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No, I think she gave her cats something orally that helps dissolve the furballs so they can digest it rather than throw them up.
 

I'm so sorry Lena is so sick, I hope and pray it ISN'T something serious.  They can get viruses and hopefully that's all it is.  Poor little Lena!  Let us know what you find out.  It's good that she's able to drink and pee.

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Lena is still not right...somewhat lethargic and still no poop in the box. She is eating and drinking and urinating. My friend Paula retired from her career as a vet because she had to start taking blood thinners, and she is a great resource since she really misses working with animals. Paula said I should relax and give it another day before getting too worried. 

I called the office of Lena's vet and they said the same thing...also, Lena's regular vet is not at the clinic today but will be back tomorrow. I guess I'll wait till tomorrow and keep watching the litter box. Meanwhile, Lena is sleeping in the sunshine...

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Lena is better...a little tired but everything seems to be working ok. Looking back on it, Lena had a lot of oily food in a week - salmon, venison, and duck. It seems like it had an accumulative effect for her to eat all that fatty food long with high fat cat treats. Lena's regular canned food has 1.5 to 2% fat, and her Merry Meals by the same company with the same high quality natural ingredients have 5% fat. (I bought tons of Merry Meals during the holidays at about half price.) But the kibble she used to eat and the Temptation cat treats she loves have 17% fat. That is a huge difference. Lena's favorite treat is freeze-dried chicken; it is expensive and messy, since when she chews it up it turns to powder, but it is only 5% fat.I guess I need to be more careful about what she eats. It would be terrible if Lena developed health problems because I wasn't paying attention to what I feed her.

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My vet told me catfood has 30% fat, so judging from that I'm surprised she's not able to tolerate even 17%.  But perhaps her system is different than other cats, I know my dog has a very sensitive system, that is why I cook for him, he's on an extremely low fat diet.  

I'm relieved to learn she's doing better, I hope that trend continues!

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10 hours ago, kayc said:

I know my dog has a very sensitive system, that is why I cook for him, he's on an extremely low fat diet.  

Thanks, Kay! Lena seems to be all better. I feel badly about having given her food that made her sick, but I didn't really know it was a problem. I was starting to think it might be a problem, but the evidence was rather sketchy. How low is your dog's low fat diet? I wonder what percentage that is...

As to the cat food, I wonder what food that is that your vet is talking about. I have been reading a lot of cat food labels in the past week and the highest I saw was 18% on dry food and 8% on canned...

Lena now has health insurance! As things turned out, she was just "not feeling well" and the vet didn't diagnose her with anything other than an upset stomach. But it was scary. I don't want to ever be in a position where I need to make decisions about Lena's health care or even her life based on my finances. To me, Lena is worth more than all the money in the world, but that doesn't mean I have it. I'd rather just pay a little every month and feel more secure.

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Arlie has chicken breast, brown rice, 8 vegetables, fish oil, Metamucil, Probiotics, and eggshell powder.  It's pretty low fat.

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8 vegetables! That's pretty good-what are they? Lena is supposed to start taking probiotics - I got them yesterday...

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Any 8 of the following: kale, spinach, celery, mushrooms, peas, green beans, carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, yams, broccoli 
He can't tolerate cabbage even in small amounts.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm driving out to the reservation to work again - just one day a week, but the drive is brutal at three hours each way. It will be good to have the money, and hopefully I will be able to segue this into work next school year. I am now at the Junior/Senior high school and have seen a lot of the kids I worked with before at the elementary schools. A number of them saw me and wanted to know, "Where's your cat?" Lena only went out there occasionally, but it was fun for everybody and I guess it was memorable...

Only problem - all the way home, all three hours of it, I thought about how I used to look forward to having dinner with my day after the long drive. I also used to call him on the drive home, often several times. I sure miss him. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Lena to come home to. I sure love that cat!

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Oh Laura, you're driving more than double what my commute was and it got really old!  I wish you had something a whole lot closer.  I agree about Lena, I feel the same way about my dog and cat!

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3 hours ago, kayc said:

Oh Laura, you're driving more than double what my commute was and it got really old!  I wish you had something a whole lot closer. 

