Small Talk: I Like Them All, I Just Can't Choose!

[CarpeDiem54]

I saw an interview with Mike Rowe last week.  Sorry, I can't remember the show - it may have been Charlie Rose on PBS.  Anyway, I found out about this - http://profoundlydisconnected.com/foundation/

[ennui]

Shawn Killinger adopted a baby girl. It's on her FB page. Discussion in the other topic, I guess?

[TexasTiffany]

5 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

Let me preface this by saying I lurk and don't post, but, that does not mean I am indifferent to the trials and heartache several of you are going through (BronxBabe, Mrs. Joe, and all the others) and you are in my thoughts and prayers.  It's just, well, stupid anxiety disorder gets set off by posting sometimes.  Who knows why, I told you, it's stupid.  :)  And, it's taken my two days to work up to do this if that give you any idea of how it gets me sometimes.

But, if I can bring up Chewy again.  Yes, they are higher on somethings, but, the delivery fee is, I think something like five dollars flat for anything with a total of 49.99 or lower, or if you order is over 50.00 it's free - either way to get litter delivered it is worth it to me.

BUT, the customer service is beyond compare.  One of my cats passed away in Jan.  (not her over there in my avatar - her brother).  I called them to cancel the recurring order for his prescription food.  After very sweet condolences the lady said "Your last order was in December.  I will refund it."  I was confused and said no, we've used part of it and I am not up to sending the last bag back and she said "No, it's what we do to express our sorrow for what you are going through."  A few days later I received a hand written card from her that was so very sweet and referred to my Shlomo by name.  When I called to express my gratitude and how blown away I was to a supervisor, he stayed on the phone with me about 1/2 hour talking about Shlomo and my other cats - he also said if I just needed to talk they are there 24/7 and would be happy to spend time with me.  Just amazing.

Someone above said they heard Chewy had been bought by PetSmart - I so hope the outstanding customer service does not change.  That is what makes Chewy worth it to me - they treat their customers like real people with real feelings something far too lacking in large corps these days.

So anyway, I've made it through this so far and hope you don't mind me popping in to give my perspective.

Welcome @tiftgirl, what a nice story! I'm glad the Chewy people were so friendly and caring. I hope they keep their good customer service, too. Sorry for your little Shlomo. 

Welcome to @tricksi, too!

Edited June 18, 2017 by TexasTiffany

[zxy556575]

Home spa day -- mani, pedi (no polish), paraffin foot treatment, clay facial, chin wax. I'm exhausted!

 

[Denver Hoosier]

I love that I am not the only one with a zillion silly pet names for my fur babies.

My dog, Daragan, is Boo Doggie, Red Belly, Big Bitey Blankie Monster, and Boo Berry.

My dog Pepsi is Peppy Girl, Bubby Girl, Pepper, and Baby Girl.

[SuprSuprElevated]

21 hours ago, lovemesomejoolery said:

Sorry I can't upload a more current photo - they all seem too large for this site!

Love the itty bitty tip of Merlin's tongue showing, lol.

18 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

So anyway, I've made it through this so far and hope you don't mind me popping in to give my perspective.

Wow Tiftgirl, what an amazing story!  I didn't know about Chewy's service level, but I am thrilled to hear of it.  That is awesome.  So glad you conquered your anxiety enough to share it with us, and hope you're able to join in again soon!  

Edited June 19, 2017 by SuprSuprElevated

[SuprSuprElevated]

9 hours ago, Lord Donia said:

Home spa day -- mani, pedi (no polish), paraffin foot treatment, clay facial, chin wax. I'm exhausted!

I'm so jealous.

Edited June 19, 2017 by SuprSuprElevated

[SuprSuprElevated]

16 hours ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

I saw an interview with Mike Rowe last week.  Sorry, I can't remember the show - it may have been Charlie Rose on PBS.  Anyway, I found out about this - http://profoundlydisconnected.com/foundation/

The more I read about him, the more I want to know him!  I went to this site, and found this sentence in the bio for his book:  " A former opera singer, Rowe began his career in television hawking dubious merchandise on a cable shopping channel and slowly worked his way up to the sewer."

Love it.

[zxy556575]

Now ya'll sent me down a You Tube tunnel to watch old videos of Mike Rowe on QVC. Ah, the Katsak.

[ennui]

Mike Rowe is absolutely 100% correct about the need for blue collar folks. And if you're hired a plumber recently, you know there's money to be made.

Cricket, we're hoping for good news. Not sure what time zone you're in, but we're here.

[lovemesomejoolery]

9 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Love the itty bitty tip of Merlin's tongue showing, lol.

Wow Tiftgirl, what an amazing story!  I didn't know about Chewy's service level, but I am thrilled to hear of it.  That is awesome.  So glad you conquered your anxiety enough to share it with us, and hope you're able to join in again soon!  

