We finally have made a decision on which vehicle to buy. Now it's just a matter of buying it. I am confident that I will be driving around town in a new vehicle by the end of Monday. Brad has to work tomorrow so negotiating a deal tomorrow could start in the evening but likely won't wrap up until Monday evening. I'm assuming we will be walking away from their first deal and waiting for them to come across with a second or third deal. Brad is a firm believer in not bending until they come across with their third deal. The wheeling and dealing will likely take at least 2 days. We could start the process tomorrow evening and finish it up by Monday evening. Then again, who knows the wheeling and dealing could go fast. We'll see!
I told Brad I would be patient and look around for the month of May but that I wanted to have a new vehicle by the time my mom arrived. We are 10 days away from the boys Grammie touching down in big D. I told the boys the other day that Grammie will be coming for a visit. Cody is super adorable when you talk about Grammie to him. No doubt in my mind he understands fully who it is I'm talking to him about.
The weather here in Big D has been interesting. I would describe the month of May's weather as mild yet a bit wild at times. No day has been what I would classify as "hot". Some warm days sprinkled into the mix but plenty of rainy days throughout May. Too many rainy nights in Brad's opinion since it's wrecked havoc on his tennis schedule. Cody believes there's been too much rain too. All three of us walked in a misty rain for the morning walk. After not seeing the sun for a few days, the clouds did finally give way to the sun this afternoon. It's been seriously breezy on a frequent basis. The wind almost knocked Cody over yesterday. Cody has a habit of "tightrope" walking. He loves to walk on the outer edge of the curb just testing his balancing skills I suppose. His tiny delicate paws allow him to do a balancing act quite well. Simon better not try that, he's way too clumpy! And clumsy!
Despite the fact that Brad has to work tomorrow. It should be a fun weekend that will fully start at 5 PM Saturday when Brad gets off! Not only will we be picking out a vehicle to actually BUY, come Sunday we will be spending time with our nephews. They'll come over for the day. Yes, folks when I married Brad I gained two nephews and two step-nieces. I will be making a batch of brownies tomorrow. I'll also prepare a yummy dip, an appetizer, and my special cheesy bread (one of Brad's faves) it'll all go well with pizza! I think making homemade items to go along with ordering in pizza will be perfect, it makes it a true get-together plus I'm not in the kitchen too much. I want to still be able to visit and play games. We need to have a good amount of food because my mother-in-law informed me that my youngest nephew ate 7 pieces of chicken the other day when she spent time with him. He's a super skinny growing boy!
Friday, May 31, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
The Car Search!
We have learned two main things so far during the search for the new vehicle. One, don't go looking on Memorial Day Weekend! Secondly, American brands are not at all willing to make a good deal with you.
We went out yesterday to shop around. I had 3 vehicles in mind I wanted to test drive all were American brands. First stop was Ford. I wanted to test drive not one but two different Ford models. Oh my, oh my, oh my! I've never seen a dealership so packed before. I had heard on the radio before going to the dealership that they were having a "construction" sale as the dealership is stuck in an area of town where they are expanding the freeway. When we arrived at Ford we looked around for ourselves sure that a salesperson would soon find us. No salesperson did. We soon went inside to find a salesperson. People were all over the place inside. Like I said I've never seen a dealership so packed. We soon decided to leave and maybe go back later.
On down the road we went to GMC-Buick. They were not busy like Ford was. We test drove a GMC Terrain. A pretty red one, might I add! It was very nice. I wanted the top of the line Denali edition of the Terrain but I was willing to settle for the one under the top of the line Denali edition. I don't mean to sound like I want only the fanciest but it's been a long time since I've had a new car and we certainly plan on keeping it a long while so why not go as close to top of the line as we can get within that model. When we sat down to crunch out the numbers it was clear early on they were not willing to work with us much. When we were taken back by their ridiculous offer for the Terrain the guy looked at me and told me GMC is just barely below a Cadillac. I did all I could do not to laugh! Just my opinion folks...there's Cadillac and there's GMC they are not that closely related as far as luxury. GMC's are nice yes, but not Cadillac nice, not Mercedes-Benz nice! When Brad and I were alone while the sales guys tried to "find us a car", I quickly told my husband I would be happy with any car, I wanted to make sure he knew I did not want the GMC Terrain so badly that I was willing to let the dealership take advantage of us. Soon the sales people at GMC tried to get us into a different type of a Terrain instead of the one we wanted because they were not willing to budge on the price of the fancy Terrain. They were even going to bring it in from another dealership for us. The whole thing was laughable! Their tricks and tactics likely work on numerous people day after day. But not us! If they aren't willing to negotiate with us on the vehicle we want we'll go down the street. Simple as that! I will be happy with whatever we decide on I don't absolutely have to have any specific brand of car.
