Sunday, November 14, 2010

Sunday Salon 11.14.10

My poor furry little children are sick! A cold has been going around in the cat world here for a few weeks now. Bob, Dopey & Dante are all sick but on the mend. This week Huxley and Lola were hit hard with the cold, Magoo is all better but Sadie is sneezing again and sleeping a lot after having the cold 2 weeks ago and getting all well. Sadie is adorable when she sneezes: she scrunches up her little face & her entire body shakes as she sneezes & she squeaks very loudly! It's hilarious!! She sounds just like a dog's squeak toy!! I feel terribly bad but I can't help but laugh every time. It's really the cutest thing. Otherwise, it feels like I'm running a Feline Hospital here. Sick kitties with their eyes half shut, dull & tearing, their little noses running, sneezing repeatedly 5, 10, 12 times in a row. I never knew cats sneeze so much at once. It must make them dizzy! The sick cats sleep all day, barely moving for hours & eat much less than usual since they can't smell. I took a couple of them to the vet when the cold first hit to be sure it's a basic cold & Bob & Magoo were okay (it is & they are!). I've been in touch with the vet weekly to apprise her of who's sick & how they're doing. Like with humans, a cat cold has to run its course. I have to make sure they're still eating & drinking, at least a little bit, everyday & make sure none of the cats start wheezing or exhibiting other signs of bronchitis, pneumonia, things like that. My poor little furry babies!

The JETS are playing the Cleveland Browns today. The Browns - what an awful name! It's hard to believe they couldn't come up with something better! lolol - they used to be considered an easy team to beat but this season they're playing well, especially their offense. They are a team to contend with now, particularly after the Browns beat the New England Patriots last weekend. The JETS can beat them, but the question is, will they? Last weekend, the Jets (yay!) won but it was a really ugly win which doesn't really matter but what matters, to me anyway, (heee, heee) is that they almost lost. They just aren't playing well lately, not as well as they looked like they could play in the beginning of the season. But the game, the coaching, it all confounds me. So I watch & keep my fingers crossed!

I read a great
article on NPR about artist and author Maira Kalman and her new book, And In The Pursuit Of Happiness. The book is making the rounds of blogs as part of TLC Book Tours. I received her book, The Principles of Uncertainty last year as part of one of the book blogger holiday swaps. It's a terrific, interesting graphic book with beautiful full-page illustrations by the Maira Kalman. And In The Pursuit Of Happiness also sounds like an amazing graphic book. It's based on Ms. Kalman's road trip around the USA & came about as a result of her blog with the NY Times. Their are several articles on the web about the author and her work and the book is being reviewed by several blogs such as Suko's Notebook, Rundpinne and Chaotic Compendiums. Be sure to check it out when you have the time!

I'm almost finished with The Postmistress, a book I'm really enjoying and dreading finishing! This morning I finished The Price of Life the debut of author Greg McCarthy, a good and interesting murder mystery. I'll be reviewing Sunset Park by Paul Auster, Every Last One by Anna Quindlen and I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman this week. I'm planning to read Proust's Overcoat by Lorenza Foschini this week but I'm not sure what else. I absolutely love Christmas-themed books & stories. It's getting close to that time of year to read them. I had a wonderful compilation of holiday stories, poems, anecdotes, songs etc. for many years. Then I lent it to a friend and, well, suffice to say, that was that. So I'm looking for a new one. If you have any recommendations for a good book that includes a large variety of holiday-themed stories, poems, recipes, songs and other things, please let me know!

14 comments:

  1. Oh, those poor cats!
    It says a lot for that book, Postmistress, if you dread finishing it.Nothing better than that!!

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  2. I'm so sorry your kitties have colds Hope they all recover soon. I know it's hard not to laugh at them when they sneeze - they are so cute.

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  3. Aww... hope the kitties are better soon. :-(

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  4. My goodness! I had never thought about a cold being so contagious in kitties -- but it makes sense. I hope all are on the mend.

    I'm reading THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. It's quite good.

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  5. My parents' cat developed kennel cough I think it was called? He caught this condition from staying at the vet while they were out of town and ever since then he forever after sneezed his little brains out all the time. Nothing ever really helped him get over it. But it never changed his spirit - he was always spry and lived to a ripe old age. One of my kitties over the years caught a cold like your cats have - and whenever he sneezed he would scare himself! I would have to calm him down each time - poor fella. Hope yours get better soon.

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  6. BOOKQUOTER: I feel so badly for them especially when they sneeze like crazy. Also when they're hungry because since they can't smeel the food very well they have a hard time choosing something to eat!
    Postmistress is a greta book!

    SWEET VIRGINIA: Hi! Thank you for stopping by! On the one hand I want to comfort them but on the other hand they look & act so funny when they sneeze, it's hard not to laugh! I'm glad you understand!

    JOANN: Thank you! Most of my cats seem to recover pretty quickly, thank goodness!

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  7. I was told by a vet ages ago that cats can catch the human cold. Poor things! It's not like they can take Nyquil like I do!

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  8. THE GOLDEN EAGLE: Thank you! Me too, for them & me! lol

    KATHYA: I don't remember this happening before, when a cold goes round & round from kitty to kitty - I hope it doesn'thappen again!
    Oh great, let me know what you think when you finish the book!

    THE BUMBLES: Oh those poor kitties! I'm glad your parent's cat didn't seem to mind his kennel cough. I'm familiar with kennel cough except with the way that cat had it. I didn't know it can stick around forever. sheesh!

    It's pretty funny that you cat scared himself when he sneezed, but I feel so badly for him too! I'm glad you were able to comfort him. So cute!

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  9. TI: I had no idea that cats can catch the human cold! I know cats get many similar illnesses and are treated with a lot of the same meds just lower doses - Nyquil is not one of them, though! lol Imagine all of the spaced out, wobbily & sleepy kitties I'd have here if they did take Nyquil?! lolol

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  10. Sorry to hear about your sick kitties. I hope they are all feeling better very soon!

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  11. Aww, poor kitties! My sister's cat had a cold when I was living with her, and it was simultaneously adorable and sad. I can't imagine having so many sick kitties at the same time! I hope health is restored to your herd soon.

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  12. Sorry to hear about the sick cats...hope everyone is well in your house soon :)
    There is a fun Christmas reading challenge going on at http://christmasspirit-truebookaddict.blogspot.com
    Maybe you could get some ideas there?

    Yea, the Jets won (just barely, but a win is a win, right)

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  13. I hope your adorable furry children feel better soon! :)

    Thanks for the mention regarding And the Pursuit of Happiness. I was thrilled to be on the TLC tour for this book, having first read The Principles of Uncertainty (my first official graphic novel) a while ago.

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