Catch Up Fridays

(Cathy) I almost forgot it was Friday. Still trying to get back into routine, I guess. It's been a busy week being mom taxi. Mom taxi is my new role for 2011. The older one works as a swim instructor/lifeguard 3 days a week after school. This is a good thing and Hubby and I get a kick out of seeing him in the pool teaching. Yes, we went to watch the first day! It's neat to see a goal realized as we started him in swimming lessons when he was three years old. Our younger one is a volunteer swim instructor once a week and has honour band practice once a week. With that and piano lessons it will be a busy winter.

Yeah!!!! It finally snowed!!! Skiing here we come! It feels so good to be outside with two narrow lengths of whatever skis are made of strapped to my feet and point myself downhill and go. I am not a great skier, however, it's still exhilarating even on the green hills! (Carolin) To each their own, Cathy. But you are right about the snow, finally we have snow!! It is beautiful outside, not too cold and everything covered in a blanket of white.

It has been a crazy first week back to routine. We celebrated the teenagers 19th birthday last Sunday. We went to a dinner theater and saw Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat. Unfortunately, no Donny Osmond but it was still pretty good. The teenager spent a lot of the time watching the conductor and leaned over to tell me she misses her music! This from the girl who said 6 months ago how she hated playing and never wanted to do it again!

Last night we got all dressed up (make-up and everything!) and witnessed the wedding of the husband's baby sister. The wedding and cocktail reception were all at one location, which I must say was very nice. She has married into a large family whom seem to love her and her kids. It was very beautiful and touching. But it did make for a late night and the husband had to be at work for 6:30 this morning.

So this is the situation at our house. The cat, 'Duster', has been a part of the family since the teenager was 5. He is now 14 year old and has been sick with an immune disease for at least 5 years now. He takes meds for it, really not a big deal but for the last 6 - 9 months he has not been using the litter box for his bowel movements. Yes, I know gross, I have mentioned many times that he needs to be put down as this is not acceptable. The rest of the family has argued with me. For the last month or so he has been getting worse, we find his mess daily. We are now keeping all the rooms that have doors on them closed to stop the unwelcome surprises. The husband is now on my side and agrees Duster has to go.

Christmas morning as the teenager is passing out the gifts from under the tree. She puts her hand in something wet. Yep, you guessed it, he is now peeing on whatever he wants. Needless to say she is now on the side of the cat has to go. We now just have the little one who cries when ever the issue of the cat is raised. Duster now pees regularly on my living room floor. I am having a fit as it will seep into the hardwood and we will never get the smell out. So as of yesterday I told the little one she is now responsible for cleaning up the cat's mess. She had to do it yesterday and then again today when we got home from church. She was not happy but has now agreed that I can call the vet.

I feel bad about the whole thing but I don't know what else to do. Oh yes, we have taken him to the vet and tried numerous different things but nothing has worked. As well as having this immune disease the vet also says Duster has irritable bowel syndrome and that is why he won't use the litter box.