There are many of us that use our time to care for stray and feral cats.  I have been involved with cat rescue since 1988.  In doing so, I have learned a great deal from these intelligent felines.  Cats are survivors and unfortunately, when someone disposes of their feline by simply leaving it to fend for itself, there are still some things we can do to help make their lives safe and comfortable.

Cats like most animals need three basic things.  Food, shelter and water.  Providing food and water may be a basic task, but when winter arrives they still need shelter from the elements.  There are a few basic shelters we can build relatively quick, and will help keep your felines warm and comfy, and also prevent them from getting frostbite.

One of the most basic but effective ways to build a shelter is to use heavy corrugated boxes.  I have a Rite Aid Pharmacy nearby which always has a good supply of these boxes behind their building in the trash bin.  These boxes are easily folded for storage or disposal, are very heavy and durable, and can easily be put together in a few short minutes.

I usually look on the boxes and find four tabs that are numbered.  If you just fold tab number one over tab number two and so forth, your boxes will be assembled in about a minute.   After the boxes are assembled I then place two heavy duty, Hefty trash bags over them.  Next, I tape the bags to the boxes by applying the tape completely around the box and corners. I tape it so the bags are flat against the surface of the box creating a nice smooth surface.

Once you have covered the box with the two bags, you need to create an entrance hole.  I stand the box up with the end where the entrance will be and with a knife, cut a roomy circular hole to form the entrance to the box.   Try not to make the hole too large.  The size of the entrance will be made according to the size of your cats.   When this is completed you will have a few ragged edges of the tape showing.  You can tape the edges to the box or just leave them alone.  The edges will not hinder the entrance to the box.

The next step and an important one, is to insulate the box for the felines.  There are several ways to do this, and there are many items we can use to make the interior comfy for them.  You can use straw to make a good clean warm bed for them.  Straw is good because if it gets a little wet, it can dry quickly, and it is also easy to refill and basically cheap to purchase.

The use of items like old rug remnants, discarded clothes, towels, blankets, and even worn out clothes can also form a warm, soft and comfortable lining for the felines.  If you use these items just be sure to check and replace them if they become wet from inclement weather.

Another quick and easy shelter I once saw that was quick and effective, was a large canvas or tarp, supported on eight cinder blocks.  A lady feeding a large colony of felines had constructed this shelter by placing four cinder blocks on the ground, and then tucking the back edge of the canvas under the two rear cinder blocks.  She then placed two more cinder blocks, one on top of each rear block to anchor the back of the shelter securely.  On the front of the shelter she then stretched the canvas so that she tucked the front ends of the canvas between two cinder blocks creating a low lying, but roomy entrance.  This gave the large colony of cats plenty of room to lie within the shelter and avoid any dangerous exposure to the elements.  Of course with this type of shelter no real lining or insulation is needed.

Once you have decided to provide shelter for your cats, be sure to place the shelter in a place where the cats feel safe and secure.  Try to avoid areas with high human traffic if possible, and stay clear of roads and highways.

Cats are incredibly intelligent animals and you will be surprised at just how fast they will utilize your shelter once it is provided.  I used to feed about a dozen ferals at my old apartment complex, and when winter came and I placed the shelters outside, they immediately took to them and snuggled up for the night.  I usually make one shelter for every two cats.  I do this because cats like to snuggle with each other to keep warm, and I noticed that each box was always shared by two cats.  Try to make sure your boxes are roomy enough so they can accommodate two cats if possible.

One of the nice things about providing shelter for your strays and ferals is that it also helps you establish a closer relationship with the cats, which may help you socialize them for future adoptions if possible.

For those of us that are involved in caring for these wily little rascals, a little compassion can go a long way.  I hope these tips are useful in helping you extend that compassion to our lovable, less fortunate, feline friends.

All of the women in my family are rather large in size: my mother, grandmother, my aunt, and my cousins. Each weighs at least 200 pounds. As a teenager I began to pile on the weight, too. Being heavy as a teenager really sucked. The kids in school make fun of you and your date book is always empty. Not a lot of guys in school want to date a fat girl because they risk getting made fun of too.

I needed to change. I needed to find a way to lose the weight while I was young. I did not want to be fat. I tried many different diets to no avail. I would actually gain more weight dieting or would fail my diet which only made me feel worse. Finally, I had had had enough of being the fat girl! I decided that if I didn’t eat, I would lose weight. I would skip eating for days at a time. I drank a lot of coke for energy, which I really hadn’t done before, but because I only ate every 3-4 days, I needed the soda for energy!