We then made our way back to Ford. Once again they were still packed. We waited around a bit only to once again leave before talking to a salesperson or taking a test drive. At this point we're unsure if we care enough about having a Ford to return a third time to their dealership.
Now what? Not sure! I think the decision is going to be Nissan! Last night I did a search again for all Dallas area dealerships hoping an Xterra would pop up. I squealed with delight when my online search found an Xterra. The type of Xterra I found is exactly the edition, color, and interior I wanted. So the decision is most likely Nissan but which Nissan model is still up in the air. We'll see! We're going to think on it a bit more and wait until Memorial Day is over. Despite what the ads say the dealerships are not willing to work with you as much when they have so many people standing around waiting to test drive. Seeing us walk out the door when they have 30-some people standing around is nothing to them this weekend. You have to go on a day when they haven't had much luck selling a car. When we went on a Friday a few weeks back it was much better than yesterday.
Before I close this post I must reiterate my surprise concerning the American brands. From what I can tell they are truly taking advantage of people that simply want to drive American. I wanted to drive American this time around. But I'm not willing to pay thousands extra just to do so. I can't believe the cost of the American brands, more than other brands aside from the exclusive luxury brands of course. What makes it even worse is the dealerships are hoping you'll be so set on giving your money to an American brand you'll look passed the fact that they are unwilling to budge on the price much. At GMC they were giving us a whopping $750 off the MSRP price. Yes, folks only $750 off. That is laughable! We are not stupid! When we left GMC Brad said to me that we must look young and dumb if that's the offer they came across with. For those of you that don't know that's a terrible offer, $750 off on a multi-thousand dollar purchase is nothing! It's equivalent to an XBOX game being sold on sale for $48.99 when it's original price is $50.00.
We went out yesterday to shop around. I had 3 vehicles in mind I wanted to test drive all were American brands. First stop was Ford. I wanted to test drive not one but two different Ford models. Oh my, oh my, oh my! I've never seen a dealership so packed before. I had heard on the radio before going to the dealership that they were having a "construction" sale as the dealership is stuck in an area of town where they are expanding the freeway. When we arrived at Ford we looked around for ourselves sure that a salesperson would soon find us. No salesperson did. We soon went inside to find a salesperson. People were all over the place inside. Like I said I've never seen a dealership so packed. We soon decided to leave and maybe go back later.
On down the road we went to GMC-Buick. They were not busy like Ford was. We test drove a GMC Terrain. A pretty red one, might I add! It was very nice. I wanted the top of the line Denali edition of the Terrain but I was willing to settle for the one under the top of the line Denali edition. I don't mean to sound like I want only the fanciest but it's been a long time since I've had a new car and we certainly plan on keeping it a long while so why not go as close to top of the line as we can get within that model. When we sat down to crunch out the numbers it was clear early on they were not willing to work with us much. When we were taken back by their ridiculous offer for the Terrain the guy looked at me and told me GMC is just barely below a Cadillac. I did all I could do not to laugh! Just my opinion folks...there's Cadillac and there's GMC they are not that closely related as far as luxury. GMC's are nice yes, but not Cadillac nice, not Mercedes-Benz nice! When Brad and I were alone while the sales guys tried to "find us a car", I quickly told my husband I would be happy with any car, I wanted to make sure he knew I did not want the GMC Terrain so badly that I was willing to let the dealership take advantage of us. Soon the sales people at GMC tried to get us into a different type of a Terrain instead of the one we wanted because they were not willing to budge on the price of the fancy Terrain. They were even going to bring it in from another dealership for us. The whole thing was laughable! Their tricks and tactics likely work on numerous people day after day. But not us! If they aren't willing to negotiate with us on the vehicle we want we'll go down the street. Simple as that! I will be happy with whatever we decide on I don't absolutely have to have any specific brand of car.
We then made our way back to Ford. Once again they were still packed. We waited around a bit only to once again leave before talking to a salesperson or taking a test drive. At this point we're unsure if we care enough about having a Ford to return a third time to their dealership.
Now what? Not sure! I think the decision is going to be Nissan! Last night I did a search again for all Dallas area dealerships hoping an Xterra would pop up. I squealed with delight when my online search found an Xterra. The type of Xterra I found is exactly the edition, color, and interior I wanted. So the decision is most likely Nissan but which Nissan model is still up in the air. We'll see! We're going to think on it a bit more and wait until Memorial Day is over. Despite what the ads say the dealerships are not willing to work with you as much when they have so many people standing around waiting to test drive. Seeing us walk out the door when they have 30-some people standing around is nothing to them this weekend. You have to go on a day when they haven't had much luck selling a car. When we went on a Friday a few weeks back it was much better than yesterday.
