What is it about parking meters?? The companies obviously realise that no-one willingly parks their cars at a parking meter and so have thought up an ingenious way of making the most of the occasion.
Today, I had to dash Goldie off to the vets after spending two days trying to get rid of a tick. At first I thought I'd pull it off ... but he squealed the house down when I went anywhere near him ... and so did Goldie. So I moved on to Plan B .. Kill it with Frontline combo and then pick it off in one fail swoop.
24 hours later and the blighter is still hanging in there, waving it's little legs in the air at me. Goldie scarpers every time he sees me as he begins to equate hurt with my presence.
48 hours later and it's still alive and taunting me by hanging on for dear life with teeth that it's borrowed from the world strongest man. I've spoken to the vet, read several articles and a couple of Internet video's and feel prepared to get rid of this unwelcome hitchhiker.
Unfortunately, the tick has other thoughts ... He resists any attempt to remove him and me being rather squeamish, can't bear to hear Goldie's yelps of pain as we play tug of war. I throw in the towel and call in the cavalry, the vets. I dash down and as I'm already late for work, I decide to cough up and park as close to the vets as possible rather than parking 5 minutes down the road for free. And this is where I get ticked off.
"30p for 20 mins, 60p for 40 mins & 1.50 for 1 hour," it declares. What bloody nonsense is that? Why not just 50p for half an hour and £1 for an hour ... no ... it has to involve you finding at least two coins for each transaction!! This of course cunningly increases the chances that you are not going to have the correct change.
So I reach into my bag and find a £5 note, a £2 coin and 50p. Great ... So I pop in the 50p and hope that it will calculate the overpayment and allow me extra time or provide me with change. The machine bleeps, "20 mins" is displayed, although no message about change being dispensed! Bloody great ...
In order to get rid of one parasite I am having to be bled by another! I curse at the machine and it spits out my money with an "aborted" message. What the ...!!
I take a deep breath, kiss my 50p goodbye and press the green button. I run into the vets and after a short wait, she slowly but surely tugs the tick off using a green contraption. I console myself with the fact that it took her three attempts before the tick decides to let go and prepare myself for the more painful experience of paying the vets fees.
"What's the damage?" I ask the receptionist ... She peers at her computer, looking confused and then strains her neck in for a closer look. "The Vet hasn't charged you ... it was free" she says slightly bewildered, to my hastely retreating figure.
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Willie or will she?
We have been taking full advantage of our visitation rights to Goldie ... Each time he gulps down a handful of crunchies and some water and then starts purring away ... he's a nervous cat around people he doesn't know and absolutely loves roaming around the garden for most of the day so being in a little pen surrounded by strange faces and other animals for the last week must be awful for him.
As I arrived this morning the vet told me that Goldie had left me a little present ... a distinct wet patch in his litter tray ... hooray!! Not as much as there should be, but certainly a start!
The vet also mentioned that he was going to try an anti-inflammatory but that in difficult cases the only solution is surgery ... (the boy becomes girl type!) I suppose Goldie is a unisex name, DJ Goldie or Goldie Hawn, who's gonna know the difference.
I went to visit him in the evening and he had obviously overheard the vets comments ... his litter tray was full of pee and he made a concerted effort to dribble a little pee just for my benefit.
As I arrived this morning the vet told me that Goldie had left me a little present ... a distinct wet patch in his litter tray ... hooray!! Not as much as there should be, but certainly a start!
The vet also mentioned that he was going to try an anti-inflammatory but that in difficult cases the only solution is surgery ... (the boy becomes girl type!) I suppose Goldie is a unisex name, DJ Goldie or Goldie Hawn, who's gonna know the difference.
I went to visit him in the evening and he had obviously overheard the vets comments ... his litter tray was full of pee and he made a concerted effort to dribble a little pee just for my benefit.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Crystal Clear - the sequel
Spoke to the vet today and she is going to re-catheterise Goldie as he seems to have re-blocked. We just want him home now but obviously in his condition he's in the best place.
Pav isn't coping too well either and has resorted to sleeping in the cupboard for the majority of the day ... I think she hopes that when she wakes, it will all have been a bad dream and Goldie will be back in his usual place on the couch.
Ditto ...
Pav isn't coping too well either and has resorted to sleeping in the cupboard for the majority of the day ... I think she hopes that when she wakes, it will all have been a bad dream and Goldie will be back in his usual place on the couch.
Ditto ...
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Crystal Clear?
Sorry ... I've been away a while ... been busy ... Goldie has been experiencing problems. He spent Thursday morning trying to pee on anything that sat still long enough for him to squat on. (Zoo was perfectly safe in this aspect .. he is suffering from antsinmypantseitus at the moment.)
