Burt's Very Tough Week

Burt has had a very tough week or so. It all started Thursday the 16th. Momma would not feed him as requested through the night. He was scheduled to have all his remaining teeth removed. No midnight snack or breakfast?! What the heck Momma? I vomited in protest. Great way to start a stressful day.

I anxiously dropped him off at the vet. While waiting I saw someone give up their small cage to a tech. I realized it was an expired little one when I saw the woman leave in tears and get a hug outside the doors. It broke my heart.

Once they took Burt back all I could do was go out to my car and cry. My friends said it would be alright and several hours later I went and picked up Burt. 

He sat in front of this water dish for a good 15 minutes. You could tell everything felt weird. But then he got Churus after meds and we had some good sleeping sessions. Eat, take meds, and go back to bed. Mom covered his pillow with a towel to soak up any drool.

We lived with a very dirty chin for a few days.

Being tucked in didn't hurt either.

On the second or third night after surgery his chin was so swollen.

Thanks for staying home with me Momma.

Soon I was able to clean up a bit and my slightly surprised mouth showed up.

Mom took 42 pictures of me cleaning up and only one had my mouth open. My momma's photography reflexes are not good!

We started asking if my surgeon was Mike Tyson on this day.

Now I'm just sick of being sick. I want my crunchy food back, but I'm glad my abscessed teeth are gone but I'm done with my whole mouth healing thing.

Two more weeks of stitches but less than a week to get my regular food back.

 

 

Favorite Time of the Year - Burt Edition

Hubby blindsided me with a question the day before Thanksgiving, Do you know where the tree is?

First of all, I am still mostly back in July or August in my mind only now we have cooler weather. When did November get here? I may just refer to this as the missing year.

Second, part of me thought we would not put up a tree this year. Of course that idea was raised in the middle of the move, when we had not yet seen the apartment. We were not sure if we would have space.

Anyways I did indeed have an idea where the Christmas tree was stored. We pulled it out and brought it upstairs, then we looked at Burt... How would our used-to-live-outside kitty adjust to having a fake tree appear in his space? Especially since it smells like our old house and Gus and Jack. You've seen the pictures Gus loved the tree almost as much as me.

We pulled out, put together, and fluffed the tree. I promptly dissolved into memories and tears. So many emotions. We fought so many battles while the tree was up. Gus always seemed to fall ill in the winter. I'm know he fell ill the rest of the year too, but we always wondered if each Christmas was his last. And Jack went so fast it was hard to believe he was no longer here.

So after the tears we decided to leave the tree up undecorated to see how Burt would do with it. If we came down the next morning and it was laying on the ground... maybe only the lights would go on it.

Burt did a thorough investigation of the plain tree. He was figuring out how to climb it and tried to sharpen claws on the metal trunk. Then he laid down underneath and accepted that we put up fake trees in this house for some reason, most likely not for kitty entertainment?

The next evening we decorated our still standing tree.

Burt was delighted! Maybe it is an entertainment system.

He did follow Daddy out to the kitchen to see if mousie wanted to play.

Then it was time to admire all the dangling ornaments.

We decided to put Gus's bed underneath as with years past. D put the shawl of healing in too. 

The next day I saw the tree move a bit. I heard a cat toy rattle and a bell jingle slightly.

Gus said I could play with his shawl! He did!

He said it might heal you, Momma, to see this.

Yes Burt, that does help me feel better. Remember no knocking over the tree though.

I'm trying not to Momma! 

I do love Christmas!

Knitting Tales to Tell

Well my friends I continue to knit my little fingers off. At this rate I will have to buy more yarn, oh bother. I am using some of my knitting time to catch up my sadly neglected knitting journal. It was only a year and a half behind when I started working on it. When you get busy it is more important to blog than write in a journal only you will read. Still important but wow the catching up is taking me for a walk down memory lane. For instance I just logged this yarn in as a Rhinebeck purchase from last year.  

Fiber Optic Foot Notes in Prism Break

Yay that means I am only a year behind now. Anyways I don't love how it is working up but I've got more than a half of sock done... and I am strongly resisting the urge to cast something else on. I've only got two socks on the needles and I think it may be getting to me.

I ordered some yarn for a new sweater for D and was anxiously awaited its arrival. Just as I was about to email the company to inquire when it would be shipped, just like that it had been sent off. Anyone in the midwest want to wave to my yarny plane?