Before I close this post I must reiterate my surprise concerning the American brands. From what I can tell they are truly taking advantage of people that simply want to drive American. I wanted to drive American this time around. But I'm not willing to pay thousands extra just to do so. I can't believe the cost of the American brands, more than other brands aside from the exclusive luxury brands of course. What makes it even worse is the dealerships are hoping you'll be so set on giving your money to an American brand you'll look passed the fact that they are unwilling to budge on the price much. At GMC they were giving us a whopping $750 off the MSRP price. Yes, folks only $750 off. That is laughable! We are not stupid! When we left GMC Brad said to me that we must look young and dumb if that's the offer they came across with. For those of you that don't know that's a terrible offer, $750 off on a multi-thousand dollar purchase is nothing! It's equivalent to an XBOX game being sold on sale for $48.99 when it's original price is $50.00.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Focusing Back In On Car Shopping
This weekend we will turn our attention back to car shopping. When I spoke with my mom the other day she asked what kind of car we ended up getting. I replied, "still don't have one". She seemed surprised that we still haven't replaced the Xterra. What can I say? We aren't in a huge hurry. Life also got a bit busy for us. Plus we've had, or should I say, I've had trouble deciding what size vehicle to get this time around. Everything seems a lot smaller than it seemed last time I looked for a vehicle. Smaller engines are the in thing as well, since they save gas.
We looked around about 3 weeks ago but our main focus was Nissan. I had my heart set on a new Pathfinder. I didn't want to look around. I turned my nose up at quite a few vehicles, dissing one right after another one Sunday afternoon as we drove down car dealership row in Arlington. I just wanted to see my Pathfinder! I squealed with delight as we finally made our way to Nissan and looked over the rows of newly redesigned Pathfinders. It wasn't until the following weekend that we would go and test drive one. The test drive didn't go so well. The acceleration when getting on the freeway was a little slower than I would prefer plus they had the annoying sticker in the front passenger side window...I couldn't see anything when I looked to the right. When Brad drove it he just simply didn't like it. Bye-bye Pathfinder.
For the last 2 weeks I have been researching other vehicles. I've likely done too much research at this point. I had my mind so made up on the Pathfinder that it's been hard to turn my attention to other vehicles. As I still keep coming back to the Pathfinder, thinking that maybe it was just a bad test drive, maybe we'll get used to it. Then again my husband was rather scared sitting next to me as I drove it so maybe we can't get over that part. I don't know!
Tomorrow we will be in search of a vehicle that will make me forget about the Pathfinder....hopefully! I don't know what my deal is...why am I so attracted to a darn Pathfinder? Geez! After lots of research and careful thought I have a short list of vehicles to check out tomorrow. It's weird to me though that when I bought the Xterra I don't remember having a single reservation about it. This time around I have reservations albeit stupid ones. Nonetheless I have reservations about each vehicle on my short list. I'm going to do my best to focus in on what drives the best and feels the best. I'm a bit of a tech girl though, I get distracted by cool gadgets inside the vehicles. I bought the Xterra more for the inside quality than for the looks on the outside! I'm also hoping that at the end of the day tomorrow we both prefer the same vehicle over the others on the short list. Fingers-crossed! It's going to be a long Memorial Day car shopping weekend.
And trust me folks....(are you reading this mom!)....trust me, when we finally do replace the beloved Xterra the news of what we came home with will appear on this blog within the same day of purchasing it. So don't worry mom, you aren't going to miss that piece of info!
We looked around about 3 weeks ago but our main focus was Nissan. I had my heart set on a new Pathfinder. I didn't want to look around. I turned my nose up at quite a few vehicles, dissing one right after another one Sunday afternoon as we drove down car dealership row in Arlington. I just wanted to see my Pathfinder! I squealed with delight as we finally made our way to Nissan and looked over the rows of newly redesigned Pathfinders. It wasn't until the following weekend that we would go and test drive one. The test drive didn't go so well. The acceleration when getting on the freeway was a little slower than I would prefer plus they had the annoying sticker in the front passenger side window...I couldn't see anything when I looked to the right. When Brad drove it he just simply didn't like it. Bye-bye Pathfinder.
For the last 2 weeks I have been researching other vehicles. I've likely done too much research at this point. I had my mind so made up on the Pathfinder that it's been hard to turn my attention to other vehicles. As I still keep coming back to the Pathfinder, thinking that maybe it was just a bad test drive, maybe we'll get used to it. Then again my husband was rather scared sitting next to me as I drove it so maybe we can't get over that part. I don't know!
