These kittens are growing up soooo fast

They're eating mushed up kitten chow now..................with relish. They've learned NOT to climb THE LEGS unnecessarily.............

And I've learned to tube feed an older sick cat. Yup, I am a feline nurse in my own house.........unfortunately, it probably isn't going to help Junior much. Will know for sure tomorrow.

BUT if your vet suggests tube feeding for your cat, it is not that hard to do - at all. I'd say go for it. WAY easier than trying to force feed them and it is a piece of cake to get meds down!

Long sleeves and tucked in pants legs - KITTENS!

Okay, I've remembered to wear long pants and tuck them INTO my sock tops when feeding the kittens, I FORGOT to wear long sleeves.......................... :):). I look like a horde of angry mosquitoes have been after me - mosquitoes that skated across my arms.

Kitten claws are amazingly sharp! So are those little teeth.

That's one of the boys at my knee - still climbing, eventually making it to my shoulder. I was holding the camera in one hand and feeding one of his sisters in the other. MORNINGS have become interesting!

I am SUCH a sucker

But a mad and happy one. There are these neighborhood Manx cats - and there's been one cutie that's been here since we moved. A young female. I THOUGHT she was spayed. Oh no......irresponsible neighbors let her have TWO litters this year alone and she's not more than TWO YEARS OLD HERSELF!

Well, she won't be having any more. When I walked out to the barn and the feed can mewed at me and I found FIVE little kittens........kittens in a carrier and a trap set for said Mama. We'd JUST managed not more than a month previously to capture and home a kitten from her OTHER litter!

Mama Cat is now spayed, has all her shots and is in a foster home awaiting adoption. I took her to my expensive vet for the best treatment. She's not happy without her kittens, but she is the FRIENDLIEST, CUDDLIEST cutie herself. And will have a much better life now........if you're reasonable local, contact me. She is up for adoption and deserves a great home.

AND I'm bottle feeding the FIVE kittens, several of them also Manx, as in NO tails. Two of them are equally adorable long-tails. They are ONLY 3 weeks old right now and I've got them hooked up on the bottle and got purrs out of two of them this morning. They will be up for adoption when they're 8 weeks old and the adopters MUST get them fixed, no ifs, ands or buts about it!

Stay tuned for updates and pictures!

This is What Happens When............

I get talked into actually participating in a cat show. Yes, I entered one of my kitties, Boudreaux the Plain Brown Tabby into the Household Pet Category of the Greater Houston Charity Cat Show back in February. That's a big show.

We did it all the way - as in decorating the Cage (6th Best!) AND entering the Costume contest (4th Best) where I was, if I remember correctly, the ONLY adult entered. It's amazing what you'll do when you hit middle age!

Anyway, we did not get pictures at the show, but I convinced a friend to stage Bou in his Motorcycle Leathers and Dew Rag...............yes, real leather.

Eventually, the niece's christening will happen

I just keep promising myself that. It was supposed to have been January, then late June when she was a YEAR OLD, and now it's mid-August and........................you guessed it, no christening yet. I doubt seriously if the christening gown I made for her will still fit it she's not christened before her 18th birthday which is the way it seems to be headed LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!

Yikes! It's worse than I thought

Make that SIX saddle pads, and I'm afraid to count the pairs of breeches OR the ones on my watch list on eBay that I've NOT bought yet :). Or the coordinating tops I either have or am lusting after. Or the three helmets, not counting the one I left at somebody's barn. Or the brushes............hmmmm. This is ALMOST worse than the knitting needle collection.

At least I'm down to three bridles for the two horses. Plus a few spare parts :).

All this mostly for Miss Kaylee, the gray Shire who has turned 6 years old. I think she's six. She should be six IF she were a yearling when the Ritchies got her, but the early pictures I have of her with them are of a WEANLING. So either we're off a year and she's really 5 years old or I heard yearling when they said weanling. One way or the other she's a YOUNG Shire mare.............keeping company with a grouchy, out of shape 15/16 year old Mustang mare - who has probably forgotten everything she ever knew about dressage! She is definitely on my list for working this fall, no reason not to!

I'm Suzanne and I'm a Needleholic :)

Okay y'all, this is just downright embarrassing. 28 Size 2, 2.5 and 3 knitting needles............I'm TOO embarrassed to count the rest.

At least I (currently) have only two saddles, three bridles, and 5 saddles pads (oh dear - 5)........

Intervention Needed: Too many Size 3 needles

14 to be exact, ACTUALLY 18 if you count the 3mm ones - as most people do (who EVER heard of a SIZE 2-1/2!!!). And I did not count separate needles in a set of double points separately.

So that means 18 needles or SETS of needles. Stop me, PULEEZ stop me!

On the other hand, here's something I DID finish AND Take a Picture of

Here's a little pinafore I came up with for a colleague gift for my husband. I like the way it turned out. If I were to change one thing, it would be to also leave one shoulder with a tie rather than solid. BUT it does fit over the head with room to spare

Christening Gown UPDATE 3

It was presented in January, and no, the Christening has NOT happened yet. The niece is now 1+ years old - thank goodness I made it an 18 month size!

No picture yet as I gave it before taking one (my bad).