Kitten Update:
I had company for a few days so had limited time with the kittens. But before that, last Wednesday, a vet appointment for first shots, worming etc. I lured Juniper and Arlo into carriers. I had been hoping to get them both into one carrier so I could lure Bob into the other, but instead they each took one. So I took them to the vet. Vet confirmed my sex assumptions -- Arlo is male, Juniper is a rare female ginger, yay! Neither of them was happy about being trapped or transported or handled by the vet, but after a few initial hisses, no one bit Dr. Joe (or me). They did great, and after a few hours of hiding right after we got home, they have returned to their old selves.
That is to say, Juniper has made great progress in being friendly. I've been able to pick her up and skritch her and snuggle her and pet her several times, and she promptly starts purring! She seems fairly relaxed but usually leaves my lap or arms pretty soon after I stop restraining her. I think we're close to her approaching *me* for pets! Arlo is still pretty wary and although I've petted him a few times I have not picked him up yet. He might sniff my extended hand or bat at it, but still jumps if I cop a pet along his spine or tail when he happens to be within reach.
On the one hand, I still can't so much as stand up without them all scattering to under the couch. On the other hand, some progress -- I can sometimes enter the room without them leaving their windowsill perch or spot on the floor, if I walk v e r r r r y s l l l o o w w w l l l y y y across the the room and don't go too near to them.
Bob, however, is another story. Remember he was wilder than the others to begin with. When I returned from the vet, I spent the rest of the day attempting to catch Bob for his turn. I almost caught him twice but he escaped both times. One time I actually grabbed him as he escaped the carrier and if I had been wearing gloves I might have been able to just put him in the carrier. But since I wasn't wearing gloves, his panic led to several scratches on my hand (all minor and now almost gone, but I did watch them carefully and treat with an anti-infection tincture) and I let him go back into the room. He's now extra spooked and I haven't seen a whole lot of him since Wednesday. He's still around, doing fine, in fact I just watched him eat some kibble a few minutes ago -- he's just not so interested in getting to know me at the moment. Next Wednesday I will break his heart further as I attempt to trap him yet again for another try at the vet's office.
Twice while holding Juniper in my arm, I've tried to walk out of the room to let her experience at least a whiff of the rest of the house. But my opening the door causes her to panic so I've aborted that project both times.
No recent photos of Arlo or Juniper (hopefully I'll have a lot more time with them in the next few days since my company left this morning and also the oppressive high temperatures are supposed to cool down starting tomorrow which will make hanging out with them more pleasant) but here are some of Bob after his kibblefest just now:
People. PEOPLE! I am surfing the net right now instead of scrambling to do fire things! :-D
I am done after tonight, and plan to spend all day tomorrow making up to my bed for leaving it alone so much the last two weeks.
So happy for Neymar and Brazil...that was a spectacular match. Glad they won gold when it really counted.
I love the Olympics. Especially since Bolt won the triple-triple and Jamaica did well in track & field, even through injuries and illness!
My husband made a lovely grilled cheese sandwhich for me. Brought it to me and served it with a delicious glass of iced tea and a smatterering of my favorite salt and vinegar chips. But we're out of sweet pickles.
He served grilled cheese with no bread and butter or gerhkins. That's grounds for divorce, right?
there's some opportunities cooking. Could use positive thoughts, vibes, prayers, kitty kisses, head bonks and ear skritches...will let y'all know more this week.
I'm still alive, but basically, I have time for a couple hours of sleep a day and that's it for another several days. Probably midweek before I'm back. *waves*
We're doing IUI in the morning. Send some good vibes that our genetic material does the requisite sweet fellowship and we can start our army for Christ.