justacat (![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} justacat) wrote,@ 2007-02-14 16:06:00 |
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A long winter...
Well, after weeks and weeks of sickness and misery, major sinusitis and sinus infections from hell, CAT scans, and repeated colds, about which I probably don't need to go into too much detail, I think the heavy artillery antibiotics and steroids are finally starting to kick in. For the first time since maybe mid-January, I'm not completely exhausted, drained, and unable to find the energy to do much of anything except read zines - Pros, of course, in case anyone had any doubt! *g*. Keeping my fingers crossed that the worst is over (I know I've said that before, though...). I'm so tired of being sick. And I'm so tired of being cold! I'm tired of winter, tired of February... Escapade next week, though; that's something to look forward to.
Major snow/ice storm here yesterday and last night... Like a crazy person, I slip-slided the 35 miles out to the barn this morning regardless - come rain, come sleet, come snow; it's crazy, but I can't stand not seeing my boys. I do have very good all-wheel drive...but the roads were an absolute disaster. I've never seen anything like it. Took me more than twice as long as usual, and the carnage on the sides of the road had to be seen to be believed. Most of them were barely plowed - even the highways had only one passable lane, if that.
It was harrowing, but I'm a true believer in Audi Quatro all-wheel drive - I was doing much better than most of the people on the road, even the ones in big SUVs. I made it all the way to the driveway of my barn, where I got stuck, because out there it had actually snowed quite a lot, and the snow was just a bit too deep for my car. After the barn manager plowed the driveway she gave me a little push with the tractor and I was fine.
At 28 degrees, it felt veritably balmy after the recent cold, plus with all the shoveling to get pasture and barn gates opening, I worked up a sweat. But the freezing rain and sleet continued throughout the morning, resulting in shifting snow and lots of noise on the tin roof of the indoor arena - even Griggs was spooking and wild-eyed. We put the horses outside... they were a bit bedraggled, with wet ears and icicles on their leg hair, but under their blankets they were dry and warm enough. I was glad I went.
And finally, I can't let the day pass without taking a moment to note that it's my little Arnie's 15th birthday today. He's my little tiny Burmese whom I bought as a law school graduation gift for myself, and though I love all five of my cats, I adore him more than anything. Some of you have met him and know how sweet he is. Arnold was diagnosed with kidney disease almost four years ago, and we thought he had only months to live - his numbers are that bad. But miraculously, here he is at fifteen. The vet calls him a miracle kitty. Somehow he lives, thrives, on reduced kidney function, and he has an amazing will to live. He's a skinny little runt - well, he's always been a runt; at his heaviest he was only 6.5 lbs, and now he's less than 5.5 - but he's happy as can be, with a voracious appetite, playful, and so amazingly loving (I do give him subcutaneous fluids four or five times a week and feed him a special diet). Here's he is - as a tiny little kitten (he's always been a runt!) - and now:
He's my Valentine kitty, and I'm grateful for every single day I have with him.
Well, after weeks and weeks of sickness and misery, major sinusitis and sinus infections from hell, CAT scans, and repeated colds, about which I probably don't need to go into too much detail, I think the heavy artillery antibiotics and steroids are finally starting to kick in. For the first time since maybe mid-January, I'm not completely exhausted, drained, and unable to find the energy to do much of anything except read zines - Pros, of course, in case anyone had any doubt! *g*. Keeping my fingers crossed that the worst is over (I know I've said that before, though...). I'm so tired of being sick. And I'm so tired of being cold! I'm tired of winter, tired of February... Escapade next week, though; that's something to look forward to.
Major snow/ice storm here yesterday and last night... Like a crazy person, I slip-slided the 35 miles out to the barn this morning regardless - come rain, come sleet, come snow; it's crazy, but I can't stand not seeing my boys. I do have very good all-wheel drive...but the roads were an absolute disaster. I've never seen anything like it. Took me more than twice as long as usual, and the carnage on the sides of the road had to be seen to be believed. Most of them were barely plowed - even the highways had only one passable lane, if that.
It was harrowing, but I'm a true believer in Audi Quatro all-wheel drive - I was doing much better than most of the people on the road, even the ones in big SUVs. I made it all the way to the driveway of my barn, where I got stuck, because out there it had actually snowed quite a lot, and the snow was just a bit too deep for my car. After the barn manager plowed the driveway she gave me a little push with the tractor and I was fine.
At 28 degrees, it felt veritably balmy after the recent cold, plus with all the shoveling to get pasture and barn gates opening, I worked up a sweat. But the freezing rain and sleet continued throughout the morning, resulting in shifting snow and lots of noise on the tin roof of the indoor arena - even Griggs was spooking and wild-eyed. We put the horses outside... they were a bit bedraggled, with wet ears and icicles on their leg hair, but under their blankets they were dry and warm enough. I was glad I went.
And finally, I can't let the day pass without taking a moment to note that it's my little Arnie's 15th birthday today. He's my little tiny Burmese whom I bought as a law school graduation gift for myself, and though I love all five of my cats, I adore him more than anything. Some of you have met him and know how sweet he is. Arnold was diagnosed with kidney disease almost four years ago, and we thought he had only months to live - his numbers are that bad. But miraculously, here he is at fifteen. The vet calls him a miracle kitty. Somehow he lives, thrives, on reduced kidney function, and he has an amazing will to live. He's a skinny little runt - well, he's always been a runt; at his heaviest he was only 6.5 lbs, and now he's less than 5.5 - but he's happy as can be, with a voracious appetite, playful, and so amazingly loving (I do give him subcutaneous fluids four or five times a week and feed him a special diet). Here's he is - as a tiny little kitten (he's always been a runt!) - and now:
He's my Valentine kitty, and I'm grateful for every single day I have with him.