When it rains, it pours.

June 9th 3.30 AM

Yesterday wasn't the greatest day for Ollie and me.

I let him out to roam during the day because I didn't want him to be bored while I was at school. When I came back in the evening and called in for dinner he didn't show up.

I tried calling him a couple more times, and then, finally he came back at midnight. He was in a very poor state - lethargic, dirty, and it looked as if he had trouble walking. I almost thought it was a different cat, then I realized that it was Ollie and something was wrong.

Ollie's initial symptoms indicated poisoning. Not wanting to take any chances, I took him in to the nearest 24 hour vet clinic (where he's currently under observation).

During his general examination Ollie tried to be as close to me as possible. It was a little heartbreaking. He kept his cute, little head in my hand -- almost as if he was trying to do a facepalm - and dosed off a couple of times.

It's 3.30 am now, and as much as I'd like to try to go to sleep, I know it's just not going to happen. I just want to hold him and make him feel safe.

June 9th 1:47 PM
Ollie was moved to his regular veterinary clinic where he's getting the best possible care. We're waiting for his blood work to come back this afternoon to decide how to procede. All I know for now is that his condition is serious.

June 9th 7:15 PM

Oliver spent the whole day on IV. He's looking better. The clinic called me in to help them examine him -- he was being a tad feisty and they didn't want to stress him out by holding him down. When I showed up of course he behaved like the sweet kitty he is. The vet told me that he's a completely different cat when I am around, and asked if I could come in tomorrow morning.

June 10th 9:30 AM

Oliver looks even better today! He meowed very loudly when he saw me. The staff told me that he calmed down a lot after my last night's visit, and let them pet him. Because he was even nicer this morning they played with him. One of the staff told me that he was a very unique kitty.

One more day on IV and I might be able to take him home!

My Ridiculous Cat

NEEDS A CAPSHUN

PLEASE VOTE FOR MEEow

Spring Finds

Archie

Visiting Victoria

How My Cat Doubles in Size

I finally allowed Ollie to go outside - there is only so much "torpedo-running-around" one can take. 

The first time Oliver was allowed out I stayed with him because he was pretty overwhelmed. He would take a few steps away from the door and then he'd run back into the house - and strangely enough he'd run and hide behind my legs like a little child. Each time I'd carry him out a little further, until he was totally tired, and freaked out, and didn't want to leave the house anymore.

After  a few more days of going outside with me he just stopped being afraid and left for a good few hours to roam around the backyard on his own.

Since that day, Oliver became very fond of going out and about - especially since he discovered that our landlord loves to feed birds, and that there are always plenty of them around to stalk. Oliver loves to watch them from our balcony, sometimes he gets so excited that he doubles in size! 

This is a very bad sketch of Oliver when I first noticed this phenomenon. 

Upon returning home from bird watching. 

Yup. My cat looka like he just took a good dose of an electric shock, or few.

I Had an Easter Basket

My favourite holiday of the year is Easter. I love Easter more than I love Christmas, and my birthday. That's why I usually go a little crazy decorating easter eggs, baskets, and whatever else I can. As long as I am allowed to get it all out of my system, everyone and everything is safe and okay.

This year I invested in a medium sized basket, I figured I can decorate it with ribbons and make it into an easter basket in the spring, then use it for holding flower arrangements the rest of the year. Little did I know, the basket would find another purpose at home, one I don't think I have the heart to disallow. 

My cat, and his basket fetish.

He "sleeps" so innocently.

He totally matches the basket.

The sad thing about my cat is that I think he knew that this basket wasn't for him. The whole time I was taking photos,  carrying him from one spot to another, he pretended to be sleeping! Once in a while, he'd look up and do this "Hey, don't you know I was sleeping? Why are you moving me?" expression, but he'd quickly put his head down and close his eyes. Because you know, my cat sleeps loves sleep. He sleeps all the time. He never does any crazy stunts, or runs around the house like he's on fire. No, no, that's a different cat, I'm just confused. 

