A Wrap-Up on Fermata

Now that we are approaching fall, one of the busiest times of the year here on Gooseberry Lane, I was thinking back on the beginning of 2012 and realized that I didn't give a final wrap-up on Fermata, my twelve-year-old tuxedo cat who suffered suppurative lymphadenitis this past winter.  As you can see from the photo (taken with his brother, Chopin;  Fermata is the one on the right), my baby is looking good.  He has regained all his weight and is on methimazole, an anti-thyroid medication, twice a day.  He still prefers the Science Diet Adult Light dry food, something I will work to replace with wet food at some point.  One interesting remnant of the social time that was built in to the feeding tube routine:  Fermata doesn't finish all his dry food anymore.  He leaves some that he then likes to eat from my hand.  I don't mind.  It is only about a teaspoon and it takes just moments, really.  I have the time and am pleased that Fermata still wants to hang out with "Mom."  I'm not sure how the hand feeding thing will go over with the cat sitter, though, the next time I go on vacation.

Note:  No compensation was received for any recommendations or referrals made in this post.

King Richard and the Sharpie Marker, Part 2

If you recall from part one of my story, this is what I started with:

The dryer door, stained with marker.

The dryer drum, a Sharpie victim.

Now, it is time for part two of the saga.

On Monday (7/9/2012), I had planned to go shopping for some type of solvent that would remove the dreaded black marks from the Gooseberry Lane dryer.  Fortunately, I was saved from that task by the suggestion of King Richard's co-worker.  A while back, the guys had "field day," an old Navy term for cleaning day, where one of the tasks was to remove Sharpie marker from linoleum tile.  They used a product called SoyGel and it got the job done.  After King Richard shared his marker story, one of the men suggested I try the same thing on the dryer.  Since we had some SoyGel in the garage, I gave it a go.  This was the result:

The dryer door, clean once again.

A closer look at the dryer drum.

As you can see, the paint remover worked well, at least on this small job.  The bigger problem was just inside the dryer door, to the left of the lint catcher.  This is a picture of the "lighter" stain to the right of the lint catcher.

Thinking that some type of graffiti remover would still be faster, I stopped by the local hardware store on my way back from dropping Katherine the Great at organ practice.  Finding no Krud Kutter brand products, I settled on Zinsser Graffiti Remover instead.  It helped to cut through the worst of the mess at the start of each removal session.  But to really banish the staining, I had to use the SoyGel just as if I was tackling painted woodwork or window trim, leaving the paint remover in place just long enough to wipe out the stains but not so long as to eat through the paint.  Then, to really make sure I was neutralizing the stripper and protecting the surface, I wiped the area I was working on with soapy water every few minutes.  It was a very tedious job.

But...after six long days with no dryer, here is the reclaimed appliance:

The dryer drum, cleaned and polished.

A bit cleaner near the lint filter.

It isn't perfect, but it will do.  It is certainly an improvement over what I faced last Sunday (7/8/2012).  The washer needed some treatment, too (about ten minutes worth!).  A few dabs of SoyGel and a thorough cleaning with Washer Magic, it went from this:

The washer drum with only a tiny stain.

to this:

Stain-less and looking great!

Now for the next task:  catching up on all the laundry!

Note:  No compensation, financial or otherwise, was received for this blog post.

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King Richard & the Sharpie Marker, Part 1

King Richard and the Sharpie Marker, Part I

This afternoon, while discussing a change of location for our clothes dryer with my husband, I noticed a black smudge on the inside wall of the washing machine drum.  King Richard speculated that the stain might have come from a pen that he left in the pocket of a shirt that he had included in the last load of laundry.  Slightly panicked, I checked the dryer, where that last load of wash had just finished its cycle.  When I opened the dryer door and removed the clothes, this is what greeted me (see photo at right).

