Archive for ‘November, 2013’

A present for all of us

The most outstanding good news is that the house is once again a house UN-divided! We are all together, all of the time – even overnight. We built on the Hot dog moment with clicker training … more on that in a future post.

The key thing for Bear was learning that he could ignore Auggie if he wanted. Auggie, after several tries, trots off to find something else to do. I just read that ignoring is how the kittens in a litter help each other know if they are playing too rough. Bottom line, Bear and Auggie play together. When Bear has had enough, he stops. Auggie is respecting that and either lies down near or goes off to do something different.

In the meantime, there was a “Black Cat Sale” on Amazon for a medium sized cat tower. These are normally more than I think they are worth but the sale was very tempting and I ordered.

I had help with the assembly.

And supervision.

Bear tried to keep an eye on Auggie’s bird hunting – there were 2 hanging clumps of feathers… the birds.

The birds had extremely short lives.

But the tower was a success! Auggie plays on it, hides in the “house” and it makes a great perch for looking out a window that gives a view of the woods. Auggie has also figured out that when Bear barks from the bedroom, the tower perch provides a view of what Bear is barking at – the bedroom is on the same end of the house. The tower is Auggie’s go to run around spot when he can’t get Bear or me to play: a present for all of us.

A couple of firsts

First morning quiet time with Bear AND Auggie.

First snow – I love when we get some snow before the larch pine trees (gold) lose their needles – so pretty!

Change

Things change.

Auggie is growing up.

We are transitioning… – back to the “Boy’s room”: Auggie’s food on the high table, his litter box in the corner and the light box/cat cave on the table also. ( Bob’s Cat Cave)

My second/newish Windows 8.1 with touch screen computer is on the high table also. It is a kind of second work area. It evolved as when Auggie was in the sunroom/office and I didn’t want to disturb for various reasons, but needed computer access…AND I’ve had this computer for months and not had it fully set up with my work environment…Anyway, it has worked wonderfully to have this second work area! (AND BTW, I liked Windows 8 and LOVE Windows 8.1 and really love the touch screen – SURPRISE to ME!!!)

In addition to allowing me to do things when Auggie was in the sunroom, it has also encouraged Auggie to join me and embrace the light box/cat cave as a refuge…and food dishes made their way to the table as well as a litter box underneath.

Several times in the last week, Auggie has decided to nap in the cat cave.

It is a strange combination of joy in seeing Auggie grow and make his own choices as well as an odd paradox of renewed grief for Bob when Auggie does what Bob did.

Change.

In the past 5 weeks, since Auggie has been part of Bear’s and my life, I’ve been asked by several…”How did I know it was the right time? ”

I didn’t.

I had a kind of tension from being just 2.

I had some time of almost paralyzing fear about selecting the wrong pet at the wrong time…and about being capable of dealing with more loss.

And then I had a realization that I DID NOT want to live in that kind of fear.

AND that I had much love to give to a dog or cat that needed a safe and loving home.

So, then I knew I was ready.

And I knew that Bear would be ok if I was ok.

So we got Auggie.

Change.

Friday

A mixed bag of a Friday… an Auggie vet appt mid afternoon, so got an early start, but distractions and then it was time to go!

Auggie is not liking the Jeep trips as yet so a rather loud to and fro and I HATE that he was uncomfortable.

But, at the clinic, he was quiet and calm. He now weighs 6.2 pounds vs 3.9 pounds 4 1/2 weeks ago. Everything good except for some gum redness – hopefully just from emerging “adult” teeth. We keep an eye on it for a month.

These first things…after losing a beloved – hard to keep in proportion.

We got home later than I thought we would, so short on work time.

Bear was needing attention.

Auggie was needing attention.

A squirrel helped give Bear something to do.

And Auggie was watching Bear dealing with the squirrel.

I had a glass of wine and watched the setting sun turn the tree tops gold against a brilliant blue sky.

Friday.