StarfishRescue

Ten cats, ten stories UPDATE

2011-03-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: SEE BOTTOM of POST

This is Kiki (Kikki, KiKi) here with
Gabriella (Gabby, Gabs, Skunk) because their human family became homeless.

This is Jet, the baby He's a kitten now, but he's very well mannered and will be a fine cat. He came from a feral colony, but you can see there's nothing wild about him. (Well besides foolish kittenish behavior that is)

Well, that was him the day after we caught him.

And this is him now. I couldn't get a picture of him like I usually see him, I can't seem to use the camera when he is lying on my keyboard snuggled around my hands. Hard to work around, but oh so lovey.

Chi. Her mom dropped her and her siblings in the dust in front of my door. They were wet newborns and had to be bottle-fed. Like all bottle fed babies, Chi is spoiled and doesn't think of herself as a cat. She would be a lot happier living somewhere there weren't those pesky kitties around so she could sleep on someone's face in peace and not have to share the warm bodies at night. She was born crippled, but therapy gave her strong legs, and she was a sick kitten who the vet dubbed a miracle. She no longer is a special needs cat, but at 6 years of age, now she has prejudice working against her.

Dora is most definitely a special needs cat. She has asthma and a condition called stomatitis. Right now, her condition is controlled with supplements and special dental gels, but in her future there may have to be a special type of dental operation. She loves to sit high on your chest so that you can't see around her, is a great alarm clock, loves to talk and makes a good secretary. She reminds you when to feed the dogs, when to medicate anyone on meds, when to take the dogs outside and when to sit awhile with the kitties. Especially her. She watches the trains go by and has taught Ebonetta to enjoy doing the same. But exploration is her first great love, since she could first toddle.

Salem is considered special needs, she has a condition called herpes (don't worry, it's not the kind people can get), but she doesn't have many problems from it. Once in awhile she gets a teary eye and loses the hair around her eyes and mouth. Usually that is a sign of stress in her, like when we have an overload of cats waiting for adoption. She was left here when her owner died.

Ebonetta wrote her story in an earlier post. Sadly, neither she nor her brother Onyx have found their forever homes yet.

Gabby (written about earlier along with her housemate KiKi) is also still available.

Amber is another special kitty. She has asthma and needs medication mostly in wet desert summers. (I know, sounds like an oxymoron, but we live in Tucson. Normally most of our rain falls in the summer monsoons.) This year was very dry and she has had only mild attacks. She recently had all but two teeth pulled, and she is only six, but she had a hard beginning to her life. Her very feral mother brought her and her siblings into our garage and came to our door, crying until I followed her to the babies. They were soaked in oil and covered in grease. It took a long time to get those kittens healthy, and a longer time to get Amber so that she could keep food down. Turns out she is allergic to beef, chicken, wheat and corn. Her very favorite food in the world? Doughnuts. She will try to pry them out of your mouth if she knows you have them.

This is Onyx, another sweet rescue feral. He loves to hug and be hugged, and when you try to leave, he wraps himself around your feet. He loves to sit on you as much as his sister Ebonetta likes to sit near you. But where she likes to pet you, he only likes to be petted.

Finally, there's Bubba, Dora's brother. Take out a camera and he's there, posing. If you want a picture of someone else, you have to be sneaky or his face or feet will appear magically in the frame. He was my mom's cat and she kept telling him how pretty he is. It must have sunk in. He is as healthy as his sister is sickly. He likes to bathe people and kittens and the young cats adore him, sleeping on top of him and trying to get him to play. However, he doesn't much like Kiki, we aren't sure why, and he really would prefer fewer cats to bathe.

I'm sure you are wondering why we would allow any and all of these cats to be adopted, but as much as we love them, we are in rescue. And right now, rescue is hard. One organization I have fostered for in the past is having so many problems getting homes that they have not taken in any more for a year. And that is a large group with a lot of foster parents. Our local humane society, who normally shows my kittens for me, is inundated with cats and kittens who's families are homeless and desperate, and doesn't have the room. If we can place any of these cats, especially the kittens, we will be able to open up room to save others that are either special needs, need special handling or just need more time.

I have sad news. The economy has struck us hard. We are down to one income, which is limited to minimum wage and 19.5 hours while I am in school, and we are filing for bankruptcy. We do not want to risk that these wonderful cats are subjected to less than good care, so we have struck a deal with the local Humane Society to take them. They took seven healthy, adoptable cats. You can see them at http://www.hssaz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=adoption_adoptable_animals, HSSA-Humane Society of Southern Arizona, 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd, Tucson, AZ 327-6088 If you are looking for a loving companion, please take one of these wonderful kitties. Don't be put off by their photos, they are scared and their photos were taken before they were given a chance to understand why their worlds are turned upside down. To see what they really look like, see above.

Why Fix What Wasn't Broken

2011-03-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

Why Fix What Wasn’t Broken?

An Angora rabbit interrupts an autistic child’s self-destructive behavior by pressing up against the boy’s chest and pawing his arms. The child reaches for the silky fur and calms himself. A pot-bellied pig senses that her diabetic owner’s blood sugar levels are dangerously high. After nudging the woman toward the easy chair, a signal that a blood test is needed, the pig retrieves a diabetic kit from the refrigerator. A cat comes running when his owner cries out in pain and drapes himself across the afflicted limb. Before Attorney General Eric Holder signed the new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) revisions on July 23, 2010, these animals would be called service animals.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice fact sheet, under the old rules, the ADA “defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.” The act also says that service animals have to know what to do when either a command is given, or there is a triggering event such as their owner crying in pain or becoming non-responsive. They must help with physical, psychological and psychiatric disabilities. However, their use for comfort or emotional aid is excluded. In other words, the cat that lies on your lap would not be a service animal, while the cat that comes to lie on a leg to ease neuropathic pain would be, as long as that is what it is trained to do and it can consistently do its task.