Sharpie marker vs. dryer

After a few seconds of dismay, I just laughed.  What else could I do?  I called my family from the house (our dryer is currently in the garage), so they could enjoy the sight, too.  We all laughed, even my husband.  After cancer, what is so threatening about an appliance full of scribbles?  Frankly, I'm a little surprised it didn't happen when my daughter was younger.  Following the adage, "There is no problem so big that it cannot be solved," Katherine the Great and I headed to the Internet for advice, landing on the suggestion of Krud Kutter Graffiti Remover.  Unable to find any today, I tried removing the marks with rubbing alcohol and acetone to no avail.  Consequently, I now have solvent shopping on my list for tomorrow.  I will let you know how I fare.

Oh, and it wasn't a pen that did the damage to our dryer, as you might have suspected from the photo.  No, it was a Sharpie marker:  the large, wide-tipped, industrial-strength variety that King Richard uses at work to write on big cardboard boxes, shipping containers, and the like.  You gotta love a man who does his own laundry.  :)

Note:  No compensation, financial or otherwise, was received for this blog post.

Davy Jones Remembered

This morning, before my day really got moving, tragedy struck in Florida.  Davy Jones, a member of The Monkees, a band that was all the rage during my childhood in the mid-1960's, passed away suddenly of a heart attack.  By late this afternoon, most of my female Facebook friends were reminiscing about how they had a crush on Mr. Jones when they were younger.  While I don't recall having a crush on the gentleman, or having a poster of him displayed over my bed, I do remember watching The Monkees television show and listening to their music on the radio.  I may even have owned one of their records.

My daugther, being in her twenties, had never heard of Davy Jones or The Monkees, so I decided to visit YouTube for some samples of their work.  It was fun watching her reaction to some of the lyrics and goofy videos that have been posted from the TV show.  "I'm a Believer" is a favorite of many people (me included), as is "The Last Train to Clarksville."  Katherine the Great is partial to this one, "Auntie Grizelda."



Frankly, I don't recall this song, so it was new to both of us.  Take a listen and remember Davy Jones, the heartthrob who was named top teen idol of all time by Yahoo Music in 2008.  To read a bit more about his life, visit this article at Legacy.com.

Bye, Bye Feeding Tube!

Tuesday was a day for celebration on Gooseberry Lane.  Fermata, my twelve-year-old tuxedo cat who has been battling a serious gastrointestinal lymph node infection since mid-January, had his esophageal feeding tube removed.  Hurrah!!!  That device, my constant companion for almost a month, the cause of much lost sleep, necessary and helpful though it was, will NOT be missed.  Yes, Katherine the Great and I did incorporate the routine of the apparatus into our daily tasks, but returning to the "normal" flow of activity around here cannot happen soon enough.  Today was a step in that direction.  I went to handbell choir rehearsal for three hours and, in the afternoon, I was able to take my daughter to voice lessons.  The family also grabbed a bite to eat at our favorite barbeque spot...without leaving a cat sitter behind.  Oh, the freedom of independence is such a joy.  Having a healthy kitty is even better!

Related articles:
More on Fermata
Long Overdue Kitty Update
Kitty Health Update #3
Kitty Thyroid Update #2
Kitty Thyroid Update #1
Another Thyroid Patient

More on Fermata

A week has passed since my last kitty update, so I thought it time to bring you up to speed with Fermata's progress.  Last Sunday (2/19/2012), after a small hiccup in the appetite rebuilding effort and a consultation with the veterinarian, it was decided to leave the esophageal feeding tube in place for another week, just to be certain that Fermata could hold his own without it.  That situation seems to have materialized.  I am only using the tube in the morning and at eventide for medication administration.  Fermata does need an occasional appetite stimulant due to the fact that the anti-thyroid meds suppress his desire to indulge in the yummiest cat food I can find, but everyone can live with that for the short term.  Slightly more frustrating, kitty has made the command decision that, for the time being, he prefers Science Diet Adult Light dry food.  Leave it to Mr. Finicky to choose the food that has fewer calories, less fat, and more fiber when he needs more of the first and second, and probably an equal amount of the third.  Oh, well.  I think his choice of food can be overcome.  At present, I am not overly concerned about it.  I am just glad to see him coming for meals and demonstrating a consistent interest in eating.  Today, he practically sat on my luncheon plate to get at some pieces of chicken!

So, tomorrow the feeding tube will be removed and a fond farewell shall be said to it.  Hopefully, the stitches that replace it will not need the same amount of monitoring.  We could all use some sleep.

