Thursday Loves

Is it just me or are these rooms absolutely beautiful?  The deep shade on the walls - gasp! I want.  Via

Summer has really got me in the mood for fruit, so when I stumbled across this amazing post on the rockstar diaries, I got really, really excited.  I would love to be able to enjoy this at a party, wouldn't you?

I'm a big fan of the color and print of these Doug & Gene Meyer scarves.  I'm not a scarf girl by any means but these make me want to be one.

Oh, Albatross.  Your darling creations amuse me very much.  I could stare at this little Gus look alike for ages.

I have the perfect guy in mind to send this to.  Because it's oh so true!  Such great work at Quill & Fox!

How are your week's going?  Last night I had a very lovely belated birthday celebration with family.  We dined at a local brewery, ate a reese's cake from Homemade Pie Kitchen and I received so many cool presents it's not even funny.  I'm in such a state of bliss from all the love!

Gus is home and healthy!

{sorry for the poor quality photo...}

The little booger is home and healthy and hopefully pain free.  We're so happy and relieved to have him back, he was at the vet hospital for two long days.  This has been really hard for us both - it just really hurts to see your favorite four-legged creature not able to walk/not eating/not rushing over for treats as soon as you open the cabinet, etc.  I feel so awful for not knowing what it was.  He had a pretty serious urinary infection, probably as a result from eating dry food all the time and never really drinking enough water.  It's funny because he's had one before and he really let us know something was up.  But he didn't do that this time, which is why we just kind of brushed it off, thinking he just needed to snap out of whatever it was the road trip or sedatives did to him.  I just feel so awful about the whole situation, I know how much those UTI's hurt!!

He's in such good spirits now that he's home.  The vet told me he got mad about having an IV in his foot so he ripped it out (although on the phone it was hard to understand what he said so I had concern that he actually broke his foot) and now his foot is kind of swollen and was gross looking, but he's had several baths since coming home (thank heavens, he smelled something awful) and he's back to his old self.  Thank you all for your concern, I really appreciate it!

Sick kitty

Remember this guy?  Well this guy, Gus, has been sick the past few days and it's breaking my heart.  So I want to know if any of you know a thing or two about sick cats and have any advice for me.  

We took him with us to Louisville for Christmas and he spent 6 days exploring new territory.  In that time, he had brief interactions with an over-excited pug, an adorable French Bulldog puppy and a dapper dachshund who was getting over a cough (his interaction with him was very brief).  

We gave him a sedative for the car ride home and at first just thought he was having more trouble shaking off the drugs than we thought.  But we got back on Wednesday evening and he didn't show signs of sickness until Thursday night.  His nose is dry, his fur is matted and he is weak.  We've been forcing him to drink milk water, have been giving him tuna since he won't eat his dry food and all the TLC a cat could dream of.  

I know you'll probably say, take him to the vet at once!  But he was just at the vet, he hates the vet, I hate the vet and it's freaking cold outside.  He really does look better today which is a good sign.  I just wonder, can cats get the flu?  He doesn't show signs of an infection of any sorts.  He's just...off.  

I just want to see him like this again ::

***Update, Gus is in the kitty hospital.  He was mean to me, the vet and the vet's assistant.  So they had to keep him again.  They don't know what's wrong with him - the vet didn't give me any answers.  But I do know that I have never heard a cat make the kinds of noises that he made while the vet attempted to take his temperature (although in his defense, it must really suck to have something cold and metal coming at your butthole with rapid speed).  Over the next few days, he'll have x-rays and urine samples and catheters to deal with and I'll admit, I cried when I came home.  But seeing him step up onto a box today instead of jumping was the straw that broke the camels back.  Send healthy vibes his way, won't you?

Weekend recap

On Friday night, I met up with friends at Millenium Park to hear some Christmas caroling by the Wicker Park Choral Singers.  They were gathered in front of the Bean, which looked amazing with chunks of snow on it.   This, by the way, is the best view of the city.  There's a reason they created that park where they did!

 Shortly after my arrival at Millenium Park, my feet completely froze and I couldn't feel most of my body.  So we walked over to Macy's and wandered aimlessly just trying to warm up.

