Sparking Joy

My newly folded shirt drawer

I read "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" probably over a year ago. I don't remember for sure. Long time ago. I think I got rid of some clothes, maybe, at the time. I liked it, I liked the ideas, but I wasn't energetically up for the sort of major decluttering I needed at the time.

I've started watching the Netflix show and I'm so much healthier now, and more ready to get rid of stuff I keep tripping over looking for the stuff I actually want to use. One of the aspects of Marie Kondo's methods that I had decided I didn't want to use was the upright folding thing. I didn't want to learn a new way to fold clothes, and, really, there was nothing wrong with the way I folded, so I didn't need to change that, I thought.

But it just kept coming up again and again and again as I watched. Well . . . maybe, I thought, maybe I'll just try the shirts and see if I like it. This is my newly folded shirt drawer. So nice, right? I should have done a before picture. Before this, after I had already gotten rid of a fair number of shirts, the drawer was hard to open and close. Shirts would get stuck, and I'd have to shove or poke them back inside. Plus, I didn't really know what was in the back or on the bottom. 

The exact same shirts fit with space to spare now (which is great since there are shirts in the laundry I need to get in there). I can see them all at the same time. The new folding doesn't really even take longer then my old way. Pants next!

Meeko gets the Cone

Awhile back, Meeko developed abscess on his rear. This isn't a crazy unusual thing for a cat; we figured Panther bit him a little too rough during a wrestling match one day, even though they look like they're being really gentle with each other. So we cleaned him up, got him on antibiotics and everything healed up well.

Poor Meeko kitty recovering from abscess surgery

Then about a month later, I noticed Meeko licking his rear again and acting uncomfortable. A wound had opened up in the exact same spot where his previous abscess had been. This time we had to sedate him to get a better look. The doctor probed, looking for any foreign material that could explain why the healed wound had reopened. Nothing interesting in there, but it was a big pocket of space under the small opening.

I thought maybe the infection had been resistant to the first antibiotic, but the doc wasn't so sure. There was no sign of infection this time. No discharge or anything like that. Spider bite? Maybe, but it didn't look like the classic spider bite wound. There was really no way to know what had gone wrong, but it was strange. Doc sewed him up for me, and this time, he had to wear the cone. Even thought I hadn't noticed him bothering the wound as it healed the first time, we were not taking chances since it was now a recurring problem.

I know pets hate the cone, and I thought I was sympathetic to them, but man-o-man, is is rough living with a depressed pet who is stuck in one of those things. He had to wear it for two weeks and a couple days. Two weeks for the sutures to come out and the doc wanted it on a couple extra days for good measure.

You have never seen so happy a cat as Meeko the day he got his cone off. There was frolicking. I think he groomed his face for an hour straight. He played with Panther (who had been afraid of him in the cone and kept her distance for the past two weeks). He rolled over for belly rubs.

Meeko and Panther snuggled again!

And the best - the cone has been off for a week now and his healed wound continues to be healed. I'm watching it closely, but I hope it's done now. None of us want to do that again.

More Handmade Gifts (this time for me!)

My girls made Christmas gifts for me this past year as well. An adorable little wooden TARDIS - the door really open and everything. I'm trying to decide what to keep in there. And the cute black cat keychain. The cat has green eyes just like our Meeko kitty. I'm undecided where to keep that one too. The bag I use the most is also black and I'm afraid it won't show up well. So I suppose it would be best on my small purple purse. The downside is that I don't use it as much, but maybe that would make me worry less, because if I break it I would be super sad.
These kids have leveled up in a major way this year in their crafting skills. I'm just so - Wow! about these.

Christmas AmiguruMe!

I found this adorable book at the library, and decided that THIS is what I was making the girls for their Christmas amigurumi this year. They were more challenging to make than anything I'd tried before, but a challenge is good, and the instructions were great for the most part. I loved the book so much I think I may have to pick myself up a copy to keep. I have 2 more nieces who I'd like to make as gifts. The author/creator also has a book for making pets that looks fun, and one of cute food. If you're on Raverly her page is worth a look. So much cuteness! And I found a free pattern there for Sneeches (with and without belly stars!) I think I'm making that next.

