Submitted by Sandie Griego on Sun, 08/04/2013 - 14:54
On Sunday, after we had to put Button to sleep, hubby and I went looking for another cat. I was so confident that we would bring home another kitten that I purchased kitten food. Because hubby has to live with the cat also, I ask for his input. He ask that it be female, be short haired and not black. The color has more to do with shedding and it showing on our carpet and furniture than superstition. We went to Animal Control in Allen and played with several kittens and a couple of cats. Nothing said "take me home". From there we went to the Plano Animal Control. We found a kitten with wonderful personality. She also loved to claw everything. When I was about to give up and leave for the SPCA in McKinney, hubby found a couple of more cages of cats. The Plano animal control has all of their cat department full and cages standing in hallways. These cages were at the end of the dog hall and I didn't know they were there. We ask if we could spend some time with "Jade". She is about two years old, very sweet, and very verbal. She spent about 15 minutes searching out all the corners of the visiting room and looking out the glass doors. She then settled down and was very affectionate to both of us. She then settled down inside the play structure and was content.
I went to the front desk to inquire about adopting Jade. I found out that she would need to be spayed before I could take her home. While I was completing the paperwork, I left Jade alone in the visiting room with my hubby - where, to my surprise, they bonded!
I returned home to an empty house and time traveled slowly until I could return on Tuesday to pick her up. Tuesday finally arrived and I brought home a very drugged cat recovering from her surgery. She stayed in her crate until I was confident that she could hold her head up and walk. I kept her confined to our bathroom the first night by taking the door off of the crate and shutting the bathroom door. The next morning, the drugs had worn off and she was busy inspecting all the corners of her new home. Her favorite place continues to be under our bed and behind the love seat in the game room. She spent most of the next day in those two places. I began to wonder if she was as social as she seemed in the visiting room. By Thursday, she warmed up to us and has spent plenty of time in our laps. I say "our" because she seems to divide her time between both me and my hubby. She will spend time with him in his home office and with me while I sew.
Another concern is that she is not declawed. If possible, I would like to keep her that way. I had Button declawed and I think it made her more aggressive. She is still doing some clawing on the corners of our furniture but it has decreased after a trip to Petsmart for scratching posts and such. She has used them and we are trying to train her to not use the furniture.
This is a picture I took while at the Plano Animal Control. She is kind of a mix between a grey tabby and calico. She has more yellow that Button had and has white feet and a white chest.
This is Jade on the foot rest of my recliner. She is a small cat, only 7 pounds.
This is hubby laying down on the couch in the game room. Jade is spending time with him. See her white paws and white chest.
Jade spending time with her scratching post. I wish I could let you hear how verbal she is. The noise she makes is sort of a cross between a cry and a purr. It is very soothing to listen to and she makes the sound every time you talk to her or pet her. I accuse her of always having to have the last word. Another positive is that she does not shed nearly as much as Button did.
On another topic, this summer along with gardening, has given me extra sewing time. Last month, I had a call from a Boy Scout leader wanting embroidery on hats and some bags (I made the bags). I do some of this every summer for the National Youth Leadership Training course the scouts attend. I have also done some embroidery for the "Faded Love Chili Company." This is a team of people who compete in chili cook offs. My youngest son decided he needed some new jeans. This always results in a hemming job for me. It required a special trip to the Bernina store for jeans needles. I never mind doing this type of sewing for my family. They ask so little in this department.
Probably the strangest job I have done, was replacing a zipper in some body armor for a young extended family member. He wears this when he rides motorcycles with his dad. This was a first for me as I had never seen this item up close before.
I am waiting for the last block from the block of the month at my local Bernina store. I have everything thing cut and sewn waiting on this one block. I am now further along than this picture. All rows that can be sewn, are sewn. The borders are cut and the binding is made. I will post another picture when I get it finished. I plan to quilt this on a friend's Bernina quilt frame. I need to get the back finished and purchase the batting. Next weekend is the Plano Quilt Show and I plan to attend both days.
Just as an update, I now weight 65 pounds less than I did a year ago. I am still going to weight watcher meetings and attempting to exercise 5-6 days a week. Hubby is trying to decide when we want to pay off the house - write a check and get it over with or pay it off in the next three months. Either works for me. I just want to be completely debt free.