Updates?

Remember how I said there would be updates? I had them but due to the nature of them I was too upset and depressed to write. The update is, the kittens are gone. They did not make it. Phoebe didn't produce milk and by the time we figured it out, it was too late. Just two days old they were. Tom had gone to the store and bought some kitten milk and a bottle, hoping to save at least one. I thought we might. There were seven to begin with. We thought there were six but when we got them out from under the bed we found the seventh one already dead. Soon after another followed. That night it was quiet. I had heard only one cry. I got up and got a bottle ready. Three were dead and one was soon to follow as well. The one I thought might just make it. I had gotten up twice and fed it. Tom had even gotten up and fed it. After work when I came home I found it just like the others. On its side and it wouldn't cry anymore.

It is pointless going through their colors and patterns. Just know that they would have been beautiful cats. Phoebe on the other hand was beautiful. But she is sick. She has been since she became pregnant. Which could possibly be the reason why she produced no milk. We don't know what is wrong with her. I feel bad about not letting her into the house anymore but I am sick of cleaning up after her messes. She is best left outside. If we had the money and didn't have a previous bill with the vet I would take her in. We hope to get rid of her somehow as well as at least half my cats.

Tina (Amy's friend) lost a bunch of cats. A friend had given them dog food to give to their cats. It turns out that it was the same crap that was on a recall. The same tainted food that has been poisoning and killing pet owner's animals.

More on the tainted pet food, my grandpa Kimmey's dog died of the same thing. Suddenly his dog became sick. He had taken him to the vet and they gave some medicine and thought it was old age. The dog had the same symptoms as everyone else's pet had that were poisoned. Only this was when no one knew the pet food had been poisoned. If grandpa had known her would have taken it to court. He misses his big baby of a dog. That dog would follow him even to the bathroom. He would sit on his lap. Which is pretty incredible considering the dog was huge. Bigger even than grandpa. Grandpa however, has a new dog but it just isn't quite the same. He had Junior (aka June Bug) for years.

We will never know how many pet have died from the tainted pet food. While that is sad and scary, it is even more scary that the chemical melamine was found in feed rations on a California hog farm. Which may even show up on other U.S. farms. Who knows how far this will go. We always knew our food wasn't safe. This only confirms it. Whether this was an accident or done by some evil person or persons, this is just crazy.

Kittens

Phoebe is having her kittens. She is under the bed right now having them. Although that is not where she started having them. I was feeding the cats and heard something at the door. I thought it might be Phoebe so I went to the door. There I heard little cries. I looked down and there she was. Her lips were not moving. I thought that it was odd and perhaps it was a kitten I was hearing. I open then door and in she comes running with a kitten dangling. Phoebe was completely unaware. I was just horrified. She went to the food bowl and began eating as if nothing was happening at all. She wasn't there for very long. She usually isn't. Then she took off to the bedroom and has been there since. Last I checked on her she was doing better. I could see she was actually pushing, and I saw a little kitten head from under her tail. I will have more updates.....

My New Gaming Adventure

After being bored out of my mind with the few games I have and with little money to buy new ones, I borrowed Jak and Daxter the Precursor Legacy from my uncle Ronnie. That game rocks! I thought it would be stupid and simple all the way around. Quite the contrary. Jak and Daxter begin the game as elf-like mischief makers. Then Daxter falls into a pit of Dark Eco and becomes an orange Ottsel (half otter, half weasel). They have to find Gol Acheron, a sage of Dark Eco who may have the powers to help Daxter return to normal.

There are items in the game that really help you out during Jak's and Daxter's "adventures". Green Eco is good for your health. Blue Eco is the stuff that makes Jak run faster and allows him to activate Precursor devices. Red Eco gives you power to defeat your enemies faster. There are many more of these Ecos that help you out in all aspects of the game.

Then there are Scout Flies that are boxed up by the Lurkers. You have to find these boxes and set them free. They are found in red crates.

There are also shiny egg shaped orbs called Precursor Orbs. You have to collect those to trade with the villagers for Power Cells. Why do you need Power Cells? They are the most important items in the game you have to find. You need certain amounts of Power Cells to advance in certain stages of the game. Not only can you get them in trading with the villagers but also by completing tasks.

I have only completed 16% of the game. So I have a long way to go yet. I think I saw the game in a video store. Now I wish I had gotten it. I just didn't think it would be any good. Maybe next time. I guess there are like five of these games. Might be something for me to look into. Ronnie has Jak II. He said it was harder. I guess I will just have to see for myself.

