Meet Minnie!

After our devastating loss of Kitty, we decided the house was just not the same without a cat.  So our search started.  We looked online at several of the humane societies around the area.

Our first visit was to the Langlade County Humane Society.  They had oodles and oodles of cats.  It was an eye opening experience to see just how they live (so sad).  Unfortunately, none of the cats screamed "take me home".  So on our search went.

Next stop was the Taylor County Humane Society.  I had e-mailed them a few times about one we were most interested.  Well that kitten got adopted two days before we made it out there.  So on Saturday we went there with an open mind.

Upon entering the humane society, it was a completely different experience.  The cats were able to run free and you could tell they felt much more relaxed!  I wandered into the kitten's room by myself and saw "Mini Mite".  She was running around like a fool with the other kittens.  Then Shaun found the room and just as he stood in front of the door "Mini Mite" jumped from one cage to a screen and onto another cage.  Shaun was a little freaked out!  We played with "Mini Mite" for a while.  She let me scratch her chin!!  A first in all of the cats we looked at and one of our requirements!  The lady that runs the place, Deb, then met with us.  She told us "Mini Mite's" story.  Apparently someone decided to put "Mini Mite" and her six siblings in a mailbox last July when it was 90 some degrees.  The gentleman that mailbox belonged to initially wasn't planning to get his mail that day but something told him to and he found 7 kittens stuffed in there.  Drives me nuts that people treat animals with such disrepsect!

We looked at a  few more but then decided it was time for Sadie to meet "Mini Mite" to see if they got along.  The meeting went well. Sadie was preoccupied by all the smells as was "Mini Mite" because she was in a new area.

It was decision time for us.  My brother and dad were with us so we decided to check out the dogs that were there to give us some additional time.  Can you believe they have only 4 dogs in their care!  That is AWESOME!  Let's hope the spaying/neutering is actually helping.

After mulling it over for a few minutes we decided to adopt "Mini Mite"!!! 

Our first picture together:

After we brought her home, we had to make a decision about her name.  After all, she can hear!  We went through a whole bunch but nothing seemed to fit.  We decided to stick with her given name but with slight modifications.  She went from "Mini Mite" to just Minnie! 

Minnie has been adjusting well to everything!  With it being the first time she has lived in an actual home, some noises are scaring her like the TV, shower, and the ice as it comes out of the fridge, but she is being a trooper!  She is quickly becoming our shadow following us wherever we go. 

We had her to the vet today and she looks healthy!  Just have to get the blood work back for the FIV test (keep your fingers crossed they are negative).  She weighs in at just under 5 pounds!  So tinyyy!   She is also scheduled for her spaying and front paw declaw next week! 

 

The peacock feather, Grandma let us have.  Did you know that cats react to peacock feathers the same way they do with catnip?

Welcome to our family, Minnie! 

Happy 3rd Gotcha Day Sadie Jane!!

It was three years ago today, that we drove to meet/pick-up Sadie.  I was so excited to be getting a hound of my own!  When we first met her, she was so anxious!  We had asked her foster mom tons of questions.  One of which was: "why would anyone ever give her up?"  Foster mom said "the family couldn't handle her"

After talking for a half hour, she jumped into our car and we were on the way home.  We made a few pit stops along the way.  One of which is now her favorite store, Petsmart.  When we got home, she was crazed!  She wouldn't sit down for long.  It was a constant upstairs, downstairs kind of night.  I remember being exhausted!  Even during the night she didn't sleep well.  After a couple weeks, she was still rambunctious and not settling down like I thought she should.  We contemplated calling BBR to see if we could give her back....but we didn't.

And I'm so happy we kept her, because three years later she is my BABY!  I couldn't imagine life without her.  She comes to work with me, watches my every move, goes for endless walks with me, and sometimes curls up by my legs at night when we sleep.

One of her first photos:

And a recent one, snuggled up to me:

Saying Goodbye is so HARD!

Our family is down to 3.  Yesterday we had to put our Kitty to rest :(  It was the hardest thing I've (we) ever had to do......

Over the last several months, Kitty had sort of been her normal self.  Waiting for treats in the morning, purring like crazy when you held her, and still wanting to cuddle and get in your face.  But there were some other signs that she was not doing okay, drinking water constantly, loss of appetite, loosing weight.

But Sunday changed drastically when she stopped eating, stopped moving, and was messing where she was laying.  It was devastating to watch.  We had decided on Saturday already that we would be taking her to the vet Monday morning. 

When we were at the vet you could tell she was not doing good.  Her skin was yellow and she could hardly keep her eyes open to look at us.  The news from the vet was hard to swallow....liver failure.  They could put her on some IVs and a whole bunch of other things but it was not guaranteed.....and would probably just prolong her suffering.....

We decided it was best to let her go.  So she now has her wings, is able to run free at the bridge, and is now able to HEAR all of the birds chirping!

I think this is one of the very last pictures of her.  It was from the end of January.


Kitty:  You were one amazing cat!  You will forever live in our hearts and memories! You had such an adventurous life for a deaf cat! Not only will we miss you but everyone who has had contact with you. We love you so much!!! 

Rest in peace Kitty! 
3/7/11

February Margarita Night

The gang got together on February 24. It was a much needed break from the craziness our life has been.  It was a small group again, which was so nice.

Not sure why I have this funny face going on....

Thanks Leanne for showing us what mashed up tortilla chips look like!

Sparky took some pretty inventive pictures!

Oopsie!

Perfect split!

Leanne has decided that we need T-shirts!  Yes, margarita night t-shirts!  So we brainstormed ideas for top "must haves" of margarita night!

Guess who left the table!  No not Leanne...Shaun!  Payback's a biotch!

Leanne piled quite a bit of stuff on it!

Not done yet...

Now it's complete!

Uh oh...here he comes!

I think he's amazed!

Afterward we went to a different bar than what we are used to.  It was a nice change up.  The "juke box" was quite interesting and also very frustrating.  Shaun captured us trying to find some tuneage.

After we stopped at the bar, I went home to crash (sucks getting old) and Keith and Syd drove back home.  Shaun, Leanne and Val went out to party until the wee morning hours.

Is it Spring yet?

Seriously.  I feel like it's been winter for a year!  We just got hammered a couple of weeks ago...another 13 inches...ugh!

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to capture Shaun's first REAL snowblowing experience!

A little history behind our snowblower:  We purchased it in December 2009 right after the first big snowstorm.  Well it never snowed enough to use it until December 2010.  So it sat for over a year without ever being started!  Come December 2010 when we had 18+ inches and Shaun could not get the thing started!  So frustrating!!  We took it to get fixed and thank God is was still covered under warranty.  It's so nice not having to shovel all that snow!