Although many species of animals have been trained to help their owners be more independent, and even to save their lives, the new rules are clear that they are no longer service animals. In the new ADA ruling that now says “service animal means any dog that is individually trained,” the wording that previously allowed for other animals has been removed. An exception is made for miniature horses, but although they are granted the same access as service dogs, they are not considered to be service animals. According to the ADA, this ruling was made to eliminate confusion. However, many are confused about what a service animal is, even when it is a dog.

My mother was refused entry into Fry’s Shopping Center when she tried to shop using her brace dog Jasper (a brace dog helps steady a person on their feet and helps them to stand up). Even though Jasper was wearing a working harness, my mother was not blind, so the store manager believed she had no right to use her dog. He demanded registration paperwork, asked how she was disabled, and wanted to know who trained her dog. He then told her that because my sister was with her, my sister could assist her and therefore the dog was not needed. Nothing my sister or mother said could make him believe that he was in violation of the ADA, and he would not read the ADA rules my sister handed him. Like many others, he believed that a service dog is a guide dog for the blind, and has to be a German Shepherd, Labrador, or Golden Retriever, trained by a professional group and certified. Despite the fact that the ADA has always made it clear that there are no size or breed limitations, owners may train the dog themselves and there is no certification process, many of the disabled are wrongfully denied access or service. If store chains as large as Fry’s are confused about what kinds of service dogs are allowed, it doesn’t seem likely they would be less confused when they are required to also allow a miniature horse inside their stores.

It is puzzling why miniature horses are allowed access along with dogs, and the reasoning is not explained. Typically, these little horses are trained as guide animals for the blind, or as brace animals that help people walk or stand. They have turned out to be very suitable for their work, are easy to housebreak and are a viable alternative for people allergic to dogs, so it makes no sense to exclude them, but neither does it make sense to exclude other animals that excel in their work. The reason given for the ruling was to eliminate confusion, but to do that, the ADA should only allow certain breeds of dogs, trained by experts, with documentation and wearing a vest or special tag. None of that is required, and allowing miniature horses cannot do anything but cause more confusion.

Wouldn’t it just be easier to rule that any trainable animal can be a service animal?

Beyond the confusion, though, is the discrimination against disabled persons this rule brings about. Many people have spent considerable money, time and love training their helpers. Training and maintaining a service animal is not cheap when trained professionally, and if you go it alone, you still have the expense of purchasing the animal, the equipment and often the training materials. It takes years for most animals to learn enough to be a good helper. In the case of a large dog it is about half their lifespan. With many of the disabled, during those years of training their own health and strength may have declined to the point where they cannot train another helper. This may make them dependent on human care, which takes away their independence and is costly. Some may choose to struggle along on their own, but paraplegics without their Capuchin monkey helpers will lose the most. The monkeys are able to clean and cook for their charges, help them eat, brush their hair and teeth and have saved lives. How is a horse or dog supposed to run a microwave or spoon feed a person? Yet monkeys are specifically excluded as service animals.

Helping Hands, the largest organization training Capuchin monkeys, does not encourage the monkeys to be used in public because they can be quite shy. It is true that Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) rules should protect the handicapped from losing their helpers. Under HUD rules, the definition of assistance animals allows a broader interpretation of what an assistance animal is and the FHA does not define them at all. So if no one intends to take their monkey shopping or to a movie, and landlords cannot charge pet fees or evict a handicapped tenant that has a furry caretaker, one might ask what difference can changing the rule to exclude them as service animals make? Without the force of protection by the ADA, helper monkeys are just exotic animals which cannot be shipped across state lines. States and cities can also ban the ownership and use of the Capuchins, and can confiscate and remove the monkey from the home without violating HUD or FHA rules. Further, the HUD and FHA rules may not protect a disabled person, even if all that is owned is something as common as a cat. In an analysis by Rebecca J. Huss of the Pepperdine School of Law, she notes that “the case law in this area is complicated by the fact that the language of the ADA regulations is often used and state courts are asked to interpret federal law. This leads to inconsistency in the decisions and confusion over what standard should be applied.” The new rules will increase this confusion, not reduce it.

There are many animals who have served well for many years, and sometimes they are the best animal for the situation. People with neuropathic pain have found that having an animal drape itself across the site of pain is the best pain relief, and nothing drapes better than a cat. Pot-bellied pigs have an excellent sense of smell and have been used to let diabetics know when their sugar levels are too high or low. They are also exceptionally smart and are better able to figure out what to do even without specific training in new situations. A dog can be trained to call 911, but what if there is no phone handy and he hasn’t been taught a backup plan? In that case, the dog will probably lie down and wait for directions. A pig will go and find help. One pig even stopped traffic to get help for his owner. Monkeys use their hands to care for their charges. Even rabbits have their place. They are easily trained to distract autistic children, who are also comforted by their tactile aspect and their tendency to be affectionate without being demanding. These children are often very specific about what animal works for them. If they want a bunny, only a bunny will do.

Another problem with the ruling is that no clarity was given to the definition of comfort or emotional aid, but service animals are excluded for that use. People with psychological or psychiatric disabilities are allowed to train an animal for their use. That makes for more questions. Does the trained dog of a clinically depressed person qualify as a service animal? It seems that the answer is yes, if the dog is trained to ground the person to reality, but not if it is only trained to comfort the person when depressed. What is the difference? How do you define the difference?

Finally, there is no leeway for people with allergies to grass, and fear of dogs. This is not an unusual combination. Grass is a very common allergy, and horse feed is comprised of types of grass and grains. Many people are terrified of dogs of all types, big or little. Phobias should not be dismissed lightly. Even if a phobic person decided to get a dog to replace the beloved cat that kept that person from committing suicide, the chances of a life-saving bond being formed are slim.

The ADA needs to reconsider this discriminatory ruling. There are too many people that are adversely affected, and too many loving animals that have dedicated their lives to service may be have to be given up or even killed. With this ruling, the disabled may lose the ability to be self-sufficient, live by themselves, or even stay out of a care facility. When the disabled lose the right to choose what service animal works best for them, they lose more than just a simple helper. They lose their autonomy.