We took him to the vets and they told us that he was suffering from crystal buildup in his bladder. She told us it was good that we caught it early as it can sometimes prove fatal if missed. Poor Goldie ... this meant putting him under, inserting a catheter and trying to flush out all the crystals. Of course the vet won't release him until he is peeing to his hearts content and she is sure that all the crystals have been removed or dissolved.
Only one problem ... in protest about being stuck with this plastic thing up his willie, in a cage, with a wailing neighbour below him, he has gone on a hunger strike. Of course until he eats and drinks something, he's unable to pee and poo so the vet won't let him come home ... two stubborn buggers ... interesting fight here.
Round One to the vet ~ she knocks him out cold and sticks a catheter in
Round Two to Goldie ~ he refuses to eat and drink
Round Three to the vet ~ she gives him an injection to stimulate his appetite
Round Four to Goldie ~ he pulls out the catheter
Round Five to Goldie ~ the vet can't get it back in, and can't get him to eat, she throws in the towel and asks us to come and see him Saturday morning.
Although the victor in this bout, Goldie was sitting in his litter tray looking miserable. I gave him a cuddle and he cheered up and started to eat his new prescription diet with a little encouragement, but as soon as the vet entered his eyeline, he just clamped his mouth tight and stared at her. To be honest, I would probably do the same if someone had spent the last three days trying to stick things into every orifice I had.
Although he had a good pee while I was there, she insists that she wants to keep him a little longer and he should be alright to return on Monday, fingers crossed. We are missing him about the house and Pav, his partner in crime, is constantly on the window sill, and miaowing at the back door, reprimanding us for leaving him out all night.
We took him to the vets and they told us that he was suffering from crystal buildup in his bladder. She told us it was good that we caught it early as it can sometimes prove fatal if missed. Poor Goldie ... this meant putting him under, inserting a catheter and trying to flush out all the crystals. Of course the vet won't release him until he is peeing to his hearts content and she is sure that all the crystals have been removed or dissolved.
Only one problem ... in protest about being stuck with this plastic thing up his willie, in a cage, with a wailing neighbour below him, he has gone on a hunger strike. Of course until he eats and drinks something, he's unable to pee and poo so the vet won't let him come home ... two stubborn buggers ... interesting fight here.
Round One to the vet ~ she knocks him out cold and sticks a catheter in
Round Two to Goldie ~ he refuses to eat and drink
Round Three to the vet ~ she gives him an injection to stimulate his appetite
Round Four to Goldie ~ he pulls out the catheter
Round Five to Goldie ~ the vet can't get it back in, and can't get him to eat, she throws in the towel and asks us to come and see him Saturday morning.
Although the victor in this bout, Goldie was sitting in his litter tray looking miserable. I gave him a cuddle and he cheered up and started to eat his new prescription diet with a little encouragement, but as soon as the vet entered his eyeline, he just clamped his mouth tight and stared at her. To be honest, I would probably do the same if someone had spent the last three days trying to stick things into every orifice I had.
Although he had a good pee while I was there, she insists that she wants to keep him a little longer and he should be alright to return on Monday, fingers crossed. We are missing him about the house and Pav, his partner in crime, is constantly on the window sill, and miaowing at the back door, reprimanding us for leaving him out all night.
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Colonel Mustard in the garden with lead piping?
I should be happy today .. I have finally been given the salary which truly reflects my managerial position after a pay banding review ... this may have been quickened up by the fact that I have been offered another position ... perhaps it has nothing to do with it, except inflating my ego ... who knows ... Nonetheless, I am now left at a huge fork in the road .... down one side a dark alley where I can't quite make out any details .... on the other a relatively pleasant unadventurous but circular walk ... if I take the 'easy' route I will return to this fork yet again in time ... if I take the unknown route ... who knows. Have to make a decision this weekend! I have been delaying the decision for some time now ... it has been about five weeks since they offered me the job .. but they have been very patient and understanding about waiting for my reply. But there is only so long you can hold a bar of chocolate in your hand before it begins to melt away into nothing ... you need to take the moment and eat it or alternatively throw it away before your hands get dirty ..
Or in the case of Cream, there is only so long that you can leave a corpse under a flowerpot before the flies catch on. Cream returned home today to find a poor bird dead on the patio ... Now the immediate blame is laid on Pav, the usual suspect. It is unlikely to be Goldie, who has never caught a living thing in his life (except one horrifically large spider) and being the ever ambitious fisherman, is still waiting for the big one! He's always aiming for the fattest wood pigeon and never quite getting it. Sam wouldn't bother chasing things that she won't eat .. too much like hard work ... much better to sit and relax in the sun and wait for the food to come to her. So, all three are vehemently denying being involved at all. To be fair to them, there has been a tabby sniffing around ... it could be him ... or there is the vixen and her two cubs. In any case, Cream decided to preserve the scene of the crime for me rather than inter the poor creature or disturb any important clues. Thanks ... anyone for a game of Cluedo??