Related articles:
Long Overdue Kitty Update
Kitty Health Update #3
Kitty Thyroid Update #2
Kitty Thyroid Update #1
Another Thyroid Patient

Long Overdue Kitty Update

Fermata looking dignified

Looking back at the blog, I see that I have neglected to post updates about Fermata, my hyperthyroid tuxedo cat.  At present, his situation is improving.  However, I believe that maintaining an ideal weight for kitty that makes me feel secure may be an ongoing battle, but we shall see.  At any rate, so much more has happened than just weight loss from a speedy thyroid gland.  Allow me to explain.

When I last left you, Fermata had been admitted to the emergency pet hospital in Rhode Island and was undergoing a battery of tests, most of which came back either normal or confirming what had already been determined (i.e., hyperthyroidism and no heart disease).  The worst of these results was, of course, the abdominal ultrasound that showed signs of hepatitis and enlarged lymph nodes in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as an "odd" texture to the liver.  Fearing that lymphoma was the culprit, the veterinarians performed some needle aspirations.  Thankfully, the results of those tests came back negative for lymphoma but positive for suppurative lymphadenitis, a bacterial infection of the lymph nodes in the GI tract.  Being on antibiotics for this infection, but still not eating wonderfully in the hospital, Fermata came home in the hope that, once away from the hustle and bustle, noise and smell of the cat ward, his appetite would return and he would be on his way back to being a ten-pound cat.  No such luck.

Arriving home on Thursday, January 25, 2012, my daughter and I worked diligently to encourage Fermata to eat more, but battling nausea from his medications, he just didn't feel like consuming anything.  Afraid that a further drop in his weight could cause additional complications, I returned kitty to the pet hospital for installation of an esophageal feeding tube.  Fermata has eaten with the assistance of this device since Saturday, January 28, 2012, the last night I think I slept more than two hours together.  I am hoping that the tube can be removed soon, as he has been eating the correct amount of food on his own to sustain ten pounds of body weight.  Frankly, I think I was actually starving Fermata before, unknowingly feeding him less dry food and not enough wet food in a misguided effort to switch from the latter to the former.  Silly kitty mommy.

One other development:  while in the hospital, Fermata started taking the tablet form of methimazole, rather than the cream version that I initially preferred.  Apparently, more uniform dosing can be achieved with the tablets and since he is tolerating them well, Fermata will be pilled twice a day from now on, unless my husband and I decide to have kitty undergo radioactive iodine therapy, which would remove any need for thyroid medication.  That decision is in the future, though.  The current priority is to return Fermata to his previous eating habits and to maintain a healthy weight in the ten to eleven pound range.

Related articles:
Kitty Health Update #3
Kitty Thyroid Update #2
Kitty Thyroid Update #1
Another Thyroid Patient

Kitty Health Update #3

Sorry to be so tardy in providing this update on my cat, Fermata.  Life got a bit more complicated after all the tests that were done early in the week.

On Monday, the emergency vet had a specialist perform a cardiac ultrasound to check the odd heart rhythm that was heard when Fermata was admitted to the emergency pet hospital on Sunday morning.  Concerned that kitty might be experiencing heart failure, the vet wanted to rule that out before restarting any steroids for fever reduction.  Thankfully, no signs of heart failure were seen.  Fermata does have a mildly thickened heart, a condition that often occurs in hyperthyroid patients but not cause for current alarm.  With such a good result, prednisone was begun to help with fever and inflammation.

An abdominal ultrasound showed less positive results:  evidence of hepatitis and significant lymph node inflammation with a lot of bacteria.  Ruling out lymphoma, Fermata was diagnosed with a massive opportunistic infection, the result of either a gastrointestinal bug or that same bug combined with a severe reaction to his recent rabies vaccination.  Treatment with antibiotics began immediately, which finally brought down his fever (thank the Lord!).  Now, the concern is getting Fermata to eat, poor appetite being a side effect of his many current medications.  That is our job at the moment since kitty arrived home yesterday afternoon.  If we are unsuccessful, Fermata will go back to the hospital for installation of a temporary feeding tube just to get him over this appetite hump.  Being quite thin, he doesn't have much reserve, so we need to be careful that his weigh doesn't drop too low.