Tomorrow we will be in search of a vehicle that will make me forget about the Pathfinder....hopefully! I don't know what my deal is...why am I so attracted to a darn Pathfinder? Geez! After lots of research and careful thought I have a short list of vehicles to check out tomorrow. It's weird to me though that when I bought the Xterra I don't remember having a single reservation about it. This time around I have reservations albeit stupid ones. Nonetheless I have reservations about each vehicle on my short list. I'm going to do my best to focus in on what drives the best and feels the best. I'm a bit of a tech girl though, I get distracted by cool gadgets inside the vehicles. I bought the Xterra more for the inside quality than for the looks on the outside! I'm also hoping that at the end of the day tomorrow we both prefer the same vehicle over the others on the short list. Fingers-crossed! It's going to be a long Memorial Day car shopping weekend.
And trust me folks....(are you reading this mom!)....trust me, when we finally do replace the beloved Xterra the news of what we came home with will appear on this blog within the same day of purchasing it. So don't worry mom, you aren't going to miss that piece of info!
Friday, May 24, 2013
Storm the Cat Stories!
We continue to get used to life without Storm. Cody has even been adjusting. It was clear to me he was grieving in his own way earlier this week. Cody is sensitive and wears his little heart on his paw, so to speak. Yesterday was the first day since Storm's passing that Cody's made it through the day without crying.
Storm was a great cat! She had an awesome personality. She couldn't verbally tell you things but her numerous meows let you know everything you needed to know.
I thought I would recall some of my fave Storm stories. Just since moving into our new place together there are two stories. One morning we awoke to the sound of Storm causing the lid of the fish tank to fall into the tank. She had climbed up from the TV stand over to the fish tank, her weight on top of the tank caused the lid to fall in. Just imagine what those fish thought!
Another story was from when the fire alarm went off. She was completely calm simply asking for water at the kitchen faucet as we rushed around her getting ready to leave. She reminded me of how a person tries to get the attention of their waitress at a restaurant. LOL!
There was also one night recently where Brad was playing tug-of-war with the boys. He had Cody on his left with a toy and Simon on his right with another toy all three were tugging away. Storm went over to stand between the two boys, her head moving back and forth to watch the pug games.
Another water fascination story...this story is from early in our relationship. Brad was changing up the fish tank and had a bucket of water sitting on the floor ready to pour into the tank. Storm didn't realize there was water in the bucket and she jumped up only to soon put the breaks on as she realized it was full of water. She managed to grip the sides of the bucket well enough to avoid falling in. The entire scene looked like something out of a cartoon as she maneuvered and her nails scraped to help her stop. See Storm liked water but she didn't want to fall into it and be submersed.
The lion statue story....I didn't witness this one but it's one of Brad's fave Storm stories. Brad has collected a few lion statues here and there. When Storm was a kitty Brad placed a new lion statue on the floor without her seeing him do it. When Storm first noticed it she thought it was real. She ever so slowly placed one paw in front of the other as she crept towards the statue. She soon arrived at the statue and investigated it only to of course discover it was not real so no need to panic.
Storm and her toy "Mr. Stinky-Pants"...oh my, what a love affair those two had going. She was insane when Mr. Stinky-Pants was around. She couldn't help herself, she loved carrying him around and then meowing at the top of her lungs. We would hide Stinky-Pants on the highest shelf we could find thinking that since she's an older cat she won't try to get up that high....think again! She would figure out a way even if she fell a couple times, she wouldn't give up. Stinky-Pants commonly found himself being placed at the far back of a drawer in order to keep Storm from him. It was so funny to watch her walk around with him in her mouth like he was a truly prized possession all while meowing as loud as she could.
In the coming days I plan on posting some of my fave Storm photos.
Storm was a great cat! She had an awesome personality. She couldn't verbally tell you things but her numerous meows let you know everything you needed to know.
I thought I would recall some of my fave Storm stories. Just since moving into our new place together there are two stories. One morning we awoke to the sound of Storm causing the lid of the fish tank to fall into the tank. She had climbed up from the TV stand over to the fish tank, her weight on top of the tank caused the lid to fall in. Just imagine what those fish thought!
Another story was from when the fire alarm went off. She was completely calm simply asking for water at the kitchen faucet as we rushed around her getting ready to leave. She reminded me of how a person tries to get the attention of their waitress at a restaurant. LOL!
There was also one night recently where Brad was playing tug-of-war with the boys. He had Cody on his left with a toy and Simon on his right with another toy all three were tugging away. Storm went over to stand between the two boys, her head moving back and forth to watch the pug games.
Another water fascination story...this story is from early in our relationship. Brad was changing up the fish tank and had a bucket of water sitting on the floor ready to pour into the tank. Storm didn't realize there was water in the bucket and she jumped up only to soon put the breaks on as she realized it was full of water. She managed to grip the sides of the bucket well enough to avoid falling in. The entire scene looked like something out of a cartoon as she maneuvered and her nails scraped to help her stop. See Storm liked water but she didn't want to fall into it and be submersed.