Eldest daughter AmiguruMe by Kara Hartz

Youngest daughter AmiguruMe by Kara Hartz

Niece AmiguruMe by Kara Hartz

While I don't think I've ever posted photos of my kids, or my niece - trust me, this is exactly what they look like. Those little sandals and flip flops were the toughest, but turned out so cute!

NaNoWriMo 2018

Here we go again.
What am I thinking doing this again?

The Kitten Grows (but is still cute)

Dusty at 6 month old. Photo by Kara Hartz

Thoughts on Couch to 5K Week 5 Day 3

I'm back at the Couch to 5K program. I think it was the same day my surgeon gave me clearance to start exercising again, i went out for the first session. I was told to take things slow and gradually though, so I've been doing most sessions twice before moving on, thus turning the 9 week program into closer to 18 weeks. But that's all fine.

I just finished week 5 day 3. For those familiar with the program, this is the first really big day with no walking breaks. 20 min of jogging. Giving up the walking intervals is intimidating. I was doing some reading about the program, and read that this is the most common spot that folks will quit. The reason I was reading about the program was that I found it strange that this particular session happened at this point in the program, because week 6 day 1, the next scheduled session, has walking breaks back in again. Why would they do that, I wondered? Once you can do a run with no breaks, why go back?

My jogging trail. Photo by Kara Hartz

I don't have an authoritative answer, but the most common theory I came across it one I think I agree with. I was very nervous going into the week 5 day 3 run. I was worried I wouldn't make it all the way to the end. Because I'm taking things slow though, I figured I would just try again if I didn't make it. At the same time, I really didn't want to have to do it all over again, so I planned to try my best to get through. After that, I'd get my breaks back and I could go along happily. That, in a nutshell, is the theory about why they schedule it the way they do. If the walking breaks ended, and looking ahead at the rest of the program I saw that there would never be any walking breaks ever, my nervousness would have been much worse. I might have decided to stay at week 5 day 2 indefinitely, or until I felt 'ready' to move on. I might have quit.

It seems to be a psychological hurdle more, or at as much as, a physical one. Believing you can do it, and that it'll be okay is one of the main challenges of week 5 day 3. Knowing you just have to get through the one time, and you'll get walking breaks again helps with the mental battle you have to deal with. Really, the walking breaks don't last much longer. By week 6 day 3, they are gone for good. They last just long enough to let you know you can do a jog without breaks and you'll do fine, so when the walks are gone truly gone, you do feel ready.

The Mouse

Our kitten, panther, who recently turned one year old has a favorite mouse toy. It used to be Meeko's favorite mouse toy, but when Panther arrived, one of the first things she did was tear the feather tail off it, and ever since he has ignored the thing and it has been hers.

Panther's mice toys. Photo by Kara Hartz

It reminds me of how attached a child gets to a favorite object. She has all but destroyed the mouse. Perhaps if I hadn't told you it was a mouse, would you have been able to tell? The feather tail is gone, as I already mentioned, and the seams have been ripped open, and most of the stuffing is gone. The threads embrodering the face are a mess, or missing is places. Yet she still loves it.

Sometimes she knocks it under a piece of furniture, or behind something, or whatever, and can't get to it. Later, sometimes weeks I believe, we will come across it and give it back to her, and the sheer delight on her little kitty face is amazing. She plays with extra joy when she gets it back. This isn't to say she will never play with any other toy, but there is no doubt what her favorite is.

Also, like a child though, she will accept no substitutes to her lovey. When the stuffing kept coming out I worried about the mouse. I happened to be at the pet store buying her food and thought I'd get her a new one. I bought the pink mouse also in the photo. They didn't have anything exactly like her older mouse, but this was similar in size and fabric to the original, so I thought she'd enjoy it. I don't think I've personally seen her ever play with the pink mouse even once.

Very briefly I considered repairing the favorite mouse by re-stuffing it, and resewing its seams, but after the rejection of the new mouse, I'm afraid she would be insulted at my attempts. If she loves it the way it is, I will not be interfering
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