While I was picking out the yarn I showed it to D and he was amazed at the price. He thought all my yarn was as valuable as my fancy sock yarn. But hey I can economize and knit a sweater for under fifty too, and I get all the fun of playing with the yarn for a month or so. Ooo and he can claim to have another bespoke sweater. Quite a value.

In other knitting news D spotted a knitter in the wild for me and we had a lovely conversation. D and I were attending a talk at the library when he pointed out a cute bag covered in sheep. Turns out the bag contained a sweater in progress. We had a lovely chat after I showed of my sock in progress and the socks we were both wearing. We may have even convinced the knitter to knit some pink socks for her hubby. She claimed that he should not wear "girlie" colors. Good thing my hubby is confident enough to wear anything I knit for him. I will however hold off pink sweaters for the time being. 

And you all know Burt wants to make an appearance on the blog. This was from a while ago. The first time he joined me for making dinner. That cute little kitty cutout behind him says The only self cleaning thing in the house is the cat. I bought it years ago and now I have the matching cat!

The astute among you will recognize My Favorite Sheep mug which always makes my tea taste better.

I think I smell the bread I am baking, such a lovely smell, if you'll excuse me.

Now Including Knitting with Burt

Oh yes Casa del Burton has been picture happy lately. First he thought he would provide complementary color to the sock I'm working on for D.

I gotta show them my white bits too, so they can really see how close it is.

Then before Momma could find some missing socks for D some clearance yarn made its way to our house. It was indeed a good value.

Psshaw Momma you just really like knitting socks for Daddy. 

You did find some missing from the move socks so it is not quite so dire.

I will say it is a nice manly business brown color though, suitable for suit wearing days.

Let me see that first sock again. It is a bit wild for suit days. 

But see how nice it goes with my just discovered bed though...

No really it is fine I don't want to destroy knit things, yet?

So here is a collection of what I've been knitting lately. My Rhinebeck-Free Chickens is on the left. I love how it is knitting up sorta stripy. D's Burt approved Majesty sock on the top. And D's knit night sock that I am mostly working on at, you got it, knit night. I'm enjoying getting out and meeting some other knitters.

Momma, that is not all the socks you're knitting is it?

No Burt it is not but they are all the ones handy at picture time is that OK with you? 

OK just don't drape any on me and take funny pictures.

What do you mean it is part of my job?

I did not see knitwear model on that contract you signed, but you know I am pretty darn cute, it may have been implied.

Oh and that sweater you left on the bed the other day was nice and toasty...

Burt has eyes

I know with the pictures I've posted that it is hard to believe but our Burt does in fact have eyes. And they are open part of the day.

See? You'll notice that he is not even laying on the couch, another shocker I know. I wonder what he is laying on?

Momma, you're ever so squishy and comfy. Oh you're warm too. I think I like it here.

I was wrong. I think I love it here!

It is hard to say who is falling in love faster. Right now I think we're neck and neck, literally.

Work, work, work

Oh yes indeed, we're working very hard at settling in here. 

Burt seems to enjoy his blanket. We had to make a quick trip home to South Dakota. Burt took his blankie to the vet's office for a stay. They did ask several times if it was OK if the blanket could get soiled. Uhm, yeah it is his blankie we know sometimes poop happens.

Yes ever so busy settling in. It takes quite a bit of work getting this comfortable this fast.

No really it is tough going! Mom moved her knitting bags into my space because she broke a knitting needle by leaving it on the couch seat. I really don't understand, why I am being punished?

I even pointed out how she left her knitting unattended. She is working on putting it away properly, now. 

Burt, do you want to talk about how the chicken bones were properly put in the trash, yet you found them? Mommy had to call the vet!

I don't want to talk about it. In my defense if you think Chickie tastes good imagine how good pilfered Chickie tastes! I don't regret a thing. And what did the vet tell you to do for me anyways? Feed me frequently for the rest of the evening. Clearly my pay off monies are going to the right person. (Dr Rosie I love you!)

Can I have an advance on my allowance?

So I finished the pair of socks on display two pictures above and thought what yarn should I cast on? My mind went to the yarn I got in Canada for some reason.

I wonder why? Do you think maybe because it is complementary to my Burt?