Happy Halloween

It's that time of year again when all the goblins come out to play!

I headed over to my cousin Ronaye's after work to spend the evening handing out candies with her and to see my godsons in their glory when they returned with their candy!. I think I have actually spend the last 11 halloweens with her and the kids.

The kids had headed out already by the time I got there. My brother Kent took Avery to his friends and got him started out and Jordan went out with his Dad this year. I caught Kent in his costume but all Jordan would show me was his candy!

The scary old witch took up her usual spot in Ronaye's window.

And we even had Leanne, Jessica and her little friend come knocking on the door looking for candy (I have know Jessica since she was a little baby!)

Scary pumpkins and decorations make the night a huge success! I went by my mom's house on the way home as well to check out her decorations. The pumpkin at the top of the post is actually my brother Kent's masterpiece of the year.... It was a spookarama!

Youth Advisory In Edmonton

I went up to Edmonton with one of my Youth Drug Line volunteers to participate in a Youth Advisory Committee this weekend. The kids were very busy consulting on quite a few addiction prevention projects.

We got a lot of work done in 24 hours and I think the kids had a blast flying up there and participating in all the sessions. We go up every two months so we will be meeting again as a group in Edmonton in December.

And The Adventure Continues...

Well Benji is making himself right at home. Everyday he seems to get more energetic and more brave jumping and climbing on everything. He has his own kitten food but helps himself to Jaike's food and water in the kitchen...

Loves to scratch away at the cat scratch house...

And loves to chase and follow Jaike around whenever he decides to actually come up from downstairs and join us in the living room...

As you can see from his sour puss face and crazy ears in the last two pictures Jaike is really not impressed at all. I think he's a bit depressed. This morning I gave him his wet food which he loves more than life, Benji went up and took a chunk from the plate and Jaike walked away and refused to eat anymore... even after I put the food and him on the table where Benji couldn't get to him. I've been giving Jaike lots of extra pets and lots of cuddles to make up for the new stress. I haven't heard him hiss at him all day but he will only take so much and then goes to a place where he can sulk and watch but where Ben can't get him...

Benji has already hopped the box more than once today however so his escape route will not last for long... hopefully he will get used to him and they will be good friends before long!

Benji Update

Benji got his vaccination shot just before I picked him up on Saturdat so most of Sunday was spent sleeping... sleeping... and more sleeping. His favorite spot is on the futon under the blanket.

He woke up this morning feeling much more energetic so he had a bit of a run around and met Jaike. The meeting went really well, Jaike only hisses at Ben now if he tried to smell his ass. I'm keeping them in seperate rooms when I'm at work but they are actually getting along together really well.

Benji

I picked my perfect new kitten today... say hi to Benji.

I spoke to a breeder out near Strathmore who had three long haired male kittens and decided to take a drive out to see what she had. I guess her persian had a bit of fun with an unknown tabby and well... baby Benji is the result.

He is sleeping in his little kennel tonight and starting to get settled in. Jaike is not too pleased about the new addition at the moment but hopefully he will get used to the idea in the next few days. He keeps walking up to the kennel and hissing at the poor new little kitten. Benji isn't fazed a bit however and loves to sit in my arms and watch Jaike roam the house (I'm keeping the two of them seperated for a few days to let everyone settle in). The funny thing is the kitten doesn't mind Jaike hissing at him... but when I go to pick him out he gets freaked out and hisses at me! He loves to be held in my arm after the initial shock however...

So it's pretty exciting over here tonight. I'm sure there will be many new pictures in the days to come!

A Night At Camp

Well I got to spend the evening out at camp tonight...

One of the elementary/junior high schools was out at Camp Horizon holding their Peer Support Camp and they asked the Distress Centre to come out and train the kids in communication skills. I met my office mate Jessica out there and we worked with the kids for about two hours and then headed back into the city.

It was nice to get out of city limits and drive out to Kananaskis where the camp is located... I was in a super rush to get out there since I was running really late but the drive home in the dark was kind of peaceful and really kind of nice.

The Boys Got A Kitten

I did not find a kitten for me and Jaike this weekend... but my cousin and godboys got a new kitten to join their little zoo of a family.

Meet Stimpy Smeltzer-Shandler... big name for such a little cat!

We Survived Tuesday

Thank you to everyone who has left such kind words over the last few days. It has really helped to read your comments.

I was really worried yesterday leaving Jaike home all alone but we made it through alright. Jaike seems okay... a little bit restless and a bit more whiney then usual but he did just make it through his first day alone. My sister Genitta brought over her two cats for a visit in the afternoon but I guess he just hissed at them for a bit and then ignored them. I think I will get him another kitty to have around so he doesn't have to be alone... but not yet... everytime I think about it I just get really frustrated because I just want my Maxx back. I only really cried once yesterday so I'm also starting to feel a bit better... but I really miss that little guy more than words could ever say... I just don't understand how he just died out of the blue... he was so healthy and so happy it just doesn't make any sense.

I did end up coming home for about an hour to visit with Jaike and to make sure he was doing alright and then headed back downtown for cadets a little bit late. I was going to skip out but then I remembered that it was the Commanding Officer's Change of Command parade.

