Cats, Cats, and More Cats

About a month ago, one of my outdoor cats was sick. I took him to the vet and they found him to be so anemic he was only one number away from a blood transfusion. After several days of giving him cherry flavored liquid steroid medicine, they discovered that he had a blood parasite. Then I had to give him antibiotic pills for 21 days! Now, most of you have probably tried giving a pill to a cat. IT IS NO FUN! I finally started wrapping him up in a housecoat and pulling the sleeve over him so he couldn't move. He is cured but now has to be weaned off the steroids, still for a few more days. The problem is this..... my other outdoor cat developed a HUGE abscess on his right shoulder blade (?), about 6 inches in circumference, and protruding about 2 inches. The vet lanced it and got some very green gook out of it. He came home with gauze packing and a little cute net looking shirt to keep the pressure on the incision. I am pleased to say that now I have another cat to nurse. At the moment they are both in the same room, one is in a cage and the other is lying on my keyboard. They shared a bedroom outside so they aren't fighting, so far. I love my cats! I love my cats! I love my cats!

REPOST of "Where Had She Been?"

When I worked on a VA Alzheimer's unit, there was one woman there. I'm not sure she had Alzheimer's or some strange type of mental illness, but she had been in this condition for a long time. She was ambulatory but wouldn't speak. She seemed to understand directions. I had known her for several years and had never heard a peep out of her. She had been a nurse during, I believe, the Korean War. She was sitting in the solarium day room and I heard her say, "I know a good nurse when I see one and there aren't any around here." I alerted the others and one of the doctors came in with a recorder and sat with her for several hours. Her voice was very weak and raspy from not using it for so long and she was a little hard to understand at first. She spoke about being an Army nurse and other aspects of her life. She talked about things that had happened on that unit and mentioned some things she felt the nurses had done wrong. Then she quit talking and, as far as I know, never did it again. It about blows my mind every time I think about it. Where had she been and where did she go?

CAN WE RETIRE FROM GOD'S CALLING?

I am curious about something. When a pastor/preacher retires, does he retire only from pastoring or does he retire also from preaching? We have several retired pastors in our church but there are only about three that will preach at the nursing home services. Why is it that a man can stand up in front of a group of seniors in a classroom but can't stand up in front of a group of seniors in a nursing home? I am constantly being told that it takes a "special gift" to minister in a nursing home. I don't buy that entirely. I believe God burdens certain ones for that ministry, but isn't a pastor/preacher suppose to minister from the cradle to the grave? Please explain this to me. In case you didn't get it, I will be "preaching" at a nursing home tomorrow morning because no one else will. My sister will help me gather people for the service. I let them sing a lot and then do a quick "devotional". I pray with them and tell them that I love them. I guess that's all they need. I just needed to vent a little. But let me know what you think about the retirement issue.

Interesting Signs

Taken from "Eats, Shites & Leaves", by A. Parody


1. Open seven days a week and weekends.
2. Rare, out-of -print and non-existent books.
3. Wonderful bargains for men with 16 and 17 necks.
4. Seasonal toilet rolls.
5. Now is the time to have your ears pierced and get an extra pair to take home, too.
6. Same-day cleaning. All garments ready in 48 hours.
7. One-hour photos. Collect tomorrow.
8. We will oil your sewing machine and adjust tension in your home for $1.00.
9. Soft and genital bath tissues or facial tissues 89 cents.
10. Prize-winning sausages. Once tasted, you'll never want another.

Huh?

What does "guaranteed for life" mean? What does "lifetime warranty" mean? What is the lifetime of an object? Doesn't the lifetime end when the thing dies? Then that must mean it is guaranteed for the time it isn't dead. So what's the point?

Bonk

The word "bonk" is the sound you hear when your bumper bumps the other guy's bumper gently. "BONK" is the sound you are glad you didn't hear. The lesson learned here is: Do not allow a bottle of water to get wedged under your brake pedal and then expect the car to stop, even while going very slowly.

Hey, I'm Not Done Yet!

An interesting thing happened to me this morning. I really didn't feel like going to the grocery store but the sale on the Wisconsin Cheddar was about to expire and my husband really wanted some, so I went. To the store in a neighboring little town. Dragged myself into the store. I decided to get a few other things in anticipation of a lunch at the church later this week. I was contemplating the big red hothouse tomatoes, trying to figure out which one would be just perfect in two days. A woman spoke up and reminded me that the Roma tomatoes were on sale. We talked a little bit and she asked me what I would be using the huge tomato for. I said that I do a Bible study at a mental health care center and that, a few times a year, I have them over to the church for a lunch outing. She began to talk very softly and I leaned toward her and asked her to repeat what she had said. She was asking me to pray for her because she was going through a really hard time. I said okay and asked for her first name. I asked if she had a church home and she said yes. I told her I could pray with her right there if she wished, but she seemed to not want attention drawn to her so we didn't pray in the store. She thanked me and walked away. Coincidence? Chance meeting? I don't think so. Her name is Elyssa. She is probably in her 30s or 40s. I have no idea what her situation if but we don't need to know, do we........?