For What It's Worth


Monday, February 11, 2019

My Monday Musings



I’m deep in the moving/packing cave now and haven’t been able to read at all so today I’ll leave you with two songs that I’ve had on repeat.

Both are strange (in different ways) and wonderful!

Billy Ellish – Bury a friend



Cosmo Sheldrake – Come Along




I'm really slow at commenting these days but I'm popping in a few days a week and will try to get a post up of all the books that pubs have been sending - a rare and wonderful occurrence - but had to be promptly packed up *cries*

And if you need a funny story for your Monday....

We need to get Figment used to a harness and riding in the car before our cross country relocation, so we've been taking him for short trips around the block in his crate. The first time we did this he peed all over me on the way to the car. So that was fun....

The second attempt went a little better. He's still stressed but hopefully he can handle it. I am seriously worried about him. He gets pancreatitis flare ups when he's stressed and we'll be on the road for almost a week or more.

We're using rescue remedies, Feliway but honestly, those have never worked on him very well. And drugging him for the whole trip is not an option because of liver issues. If anyone has any tips - let me know!

49 comments:

  1. Oh yikes, I sadly have no advice. My pets were already used to road trips when we got them, as long as I gave them attention on the car ride they were okay.

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    1. Years ago, I drove cross country with two cats and a dog and they didn't mind at all. they were great travelers! Maybe - HOPEFULLY - he'll surprise me once we get going btu he stresses over everything!

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    2. Poor thing, I had an older pug that I had to hold all the time because she would freak out if I wasn't touching her or within a couple feet of her. (She was the dominant one in the relationship, lol)

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  2. I was thinking...what will happen to your books when you relocate? I assume publishers will go on sending them to your old address for a while...

    Poor Figgy - he's a bit old to change his habits. I hope you find something that works!

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    1. I have no idea about the books because they come randomly (except for Macmillan in which I pick a box each season and give my address) so I don't even know who to send my updated info to. lol It's maybe 4 books per year so it's not a huge deal but it's a lost book for me and a wasted expense for them.

      Sometimes it will get forwarded or they can request the new address from the postal service but not always, depending what class or carrier they send it through.

      I keep hoping Figgy will surprise me lol I previously had 2 cats that loved traveling. they both walked on harnesses and loved looking out the window, checking out new hotel rooms.

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  3. Billie Eilish has such a nice voice.

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  4. A week...a week! That is so long. I still can not believe that you are moving. And to another timezone! We will be so out of sync lol

    Poor Figmet! Luci only wants his harness at my parents or when it is so cold that he needs me to come out with him

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    1. I KNOW! we drove it before like 30 years ago and drove 24 hours one day and 14-ish the next but we're too old for that now. lol

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  5. Good luck on your move, hope it is a smooth transition.

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    1. It's starting to come together so fingers crossed.

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  6. I hate the packing and decision making on what stays or goes that accompanies moving. Best of luck to you!

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    1. My husband has a tough time with that. I'm like THROW IT ALL OUT lol

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  7. Poor dog! I'd find it stressful to move too!

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    1. Hopefully they'll both love the new place once we get there.

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  8. Those are both new artists to me... and definitely unique!
    I truly loathe packing (and unpacking is even worse). When we moved last September I did so good at first - weeding out brutally as I packed. As time went on I was just throwing random things into boxes. LOL

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    1. I think both songs are kind of weird but I like them lol

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  9. Poor kitty. :( I think you listed everything I would have suggested. I do hope it goes well for you all. It's no fun seeing them stressed.

    One of my kitties (the devil cat) threw a fit, peed everywhere, ran and hid, scratched and bit and generally acted like a creature possessed when we caught her and put her in a carrier to move last year. It took her over 2 months to stop acting traumatised and ridiculous once in the new house too and we only moved less than 10 minutes away by car!

    In the past we drove over 12 hours in a van when moving down from Scotland with our old cats (who both passed over a year ago) in a crate. One was extremely timid and the other was laid back but neither was happy at being in a crate for so long. However, both handled it so well and were so content when we arrived at our new place... There's just no logic to them sometimes. Maybe Figment will surprise you?

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    1. Oh man I hope Figgy surprises me!

      I had cats that would go apeshit at the vets but loved traveling. In fact we did this same trip with them driving 24 hours the first day and they were fine.

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  10. Oh no poor Figment! And you re: the, um, accident lol. Seriously though, I hope he does okay when the trip gets here. In the meantime, stay sane with the packing (I remember the last time I moved- ugh).

