Cat Carriers

With Rubia scheduled for surgery on the 16th, I decided I had time to "up my game" in cat carriers.  I'd been using the one I brought Cyndi home in, back in 2004, I think it was.  I know it was while Diamond was still pretty spry.  

Cyndi's hu-mom passed away.  A friend of mine at work had promised to take care of this gal's cat, but she already had the city's limit of cats in a home without a kennel license!  My friend looked for someone to take in the geriatric cat.  Someone else had done that favor for us when my Dad passed in 1999, when none of his local kids was in a position to take in Mindy.  I raised my hand, and went to meet Cyndi at the vet's office.

Cyndi came home in a green waxed cardboard carrier.  The one in the photo.  We put the carrier (cat still inside) down for the dog to sniff, and after a bit we moved Cyndi into the Master Bedroom.  There she remained, with the dog banished from that room.  Her litter box was placed in the attached half bath, so she was safe when the humans were off at their various school/work places.

Cyndi was already an old cat (18); she didn't last long.  But the green cardboard carrier has been in use ever since.  It's been used for three more cats, now.  I know, I know, the crazy cat ladies in the crowd are going to tell me I should have a separate carrier for each cat, but I only ever took one of them to the vet at a time, and they live in the same house, anyway!

With Rubia about to go in for surgery, I got this soft spot in my heart for her and ordered a fleece-lined "travel" carrier for her next trip.  

The new carrier arrived on my porch Sunday morning along with some treats and toys for Carl (a couple of them might just get wrapped for Christmas).  It is now sitting out for both kitties to investigate at will until such time as I need to bundle her into it.

Speaking of Rubia, I snapped a photo of the lump they will be removing.  They shaved it when they had her in the clinic a week ago last Friday, and it is starting to re-grow fur.  It's on her mammary area, and she's spayed.  

It looks different depending on the angle you catch, but it is soft and has multiple lobes.  It seems to have grown since her annual physical last Summer.

From one angle

From a different angle

She doesn't complain if my hand is on it when I lift her.  And she's a feisty little thing; if it were hurting her, she would tell me about it.  

Monday's sunrise came earlier, thanks to Standard time.  I didn't catch a photo of it Sunday, but I did on Monday!  That's my neighbor's tree, framing the glory.  

My trainer is off to be educated himself.  He messaged me last night that he would not be able to keep his appointments this morning.  I substituted a short walk, and at 41℉ it felt cold, even in my Winter coat.  At least until I changed direction and the wind and sun were both on my back.  Then it was great.  Still working on that acclimation to a new season.  

Today's kitchen/pantry task, given I'm cleaning up my act to be successful at the IF game, was checking to make sure I have "just enough" sugar and flour to make ONE Thanksgiving pie.  I am assuming I'll be asked to bring one for the family gather.  I want to avoid bringing excess ingredients into the house.

I have been at this latest "experiment" for a week.  This is my 8th day.  

Some things I have observed, in looking around:  

1. Many people in the support group are trying this but still in a very "food tracking" / "dieting" mind set.  This tool doesn't track amounts or specifics in the meal tracker.  It's more interested in the big picture of nutrition:  are you eating protein often enough?  Are you limiting your carbs and dairy?  And it does not enforce any of these choices.  It just makes "suggestions for your next meal".  As in "try to increase your fruits and vegetables today" or "try to increase your non-dairy protein".
2. There is some debate about "clean" versus "dirty" fasting.  Clean means nothing sweet or with any calories.  Dirty implies you allow yourself no-sugar sweeteners.  Clean is really more about health.  Dirty still works for weight loss.  So I started out making my overnight fast "clean", and allowing the artificial sweeteners during my eating window.  This week I'm trying to reduce those, except at an actual time-spaced meal.
3. The app is truly not very intuitive for those of us accustomed to things like Spark, MFP, or Cronometer.  Cronometer comes closest, as it *does* support a fast timer in the paid app.

All of this has led me to contemplate:  what is it I am looking for this to do for me?

• I am looking for it to be a bridge to the holy grail of "intuitive eating".  I have seen others make this transition in the old Spark world.  I have seen them try and succeed, and try and fall back, too.  We shall see which group I land in.
• I am also starting to avoid certain foods which were giving me troubles, digestively.  For example, I had started to notice getting uncomfortable after eating a banana in the past couple of months.  I haven't bought them for the past week.  I have also felt not so great when I've taken on too much flour/sugar/bread... that more a "limit" than an eliminate.  So that would imply a health goal.
• I noticed that I had not been drinking my full allotment of water. It had just gradually fallen off when I was eating more food. Drinking my water is part of this new re-start, too.
• I also had become less active, starting during the pandemic, and it's time to ramp that up.  I am happier when I'm active!
• While my primary goal might not be weight loss, I have to admit that the pants getting tighter was a nudge in the direction of cleaning up my act.  The scale had been creeping up and in September and October it was starting to trot, and threatening to gallop... in the wrong direction.  

Since I've been "working on" my tendency to eat compulsively / gain weight over many decades, and I've tried MANY different systems and products.  I do recognize many core truths about body/self/health/my own psychology.  

One isn't ready to do this until one is ready.  Once one is ready, one can simply feel confident and build upon lessons already learned.  

Just because you've stopped balancing your checkbook for a month or two doesn't mean you've forgotten how... same is true of healthy eating.  Just because you went wild on a cruise or ate your way through a bout of grief doesn't mean you don't care and can't pick up again.  In my case, I tend to enjoy looking at something new and seeing how it fits in to what I already know.

BINGO!  I might just be ready to take this on.  The key now is to keep it simple, and take those baby steps along the way.

Here's hoping those of you who are still looking, waiting for the right time in YOUR lives to pick it up again find that time and method that is right for YOU.  And sorry for spilling this all out on you.  But I guess it's just me, Sparking on, without the website.

Life is good.

🔥✨💖🦃