The lion statue story....I didn't witness this one but it's one of Brad's fave Storm stories. Brad has collected a few lion statues here and there. When Storm was a kitty Brad placed a new lion statue on the floor without her seeing him do it. When Storm first noticed it she thought it was real. She ever so slowly placed one paw in front of the other as she crept towards the statue. She soon arrived at the statue and investigated it only to of course discover it was not real so no need to panic.
Storm and her toy "Mr. Stinky-Pants"...oh my, what a love affair those two had going. She was insane when Mr. Stinky-Pants was around. She couldn't help herself, she loved carrying him around and then meowing at the top of her lungs. We would hide Stinky-Pants on the highest shelf we could find thinking that since she's an older cat she won't try to get up that high....think again! She would figure out a way even if she fell a couple times, she wouldn't give up. Stinky-Pants commonly found himself being placed at the far back of a drawer in order to keep Storm from him. It was so funny to watch her walk around with him in her mouth like he was a truly prized possession all while meowing as loud as she could.
In the coming days I plan on posting some of my fave Storm photos.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Our Stormer-Boo is Gone!
We lost our Stormer-Boo yesterday afternoon. It's been a tear filled weekend. Since Wednesday we watched her rapidly deteriorate.
On Friday evening before Brad got home from work I thought she had breathed her last but then she got up to fight it off once more. As Friday night progressed we were unsure if she would make it till morning. We had a slumber party with Storm in the living room as we wanted to be close to her for what we both suspected would be her final night.
She spent most of Saturday curled up in her pink bed by the window. Soon after we ate lunch we heard a noise from her, we immediately turned our attention solely on her. We knew those noises meant it was her final moments. We both sat with her as her body gave up it's fight.
Soon after she passed we placed her and her pink bed inside a box then took her out to Granny's farm. We buried her under a big shade tree. We also buried her favorite toy we termed "Mr. Stinky-pants". He was a mouse that wore pants and inside of his pants was catnip. She loved him a little too much at times!
Definitely a sad weekend for us! Brad was understandably super attached to Storm. He had her since her kitten days. She's been his little girl for the last 18 or 19 years. Brad is unsure exactly how old she was, either 18 or 19. Either way she lived a long and happy life!
She got to be with Brad through his many years of being a single guy all the way to his married life where she got to have a mommie. Hopefully, I was a good enough mommie for what turned out to be too short of time. I'm thankful I got to know her so well while Brad and I were dating. As a result becoming her actual mommie was a smoother transition. We'll certainly miss her. So used to caring for her. So used to looking for her each morning when I get up. She's the first one to greet me each morning! The morning ritual has been that the second I come out of our bedroom Storm perks up then comes over to me and gives me a big morning meow.
On Friday evening before Brad got home from work I thought she had breathed her last but then she got up to fight it off once more. As Friday night progressed we were unsure if she would make it till morning. We had a slumber party with Storm in the living room as we wanted to be close to her for what we both suspected would be her final night.
She spent most of Saturday curled up in her pink bed by the window. Soon after we ate lunch we heard a noise from her, we immediately turned our attention solely on her. We knew those noises meant it was her final moments. We both sat with her as her body gave up it's fight.
Soon after she passed we placed her and her pink bed inside a box then took her out to Granny's farm. We buried her under a big shade tree. We also buried her favorite toy we termed "Mr. Stinky-pants". He was a mouse that wore pants and inside of his pants was catnip. She loved him a little too much at times!
Definitely a sad weekend for us! Brad was understandably super attached to Storm. He had her since her kitten days. She's been his little girl for the last 18 or 19 years. Brad is unsure exactly how old she was, either 18 or 19. Either way she lived a long and happy life!
She got to be with Brad through his many years of being a single guy all the way to his married life where she got to have a mommie. Hopefully, I was a good enough mommie for what turned out to be too short of time. I'm thankful I got to know her so well while Brad and I were dating. As a result becoming her actual mommie was a smoother transition. We'll certainly miss her. So used to caring for her. So used to looking for her each morning when I get up. She's the first one to greet me each morning! The morning ritual has been that the second I come out of our bedroom Storm perks up then comes over to me and gives me a big morning meow.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Our Bad News!
We have noticed our little Stormer-boo has not been up to par lately. For the last few weeks she hasn't wanted to eat very much. She'll go a day or two without an appetite at all. Then she'll be back to eating but it's just a minimal amount. She also has had trouble keeping her food down. After having issues for a couple days in a row though she'll appear to rebound a bit.
However, as of this weekend she was not rebounding anymore. She has stayed the same for quite a few days. Super lethargic as well! Her meow's are minimum and her purring mechanism seems to be broken. We noticed she's virtually stopped purring on Saturday night. After deciding that this time she has not shown us any improvement in many days we made a vet appointment.