Yeah, I do too. It was great this year working in a district that is only a half an hour away. Too bad it won't continue... Driving out to the reservation once a week is not bad at all, going twice a week gets to be oppressive, and three times a week is unbearable. Two days a week is enough to live on easily but one day a week is really not enough; I would need something to go with it. Problem is that that work pays better than other work I can get and has a lot less paperwork.

I feel like I should be in a frenzy of worry and activity about securing work for next year, but I am not. Sundays are the only day I get any break at all and it seems like I should be getting caught up on things like paying some bills and writing a report that is due on Tuesday. But I got up and just went back to bed until Lena insisted that I get up for real and attend to breakfast. 

Thursdays I have my 14-hour reservation day. I drive to Prescott on Mondays and Wednesdays to take classes. Fridays I test kids and Tuesdays I am busy doing school psychologist work. Saturdays I have an all day ceramics class, and Lena does therapy cat visits on Sunday afternoons. I suppose it is no wonder that Sunday mornings make me want to crawl back into bed. I guess it looks like I am over the top. No wonder I am not doing any work on my dad's house; when would I do it? I am working on a commissioned sign for Shaun at the local greenhouse/nursery (13 acres of greenhouses and growing things). I hoped I could do the whole thing during Spring Break because I could work on it every day. But Lena's being sick took some time from that and I didn't finish. I keep dropping by and doing little bits, but don't have a block of about two hours that it would take to get it done. I saw Shaun on Friday and explained my concern, he said that he absolutely loves the sign and I shouldn't worry about it at all. Just finish it when I can. It's hard to stop worrying.

I suppose I should just do what is in my face and let the stuff that can wait just do that - wait for its turn. I have to feed and water Lena, myself, and plants at both houses, and I really have to complete a report by Tuesday. I have more time than I need between today and tomorrow. I have already fed myself and Lena, done the laundry, and caught up on my homework until April 19 - except one project that I have not much control over because the bulk of is a ceramic base that is waiting to go into the kiln - and the teacher is aware of that. I suppose I should water the plants and calm down. And the cello - I should practice the cello! Well, maybe in the evening after I get a lot done on the report... I just keep thinking of more things I need to do...I need to create a bill for March so I can get paid...

I think my planned schedule is doable; I just have to make a list, not panic and spin out of control. After this week, things will lighten up, and gradually there will be less and less on my plate. It just isn't getting here soon though...

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Yay. It's 9:15 and I finally stopped working. On the day that is supposedly my day off. Good thing I only have a few weeks of this total insanity before things calm down to something more doable. 

Meanwhile, there is this... http://www.theblueguitarmagazine.org/resources/Blue+Guitar+Spring+2017_ENJOY.pdf    My work is on pp 14-18

And my little wood carvings and ceramic cats...

 

 

 

IMG_3107.thumb.jpg.0f1948da90100939ed41b702556b4109.jpgIMG_3132.thumb.jpg.69ac1f233493b67a84012737b7c625fe.jpgIMG_3138.thumb.jpg.65479a856d2d850357ea816939c1f994.jpgIMG_3141.thumb.jpg.21023eb11f656c162920b54b7f1c1b72.jpg

 

 

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Your life sounds like mine!  It was easier, in a way, when I was working fulltime and had the same schedule day after day.  This piecemeal life seems harder somehow!  Maybe because every day is different.  Too much going on.

I love these ceramic cats!  The black marbling is really neat and I esp. love the posture of the last one.

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Laura, Your work is beautiful, I wish you could earn your living that way so you wouldn't have such a long commute.  I love the Peeking Cat.

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The school district where I have been working, doing contract work - 25 minutes from my house - has an opening for a school psychologist for next school year! A real job! I am excited and terrified. I need to apply online. The first step is a cover letter. I don't even remember how to write one...how long, what to say, what not to say, what kind of tone. I just don't even know. I love this school district, and have told everyone there so, at every turn, all school year. They have been very good to me, people have been very kind, and I have tried to hard to do my best in every way. But it was a hard year. I lost my dad and then was in that car accident. I was so unfocused when I started there in the fall and got behind on my paperwork. But I worked really hard and eventually got caught up.