One decision has been made with certainty:  being an indoor cat that has had two serious vaccine reactions over his lifetime, Fermata will never be vaccinated again!

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Kitty Thyroid Update #2

Well, life got more interesting around here last night.  At 1:15 AM, after cleaning snow from the Subaru, my daughter and I loaded up Fermata and drove forty-five minutes into Rhode Island to the emergency vet.  Kitty was experiencing a fever plus labored breathing and I was really afraid that he was either becoming dehydrated or, possibly, entering a condition known as thyroid storm, where the thyroid sort of "goes crazy," flooding the body with thyroid hormone, and ramping up respiration, heart rate, everything.  Thankfully, based on bloodwork from the early morning hours, it doesn't look like that is the problem.  That said, the vet is still trying to determine the cause of the continued fever.  Possibilities:  vaccine reaction, a viral infection, or something really serious.  A bloodwork comparison, a feline leukemia test, and a cardiac/abdominal ultrasound should tell us more.  That all happens tomorrow. My family and I are praying for a positive outcome.

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Kitty Thyroid Update #1

On Monday, my oldest cat, Fermata, a long haired tuxedo mixed breed, had a well check where he was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and where he received his rabies vaccine.  Since he also had fleas, on Tuesday I gave him some Advantage.  What a mistake!  Since, over the years, Fermata has demonstrated an occasional tendency toward adverse vaccine reactions, I should have known better than to give him medication so soon after receiving a vaccination.  By Thursday afternoon, my poor kitty had a fever of 105°F (a normal cat temperature is about 102°F) and started showing signs of diarrhea and lethargy, his usual signs of vaccine reaction.  On Friday morning, Fermata refused all food and water, so it was off to the vet for fluids.  I didn't want to chance a hydration crisis over the weekend, a weekend when we were expecting a snowstorm (which arrived as scheduled).

While at the veterinarian, I received the much-anticipated thyroid bloodwork number:  5.8.  Not bad considering the last time I had bloodwork done on Fermata, the level was near the same.  That means that, for now, he is pretty stable, except for the vaccine reaction, of course.  His medication has been ordered and will start as soon as he is back to normal.

Related articles:
Another Thyroid Patient

Another Thyroid Patient

Sometime in late 2009/early 2010, my veterinarian and I decided to help my oldest cat, Fermata, slim down a bit.  At the time, he was weighing in at around 14-15 pounds, which really wasn't very healthy for him.  By late 2010, my handsome cat was at 13 pounds (not bad), but his hindquarters were showing some signs of being too thin for the rest of his build.  Not wanting to miss a potential health problem, I agreed to a thyroid panel to rule out hyperthyroidism.  The results were high normal but with no thyroid enlargement, so a "watch" status was enacted.  Today, after a well vet check, watching became treating.  Fermata is officially hyperthyroid.  Diagnostics have begun to determine the current status of his thyroid and to determine his starting dose of methimazole, an antithyroid drug.  I have decided on this course of action, at least for the time being, until my husband and I can discuss the other options more thoroughly (i.e., surgery or radioactive iodine treatment).

While I am not thrilled at the prospect of caring for a feline thyroid patient, the amusing part of this scenario is that my husband is also a thyroid patient.  He was diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer in 1993 and underwent a thyroidectomy in early February 1994.  He has been on Synthroid ever since, a drug to replace the thyroid hormone that his body no longer produces.  Fermata has the opposite problem:  his body produces too much thyroid hormone.  In fact, the veterinarian explained to me today that King Richard would need to make sure that he steers clear of the cat's ears (the cream medication application site) for a few hours after dosing so that the antithyroid meds that the cat will be taking do not interfere with the thyroid replacement meds that he takes.

This could be interesting!

A Community Loss

This morning, just before lunch, my daughter gave me some sad news:  the Somers Congregational Church in Somers, CT burned to the ground last night.  This center of worship and community events in northern Connecticut was built in 1842 and had played host to three Shoreline Ringers handbell concerts in as many years, the most recent just one month ago.  Always a welcoming host to the local bell choir, our hearts go out to the congregation at this time of great loss.  Please pray for them, and for their community, as they begin the rebuilding process.