Huss, Rebecca J., “Why Context Matters: Defining Service Animals Under Federal Law” Pepperdine Law Review, Vol. 37 (5 Feb. 2010): 1163. Web. 28 Nov. 2010Valparaiso University Legal Studies Research Paper No. 10-02.

United States Department of Justice. “Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals in Places of Business.” 14 Jan. 2008.Web 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm>

United States Department of Justice. “Fact Sheet—Highlights of the Final Rule to Amend the Department of Justice’s Regulation Implementing Title II of the ADA.” 7 Oct. 2010.Web 27 Nov. 2010.

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Peach Tree

2011-03-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

I really hate poetry. Reading it always reminds me of the commercial for nonstick pans with the egg sliding right off. My mind is the pan and the poem is the egg. So what in the world would make me write a poem? The challenge. And I think I did pretty good. This is what I turned into my Honors writing course. I got my grade back last week and got 29/30 points for the poem. Good enough, I think. This is based on Wallace Stevens "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird."

Mary Ross

Joshua Cochran

Writing 102 Honors

February 28, 2011

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Peach Tree

Above endless rainless landscapes,

The only gentle sight

Was the cloud of the peach tree.

I have lived nine lives,

Like a kine

Eats the fruit from nine peach trees.

III

The peach tree smiled in the autumn sun.

Its leaves were spread to make a canopy.

A cat and a goldfinch

Are right.

A cat and a goldfinch and a peach tree

Are right.

I never know which is sweeter,

The merit of paradigms

Or the merit of humbleness

The peach tree blooming

Or plain leaved.

Frostiness coats the birdbath

Until the sun rises.

A flower from the peach tree

Gleams with hoar and rime.

For now,

Trapped in beauty.

Its discontinuity dawns.

VII

Oh, wild cats of Tucson,

Why do you ascend thorny trees?

Can you not keep safe the peach tree

That provides you shade

And the finches that eat fruit?

VIII

I dream stories untold

Of many indiscriminate options;

In those dreams, still,

Thoughts of the peach tree invade

To steal my dream.

When the peach tree danced in the wind

It reached and was

One with the purple ranger.

The blooms of the peach trees

Dancing in a pink cloud

Inspires the gods of hiemal

Who stop winds brittle.

She rode across Tucson

On a pink cloud.

Then, the finches joined her,

As she flew faster

The shadow of her legion

Sowed peach trees.

XII

The monsoon is coming.

The peach tree must be dancing.

XIII

It was summer and lightning

It was raining

And it was going to rain

The peach tree waved

In the thunder winds.

Remaking

2011-02-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

I find that I really enjoy taking something and making something else out of it. Sometimes it is as simple as repainting a cabinet, cutting some holes in it an turning it into a video game cabinet.

or painting a plain boring fan to fit into the room better

One Month Later

2011-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

Today marks one month after the shooting of Gabby Giffords. The Arizona Republic is running a series detailing the events of that day. One of the things that struck me was the description in chapter 2 of the bystanders swarming the emergency vehicles and grabbing equipment. Obviously, the people at the scene were in full rescue mode.
As an update on Gabby, the latest word is pretty sparse. One of her staffers, talking to a local newscaster, said that she is busy with rehab, including speech rehabilitation, and her doctors describe her recovery as "lightning speed". Her husband has decided to go ahead with his space mission. If she is able to communicate with him, I am sure that she pushed him to go ahead and do it. All He had to say was that she is so busy he isn't able to spend time with her right now anyway and he expects her to attend the launch.
These are the links to the articles:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/02/05/20110205gabrielle-giffords-tucson-shooting-collision-course-chapter1.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-02-06-giffords-shooting-chain-of-events-chapter-2_N.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-02-07-giffords-shooting-chain-of-events-chapter-3_N.htm

Tucson Heroes, More than you know

2011-01-22T20:53:00.000-08:00

Living here in Tucson, we know how special the people here are. We know that when your car breaks down, people jump out of their cars to help push you out of the road, and while you are sitting by the side of the road waiting for your tow company, at least a dozen people will stop and ask if you need to use a cell phone to call for help. We know that if you are in a grocery store and aren't sure how to fix that strange fruit or vegetable,all you have to do is hold it up and ask if anybody knows what to do with it and you will leave with a head full of recipes. We know that people here are nosy. Thank God they are nosy, because that is where our heroes come from.
Everyday, we are hearing more and more about the heroics of that awful day 2 weeks ago. Many of the other heroes will not make the prime time news. For instance, you've heard about Dorwin Stoddard who died shielding his wife. Did you hear about Mary Reed who shoved her daughter up against a wall and shielded her, taking 3 bullets? Mary survived and her daughter was physically unscathed. How about George Morris? He tried to shield his wife and was shot twice, one bullet hitting a lung. Unfortunately, his wife died despite his attempt. He is still a hero for trying. Then how about Kenneth Dorushka who pushed his wife to the ground, held her down when she would get up and run and shielded her. He was shot in the arm that protected her. Never mentioned is the Safeway employee from produce who was outside chatting with Shayne Stuge, a bagger. I haven't been able to find his name, but Shayne credits him with pulling her to the ground, saving her life. And then there was Federal Judge John Roll. Many know he was killed, but it has been discovered that he pushed Ron Barber down, guiding him under a table and shielded Ron with his own body, taking a bullet in the back.