Or in the case of Cream, there is only so long that you can leave a corpse under a flowerpot before the flies catch on. Cream returned home today to find a poor bird dead on the patio ... Now the immediate blame is laid on Pav, the usual suspect. It is unlikely to be Goldie, who has never caught a living thing in his life (except one horrifically large spider) and being the ever ambitious fisherman, is still waiting for the big one! He's always aiming for the fattest wood pigeon and never quite getting it. Sam wouldn't bother chasing things that she won't eat .. too much like hard work ... much better to sit and relax in the sun and wait for the food to come to her. So, all three are vehemently denying being involved at all. To be fair to them, there has been a tabby sniffing around ... it could be him ... or there is the vixen and her two cubs. In any case, Cream decided to preserve the scene of the crime for me rather than inter the poor creature or disturb any important clues. Thanks ... anyone for a game of Cluedo??
Dr Dolittle and the art of conversation.
Went down to the park tonight to feed the geese, moorhens, ducks, swans and all the chicks and cygnets ... It is wonderfully peaceful down there .. until the geese realise you have loaves of bread ... then you are lucky to get a slice out of the packaging before being pecked to death by ravenous geese.
Talking about ravenous looks ... Sam staring at me now ... staring at the keyboard ... nudging my hand ... nustling up to me ... she obviously wants something ...... Sam sorted ... she wanted food ...
Sams back again ... it's like having a baby ... thankfully however no nappies to change. They can't tell you what they want, so you play this game of charades. Strange cat ... she takes me back to her plate to show me she is eating ... just in case I thought she wasn't the first time.
Sams back again ... I am obviously doing something wrong .... ok ... its not a cuddle she wants .... finally figured it out ..... she wants to, rejlsdfhas ahfuoasd ususi aeoriioehho aeosh agaagija, sit on the keyboard. Purring away happily now. So that was Sams contribution to the blog. She is probably trying to tell me something really important (Skippy style)... like Cream has fallen down the well or something. Either that or she is on comission from Meowlingual. Well I shall leave you to figure out exactly what Sams typed message is. Suggestions on a post card please.
Talking about ravenous looks ... Sam staring at me now ... staring at the keyboard ... nudging my hand ... nustling up to me ... she obviously wants something ...... Sam sorted ... she wanted food ...
Sams back again ... it's like having a baby ... thankfully however no nappies to change. They can't tell you what they want, so you play this game of charades. Strange cat ... she takes me back to her plate to show me she is eating ... just in case I thought she wasn't the first time.
Sams back again ... I am obviously doing something wrong .... ok ... its not a cuddle she wants .... finally figured it out ..... she wants to, rejlsdfhas ahfuoasd ususi aeoriioehho aeosh agaagija, sit on the keyboard. Purring away happily now. So that was Sams contribution to the blog. She is probably trying to tell me something really important (Skippy style)... like Cream has fallen down the well or something. Either that or she is on comission from Meowlingual. Well I shall leave you to figure out exactly what Sams typed message is. Suggestions on a post card please.
Sunday, June 06, 2004
The Cats that got the Cream
OK ... so you have met one woman and her blog ... and a couple of related creatures ... I figure you're asking yourself where the three cats are? Yes they do actually exist ... all adorable ... even though I may be biased (Waiting for comment from Feline-hating Vertigo!) They were ruled under my dictatorship (Saddam style)... I took no messing around and expected them all to get on together whatever their feline beliefs ... I treated them all equally and when I said "No" I meant "If you give me those sad eyes again, you are gonna regret it". Then the cats got Cream. My husband joining the household has had an real impact on the balance of power. He believes (Bush style) that the cats have been oppressed too long and deserve freedom from such an evil tyrant. So they now .. sit at the dining room table whilst we eat dinner, waiting for Creamgate ... a scandal of illegal scrap dealing under the table, secretly condoned by Cream! They also manage to miracuously open pouches of whiskas themselves, when there are perfectly good plates of dry crunchies around. Strange that??? Sam (the eldest) has perfected the "I am going to shit in this litter tray unless you let me out in the back garden now" and Cream falls for it every time. I just respond with "Yeah ... poo away ... make my day" There is only so much straining a cat can do before it is obvious that there is nothing there, and she has to pad back into the front room with her tail between her legs and an evil stare! Pav (pure black but more 'chocolate' on closer inspection) loves to explore, a bit like the explorers of old who thought it was a good idea to return with a trophy or two! We manage to save most of them, but occasionally we have to give them a good funeral ... And Goldie (the newest member) a year old tom, who was born as a stray but now lives in luxury. Proof of the NW9 dream ... 'rags to riches' ... or should that be 'nice sofa covers to fur covered shreds of fabric'!
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