Zen Cat Art

Lori's Quilt...

This lovely old house block quilt was sandwiched between a matress and a box spring for years.  It was in poor condition but it's looking pretty good now.  (By the way, the dark spot in the botton right corner is a shadow.)

I took the backing off and removed the batting which had mostly disintergrated.  It took seventeen gentle washings and rinsings in my kitchen sink to have the water run clear.  Once the quilt was washed I gently pressed it and attached it to a new batting (bamboo - Fairfield Nature Fil) with tiny stitches.

It needed to be stablized and the easiest way was to attach the top to the batting.

This was one of the worst blocks.  Knowing that the background (the not-house parts) of this block could not be saved, I carefully began to take it apart.

I slid a piece of the backing that I had removed and washed behind the block and pinned it in place.
Then I based the house parts in place and carefully removed the background.

Some of the other houses...

I love this red house block...

Once the blocks were repaired and attached to the backing.  I put on a back of natural muslin and quilted it by tying like the original quilt - although I did make the ties closer.  The thread is tea-dyed to get the just the right shade.

The binding was made from the "good" parts of the original back.  Here she is all back together and ready for a nap on the couch!

"A bed without a quilt is like a sky without stars."
   ~Grandma's Attic Quilt Shop

Asian Bok Choy & Noodles...

My favorite new lunch...

I got these tiny bok choy at the Asian Market "A Dong" in West Hartford.  It's a fabulous place for all things Asian.  Everything from Peeking Duck, to whole fish, incredible vegetables, bread, candy, dishes, at least a thousand kinds of noodles - almost everything is labeled in oriental script with very little English.  Most things I can recognize and make decisions from that.  Sometimes I just take a shot and give new things a try.
I had never seen bok choy this tiny - the bag was actually labled "toy."

I cut them in half and sauteed them with lots of chopped garlic and ginger in a bit of vegatable oil.

While the bok choy is sauteing in the pan, I boil up the noodles.  It only takes a few minutes.

You have to rince the noodles with cool water when they are done.  I let them drain.  If the bok choy is not quite done, I'll splash in a bit of water and put the lid on the frying pan and let them soften just a bit.

The first time I made the dish I made my own sauce with soy sauce, chicken broth, fish sauce, and a few other things but the second time I was in a rush and used "Soy Vay Island Teriyaki."  It was delicious!  I have to say I love this stuff!  I use it on salmon, chicken, fried rice and lots of other things.  It has a citrus base and mixed with a light soy sauce and sesame seeds (plus other ingredients, of course) and besides, I love the story.  Jewish boy meets and falls in love with Asian girl and they start a company.

That's it.  Put the noodles in a bowl, spoon the bok choy on top, pour on a bit of Island Teriyaki and enjoy!  

Sir Charlie of the Pink Tongue

Sir Charlie is out like a light!  He is one of the sweetest cats I've ever had the pleasure to know.  For a blind cat who wasn't treated well he is so trusting it's amazing. 

I should be so good...

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of human kind."  Cleveland Amory

My Omnipod Insulin Pump

I got insulin pump today!  Yea! 

This is an Omnipod insulin pump.  I should have put a quarter in the picture so that you could see how small it is.  About the size of 2 quarters or think about a golf ball sliced in half.  It attaches to me where ever I would normally give an injection and I can ware if for up to three days before I have change it.  The pod is programed to deliver insulin on a schedule and I can increase the amount to cover the carbs when I have a meal.  It operates wirelessly and is an incredible new technology. 

I am truly my father's daughter.  He took everything apart, too.  This is the inside of the pump.  It has a second part that looks a bit like a cross between a glucose meter and a cell phone that programs it. 

I was trained to use it today by their lovely rep, Pat who walked me though it patiently for several hours.  She really knew her stuff and you could tell that she enjoyed her job.  How nice is that?!  So I have to check in regularly with my endrocrinologists office for the next week or two while I get used to it (and it gets used to me).  But it feels better already so I have high hopes that it will keep my blood sugar in a better range and hold off the nasty complications of being diabetic. 

I'll keep you posted!

 
Below is a link to an article about Omnipod if anyone wants to read more about it...

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FDA Approves Insulet's New OmniPod Diabetes Management System

It's time to catch up...

