I'm giddy with excitment

because Bella Mae seems to be having a good spell! She ate some moist food I picked up yesterday, and actually chose that over 'kibble'. She also ate more moist food this morning! She's seeming to be spunkier and more talkative. I'm so happy :) Go Bella Mae!
I'm tired, my extra hour was pretty non-existent due to coughing and kitties not really giving a hoot that the time changed. Hard to feel like I'll get any better since I can't sleep!

I'm just starting to read Dewey's Nine Lives. I'm excited!

Cordelia Joy is trying to get into her toy cupboard. I had to put a sticky-back piece of velcro on the doors to block her from opening them. You might ask 'Oh why are you being such a mean mommy?' The toys in that cupboard are ones that could be dangerous for her to play with by herself. Feathers, string, and the like. This mama doesn't want to take her baby to the vet because she decided to swallow a foot or more of string off her Da Bird toy. Also, would like for the feathers to remain intact for awhile longer. Replacements aren't cheap.
She's becoming too smart of her own good. One corner is lifting, and she knows that it blocks her from her heart's desire. So she's working at it, hoping in time, to get it open.

Watching the local news, and waiting expectantly for the shelter animals. That is the greatest thing about weekend news. Cedar Bend Humane Society

Other than that...I'm trying to psych myself up for work, life, and stuff. Maybe if I had a cat bed...maybe then I'd sleep better!

Well,

talking twice of my amazing Kitty Kids doing their magical 'Mommy, wake up!' dance didn't work. This morning I had to wake myself up. I will say, however, Cordelia Joy did sleep with me all night. I suppose it may be because some food had been left out. Periodically I will leave some dry food down (small amount) at night...otherwise they both knew I was feeling a bit under the weather and decided to let me rest. I do have to go to work today, and it is a longer shift.
I've decided the window on the inside (now inside) door will have plastic put up on both sides. That will be a project for tomorrow.
I'm wondering how I'll get plastic up on the screen in the other room. I think the window itself doesn't like to lift up all the way. That might be a window that will have bubble wrap shoved up within. (Forgot to try that with the first window)
Will I ever live in a home that doesn't have me freezing my fool ass off? I think that's the one thing that just depresses me. Out at the Homestead I'd be too warm 50% of the time and too cold the other 50%. Because with a wood furnace, what does it do overnight? Gets low. When my bedroom was the small office room downstairs I was so very toasty until the early a.m. wake up; then freezing. When my bedroom was both rooms upstairs (that was amazing to me) I was always freezing. I had to have a small space heater and an electric blanket. Layers-sweat shirt, flannel shirt, sweat pants, fuzzy socks...and I was still cold.
The first apartment I lived in with Bill I was perpetually cold; he's hot blooded so I got to suffer. Tho he was nice and did turn the heat up a little for me, but I was mostly cold. Hence, layered dressing there too. And hogging of blankets.
Then the tiny apartment he and I lived in for a year or so; eventually the person who rented the apartment below us relocated. Because of that, the heat was turned down....and I think the landlord kind of forgot that the heat from that apartment controlled how warm/cold OUR apartment was.
Layers, space heater, blankets, and a slightly disgruntled landlord who wasn't thrilled that the electric bill was higher than before...which eventually prompted the heat being turned up somewhat.
Then wee! The last apartment we lived in was one of the worst. We had so many issues with the door because there wasn't a storm door to block the weather. So several times in the dead of winter I would come home and not be able to stick my key into the lock. You get home after 10 p.m. and wonder if you will get in...talk about fail. I would have to blow into the key-hole and pray. Eventually got de-icer for the key hole, but that doesn't fix the problem permanently.
The apartment was poorly insulated. I put plastic up on the windows, even then, it wasn't great. The doorway leaked cold air...they kept their business below cool so cold air leaked up and though the door in the bedroom (there was a door in the bedroom that if it wasn't locked/blocked would've lead out to the hallway of their portion of the upstairs. I blocked the door as well as I could, but it didn't fix much. Imagine the fun things I heard the landlord say to his wife about me/bill/us without even trying---let alone hear him yell at his wife.)
Anyway...I've lived in perpetual cold. I am hoping, however, that the door we got put on this summer, plus the extra plastic covering the windows will help.
Winter is not a favorite season of mine. People always say 'Did you grow up in Iowa?' "Yes." 'Well, you're used to it!' "No......" or "Just because I grew up in Iowa does not mean I like the weather."
My favorite weather is currently going on right now; High 60's to middle/slightly upper 70's with lows in the 50's. If it could stay like that for most of the year...forgo humidity and deep freezes...I would be utterly content. The days out of the year where I feel like it is perpetually perfect I could probably count on my hands. Sad.
Bummer, my coffee is cold, and that's sad too!

