Hello Yuki

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Yuki loves my closet - meow!

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Naptime already!?
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Naughty Peanut

Kitty on the counter beggin' for treats! Papa taught him that habit ;-)
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Countdown

As the days whiz by I get closer to being unemployed-being laid off after 20 years of service at my company. I have never been without a job and it sure does make me nervous. I have some severance if I can't be placed elsewhere in the company. Unfortunately, the jobs I qualified for have also been cut. And then there's the fact that really I have received zero assistance anyway.

Perhaps it's simply time to move on and start over with a new company.
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Hooray first clematis blooms!

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As soon as I sit up...

My little boy beagle Petey grabs my spot. I just went ahead and covered him up - he likes to be warm!
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Goodbye Sweet Atticus...1992-2009

We had to let go of our first kitty, Atticus. Heartache and misery to let go of my little guy. He was not a cat...he was a feline entity...so much personality. The house is empty without him.

Laid off...

For the past two years I have loved my job as a clinical social worker with older adults. We had a really unique program that helped older folks with mild cognitive impairment or mental health issues such as depression get their lives back. We saw so many people regain their resiliency and make new meaning and purpose for themselves.

But this year's Medicare cuts drove the final nail in our coffin. Our program was cut and the entire staff laid off. We will finish out treatment for our current patients and then we are off to hinterlands of unemployment, or even worse, forced into a job we are not suited for. It's all really depressing and the patients are angry and upset because there's no other program we can refer them to that's like ours.

It's been the best two years of employment I've ever had. It's a bad time to be jobless. I hope things turn out okay. It's definitely an anxiety-producing time.

Wasting away

It's hard to watch Atticus in his final days, but he continues to have an appetite and acts like he wants to be here. If he snows pain or misery beyond what he is showing now I'll have to make the decision.

But right now he's cuddled up beside me and climbed up on the couch on his own. I sure do hate to lose my old guy.

Off for the day and the weather is fine!

Grayson keeps Atticus warm

Atticus is still hanging in there ... Little grayson is cuddled up with him on the couch- poor baby.

Atticus in the balcony window...

 

Atticus joined Grayson on the ledge. You can see where his lip is tucked under...that's because he lost one of his "feline fangs" when he was about 15...he's well through his 16th year. I'm surprised he keeps on ticking...but am glad he does! In his old age he's lost more than half his highest body weight. He was a very big cat in his day...rrrraaaaawwwwwrrrrrr!

Grayson

 

Grayson is feeling much better...and is back in his favorite spot at the balcony window...

drinking from the magic well

 

I got this wonderful parent-approved toilet bowl for the dogs and cats for Christmas. Now they can drink from the toilet all they want without getting into trouble. They love it!! Atticus is getting a slurp in this photo.

Grayson

 

Grayson has been feeling icky from a skin infection, but since he got a steroid shot, he's been pretty spry. It's good to see him being obnoxious again.

I can't figure out...

Why my pillow smells like a beagle.

Petey immediately roosts on my pillow as soon as I get up. Naughty dog!

Petition Against Vick

For anyone out there that are as disgusted as I am with Michael Vick's actions, and minimal sentence, there is a petition to ban him from the NFL.

Michael Vick has openly admitted to the fighting, torture, and murder of many pit bulls on his land in Virginia. These dogs were not only fought but murdered in some of the most brutal ways-beating, drowning, hanging, and even electrocution.
For the horrible crimes that Michael Vick has committed, he was sentenced to a mere 23 months in prison, and now his lawyers are announcing that he should be out of prison and in a halfway house by Jan. 20, 2009.

This petition is to encourage the NFL to not reinstate Michael Vick into the NFL EVER! As we all know, famous athletes are supposed to be role models, setting a good example for America and its youth. Michael Vick should never be allowed to play professional football again.

If you agree with this, please sign the petition. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-NFL-from-reinstating-MichaelVick

For more information on how the dogs lives have been affected please visit http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/07/vick.dogs.rehab/index.html

Dog's nose for danger saves lives--Scout rocks!!

Dog's nose for danger saves lives

http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/dec/22/a-nose-for-danger/

Knoxville News Sentinel