You know, I really do love my animals (we have 2 cats and a little Yorkie, all indoors). I do. Really. But, you know…I really didn’t think of the long term. I’m awful, I know.
I got Thomas…the fat cat in college. He was so sweet, and so pitiful looking. I found him at the pet shelter, covered in poo and crying. The only way I could get him to quit crying (his mama had died, so he didn’t have the comfort of her), was to sing Amazing Grace to him. And, in my arms, he’d fall asleep. My heart broke into a thousand tiny pieces, and I brought him home.
Meet Thomas.
Of course, now he’s bigger and fatter with green eyes. More like this…
And, with some of the softest fur EVER.
So, Thomas and I were happy. It was just the two of us, and we did great. And, then…one day at his regular checkup with the vet’s office, they laid it on me. There had been a kitten dropped off…only a couple of months old. Needed a home. Could have been from Thomas’ litter (LIARS)…would I please take him? They didn’t want an adoption fee AND they’d give me his first vet check up for FREE. Like I can say no to a homeless kitten? (Btw, I’ve since learned how, so don’t bring them over here.)
Meet Valentino (he didn’t come with a name, so I named him Valentino).
Yes, he’s in the toilet. At the apartment, I was training them to use the toilet (you insert a litterbox inside the lid…and hell, just google it). Anyways, I’ve since abandoned all efforts. They wouldn’t flush. They can use the litterbox like normal kitties.
Fast forward to 2006, and we got Glory. Our little ADHD Yorkie.
I never really thought about all the messes. All the hairballs. All the oopses. I never thought about what if Glory refused to be completely potty trained? - She “pretends” to potty outside (she can’t fake the pooping, but she can fake the squatting to pee), just to come inside and make me a puddle. She is no long allowed on carpeted areas unless she has JUST pottied OUTSIDE and I know FOR SURE. Which is never - I have better things to do to go see if she got the grass wet. I never thought about the constant shedding. Or, that we’d have to keep 2 litter boxes because that’s what the cats want, despite the fact that one is self cleaning. Or - that the cats would knock things in the floor just to watch Glory grab it and chew it into pieces…and then HER get into trouble. Or, that the cats would eat any flowers that Steven should bring me home. I’m really surprised they are still alive. Roses, Orchids, Daffodils, Lillies, Daisies…all of those are apparently not poisonous.
I love my animals…when I’m not cleaning up after them…and when Glory isn’t chasing after the cats yipping, or when she’s not sitting at the gate doing her combined yipping/crying.
But, this year…I think they are all getting shaved. Even hubs. I really do have better things to do than to sweep the house and vacuum EVERY day. I mean, I could be blogging.
I wanted to be a SAHM…not a SAH maid. Emphasis on the MOM…I wanted to be a stay at home MOM…meaning take care of my daughter…not stuff her in the play pen so I can do the dirty dishes hubs PROMISED every day LAST WEEK he’d do “TONIGHT”….and then, just to hit up the rest of the neverending chores…80 lbs of hubs’ laundry, picking up, sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, de-germing, hubs’ messes…etc.
I mean, what do I look like? No, don’t answer that. Really. But, seriously…this house. It’s making me crazy. I can clean ALL day, and you couldn’t even tell…because it’s all the little things. Dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, scrubbing, etc. I’ve been trying to tell Steven for almost 3 years that I can’t do it by myself…or, rather…I won’t. He agrees…tells me he’ll do it…not to worry…and then…doesn’t do it.
I’m such a lucky wife. He’s damn lucky he brings me flowers.
That’s all I’m saying…that, and I want a raise.
Welcome back!
March 31st, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I have two cats. And I still don’t really know how I ended up with them. Kiki - well, she just kept coming around boyfriend’s house, he finally relented to feeding her and $400 later we had a “free” cat. (Turns out she was pregnant, had gotten in a fight, needed stitches, declawing in the front, shots, the whole nine yards.)
Dax, well, he just kind of happened. Fight with boyfriend while at church camp with 80 kids ( I was a youth director in a previous life), camp director was trying to get rid of them, I found him under a wheel well, crying. I brought him home, boyfriend loved him, boyfriend died, and now I just can’t get rid of him.
I now live in the smallest of basement apartments with two psycho cats who fly around the rooms like they are on meth when I wish I was sleeping. I just don’t know.
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So…does that mean you don’t want mine? JK
March 31st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Hey I saw your post on the bingham diaries and wanted to know more about the ABS diet? do you do it or have you done it? does it work? thanks
I emailed you more info. though. 
Julia
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Yes, yes, and yes.
March 31st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I feel you on the maid thing. Boy do I ever. Okay, so I know Cam helps by running some dishes. But laundry? Maybe one load every three weeks (21-24 loads… depending on germs around here). Vacuum? Maybe once every three months… one room out of four. Sweep? Same.. kitchen only. Nevermind the entrance and bathroom. Sinks? Mirrors? Never. Dusting? Well… I rarely even really dust, so I won’t say anything about that. I know, I’m bad. Anyway… you already know that tangent from my blogs. haha. (The list thing, yeah… it was a great idea… but nope… not helping so much…)
Your cats are adorable. But I also agree with the whole pain in the butt regular clean up after animals. I’ll come home, get the kids in the house, take Rocky out to tinkle while Carter stands at the screen door crying for mommy to come back in. Get back in the house, give the dog water, turn to take care of Carter then hear Xavier go “Um. Mom?” Yeah… Rocky just went number two. WTH?
I told Cam I’m going to start making him change a diaper for every mess of Rocky’s I clean up while gagging all the while. haha.
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Oh, you should!
March 31st, 2008 at 9:10 pm
yeah…i have 4 cats and a dog…waaaaaay too much fur to sweep up CONSTANTLY!! i asked for a raise, too! the “boss” laughed at me! so, i quit! he laughed at me again. sigh
xoxo
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Wonder what would happen if we vacuumed them? The cats. Well…the husbands, too…
March 31st, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Aww, your pets are adorable
I have 1 dog that we rescued years ago, so I have a soft spot for rescued animals. Thomas’ story breaks my heart!
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Yay for rescuing animals. Now, if they could just not shed.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:36 am
morning ash — awh, so sweet! thanks for the cute sweet notes lately. great day, kathleen xo!
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April 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am
Hey, those are some really cute pics. I love the toilet cat the most. I hate how my latest cat sheds. Its insane. Besides that I love my critters.
Also, did you know you can click the pictures on my site…they expand. Sorry for the eye strain. Thanks as always for stopping by!
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I really should try clicking on your images then. haha. Oops.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:00 am
OMG…LOL! Your hubby sounds just like mine! We’ve been married for 2.5 years and he just washed his third load of dishes (EVER) last week! His only “chore” is to take out the trash…only after it’s spilled over into the walkway, of course. I totally feel your pain.
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What IS it why guys? Seriously? I think we women need to form some new standard in society. All the men who don’t want to do housework have to go live by themselves…or with each other. Yeh, with each other. So, they can live in filth and yuck. Want to come live with me? Hubby’s can live next door or down the road so they can see the kids and us whenever, but for living purposes, they have to mess up a different house. Hey…I think I’m on to something here…