Vet Visit

For the past few days, Charlie, one of the cats has not been feeling well. He's been curled up in his "I don't feel good" position. Never actually sleeping but in a constant state of rest. On Thursday he curled up with me on the couch and went to sleep. His ears got warmer and warmer and when I did my paranoid mother attempt to wake him up, he growled at me.

He really didn't like us touching his hind end. I did a pinch test and came to the conclusion that he was a little dehydrated. So a few phone calls later, he was jammed into a carrier and off to the vet we went. Being a farm girl, I was pretty sure he needed antibiotics but not 100% sure what was the source of the infection. As we prepare to move to some place remote, each vet visit is my chance to bone up on my veterinary science. I am pretty confident that I am prepared for most animal related issues. I compare notes with the vet each time I go too.

In my list of kitty killers, I have bladder blockage due to crystals, poisoning, bowel blockage, injuries, infections, dehydration and then a series of systemic shut down as they get older. My goal is to be able to treat 90% of the ailments and stabilize for transport for the rest.

On my preventative side, to prevent another crystals event or FLUTD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLUTD), maintaining consistent food is a huge step. When you change your cats’ food, this changes the PH balance in their bladder. If the PH balance in the bladder becomes basey, crystals can form which can cause a blockage of their urethra. This is more common in male cats than female cats just due to the narrowness and size of the urethra. The "special vet food" for FLUTD is quite expensive and I didn't feel it was as good of quality of food as our normal cat food. The special vet food is high in acid, thus keeping the PH balance in the bladder acidic. We add a little bit of vitamin C to their food to keep the urine on the acidic side. No need for expensive vet food.

I am confident if I am able to catheter my kitty to drain the bladder, we can survive a crystal recurrence. I just need a supply of kitty catheters on hand, some topical anesthetic like lydocaine, KY and a really brave soul.

But back to Charlie and his vet visit. (I rambled)

Soon as we get there, they grab a weight on him. 11.8 lbs… pretty much the same as usual. That’s a great sign. Kitties can drop weight really quick when they are sick. Then his temperature… The average kitty temperature is between 38 and 39 degree Celsius (about a degree more than us). Charlie was running around 40.5. This is the root of his “I don’t feel good” position. This explains his crankiness, being tired, not interested in life. Now for the source of the fever…. Poke poke poke poke poke… oooooooh, what’s this next to his bum. His left anal gland is the size of a marble; his right one is barely noticeable.

Anal glands are what doggies and kitties are looking for when they meet someone new. These foul smelling ewies carries their own stinky calling card. They rest at 10 and 2 o’clock around the anus. Generally they drain into the anus under pressure from a movement but if these ducts get blocked, it is a prime spot for an infection. So now we know what is the root cause of the problem.

Treatment…

Antibotics. (What do I win?) The anal gland will drain on its own. It will either unblock the duct or make its own new path. The path of least resistance is out, so the fear of it draining into him and poisoning him with his own calling card is negligible. If Charlie was a better patient, she would have considered attempting to drain it herself with a finger (YUCK) but Charlie would have taken her life. She recommended Charlie permitting, hot compresses on his bum to draw the infection out as well.

This was the first time we have encountered this problem. I now have another diagnosis and treatment in my memory vault (I love vets who will share). I shall update with his progression.

Cool Trivia #1

In the northern hemisphere, if you are lost and are wearing a watch with the hands, you can point your hour hand towards the sun and exactly half way between the sun and the 12 on your watch is south.

Haven't tested the theory but pretty freakin cool...

It's Snowing

It's snowing out...

I am a strange breed of nova scotian. I love when it snows. I love the way the sound dampens when it snows and the world looks fresh and clean. I miss the blizzards of my youth when the world stops and the only noise is the sound of a snow plow on the streets. After the snow is done coming down, the world becomes a magical place. The sky is clear and the world seems at rest. My favorite time to go out and play, take pictures and just generally enjoy the pause.

In 1994 when we were in Alberta, one of the most magical moments was wandering through the snow covered streets in Lake Louise with the snow packed under our feet in the middle of the night. The snow was so high on either side of the walk way that you couldn't see over it, it was like walking through a tunnel of sparkly crystal. The sky was so clear that you could see millions of stars above. The world was quiet and seemed completely at peace, like nothing evil could exist in such a place. It was like we were the only people in the world.

It has been so long since the world has stopped to take a breath like that.... todays flurries have made me yearn for the days of yesteryear *sigh* Tuesday is calling for rain so all evidence will be whisked away again.