working out for Disney

[Sans Souci]

I can't recall if I shared this before or not, but this is what I've dubbed our porch possum. She hasn't been as active lately, but I saw her a week or two ago.



I love knowing that it's around because they are such beneficial creatures...

View attachment 765953

I had 'possums living under my deck in Illinois. The first time I saw one, I thought it was a rat, because I'd never seen a 'possum before. But then I realized what it was. They never bothered us and we left them alone.

Now, I have skunks. I can hear them fighting other animals at night in the summer and I have to keep my windows closed because the skunk will spray whomever it was fighting. My bedroom is right next to some woods and that seems to be where all the action is. lol

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

OK, checking in with a back and abs workout with some jump rope thrown in for good measure. I got out for some fresh air, too. My husband returns tonight, so hopefully, I'll get some good sleep.

The raccoons were back last night. My husband wants to call someone to trap them and release them somewhere more rural. I don't want Callie getting caught in the traps and I would want some assurance that they are going to release them, not euthanize them or whatever. They're just raccoons being raccoons.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning.

I did a leg workout this AM. Spicy. The sun is out. It's been so long since it was last out. I am going to walk later.

I asked on a cat message board about effective, cat-safe methods to get rid of raccoons. These people live in Delululand. I was told to make Callie a house cat. I posted this in a sub forum about feral cats, so I was surprised to see this suggested as a solution. She absolutely does not want to be an indoor cat. If I did that, she would be so stressed, to put it mildly. There is no guarantee she would ever adapt to indoor life, either. I read an article by a vet who said making a feral cat live indoors is like making a human live outdoors. I am going to defer to the vets on this topic. Then I read a thread from a person who wanted to hear from people who had their vet put down their cat at home. OMG, someone said this was murder. For real. Which is more cruel...letting a beloved pet pass "naturally" in loads of pain or relieving them of their suffering? There are no hospices for pets, so there aren't any vets giving morphine to dying pets in pain. I had to stop reading that thread, because I think that's lunacy. I was soooooo tempted to ask if this person if they fed their cats meat. I do think the at home euthanasia is a good idea. I'd rather have my pet go at home, no stressful trip to the vet, they leave in familiar surroundings with their family around them and not on a stainless steel examination table. I wish this had been an option when my dog had to be put down, because I would have opted for it.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

The raccoons were back last night. My husband wants to call someone to trap them and release them somewhere more rural. I don't want Callie getting caught in the traps and I would want some assurance that they are going to release them, not euthanize them or whatever. They're just raccoons being raccoons.

Raccoons are a tough one. Supposedly they have to be relocated at least 10 miles away to ensure they don't return to your home. They're also highly territorial, so it can create issues if they relocate them into another raccoon's territory. There's no great solution. Our pest guy helped a friend with some problem raccoons around her house. He said he really could only do anything if they were getting into the house. He sealed off some vulnerable points and put a trap in the attic, but that was it. My parents have a small family of raccoons that like the area by their air conditioning unit. They've been keeping an eye out for damage, but pretty much leaving them alone. They've noticed some coyotes lately, so it seems nature is trying to help with the raccoons.

I asked on a cat message board about effective, cat-safe methods to get rid of raccoons. These people live in Delululand. I was told to make Callie a house cat. I posted this in a sub forum about feral cats, so I was surprised to see this suggested as a solution. She absolutely does not want to be an indoor cat. If I did that, she would be so stressed, to put it mildly. There is no guarantee she would ever adapt to indoor life, either. I read an article by a vet who said making a feral cat live indoors is like making a human live outdoors. I am going to defer to the vets on this topic. Then I read a thread from a person who wanted to hear from people who had their vet put down their cat at home. OMG, someone said this was murder. For real. Which is more cruel...letting a beloved pet pass "naturally" in loads of pain or relieving them of their suffering? There are no hospices for pets, so there aren't any vets giving morphine to dying pets in pain. I had to stop reading that thread, because I think that's lunacy. I was soooooo tempted to ask if this person if they fed their cats meat. I do think the at home euthanasia is a good idea. I'd rather have my pet go at home, no stressful trip to the vet, they leave in familiar surroundings with their family around them and not on a stainless steel examination table. I wish this had been an option when my dog had to be put down, because I would have opted for it.

