Interlude with Pumpkin and Salmon

No, I have nothing useful to report. It's been an uneventful month, for the most part. Sometimes, uneventful months are the best kind.

(The pumpkin was from a nearby pumpkin patch; the fish was from the creek downtown.)

September, Already?

The berries are ripe, the shadows are stretching, and the black bears have been at the bird feeders again... Dang it, I guess it is September!

Just quick I'm-not-dead post, whilst I procrastinate on Other Things...

Since last I stopped by, Grandpa has come home from the hospital. He's suffered a slight memory downgrade, which I suppose is to be expected, but otherwise he's doing fine. Hopefully his recovery continues to be uneventful.

The Sand Sculpture Festival is in the area again, possibly for the last time. If they can't make a go of it this year, it won't be back. In honor of this pivotal, make-or-break year, they moved it to an even less convenient location, brought in only half as many sculptors of notably reduced talent, cut down on the signage until you were right on top of the event, and added a music stage that - when I was there on Sunday - featured Christian rock (for that all-inclusive, if-you-aren't-groveling-to-my-God-you're-goin'-to-Hell feeling.) Needless to say, I only stayed long enough to take some pictures, and bid my silent farewells to the event as I left. Something tells me it'll be the last time I see it...

I've also started posting some of my writing for feedback on the Absolute Write boards, with an eye to getting Something polished up for submission (or at least proper beta-reading.) So far, feedback has been encouraging, though of course there's always room for improvement.

Well, it was a major milestone for me, anyway...

And, for the curious, the cats continue to hang in there. Orion's doing fine on Prozac, and Domino seems healthy enough for now (knock on plywood.) No, I have no plans to replace Leo. Maybe when I get down to one cat, I'll consider another one, but not now.

I suppose that'll do it for the time being.

Interlude with Sarcophagus

RIP Leo

1997? - 2012

And I Thought Last Week Was No Fun...

To continue from my last update...

Leo continued eating less and less. We had 90-plus-degree weather over the weekend, so everyone was a little off their food, but it reached the point where he literally would not eat.

The weather broke Monday. Still no luck. He'd lap up diluted gravy, but nothing solid.

This morning, he vomited clear liquid and was acting very stressed.

Waiting the half-hour for my vet to open has never seemed so long...

Anyway, I just got off the phone with the vet.

Good news: He isn't blocked up.

Bad news: He still has blood in his urine. He still has no appetite. His kidneys are enlarged, possibly with soft-tissue tumors. His pulse rate is off the charts. The vet suspects possible lymphoma, which might respond (temporarily) to drugs, buying another few months. Maybe. Assuming, of course, that he starts eating again.

Why, yes, junior mathematicians, that is significantly more bad news than good.

Anyway, I'm supposed to call back this afternoon to see how things are going. The ball's in Leo's court right now; if he doesn't rally, I'll be bringing home an empty crate.

It's times like this I wish I had friends...

UPDATE: Well, I just got off the phone with the vet. Leo's staying overnight. (I have a bad feeling he's worse off than the vet initially thought... he has eaten some, but still is having troubles.) Tomorrow, I should know more.