Amy, the lead psychologist, has told me at every turn how much she has appreciated me helping them out this year. The special ed director has always been friendly to me and always seems very happy to see me, especially since he heard about my professional background and asked for my resume in the fall...

There are two school psychs there and one of them, Amy and J, whom I barely know. So one of them is leaving, but I don't know which one. Amy had a baby at summer's end and I was initially covering for her while she was on maternity leave. Then I have been her backup when she came back. Now I am doing more back up because she was out of town because her dad was very ill and then he died a few days ago. I certainly don't want to bug her...I just sent her a short sympathy text and said that I would do anything to cover for her and help out at work.

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On 4/4/2017 at 6:17 AM, kayc said:

Laura, Your work is beautiful, I wish you could earn your living that way so you wouldn't have such a long commute.  I love the Peeking Cat.

Thanks! I'm so glad you like my work. About earning a living, check out my post above this one and cross your fingers for me, ok?

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2 minutes ago, MartyT said:

Our fingers are crossed, Laura ~ along with our toes ;)

Thanks! You never know who you may be up against - or who may take a dislike to you, but it seems like I have a good chance. I have worked there as a contract person for the past year - so they know me. Also, I have a stellar resume with 13 years in the field of School Psychology and 21 years in the field of Social Work, in probation, prison, schools, agencies, home health, and private practice. These small towns have a hard time getting professionals, and positions sometimes are not filled at all. The job requirements call for a person to have one year of experience, which could be an internship year. The person I would be replacing began as an intern, and so did her predecessor. So they might be ecstatic to have someone with my background. And they say they like to hire from within...

One day in the fall I was chatting with the special ed director and the special ed coordinator and my work history was mentioned. He quizzed me about it and seemed really floored that someone with my background was living 25 minutes away, relatively at loose odds, willing to do part time contract work. Then he asked me for my resume and stashed it in his desk. Seems like a good sign, huh?

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Laura,

If you want to message me with your email address I'll send you the cover letter I used last to get the basic idea.  I'm sure you can google cover letters for resumes and there's probably all kinds of formats out there.

Good luck with the job, that would be great and I'm sure you'd do a terrific job!

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2 hours ago, kayc said:

Good luck with the job, that would be great and I'm sure you'd do a terrific job!

Thank you Kay! I did manage to get a cover letter together and had a fellow school psychologist look at it. It was pretty basic, but I think that was ok because the online application process had a lot of other information on it Nevertheless, it's always good to see how other people write stuff and get ideas. 

I sure hope I get this job. I have a lot to offer them, and I think I have a good chance. It's very exciting. It would get me back into the state retirement system, real health insurance, contributing to social security and all of that. I would also be part of the district rather than an outsider, and since it's a good district,, that would be great. And I would be driving less than a half hour to work!

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Laura, this is exciting. My thoughts will be with you as you complete your resume and wait. Less than a half hour to work would be great for you and for Lena. :wub:

Anne

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Basic is good...mine was rather thrown together, I change them depending on the job being applied for.  It's a good place to list your greatest accomplishment (in simple form).  I once got a job because of my cover letter...I'd stated that in over 30 years I'd never called in sick.  It was between me and one other person and that clinched it.

I am crossing my fingers for you but I'm sure you won't need it! :D  Let us know...

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Thanks! I got a job once- actually twice - due to writing a thank-you letter for a job interview, as my father had taught me. He told me that it was an easy way to get head and shoulders above other applicants because hardly anyone ever does it. You can also throw in anything you forgot in the interview or underscore something if you want to.

I talked to the SpEd coordinator, who is kind of the right hand to the SpEd director, who ultimately makes the decision. I told her that I had put in my application last night. She said that the director had asked her something about this yesterday - like he asked her if she knew if I was applying. She said she'd be sure to let him know. This seems good - that he is interested in my applying.

Also, as it happens, there are several situations at once right now that are kind of sticky wickets, in which he is getting involved because they are high profile or whatever. One of these meetings was today and had a brief word about another that is tomorrow. These are good opportunities to make a good impression about my knowledge of the law, my field, education, psychological evaluation data, and how it all fits together in a pressured situation. I think he was impressed with how I did today and that he feels confident about the one that is tomorrow. This seems good...

 

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