For those that are not accustom to cats it's important to mention that cats are not like dogs. They do not go to the vet regularly. They take care of themselves a lot better than a dog does. Dogs are much more dependent on humans to take care of their needs. Cats do their own thing, quite self-sufficient. For example, Brad could literally go out of town and leave Storm in the house to fend for herself, which she would do just fine. Cody and Simon can not be left alone like that, Simon would eat Cody. Not to mention they would be petrified to be left alone for a day or two!
Today we took our little Stormer to the vet. We both knew it was likely not going to be good news we would receive. The recommendation of the vet was for Storm to be immediately hospitalized. It is unclear how long she would need to be hospitalized. Maybe a few days maybe a week. Hospitalizing a pet and giving them 24 hour care of that nature would be super expensive. It would ring up a multi-thousand dollar bill super quick. Storm has kidney failure, renal failure. She is eighteen years old and with that kind of diagnoses we are unsure how long hospitalization would prolong her life and if it would actually prolong her life at all. Not to mention Brad is worried about her passing away while in the hospital. Another issue we see with hospitalizing her is the trauma it might cause. For a cat that rarely requires going to a vet to suddenly be hospitalized might be too much for her to handle.
As of this moment our decision is to keep Storm at home and just enjoy the time she has left. It's going to be absolutely devastating to see her go. My poor husband has had Storm since she was a kitten. He's super attached to her. I've become attached to her as well. I started crying at the vet and I'm beginning to cry as I type this post. We think the best thing we can do for her is to just be around her and keep her comfortable.
This was the first time the boys have been left home while Storm had to be taken to the vet, they were anxious to check her over as soon as she arrived home. Simon was first to check on her. And right now as I type Cody is on watch. He is laying near her. Poor sweet Stormer-boo!
However, as of this weekend she was not rebounding anymore. She has stayed the same for quite a few days. Super lethargic as well! Her meow's are minimum and her purring mechanism seems to be broken. We noticed she's virtually stopped purring on Saturday night. After deciding that this time she has not shown us any improvement in many days we made a vet appointment.
For those that are not accustom to cats it's important to mention that cats are not like dogs. They do not go to the vet regularly. They take care of themselves a lot better than a dog does. Dogs are much more dependent on humans to take care of their needs. Cats do their own thing, quite self-sufficient. For example, Brad could literally go out of town and leave Storm in the house to fend for herself, which she would do just fine. Cody and Simon can not be left alone like that, Simon would eat Cody. Not to mention they would be petrified to be left alone for a day or two!
Today we took our little Stormer to the vet. We both knew it was likely not going to be good news we would receive. The recommendation of the vet was for Storm to be immediately hospitalized. It is unclear how long she would need to be hospitalized. Maybe a few days maybe a week. Hospitalizing a pet and giving them 24 hour care of that nature would be super expensive. It would ring up a multi-thousand dollar bill super quick. Storm has kidney failure, renal failure. She is eighteen years old and with that kind of diagnoses we are unsure how long hospitalization would prolong her life and if it would actually prolong her life at all. Not to mention Brad is worried about her passing away while in the hospital. Another issue we see with hospitalizing her is the trauma it might cause. For a cat that rarely requires going to a vet to suddenly be hospitalized might be too much for her to handle.
As of this moment our decision is to keep Storm at home and just enjoy the time she has left. It's going to be absolutely devastating to see her go. My poor husband has had Storm since she was a kitten. He's super attached to her. I've become attached to her as well. I started crying at the vet and I'm beginning to cry as I type this post. We think the best thing we can do for her is to just be around her and keep her comfortable.
This was the first time the boys have been left home while Storm had to be taken to the vet, they were anxious to check her over as soon as she arrived home. Simon was first to check on her. And right now as I type Cody is on watch. He is laying near her. Poor sweet Stormer-boo!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Mother's Day Sunday!
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I already called my mom this morning and texted with my mother-in-law, so I'm golden. We still need to call Brad's granny though! My mom-in-law has gotten very much into texting so Brad even texted her a special greeting today! Lol! The plan was to get together with my in-laws this afternoon but my mom-in-law is under the weather so we'll postpone her Mother's day celebration till later this week or next weekend.
Since we've been doing our own thing today, we've decided to stay clear of restaurants. Restaurants and nail salons are super busy on this day. Nail salons were super busy yesterday too. I neglected to consider that factor as I went to the nail salon yesterday afternoon. It was way too packed to get everything done I would have liked to have gotten done. Oh well!
For this Mother's day I surprised my mom with flowers and I convinced my husband that sending flowers to his granny would brighter her weekend more than a box of candy. So granny got flowers too. Granny loves flowers! She took a couple of our floral arrangements from our wedding home with her and kept them alive for a remarkable amount of time. It was impressive and in light of knowing that I knew she would love getting flowers for Mother's Day!