Believe it or not, this seemed to work! I know they say that you can’t lose weight by starving your body, but that wasn’t at all the case. I went from weighing 165 pounds, all the way down to 130 pounds in only a couple of months. I figured once I had gotten down to the weight I needed to be, I would be able to eat normally again.

Finally I had made it down to a nice slim 120 pound figure. I was very comfortable, and ecstatic with my new body. Now it was time to start eating more normally, and cutting out the sodas. I couldn’t do it! I started to eat right again, but I would gain quickly because I hadn’t been able to leave the coke behind now.

I had tried to stop drinking coke, but it wasn’t easy! I actually made it for two weeks with no soda at all, the headaches were ridiculous, and I had a major energy loss. I couldn’t take it anymore, I broke down and drank a coke, which led to another, and before I knew it I was drinking cokes every day again.

I was addicted to coke, I couldn’t believe it! I never would have believed that you could get addicted to coke. But I really was addicted. In order to stay slim, I was going to have to go back to not eating, or give up the sodas.

It’s very hard to believe that I could quit eating food, but I couldn’t stop drinking sodas. I really needed to figure out how to stop this crazy pattern. I had to slowly cut out the sodas, its way easier said than done though. I have gained 12 pounds, over the last 3 months by eating and drinking soda.

I have been slowly weaning myself off of coke. I first started by replacing one soda at a time for water. Every few days I would increase the waters and lower my soda intake and I have begun to notice a difference. They should put a warning sign on the label of sodas.

How to Talk About “THE OFFICE” starring Steve Carell

This show is so popular there is talk about a sequel this coming year.  There is an official THE OFFICE - video game, a bobble head doll, and character blogs with cast members posting to blogs.

If you have missed this phenomenon you aren’t alone. I missed out and my relatives have clued me in.

This is now the Fifth season so we  missed the first four seasons of THE OFFICE.  Everyone at your office and even your mother-in-law, is talking about the show. This article will help you FAKE your way in conversation about or even become a fan of the show.

Check out this website and watch some episodes
http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/

FACTS
The main character is played by Steve Carell who also played the main character in the hit movie: Dan in Real Life. (movies)The writers are AWESOME
This is season 5
Season 4 ended with an unexpected marriage proposal (tip: watch commercials)
Season 5 premiere is about The Office losing weight; weight loss - everyone is obsessed with losing weight due to the corporate challenge

THE STARS

the stars list:
Steve Carell,
Kate Flannery
Rainn Wilson
Brian Baumgartner

PLOTS

Angela and Andy are engaged (it was surprise cliff hanger)
Dwight and Angela have an affair
Jim just can’t get the word out to propose

The whole office has competition for weight loss

Pam, Jan, Michael &
Holly (played by Oscar-nominee Amy Ryan).

HOW TO HANDLE SMALL TALK

Just nod and smile, as people talk about “the affair”. Have a glass of water handy so that you can use it as diversion.  No don’t throw it on the other person. Just pretend to choke and gag.

Things to say :
“What do you think about Angela? will she get prego?”, “what a surprise”, or “can you believe it?”

Laugh hysterically and say “that just hits my funny bone”. If you are younger, laugh hysterically and say “thats so bad.” If you are even younger maybe just plain old “that was hilarious”.

DIVERSIONS

To steer conversation say something like, “They packed a lot in just an hour, don’t you think?” or
“The writers are so creative, what was your favorite part?” Then just let them answer and hope your phone rings or that they talk for a long time. Or think of quick emergency.

So hold on to your hat, smile and nod and tune in for a few episodes so that you aren’t left out in the dust completely. Better yet go to ebay and buy a bobble head doll and put it on your desk!

http://www.ehow.com/how_4526014_talk-office.html

The Office Shows Online
FULL VIDEO

Homeschooling is an adventure in life and education like no other. Like everything in life it has its ups and downs. Here’s a list of the top 10 things a homeschooler is exposed to while the other kids are in school and their parents are at work.

10. Get to be asked “Is there no school today?” by relatives, neighbors, friends, dad’s co-workers, and the pizza delivery guy if you are seen outside of your home before 2PM.

9. Get to be questioned by relatives, neighbors, friends, dad’s co-workers, and the pizza delivery guy on why your mom choose to homeschool and wouldn’t you really like to go to an actual school and be with actual kids.

