Tuesday, August 13, 2024

The veterinarian who recently examined my kitty Maxwell called and said that his bloodwork reveals the very early stage of kidney failure. Max is approximately 17 years old, give or take, and I resist imagining him not being around, underfoot and in my way, or on my lap purring and contented.

Max’s inoculations were updated during that vet visit, and since, I have debated whether to allow him to go outside a little. This late in summer there are few helpless young critters, if any, to maximize his hunting success. The veterinarian said that tasty and highly digestible mice are a perfect kidney-friendly food.

In his earliest years here, Max was an outside-only kitty and hung out in the chicken coop area. Nowadays, plenty of mice still run around there, but I hesitate to let Max go out. He’s been inside for a long time and, while wanting to go out, is accustomed to in-house confinement.

Years ago, I lived in Los Angeles and volunteered with a kitten rescue organization. I absorbed some rules that made sense, the most important being “inside-only,” which reduced dangers from traffic, predatory critters, and unkind humans. That rule still resonates with me.

My concerns now are about heavier vehicle traffic here in Central Oregon from exploding population growth. I worry about new neighbors coming from the city living and being unaccustomed to roaming cats. Those weren’t big factors in Max’s earlier free days.

So, the jury’s out on Max’s future, whether inside only or outside partially. It doesn’t help to weigh in a potential kidney failure journey. Meanwhile, all will be on hold, and I will focus on shopping for prescription kidney food, and weighing that against the benefits of delicious, digestible mice.

Dear Friends: It’s early, I’m over-worried while first-time imagining no Max. Diana

Monday, August 12, 2024

I’m reading Nancy Pelosi’s book; it’s very readable, and I recommend it. She’s very thorough and almost has written a textbook about understanding viewpoints, achieving goals, and staying focused and determined.

As a lifelong student of management skills myself, I am certain this book will become a classic study of managing the complexities of large groups and small team dynamics.

The book is fun to read. I recall many of the real-time political challenges and events she refers to. It’s refreshing to reconsider them and to gain insight as to how she influenced the outcomes.

Throughout modern social history, many outstanding women have contributed to the slowly changing feminine roles, as women transitioned from sexual objects, baby bearers, and household managers to business and political contributors. We remember those outspoken women mostly as individual influencers.

Today, that’s not so. A popular woman presidential candidate and her many female and male supporters are obscuring any old perceptions of singularity.

Dear Friends: Young voters are interested too, and becoming more active. Diana

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Yesterday, at my part-time job, I watched deeply tanned shoppers browsing through kids’ and juniors’ clothing and understood that we’re near the start of a new school year. This summer, in my mind, is only beginning, but in reality, it’s nearly history. Time keeps slipping away, and ever too quickly.

Now, I’m thinking ahead about what I need to get done during the next month or so of still decent weather in Central Oregon. It’s important to plan ahead to ease coping through our crummiest weather months. Not so far ahead, one year will end, and a new one will start and begin to build up, typically through our most challenging climate months.

Unfortunately, now are added months of challenges. This was a hotter summer with many large wildfires. These summer weeks have been smoky and unbreathably dull, with few exceptions. No wonder, without a memorably enjoyable summer, I’m surprised that fall is days away.

Off the top of my head, fence-fixing, hay-bringing in, and vehicle cold-weather preparations are needed. Space is needed to make wintery clothing easily accessible. And no forgetting, there’s ahead a significant time change. It will require readjusting how we perceive light and utilize our daily hours.

There’s lots to do between now and September. First, to have fun. Then, much will be needed between September and November, to prepare for colder weather and the time change. We in Central Oregon must be ready to hunker in and wait until our unpredictable spring occurs (historically, around Memorial Day).

Dear Friends: Required semi-annual time changes make everything worse. Diana

Saturday, August 10, 2024

My cat Maxwell has become apparent after a couple of days in hiding. He’s laid low since his veterinary examination, which included vaccinations, blood work, a dental exam, and worming. Honestly, I have not missed dodging Max who’s circling my feet as I stumble around in the early mornings. Nor have I worried much about his invisibility, for understandably, the crating, car ride, examination, and meds were a bit much for the boy.

The vet loved Max, as everybody else does. He’s friendly, loves people, enjoys being handled, and is handsome. I love him, too, but not particularly when he insists on being under my feet, especially when I try to hurry.

Now, I’ll face a dilemma about whether to let him go outside. He’s been an inside-only kitty for a couple of years. For one thing, I let his vaccinations lapse, and for another, he expertly kills lovable creatures.