I know!  Even though he is much larger today, he still does that and those eyes of his in the picture look like that now most of the time, too.  He's so laid back!  His sister grew into her ears, sort of....she's the complete opposite of him, pretty high strung, as most torties are, but she definitely rules this roost!   

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Friedbaloney said:

Because no other cat could ever take the place of my little loveable bubbleable. 

Yup...100%

[TexasTiffany]

I moved this post from the other topic ----

Quote

 

@lovemesomejoolery said:

I apologize for the Off Topic-ness of this post.  If you are on the east coast, there are some pretty severe and dangerous storms predicted today.  Here where I am in Maryland, it is very, very windy with thunderstorms and flash flooding to start around 3:00 p.m. with the threat continuing through 8 or 9 p.m. 

Be safe and batten down the hatches!

That's what I did this morning....took the day off to do yardwork and instead spent the morning moving tubs of flowers in sheltered areas, staking tall plants, etc.  Been out there since 6:15 a.m........

 

I'm sorry to hear that the weather is going to be severe for several of us posters today. Be careful and be safe!

I know what you mean about moving plants. When I was at Walmart 2 weeks ago, their plants were on a super sale since the plants were being moved out the next day. I was in the right place at the right time. I posted previously that I planted seeds. Well, with their super sale I got 4 larger containers of red/pink vinca and 3 packs of 4 white with red eye packs. 24 plants for under $11. My seedlings were replaced in one fell swoop.

Anyhow, I mention that because my plants are still trying to get established. We had storms go by this morning. They weren't severe or dangerous, but I didn't want the heavy rain to pummel my vinca. I was out early grabbing plants and bringing them inside, too!

Edited June 19, 2017 by TexasTiffany

[TexasTiffany]

8 hours ago, Friedbaloney said:

My cat, Little Guy, loved it when I called him " loveable bubbleable". I think he liked the rhyming sound of it. (So did I. ?). And he was a loveable bubbleable too-- he even hugged his vet--so, consequently, I also called him "My little huggy bear". Most of his nicknames had "my" and "little" in them. As in, "My little cherub", "My little turtle dove", "My little tulip". Sometimes I'd call him "Chimpy" too, lol--or "Monkey". 

I always referred to him in conversation as "My little boy". And I didn't care if people laughed. Because he was my little boy. ?

I'll have to come back when I have more time and 'heart' all the pictures of cats. They're all so beautiful. I love cats so much! But I'll never have another one. Because no other cat could ever take the place of my little loveable bubbleable. 

I'm sorry about your Little Guy. I feel that way about my little Sandy. She'd give me hugs, too. 

[Denver Hoosier]

Whenever one of my dogs gets up in years, I adopt a new one.  That way, when the older one passes, the 'new one' is already a part of the family and doesn't feel like a replacement.  Cause we can never replace one, we can only keep loving animals in their honor. Imagine how sad our deceased special friends would be if they knew we were alone and unloved after they left us.

[SuprSuprElevated]

8 hours ago, Friedbaloney said:

My cat, Little Guy, loved it when I called him " loveable bubbleable". I think he liked the rhyming sound of it. (So did I. ?). And he was a loveable bubbleable too-- he even hugged his vet--so, consequently, I also called him "My little huggy bear". Most of his nicknames had "my" and "little" in them. As in, "My little cherub", "My little turtle dove", "My little tulip". Sometimes I'd call him "Chimpy" too, lol--or "Monkey". 

I always referred to him in conversation as "My little boy". And I didn't care if people laughed. Because he was my little boy. ?

I'll have to come back when I have more time and 'heart' all the pictures of cats. They're all so beautiful. I love cats so much! But I'll never have another one. Because no other cat could ever take the place of my little loveable bubbleable. 

Really sorry about your little boy.  Someday, when it doesn't hurt so much, maybe you'll consider rescuing another little boy or girl, and add that joy to your life again!  

[CarpeDiem54]

Otto Warmbier has died.  RIP.

[Coffeecup]

29 minutes ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Otto Warmbier has died.  RIP.

I just now saw this on the news. How awful! Since he never regained consciousness, we will never know what the North Koreans did to him. I think his parents are right: they brutalized him.

[tiftgirl]

Thank you all for such warm and friendly welcomes!!!!  :)  And thank yall too for the condolences about Shlomo.  I'd love to tell how we all became a family if anyone would be interested.  I think it's a special story, but there is a slight chance I could be biased too.  :)

Thumper and Zoemom while it is comforting to know there are others here that have anxiety disorders, I really do hate it.  I hate that you have to know what that is like and have to suffer through it, because, really, some days we do suffer.  And this really is an understatement and sums it up so well.