Jak & Daxter Precursor Legacy Walk-Through

Young or old, don't forget them!

Yesterday I got off from work early enough to see Maw-Maw in the nursing home. She is doing ok now. I guess she had broken a hip and during that time something else had happened. I don't remember now. But she almost died. She came very close. Too close. A couple years ago she had broken the other hip. She said it had healed much faster than the left one. She is eighty-nine now. I sat with her for two hours. I missed her allot. My grandma Vera was put in that very nursing home before she passed away.

I had a dream not to long ago about Maw-Maw and her house. I was in her house and her family was moving her stuff out. The house was getting emptier and emptier. I cried in my dream. It all reminded me of the ever changing world. My world. Everyone's world. You know. People's lives. From childhood to adulthood. Events in our lives that leave behind bitter-sweet memories. Things we wish we could experience once more. Maybe even forever. Happy moments in our lives. Perhaps things we may have taken for granted. I think we each have a memory or memories like that. But of course, if we had stayed in those moments, then we would never get to experience other great and happy moments in out lives. Creating more precious memories.

The dream made me realize how important it was that I visit Maw-Maw. Even more so now that her time is getting short. Of course no one knows when they will pass away. Anything could happen. Sad but true. Maw-Maw has four generations of grandchildren. That is a rich blessing for anyone her age. She has many relatives and friends. Such as I, that love her dearly. She is even like a grandmother to me.

I didn't go and see grandma Vera after she was put in the nursing home. I wish I had. I should have. There she was. So close by. I could have. I really could have. But I didn't. Why? I was afraid to. She wasn't the same. She got worst with each passing day. Her mind wasn't her own anymore. It was somebody else's. Someone's from long ago. When dad was three. Or five. When grandpa was dad's age. She didn't know who we were. She could only bring up the past and replace everyone with those she knew long ago. Until it got to the point when she couldn't recognize anyone. She couldn't talk. She couldn't even feed herself.

The last time I saw grandma Vera she could talk to us but she really didn't know us. I am sure at some time or another she must have known. The thought had to of come. Or so I really hope it had. But I doubt it. I only know how she gotten worst by other family members that weren't cowards such as I. That had gone and seen her like loyal family member should. They made time to see her. Even once a week. Why hadn't I? I wish I had. Now she is gone. But her memory lives on in my heart. I hope one day I may see her again. That is all I have, is hope. But it is a strong hope.

I understand I am not the only one who misses grandma Vera. My dad misses her allot. He even catches himself calling her or getting up early to go down to her house, the way he use to. Even though she had been in the nursing home for four years. There is another person that misses grandma Vera. As I am sure many other family members and friends. This one in particular really touches my heart. Gavyn is only eight. The time he had gotten to visit grandma Vera was so short. But often my dad had taken him to see her, and then again with Amy. He remembers her but not like I do. Or like dad does, or even mom. He remembers her. I am not sure what it is that he remembers. But the only memory I am sure of is, grandma Vera in the nursing home. To me it is a dark and depressing one. But to him it is all he knows. All he knows. I have to remember that it is her being there, alive. That is what is important. He got to know her. Not like I had. Going to her house and talking to her about the past, her past. (I wish I had more moments with her like that than I had.) Or talking to her about school. I even mowed her lawn. So did Amy at one point before I was of age. Gavyn got to know grandma Vera by the only way he could. Maybe it wasn't pretty. Life isn't always pretty. It it what you take out of it sometimes. The things that you make use of your time. Gavyn had gotten to know grandma Vera and in that short time he loved her. He misses her now. I think he wishes he had known her even better. Known her like we had known her. Or like dad and uncle Bobby knew her. Or perhaps even like grandpa Kimmey knew her.

I was at Amy's yesterday. I saw on her kitchen counter top a paper. It was 'jump for your heart' paper. They had it when I was in school. You went around collecting donations for it and then jumped rope at school. On the paper it said, "In Honor Of ______. Gavyn had put grandma Vera. He wrote it in all on his own. From his heart. I was touched by it.

So now I am making it a point to see Maw-Maw every chance I get. Or I shall make the time to go and see her. Right now she is in the nursing home. I think it is much easier for me to see her there. Not that I want her to stay there. I do want her to get well. Of course it might be best she did stay there where she has nurses to look after her. But she wants to go home badly. As most of elderly people do after being put in a nursing home. I will make it a point however, to go and see her wherever she may be.