8. Get to wave goodbye to the school bus while in flannel PJ’s, fuzzy slippers and sipping hot cocoa. Yet, the school kids get to wave to you doing school while they are outside on their sleds during a snow day. No snow days for homeschoolers.

7. Get to go to the bathroom without the fear of being harassed or beat up by another student. Oh and let’s not forget no need for a hall pass.

6. Get to be quizzed by relatives, neighbors, friends, dad’s co-workers, and the pizza delivery guy on math, science, English, what day of the week it is and whose the president.

5. Get to look perplexed when asked “what grade are you in?” as the nurse is filling out your chart at the pediatrician’s office.

4. Get to have a spur of the moment field trip to the grocery store because mom forgot the milk. Sadly even this mundane event will turned into a lesson. A homeschooling mom can turn a trip to the grocery store into an economic, language, science, and health lesson all to be quizzed when you hit the front door.

3. Get to amaze your relatives, neighbors, friends, dad’s co-workers, and the pizza delivery guy with all the knowledge you learned in one year. It’s always fun to see the look of astonishment on their faces as you not only know who the president is but recite all the presidents in order along with the years they served, the names of First Ladies and their children.

2. Get to always turn in every assignment on time because there is no way you could have lost it between school and home.

1. Get to live in the same house with your teacher, principal, mom and dad. There is no escaping the parent/teacher conference. You can’t “loose” the note home from the teacher to your mom. Your principal can take away your Xbox for not getting an assignment done on time. However, you know that your teacher and principal love you more than anyone in the world and will do anything for you. How many school kids can say that?

Fall in love with THE OFFICE: Or Fake Your Way Through Conversation. It can be difficult when friends, family or coworkers are in love with a show you cannot relate to.

Do you feel left out? Now you can join in the fun.

Find some clips of THE OFFICE on you tube or check out this website and watch some episodes: http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/

The main character is played by Steve Carell who also played the main character in the hit movie: Dan in Real Life. (Movies) A few other start are: Kate Flannery, Rainn Wilson, Amy Ryan and Brian Baumgartner.

The writers are AWESOME and this is season 5. (Important to know if you aren’t in love with the show yet and still insist on faking it)

All summer fans had to live with the unexpected new of last season. There was a marriage proposal by people that they didn’t think would get hitched. Everyone was expecting Jim to propose but he just can’t quite seem to do it. The surprise was Angela and Andy getting engaged. Angela has had an affair with Dwight so it was quite the cliff hanger.

This season opened with a challenge for the OFFICE to lose weight. Because of this corporate challenge everyone is obsessed with losing weight.

If you still aren’t into this show, You can fake it with a little ingenuity: Have a glass of water handy so that you can use it as diversion.

Just smile knowingly and nod as people talk about “the affair” or the results of the “competition to lose weight”.

Have a few sayings ready to go: “the engagement the shocking”, “what a surprise”, or “can you believe it?” “Aren’t the writer’s clever?”

Laugh hysterically and say “that just hits my funny bone”. If you are younger, laugh hysterically and say “that’s so bad.” If you are even younger well you tell me the latest slang.

To steer conversation say something like, “They packed a lot in just an hour, don’t you think?” or “The writers are so creative, what was your favorite part?” Then just let them answer and hope your phone rings or that they talk for a long time. Leave them in the dust and go brush up on OFFICese.

Are you one of the people that loves the holiday season but dread it at the same time.  Well I am.  The smells, sounds, and tastes of the season are my favorite of the whole year.  That is until you get to some super chain store and you hear screaming babies and smell them too.  There is nothing like walking down the home fragrance isle and smelling a baby that needs to be changed, nothing in the whole wide world.

Since holidays are right around the corner I though I would address a few simple truths and a few possible remedies for the common complaints.

First picture this, you’re walking around a store that you don’t particularly care for and would never ever shop in except someone on your list loves this store.  Maybe you go in and there are clothes with chains all over them in no end of bright colors and black and the sales people scare you with all of their piercings and spiky hair.  The best thing for you to do is first see if the store has a gift card and then get it in whatever amount you’re willing to get and run away.

Or maybe you’re in a store that has flowers on everything and little scenes of gardens and it smells like your grandmothers house.  The you see the sales people and it all comes back.  The images of aunts and grandmas pinching cheeks and red lipstick marks on your cheeks.  Before you have a melt down and end up in a ball on the floor rocking back and forth sucking your thumb, see if they have a gift card, buy it if they do and run.

