Cats and Coupons

Rennie is still sleeping on the chair under the kitchen table. Shadow is now sleeping on the back of one of the dining room chairs. Now just so you know, it isn’t a wide backed chair or anything, it’s actually an old office chair that I got when my work upgraded furniture. I can’t believe he sleeps there without falling, it’s only about two inches wide. It could be worse, he could be sleeping on top of the baby bedding I’ve started getting together for my sister in law.

One of the things I’d really like to do in our home is redo most of the floors. When we moved in the house only had hardwood flooring. Over time we put carpet into the boys bedroom as well as the living room. Three dogs and about six cats later, the exposed hardwood and all of the old carpeting look worn. It’s no secret that homes with pets endure things that other homes don’t, such as hairballs, shedding, dirt, drooling, dripping, accidents and claw sharpening. All of these things are hard on flooring and cause them to age and need replacement more frequently.

I remember when we originally started looking for carpet it was a real chore because you had to drive from store to store to see all of the different flooring choices available. These days it’s much easier to shop for flooring, you don’t even need to leave your house. Empire Today is a flooring company that brings samples to your home and gives you a free estimate. Installations are done the next day. They carry a wide range of products including carpet, hardwood, ceramic and laminate flooring. I wondered how their level of service was so I read through a number of the Empire carpet stories as well as the other Empire stories and found that their customers seem very pleased.

If I were replacing the hardwood in my house I’d get laminate flooring and carpet in all high traffic areas. Laminate flooring looks amazing, is less expensive than wood, is easy to clean and doesn’t scratch like hardwood does. Also, because it wouldn’t trap hair and dander like carpet, it’s a healthier and cleaner alternative to carpet. I’d replace the pile in the boys bedroom with a berber because they’re extremely durable and there’s no pile to get squished or ruined. Empire Today carries both products so for me it’s be a one stop shop. (Talk about your one stop shop, they also carry window treatments and bath/shower liners.) Most of all, I don’t have a lot of time to waste so I’d appreciate Empire’s convenient in home service.

If you’re a pet owner you don’t need a futures broker to tell you there’s a good chance that you’re going to have to deal with shedding. I’ve heard a lot about the Roomba, but have never tried one. Over on the RedPlum website I found a Roomba contest that ends in a couple of days, the prize is a Ibot Roomba. It’s worth $300, so I’m guessing it’s a decent model. Are there many different models? Whenever we move any furniture in our house we usually find enough pet hair to make a whole new pet. How do you deal with shedding and pet hair?

I know that money’s pretty tight now for everyone. I heard on the radio recently that foreclosures are up almost 50 percent and that companies are being more careful with mortgage quotes and loan approvals in order to try and keep the amount of foreclosures down. People that have homes already are refinancing. (I do not understand why someone would include a vehicle in a refinance. I’m sure the temptation must be great to get rid of one more payment, but come on. Who pays for a car for 20,30 or 40 years? That’s just silly.) To me it seems the real estate market hasn’t been good for two years. The house on one side of me sat for about a year before selling. The house two doors down was on the market for about six months. It makes me glad I’m not moving.

I’m fortunate, the two cats we have now don’t scratch the furniture. The reason I say fortunate is because we adopted them, so we really didn’t know what bad habits we might be getting. Anyway. Cats use their claws to defend themselves, so they sharpen them to keep them ready. That’s why a cat scratches its claws.

Unfortunately, cats claws can be very destructive. If your cats are scratching their claws on your furniture there is something you can try. Cats dislike citrus. Get yourself some lemon scented fabric spray and spritz the furniture with it. Also, be sure your cat knows where an acceptable place to scratch their claws is. Get the cat a scratching post or cat tower and put some catnip on it to get their attention. This is a common technique used to get cats to stop scratching furniture. Let me know if you’ve tried it and how it worked or if you need to try it.

Several years ago my beloved Himalayan cat Nikki got sick. In the last day his whole manner changed and I knew the end was coming. I believe he did as well. Looking back, I realize he’d stayed closer to me than usual for a few days before the end. On the last day he wouldn’t leave my side at all. I sat on the floor and he curled up in my lap and passed. My heart broke. We get so attached to our pets, for some of us they are like family.

