I just got an email from my brother in response to my all family email "what do you guys want for Xmas?" It wasnt just christmas related. He actually asked me about what was going on in my life and then gave some times that it would work to Skype with my nephew.

I forgot to ask him some kind of question outside the christmas stuff and I wrote about 2x as much as he did but I'm so freaking excited. He said they don't need/want much stuff and my first thought was "there's silly stuff like pop vinyl figures on my amazon wish list, he's judging me" only he's not. Or if he is that's not what he was saying, he was saying they hadn't thought about a wish list.

So I rambled in reponse to stuff he said about his life and gave him so days Skypeing would work for me (they eat dinner at 4 pm I think my nephew is in bed by 6:30 pm) and threw out some ideas I'd had for my nephew (science kit, sciene sticker books I've given him in the past, book series he could start on) and things I'd thought of for him and his GF - magazine subscriptions, VT craft beer, VT craft other stuff. Or a family membership to something for the three of them.

I'm rambling but I was so discouraged last week. I just felt like there was this huge divide between us that was never going to be bridged but now I feel hopeful. I also feel like maybe the radio silence has given me some prespective and some objectivity. I don't know. I'll see.

So occasionally I do get Door Number 3. I spent all day convinced I'd come home to a cat that was either dead or still laying motionless next to the heating vent. I came home, peeked around the corner, and his head was up and his ears alert. I picked him up and cuddled him, and he slowly wriggled free and jumped down. He's not moving happily, but he's moving.

Good news this morning!

That does sound encouraging askye. and yay shadow!

I am filled with woe. My Buffy CDs are in storage so no Pangs for me.

We pulled it up on netflix last night.

Found it on Prime! Life is good!

We're going to watch Pangs after the parade. Except the dog show after the parade always sucks me in. Because dogs!

Connie, how's Shadow doing today? I am all for getting him checked out. With any luck, it's something relatively minor like arthritis or a potassium deficiency.

askye, I'm glad that you have some hope for reconnecting with your brother.

Things I am thankful for today:

Two beautiful, sweet cats.

Daniel having a job.

Daniel not having to drive 50 miles on snowy, icy highway to get to work during winter storms.

That I probably won't have to work today, and will only have to go in for an hour and a half tomorrow. (And maybe have Saturday off, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.)

The back exercises I've been doing. Daniel worked hard on our snowy driveway and sidewalks so I wouldn't have to do any shoveling then when I got to work, my car got plowed in and I had to dig it out. I felt stiff and sore yesterday, but have bounced back today. So the exercises are making me stronger.

You, my blinvisible family. Even when I don't have the wherewithal to respond to what you say here, I am reading along, sending out the ~ma, cheering you on, hoping for the best for you.

Connie, how's Shadow doing today?

He gets up and moves around, but not much. He's getting to food and water and the litter box. A few days ago I saw him running around, then he took to the heater vent. Maybe the running took too much out of him. His hips don't work as well as they used to. But he's purring when I scratch under his chin.

Awww, scritches for Shadow, hope he's feeling better.

Is Shadow taking anything for arthritis? [spoiler font for unsolicited advice] A couple years ago, Harvey had slowed down noticeably - wasn't grooming himself, wasn't running around playing, and then he was either missing when he would try to jump up to my lap or he was not even trying. Vet said, "yup, it's arthritis, go ahead and try a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. The one I found at my pet supply place also has MSM in it. Pet Naturals Hip + Joint For Cats [link] Within a week of starting it, he was grooming himself again and jumping up onto my lap confidently. Within a month, he was back to chasing his tail (maybe not as fast as he did fifteen years ago, but still, pretty spry for an old guy). Incidentally, earlier this year he had another slow-down - the only thing that turned up in his blood work was potassium levels one point below clinical range. Fix for that was to sprinkle a little No Salt into his food at each meal, and whammo! back to chasing Sammie around like she's the one who is old.