After we warmed up, I went to dinner with my other half and then we moseyed on over to the Chicago Theater to see the one and only Jerry Seinfeld.  It was kind of a short show but it was one of the best Friday nights I've had in eons.  For the entire hour and 45 minutes he was on stage, I had a steady stream of tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard.  Seriously, all he has to do is just say a few words in his unique Jerry voice and I'm laughing.  I highly recommend shelling out the money if he's coming to a town near you.  

On Friday afternoon, we had to take our little fella into the vet to get his shots up to date and his claws trimmed, plus since we're taking him with us to Louisville over Christmas, we needed some sedatives to ease his trauma of being in the car!  But in typical Gus fashion, he was a terror and wouldn't let anyone come near him without hissing and swatting at you with claws out, ready to rumble.  So the vet had to sedate him which meant we had to leave him overnight.  I can't recall a night spent at home without the snuggle monster so it was just as traumatic for me as it was for him.  We picked him up on Saturday morning and gave him lots of love, created his own bed in a box (see above) and after a few days of acting like a total stoner, I think he's back to his old self.

I whipped up the butterscotch eternity scarf over the last few days.  I wanted to make something for myself and I wanted it to be warm.  So I used Lion brand's thick and quick which is the most aptly named yarn out there.  Over the last few weeks, I had been working on the teal basket-weave scarf above as a Christmas gift for Anna-Maria.  I don't have a picture of the finished product but it turned out pretty good for my second project!  

Lastly, B made me this cute grilled cheese and I couldn't resist sharing even though he rolled his eyes when I got the camera out.

It was a really great weekend.  We had dinner with friends on Saturday night and played Euchre with them, did a lot of baking yesterday but still have so much left to do for our holiday party tomorrow and finished the weekend off by hanging out with a group of friends, some who were in town from NYC.  

I can't believe next weekend is Christmas.  Luckily, I've been done with my shopping for awhile so I am only left with wrapping presents.  How were your weekends?

The little booger

Yesterday, Gus dressed up as a chicken.  Insert great pun about scaredy cats/chickens here.  We took about a million pictures of him wearing said chicken costume, however,  he knew he was being slightly humiliated and thus moved every chance he got with the camera in his face.

Pan to camera 2, this afternoon.  The little sassy thing couldn't get enough of the camera, obviously.

Flyin' high

Gus just wanted to drop in and say hello to everyone before he flies off on another adventure.  Crazy kitteh!

Demon kitteh

I'm not going to lie or cover it up.  My sweet kitteh, Gus Gus, sat on the remote last night and changed the channel to 666. 

I am skaired.

* pic via here via icanhascheezburger.com

Kitteh, I love you

 

My other Valentine!

Plant help!!!

Aaaah!  Disaster struck while we were in California.  And who's to blame?  That's right.  Kitteh.  Apparently, his claws got hold of the curtain in the living room, which happens to have my beloved String of Pearls plant from Sprout Home hanging from the rod.  The plant came CRASHING down, spewing soil and strings all over the place.  Luckily our friend Jake was around to clean up the damage and hopefully put kitteh in his place, but what really saddens and maddens me is that my plant has been traumatized!  So I need some help, as I am a bit lost on how to repair the damage.  I mean, I truly LOVE this plant.  Everyone that has seen it loves it.  My mom has even been on the hunt for one since she came to visit me last. 

Does anyone, ANYONE have any advice for me on what to do?  Seriously, it lost the bulk of its strings.  I just want to break down in tears because this plant is so awesome.  And I JUST replanted it since it was growing so nicely.  I'm so sad :(

So thanks a lot, Gus.

Chief

Gus Gus

When I look at the little booger sleeping, I go a little weak in the knees.   How did I get to be so lucky? 

 

So much personality, so majestic.

He loves to flirt with everyone.

He's got a grrrreat sense of humor.

See?!

He loves to sits on your things.

I love you, lil' bitchka!

So hungry!

I am waiting for a delicious pasta meal and right now (noodles, fausage, butter+sage sauce) and I am  thinking I could eat everything my heart desires.  My eyes are huge!  I want to eat this for dessert.  With a glass of this.  (It ain't gonna happen).

It was very chilly outside today.  It inspired me to hunt down an eternity scarf that I've been not been able to find. It was a nice day to buy a scarf. 

My cat Gus

My cat Gus in a chicken hat

My cat Gus in an alternate universe