Ron Barber owes his life to two people. Judge Roll, who shielded him, and Anna Ballis. Anna was there to shop, but when the gunshots sounded, she ran to Barber and applied pressure to his wounds. Doctors say that he would not have made it to the hospital without her help. She wasn't the only person to run towards the sound of bullets. There was of course Daniel Hernandez, who ran towards the gunfire and saved Gabriel Giffords. An unnamed Samaritan helped Doris Tucker keep her husband Jim from bleeding to death. David and Nancy Bowman are a doctor and nurse couple that tried to save little Christina-Taylor Green. Sadly, they failed.
Another person known to run towards the gunfire was Joe Zamudio. He was at the Walgreens when he heard the gunfire. Armed, he readied his gun as he ran towards the gunfire, ready to shoot if need be. At the same time an unnamed person hit Loughner with a chair, Bill Badger grabbed Loughner's left hand, Roger Salzgeber grabbed his right and they and pushed him down. Patricia Maisch grabbed a loaded magazine from the gunman and another unknown grabbed the gun. When Zamudo arrived, he disarmed the man who had taken the gun before bystanders could tell him that wasn't the shooter, so he turned his attention to helping hold Loughner down. Maisch had more heroics to perform. She knelt on the shooter's ankles until she noticed that Badger had been shot in the head and was bleeding profusely. She got someone else to sit on Loughner's ankles while she scrambled to apply pressure to Badger's wound. Badger was on blood thinners and could very well have died without her aid.

These are only the heros that can be singled out, and we don't know all of their names. Add to the list the store employees that grabbed clean aprons and paper towels and ran out to the carnage to give what aid they could, the police, the emts, the emergency room staff, the doctors... the list is huge. But it is very Tucsonian in nature to run to help, and I am proud to live here.

Government budgets

2011-01-22T09:15:00.000-08:00

What drives me nuts are all the proposed cuts to pensions and medicare, programs that help the poor, schools, police and fire. When cities burn down because there aren't enough firefighters, honest citizens have to choose between robbery and starvation (and there are no cops anyway to make them think twice), cities become places no business wants to be, and even more of them move to China.
I think there would be a lot more fat cut if anyone making a million dollars last year got paid 1 dollar this year. Elected politicians should be paid no more than 150% of the median wage of their constituents, and only get the benefits they are willing to give the people they supposedly serve.
Or maybe we should pay them an hourly minimum wage. No overtime (since they don't require regular people to be paid overtime) and no pay for any time they spend politicking instead of working. They can run for office on their own dime. If they don't like it, maybe regular people can get the job done.

My favorite adoption

2011-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite adoption stories was the cat that adopted me. Whenever I had to pull euthanasia duty, I would go into the cat room to recover. Sandy would always comfort me, standing up in her cage to put her paws around my neck and rub faces. Whenever anybody approached her, she was sweet and friendly to man, woman or child. I couldn't understand why such a sweet cat wasn't adopted. Finally, one of the councilors asked me to stand in the other room where Sandy couldn't see me and watch through the window. When anybody approached Sandy's cage, she backed into a corner and sat there indifferent. Her whole aura was a snub and off putting. I was told by everyone in the adoption room that she was always like that.I went into the room, she saw me and immediately started purring loudly mewing and rubbing the cage door, trying to entice the closet people, responding to them like they were her long lost loves. Eventually, she got sick and I was told to sign one of two papers, her death warrant or her adoption. Of course I adopted her. To me, she was always the sweetest most affectionate cat you could ask for. For others, she was rude and insulting. Did you ever see a cat flip someone off with her tail? Every person coming in my house was given the flip, and recognized it as such. One man didn't get the flip. Him, I married with her approval.

Tucson's Memorial Service

2011-01-13T15:39:00.000-08:00

     It has been a long time since I wrote here. I've been busy, though I've intended to get back to the blogging. I wanted to tell everyone about our adventures in soundproofing, about the momma dog and her puppies that we rescued, about the cats that need homes, but this tragedy, the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and the people who came to speak to her, comes first.
     I'm sure you don't need to be told what happened last Saturday (the 8th of January) . I'm sure you have heard of the hero that ran toward the gunfire, not away, the gentleman who shielded his wife with his own body so that she may live, the man who struck the gunman with a chair, enabling others to take him down, to take his gun, and to take his gun. Did you know there was also nearly another tragedy to do with guns? A man with a weapon heard the gunfire, and ran to see if he could help. He intended to shoot if necessary. By the time he arrived, the gunman was unarmed, but this man didn't know it. He forced the man who had retrieved the gun to drop it. In the excitement of the moment, if the man hadn't, would he have been another victim? It did not take armed people to take the shooter down, and at the speed he fired, another gunman would have done nothing but add to the chaos, even if he didn't manage to kill some more innocent bystanders.
    But what prompts me to write today is the national response to our memorial service last night. Almost immediately after the service I started hearing and reading reactions to it. Some were favorable, but a distressing number were negative, questioning our grief because we cheered and clapped in appreciation for heroes and for the wonderful people that had been lost. If you don't understand,we weren't cheering the loss of life, we were cheering our appreciation for the lives they had lived.
     We who live in Tucson are grieving. But last night was not a time for tears, though there were plenty, it was a time for celebrating the memories of lives lost, the lives saved and the heroes. It was not a eulogy, it was a memorial. There was no disrespect in cheering in appreciation for the magnificent people lost that day, and the people who prevented more deaths. Yes, Tucson can be raucous, it is a small town in a big, rough western body, but the people who choose to live here do so because it is an emotional, gregarious place. We wear our hearts on our sleeves. For those who don't think we grieve "properly", come here and see our grief. It is there, for all to see.
     There were plenty of tears today at Christina Green's funeral today. There will be more for the others lost. The survivors won't be forgotten here when the media turns it's attention to the next big news maker. We take care of our own, and we grieve deeply and openly. But we also know how to celebrate the value of a life. More people should.

Tessellating Fish Blanket Finished

2010-02-14T08:25:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I last posted, and the only thing in my defense is that tax season started out hot and heavy. The last week of the year was all classes about the final versions of new laws and the changes in our computer systems. Even though I keep being told our numbers are down, you couldn't tell it by me. I've had days of getting to work at 7:30 in the morning and getting home at 9 that night. Add in the time before and after for caring for the animals and I was falling asleep in my dinner. And then there is the getting the house ready for sound proofing. I'll write about that later.
At last, and just in time for Christmas, I finished the grandson's afghan.. It was greeted with wonder by his father, who though he had seen me working on it, still couldn't believe things like this could be made by hand.
One year old Anthony, of course, took it in stride, fingered it a moment, commented ooooh, then went on to his next gift. But he did sleep with it Christmas night and nights since and uses it in the morning when watching sesame street.