WFSB Channel 3 News article
Eyewitness YouTube video (some profanity)

If you are interested in reading more about the history of the church, click here.

A Movie Comes to Town

Noah's Restaurant became the Nor'easter Diner
Photo by Plush Duck

Yesterday afternoon, I drove down to one of the seaside towns near my house to have lunch with my daughter.  The traffic, which is normally quiet, was crowded and crazy.  There were also signs everywhere that read "GHS Base Camp" and "GHS Crew Parking" and just plain "GHS."  Orange traffic cones and barricades had been erected at almost every intersection heading onto the main drag where I had planned to grab a bite to eat, and large moving trucks filled with equipment had been strategically placed throughout town, along with personnel communicating into small walkie-talkies perched on shoulders or held in hands.  What in the world was going on?  It was as if the entire borough had been transformed.

Well, the community ( and the restaurant where I had planned to enjoy a long, peaceful lunch) had been renamed for the day to film some scenes for an upcoming movie titled Great Hope Springs (hence, all those "GHS" signs).  Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep, the comedic flick tells the story of a long-time marriage gone stale (possibly):

Many years of marriage have left Maeve wanting to spice things up and reconnect with her husband.  When she hears of a famed relationship guru in the town of Great Hope Springs, she must persuade her skeptical husband to get on a plane for an intense week of marriage and sex therapy.  Getting there was hard enough...now shedding their bedroom hang ups, learning some new moves and rediscovering their youthful spark is when the real adventure begins.

So, hopefully, my general geographic locale benefited, economically and otherwise, from the film crew activity today.  I am told the movie will hit theaters around December 14, 2012.  I, for one, will be attending just so I can see how they did making a small seaside town in Connecticut look like a small town in Maine.  From the looks of what went on today, I am guessing they did a great job.

If you want to see another movie that was filmed around here, check out Mystic Pizza (1988).

The Sights of Recovery

My husband and I ran some business errands this evening, looking for (of all things) AAA batteries.  No such luck.  The flashlight and battery shelves remain empty as evidenced by this photograph.

The cupboard was bare @ Home Depot
Photo by Plush Duck

What isn't empty is the local mall parking lot.  It is chock full of utility trucks.  I have never seen such a sight.  My speculation is that the crews were given a mandatory eight-hour rest period so they didn't work with live power lines and chain saws while sleepy.  Aggravating for those without power, I am sure, because it will slow the recovery work.  However, I think it is a wise decision.

Utility trucks @ the local mall
Photo by King Richard

If you remain without power this evening, I am sorry and I hope you will be reconnected soon.  If your power has been restored, I am happy for you.

Blessings, Obvious & Hidden

Well, it has been three days since Hurricane Irene blew through the Northeast.  My family and I made it through without losing power and potable water;  we had only a few small branches come down in the backyard, along with what seemed like a ton of leaf litter;  and we sustained no wind damage whatsoever.  Clearly, we were blessed.  However, after seeing the flash flood damage in Vermont and considering the long-term struggles it will create for the residents there, I feel guilty at how minimally affected my family and I have been by this unexpected weather event.

As many people in the surrounding towns are still without utilities and the local schools have delayed opening, the area restaurants are filled with families who are eating out.  At first I didn't think much of this but as I watched people (while I myself was enjoying some time off from cooking), I noticed that large parties were dining together and that the level of conversation was loud and animated.  Greetings and farewells, likewise, were very affectionate, with hugs and kisses begin exchanged sans reservation as people came and went.  It seems that the void created by a lack of electricity and extracurriculuar activities has freed up a lot of time for friends and family to reconnect in a very old-fashioned, community-oriented, face-to-face way.  What a blessing!  Hopefully, we can all remember to continue this behavior when life returns to normal.

As Ready As Possible (I Think)

Yesterday, I posted my Hurricane Irene preparation list.  Today, I thought I would take stock of that list to see if I am ready for this unprecedented (we'll see) weather event.