If you want, I have a friend that's a feral cat expert. She has this whole program where she traps them so she can get them fixed and basic veterinary care to ensure they're not ill and spreading anything. She then releases them back to the outdoors. She leaves food out and will leave out provisions for them to get warm when we've got a cold snap in the mix, but she never tries to make them indoor pets. Let me know and I can ask her about her thoughts on the matter.

I know there are some vets here that will do in-home pet euthanasia. I'd definitely consider it. Getting a gravely ill pet into your car and then into the vet's office, just to have them pass on a cold metal table doesn't sound like the most caring way for this to occur. It's also hard being the crying family going back into the waiting room without your beloved pet.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Good morning! I wanted to check in with a little periodic fitness update. I've been doing pretty well with getting back on track. I'm doing my biking, weights, abs, and stretching 5-6 days a week. I'm noticing progress. My distance minimum is 15 miles, but my average is steadily climbing. This morning, I biked 15.93 miles and it felt better than my 15.42 average last week. The weights, toning, abs and stretching also is showing some progress. It's not the most exciting and varied fitness approach, but it's showing me that my most effective fitness stretches in my life are the ones where I can easily be a creature of habit.

In other news, it's been a big week for K. After a horrendous first attempt at prom dress shopping, we found a store with an amazing selection from her wishlist and far better service. I'll spare you the novel, but she had a total "say yes to the dress" moment. The following day, she had a big solo & ensemble performance and wound up with the top score. I think she's more excited that she'll be receiving a gold medal The biggest news...she's now heard from all 14 of the colleges to which she applied. She now has 14 choices! I don't think any of us were expecting this. UT Austin is the only one that's not a full acceptance. If she accepts their offer (called CAP), she would attend a UT satellite campus for her freshman year and then be transferred to the main campus in Austin as a sophomore. She doesn’t love this idea. The rest are a matter of weighing out things like program ratings vs. costs ...as well as campus/location preferences. Since it's undergrad, I think she's going to be more heavily swayed by generous scholarship offers vs. rankings. I know which way she's leaning, but we'll see what she officially decides. I've been tracking her acceptances with homemade graphics like the one below. Last night I got to make my final graphic before the big decision...

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Good morning! I wanted to check in with a little periodic fitness update. I've been doing pretty well with getting back on track. I'm doing my biking, weights, abs, and stretching 5-6 days a week. I'm noticing progress. My distance minimum is 15 miles, but my average is steadily climbing. This morning, I biked 15.93 miles and it felt better than my 15.42 average last week. The weights, toning, abs and stretching also is showing some progress. It's not the most exciting and varied fitness approach, but it's showing me that my most effective fitness stretches in my life are the ones where I can easily be a creature of habit.

In other news, it's been a big week for K. After a horrendous first attempt at prom dress shopping, we found a store with an amazing selection from her wishlist and far better service. I'll spare you the novel, but she had a total "say yes to the dress" moment. The following day, she had a big solo & ensemble performance and wound up with the top score. I think she's more excited that she'll be receiving a gold medal The biggest news...she's now heard from all 14 of the colleges to which she applied. She now has 14 choices! I don't think any of us were expecting this. UT Austin is the only one that's not a full acceptance. If she accepts their offer (called CAP), she would attend a UT satellite campus for her freshman year and then be transferred to the main campus in Austin as a sophomore. She doesn’t love this idea. The rest are a matter of weighing out things like program ratings vs. costs ...as well as campus/location preferences. Since it's undergrad, I think she's going to be more heavily swayed by generous scholarship offers vs. rankings. I know which way she's leaning, but we'll see what she officially decides. I've been tracking her acceptances with homemade graphics like the one below. Last night I got to make my final graphic before the big decision...
View attachment 766488

She is a lucky girl (and probably a hard working girl) to have so many fantastic choices! Not an easy decision but I hope whatever she chooses works well for her.

 

[MinnieM123]

The biggest news...she's now heard from all 14 of the colleges to which she applied. She now has 14 choices! I don't think any of us were expecting this.

Congratulations to your daughter! That's incredible! Her dedication to her schoolwork has paid off. Good for her!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

She is a lucky girl (and probably a hard working girl) to have so many fantastic choices! Not an easy decision but I hope whatever she chooses works well for her.

Congratulations to your daughter! That's incredible! Her dedication to her schoolwork has paid off. Good for her!