Below is the dark side.

This is the lighter side

The motif pattern is very simple, something I felt necessary so I wouldn't have to keep looking at the directions for every step. Once you get the rhythm you can put the directions away.

NOTE: The only stitches in the motifs are double crochet, decrease (2 together) and increase (2 in one stitch). Single crochet is used to edge each strip, to join and for blanket edging. I also used a crab stitch to make rows across (see step

For your base start with a chain of 26.
1)   row 1: Skip the first three stitches and double crochet in next st and
evenly across.
2)   rows 2-8:   *decreasing two in the row (one at beginning and one at
      end of row), double crochet across* repeat between * and * until
      you have 10 stitches.
3)   rows 9-13:   work even until you have 6 rows of 10 stitches.
4)   rows 14-18: *increasing two in the row (one at beginning and one
      at end of row), double crochet across* repeat between * and * until
      you have 20 stitches.
5) rows 19-23: work even until you have 6 rows of 20 stitches.
6) rows 24-30: *decreasing two in the row (one at beginning and one
      at end of row), double crochet across* repeat between * and * until
      you have 6 stitches.

NOTE: If you want differently colored fish, change colors here. If you
want, add another row of 6 so all fish are the same size.

7)   rows 31-37: *increasing two in the row (one at beginning and one
      at end of row), double crochet across* repeat between * and * until
      you have 20 stitches.
8) rows 38-42: work even until you have 6 rows of 20 stitches.
9) rows 43-47: *decreasing two in the row (one at beginning and one
      at end of row), double crochet
      across* repeat between * and * until you have 10 stitches.
10) rows 48-52: work even until you have 6 rows of 10 stitches.
11) rows 53-59: *increasing two in the row (one at beginning and
      one at end of row), double crochet across repeat between
      * and * until you have 24 stitches.

(12) This makes 2 fish touching noses from tail to tail.. Work as
         many fish in a strip as you want for width or length (I worked
         this to be 4 fish length wise).

13) On alternating rows start with the mouth: chain 8, skip 3 to begin,
      work even to make 6 stitches.
14) work steps 7-11, then steps 2-6. Makes 2 fish touching tails
       from mouth to mouth. Repeat for as many fish as are in step 12.
      (If changing colors change between repeat of step 6 and 7 and insert a
       row of 6 if you did for the other strip.)
15) Single crochet around each strip. I used a medium blue, went down
      the side of one fish, across at tail (or mouth, as the case may be),
      down the other side of the next fish, back across, continued to the
      end, across the bottom, then back up the other way to add a bit of
      a texture. You can just go around the normal way if you prefer.
16) Join strips in desired method. I didn't want lacy, so I used a slip stitch
      join so that on one side, each strip is outlined in dark, and on the
      other side there is only a hint of the dark blue.
17) Edge as desired.   Because I didn't make distinctly colored fish, I
      crocheted across the blanket where mouths or tails joined with a
      medium blue using a crab stitch before I edged the blanket. For
      edging I used the medium blue in single crochet, then a row of dark
      blue single crochet.

Let me know if there are any errors, and I would love to see what you make with this motif. It can be used for more than blankets.
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Time to Top the Tree

2009-12-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

Whether you view Christmas as a day of prayer and meditation, a day to bask in family or a day to open presents, eat too much and watch football, have a safe and happy day.

Now, for the unveiling of the tree-topper

(Note: scroll down to the previous post for the description of the tree)

It's a porcelain headed kitty angel in a flowing pink gown that sparkles and twinkles in time to the music emanating from her mouth. Her wings are made of peacock feathers. She is holding beautiful strands of yarn and ribbon, each tied to a catnip mousy, furry mice, and origami mice. Also attached to the ribbons are streaming toilet paper rolls and tissue paper flowers. Treats are tied in the middle of the strands, potato chips (sour cream and onion, per request), hickory sticks, yummy litlle dried fishys and shrimp, wee cans of tuna and duck.

And for the crowning touch

Resting on her head

Like a golden crown

A perfect golden brown

ROASTED CHICKEN

Happy holidays to all, and special thanks to the kitties of the L&L yahoo group for their help in putting up our dream tree.

the kitties: Amber, Bubba, Chi, Dora, Gabby, Jet, Kiki, Onyx, Salem and Squirrel

the dogs: Chico, Joey and Jasper

and the people: Chuck and Mary

What does a cat want in a Christmas tree?

2009-12-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

"A decorated super scratching post with lounging limbs! Yep, a true cat's
Christmas tree."
Mary Ruth

I asked all the cats at our house, and after much discussion, they finally came back to me with a concordance.
The trunk must be thick and scratchable, with no low hanging branches to get in
the way of a good stretch. The branches themselves must be horizontal, sturdy
and wide enough as well as far enough apart for a good nap. Bubba wants some
stringy or feathery things, because I told him no plastic bags. The rest is up
to me, but I must bear in mind that accidents do happen, especially to fragile
ornaments, easily damaged crochet or toothsome goodies.
Other suggestions, typed by human housemates of cats on a group I belong to:

Mary Ruth's cats Tigger, Frisky, Alice, and Mandiwant a feather on a wand toy stuck in the tree along with some sprigs of
fresh catnip, bubble lights they can stare at, lots of feathers, strands of cat treats, wrapping paper/boxes/bags to romp in. and beautiful, glitzy, pattable, swinging ornaments.
Tigger especially wants a passle of "paper mouse" crumpled sheets of paper under the tree to play soccer with and talk to with his signature double meow(One of Mary Ruth's previous housemates, Scamper, would probably opt out of having a tree, after a particularly terrible Chritmas where the tree attacked him)

Lynn's cats:

Toby would want his tree covered in string. The longer the string the better. (editor: yes, I will remind him of the danger of string, but it is his fantasy tree)

Bonnie would want her tree covered in food, food and more food, any color, shape, size food.and she would only be able to decorate the very bottom boughs as she is too heavy to climb the tree to do it justice.