Garden
- stake corn plants:  DONE
- harvest produce:  DONE
- store empty planters:  DONE
- take down & store trellis after harvest beans:  DONE

My husband created a "frame" for the corn plants, hoping that they might have a better chance of remaining upright as a group rather than being staked individually.  The produce harvest from our garden consisted of turnips and a small bowl of beans from the vines that were disentangled form the trellises before they were packed into the playhouse.  The neighbors across the street, Mr. & Mrs. Clayton, gave us some tomatoes and cucumbers from their excess harvest.  Per the planter storage, I stowed two EarthBoxes, some terra cotta pots, and a few small wooden barrels in the shed.

Yard
- clean up driveway & yard clutter:  DONE
- dump run (if needed):  ELIMINATED FROM LIST
- take down hanging bird feeders:  DONE
- store trash cans in garage:  DONE
- install new hasp for garage lock:  ELIMINATED FROM LIST
- strap garden shed for additional structural support (if needed):  DONE
- board up garage windows (if needed):  DONE

Stashing the tube feeders in a safe space was a bit more difficult than initially anticipated as one of them contained an active yellow jacket nets.  The solution:  enclose the offending feeder in a contractor trash bag, shut it securely with a zip tie, and take it to the playhouse.  My husband braced the garage door instead of messing with the hasp.  He also strapped the shed, and he strapped the sawhorses, the wheelbarrow, and the step ladder to the shed.  The single side window, the open soffit, and the front windows of the garage were boarded.

House
- remove awning hardware:  DONE
- disassemble scaffolding (for remodeling project):  DONE
- check status of oil lamps & lamp supplies:  DONE
- purchase hurricane lamp & candle for kitchen table:  DONE
- purchase batteries:  DONE
- check operational status of all flashlights & transistor radio:  PARTIAL COMPLETION
- strap chimney for additional support (if needed):  ELIMINATED FROM LIST
- board up windows (if needed):  DONE
- check operational status of sump pump:  DONE

The decision to (possibly) board the windows was discussed and made on Wednesday (8/24/2011).  This was the first time I ever felt the need to board up anything.  At first, the plan was to board only the south and southeast facing windows.  This morning, however, when Hurricane Irene looked as though she would remain quite strong well into Connecticut, my husband decided to board everything.  Only two windows remain uncovered, one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen.  They are vinyl clad and difficult to board without ruining the entire frame.  Of course, the doors are uncovered for obvious safety reasons.

 Pets

- purchase cat food & bird seed:  DONE

- get pet carriers down from attic:  PARTIAL COMPLETION

- change cat litter:  DONE

- clean bird cage:  ELIMINATED FROM LIST

The cat carriers are right next to the attic door, so I have located them and know exactly where to get them should I need them.

Food

- bake bread, quick bread, & snacks for storm:  DONE

- cook soups, stews, & pasta dishes to reheat on camp stove:  DONE

- stock up on water & non-perishable supplies:  DONE

- locate, set up, & test camp stove:  DONE

- make ice packs for use in refrigerator:  DONE

Clothing

- makes sure all laundry is washed, folded, & put away:  PARTIAL COMPLETION

- locate all raincoats & waterproof footwear;  stage near back door:  DONE

The laundry is all washed but not all of it is folded and put away.  I figured preparing the exterior of my house should be the focus of activity.  I can always fold once I am trapped inside during the storm.

Other

- fill car & truck with gas:  PARTIAL COMPLETION

- get some cash for short-term purchases after storm:  DONE

- take pictures of house exterior for insurance purposes:  DONE

My husband decided he had a sufficient amount of gas in his truck.

So, given that most items on my preparation list were finished, I guess I am as prepared as I can be and, even if I am not, I am out of time.  As I write this, I can hear the wind building outside my home.  Goodnight and stay safe.