I hate finding bird remains and those of chipmunks and lizards, all victims of Max. His final moment of freedom came a couple of years ago when I discovered him crouching before a cornered garden snake, a pretty creature I love spotting and having on the property.

Max got carried inside, and Snake moved off safely.

I’ll think more later about inside versus outside and what happens next. Right now, I see that Max is eating–a welcome sight after his disappearance, hiding and fasting.

Dear Friends: I will admit to being one of the many cat ladies who always vote. Diana

Friday, August 09, 2024

Today ends another week in America, with attention-grabbing stock market ups and downs and political turmoil that have captured me all week.

That is, except for taking my last three house pets to the veterinarian for physicals and updated inoculations. I’m tickled that my cat Maxwell is healthy; he could go outside if I decide to put little wild, non-rat/mouse critters at risk. The two youngest dogs, my fourteen-pound Jack Russel-X, Mitzvah, is just fine, and so is puppy Chase.

I must start routinely brushing Mitzvah’s teeth–something I don’t want to do. But she’s part Poodle, and the vet says that “poodle teeth” typically become troubling. The vet didn’t like a trend she could see occurring in Mitzvah’s jaw, so keeping the dog’s teeth decent means brushing them is necessary.

Now that all the dogs are inoculated, I will ride horseback and they will follow. Our vet said that, despite my Border Collie’s arthritic rear, Miles could safely run for two or three miles at a time. That’s enough distance for a decent family outing. The biggest plus is that Miles won’t be forced to stay home while his buddies climb into the horse rig. That makes him sad and he objects noisily. I needn’t worry now about leaving him behind.

Puppy Chase hasn’t been exposed to enough other people, and by nature, he’s cautious. The veterinarian and her crew were terrific. He responded to them well, became relaxed, and had a good time.

During next week’s continuing economic and political drama and trauma, I intend to be on horseback, and with all my dogs following.

Dear Friends: Keeping a balanced perspective takes effort and self-awareness. Diana

Thursday, August 08, 2024

This election appears to be Donald’s to lose, in a significant turnaround of what had seemed inevitable. Against new combatants, he can’t show signs of having changed. He hasn’t evolved or enlarged his vision beyond his personal ambitions. That it’s obvious argues for engaging ourselves in an important element in living and aging. That element is continually self-encouraging to evolve personally and socially.

It encourages us to follow or engage in a variety of interests. Learning forces us to readjust many of our held perspectives. It gives us a broader outlook and the skills to be more adaptable in various situations.

Of course, mental health plays a huge role in personal adapting. One must be willing to accept new knowledge to develop personally and utilize appropriate social skills in various situations.

Today’s politics is teaching us in real time that money and power alone aren’t necessarily able to combat uplifting surprises. Going forward, our politics will be a nail-biting journey.

Dear Friends: Learned necessities: pausing, thinking, evaluating, and arguing wisely. Diana

I didn’t know this small city has a high-quality coral group, the Central Oregon Mastersingers, until I accidentally discovered it in an unusual way.

The equine veterinary clinic that is treating my donkey Pimmy needed another blood draw, so Stephanie called, made an appointment, and came yesterday. I met her at the barn wearing my iPods. While she drew blood, I held Pimmy and figured those big ears were hearing my iPods. I whispered, asking Pimmy if she enjoyed the opera. To my surprise, Stephanie said, “Which opera?”

I replied, “‘Der Rosencavalier,’ which is some of the most beautiful music ever,” and she began telling me about her dad. He had earned a degree in music and became a conductor; he has long taught music and also conducted an orchestra in Eugene. Stephanie added a bit about herself: she grew up with music, has played trombone (among other instruments), has studied voice, and now sings with the Central Oregon Mastersingers.

That’s how it happened. After twenty years of living here, and more unknown to my embarrassment, this area has a performing group of Mastersingers.

That’s similar to my surprise in learning about this city’s High Desert Chamber Music group. While working in my part-time job and assigned to its Fancy Dress area, I was checking out a customer purchasing a formal gown. I asked where she’d wear it, and she said while narrating for a piece during an upcoming Desert Chamber Music concert. I asked, and she explained more, even inviting me to the concert. I did attend the concert, which was excellent, and then became a season ticket holder.