Beth brought me these sunflowers day after Holly's memorial service and I took them outside to photograph in the sun.  You can see there is still snow on the ground in the back ground.  I'm still so sad about losing Holly but there have been good things going on as well and they need their space here, too.  For one thing, MOST of the snow is gone.  Most... the mounds the plow piled up are still melting on the rare day it is above freezing long enough to notice.  It's the coldest start to spring I can remember.

There were some warm days when I could open the window just to let the stale winter air out.  Charlie loved it!  His nose was going and his ears twitched as he followed every scent and sound.

The trees were undeniably beautiful.

Shoveling out was a different matter.

Leading to spontaneous joy at finally digging out our car.

We had some nigh-time visitors.  Sammy and Maggie were fascinated.

He seems to be saying "Bird feeder?  What bird feeder?"  Since he couldn't really get his nose in the mesh he would shake the feeder and then eat the seeds off the ground.  So smart!  A few days later we found the feeder pole bent over and the feeder a few feet away - empty.  The bears are awake.  So we are now taking the feeders in at dark.  Sorry Rocky.

But there is hope for warmer weather!  Hopefully soon. 

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest.  The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits.  People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.” 
― Ernest Hemmingway, A Moveable Feast 
 
 

Holly Hassett...

Holly, so many things without you will not be the same.  You will be missed beyond words.

I really wanted to use words to express a tribute to you and say how profound your loss is to me but I am inadequate; not up to the task.  Maybe I will be able to paint it or sew it someday or maybe I will just be a better person for having known you.  I'll have to wait and see.

But for now, on this snowy morning, I will just remember the good times. 

Sammy telling blind Charlie about the stars...

Sammy and Charlie sharing a sunny spot on the bed this morning.

"Oh Charlie, tell me the story again about how Mom sprung you from the cage you were in and drove you here from Staten Island.  I don't like the part about the dogs barking but rest is such a good story."

"OK but you have to tell me about the stars tonight."  Said Charlie.  "Well, it started when Mom saw my picture on the internet..."

"Charlie, do you want me to start with the Fish or the Big Cat Food Dipper?"

"Just tell me so I can remember..." 

Christmas Review...

Sammy taught her new brother, Charlie, how to drink water out of the Christmas tree stand.  Charlie can't see it but he had no trouble finding it.  But he didn't drink the water.  "Yuck!"  Good move Charlie!

So I wrapped up the base and added a bowl of water.  Most of the decorations are off.  Sammy undecorated it as fast as I decorated it.  Fortunately it was before I hung the glass ones.  The first morning after the tree went up there were more ornaments on the floor than on the tree.  We eventually stopped hanging them up.

We went to see Dickens' Christmas Carol radio show at our library.  It was a redo of the Campbell Soup show that aired with Orson Wells and John Barrymore.  What a hoot!  I thoroughly enjoyed it and we got to sing Christmas carols during the show.

Tess & Hannah, Phil's daughters, came to visit on Christmas Eve.  Jimmy, Tracy and kids were going to come but Jim was sick and had to do some certification work before the new year and I did the mom thing and suggested they don't come.  I missed them but I'll go down to NC to visit soon.  Jimmy's god-mother and my good friend Louise did come and stayed a few days and that was lovely.

We ate lobster cakes.

Bake Brie. A big hit!

And Cinnamon French toast.  Among many other things!!

Like the eight batches of chocolate chip cookies...that's approximately 400 cookies!

Breezy got a new bird feeder right outside her window perch!

Sammy & Charlie were discussing who was going to get the feather toy.

"I'm the new cat," says Charlie.  "I must be for me!"

Sammy didn't think so and helped the decision by heading off with it.  Hey guys, I didn't even wrap it yet!

Maggie, older and wiser, was willing to wait till Christmas morning for her treats.

There are so many more pictures to post and things to say but it's New Year's Eve and there are a few things to do before tonight.  I'll just say it was a great Christmas.  I enjoyed it as always! 

Good food! Good times! Good friends! 

Charlie & the cheetah pillow. Yes, he does look like me!

As you can see Charlie is settling in.  He's chosen the big chair in the living room for his evening nap.  That way he is in the middle of everything and doesn't miss a trick. 

Although sometimes it's just too hard to stay awake...

Charlie doesn't have to dream about getting a good home anymore.  He has one!

Sleep Charlie, you're safe now!

Jumping down...

How far down do you think it is, Dad?  Can I make it?

Sure Charlie, you can make it! 

*The little red spot just below his ear is a hot spot that Charlie keeps scratching.  We took him to the vet last Thursday and we have been putting a little cream on it and it's looking better.