Disaster Averted, Some Advice

Yesterday afternoon, after considering the possibility of a power outage and after hearing an idea on how to extend the cooling ability of your refrigerator during an outage, my daughter and I decided to place water in quart plastic bags and freeze them in the bottom freezer drawer of our refrigerator.  This evening, my daughter tried to open that freezer drawer.  It was frozen shut!  The quart plastic bags of water had leaked into the drawer slide mechanism.  The bags weren't even overfilled (to allow for expansion).  I am still uncertain as to why they leaked and, at this point, it really doesn't matter.  Thankfully, my husband was able to open the freezer drawer and thaw the mechanism with my hair dryer.  I was freaked!  I thought, for sure, that my daughter and I had broken the refrigerator!  Praise the Lord, no.  No broken relationships, either.  A little panic, some edgy yelling, and some forgiving words/hugs later, all appears to be ok.

If you, too, heard this advice --- to put water in plastic bags and freeze them to turn your refrigerator into a giant cooler in case of a power outage --- be careful how you implement the idea.  You could create a disaster in your house before the one outside your house (Hurricane Irene) ever arrives.

Hurricane A'Comin'

Well, it looks like Hurricane Irene is DEFINITELY coming to town.  The meteorologists are still tweaking the exact track and timing, but no matter when she arrives, I really don't like the whole scenario.  Why?  Because she could get here near high tide and be intense in the overnight hours.  For the latter reason alone, I think my husband agreed to purchase plywood in order to (finally) make some custom-sized window panels to use if the forecast wind speeds are still quite high on Saturday.  Since he just restored a few of our windows and since our neighbor has a lot of lawn clutter that could become airborne, not to mention our backyard has three old silver maple trees within "clobber your house" distance if any limbs come down (of a tree topples altogether), I thought it prudent to plan for at least a few boarded windows on the south/southeast side of the house...just in case.  Yes, I am probably overreacting but I thought it better to be safe than sorry since windows don't come cheap these days.

At last check (11:00 PM 8/26/2011), Hurricane Irene is still ~430 miles wide with a barometric pressure of 951 MB and wind speeds of 100 mph, a Category 2 storm.  The current forecast expects her to weaken to a moderate Category 1 (or a strong tropical storm) by the time she reaches Connecticut.  Expected wind speeds:  85 mph.  That makes Irene a bit stronger (for me) than Hurricane Bob (1991), the last storm I endured since moving to New England.  According to Wikipedia, it was the costliest hurricane to hit this area.

So, what am I doing to prepare?  Based on the possibility that Irene could be a Category 1 storm, these are the damage parameters:

- wind speed 74-95 mph
- very dangerous winds will produce some damage
- damage to roof shingles, vinyl siding, soffits, gutters
- removal of porch coverings & awnings
- window breakage from flying debris
- masonry chimneys toppled
- large tree branches snapped or trees uprooted
- power outages that could last for several days

Using this information as a guide, here is my prep list:

Garden
- stake corn plants
- harvest produce
- store empty planters
- take down & store trellis after harvesting beans

Yard
- clean up driveway & yard clutter
- dump run (if needed)
- take down hanging bird feeders
- store trash cans in garage
- install new hasp for garage lock
- strap garden shed for additional structural support (if needed)
- board up garage windows (if needed)

House
- remove awning hardware
- disassemble sscaffolding (for remodeling project)
- check status of oil lamps & lamp supplies
- purchase hurricane lamp & candle for kitchen table
- purchase batteries
- check operational status of all flashlights & transistor radio
- strap chimney for additional structural support (if needed)
- board up windows (if needed)

Pets
- purchase cat food & bird seed
- get pet carriers down from attic
- change cat litter
- clean bird cage

Food
- bake bread, quick breads, & snacks for storm
- cook soups, stews, & pasta dishes to reheat on camp stove
- stock up on water & non-perishable supplies
- locate, set up, & test camp stove
- make ice packs for use in refrigerator

Clothing
- make sure all laundry is washed, folded, & put away
- locate all raincoats & waterproof footwear;  stage near back door

Other
- fill car & truck with gas
- get some cash for short-term purchases after storm
- take pictures of house exterior for insurance purposes

This has been the focus of my household activities for a few days.  Happily, my husband and daughter are here to help this time.  He is taking care of the exterior protective issues;  she is doing a lot of the cooking and baking;  I am focused on laundry/cleaning, other emergency prep issues, and monitoring storm updates.  During the last hurricane that knocked on the door of Connecticut, Katherine the Great was only one year old and King Richard was out to sea on a submarine.