On 6/18/2017 at 10:13 AM, zoemom said:

how challenging (understatement of the day) they can be and how they can (unfortunately) affect activities

[CarpeDiem54]

2 minutes ago, Coffeecup said:

I just now saw this on the news. How awful! Since he never regained consciousness, we will never know what the North Koreans did to him. I think his parents are right: they brutalized him.

Oh, I'm sure they did something horrendous to the young man.  At least he was home with his family and he is no longer in any pain or misery.

Oh, do tell us about Shlomo, @tiftgirl!

I, too, have anxiety issues at times.  It can be debilitating.

[SuprSuprElevated]

39 minutes ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Otto Warmbier has died.  RIP.

Bless his soul.  

1 hour ago, Denver Hoosier said:

Whenever one of my dogs gets up in years, I adopt a new one.  That way, when the older one passes, the 'new one' is already a part of the family and doesn't feel like a replacement.  Cause we can never replace one, we can only keep loving animals in their honor. Imagine how sad our deceased special friends would be if they knew we were alone and unloved after they left us.

I've known many people that have done this.

[SuprSuprElevated]

4 hours ago, ennui said:

Mike Rowe is absolutely 100% correct about the need for blue collar folks. And if you're hired a plumber recently, you know there's money to be made.

Cricket, we're hoping for good news. Not sure what time zone you're in, but we're here.

Yes, thinking of you @Cricket

1 hour ago, TexasTiffany said:

I moved this post from the other topic ----

I'm sorry to hear that the weather is going to be severe for several of us posters today. Be careful and be safe!

I know what you mean about moving plants. When I was at Walmart 2 weeks ago, their plants were on a super sale since the plants were being moved out the next day. I was in the right place at the right time. I posted previously that I planted seeds. Well, with their super sale I got 4 larger containers of red/pink vinca and 3 packs of 4 white with red eye packs. 24 plants for under $11. My seedlings were replaced in one fell swoop.

Anyhow, I mention that because my plants are still trying to get established. We had storms go by this morning. They weren't severe or dangerous, but I didn't want the heavy rain to pummel my vinca. I was out early grabbing plants and bringing them inside, too!

We'll be thinking of you easterners!  Stay safe~!

[tiftgirl]

Arrgghhhh...... I can't figure out how to reply to specific posts.

My cats names are:

Shana (the Mama) and Shlamey (her daughter and that's her over there <---------)

I also had Shana's two sons (she only had one litter)

Shmuel who passed in 2011 from liver failure and Shlomo who passed this Jan from congestive heart failure.

Their nicknames are the various Yiddish derivatives of their names - Shanala, etc.

Oh, if anyone is Jewish, please do not be offended by their names.  My best friend is Jewish and I asked him how to say Pretty Girl when Shana found me.  When she had the babies, he wanted to give them all Yiddish names and they all wound up matching their personalities - no offense was meant in naming them.

I do the W in place of the first letter thing sometimes = Shmuely Wooly, etc.

Their middle names are more descriptive of personality quirks

Shana Madel Diva - because she is

Shlamey Bowie - after David because of the bi-color eyes

Shmuel Jethro - he would eat anything much like Jethro in Beverly Hillbillies

Shlomo Felix - he was very finicky - like the Odd Couple.

Now you have been introduced to my babies.  I miss my boys so much but sometimes I swear I still fell them around.  

FriedBaloney  I am so sorry about your Little Guy.  They do take a chunk of us when they go and it take forever to move past that horrible pain.  I won't always be so very bad, but, you will always miss him.

[SuprSuprElevated]

9 minutes ago, tiftgirl said:

Arrgghhhh...... I can't figure out how to reply to specific posts.

Their nicknames are the various Yiddish derivatives of their names - Shanala, etc.

Those are great names!

When you want to reply to a specific post, go to the bottom of it, and on the far left side, click the quote marks icon.  

The icon with the +" is for replying to multiple posts I think, but I haven't ventured into that territory, lol.

Edited June 19, 2017 by SuprSuprElevated

[tiftgirl]

30 minutes ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Oh, do tell us about Shlomo, @tiftgirl!

I, too, have anxiety issues at times.  It can be debilitating.

Thanks for the tip on replying to specific posts SuprSuprElevated.

Carpdiem,

Back in 2001 I had just gotten out of the hospital with depression and they had made me quit my job.  One day I kept hearing a cat meow and just couldn't stand it so I went to see.  When I opened the door, she was sitting in the door frame looking at me like "took you long enough".  She came in hopped up on the couch, snuggled up to me and went to sleep.  I took her around the building that night and no one claimed her.  So, Shana found me.

After a few weeks we (my best friend was living with me at the time) figured out she was pregnant.  I was  trying to figure out how to do background checks because I wasn't going to hand those babies over to just anyone, but, I didn't feel like I could keep them either.