Thank you! I will pass on your messages! She’s worked so hard. With a front row seat to her stress and struggles, it’s nice to see the hard work rewarded.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning! I wanted to check in with a little periodic fitness update. I've been doing pretty well with getting back on track. I'm doing my biking, weights, abs, and stretching 5-6 days a week. I'm noticing progress. My distance minimum is 15 miles, but my average is steadily climbing. This morning, I biked 15.93 miles and it felt better than my 15.42 average last week. The weights, toning, abs and stretching also is showing some progress. It's not the most exciting and varied fitness approach, but it's showing me that my most effective fitness stretches in my life are the ones where I can easily be a creature of habit.

In other news, it's been a big week for K. After a horrendous first attempt at prom dress shopping, we found a store with an amazing selection from her wishlist and far better service. I'll spare you the novel, but she had a total "say yes to the dress" moment. The following day, she had a big solo & ensemble performance and wound up with the top score. I think she's more excited that she'll be receiving a gold medal The biggest news...she's now heard from all 14 of the colleges to which she applied. She now has 14 choices! I don't think any of us were expecting this. UT Austin is the only one that's not a full acceptance. If she accepts their offer (called CAP), she would attend a UT satellite campus for her freshman year and then be transferred to the main campus in Austin as a sophomore. She doesn’t love this idea. The rest are a matter of weighing out things like program ratings vs. costs ...as well as campus/location preferences. Since it's undergrad, I think she's going to be more heavily swayed by generous scholarship offers vs. rankings. I know which way she's leaning, but we'll see what she officially decides. I've been tracking her acceptances with homemade graphics like the one below. Last night I got to make my final graphic before the big decision...
View attachment 766488

Congrats! She must be so excited. What does she want to study?

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

Just checking in with a some strength training workouts and some walking. The sun was actually out today, so it was pleasant to be outdoors (relatively speaking). I have daffodils in my yard and they have broken through the ground, probably 4 inches. It's always exciting to see signs of spring. I also love that the sun is setting later. I always dread the fall clock change. It feels claustrophobic and smothering to see the sun set so early in the day. The Holiday season takes the edge off, though.

 

[Sans Souci]

Raccoons are a tough one. Supposedly they have to be relocated at least 10 miles away to ensure they don't return to your home. They're also highly territorial, so it can create issues if they relocate them into another raccoon's territory. There's no great solution. Our pest guy helped a friend with some problem raccoons around her house. He said he really could only do anything if they were getting into the house. He sealed off some vulnerable points and put a trap in the attic, but that was it. My parents have a small family of raccoons that like the area by their air conditioning unit. They've been keeping an eye out for damage, but pretty much leaving them alone. They've noticed some coyotes lately, so it seems nature is trying to help with the raccoons.

Yeah, outside of them hurting the cat, I worry about them taking residence in our attic for the third time. I feel kind of sorry for them, actually. I know they are just living their lives and they are not trying to be a nuisance. I don't want them harmed.

If you want, I have a friend that's a feral cat expert. She has this whole program where she traps them so she can get them fixed and basic veterinary care to ensure they're not ill and spreading anything. She then releases them back to the outdoors. She leaves food out and will leave out provisions for them to get warm when we've got a cold snap in the mix, but she never tries to make them indoor pets. Let me know and I can ask her about her thoughts on the matter.

She is already neutered, her ear is tipped. I'd love to bring her in, but I really think she'd hate it. Do the cats come to her house or does she go to a colony to feed them? Someone told me to feed her further away from the house. I don't know if that is a better solution. When she eats at the patio door, I can bring her dish in as soon as she is done. I also thought it would be safer, since (I erroneously thought) animals would be reluctant to come onto a deck and eat food mere feet away from humans.

 

[Songbird76]

Good morning! I wanted to check in with a little periodic fitness update. I've been doing pretty well with getting back on track. I'm doing my biking, weights, abs, and stretching 5-6 days a week. I'm noticing progress. My distance minimum is 15 miles, but my average is steadily climbing. This morning, I biked 15.93 miles and it felt better than my 15.42 average last week. The weights, toning, abs and stretching also is showing some progress. It's not the most exciting and varied fitness approach, but it's showing me that my most effective fitness stretches in my life are the ones where I can easily be a creature of habit.