Make sure you visit the stores that you like while you are shopping for everyone else and get something soothing to drink whether you like coffee, tea or hot cocoa.  Things that make you feel good are a must, while you’re rushing through the holiday lines at every store, to keep your head from popping.

The best thing I can think of is to go into a grocery store and visit one of those huge displays of gift cards and buy all the ones you need.  you won’t have to carry large bags and the people on your list will ultimately get more stuff if they shop right and go for just the post holiday sales.  Not to mention it saves them from returning everything that you got them because they either already had it or they just hated it.

Whatever you do don’t buy a gift card for your significant other because I’m telling you right now if you want to keep them and your appendages get a gift. Either thoughtful or fun but get something they can hold, if they wanted a gift card fine but get something to go with it even if it’s a candy bar.

As for the family run around, I can’t think of anyone who’s actually dying to do that.   You could play sick or go around licking door knobs at public places until you actually are sick.  Or you could try and have everyone come to you.  Of course you know that’s not going to happen because everyone else won’t do the crazy run around thing because they know it’s crazy.  It’s the whole reason for the postal service, so you don’t have to see people to give them stuff.  Wonderful people in blue or grey, yellow or brown uniforms take your packages anywhere you want them to go.  It’s a truly beautiful system.

In short visit those you want to see and buy actual presents for those you live with and plan on staying with.  Use the postal system, it is a life saver when you’re trying to get everything done in a short period of time and have a great holiday season!

Quite honestly, after living in the Richmond, Virginia area (4 different locations) for the past seventeen years (my home state being Pennsylvania and having experienced residency in Missouri, New York and Michigan) I would have to say the best place to live in Virginia would be out of Virginia! Since moving to this state,the economic climate has been in a steady decline, the leadership has gone from bad to worse (not that it is much different on the national level), crime has risen alarmingly and overall the demeanor of the Southerners has not changed one bit. The only thing which has changed has changed globally and that is unemployment, housing prices and foreclosure rates and the like.

The area in which I reside (Ashland, a suburb of Richmond) is nice, but there are similar places within the United States which are equally as nice but with a lower tax structure, better leadership and faster growth. Yes, I am two hours from the beach and two hours from the mountains but who can afford to go to either with what is left over after paying the high taxes imposed by both former Governor Warner and now Governor Kaine, perhaps they enjoy these areas of the state. The state parks have fallen into a state of disarray, so no need going there. The cities are in chaos due to the high unemployment rate and severe cuts in social services, so who would want to go there? The mountainous areas (Wise County near the Kentucky border) are the same welfare encrusted societies they have always been with their major population looking forward to the yearly visits by “giving” physicians and dentists under a tent like set up in the middle of town gee there is some place you would want to call home.

Frankly, I would stay as far away from Virginia as you could possibly get. I guess, if you MUST live anywhere in this state I would stay in the Northern VA area, perhaps even Maryland and commute to work or at the beach and by that I mean Virginia Beach (and only if in the Military, knowing that 3 years is all you would be committed to.)

Would you say that I was disheartened by this state why, yes indeed! This is a state with so much potential but due to the past and current leadership has fallen into a state of complete and utter disrepair and honestly I don’t know if it will return to its once former glory, only time will tell. So, in asking where is the best place to live in Virginia I guess I would say Maryland!

Several years ago in early December, my daughter called to warn me that her children had written letters to Santa and had been after her all day to address and send them. With the kids watching, hiding the letters away somewhere wasn’t an option. They had to go into the mail!

So she simply put Grandma’s address on the envelope and off went the letters. At that point, neither of us thought much more about it. But when the letters finally arrived, it seemed that after spending all this time writing their notes, the grandkids should get an answer from dear Mr. Claus.

And that’s how Grandma began her annual letters from Santa to all the grandkids.

It’s not really a very onerous task. If the kids send letters, then Santa Claus knows what they want and can compose a letter with those items in mind. Without letters, Santa may need to make a discreet call to Mom to find out what the little ones are wanting this year. This may be a good idea anyway, in case there is something on their lists that Mom is not planning on getting, probably for obvious reasons. A pony comes to mind immediately!

Once you have a handle on what is on their wish lists, start writing. You may want to inquire as to how everyone in the family is doing. After all, Santa loves everyone, not just the little ones and is concerned about their lives.

