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Sunday, October 2, 2011

End of a Long Strange Summer

A "cold front" moved into Florida yesterday, and I put quotes around "cold front" because you folks up north will laugh when I tell you that means our temperatures dipped to a frigid 69 degrees at night and cooled down to 85 degrees during the day. But what a pleasant relief from the constant 93+ degrees that has been droning on all through this summer.

It has been a longest, strangest summer. Bob and I have been pretty isolated here at the Pink House. Window shades drawn (for energy efficiency), air conditioner humming in the background. Every day a repeat of the day before: laundry, bed bath, tube feedings, therapy in the afternoon, diaper changes, bladder issues....

Yesterday, I flung the windows wide open and aired out the house. This made the cats quite happy. This morning, I got out in the yard to do some much needed yard work.

Yesterday, too, Chris moved out. The neighborhood seems strange and lonely without her.

"Not Simon"
Last week, I found a home for a stray/lost cat who had been hiding under our wheelchair ramp during the day and snoozing on our front porch at night for about 3 weeks. I had called an ad for a lost cat that sounded much like this one, and when they came to look at him, it was "not Simon" (their cat) but they actually fell a little in love with him and asked if they could take him home. I said yes, of course, because he would be so much better off in a good home then hanging out under the wheelchair ramp. And I really I don't have money to support and care for another cat. (Although I was already feeding him, I've always been a sucker for a stray....) And now, I rather miss that kitty.  I still find myself looking for him each time I go outside. Seems like my heart has broken more than once this past week.

Last I heard from the people who took "Not Simon", they had taken him a vet, checked for a microchip (found none), given him blood tests for Feline Leukemia and other things (all negative), got all of his shots, had him dewormed and now he is living in a climate controlled condo in Innsbruck with a female friend of their's who is an Occupational Therapist. Weird, huh? So, I do know he is better off.... but still, I miss him.

Also, this past week Bob hit another new record walking on the rail: 23 times. Although yesterday, he could only manage 18 times. When he indicated he couldn't do anymore, he looked up at me and asked: "Are you mad at me?" Of course, I wasn't "mad" just a bit disappointed and concerned as his right knee was buckling and it hasn't done that for a long time. But, hey, that was another complete sentence coming out of his mouth.

2 comments:

Jenn said...

Handsome cat, that "not Simon". I can see how you'd miss him.
And Chris. Oh how I wish her well. Sucks when friends move away. I say again, I'm wishing for you another great neighbor.
As for Mr. Bob, :-D for his accomplishment of reaching 23 on the rail! And yes!!! For a full sentence!!!
Not sure the condition of his right knee, but wonder if a focus on gentle resistance exercises could help? I'm thinking about strengthening the muscle/connective tissue around the knee area.

barbpolan said...

I frequently accomplish something new and expect the next attempt to always be an improvement, but I've found that it's more common to fall short the next time and then show improvement in subsequent tries. Basically, in my experience, recovery is not linear - it's a low-slope uphill, then a jump ( which is exciting), then back to the low-slope uphill. I want improvement every single day, but I don't see it across the board, just a bit here, a tad there.