Things I Love Thursday

Some things I love this week are…

…a house full of excited tweenagers/teenagers. Indy and I wanted more kids and on nights like these it feels like we have that, at least in atmosphere.

…beautiful new planner stickers, courtesy of Indy and Wood Sprite for Mother’s Day.

…seeing most of my BFFs today! I missed a few–L’s son was sick and J wasn’t available but I hope to see you both soon. ❤

…hearing my song on the radio tonight! I turned it up and danced with a couple of kids in the kitchen. I’ve never heard it on the radio. Watch the video, it’s gorgeous, too.

…hanging out with Wood Sprite without having to rush so much to get anywhere. It’s been really nice just laughing and chatting.

…reading Half-Blood Prince with the family. I’m loving the red herrings and Sprite’s reactions. We aim to finish the series by the end of July so we can participate in a trivia night with her spoiler-free.

…Wood Sprite’s mice! Their names are Anakin (because she bites), Moony and Padfoot (whom are both playful and sweet).

What are you loving this week?

 

Monday’s Music

Things I Love Thursday

A few things I’m loving this week include…

having groceries

morning basket time. These books are fantastic and I love building up our routine again.

my new planner! My Passion Planner broke in the center and I sent them a photo just so they knew it could happen. I’ve been using planners since I was 16 and I’m pretty rough on them. They advised me to correct it with tape (I used duct tape since my planner was in half!) but they also sent me a new one! I was very pleasantly surprised and already a big fan, and that was very cool of them to do.

Whatever Next. Wood Sprite and I played this game and found it pretty funny! We’re also enjoying Periodic Table Battleship, which we made ourselves.

giving rides to friends, which makes us feel good by helping out AND gives Wood Sprite the rare car companion

tween nights. We have two this month and hopefully we can get the tether ball and fire pit going for the next one. I love hearing the house filled with chatter and laughing.

Indy feeling better. He wasn’t well earlier and it scared me quite a bit. It also changed all of our afternoon and evening around but that was fine. I’m just glad he’s OK!

peanut butter and chocolate fat bombs. Mine are even better since they are shaped like Han Solo in carbonite.

when the dogs hustle coming in at night to minimize the migration of all of the little bugs into our living room…

How about you? What are you loving?

The Tuesday Currents

I’m currently…

mourning Sky. Randomly, or all the time, whenever I least expect it. And the other cats just aren’t cuddling nearly enough. They’re so fickle. But I think Noke’s just mourning her, too.

having a date out with Wood Sprite and Aunt D, whose birthday is today!

finishing up end-of-semester stuff with 4-H, co-op, Scouts, etc. and planning summer and fall. Looking forward to our science fiction unit!

watching ALL the Spider-Man movies with Wood Sprite and Indy.

reading The Merry Spinster and a bunch of books with Indy and Wood Sprite: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,  Silver Birch Blood Moon, The Glass Scientist (Wood Sprite’s current favorite), Vincent’s Starry Night: A History of Art, and many other fun reads!

what are you up to this week?

Monday’s Music

The artist of the week at our house is…

The Flake News

Another post is up!

Sky

When we brought you home at just eight weeks of age, a tiny thing with new stitches from the Humane Society, I didn’t want a cat yet. Although a cat lover all my life and rarely without one, I was working full-time, attending college full-time and caring for a toddler. I didn’t have the time nor the inclination to care for someone else, but Indy and Wood Sprite wanted you so badly ever since they saw you on the website and fell in love with you. I even said you were ugly! I had no idea how you’d grow into your beautiful face, how you’d steal my heart, claim ME as your human and break my heart 11 years later.

Sky photobombed while Indy worked on my phone.

You were Wood Sprite’s second birthday present, but you decided to follow me around. Your purr was so loud that we often mistook it for lawn equipment. Your fur was so soft and warm that you easily replaced my heating pad, and often volunteered when I felt pain. In fact, you slept with me almost every night, often on my arm and pillow like a fluffier, haughtier human. Everyone commented on how friendly and social you were as you perched on laps, sniffed and claimed every purse or shoe and even won the heart of people who normally don’t like cats, like Aunt D. “What a pretty cat!” everyone would say. “A diluted calico,” I’d grin, knowing that was only a tiny piece of your story. “Sky likes me!” Kids would tell me. You shared your favor like no other cat I’ve ever had and made everyone feel a little bit better than they had before meeting you.

Wood Sprite named you after the sky the day you came home. It was cloudy and darkening but not stormy yet, just on the verge of nature’s tantrum. It fit you perfectly, and when we had to let you go yesterday when the vet announced that you were already dying, that it was likely cancer after all, that all of our forced feedings and medication had all been for naught and that we needed to just let you go with dignity, our insides broke. We’d already had you seen once and were hoping for a miracle after trying everything to give you another chance.

Wood Sprite expressed anger at the rest of the world continuing, people talking and laughing and daring to eat lunch while you lay there in agony. She said you left a hole in her heart. We talked about how those who take care of people’s pets like vets have the biggest hearts of all, how they have to hold everyone’s animals, not just their own, and grieve later. We talked about how you were the first pet she chose and named and ever loved and how that would always be in her heart, and she could share that with everyone she ever met.

The bright May sky seemed a disservice to your memory. The three of us cried enough tears throughout the day to make up for it, but nature honored you with a storm hours after your burial, honoring you in a way you deserved.

We thanked you for your love and presence in our lives as we held you and watched you still in our arms. We told you it was okay to go, that we understood and were grateful for the time we had even though in our hearts we screamed and sobbed and demanded more time, another decade of memories to clutch and another decade of years to postpone this terrible moment. You were buried in one of Wood Sprite’s baby blankets, tucked into one of her first and softest places to be swaddled, before we thanked you again and said a last goodbye. Even in death, you taught us about forgiveness and sacrifice, humility and humanity, and we will never forget you.

The Flake News

If you like The Onion and you’re a leftie like me, you’ll love The Flake News! I’m going to be playing around over there so please feel free to join me, sign up for The Flake News and have some fun. My first piece is here.

Monday’s Music

The Tuesday Currents

Please send this kitty all the positive vibes and healing thoughts you can.

I’m currently…

reading The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

caring for a sick cat. It doesn’t look good and she’s MY girl and my guts are just twisted up. She’s old, 60 in cat years, but I sure expected her to have another few left at least.

watching I Feel Pretty on Moon Sisters Night (thank you, L, S and M!), a Star Trek marathon last week with Indy, and a Star Wars marathon over May the Fourth and Revenge of the Fifth

eating Fresh Thyme peanut butter, which is not much higher in cost than my Aldi stuff but it tastes like it was made fresh seconds ago. Oh it’s good.

beginning the chick integration process with the small pen. We have to repair it before we put it next to the large one so the girls can mingle.

applying for jobs. Layoffs after car repairs combined with catching house taxes up just don’t go well together… Wish me luck.

still organizing rides and/or logistics for more Scouts camping, musical practice, Model U.N. Honors Assembly, setting up fall/spring 2019 classes, summer camps, D&D, library classes… all Wood Sprite’s stuff.

listening to Florence & the Machine’s “Hunger.” It’s gorgeous and so is the video.

watching deer eat in the backyard. I hope they stay and eat ALL the brush…

What are you up to this week?