This past Sunday night my Mom’s cat passed. The cat was about 10 and had a long, good life. For two or three days prior the cat was having a hard time walking but managed to stay near my Mom. I knew my Mom was really hurting, so I tried to help by talking with her. In the course of our conversation I shared my theory of what happened when each of our cats had died.

I believe that in each case our cats stayed near us because they loved us and knew we loved them. I think they knew the end was coming and that being close for a little time together was the cat’s way of thanking me, telling me he loved me and saying goodbye. I believe the cats were all preparing themselves, and us in a way, for their death. I know in Nikki’s case he managed a weak purr until the end, when he let go with one last meow. I believe he was in peace and content with the life he’d had. I still miss him and think of him often.

I have since experienced almost an identical bond with a cat twice. Once was with Pumpkin, a cat who we rescued from a shelter. I nursed him for weeks after we got him to keep him alive. He left us suddenly, again breaking my heart. Now it’s with Shadow, the male cat I have now. You may not think that’s a big deal but, did you know that all three of the cats are/were male Seal Point Himalayans? Sometimes I wonder if in a way my Nikki is still with me.

Something every pet owner can enjoy is a digital photo frame. Actually, I can’t think of anyone that wouldn’t enjoy one. Digital frames have come down so far in price since they first came out that they’re actually affordable now. They come in many different styles and sizes so you can get one for yourself or give it as a gift. And they aren’t just for personal use. Businesses are now giving branded digital photo frames to their clients to keep them in the front of their minds. Now that’s a cool gift, far better than the jar of candy and gym bag that one of my other jobs gave out. Digital Frames Direct specializes in digital picture frames and has an incredible amount of selections to choose from. They even have some video reviews of digital frames that take the viewer from delivery to setup. I really got a kick out of the idea of using digital frames as a tool in a call center. That’s an awesome idea that would have worked great when I was selling computer products. If you want to see all sorts of different frames and ways to use them all in one place then Digital Frames Direct should be your destination.

I have a friend who frequently mentions to me how her cats get into everything. We animal lovers love to see our pets happy and playful but should be aware of potential dangers within our own homes. I recently wrote about foods in your own kitchen that can be dangerous, today I am writing about potential dangers in another room, the bathroom.

Most people know to put their medications away to ensure the safety of children. But are they aware that those same meds can make their pets sick? Both over the counter and prescription medications should be kept in a sealed bottle and inside a higher cabinet. Some of the non prescription drugs that are dangerous to pets include acetaminophen, antihistamines, cold medicines, diet pills, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and vitamins. All prescribed medications should also be kept out of reach of reaching hands and paws.

Toilet bowls with treated or colored water, as well as those with automatic cleansing bottles and tablets used should be kept closed. Also, cats have been known to fall into a toilet and be unable to get out, drowning.
Soaps, if licked, eaten or swallowed, will upset your pet’s stomach and probably induce vomiting and diarrhea.
Grooming tools. Keep razors, scissors, knives and any other sharp tools safely out of reach.
Floss. Make sure discarded floss is inside a tissue or in a trash pail with a lid. If a pet swallows it it could get wrapped on their intestines.
Cleaners. Household cleaners are often toxic and should remain out of reach.
House plants. Make sure the plant you have in your bathroom is not one of the toxic ones.

That’s all of the tips I knew or have found. If you have others, please feel free to share.

Going back a couple of years we had to replace our old metal swing set. It had rusted and was falling apart. My oldest son wanted something big enough that his friends could play on. We wanted something that would last a while and be affordable. So off we went to look at and price swing sets. We looked locally and everything we wanted or liked was out of our price range. Unwilling to give up, I decided to search online to see who else in our area carried them. I had never considered buying one online. I was so surprised to find out that some really big manufacturers sell their wood swing sets online for mush less than you can buy them elsewhere. And they’ll ship them to you on a freight truck. We saved about $400 on the swing set and it’s still standing and in excellent shape. So, if you are considering getting a swing set I recommend doing a little surfing online. You might find what you’re looking for at a really nice price.

