Weekend trips

My favorite part of our weekend routine is food shopping at Fairway in Red Hook. Josh has been digging his feet for months, saying we can't go because Red Hook is a shady neighborhood. My friend was telling me that it's perfectly fine if you go in the daytime, so Josh gave in, and when we got there, he asked me why haven't we been going shopping there all along. Ha!

The market is right on the water, with a lovely view, and it's a really nice weekend thing for us to do together.

Farewell Wellington

Wellington, or Wellie, as I've been calling him lately, has left his bathroom in my apartment.

His new mommy came by this morning to meet him, after a week of my telling her how sweet the little guy is. I was afraid that I'd cry when she said that Wellie was a wonderful cat. But I was a good foster mom and went through his checkup at the vet's, his remaining antibiotics and the canned and dry foods I'd been feeding him.

Then the time came for Wellie to go to his new home, where Morty and Eli wouldn't swat at him from under the bathroom door. I went to the bathroom by myself to pick him up for the last time, give him a snuggle, and back out of the room so he wouldn't see the carrier. Then his last memory of my hospitality was being stuffed into a carrier and holding him down so I could zip the top up.

Then he was gone, and my bathroom feels strangely empty when I walk by.

Happy new year!

Happy new year, from my kitties to yours!

The cat who came to breakfast

Remember Wellington?

Well, this isn't him, if I compare his markings with the cat who used to show up (and I haven't seen since last winter).

This morning, I was getting ready to travel to Jersey City for lunch with a friend when I heard crying from the front windows. I looked out and there was this little black and white cat, crying his heart out. I shook Josh awake and showed him, and there was a moment where he asked me if he should get the cat and he didn't have to wait for an answer from me.

He left, but the cat had started walking up the street. I followed after Josh a few minutes later and when I got to the sidewalk, I saw Josh coming back from the top of the street, with the little cat trotting beside him. He came back to our building, where we fed him and got him into a carrier. My lunch plans went kablooey and I went to the vet with the little guy.

$170 later, he's dewormed and tested negative for feline leukemia and AIDS. Everyone at the vet's office was asking if he'd found a home with us, and he is such a sweet and affectionate little guy. However, our apartment is too small for three cats, even though I'd love to keep him. It would've been quite the Christmas story if I did get to keep him. Josh's parents already freaked out when he told them, saying that it was ridiculous to spend any money on a stray, and "what happens when the next stray cat comes along?"

I'm e-mailing someone I know who wants a cat (hers passed away a couple years ago), and hopefully she's checking her inbox this week, so she can come meet him. I know that if she meets him, she'll want him for her own.

Awesome

My brother is the best. For Christmas, he gave me something totally over the top, that I never expected to receive.

The complete X Files series on DVD, including the movie.

Too awesome. My brother, I mean. But X Files is awesome too.

Eli-Weli update

We took Eli for his second follow-up appointment last night. His September appointment's test results revealed remaining grit in his urine and the pH balance wasn't acidic enough. The vet kept him on the Hill's Prescription S/D food, which we fed Eli until about two weeks ago when we ran out. I figured we'd feed him the S/D kibble and Morty's canned Wellness food until the next doctor appointment rather than buying another case of expensive prescription food that we might not need.

Eli was a good boy at the vet's, weighing in at 13 lbs. I hope he doesn't get much heavier. He did not enjoy having his temperature taken, and stuck his tongue out at the vet after she examined his gums. Thankfully, they were able to get a urine sample (vet was worried with Eli's bladder not being very full); otherwise, I would've had to wait around for Eli to pee in a specially prepared litter box and collect the sample myself and bring it to the vet.

The vet called me this morning and said that Eli's test results are "fabulous" and that we should keep feeding Eli the way we are and he doesn't need another follow-up appointment. I'll probably be a little anal though and bring him back for another urinalysis in 6 months. The price wasn't too bad either, totaling $87 for follow-up and urinalysis. Not too bad considering it's a fancy Park Slope clinic.

Cute flatware

My brother went on a business trip to Korea a few weeks ago and he got me the loveliest souvenir! He gave me a set of stainless steel chopsticks and long spoons (if you eat at Korean restaurants, they're at every place setting) with cute chopstick/spoon rests.

Sniff! My little brother is so grown up now!