Well, I had to do it again — I had to have an old cat of mine put to
sleep. I had poor old Molly for 19 years and it was a very hard thing to do. But
she was going downhill and I felt like I owed it to her not let her suffer.
The house seems awfully empty without her because she was a major
snuggler. So when I settle on the couch to do some reading, it seems weird to
not have her laying on my lap.
My nephew PJ and I found her 19 years ago when we were riding
our bicycles down the Stoen quarry road. She came out of hiding to see us
and was so tiny and cute I decided to take her home. PJ put her on his
shoulders and she stayed there calmly while we rode back to town with her.
She was part Abyssinian and part tabby so I always called her my
“abby-tabby” and “tiger lily.” I will
always be thankful for the time I had with her but will miss our snuggle sessions.
PPP
Now that Sparky lives in a one-cat household I have a feeling he will
become even more spoiled than before, if that is possible. He doesn’t
even seem to notice Molly is gone except for the fact that my lap is always
available when he decides he’s feeling affectionate. I have found the key
to calming him down. I give him a slab of butter to lick which seems to
turn him into mush, and he crawls up on his chair and goes night-night.
PPP
Santa Claus will be putting in an appearance at Snoqualmie Fire
Hall on Saturday, Dec. 18, from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. You’re never too old to
snuggle with Santa and whisper in his ear what you would like for Christmas.
PPP
Marathon training goes on (and on and on). I have now done 12 miles
a couple of times, and the next step is 15 miles. The 12 miles actually
turned out to be easier than I expected, and I wasn’t even sore. I was tired and
had to keep moving all day because I had lots to do, and knew if I quit
moving, that would be it for the day. When I went to bed to read at 8 p.m. I
fell asleep immediately with a book in my hand.
The fund raising is going quite well also. I feel like I am becoming
a pro at raising money. I never thought I would be able to raise over
$1,000, but I have. My family has been a major support group through all this.
My sisters Judi and Margie and sister-in-law Sue and both my brothers Bob
and Russ and my parents have all helped in many ways. I definitely could
not do this without family and friends.
PPP
I have not met my honor patient Don Howard yet, but we keep in
touch by e-mail. I very much admire his positive attitude that he is
keeping through all this. Don has CML, which stands for chronic myelogenous
leukemia. Part of his current treatment is starting on Interferon. He is also on
a bone-marrow-donor waiting list. If you have never thought about
registering as a bone marrow donor, please consider it. A lot of great people
out there depend on healthy people to help them through their rough times.
Don and his wife Maria live in Kent with their five children.
Maria informed me that Don is a great cook and would like to be a chef.
Hopefully our schedules will work out soon so that we can meet.
PPP
Here’s a holiday recipe to try if you are having ham for dinner:
Currant horseradish sauce. Just heat 1/2-cup red currant jelly in saucepan
until melted and stir in 1 to 1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish.
PPP
“A tiny good deed counts more than a huge intention.”
PPP
It happened this week: Old scrooge couldn’t avoid the
holiday spirit when Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was published in 1843.
PPP
I found a really good way to increase my walking speed: just
walk when it’s raining and the wind is blowing hard. It’s amazing how fast
your feet can move when you feel like ice is hitting your face. It’s also a
guaranteed way to remove makeup.
PPP
A good way to get in a little bit of exercise is to grab your family
and walk around your neighborhood to look at all the Christmas lights.
When you are doing something enjoyable with other people, it doesn’t seem
like exercise.
I look at all my neighbors’ lights and feel ashamed that I haven’t
even got my tree put up yet. My excuse is that I want to put the tree in the
spot where Sparky seems to have planted himself permanently in a chair on
a coat for sleeping purposes. Heaven forbid I disturb the little darling.
PPP
A good way to keep a hand on the fire hazard of a Christmas tree is
to make sure you keep plenty of water in the tree holder and the tree
away from all heat sources. But you can also invest in one of those tree
ornaments that doubles as a smoke alarm.
Please submit items for the Snoqualmie News Notes to
Donna, P.O. Box 604,
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
or e-mail Ballou1@earthlink. net.