Well, Christmas is over and the new year is under way. We took the tree down this past weekend as well as the decorations. All I have left to do tonight is take the wreath and the sleigh bells off of the front door. And then there’s the gifts. I need a place to put them. I also need to clean again, and get find good spots for the exercise equipment. See, my youngest got Thomas the Tank train sets that are currently up in two different rooms. The one in the living room is right in front of the picture window where we put the exercise bike. That train can’t stay up full time out here. I’m actually looking for a train table with drawers or bins underneath that everything could be stored in. I’m thinking we can put the new smart cycle next to my exercise bike so that my younger son and I can “ride” together.

Well here’s how you can enter a contest that’s giving a really nice one away.

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

The Prize:

The winner will receive a brand new
Hamilton Beach 4.5-qt. Eclectrics Stand Mixer, Pineapple Yellow!!

About the mixer:

From Hamilton Beach’s “Eclectrics” line, this all-metal stand mixer comes with a host of accessories - a Flat Beater for cakes and cookies, a Dough Hook for bread and a Wire Whisk for whipped cream or pudding. The 4.5-qt. stainless steel bowl comes with a Pouring Shield that helps prevent splattering while in operation. The pouring shield has a built-in chute for adding ingredients. Powered by 400 watts, the stand mixer has a two-way mixing action to ensure all ingredients are incorporated into the mix. The quick-release, tilt-up head assists when removing the bowl. 9 x 14 x 14-in. When you’re ready for a kitchen re-do, don’t call in the carpenters! Instead, “counterscape” your kitchen with Hamilton Beach’s retro-designed, affordably priced electrics in happy, sun-saturated colors. Their “Eclectrics” line includes updates to those classic appliances from the 1950s. All of their “Eclectrics” are available in six colors: Apple Green, Moroccan Red, Pineapple Yellow, Intrigue Blue, Sugar White and Licorice Black.

Lori over at My Wooden Spoon has created many ways to earn entries into this contest, so everyone has a chance to win. Good luck to all!

Did you ever work for a really cheap employer who didn’t care about the employees? I used to be the administrator of a business that relocated in order to save money. They moved from a nice first floor location pretty close to major highways and public transportation to a fifth floor space in an old five story building. That building had the worst heating and air conditioning. In the summer we roasted, even when the air was on you couldn’t tell the air was on. In the winter frequently the furnace didn’t work at all, but the owner expected us to stay even if it meant working in our coats. When the furnace did work it was still cold and several of us put little portable heaters under our desks. Then the owner complained what that did to the electric bill. We couldn’t put in gas portable heaters which are more economical because the suite wasn’t connected to natural gas. Business really declined after that move. I’m sure glad I don’t work there any more.

I have a friend whose house is always cold, probably because it’s basically a converted porch on a really old house. She only has propane in the house, and has been supplementing the existing heat with space heaters. I did email her about the DESA Outlet because they have some propane wall heaters she might be interested in looking at.While I was on their site I saw a nice natural gas fireplace almost 50% off on their site. We used to talk about our dream of having a fireplace but I hadn’t realized at the time they made them for natural gas. Hmmmm.

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, full of family, love, warmth, joy and kindness. I also want to express my thanks to all of my blogging buddies and my blog visitors. I hope we can share each others company for a long time to come.

Merry Christmas!

I have this habit of planning all of the improvements we need or want to do at our home. The “old” bathroom is called that because it is as old as the house, about forty years old. Some of the stuff in that bathroom is probably that old. The bathroom is split in two halves, separated by a door. The front half has two sinks side by side and the back half has the toilet and the tub. Every fixture in there needs to be replaced, particularly the sinks. The two sinks are a gross mud beige color and they’re chipped. When we put our “new” bathroom in we looked at a lot of styles and brands of sinks. We ended up going with one of the Kohler sinks because they looked nice, have a good reputation and were priced competitively. Now all we have to decide is if we’re going to stay with two sinks or drop down to one. I have a little time, I’m hoping to make this project happen in 2009.