I came back

from the brink of feeling like utter bleh. Granted it took me about a week to fully recover, I have gotten better. Still tired, still easily wiped out, but overall I'm good.
What does this have anything to do with cats?
Well, seriously, Bella Mae has been a mamma's girl over the past few days. I'm on the couch, she's right there with me, napping away. I'm in bed taking an extra long nap, she's right there nappn' with me. Purring away, licking my arm, and being over-all, cute.
Not saying that Cordelia has not helped me, she's been a welcome diversion to my feeling sick and wimpy. Playing with her at least once a day provided me with some welcome routine and bonding time in general.
Also, during my sickiness, I did some window shopping and found the Ultimate Scratching Post for several dollars less online than in store at PetCo. So, whodoya think got herself a big, tall scratching post to climb on? All I can say is thank you mr. UPS man for bringing it to my side of the apartment-house AND for knocking on my door n' such. I was a hot mess, and more than likely would've fallen all over myself if I had to carry it. I did manage the minor assembly.
Overall, this week and especially the past few days have been therapeutic and eye-opening for me. I hadn't been so sick in several years, and it is hard for me to admit that, hey, I was sick. I will say, for sure, it was much nicer to be home and sick with the company of my two fur kids than it would've been without them. One would think I'm crazy to say I feel I was well taken care of, but really, I was. Yeah, I had to get up early and feed them, commit myself to play time, and dually commit myself to NAP TIME. One could tell when Bella Mae thought I should lie down. She would get 'the look' in her eye (and no, it wasn't her crossed eyes either!) Or she would hunker down on the couch and just make herself look as cute as possible.
I feel I owe all my getting better-ness to them. I love you guys <3

Finally

some much needed sleep. Granted I had to sleep in rediculiously late, but the past several days of being woken up at 5 a.m. had caught up with me. Instead of completely playing around, Cordelia actually would snuggle under the blanket with me. Maybe it is the fact I took the belled collar off her (and Bella) for the flea treatments. (ew!)

Fleas...Haven't seen many (thankfully) of course I do not trust them. This summer has sucked in that regard. Really, not too much to complain about, but you know it hasn't helped it in general.

Bought a little cat bed for Cordelia. I had put it in the corner (on the floor) where she will sometimes lie. Well...Bella Mae has fallen in love with it. Where ever I put that cat bed, she is on it. It was on this little stool that my mum caned years ago...I heard all this crinkling and stuff and wondered 'what the?!' Here Bella Mae was, getting herself comfy on the bed on top of the little 'perch'. When she is in love, she is in love. Not that I want her to think I want her sleeping on the floor. >.<

Wouldn't it be fun

if someday this 'blog' became a book?
Anyways.
The AC is now back in the window, two holes drilled into the trap, also set up at more of an angle so the water (should) drip down vs. being level and all that other stuff (aka crap).
I'm watching the final episodes of my Dark Shadows series (the 1991 version). It's exciting because the second episode is the only one I saw (back in the day) and is what turned me on to Vampires. This series is what made me fall in love with all vampire movies...granted watching it now is EPIC cheese.
Sad...the cute guy just died. (and the cute guy later played Jarod in The Pretender...which I watched as long as I could on NBC).

So, today I did a full-house vacuum...the dust buster temporarily out of commission due to the filter having been washed. (now dry). I vacuumed all the floors...dismayed at the lack of suction. Sad.
The carpet I had to get on my hands and knees and spray with enzyme cleaner (to help the hair stick...also to help 'clean' it more so than just brushing alone) and used my little hand brush to 'sweep' the fur into clumps. This, by far, is the easiest route to get trapped fur out of a space rug.
(I would love to know of what anyone else uses for pet fur clean up. A special vacuum? Do swiffer sweepers work?)

I must laugh, Cordelia Joy just touched Bella Mae's rump. Like 'Heeee I touched youuuuuu!'

More Taste of the Wild food bought...canned and dry. A gifty for a friend who acquired a kitty (her pup's birthday is the 16th if I remember correctly) and I hope to get something sent to her soon! At least after payday. I also bought a book (Eat Pray Love)...maybe this is something I have to do....take a trip..a tour...leave no carb behind. Live...let loose...be alive...grow more.

Today I had another childish moment, and I seriously wonder what my husband sees in me at times. I feel bad for my reactions...which are exceedingly more so because I can't sleep worth a damn.
If I were not so tired, my reactions might've been less.

Right now the kitties are my one claim (overall) to sanity. Gosh, sometimes I feel so lost with Bella Mae and her reactions...her seemingly sensitive spots....I want to help her and make everything better instantly. Cordelia Joy...her silly actions...sometimes she exasperates me...but I have nothing but love for her.

Oh my little kitties...how similar yet so different. Cordelia barely sheds, Bella Mae sheds like crazy. Bella Mae doesn't bury her 'stuff' but Cordelia Joy makes a huge burial in the litter box. Bella Mae is sedate where Cordelia is on cat crack (but seriously not as she is still too young to react to catnip.).

So, my day is complete for now...the kitties and I will soon go to bed (or more like they will sleep and I will toss and turn.)