Her Amelia would like balls, preferably noisy balls made from tissue paper so she can knock them off the tree and chase them. She wouldn't know what to do with it when she got it but she would have fun in her own way. She will only play with them when the other two cats are not around so that she may maintain her illusion of dignity.

Barb's cats Sam, Lacy and Candye want a musical tree. (editor's note: sadly Candye, one of the respondents to the query, has gone to the bridge this week, she will be sorely missed)

Rose's cat Baxxie would want peacock feathers............an entire tree made of peacock feathers would be choice number one for him.

Yolanda's MagicKat is too much of a lady to tear up a Christmas tree. She would want things of beauty on the upper branches and on the bottom branches lightweight glitzy things that she could just give enough of a pat to watch them swing.

Vickie's cats both approve of the feather toy. Cookie would dredge up a small, recently deceased mammal for our decorative pleasure, and Muffin would insist on a nice dark folded sweat shirt to lay on under the tree so everyone could see the lovely light colored hair he would decorate with.

Christmas Pretties Warning

2009-12-22T08:42:00.000-08:00

I had to take one of our big dogs to the vet yesterday for his chronic ear infection. While there, the vet was telling me about a client who wanted to surprise his wife with a Boston puppy. To be cute, he tied a pretty curly ribbon around the puppy's neck. The pup got the ribbon in his mouth and swallowed most of it. The ribbon caused a blockage and $4000 later, they saved the puppy. This may have been a puppy, but how many times have you seen the cute picture of the kitten with a ribbon around it's neck, or playing with a ribbon? I also want to remind you that besides ribbons, pretty, shiny tinsel is dangerous if swallowed. I love tinsel, but I haven't had it on my trees for many years.

Bubba won a photo contest by showing his heart

2009-12-10T10:35:00.000-08:00

Bubba won a photo contest on Thriftyfun!
His full name is Bubba Flowerface and he is a six year old cat. He was born in our closet. His mother was a rescue kitty that showed up one day at our feral colony. He loves to pose for photos and show off his handsomeness. In this picture, he shows off his heart.
Bubba's mother was an Abyssinian or Abyssinian mix, and his sister shows it. We think his father was one of the black and white ferals named Tux. Bubba has a white stripe on his back leg exactly where Tux does, and it also matches the top line of Chi's stocking on her back leg. It really could be any other cat, though.
His mother showed up in the feral colony we take care of. She was friendly and pregnant, so we brought her in and set up a box in the bottom of the closet for her to have her babies in. She had four: Bubba, tiny Dora the Explorer, Casper and Pollux (twins). The twins were born in the same sack, something I had never seen before, and I have worked with dogs and cats for 30 years.
Bubba loves stick toys, whether they have string, feathers or material strips. He also likes to cuddle and bathe the rescues. Bubba got his name for being Dora's brother, and the Flowerface because as a kitten he was one of those pansy face kittens with a round face and big eyes.
My mom really wanted to show him in the neutered housecat category at cat shows, because she said she had never seen a prettier cat at any of the shows, but she was not able to do this before she died. He is available to be adopted, and if anyone had the desire to show him, I'm sure they would have great luck, as long as he agreed that he wanted to show. He also is quite photogenic and loves to pose for the camera.

Petition for HAPPY (HR3501)

2009-11-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces;jsessionid=936206C269B5E4B8F4549017DF0665EB.ctgProd01?siteId=3&campaign=HAPPYAct3501

This is the address for one of the petitions for the HAPPY bill. There are several petitions out there, and anyone who rescues animals knows why. People are having to choose between keeping their homes and keeping their pets. The rescue community is overwhelmed and the adoptions are drying up. I still have the same cats available for adoptions as are posted below. Not being a 501(c)3, in order to show my cats at local adopt-a-thons, I have to coattail on another group. But they are all struggling to place their own animals and right now view me as competition for homes. Besides, they keep telling me, they know my cats will not just be dumped, and they get good care, they are safe where they are and IF adoptions ever pick up again, then I would be welcome to coattail. Til then, good luck.
Non-pet owners may not realize that this does affect them, and where their tax money is spent, but the pounds are budgeted by the cities and counties. Housing the numbers coming in is out of the question for many facilities, but killing them is costly, both in the direct monetary cost and the psychic damage done to the people who's job it is to kill a pet merely to make room. I know about that damage first hand, I used to have that job. I have nightmares of my approaching the pearly gates which is blocked by a large crowd of animals. The animals I killed because they were inconvenient to someone and we could no longer give them space. They are all shouting "She killed me". My doctor tells me I have PTSD. If I get treated for it, it will come directly from the taxpayer's pocket, as I am a veteran and the VA is my health care facility. How many others are treated for PTSD or depression on the taxpayer's dime? Most who do this job are either city or county employees with health care benefits, or employees of humane shelters on bare minimum wages so have to rely on state care. You can see how this even affects the pockets of people without pets and even those oddities who don't even like pets.
We need this passed, but it would be more helpful if there was a little tweaking done to it first so it helped the right group of people. Scroll down to my post of November 9th so that you can see how the bill would affect you, as it is, and so that you know what to ask your representative to do.
http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces;jsessionid=936206C269B5E4B8F4549017DF0665EB.ctgProd01?siteId=3&campaign=HAPPYAct3501

Angels

2009-11-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

Just a little side note to Missy, written about yesterday here. My sister was reading one of the comments made about Missy and "angels unaware". She said to make sure everybody knew that every time she needed extra help with an animal, either the trainer, the vet, the hospital or the street name the vet is on has the name Angel. Missy is taking classes at PetsMart, and the trainer's name is Angel. The vet is also at PetsMart. My sister also was rescued the same week that we discovered the lump when the car wouldn't start. Her rescuer's name? Gabriel.