So, what are you doing to prepare for Irene?  Whatever it is, I pray that you stay safe.

Go Figure, An Earthquake

This afternoon, after the end of a Late Summer Lunch that was held by our local homeschool support group, I stopped by the church office to say goodbye to my friend, Pam, the church secretary.  She informed me that Washington, D.C.had been hit by an earthquake, that the Pentagon had been evacuated, and that people as far away as Hartford, CT had experienced some movement.  Now, I must admit, of all the news that Pam could have shared with me today, an earthquake report was nowhere on my list.  I didn't feel a thing.  Then again, after a few busy hours with homeschool moms and their very energetic kids, I was pretty preoccupied.  Still, I used to live in southern California.  You would think I would be aware enough to feel an earthquake.  Apparently not!

Watching the news coverage this evening, I was struck by the number of people and reporters who stated that they ran out of their office buildings.  Even the Pentagon officials, as mentioned above, emptied thier building.*  Believe it or not, this is not the recommended response.  Duck, Cover, & Hold is the advised action, as explained in this publication from FEMA, "What To Do During an Earthquake."  It does seem counterintuitive, but staying put keeps people out of the way of the most common earthquake hazards:  falling glass and debris from windows and building exteriors.  Of course, if you are walking on the street directly in front of a skyscraper, you may want to step into a nearby lobby to avoid falling debris but, generally speaking, remaining in place is less risky.

So, today is Tuesday and we felt an earthquake in the Northeast.  On Sunday, we could be in the midst of a hurricane.  Looks like it is shaping up to be an exciting weather week.

*A later report containing interviews with Pentagon employees shared that many people thought an explosion had occurred, understandable for folks who had experienced the 9/11 attacks firsthand.  In this situation, I would probably evacuate a building too, despite any recommendation to the contrary.

A Fond Farewell

Sad news has come to our little corner of the world. Kit, the beloved tabby cat featured in this posting, passed away last week, a victim of abdominal cancer. As he was only six years old and asymptomatic, his illness came as a complete shock to our family. We really had no choice but to give him peace as his entire abdominal wall and part of his liver were riddled with tiny tumors, none of which would respond to treatment. He is already greatly missed by both the people and the other cats that live in our home, and I am certain he will be missed for a long time to come.

A real character, Kit would steal tomatoes from your salad, lick yogurt from your fingertips, and tear into plastic bags to nibble on the sprouted wheat bagels you were saving for breakfast; he would burrow into every basket of warm towels that he could find if you let it sit unattended for even a moment; and he would “kiss” your nose at night before cuddling into bed next to my daughter. Of course, he would also hunt our cockatiel if she was out of her cage for too long but, hey, every feline has to respond to instinct once in a while.

I received a call from the vet this morning (10/25/2010). The ashen remains of our adorable kitty have already returned from the crematorium and are ready for pick up. I feel as if that drive to the animal hospital will be, in some sense, a funeral procession. I had forgotten how much the death of a beloved pet affects daily life. The three-cat wake-up alarm is malfunctioning, causing everyone to oversleep and the household chores to get behind; Chopin is minus a playmate, so he spends time throughout the day searching for his absent companion instead of frolicking through the family room; and the “dinner bell,” a daily 4:00 PM confrontation that Kit used to have with Fermata, signaling the beginning of food prep for the evening, isn’t ringing either, so supper has been delayed of late as well. Everything is off.

Isn’t that how it should be, though? After all, isn’t mourning the process by which we who remain adjust to the loss of a loved one? Isn’t this the interval between loss and acceptance of loss where everything reaches a new equilibrium? I guess I just didn’t anticipate that we would all feel this loss quite so deeply. Yet, no matter how sad we are at the moment, I have faith that time will set life on course again. The fact that we need more time than I originally expected is a testament to how much Kit was loved and the integral role that he played in the life of our home. He was, most assuredly, a cherished companion who will live in our hearts forever.

Note: Kit arrived home yesterday (10/29/2010) in a lovely cherry wood box, sealed with a tiny gold lock. He was cremated on my birthday, October 21st.