It was kind of neat because my Commanding Officer from when I was a cadet was the reviewing officer. In this picture I have the C.O. that I worked under last year to the left, my old C.O. from when I was a cadet in the middle, and my new C.O. to the right. The kids have been practicing for the parade since they returned in September and they looked really good.

Once again thank you to everyone who has left kind words... it has helped more than you can imagine.

24 Hours Gone

My eye's are raw so I really have to stop crying. They feel like the bottom of your nose when you have a runny nose and it gets all raw and sore. It's been over twenty four hours since we lost our Maxx and I guess me and Jaike (his brother cat and best friend) are doing alright.

I let Jaike out for about half an hour this afternoon but he got in a fight with the neighbors cats almost immediately, he's out numbered 1-3 now and it would kill me right now if he got hurt or if anything happened to him so I made him come in for the rest of the day. I feel bad cause I know he is totally wondering where Maxx is and is already kind of whiny, sappy, and agitated and then I go and make him stay in on a beautiful Sunday when I'm home sitting on the computer all day.

I feel really bad and uneasy about the thought of leaving him alone on Tuesday when I go back to work. It's a really long day alone for him if I end up going to cadets after work. Jaike has never been alone without Maxx a single day in his life. I just don't want to leave him all alone... but I have to go to work... I've got all these obligations...

I so wish that I could have a miracle... I so wish I could fall asleep and wake up with my baby purring beside me. This is just so unfair, and so fucking hard.

The Rainbow Bridge

I'm really really missing my freckled nosed baby... I hope he's at the Rainbow Bridge.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Goodbye My Baby Maxx

Everything was fine when I woke up this morning...

I fell asleep on the couch and when I got up I gave the cats some food and then let them outside for a run. They were out for a few hours and then came in around lunch for a break. Everything was fine.

My sister called me and they had a great deal on flooring at Home Depot so I went out with her for a few hours to pick up the flooring and run some errands. I got her to stop at my vets office so I could pick up some honey suckle treats for my boys, I was thinking that I hadn't been to the vet in quite a while and it had been awhile since I've come home with treats.

I got home and let the cats out while I loaded the 22 boxes of flooring into the house. Maxx was meowing around, hissing around at Jaike, but everything seemed fine. When I was done loading the wood I noticed that Maxx was sitting at the back door meowing to get back inside, that's a little bit strange for Maxx cause it usually is not so easy to get him back in. It was right about then that I started to get the feeling that everything was not so fine.

I laid down with Maxx and he was meowing alot, rolling around, and kind of panting. I slowly started to check his limbs and check him out for any sensitive areas in case he had hurt something or sprained something but nothing seemed overly sensitive... but he kept on panting, he didn't seem right.

I tried to look it up on the internet but nothing popped out. I called the vet and they asked if he was panting with his mouth open. When I said yes they said that I'd better bring him down.

I had to make the decision to put my baby Maxx to sleep tonight.

His heart was not doing good at all, he was having a really hard time breathing, it's just the way it is, there not really a reason for it or a cause and it is SO FUCKING UNFAIR!

I'm really mad... I'm really sad... For the last few years all I've had is my cats. At times I get really lonely and miss the busy house I used to have with Maxx, roomates, friends, and even more pets... I've lost all that but I still had Maxx...

So right now I hate this stupid world, I hate this stupid life, and I hate whoever up there decided it was time to take my baby... it wasn't and I should have at least had some warning and some time to say goodbye... I wish I slept in bed with him purring beside my head last night. I wish we had the chance to get to cuddle this morning... and I wish that I was with him all day today so he wouldn't have gotten sick alone.

I wish...

Work, Work & More Work

So I've been working... and kind of neglecting the blog! It seems to be commons lately. I went visiting other blogs and most have not been updated since mid September!

Work is going really good. I am back in my position as Public Education Coordinator for the Drug and Alcohol Program and it has been very busy but also really good. I had my first presentation in one of the high schools last week and I have to admit that I was pretty nervous going in. I haven't done that presentation in almost two years now and I was really second guessing my knowledge on all the drugs. Once I got in it went really well and I didn't even get to the end of the presentation before the bell rang. I did two presentations today and both went really good. One was at one of our high risk high schools and I usually dread going in there but the kids were really good and we had some great discussions (they knew alot!) we even got to talking about cats on mushrooms so it was pretty entertaining.

It is getting busier at cadets as well. I may be going on a camping trip in late October which I am kind of dreading. It started SNOWING today and the cabins where we are going were destroyed by the floods this spring so it sounds like it may be tent camping in the snow... not such a great thing in Alberta in late October!

That being said my godson Avery is heading out for a week at "outdoor school" tomorrow in the snow with his grade six class... good luck to Avery this week! They are sleeping in cabins so he should be able to keep nice and warm even with the snow :)

That's about it for me... leave me a comment and let me know how your life is going!

At the Shandlers

I heard a rumor that this kid went out and got his ear pierced this weekend...

It took a bit but I finally saw it and it is TRUE! The kid has been pierced!

Avery and Jordan also got some really cool shoes when they were out with their dad this weekend. They have a skateboard wheel right in the shoe and boy can those kids zoom around on those!

I told them I wanted some and they have assured me that they do have them in my size... but I guess they are more difficult to use than they first look, they kids are suggesting that I hold onto a pole or railing the first time I use them... I guess we'll see!