to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Rich. Happy Birthday to you!! xoxo h
(p.s. i’m doing the happy birthday dance!)

It happened again. It’s just plain ol’ embarrassing. My cat is beautiful, I know it, she knows it…. everybody that sees her falls in love.. They oooh and awww over her, she bats her eyes. They pet her, she licks her lips.
We are at the Vet’s. It’s a busy day. We sit patiently awaiting our turn. Lacey is called. Next is Luke and Roxie. Our turn is coming.
I am becoming quite nervous. Not the ‘oh no it’s gonna hurt’ nervousness but more of a ‘shameful, how could you’ nervousness.
Mittens is called.
We are next.
I am contemplating walking out, sure my Princess needs medical attention but she also needs to embrace what dignity she has left. I decide to move close to the door we will be called in to…. I start to gather my belongings. Before I was able to get to my feet, the door opens. A young man comes out; he has a smirk on his face. He knows.
The cavity my heart once lay peaceful in is empty. My heart is racing, I don’t know where it is but I feel it in every part of my body.
He (the man with the smirk) walks to the center of the waiting room. I make eye contact with him, I give him a little wave to let him know we’re coming. He wasn’t buying into it. He had a job to do.
Lacey, Luke, Roxie and Mittens had their turns now it was our turn. There was that smirk, a professional smirk but it was a smirk. My ears were ringing at this point but I knew, I had read his lips. He called her name, “Filthy,” we are ready to see you.
Now I have learned from the past that at that point you put your blinders on. People give you looks. Not the kind you want to receive either. They laugh behind your back, they shake their heads as you walk by them. At this point I am not even sure where my heart ended up. I have no pulse, that I can feel.
We are losing focus here folks. After all, my cat (Filthy) is here for a reason. She needs medical attention. I am sure she will get it once this young man Dr. dude can quit laughing. This is where I buckle up and get tough…O.k. yes, laugh all you want but there is a reason behind this name and IF I told you and all those other peons in the waiting room you would be bowing to my feet. You would be helping me find my misplaced heart. You would be ashamed of yourselves. I give him a quick run down on what is going on, with out missing a beat Mr. young man Dr dude wants to know the story behind her name. I humor him briefly.
Weren’t there famous, meaningful people that shared this name with my princess? What about Filthy McNasty’s…wasn’t that an establishment in Hollywood? I think so. It was a bar.
So she has had this name for 6 years….would it be morally wrong to change it now? Would I confuse her? Am I giving in to societies “standards?” Philthee, Filthee, Fil-Fil, Phylthie. My family thinks I’m nuts. It’s a damn cat. So I have compromised.
As of today, November 28th, 2007, I hereby change my cats name to Filthea. She will go by Tea (pronounced Tia)
Without further ado meet my Princess,

Journaling reads, “What would I do without you? You are my friend, my confident, my travel companion. You are by my side through the good times and the bad. I will never really know who you are, or where you came from. You were sent to me for a reason and for that, I am blessed!”

So I am not the most graceful person. I’m a survivor though. How many people do you know that have been hit by a car as a pedestrian…twice and lived to talk about it? What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Just 2 weeks ago I had a root canal. Didn’t even hurt. That much. Last year my ear drum ruptured. That’s o.k., I have another one. I survived. Natural childbirth? Piece of cake.

Not only have I become stronger, I am now wiser. For example, I no longer take for granted stairs. Oh they’ll get you sooner or later. They may even get you sooner and later. Yeah, I’ve taken my share of falls, just last week….no major injuries. Sore knee, back, hip, thigh, (that is not a plum on a plate of cottage cheese….thats my leg!!!) and pride. For those somebody’s who ‘wish the were here to see it,’ no worries, it’s just a matter of time. Remember. It’s me.

Perhaps it’s an equilibrium problem, perhaps it’s because I am not the most graceful person.

So little panda girl is 100 days today!!! As mentioned in an earlier post, it is Chinese tradition to have a naming ceremony on the 100th day announcing the chosen name.

“Zhen Zhen” (pronounced jun jun) means “Precious”….my 1st choice was “Xiao Li” (sea-ou lee) meaning “Little Beauty” but you just can’t go wrong with something so cute….at least she’s not named Filthy or something!! (wink!)

I love birds.
I love to take pictures.
I love to take pictures of birds.
I love to take pictures of birds with a really nice camera.

It is Chinese tradition to name a baby panda when they reach 100 days old. San Diego Zoo’s newest baby (of which I have enjoyed watching on a web cam since birth) will be 100 days on Nov. 26th, a name will be announced during a ‘naming ceremony’ on that day. After careful consideration, the names have been narrowed down to 4. Now through Nov. 11th you can go here to vote for the name you think best fits this precious little girl. The names are all Chinese but have the meaning and pronunciation listed for each one. If you don’t want to vote, this is a really neat and informative site….so at least look around!

There will never be another cat like Rex. He was everything and more you could ask for from a 4 legged, furry friend. He shared with us the ups and downs of the past 14 years, he was a confidant, an entertainer, a sleeping companion, a comfort and a joy. Rex had a mind of his own, if he did not like you, he would let it be known…and for some twisted reason it would become very important to have his approval and you would cater to his needs, eventually winning him over. He loved to play fetch with his McDonalds Happy Meal toy mouse that he kept close tabs on for the last 12 years. If you did not share your licorice, he would simply get his own and crawl up on the couch next to you. On those few and far between mornings I would wake up without him, 3 pats to my chest to let him know I was awake would bring him running to me despite what he was into or who he was tormenting! Rex disliked other animals and at times intimidated the 2 labs we used to have. This all changed 6 or so years ago when a filthy, matted up stray cat showed up at our door, hungry and cold. We fed her but I was determined not to adopt another cat….Rex was enough to handle! He literally laid at our front door with his nose touching the door night after night until we gave and brought her in. She was a little petite Persian thing that although he would not give the time of day to, waited his turn to eat now, gave up his sleeping arrangements, etc…. Did he ever adore her? No. Did he tolorate her? Sometimes. She had alot of medical issues in the begining, I think Rex sensed she needed us and he did his part to let us know that. He taught her how to play, how to bathe, how to be a kitty (and wrap us around her finger as well!) After adopting him from the pound I always told him how lucky he was to have a family that loved him so much. He had now in his own way, rescued this other cat giving her that same family and love he had.
I could not imagine life without this guy, but the years were catching up to him. He was 14, he was slowing down, his health was failing. We did what we could to keep him comfortable for as long as we could….until that day came. I laid my head next to his on the Vet’s table, talking to him, reassuring him this was the right thing to do. He purrrred, gave me a quick little bite reminding me he was not happy and he took his last breath. I felt like I had lost my best friend and in a sense, I had. It was only then I realized, he was not the lucky one…we were the lucky ones. To have had been blessed by this little guy for so long.
Rex, for all the years of joy and love you gave to us, you will always hold a special place in our hearts! We will always love you big boy!

Journaling reads, “And can it be in a world so full and busy, the loss of one
weak creature makes a void in any heart, so wide and deep that nothing
but the width and depth of eternity can fill it up” ~Charles Dickens