Spartacus

We've been absent for a month or so due to a variety of unexpected events.  My grandfather died this month.  He was 92 and lived an extraordinary life.  Although his health had been declining, things deteriorated quickly at the end.  It's hard to believe he's gone and he will be deeply missed by our family.  My grandfather died the day I had surgery.  What was to be a simple, non-invasive procedure with virtually no recovery time became a 5 day hospitalization due to complications, namely a perforated bowel.  I can assure you from personal experience now, that is not something you want to have.  It was excruciatingly painful and I spent five days hooked up to that lovely contraption known as a PCA - in essence, morphine I could administer to myself every 8 minutes.  I was very fortunate that I have my parents to help me out with handling the farm when one of my medical emergencies occurs.  They took the dogs and checked in on the rest of the critters every day.  I am home now and while still very tired, feeling better than I was.  

The farm has been prospering, even if I have not.  Newbie was seamlessly absorbed into the life of the chicken coop and everyone gets along happily out there.  The girls all roost around Newbie who sits like a king in the middle of them all.  We are swimming in farm fresh eggs.  

My monstrous polar bears have cost me almost $3000 in the past month.  First Lola required dental surgery and a teeth cleaning along with an ear flush for a nasty ear infection.  Then this monster:

Ho hum.

 

Was caught licking his rear foot.  Whereupon I discovered a big, swollen, pus filled abscess like protrusion on his toe.  So it was off to the vet where it was determined that he too needed to have a tooth removed, needed a dental cleaning and needed to have surgery on the abscess to remove whatever foreign body had gotten in there and become infected.  I have never left PB anywhere for vet care without me, let alone for fairly major surgery.  I was a nervous wreck worrying about him but he did fine.  His foot is healing and aside from the daily battle to get him to take his meds, one would never know such indignities had befallen him.  

You worry too much.

 All the kids had turkey for Thanksgiving (apologies to Newbie) and have been spoiled rotten since mom has been home with them during my bereavement time off.

We're perfect.  Nothing is ever wrong with us.

We've been enjoying the stormy fall weather in the foothills and looking forward to our first snow here.  Several weekends ago, we had the below storm roll in.  It was quite impressive to watch and was followed by ferocious hail, thunder and lightening.

The calm before...

A sudden cold front and low black clouds...

The clouds looked close enough to touch.

The stormy weather we are prone to out here in the Cascade foothills.

Finally, we have a new addition to the farm.  Meet Spartacus:

Hello.

My friend Mike at work recently moved from a house to a condo downtown.  His poor kitty, Spartacus, has had a rough time of it.  Spartacus is 16 years old.  He was relegated to the front porch several years ago when the new dog in the house wanted to eat him.  A front porch in all the elements is no place for any kitty let alone a 16 year old kitty.  In addition, because Spartacus was so slow to eat his food, it was mostly eaten by other neighborhood cats and rodents.  Thus Spartacus is pretty much emaciated.  When Mike moved, he was going to have Spartacus put to sleep.  I was outraged and horrified.  After roundly berating him, I told him I would take Spartacus.  The funny part is I am not really a cat person and far more likely to end up a crazy dog lady than a crazy cat woman but I just can't say no to an animal in need, particularly one in Spartacus' condition.  

So Spartacus arrived yesterday and he was promptly given a long and thorough scrub in the bath as he was *filthy*.  I let him dry overnight and then brushed him out today which he loved.  He got his nails trimmed and I have been stuffing him with Orijen dry cat food as well as canned food which he is chowing down.  He is currently confined in one of my spare bedrooms until he adjusts and is less stressed.  I don't want him to have to face the crazy zoo right off the bat.  He has been meticulous in his litter box manners and sleeps in a big fleece blanket bed I made for him.  Spartacus, like most animals that have not been treated well, seems to recognize and appreciate what he has now and is very affectionate and sweet.  Never again will he be outside in the cold or left hungry.  He'll be going to my vet next week for a thorough check up since he's a senior boy and hopefully he'll be found in good health.  

Clean, warm and happy.

So that's the update.  We are busily preparing for Christmas, decorating, shopping and lining up Christmas events along with weekly volunteering, work, the farm and family...it's a bit crazy around here.  We hope everyone is well and we will see you all soon.