When the day came, after almost all day in labor during which she would not let me leave her side and still no babies we found a vet that did just cats and she said to bring her in.  She took xrays and said there were 4 babies but she was so small and young (she guessed about 6 months) she was having problems.  She said she could do a c-section or giver her shot to make the labor harder.  I said whatever is best and she said, shot it is.  She said she would call in a hour and tell me about the babies.

Well, she called, but, she said all that came out was puss.  She was doing an emergency c-section to save Shana and said the babies probably were not alive.  It took 45 minutes but the nurses revived 3 of the 4 and the doctor basically did a hysterectomy on Shana and cleaned out the infection.

I couldn't stand it so we went back before she called.  She was just putting them in the cage with Shana when I walked in.  Shana pushed them away.  The Dr said the babies wouldn't last the night, but Shana needed to be with me, because when she heard me coming was the first spark of life she saw in her.  She sent us all home along with the tiniest little bottles and nipples made for premmie kittens and puppies to feed them.  I could completely close my hand over all of them they were so small.  After all that, you bet I was keeping them all.  Luckily the apartment manager knew the whole story and bypassed the two pet limit on the lease - not that it would have mattered to me, honestly.

The babies made it through that first night and Shana started letting them nurse the next day.  And every thing progressed from there - no one seemed to suffer any ill effects of what they went through to get born.

I've always said that God meant for us to be a family.  We all need someone to help us survive and He gave us each other.

The boys have gone and I miss them so much, but Shmuel was here for 11 years and Shlomo missed his 16th birthday by two weeks.

The girls are fine (they had their checkup in Feb) and just like the boys spoiled rotten and rule the roost.

I still have anxiety, but my depression has been in remission for years (knockwood).  I truly think a pretty big part of that was having my babies come into my life.

Sorry it's so long, I tried to just hit the high spots, but, that's how we became the family we are.

[Thumper]

I think today is the funeral service for Bronx Babe's mom, too.  Hope that she is doing okay.

[Thumper]

What a great story, tiftgirl!  You have a big heart!  Amazing how you (and the vet) saved their lives.

[SuprSuprElevated]

1 hour ago, tiftgirl said:

Thanks for the tip on replying to specific posts SuprSuprElevated.

Carpdiem,

Back in 2001 I had just gotten out of the hospital with depression and they had made me quit my job.  One day I kept hearing a cat meow and just couldn't stand it so I went to see.  When I opened the door, she was sitting in the door frame looking at me like "took you long enough".  She came in hopped up on the couch, snuggled up to me and went to sleep.  I took her around the building that night and no one claimed her.  So, Shana found me.

After a few weeks we (my best friend was living with me at the time) figured out she was pregnant.  I was  trying to figure out how to do background checks because I wasn't going to hand those babies over to just anyone, but, I didn't feel like I could keep them either.

When the day came, after almost all day in labor during which she would not let me leave her side and still no babies we found a vet that did just cats and she said to bring her in.  She took xrays and said there were 4 babies but she was so small and young (she guessed about 6 months) she was having problems.  She said she could do a c-section or giver her shot to make the labor harder.  I said whatever is best and she said, shot it is.  She said she would call in a hour and tell me about the babies.

Well, she called, but, she said all that came out was puss.  She was doing an emergency c-section to save Shana and said the babies probably were not alive.  It took 45 minutes but the nurses revived 3 of the 4 and the doctor basically did a hysterectomy on Shana and cleaned out the infection.

I couldn't stand it so we went back before she called.  She was just putting them in the cage with Shana when I walked in.  Shana pushed them away.  The Dr said the babies wouldn't last the night, but Shana needed to be with me, because when she heard me coming was the first spark of life she saw in her.  She sent us all home along with the tiniest little bottles and nipples made for premmie kittens and puppies to feed them.  I could completely close my hand over all of them they were so small.  After all that, you bet I was keeping them all.  Luckily the apartment manager knew the whole story and bypassed the two pet limit on the lease - not that it would have mattered to me, honestly.

The babies made it through that first night and Shana started letting them nurse the next day.  And every thing progressed from there - no one seemed to suffer any ill effects of what they went through to get born.

I've always said that God meant for us to be a family.  We all need someone to help us survive and He gave us each other.

The boys have gone and I miss them so much, but Shmuel was here for 11 years and Shlomo missed his 16th birthday by two weeks.

The girls are fine (they had their checkup in Feb) and just like the boys spoiled rotten and rule the roost.

I still have anxiety, but my depression has been in remission for years (knockwood).  I truly think a pretty big part of that was having my babies come into my life.

Sorry it's so long, I tried to just hit the high spots, but, that's how we became the family we are.

What an amazing story!  Love this <3

[SuprSuprElevated]

1 hour ago, Thumper said:

I think today is the funeral service for Bronx Babe's mom, too.  Hope that she is doing okay.