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  11. Aw, poor Figment. I think practicing is a great idea, and I hope that the actual trip/move goes well. I need to listen to more from Billie; she's great.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. He seems to be SLIGHTLY better about it but it's only for 5 minutes at a time right now. Otherwise he's hiding under the covers at home with all the upheaval lol

      Ellish is great! She has a few good songs.

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  12. Sometimes I worry about moving out from my parents' because of all the books and it's going to difficult..
    I hope you find what works for Figment. I know nothing about pets.

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    1. I did the books first and it was super stressful lol

      I did leave one pile out to take with me but I haven't had nay time to read at all.

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  13. Argh - not sure why Google won't recognize me on Blogger blogs. Since I left Blogger I think I'm blacklisted. Thanks at least for having a name/URL option.

    Anyway, I have no insight into this and I am sorry that you have to take such a long trip with him. Hopefully he will get used to the car. He may be mad at you for months lol

    Jen Ryland Reviews

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    1. What happens when you try to comment?

      My vet gave me some tips and even better a pill! lol

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  14. Oh gosh. One week. I truly hope the nasty weather has cleared up by then. There has been several snow storms up in Seattle and even here in Portland. It has been a wild ride. Travel safe. I hope you have a wonderful drive. Maybe try a Thunder Shirt??

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    1. I hope so. It's 3 weeks away but hopefully no more big storms.

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  15. Feliway never worked with my demon kitty. I'd say wear a shirt or something that your scent will go on fairly strong (towel) to sleep in/on then put it in the crate with him/her to see if it helps. Betting it'll still be stressful though :(

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    1. We use the plug-ins and it works some....maybe lol

      The clothing is a good tip. He has a favorite bed we're using too.

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  16. Love me some Billie Eilish! I think this song in particular would be great for my next The 100 CD hhaha. I've not heard Cosmo Shelldrake but WOW I love this song and now I wholly trust your taste in music, so please share more!

    I am so sorry that the move is so stressful, and UGH moving with a cat can't be easy! My cat will absolutely pee all over the crate during the move, but at least mine is only an hour, I cannot imagine dealing with it!

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  17. Poor Figgy! I think I told you that one of my cats is a jerk when it comes to cars. When we took my cats to my mom's (a literal 20 minute drive away) before NOLA he managed to puke, pee, and defecate all over the car. The smell was bad.

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    1. Oh yay! It's hard to find people with my musical tastes sometimes lol

      Poor kitty - poor you. We had a dog that did that years ago during another move.

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  18. Haven't read a book for quite a while too and I've been binge watching movies/anime lately hehe. Love that song from Billy Ellish as well <3

    http://www.blushinggeek.com

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    1. I'm so exhausted at the end of the day from cleaning and packing I haven't been doing much of anything. I did start an audio book though.

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  19. yeah I haven't been too great at commenting lately, been on fire with my reading so I am going to try to make more time for it.

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    1. I'm failing at everything but I guess I have a good excuse lol

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  20. Enjoy your music <3 And take your time with commenting! I have been listening to a lot of my rap music lately ;) I hope the moving is going well ^.^

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    1. It's going. It seems like an endless process lol

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  21. Yay I always need music recs! And I like strange. I hope Figment makes the trip ok <3

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  22. Poor Figgy! :( Long drives are really rough on my cat, too. I think she gets motion-sickness but online says she just gets really stressed. She drools, goes to the bathroom, and is just a miserable, pitiful mess. She used to love going for car rides and was really good at being in the car (has even done a couple cross-country moves) but our last couple of 2.5 hr moves were a hot mess, even after I did all the online recommendations. I tried the Feliway and the "calming" treats and neither worked. :( I hope Figment is able to handle the ride and doesn't get too stressed out. It just so hard seeing your babies like that.

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    1. Figgy is just SO dramatic about EVERYTHING. Even if nothing is going on so I can't imagine him in a car for a week.

      I have the comfort plug ins but I don't think they do much.

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  23. Poor Fig. I've never owned a cat so unfortunately don't have any personal experience as such but it sounds as though it's probably just being in an enclosed space and being restricted that is frightening him. Could you possibly try crating him at home for short periods throughout the day? Put a soft jumper in there that you've worn and maybe try valerian root? It's natural and safe for pets but you might need to ring the vet just to check how much to give him. I've used it as well when I've gone through periods of insomnia and it's worked wonders.

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    1. My vet gave me something to try. It's not quite a drug - more like getting him high lol and should relax him. I have to test the dose this week.

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  24. I'm gonna tag you in a carrier I just got the herd. They seem to do so much better in the car with it and aren't stressed going into it compared to regular carriers. If I leave it open they'll go sleep in it, too. Might help having a little "cave" of his own.

    I've had to drug mine in the past. Not full out drug but just enough to take off the edge a little.

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