CATS ARE AMAZING CREATURES!

Everyone who has a dog thinks that dogs are smarter than cats.

Don't get me wrong - I love dogs and dogs love me. BUT......

I think Cats are pretty amazing and smart little creatures.

EXAMPLE:

This past Wednesday night (early Thursday morning) Cliff got up out of bed around 3 AM (I'm guessing at the time) and was wandering around the house in a confused state due to a low blood sugar.

Our youngest cat Bootsy Marie - jumped up on the bed - stood on me and wailed and wailed until I woke up from a very sound sleep to the noise of her wailing.

I said to Bootsy, "What are you doing in here?" Because we always shut the cats out of our bedroom at night. Then I looked over to Cliff's side of the bed and realized that he was not in bed. Then I heard a loud crash. Cliff was slamming all the doors in the house closed.

If it hadn't been for Bootsy wailing and waking me up....I would not have known Cliff was in trouble.

Yep, she's definitely her "daddy's buddy" and one amazing and smart little cat. She knew something was wrong and took the only action she knew and that was to alert me!

We love you Bootsy!

Feline Nursing Staff

This past Monday we began to notice symptoms of illness in our cats. Betsy was coughing - so hard - that it made me hurt. Then I noticed she was struggling to breathe. Then Bootsy started sneezing many times in a row and was so hoarse she could not meow.

I slept in our guest bedroom with both cats on Monday night because I was so worried about them.

By Tuesday morning - they were both breathing easier, but I knew I had to get them to the Vet.

So Tuesday evening after work, we loaded them both in their pet taxis - got about 2 blocks from home and one of them took a big "dump" in their pet taxis. Thankfully I came prepared and sprayed air freshner in the car and Cliff rolled down the back windows and I made it to the Vet's office without gagging and worse!

By the time we got them both into the Vet's office - the other one had taken a "dump" in the pet taxi - so we were now "fully loaded" with cats and well - you know.............

The Vet examined them one at a time and the Assistant cleaned them up for us and even cleaned one of the cages out for us.

Both cats had respiratory infections (no news there!) and Betsy's lungs were involved as well.

Now Cliff and I get the "privilege" of chasing them down twice a day - flipping them upside down to immobilize them (he holds them in a vice grip) and I get to squirt antibiotic medicine down their throats - all while trying not to get bit or scratched. Mind you - I did not have to work today and got up at 5:30 AM to go through this fun!

Tonight we are still trying to chase down Betsy for her evening dose. We still have two bottles of medicine to give them.....with one completed.

Trust me - I like cats - but this Feline Nursing duty is no longer fun!

a prayer

I thought this prayer was really nice - a calm way to settle yourself before going into work each day - and so I share it with you.

Blessings to you and me - as we face yet another new week ahead.


PRAYER BEFORE STARTING WORK

My Heavenly Father, as I enter this workplace,I bring Your Presence with me,I speak Your Peace, Your Grace, Your Mercy,And Your Perfect Order into this office.

I acknowledge Your Power over all that will be spoken, thought, decided and done within these walls.Lord, I thank You for the gifts You have blessed me with.I commit to using them responsibly in Your Honor.

Give me a fresh supply of strength to do my job.Anoint my projects, ideas and energy so that even my smallest accomplishment may bring You Glory.

Lord, when I am confused, guide me.

When I am weary, energize me.

When I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit.

May the work that I do and the way I do it bring faith, joy and a smile to all whom I come in contact with today.

And oh Lord, when I leave this place, give me traveling mercy.

Bless my family and home to be in order as I left it.

Lord, I thank You for everything You've done, everything You're doing and everything You're going to do.

In the precious and holy Name of Jesus I pray, with much love and thanksgiving.

Amen.

Recipe swap

Jenn over at http://jennsjournal.clubmom.com/ announced a recipe swap at http://noperiodbaby.blogspot.com/. So I'm jumping in with a couple of my favorites.

Enjoy! Check out the blogs above for other mouth-watering recipes!


Crockpot Stuffed Green Peppers
INGREDIENTS:
4 large green or red bell peppers
1 pound lean ground beef, raw
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup of cooked brown rice, cooled
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large can of tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce

PREPARATION:
Cut a slice off the top of each pepper. Cut out core; remove seeds and white membrane.
In a separate bowl, combine all the other ingredients except for the tomato sauce. Stuff the mixture into peppers. Stand peppers up in slow cooker. Pour the tomato sauce over top – add ½ cup of water and cook on low all day (8 hours).

We like our stuffed peppers with mashed potatoes!



***What I like about this recipe is that you can do everything ahead of time and freeze the peppers. When you are ready to cook them – pull them out of the freezer – put them in the crock pot and cover with tomato sauce and go about your day. I usually double this recipe and put the prepared peppers in Ziplok bags and then dinner isn’t such a hassle. It’s also a nice company recipe as well.

It’s an easy recipe with “never fail” results.


Shelley’s Crockpot Swiss Steak

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs of round steak, cut into serving size portions
1 can of tomato sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp each of salt, pepper and sugar

PREPARATION:
Spray the crockpot with non-stick cooking spray
Place the meat in the bottom of the crockpot, top with seasonings and vegetables.
Pour the tomato sauce over top. Cook on low all day (8 hours).

Serve with cooked noodles, rice or mashed potatoes! (whatever you prefer)
This makes a nice dish for company as well!