Poor little Missy

2009-11-22T08:19:00.000-08:00

Remember the little Yorkie that came strolling up to our door back in August? First she had to have mouth surgery because she showed evidence of being kicked in the mouth. A couple of teeth had to be removed, but the damage was taken care of without too many problems. Then just when she was to be spayed, she went into heat. Finally, this last week she was spayed. The vet also removed a lump on her breast that I had found. The results can back positive for cancer. The lab says she will have only a 16% chance of any future occurrence of it because they got it cleanly and we had found it early. I'm glad she is one of those dogs who flip onto their back for belly rubs, or I may not have felt it so early. I don't think my sister will let her be put up for adoption after this.
When we got the report, I had a few musings. Why was she wandering the streets? How did she got our address? How did she get guided to someone who, though barely making ends meet herself, would do what it took? What made my sister decide to buy the health insurance for Missy that made it possible for her to be able to get Missy in sooner rather than later? She has never bought that insurance before, but she said she just thought Missy might need it. Did Missy know something was wrong? We always remarked what a serious girl Missy is for a Yorkie. Now, though still bruised and sore from the surgery, her eyes have a much happier sparkle, and we are seeing hints of the normal mischievous Yorkie attitude.

Makes one marvel at the chain of events that happened to save this little girl. Or miracles.

The Happy Act Deductions for pets, who will benefit?

2009-11-09T10:29:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of the House bill that gives $3500 to pet owners? How does it affect you? Will you be able to benefit at all? First read the bill (it's short, I promise, don't worry if you don't understand the technical jargon). Then scroll down and read my blog about it. Remember, I'm a tax pro, this is my take on the bill as it looks like it would be implemented, if of course, it would pass.

Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act (Introduced in House)

Have you heard of the bill that gives $3500 to pet owners? How does it affect you? Will you be able to benefit? First read the bill, then scroll down for my blog about it.
HR 3501 IH

111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3501
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for pet care expenses.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 31, 2009

Mr. MCCOTTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for pet care expenses.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 63 percent of United States households own a pet.

(2) The Human-Animal Bond has been shown to have positive effects upon people's emotional and physical well-being.

SEC. 3. DEDUCTION FOR PET CARE EXPENSES.

(a) In General- Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to additional itemized deductions for individuals) is amended by redesignating section 224 as section 225 and by inserting after section 223 the following new section:

`SEC. 224. PET CARE EXPENSES.

`(a) Allowance of Deduction- In the case of an individual, there shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified pet care expenses of the taxpayer during the taxable year for any qualified pet of the taxpayer.

`(b) Maximum Deduction- The amount allowable as a deduction under subsection (a) to the taxpayer for any taxable year shall not exceed $3,500.

`(c) Qualified Pet Care Expenses- For purposes of this section, the term `qualified pet care expenses' means amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified pet.

`(d) Qualified Pet- For purposes of this section--

`(1) QUALIFIED PET- The term `qualified pet' means a legally owned, domesticated, live animal.

`(2) EXCEPTIONS- Such term does not include any animal--

`(A) used for research or owned or utilized in conjunction with a trade or business, or

`(B) with respect to which the taxpayer has claimed a deduction under section 162 or 213 in any of the preceding 3 taxable years.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by striking the last item and inserting the following new items:

`Sec. 224. Pet care expenses.

`Sec. 225. Cross reference.'.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009.
    Who exactly can claim this deduction? Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to additional itemized deductions for individuals) refers to itemized deductions on Schedule A. This doen't help the average joe without a mortgage, property taxes and medical expenses. It is also slated to go into a section that is subject to the 2% floor (the amount to be subtracted from the section amount). If you have say $50,000 adjusted gross income, before exemptions for dependents and yourself, and had no other deductions in that section, you would be able to deduct 2,500 (2% of $50,000 is $1,000). Add all your other deductions such as charities (with receipts only , please), medical expenses (again subject to the 2% floor, subtract that $1000 to see if you can claim those expenses), own a home, pay state taxes (reduce by refund of previous year), property tax, vehicle license (only the tax), cost of having your taxes prepared last year and a host of other, usually small deductions. If this amount doesn't exceed the standard deduction (for 2008 taxes it was $5700 for single or married filing separate; $11,400 for married filing joint; and $8350 for head of household) don't take it, unless you are in the very rare position of being required to.
   People who really need this deduction, those who don't have a deduction for their home, can't afford health insurance, and haven't seen a doctor in umpteen years, are not going to see any benefit whatever from this bill, unless before it gets passed, someone gets smart and puts the deduction above the line (before the gross income line), or as a credit against tax due, which could bring your tax down to $0. Best yet would be a refundable credit which means if there is any left after tax is deducted, you get it as a refund. All this would mean that you would not be able to file a 1040EZ, but for a bigger refund, or less taxes paid, that isn't so bad.
   Animals are still being dumped or are suffering because their owners can't afford food or vet care. If this money was put into the hands of those who really needed it, city and county shelters would not be so overwhelmed with incoming animals. This influx of animals costs a lot, in housing, feed, emergency care, even killing the animals is not cheap. The cost to the people who work with the animals is great, emotionally and physically, and is especially devastating when they get laid off because the cost of dealing with the influx, the cost of larger number of call outs for abandonment and neglect, and even plain out and out cruelty, the lower adoption numbers, the loss of the revenue from vaccines and licenses, all add up to shelters running out of money and having to lay off personnel. Many charity shelters have closed already, many more probably will as they become overstuffed and underfunded. When these charities close, the government run shelters have to take up the slack. They have to, it's the law in most places, it's the mandate and the legal liabilities if they did not and someone was injured or killed could bankrupt a city. More cost, more dead.
   Remember, everyone pays taxes, in one way or another. When you file your income tax, you probably only look at your refund line, but don't forget to look at the taxes due line. It can surprise you how much that really is. Even those receiving EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) would get more if they had no tax due. Some, of course, are already at zero tax due, but not most. Even if you don't pay any income tax, though, you still pay plenty of taxes. Take bread for instance. When you buy a loaf of bread, you pay a portion of the farmer's taxes, the flour maker's taxes (and those of the other ingredients), the breadmaker's taxes, the store's taxes the truck companies' taxes (for each step of the way) and the of course all of the sales taxes. charged when you buy the bread. That doesn't include any other taxes that increase the overhead along the way.
Don't let anybody tell you that this is a needless bill, that Representative Thaddeus McCotter of Livonia, MI should be focusing on jobs, and not spending our money. Remind them how much money this could save the cities and counties especially if this was a credit available to the falling middle class, bypassed by almost all tax credits as it is, but the very ones who would benefit the most. Remind them of the people who care enough for their pets that they will sacrifice their food and medicine to care for their beloved animals. Remind them that heartbreak has very real health consequences, as does guilt if those animals are abandoned to a system that must kill them because they also lack money.
   Tell your representative to vote yes, but also to make this at least an above the line credit. Tell them this will save your city and your county money. Tell them it will save jobs. Tell them it will save your emotional and physical well-being. And if they care, tell them it will save lives.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T07:49:00.000-07:00

