When addressed, a gentleman cat does not move a muscle. He looks as if he hasn't heard. -- Mary Sarton

Last month we were invited to a Padres’ “welcome all new season ticket holder” party.  It was in the Western Metal Building.  That’s a five or six floor brick building left standing and becoming part of Petco Park.  They used a similar theme in Baltimore when they built Oriole Park/Camden Yards.

Our seats were in the second deck

The Western Metal seats were very nice.  They were close to left outfield, near the Padre bull pen.  The poor outfielder from the other team was getting heckled.  It was funny.  Everyone was laughing, knowing that the guy could hear every word.  He used to be a Padre.  Now his old “home” fans were heckling him!

Me and Randy

Randy Jones, a former Padres pitcher was there in the lounge area.  He was a pitcher for San Diego from 1973 to 1980.  He won the Cy Young award in 1976.  The Padres retired his number (35) in 1983 when he retired from playing.  Charlie took my picture with him and I got his autograph.  Actually I got the autograph for a friend of mine who loves the Padres.

I got Randy's autograph for "Dash".

A couple of weekends ago, Cyd, the lady who adopted Dot (now Spicey), asked if I could come by and check on Spicey and Cynnamin.  She was going to a conference in L.A. and would be gone Friday and Saturday.  I went over that Friday morning to pick up the key.  Cyd was leaving at noon.  As I was walking up to her house, the garage door was partly open.  Spicey was outside and when she saw me, she ran back into the garage.

After Cyd showed me where everything was, she called the cats into the house from the garage.  I was standing near the stairs.  Spicey came in and when she saw me, she headed up the stairs.  I called her “Dotty” and I think she recognized my voice.  She hesitated on the fourth step at the landing.  She turned and looked at me and I thought for an instant that she wouldn’t run away.  I do think she remembered me.   Then she ran up the steps. 

I came back later that evening to feed the cats.  When I went into the kitchen to get the cat food, Spicey showed up.  She let me pet her and I also picked her up and held her.  I was sure she remembered me because I used to hold her like that. 

Cynnamin is really friendly and she wants all of the attention.  It was fun seeing her and watching her and Spicey together.  Spicey rubbed up against her “sister” and it looks like they get along fine.

Cynnamin and Spicey (Dot)

I went back on Saturday afternoon, bringing gifts.  I bought a stick and string toy for them which they really enjoyed playing with.  It had three attachments.  The feather thing was a hit.  It was fun watching Spicey play like she used to when we had her.  She looks just like Dash, a little smaller and she still has the dot over her left eye.

Cyd just loves both of her cats.  I’m glad she adopted them.  Cynnamin is part Siamese and has blue eyes.  She came from the shelter and got a second chance.  Her friendliness will probably rub off on Spicey at some point.

Little Cynnamin.  Her right eye had an infection and had to be removed

I talked to Cyd the other day.  She said that Spicey lets her pet her now and she is able to hold her too.  Probably not for long periods, but still it’s progress.

I’m still seeing the chiropractor for my back problem.  It is improving.  I’m also having acupuncture treatments twice a week.  I’m sleeping better and my pain is manageable.  I would like to get to the point where I see the chiropractor less often and have acupuncture treatments as a relaxing therapy.

Sheila: "We're not going for a walk again, are we?"

I am able to walk every day and sometimes I take Sheila with me.  She is not an easy dog to walk with.  Going out is one of her least favorite things to do.  But, she needs the exercise and so do I.  I think of the saying, “If your dog is overweight, you’re not getting enough exercise”.  That’s us.

The cats finally grew tired of the laser game every night.  Now I walk upstairs calling, “Come on babies!”  Dash and Cody know it’s time for bed.  They both run upstairs and into their room.  I give each of them a teaspoon of wet food as their bedtime snack.  I’m sure that’s why they are so anxious to “go to bed”.  But, they do go to sleep because when I turn the light off and close the door, it’s quiet.

Mr. Creme is still doing well.  His legs are stronger and he really moves fast when he’s walking around.  He can jump up on chairs easier now.  I will continue giving him the B12 pills.  We are also still looking into the home testing kit to test his blood glucose a couple of times a day.

Our vet referred us to one of the veterinary hospitals to buy a testing kit.  We (and Mr. Creme) would have to meet with a technician and get a demonstration of how to use it and the numbers to look for.  The kit would be $193.  It seemed kind of expensive after what I’ve learned from talking to others on the feline diabetes site that I monitor.

I went to the drug store and got some pricing and the monitor and test strips are way cheaper than $193.  I can only think that the kit at the vet is very fancy and keeps records or something.  My site friends say to just buy a One Touch and it works fine.  They all test their “sugar babies” and highly recommend doing so.

Mr. Creme has always been a very affectionate cat.  Now that I spend so much more time with him, feeding him and giving him medications, we have bonded more.  He wants to be with me all of the time.  That would be nice, but he can’t have the run of the house.  If I bring him in, I let him sit on my lap, but he soon wants to get down and walk around.  We can’t trust him because within a minute or two, he will find something to spray.  He is either in the garage or in the backyard. 

It’s ironic that Mr. Creme and I are so close now.  He and Taz hated each other.  If Taz was here, I’d have to spend time with MC out of Taz’s sight.  He would not allow MC to get anywhere near me if we were all out in the yard.  They got into a couple of fights before when they saw each other. 

To keep them apart, we used to let MC out in the morning and then put him in the garage in the afternoon.  Then we would let Taz and Jezibel out.  Jezibel also dislikes MC, but she dislikes all other cats. 

It still doesn’t feel right that Taz isn’t here.  I’ve never had a cat who loved me like he did.  I miss the attention he gave me.  That sounds strange, but he was so attached to me.  I could look around any time, and know he was nearby, always watching me. 

I miss sitting with him on the glider on the patio, going out to cover him with “his” blanket on a cool afternoon.  He was such a burrower.  I keep that blanket near my chair like I did then and sometimes I wrap it around me at night while I watch TV or read.  It was his favorite. 

Our other cats are very independent.  I love them all and I know that since I usually feed them, they like having me around for that.  But, really none of them come to sit on my lap and when I pick them up, they get stiff and push against me. 

Me and Mr. Creme.  He just melts in my arms....

I shouldn’t complain.  MC likes to be held; Ellie is comforted when I hold her if she’s having an asthma attack; and Lexi will tolerate my lap for a few minutes.  I don’t think it’s because these three are on medication!  

I’m convinced that cats are attracted more to someone who is indifferent to them.  Charlie loves the cats, but when he feeds them, he just goes about it with no fuss.  I’m always talking to them and petting them. 

If Charlie and I are watching TV, Jonesie or Jason might come in and go to Charlie.  They’ll curl up and go to sleep next to him.  I always wonder why they go to Charlie and never come to me.  I’m sitting in the chair nearby.

Charlie reading on the patio ignoring Lexi.  She's happy to sit there.

Charlie says it is because he sits near the corner of the couch and the cats come to him because they want “the corner”.  That might be, but when I sit there, the cats don’t come for their “corner”.  Probably because I’m sitting there.  Sigh.

I miss you, Tazzy D  :’(

The "Baby"

More later.....