Vancouver's 125th Birthday

Last week Vancouver celebrated its 125th birthday.

The city of Vancouver organized a lovely ceremony for the occasion, and it seems like even the weather gods were in a good mood because we were provided with great weather.

My friend Katie and I met for pre-ceremony hot drinks and headed to the site. I didn't have my camera but Katie's an awesome friend and she understands my *small* addiction, so she lent me her camera. It was great to use a Nikon for a change too.

Cool Graffiti Portrait

Walking around BBY. 

How to Help: Japan Earthquake & Tsunami

Japan Quake Map March 11th - 24th

"The map presents a time-lapse visualization of the Sendai earthquake and its aftershocks, primarily to help those outside the affected area understand what the people of Japan are experiencing."

On Thursday evening a news report caught my attention from the news channel that was playing in the background. After a series of earthquakes, a massive tsunami hit the coast of Japan. I watched the rest of the report in silence and disbelief.


Each day since, I turned the news channel on only to learn even more devastating news.

"Cities and villages along the 2,100-kilometre stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres from the quake's epicenter."

"On Monday, a police official said 1,000 bodies were found scattered across the coastline of Miyagi prefecture. The discovery raised the official death toll to about 2,800."

"Explosion at Japan thermal power plant in Fukushima."

My heart goes out to everyone in Japan. I sit here feeling utterly useless, the only helping power I have is in the form of a donation to the Japanese Red Cross Society. I encourage everyone who can spare at least $20 to donate.


What's $20 to people in North America, a cup of Starbucks coffee and a snack?

You can help by making a donation to 

the Red Cross Society,

 or over the phone, by calling: 

1-800-418-1111

Google Crisis Response page provides many helpful resources like the Person Finder service.

Is B.C. prepared for an earthquake?

Go to the Provincial Emergency Preparedness page for important information on how you can prepare yourself for an earthquake in British Columbia.

The Troublemaker

Portrait of a Boy

Octographic Universe

Vancouver Rain | What it's really like

This is what if feels like to live in Vancouver when it starts to rain.

Ags' To Do List:

1. Get a bigger umbrella. Underline. Underline. Underline

Happy Valentine's Day!

T.G.I.F.

T.G.I.F.

The Effects of Stress and Sleep Deprivation.

When one can't handle the - what feels like - overwhelming mix of sad and very happy emotions.

2 Hour Sleep. Why you ask?

That pretty much sums it up.

Why Ags Can't Seem to Get a Good Night's Seep

As much as I love my cat Oliver, our relationship goes very sour at night.

I don't think my cat has much patience for sleeping humans - we must seem pretty useless to him at 3 am because that's when his Type A personality comes out.

This is an ongoing kitty-cat act.

Oliver will wake up at around 3 am and demand attention. First he does these quiet little meows. When they fail to wake me up, he adjusts the volume, and when that fails, he goes for the big guns. That's when he uses his "OMG IT'S AN EMERGENCY. I AM SUFFERING!!!" cry. At that point I usually wake up, find something near me to throw at him, and go back to sleep. Sometimes that's enough to shut him up. More often it doesn't, and that's when the fun part of the evening begins.

Oliver turns into a small psycho-kitty. He runs around the house at full speed, doing crazy mid-air jumps, and of course his favorite, trampling across the bed, and me, while I attempt to go back to sleep.

The game ends when I am fully awake, ready to chase him until he's caught, locked away in the spare bedroom, and get my ear plugs.

Links II

Hyperbole and a Half -

I love reading this blog so much that I often forget I have work, or other responsibilities to take care of.

I'll stay up at night reading it until I physically can't stay up any longer, and pass out next to my computer. This always results in very torturous mornings, with long monologues in my head arguing the pros and cons of getting up.

That's pretty much what I did last night, and I'm sort of awake today. Sort of.