Oh gosh, you're right.  Hang in there @Bronx Babe ~

[Booney]

12 hours ago, Friedbaloney said:

My cat, Little Guy, loved it when I called him " loveable bubbleable". I think he liked the rhyming sound of it. (So did I. ?). And he was a loveable bubbleable too-- he even hugged his vet--so, consequently, I also called him "My little huggy bear". Most of his nicknames had "my" and "little" in them. As in, "My little cherub", "My little turtle dove", "My little tulip". Sometimes I'd call him "Chimpy" too, lol--or "Monkey". 

I always referred to him in conversation as "My little boy". And I didn't care if people laughed. Because he was my little boy. ?

I'll have to come back when I have more time and 'heart' all the pictures of cats. They're all so beautiful. I love cats so much! But I'll never have another one. Because no other cat could ever take the place of my little loveable bubbleable. 

As much as I've loved my kitties and been heartbroken when they passed on, I never could imagine my life without a cat, so I've had several through the years.

I adopted my first kitty when I got my first professional job in 1978. I had Boo Boo for 17 years; she died in 1995 of liver failure. Within two months, I adopted an 8 week old kitten. Lucky was a beautiful dilute calico and was my girl. She bonded with me immediately. Seven months later, my late husband and I decided she needed a companion, so we adopted a little black and white kitten and named her Annie. We figured that our kitty family was complete, but a few years later, a big tomboy tabby girl thought otherwise. I used to feed ferals, and a tabby started showing up. She clearly was not feral, but after asking around and no one knowing who she was or where she came from, I finally called a local rescue group to see if they would take her. They asked us to "get her off the street" for a couple of days while they tried to find a foster home. So we took her in - temporarily, we thought - fell in love and she never left. We named her Noel since it was near Christmas.

Lucky died at 16 in 2012, Annie died at 18 in 2014, and Noel died at 16+ (we don't really know how old she was when we took her in - she was at least one) in 2015. Mr. Booney talked me into adopting our two current sweeties 6 weeks after Noel died, and it was a great decision. Mittens and Coco are such sweethearts and make us smile every day. 

[Coffeecup]

2 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

Thanks for the tip on replying to specific posts SuprSuprElevated.

Carpdiem,

Back in 2001 I had just gotten out of the hospital with depression and they had made me quit my job.  One day I kept hearing a cat meow and just couldn't stand it so I went to see.  When I opened the door, she was sitting in the door frame looking at me like "took you long enough".  She came in hopped up on the couch, snuggled up to me and went to sleep.  I took her around the building that night and no one claimed her.  So, Shana found me.

After a few weeks we (my best friend was living with me at the time) figured out she was pregnant.  I was  trying to figure out how to do background checks because I wasn't going to hand those babies over to just anyone, but, I didn't feel like I could keep them either.

When the day came, after almost all day in labor during which she would not let me leave her side and still no babies we found a vet that did just cats and she said to bring her in.  She took xrays and said there were 4 babies but she was so small and young (she guessed about 6 months) she was having problems.  She said she could do a c-section or giver her shot to make the labor harder.  I said whatever is best and she said, shot it is.  She said she would call in a hour and tell me about the babies.

Well, she called, but, she said all that came out was puss.  She was doing an emergency c-section to save Shana and said the babies probably were not alive.  It took 45 minutes but the nurses revived 3 of the 4 and the doctor basically did a hysterectomy on Shana and cleaned out the infection.

I couldn't stand it so we went back before she called.  She was just putting them in the cage with Shana when I walked in.  Shana pushed them away.  The Dr said the babies wouldn't last the night, but Shana needed to be with me, because when she heard me coming was the first spark of life she saw in her.  She sent us all home along with the tiniest little bottles and nipples made for premmie kittens and puppies to feed them.  I could completely close my hand over all of them they were so small.  After all that, you bet I was keeping them all.  Luckily the apartment manager knew the whole story and bypassed the two pet limit on the lease - not that it would have mattered to me, honestly.

The babies made it through that first night and Shana started letting them nurse the next day.  And every thing progressed from there - no one seemed to suffer any ill effects of what they went through to get born.

I've always said that God meant for us to be a family.  We all need someone to help us survive and He gave us each other.

The boys have gone and I miss them so much, but Shmuel was here for 11 years and Shlomo missed his 16th birthday by two weeks.

The girls are fine (they had their checkup in Feb) and just like the boys spoiled rotten and rule the roost.

I still have anxiety, but my depression has been in remission for years (knockwood).  I truly think a pretty big part of that was having my babies come into my life.

Sorry it's so long, I tried to just hit the high spots, but, that's how we became the family we are.

I love this story. You did a wonderful thing to take in Shana and the kittens.