As for my grandparents. I see my grandparents on my mom's side allot. I am very thankful for that. We are making up for lost time. They love having me over on Wednesdays. I even get to have dinner with them on other days. They have commented on how no one visits them anymore except me. I am sad that that may be true. But I am glad I do get the chance to visit them more now than ever.

I should really keep better touch with my grandparents on my dad's side. I don't hardly call them even. I have called them in the past on occasion but then I forget about them. That is terrible. I really mean to keep in touch. A matter of fact. I should call them right now. Maybe I will do that as soon as I am done here.

There are others that have already passed away in my life. People I wish I had gotten to know better. Some of them are family members. Some of them are family members of family members. Regardless of the connection, they had touched my life in a way that is unforgettable and I miss them too. I wish I had gotten to know them better. But I can't dwell on such things. I cherish the small moments I had with such loved ones that I barely knew. I can relate with Gavyn on that.

I think my main point here is....

Don't forget loved ones. Young or old, don't forget them! Spend as much time you can with them and show them that you care and love em'. By phone, letter, or in person.

Movies That Make You Wanna Sing & Dance!

It has been decided that I love Moulin Rouge. I don't know why I never really felt that way before. It is delightfully funny and sad. I love the music and the computer generated hijinks and the music video lightning-fast editing. Well done indeed. I watched it twice over the weekend. Tom doesn't like it. He doesn't like musicals he says. It is one of the movies I think I could watch over and over. I don't think I could spoil the fun with it either. Like some movies I have in the past, like Dirty Dancing. Which reminds me. It is going to be back on the big screen. I think that is way cool. I would love to see it on the big screen. But I doubt I ever get to.

Another one I watched over the weekend was Saturday Night Fever. I love that movie! It has been 30 years since it first came out on the big screens. Wow. My how time does fly by. Tom hates that movie too. While it isn't a musical, it is disco. He hates disco. Really hates it. But I on the other hand I really like it. It's set in a fast paced rhythm that makes one lose themself in the action.

"I told you so."

Another mystery in the Anna Nicole Smith saga has been solved: Photographer Larry Birkhead is the biological father of Smith's 7-month-old daughter, Dannielynn. And he's a giant step closer to getting custody.

I am just glad that they know who the father is. It would have been just awful if no one's DNA matched. Now I only hope Anna's mother would leave it alone. She claims that she wants only to be the grandmother. I hope she sticks to what she says and doesn't pull any rabbits out of her....um...hat.

Snake Skins

Allot has happened in just a couple weeks. We got ride of the two snakes we had. One went to a guy that Heath works with, for $50. The other went to a guy's step father that we work with, for free. I was glad that Lexx went to someone we knew. Heath's friend was mexican and would have sold her in Mexico. Or so I think that is what he is doing with the snakes he is getting. According to Heath the guy has like four snakes and he wants to see how many he can get. Sound fishy. So I am glad at the time when he came and got the one, he didn't get the other too. It was the next night he wanted Lexx but by then we had already given her away. I miss her. Every time I go to throw something away I expect to disturb her and so I look up to see if she is alright. Of course now there are rats in her old cage. Tom just wants to raise rats. Fine with me. Sort of. Not like I can do anything about it. I just want to raise the rats we have until they die. He wants to breed them and see if he can come up with any new colors or color patterns.

Uncle Ronnie moved back today to Caroline dr or whatever it's called. There was a guy that died which meant an empty room. They thought Ronnie would do better if he were back at that house. He would get better care. So that's where he's at now. He did get the guy's sterio, dresser, and night stand. The guy that died didn't have any family. Ronnie gave me his CD player. The first CD I played in it was Queen Greatest Hits. Kelli would be so proud. I miss her.

Maw-maw is in the nursing home. She was at the hospital. I am not really sure what is wrong with her. I think one of the things was that her kidneys were failing. Mom said that she may never leave the nursing home. At least not to go home. I don't know if she has ever been home since she became ill the first time. I think she has been living in Court House with her daughter for at least a year. I should have came and visited her when she lived at home. I should have came and visited her when she was living with her daughter. I will visit her at the nursing home. She is in the one grandma Vera was in. I should have visited grandma but I just couldn't bare to see her that way. Now I regret not seeing her when I could have. Just like so many other people that have past away in my life. But no use in dwelling over things like that. Just make use with the time we do have with the ones that are living. And don't take it for granted that they will always be here.

Sounds Like....

`Historic', `sensational', `flamboyant' and `without-any-doubt original' are just some of the adjectives being thrown around by critics in praise of 22 year-old UK newcomer, Mika's eclectic debut album, Life In Cartoon Motion.

mikasounds.com

Grace Kelly Video