Once again, Happy Mother's Day!
Since we've been doing our own thing today, we've decided to stay clear of restaurants. Restaurants and nail salons are super busy on this day. Nail salons were super busy yesterday too. I neglected to consider that factor as I went to the nail salon yesterday afternoon. It was way too packed to get everything done I would have liked to have gotten done. Oh well!
For this Mother's day I surprised my mom with flowers and I convinced my husband that sending flowers to his granny would brighter her weekend more than a box of candy. So granny got flowers too. Granny loves flowers! She took a couple of our floral arrangements from our wedding home with her and kept them alive for a remarkable amount of time. It was impressive and in light of knowing that I knew she would love getting flowers for Mother's Day!
Once again, Happy Mother's Day!
Learning About My Cat Daughter!
I know my boys! I've had them since their puppy days, so I better know those two boys WELL! Every sigh, every look, every whine....I know what each of them means when it comes to either pug.
As for my cat daughter, she's a bit of a mystery at times. After dating Brad for 3 years I wasn't exactly a rookie when it came to understanding Storm but it's definitely a bit different getting used to her little idiosyncrasies now that we are all under one roof.
I've learned the difference in her meows. There's the normal meow, which is a friendly typical meow! Then there's the scolding meow, as she'll let you know if you have failed to do something right for her. She's also got an alarming meow, which lets us know to get up fast because she needs a fast ride to the nearest sink. There's also her somewhat cranky meow she gives when she wants to be left alone or doesn't like someone's presence around her. The cranky meow comes out a lot when too much company arrives at one time. She likes her family to herself! She gets cranky when company comes over especially if the company is young in age.
The other day I was left a little dumbfounded as I guessed what her issue was. There I was running around the house with her in my arms as I tried to predict what she was about to do. I was in the process of cleaning her litter box when I noticed her odd behavior. Obviously at the time my instant worry was that she needed her box. However, I wasn't completely sure that was the issue. I ran her from her box to the sink and back again. She must have thought I was crazy. I finally got the idea to just take her out on the balcony. Any mess will be easier to clean up out there. It was a bit rainy at the time so she wasn't fond of the balcony idea. After a few minutes all was fine. I soon laughed at myself and commented to her that each day I will get better and better at learning about her. Just bare with me Stormer-Boo!
As for my cat daughter, she's a bit of a mystery at times. After dating Brad for 3 years I wasn't exactly a rookie when it came to understanding Storm but it's definitely a bit different getting used to her little idiosyncrasies now that we are all under one roof.
I've learned the difference in her meows. There's the normal meow, which is a friendly typical meow! Then there's the scolding meow, as she'll let you know if you have failed to do something right for her. She's also got an alarming meow, which lets us know to get up fast because she needs a fast ride to the nearest sink. There's also her somewhat cranky meow she gives when she wants to be left alone or doesn't like someone's presence around her. The cranky meow comes out a lot when too much company arrives at one time. She likes her family to herself! She gets cranky when company comes over especially if the company is young in age.
The other day I was left a little dumbfounded as I guessed what her issue was. There I was running around the house with her in my arms as I tried to predict what she was about to do. I was in the process of cleaning her litter box when I noticed her odd behavior. Obviously at the time my instant worry was that she needed her box. However, I wasn't completely sure that was the issue. I ran her from her box to the sink and back again. She must have thought I was crazy. I finally got the idea to just take her out on the balcony. Any mess will be easier to clean up out there. It was a bit rainy at the time so she wasn't fond of the balcony idea. After a few minutes all was fine. I soon laughed at myself and commented to her that each day I will get better and better at learning about her. Just bare with me Stormer-Boo!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Search Continues!
So the search for the new vehicle has begun. After looking at a few on Sunday we were quite set on one in particular. By the time Monday rolled around we both looked at each other and expressed the exact same reservation about the standout vehicle we were set on the day before.
Last night we went out again and found two more vehicles that we will consider. After some consideration we now have a top three. Two of the top three are the same make just different models.
I can confirm the new vehicle that will replace the Xterra will not be another Xterra. Why? We can't find one that isn't a base model. I didn't have a base model before so it would be difficult to go with a base model now. I'm confused why there are only base models available and why so many dealerships have zero Xterra's available. Very few dealerships had any Xterra's. I even went online and looked in Houston. I'm beginning to think the Xterra is likely being phased out.
I was hoping to have a new car by the end of this weekend. I think it will be sometime next week or the following weekend before we make our final decision. Brad has Friday off so we can go test drive a couple. We've been looking online and then going out to dealerships after hours. That way we aren't harassed by sales people. I've never thought to go look around a lot after hours. It was Brad's idea. This way we've seen them up close, been able to eliminate a few and now we have a short list to go from.