My only cat now is a stray I took in when I could see he'd been abandoned. At the time one of my pair of elderly kitties was still alive; she died of a tumor about a year later at age 12. My stray baby is about 6 years old, a beautiful black neutered male. Since he's very gentle, I'm thinking of getting a No. 2 shelter kitty to keep him company. It would have to be an easygoing kitty like him.

About anxiety and depression, I've struggled with that all my life too, so I can identify with it. I think having a cat or dog companion is good for us, and good for them too, since it provides them with a home.

[Fishy]

13 hours ago, Friedbaloney said:

My cat, Little Guy, loved it when I called him " loveable bubbleable". I think he liked the rhyming sound of it. (So did I. ?). And he was a loveable bubbleable too-- he even hugged his vet--so, consequently, I also called him "My little huggy bear". Most of his nicknames had "my" and "little" in them. As in, "My little cherub", "My little turtle dove", "My little tulip". Sometimes I'd call him "Chimpy" too, lol--or "Monkey". 

I always referred to him in conversation as "My little boy". And I didn't care if people laughed. Because he was my little boy. ?

I'll have to come back when I have more time and 'heart' all the pictures of cats. They're all so beautiful. I love cats so much! But I'll never have another one. Because no other cat could ever take the place of my little loveable bubbleable. 

awww so sorry but please never say never - there may be a sweet one out there that needs you....

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 8:54 AM, tiftgirl said:

Let me preface this by saying I lurk and don't post, but, that does not mean I am indifferent to the trials and heartache several of you are going through (BronxBabe, Mrs. Joe, and all the others) and you are in my thoughts and prayers.  It's just, well, stupid anxiety disorder gets set off by posting sometimes.  Who knows why, I told you, it's stupid.  :)  And, it's taken my two days to work up to do this if that give you any idea of how it gets me sometimes.

But, if I can bring up Chewy again.  Yes, they are higher on somethings, but, the delivery fee is, I think something like five dollars flat for anything with a total of 49.99 or lower, or if you order is over 50.00 it's free - either way to get litter delivered it is worth it to me.

BUT, the customer service is beyond compare.  One of my cats passed away in Jan.  (not her over there in my avatar - her brother).  I called them to cancel the recurring order for his prescription food.  After very sweet condolences the lady said "Your last order was in December.  I will refund it."  I was confused and said no, we've used part of it and I am not up to sending the last bag back and she said "No, it's what we do to express our sorrow for what you are going through."  A few days later I received a hand written card from her that was so very sweet and referred to my Shlomo by name.  When I called to express my gratitude and how blown away I was to a supervisor, he stayed on the phone with me about 1/2 hour talking about Shlomo and my other cats - he also said if I just needed to talk they are there 24/7 and would be happy to spend time with me.  Just amazing.

Someone above said they heard Chewy had been bought by PetSmart - I so hope the outstanding customer service does not change.  That is what makes Chewy worth it to me - they treat their customers like real people with real feelings something far too lacking in large corps these days.

So anyway, I've made it through this so far and hope you don't mind me popping in to give my perspective.

so glad you posted..... your story about Chewy and Shlomo made my heart smile.  Join in whenever you can.

[Fishy]

4 hours ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Otto Warmbier has died.  RIP.

Saw that and my heart broke.  I was hoping beyond hope.....

[StaceyNotStacie]

5 hours ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Otto Warmbier has died.  RIP.

I read about this earlier. I was surprised, but not surprised. More surprised that it happened so quickly. I wonder if it happened on its own or if his family made a medical decision for him. 

There has been a lot of news coverage in our Navy town about the USS Fitzgerald. Such a sad story overall. I can't help but wonder what hasn't been told. The hubby knew one of the sailors in passing. He didn't know him personally but they were briefly on the same ship a trip one time. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Stacey1014

[lovemesomejoolery]

6 hours ago, TexasTiffany said:

I moved this post from the other topic ----

I'm sorry to hear that the weather is going to be severe for several of us posters today. Be careful and be safe!

I know what you mean about moving plants. When I was at Walmart 2 weeks ago, their plants were on a super sale since the plants were being moved out the next day. I was in the right place at the right time. I posted previously that I planted seeds. Well, with their super sale I got 4 larger containers of red/pink vinca and 3 packs of 4 white with red eye packs. 24 plants for under $11. My seedlings were replaced in one fell swoop.

Anyhow, I mention that because my plants are still trying to get established. We had storms go by this morning. They weren't severe or dangerous, but I didn't want the heavy rain to pummel my vinca. I was out early grabbing plants and bringing them inside, too!

What a great bargain you got on your vinca!

Storms were not as bad here as predicted, thank goodness.  Much needed rain for a few hours, though.  But it was windier prior to the rain than it was while I was raining. 

As usual, the weather people got it wrong!