In other news, it's been a big week for K. After a horrendous first attempt at prom dress shopping, we found a store with an amazing selection from her wishlist and far better service. I'll spare you the novel, but she had a total "say yes to the dress" moment. The following day, she had a big solo & ensemble performance and wound up with the top score. I think she's more excited that she'll be receiving a gold medal The biggest news...she's now heard from all 14 of the colleges to which she applied. She now has 14 choices! I don't think any of us were expecting this. UT Austin is the only one that's not a full acceptance. If she accepts their offer (called CAP), she would attend a UT satellite campus for her freshman year and then be transferred to the main campus in Austin as a sophomore. She doesn’t love this idea. The rest are a matter of weighing out things like program ratings vs. costs ...as well as campus/location preferences. Since it's undergrad, I think she's going to be more heavily swayed by generous scholarship offers vs. rankings. I know which way she's leaning, but we'll see what she officially decides. I've been tracking her acceptances with homemade graphics like the one below. Last night I got to make my final graphic before the big decision...
View attachment 766488

Congratulations to her! That's fantastic! That's a tough decision, though, with so many choices. How much in the lead is her top choice?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Good morning! I wanted to check in with a little periodic fitness update. I've been doing pretty well with getting back on track. I'm doing my biking, weights, abs, and stretching 5-6 days a week. I'm noticing progress. My distance minimum is 15 miles, but my average is steadily climbing. This morning, I biked 15.93 miles and it felt better than my 15.42 average last week. The weights, toning, abs and stretching also is showing some progress. It's not the most exciting and varied fitness approach, but it's showing me that my most effective fitness stretches in my life are the ones where I can easily be a creature of habit.

In other news, it's been a big week for K. After a horrendous first attempt at prom dress shopping, we found a store with an amazing selection from her wishlist and far better service. I'll spare you the novel, but she had a total "say yes to the dress" moment. The following day, she had a big solo & ensemble performance and wound up with the top score. I think she's more excited that she'll be receiving a gold medal The biggest news...she's now heard from all 14 of the colleges to which she applied. She now has 14 choices! I don't think any of us were expecting this. UT Austin is the only one that's not a full acceptance. If she accepts their offer (called CAP), she would attend a UT satellite campus for her freshman year and then be transferred to the main campus in Austin as a sophomore. She doesn’t love this idea. The rest are a matter of weighing out things like program ratings vs. costs ...as well as campus/location preferences. Since it's undergrad, I think she's going to be more heavily swayed by generous scholarship offers vs. rankings. I know which way she's leaning, but we'll see what she officially decides. I've been tracking her acceptances with homemade graphics like the one below. Last night I got to make my final graphic before the big decision...
View attachment 766488

14? I applied to six and thought that was a lot!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Good morning.

I did a leg workout this AM. Spicy. The sun is out. It's been so long since it was last out. I am going to walk later.

I asked on a cat message board about effective, cat-safe methods to get rid of raccoons. These people live in Delululand. I was told to make Callie a house cat. I posted this in a sub forum about feral cats, so I was surprised to see this suggested as a solution. She absolutely does not want to be an indoor cat. If I did that, she would be so stressed, to put it mildly. There is no guarantee she would ever adapt to indoor life, either. I read an article by a vet who said making a feral cat live indoors is like making a human live outdoors. I am going to defer to the vets on this topic. Then I read a thread from a person who wanted to hear from people who had their vet put down their cat at home. OMG, someone said this was murder. For real. Which is more cruel...letting a beloved pet pass "naturally" in loads of pain or relieving them of their suffering? There are no hospices for pets, so there aren't any vets giving morphine to dying pets in pain. I had to stop reading that thread, because I think that's lunacy. I was soooooo tempted to ask if this person if they fed their cats meat. I do think the at home euthanasia is a good idea. I'd rather have my pet go at home, no stressful trip to the vet, they leave in familiar surroundings with their family around them and not on a stainless steel examination table. I wish this had been an option when my dog had to be put down, because I would have opted for it.

Jackson Galaxy and Kitten Lady (Hannah Shaw) are the two reliable sources of cat advice. Hannah does TNR and fosters a lot of kittens. She's also done extensive videos on your point about why we can't force feral cats to live indoors. She might have a video on her YouTube channel that may help.

 

[Sans Souci]

Jackson Galaxy and Kitten Lady (Hannah Shaw) are the two reliable sources of cat advice. Hannah does TNR and fosters a lot of kittens. She's also done extensive videos on your point about why we can't force feral cats to live indoors. She might have a video on her YouTube channel that may help.