Here's what is left of the totaled Xterra, I took pics when we went to clean it out a few days ago.
Last night we went out again and found two more vehicles that we will consider. After some consideration we now have a top three. Two of the top three are the same make just different models.
I can confirm the new vehicle that will replace the Xterra will not be another Xterra. Why? We can't find one that isn't a base model. I didn't have a base model before so it would be difficult to go with a base model now. I'm confused why there are only base models available and why so many dealerships have zero Xterra's available. Very few dealerships had any Xterra's. I even went online and looked in Houston. I'm beginning to think the Xterra is likely being phased out.
I was hoping to have a new car by the end of this weekend. I think it will be sometime next week or the following weekend before we make our final decision. Brad has Friday off so we can go test drive a couple. We've been looking online and then going out to dealerships after hours. That way we aren't harassed by sales people. I've never thought to go look around a lot after hours. It was Brad's idea. This way we've seen them up close, been able to eliminate a few and now we have a short list to go from.
Here's what is left of the totaled Xterra, I took pics when we went to clean it out a few days ago.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Day One!
It's day 1 of looking for a new vehicle. I must admit I've been kind of lazy about looking online at new cars. I'm just struggling to accept my Xterra is gone. It feels very weird to not have an Xterra anymore.
I've never been in this situation before. Never had to replace a car that's been totaled. I've always had in mind something new months before deciding to actually change to something new. So this is a whole new ballgame for me. To feel a bit rushed to get a new vehicle is something I'm trying not to feel.
The main thing that is the most exciting to me is that this new vehicle will be purchased together. This will be our first vehicle we decide on together. I understand that may make this decision a bit harder to reach since we both have to be happy with it. However, I know it will be fun to have this experience. This car will be the first one we have under both of our names from the start! Cool! I love being married! Love having a partner to experience things with!
I've never been in this situation before. Never had to replace a car that's been totaled. I've always had in mind something new months before deciding to actually change to something new. So this is a whole new ballgame for me. To feel a bit rushed to get a new vehicle is something I'm trying not to feel.
The main thing that is the most exciting to me is that this new vehicle will be purchased together. This will be our first vehicle we decide on together. I understand that may make this decision a bit harder to reach since we both have to be happy with it. However, I know it will be fun to have this experience. This car will be the first one we have under both of our names from the start! Cool! I love being married! Love having a partner to experience things with!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Bye Bye Xterra!
Well it's official the Xterra is no more! I got the call this afternoon it had been declared a total lose. So sad! I loved my Xterra! I thought it was awesome! I always felt cool driving it. It was great for me and the boys and once Brad came along it worked well for all of us. He liked it too.
When I started it up yesterday to drive it to the body shop I thought it sounded funny. I knew there most likely was damage under the hood. However, I never thought it might be considered a total lose until the insurance adjustor met with me at the body shop. The Xterra appeared to be a total lose to the insurance adjustor upon first glance.
When looking at the Xterra you would automatically think the back end was worse than the front end. I think if it had been damaged in either the front or the rear it would not have been unfixable. The combo of both pushed it into a category where it would have been too much to fix, more than it was worth.
Now what to get? We want something comparable to the Xterra. Maybe even another Xterra. It lasted a long time and it took the impact of the accident. I was completely fine inside. We're talking about what to get. I've never been in this situation before. In the past I've had ample amount of time to look around before making a decision. I've usually had my eye on something before deciding to upgrade. Knowing that we need a second car will put a little pressure on the situation. Although we won't be making a rushed decision. As we want something that fits our needs now and a little ways into the future. Brad mentioned earlier if we get a Pathfinder we'll have room for all 3 pets and 2 kids. Like I said we'll see! I've got to do some research as I have no clue about what is popular right now.
When I started it up yesterday to drive it to the body shop I thought it sounded funny. I knew there most likely was damage under the hood. However, I never thought it might be considered a total lose until the insurance adjustor met with me at the body shop. The Xterra appeared to be a total lose to the insurance adjustor upon first glance.
When looking at the Xterra you would automatically think the back end was worse than the front end. I think if it had been damaged in either the front or the rear it would not have been unfixable. The combo of both pushed it into a category where it would have been too much to fix, more than it was worth.
Now what to get? We want something comparable to the Xterra. Maybe even another Xterra. It lasted a long time and it took the impact of the accident. I was completely fine inside. We're talking about what to get. I've never been in this situation before. In the past I've had ample amount of time to look around before making a decision. I've usually had my eye on something before deciding to upgrade. Knowing that we need a second car will put a little pressure on the situation. Although we won't be making a rushed decision. As we want something that fits our needs now and a little ways into the future. Brad mentioned earlier if we get a Pathfinder we'll have room for all 3 pets and 2 kids. Like I said we'll see! I've got to do some research as I have no clue about what is popular right now.
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