[lovemesomejoolery]

4 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

Thanks for the tip on replying to specific posts SuprSuprElevated.

Carpdiem,

Back in 2001 I had just gotten out of the hospital with depression and they had made me quit my job.  One day I kept hearing a cat meow and just couldn't stand it so I went to see.  When I opened the door, she was sitting in the door frame looking at me like "took you long enough".  She came in hopped up on the couch, snuggled up to me and went to sleep.  I took her around the building that night and no one claimed her.  So, Shana found me.

After a few weeks we (my best friend was living with me at the time) figured out she was pregnant.  I was  trying to figure out how to do background checks because I wasn't going to hand those babies over to just anyone, but, I didn't feel like I could keep them either.

When the day came, after almost all day in labor during which she would not let me leave her side and still no babies we found a vet that did just cats and she said to bring her in.  She took xrays and said there were 4 babies but she was so small and young (she guessed about 6 months) she was having problems.  She said she could do a c-section or giver her shot to make the labor harder.  I said whatever is best and she said, shot it is.  She said she would call in a hour and tell me about the babies.

Well, she called, but, she said all that came out was puss.  She was doing an emergency c-section to save Shana and said the babies probably were not alive.  It took 45 minutes but the nurses revived 3 of the 4 and the doctor basically did a hysterectomy on Shana and cleaned out the infection.

I couldn't stand it so we went back before she called.  She was just putting them in the cage with Shana when I walked in.  Shana pushed them away.  The Dr said the babies wouldn't last the night, but Shana needed to be with me, because when she heard me coming was the first spark of life she saw in her.  She sent us all home along with the tiniest little bottles and nipples made for premmie kittens and puppies to feed them.  I could completely close my hand over all of them they were so small.  After all that, you bet I was keeping them all.  Luckily the apartment manager knew the whole story and bypassed the two pet limit on the lease - not that it would have mattered to me, honestly.

The babies made it through that first night and Shana started letting them nurse the next day.  And every thing progressed from there - no one seemed to suffer any ill effects of what they went through to get born.

I've always said that God meant for us to be a family.  We all need someone to help us survive and He gave us each other.

The boys have gone and I miss them so much, but Shmuel was here for 11 years and Shlomo missed his 16th birthday by two weeks.

The girls are fine (they had their checkup in Feb) and just like the boys spoiled rotten and rule the roost.

I still have anxiety, but my depression has been in remission for years (knockwood).  I truly think a pretty big part of that was having my babies come into my life.

Sorry it's so long, I tried to just hit the high spots, but, that's how we became the family we are.

I love this story and really appreciate you sharing it with us!  I definitely believe that Shana found you - you both needed each other.  With our first cat, I could always tell the character of a person by whether or not she would go near them.  It was no coincidence to me that people  may not have cared for as much, she didn't either!  So Shana knew who you were and that you could be counted on for the long haul!

Best story I've heard in awhile.

[lovemesomejoolery]

5 hours ago, Denver Hoosier said:

Whenever one of my dogs gets up in years, I adopt a new one.  That way, when the older one passes, the 'new one' is already a part of the family and doesn't feel like a replacement.  Cause we can never replace one, we can only keep loving animals in their honor. Imagine how sad our deceased special friends would be if they knew we were alone and unloved after they left us.

I so agree with this!  When our 18 year old cat finally passed, my husband said "never again".  He was so heartbroken.  I was ready to adopt again after about a month, or at least could visualize it.  We had many disagreements about it.  When a friend told me about our current two that had been born in her yard, I darn near begged for him to just go and see them with me, thinking it would help him realize that he could offer love again to another kitty.  I also told him what you said above - that our beloved cat wouldn't want us to not give another homeless baby (or in this case, babies) our love just because she was gone.  She wouldn't want us to be alone forever!  That did the trick!  He was in love the second these two the minute he saw them.

[kittygirl]

@Bronx Babe, thinking of you tonight. It's a difficult time but you did all you could to make her days peaceful. That was a gift you gave her that came from a heart of love. Blessings to you.

[CarpeDiem54]

Thinking of @Cricket and Joe and @Bronx Babe.

[Coffeecup]

3 hours ago, lovemesomejoolery said:

What a great bargain you got on your vinca!

Storms were not as bad here as predicted, thank goodness.  Much needed rain for a few hours, though.  But it was windier prior to the rain than it was while I was raining. 

As usual, the weather people got it wrong!

Those doggone weather forecasts!  I wanted to do some gardening today, but the weather folks said we'd have heavy storms. So I stayed indoors. You guessed it -- all we got in my neighborhood was a little sprinkle.