I love music and am an informal listener. I have a secret longing to sing with a choral group, but I am untrained, and my singing voice is ordinary, at best. So, I’ve never explored any possibilities. But get this: The Mastersingers are having a “Summer Sing-Along” on a Sunday when I will be off work. I am hoping to attend and participate.

Most of my years in this area have been riding on horseback and enjoying the nearby mountains and forests. Nowadays, while riding less, I’m learning there’s much more available around here to love.

Dear Friends: A formal gown and “Der Rosenkavalier,” opening new trails. Diana

Tuesday, August 06, 2024

Yesterday was quite a day. To start everything off, the world’s stock markets tanked, reeling all economies. After reading the major newspapers, I set aside world issues to take care of my animals. I was concerned about my donkey, Pimmy. She’s been separated from her horse buddies and living in the barn area to ease the routines of capturing and medicating her. She wasn’t happy but was adjusting and could be treated.

Then, I took my two most elderly dogs, Miles and Osix, to a new (to us) veterinarian. The dogs were found reasonably healthy. Miles has some arthritis and Osix is as flexible as a puppy. But both had big coats, tangled with cheat-grass seeds. So, their butts were shaved, and now, they’re very funny-looking.

While I waited for the dogs, a long-ago high school friend called. We hadn’t talked in a long while and had only a brief time to catch up. Afterward, while leaving the clinic with my dogs, my phone rang again, this time from another person I’d not talked with in a long while. While driving home, I held the phone and talked (yes, that’s illegal).

At home, I released the dogs and wanted an icy beer, so I headed to a nearby supermarket—a busy Safeway that might become a Piggly Wiggly (yet another story related to the economy). I came home and sat outside with my beer watching the lingering alpenglow, brightly intensified by active wildfires.

Yesterday entirely felt like a crash. Today, the world’s markets seem to be recovering, and I have simple and straightforward plans and a calmer perspective. Now, phase one of dog care is complete, and phase two (with the younger dogs) will happen on Thursday. Meanwhile, these are calmer moments for better catching up with my surprising and welcome callers.

Dear Friends: Today, the world will start to know Kamala’s selected VP candidate. Diana

Monday, August 05, 2024

This will be a beautiful day. While sunny and hot, it’ll be under 100 degrees; a welcome temperature as everything is relative.

My older dogs are going to the veterinarian today for long-overdue checkups and vaccination updates.

My donkey has been separated from her horse buddies to make medicating and feeding special food easier for me. She’s not happy, but I’m relieved.

Finally, the young and sweet blue hen I tried to keep alive for months couldn’t make it. I worked hard to keep her going, even knowing from experience that it’s possible to pause a chicken’s signs of failure without necessarily stopping the process.

I found a source for low-sugar hay, and a load will be coming, which is a great relief. Soaking hay to reduce its sugar and making it available has proved hard and time-consuming. Especially with the freezing weather ahead, I feared having to continue that process.

These few days, I’ve been home and seen people stopping their vehicles, coming to my fence, and feeding treats to the horses—so often that my horses know what’s coming and rush to the fence. That visiting must stop because sugar is bad, especially for Pimmy. It’s another reason she was separated.

My fencing needs electrifying to stop both unwanted treat-feeding and horse-butt scratching.

That’s what’s happening today and thoughts of what’s ahead. It’s always challenging to work at living as fully as possible–the best way to be alive, in my opinion.

Dear Friends: Balancing daily needs calls for non-working events–having fun. Diana

Sunday, August 04, 2024

The Harris campaign continues moving vigorously. If it has a positive outcome, perhaps this nation will reconsider instituting an ERA. At last, more Americans are moving toward supporting gender equality.

Over a hundred years ago, women began dropping their bustles and entering the Roaring Twenties. They then bared more feminine body parts, and especially knees while quick-stepping to the Charleston. Those were increasingly modern times as women transitioned from being full-time kitchen and household managers toward doing, saying, and influencing more.

About a hundred years later, American national politics are being roiled by an exceptional opportunity. There’s a strong woman candidate for President. The rapidity of her ascent and her popularity are confusing to the male-dominated opposition party, about how to combat her.

Along with most of the world’s population, I’m on the edge of my seat, amazed and watching, wondering how this bigger-than-an-Olympics contest will play out.

Most of us have spent a lifetime recognizing and accepting that social environments are primarily male-dominated. They often have ignored or downplayed and have mistreated women. What’s happening today tickles, as a viable national candidate, with strength, and a woman! vigorously opposes a recognized, known bully.

Dear Friends: These moments are historical, regardless of their outcomes. Diana