I watched those channels before she even showed up at my door, particularly Kitten Lady. I'm like a secret cat admirer. I think she is content with the current set up. She has a cozy house to sleep in, she gets fed on demand and we treat her for fleas and ticks. She comes and goes as she pleases. We're meeting her where she is. While I wish she could be a house cat, I know she can't. I read these accounts of people trying to bring them in and they describe keeping the cat in a room with the cat bouncing off the walls, hiding, not eating. That sounds awful. She does come in on her own accord to eat, then figured out there was a vent near by and she will loaf as the heat is coming through. I always keep the door open, so she never feels trapped.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

So I have not been working out lately. I haven't been sick in over a year and somehow I was sick TWICE in January. Both times requiring antibiotics.

I have been getting a "workout" in with all the projects I'm trying to accomplish in the house. I'm trying to turn the basement into my space (I don't sleep or shower down there, but I do work down there, and there's a living room and kitchenette) so I have a new TV delivered this past week and a new refrigerator delivered. Along with a bunch of other purchases. So I've been moving furniture around, moving boxes, in general just getting stuff done. Yesterday I went to IKEA and now I have several new pieces of furniture that are either here or being delivered. The house is currently a mess...and I'm inclined to just leave it for now; I'm exhausted.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

So I have not been working out lately. I haven't been sick in over a year and somehow I was sick TWICE in January. Both times requiring antibiotics.

I have been getting a "workout" in with all the projects I'm trying to accomplish in the house. I'm trying to turn the basement into my space (I don't sleep or shower down there, but I do work down there, and there's a living room and kitchenette) so I have a new TV delivered this past week and a new refrigerator delivered. Along with a bunch of other purchases. So I've been moving furniture around, moving boxes, in general just getting stuff done. Yesterday I went to IKEA and now I have several new pieces of furniture that are either here or being delivered. The house is currently a mess...and I'm inclined to just leave it for now; I'm exhausted.

The best thing to do is to take care of yourself and not push it. The small projects sounds good until you fully recover, you could try some light yoga (like beginner sessions) too. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Sans Souci]

So I have not been working out lately. I haven't been sick in over a year and somehow I was sick TWICE in January. Both times requiring antibiotics.

I have been getting a "workout" in with all the projects I'm trying to accomplish in the house. I'm trying to turn the basement into my space (I don't sleep or shower down there, but I do work down there, and there's a living room and kitchenette) so I have a new TV delivered this past week and a new refrigerator delivered. Along with a bunch of other purchases. So I've been moving furniture around, moving boxes, in general just getting stuff done. Yesterday I went to IKEA and now I have several new pieces of furniture that are either here or being delivered. The house is currently a mess...and I'm inclined to just leave it for now; I'm exhausted.

There is no deadline to get your living space in order. It will be there when you're feeling better and even then you can tackle it, little by little. Your health takes a priority over that stuff. My husband spent Saturday afternoon putting two bookcases/shelving units with glass doors from IKEA together. There was a lot of swearing at nobody in particular with a lot of questioning himself out loud about buying flat pack furniture thrown in for good measure.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning

Checking in with biceps and back with some rebounding.

Just a quiet week here, nothing going on. My husband is going to place in Jersey City tonight and won't be back until Thursday evening. I guess I have gotten used to it somewhat. I know I could go up with him, but I prefer staying down here. I prefer walking around here vs. walking in Jersey City, plus I am alone for 12-13 hours a day up there. At least down here, my son is around, so there is someone to talk to--not that either of us are prodigious talkers.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Yeah, outside of them hurting the cat, I worry about them taking residence in our attic for the third time. I feel kind of sorry for them, actually. I know they are just living their lives and they are not trying to be a nuisance. I don't want them harmed.



She is already neutered, her ear is tipped. I'd love to bring her in, but I really think she'd hate it. Do the cats come to her house or does she go to a colony to feed them? Someone told me to feed her further away from the house. I don't know if that is a better solution. When she eats at the patio door, I can bring her dish in as soon as she is done. I also thought it would be safer, since (I erroneously thought) animals would be reluctant to come onto a deck and eat food mere feet away from humans.

If you're having attic issues, that's definitely reason to call out a pro. They can relocate them, seal up any potential points of entry, and make it look less appealing.

She's a bit of both. She's a safe haven for any random strays that stroll through her neighborhood, but she also works with some groups to help colonies. She'll periodically post pictures of the regulars and the newbies that pay her a visit.