Of course, you’ll want to be sure and touch on the area of whether or not they’re being good little boys and girls. This Santa usually likes to let them know that he is assuming they’ll be good, just to encourage them a bit.

Since the main point of the letter is to talk about gifts, I always innumerate their wants and usually give some sort of positive thoughts that Santa will be doing his best to get those items for them. Surprises are often spoken about as well, especially in the context of their being extra good and earning extra goodies.

Towards the end, Santa usually mentions his reindeer and what they’ve been doing lately and also subtly suggests that the kids not forget how hungry poor Santa and his hardworking reindeer get on their all-night trip around the world.

Here are a few more easy things you’ll probably want to do as well:

1. Be sure to call them by name throughout the letter. They’ll be in awe that Santa seems to really know them.

2. Say little things that not everyone would know about the child or his parent (your child) such as: “When your Mommy was little, she always left a bologna sandwich for Santa.” When Mommy confesses that she did indeed leave a bologna sandwich for Santa, the kids will be thrilled that Santa remembered this.

3. If you’re doing your letter on a computer, add some graphics of Santa or other holiday pictures to brighten things up a bit. I also usually make the text red or green or a mixture of the two.

4. Don’t use the same letter for each child. Make them all unique, including the pictures you add.

5. If you’re writing your letters out by hand, get a red or green pen and write with that. You could also add stickers to liven things up.

6. Speaking of stickers, you may want to add a few in the envelope as a sort of pre-Christmas gift for the kids to use to decorate things themselves.

7. Even if you prepare your letters on the computer, be sure to sign them by hand and maybe add a silly smiley face or other little drawing.

Bottom line, just have fun with this and start a new family tradition in the process.

I’m Going To Get Married and Pregnant

He loves me and I love him or we have had sex and I’m pregnant so we are getting married or is it, well, love knows no age! I am so sick of the younger generation thinking that they can do what adults do! What happened to the mere discipline of the parents and raising their kids the right way?

Situation 1: Julia is moving out with her older boyfriend (note, she is only 17 and he is 19.) She told her mom, “well, he loves me and he has a job”! You think to yourself, has she lost her mind? Well, the answer is obviously yes! What do you think this mother did in this very situation! Take a wild guess! Well the mother just stood there and smoked her cigarette and let her daughter walk out the door! The mother didn’t even ask any questions.

Well, if that was my daughter, I would have stood in front of the door and asked what do you think your doing? I would have wanted her to tell me some good reasons to go live with this older guy and than to ask is it better than living here? Keep in mind that Julia (the daughter) is turning 18 tomorrow. If she would have given me a hand full of bull crap answers, I would have said well, you feel that you’re grown than just go. Just make sure you visit once in awhile. For the fact, that she is going to have to learn about life one day!

Situation 2: Tom gets his girlfriend Michelle pregnant but okay, you are probably thinking so, that happens a lot well, read on and you’ll see what the difference is. Michelle and Tom, have been going out for almost 1 year and the majority of that time, she had been keeping her pregnancy a secret. Michelle wakes up in the middle of the night, her bed sheets are all damp and she starts yelling for her mom. Her mother and her father, run up the stairs as fast as possible. She’s telling them that she is in so much pain and that it feels like she is about to have a bowel movement. After that, her mother yells at her “You Are Pregnant!” Both parents rush Michelle down the stairs to the car. Dad starts the engine, she is lying down in the back seat. The car stops and dad gets out of the car. Michelle, was wondering that was a quick drive to the hospital but than she figured, that she was in so much pain; she must have lost track of time. All of a sudden, dad, opens the car and helps Michelle out of the car. She is stunned and paralyzed because, she can’t believe that they took her to her boyfriend’s parents house. They grabbed her suitcase out of the trunk and she was like, “we didn’t pack any of my clothes, while we were at home.” The parents said, I know but we did. “We already knew you were pregnant, we spoke with Tom’s parents paid them $8,000.00, to take care of you; because we can’t and we aren’t even going to try.” “Oh, and by the way, we still haven’t told Tom,” yelled Tom’s parents.

Pretty much, that situation is just pretty much messed up! The parents let her go so quickly! I believe that they didn’t look back twice!

The moral of these stories, is that life sucks and things do happen. We must be parents first in order to raise our kids to the best of our ability. We don’t want our children marrying the first person they lay their eyes on and we definitely don’t want them doing that at such a young age! I know we all want to be grandparents at least when we are 45 or older! But will it ever happen in this very perfect world?!