[SuprSuprElevated]

5 hours ago, lovemesomejoolery said:

I so agree with this!  When our 18 year old cat finally passed, my husband said "never again".  He was so heartbroken.  I was ready to adopt again after about a month, or at least could visualize it.  We had many disagreements about it.  When a friend told me about our current two that had been born in her yard, I darn near begged for him to just go and see them with me, thinking it would help him realize that he could offer love again to another kitty.  I also told him what you said above - that our beloved cat wouldn't want us to not give another homeless baby (or in this case, babies) our love just because she was gone.  She wouldn't want us to be alone forever!  That did the trick!  He was in love the second these two the minute he saw them.

My hubs is also a 'never again' or 'not now' person when we've lost a kitty.  I know it's because he's hurt, and I think he finds it disrespectful to the dearly departed.   Before our current two, we had lost the 2nd of our last beloved pair unexpectedly and soon after hubs had been let go from his job of 23 yrs. (2 days after turning 60 and returning from a 3 week health absence - cowinkydink right?)  He was depressed already, then we lost our Tawny.  I made a pest of myself about going to the local Humane Society and I'm so glad we did.  We found Onyx and Pearl as cage mates, both about 6 wks old and they were ready to get the hell out of there!  They were ours 3 days later, he was home to "train them", and it was a welcome distraction for him while he searched for work.  I'm still glad that I made a pest of myself over it.  They made a rough period of our lives a lot more pleasant, and are still enriching us every day.

[WaitForMe]

2 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

My hubs is also a 'never again' or 'not now' person when we've lost a kitty.  I know it's because he's hurt, and I think he finds it disrespectful to the dearly departed.   Before our current two, we had lost the 2nd of our last beloved pair unexpectedly and soon after hubs had been let go from his job of 23 yrs. (2 days after turning 60 and returning from a 3 week health absence - cowinkydink right?)  He was depressed already, then we lost our Tawny.  I made a pest of myself about going to the local Humane Society and I'm so glad we did.  We found Onyx and Pearl as cage mates, both about 6 wks old and they were ready to get the hell out of there!  They were ours 3 days later, he was home to "train them", and it was a welcome distraction for him while he searched for work.  I'm still glad that I made a pest of myself over it.  They made a rough period of our lives a lot more pleasant, and are still enriching us every day.

I love this.  Thank you so much for sharing your story ❤️

[ennui]

Am I the only dog person here?

[SuprSuprElevated]

7 hours ago, ennui said:

Am I the only dog person here?

I've seen talk of pups, but can't remember who it was.  I actually love all the creatures, but never had the lifestyle that allowed for dogs;  gone too often, and frankly a little selfish with my time, which is hard enough with kitties (they don't like absence either).  We are slowing down a bit now, but I just can't see myself adapting to the demands of dog ownership.  I love 'em though, and glad my neighbors have dogs that I can spoil, love on, and send home, lol.

Edited June 21, 2017 by SuprSuprElevated

[kittygirl]

No ennui, you are not the only dog person. Even though I'm kittygirl, I am very much a dog person. That's why my hubby calls me kittygirl...because I love dogs. Yeah, he's weird.

[WaitForMe]

41 minutes ago, ennui said:

Am I the only dog person here?

Haha!  No. I have 4 (was 5 ?) chihuahuas and a papillion, all rescues. They're getting up there in age (aren't we all) and I treasure every day with each one of them. ?❤️

[Lady J]

43 minutes ago, ennui said:

Am I the only dog person here?

I love them both. I had a couple of poodles that were the sweetest smartest doggies ever. 

[ennui]

20 hours ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Oh, I'm sure they did something horrendous to the young man.  At least he was home with his family and he is no longer in any pain or misery.

The speculation from a medical professional was that the "sleeping pill" the North Koreans gave him knocked him out far enough that his brain was deprived of oxygen for several minutes, resulting in irreparable brain damage. The whole thing turns my stomach. And, there are still 20(?) Americans in captivity in NoKo.

[lovemesomejoolery]

19 minutes ago, PearlClutcher said:

Does anyone know why he was in North Korea?  Idk so am asking.

That's what I am asking myself.....why go there?  I heard this morning that the tour group he was in is ceasing any tours for Americans.  I don't know if was a church related thing or what.  I personally can't think of any reason to want to go to Northern Korea, even before this happened. 

I do have friends who have gone to South Korea and say it is beautiful.  And they have electricity there, so that's a plus!

[CarpeDiem54]

1 hour ago, PearlClutcher said:

Does anyone know why he was in North Korea?  Idk so am asking.

He was on his way to study abroad in Hong Kong and took a five day tour there with some other students.  Certainly one of the last places I'd want to visit.  Unfortunately, when you're young and adventurous, you can make some foolish decisions.

@lovemesomejoolery is correct.  The Chinese touring company he used is no longer taking Americans there.

I was surprised there were such tours offered.  I mistakenly thought it was illegal for Americans to go there.