You know, being alone with my daughter seemed so tough at the beginning. Now, I think we are working a decent stride. Living with my parents is a bummer though but at least I have a roof over my head and a family that is interested in my well being. I started working with the home health agency I worked with before I got married in 2000. Every time I came to live in Montana, I would always go back to Spectrum and work until I had to go back up to Canada. Well, no more bouncing back and forth. I am working minimal hours but hopefully on monday I can get back up to parr. See, last week I broke my big toe and since I have to walk around alot, the pain is excuiating! But now, its bearable and I am training myself to think positively and keep going not to fall back and complain and quit like I used too. I finished the scarf for the winter scarf swap and just today I sent off the baby afghan that I promised someone to make when she was bitten by a spider and her shoulder had to be immobilized. My cat, Kaleigh, thinks that all things crocheted belong to her and she has to give her approval of the item. She likes to "sing" at night and she drags out crocheted items to me when I am in the living room. Well, needless to say, she brought out this afghan that I made and the little ends of yarn came out after I tucked them in. I love Kaleigh! So with the same yarn that I crocheted the blanket I made a toy mouse for her. I even put stuffing with cat nip in it just for her. The result? She won't touch it because Abby and my mom's cat, Asher have taken it over. Asher is part persian and part tom. He has the persian body and tom face and paws. He is such a big baby and expects everyone to baby him. I cannot stand him. Truth be told, he used to be my cat but since I went away to Job Corp when I was 21, he adopted my mom. He irks me royally because he complains when he doesn't get the attention he "THINKS" he deserves. It drives my mother's blood pressure through the roof because he is the most narssistic cat and demands sole attention. He complains a lot so I call him "Sir Asher Whines Alot". Mom thinks that this name suits him but he whines about it. Now, Asher has a bladder stone and he pees on my parents bed, on the walls in the cat room and licks himself incessently!!!! My dad complains about the bed and the washing but he has a retreat: WORK. He isn't at home when Asher complains about not being able to pee and complains to mom that he is not getting the exact amount of attention that he demands. My mom's other cat, her siamese Bootsie, has thyroid problems and has to take medicine for the rest of her life for this. Well, when it is time for Bootsie's med's, like a typical cat, she runs and hides. But her medicine is liquid and poultry flavored. Asher has a hissy fit because HE thinks he should have everything that everyone else has. Asher wasn't our first cat when we adopted him from the pound, you see. But he feels he should have PRIORITY in everything in the house. He and Bootsie are boyfriend and girlfriend (even though they are fixed). Bootsie likes to cuddle with him at nap times and when he wants her there, he is docile and quiet but when he is in his mood (doesn't matter if he is hurting or not) he doesn't want to be bothered. My dad doesn't see the many sides of Asher. My mother has tolerated Asher's antics for a long time and now, she is tired of Asher always demanding to be held, his whining at everyone.....Sarah would be walking to the bathroom and he whines at her. This is not communication, people! I have been around cats for a long time and I have been called at times the Cat Whisperer because I do communicate with the feline species. Asher just doesn't like people being around when he wants ALL the attention for himself. He is in a very selfish mode in his life. Well, Asher has been selfish since we brought him home. Anyway, to make a long story short, my mother wants to put Asher down because not only does he have a blocked bladder stone, but he has bad teeth and they need to be pulled. Mom and Dad do not have that kind of money! Dad doesn't want Asher put down. Dad doesn't understand that he is suffering but it doesn't matter. Bootsie is only 8 years old and has an absessed tooth that needs to be pulled too and this thyroid problem. Mom wants to end Bootsie's misery but Dad is like, "keep giving her the medicine, she will be ok". My dad doesn't understand how Bootsie feels. She hisses at Kaleigh and Abby a lot and those two don't do anything. Asher is in a lot of pain but he thinks that his Mommy will get the stone out. Surgery is too expensive, Asher will not take his pill, he pukes it up....we tried a variety of ways to get that pill in him but he is allergic to them. The Vet and my father really are prolonging death. One way or another they will be taken care off. I don't know. Maybe my dad thinks I am too verbal in my knowledge as to what is going on inside the cat's mind. But then again, my dad grew up on a farm and cats were not pets then. Ok, enough about the cats. I have to search for a medium purse pattern that has short handles for the purse/tote swap I am in. That starts today and I would like to get this started.