It seems more kids will be on the streets this Halloween, at least if Tuscon is any indication. Some of our most popular safe events have been cancelled, including the big one given by the police and firemen at the baseball park. Thousands of kids have gone there for years, and more thousands to the Rodeo grounds. Both are shut down this year due to lack of funds. There is the event at the university, but nothing else really big, so that leaves house to house trick or treating to fall back on. Before you take your kids out, parents, take the time to look up local sex offenders and then make sure you avoid their houses. In years past, the police had them all come to a special event that kept them away from kids, but I guess that was cancelled, too.
Kids, make sure you look both ways crossing the streets, stay with the group, and even though tonight (and only tonight), you get to take candy from strangers, remember to have your parents check that candy before you eat it.

Do You think black cats are unlucky?

2009-10-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Due to popular request, this post has been repeated for Halloween. Thank you for the many kind remarks. And yes, the black cats are still available to the right homes.

Please fell free to copy, link or use this post.

A bride will have a happy married life if a black cat sneezes near her on her wedding day.

Old Proverb

     For some reason, here in the United States, black cats are the hardest cats to adopt out. Maybe because here they are generally viewed to be unlucky, weavers of black magic, in league with the devil and familiars of witches. But in many parts of the world, they are the luckiest of cats.
   Do you believe that a black cat crossing your path is bad luck? In some countries such as Britain and Japan it is just plain lucky. It may be seen as visible proof that evil has passed you by without harming you, or even that the cat is warning you of danger ahead, and maybe even slowing your step so that you may miss the danger itself. Some people believe that in order for the cat to be lucky or to ward evil from your path, you must greet the cat politely. That's just good manners, and cats do appreciate good manners.
     A black cat walking towards you brings good luck with it. If it turns away, your anti-luck forcefield is working strong. Be prepared.
   In Latvia, the farmers rejoice when they see a black cat in their grain silos. It is believed to be a sign of Rungis, the god of harvests. For any mice in the silo, they are also unlucky to those who's path the cat crosses, or for those who cross the path of the cat for that matter.
   Sailors and their wives used black cats for luck. While a sailor was at sea, keeping a black cat in the house was a way a wife could keep her husband safe at sea. These lucky charms became so valuable that they were often stolen. What I want to know is if another woman merely stole your black cat's affections? Would that be a sign she was your husband's mistress, stealing his affections? Just a thought.
   King Charles I believed his black cat was so lucky, he had guards posted to protect it. He may have been right. The day after the cat died of an illness, the king was arrested by Oliver Cromwell's troops to be executed shortly after.

Onyx

     It is unlucky to chase a black cat away or to send it out of your house. Of course it is unlucky. It's just plain rude, and rudeness attrects bad karma.
     On the other hand, in Scotland it is thought that when you come home to find a black cat sitting on your porch, you are going to be happy. Especially if it is your black house cat that snuck out earlier and that you have given up for lost, and you cried and cried and...wellllll anyway, it is also supposed to be a sign of riches to come. And nothing is richer than a lap full of purring black velvet to stroke. And stroking the fur of a black cat brings you health. It really does. Stroking a cat has been proven to lower your blood pressure, help stave off heart attacks and strokes, help recovery from same, help those with dementia or autism. A cat can even help you fight depression. If you don't know how good it feels to be loved for just you, you need a little black cat who just wants to love on you. And I have three of them waiting for homes now. They even come in a range of love bug types. They are like the 3 bears. Ebonetta, the longest fur of the three wants to be your companion, staying close, talking to you, helping you do things, telling you about things like the train passing by and going where you go, but she isn't one to smother you. Onyx, the shortest haired one (with the goldest eyes) is the other extreme. He's a buddy, and he neeeeds you. When you hold him, he wraps around you. He loves to hug and be hugged. He even goes so far as to wrap himself around your feet when you try to leave him. Jet, the littlest is in the middle. He likes an audience, he calls you to let you know he is going to the bathroom, he wants to sit on your lap, and he likes to snuggle, but he also likes to play.
      These three kittens, and other cats besides are available for adoption. Please contact me here or at my email rossmary@rocketmail.com if you are interested.

Jet

Tessellating fish

2009-10-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

Having seen plenty of knitted fish designs, but no crochet ones I liked, I fiddled around and came up with my own version. The top one is single crochet. Ok, but I wanted larger motifs and something I could make an afghan of quicker and with a little less strain on the carpal tunnel. So I tried double crochet. Ahh, quick and easy to work up. I fiddled with the number of rows until I liked the proportions. Then I thought, maybe I should add some details like fins? No, I decided, keep it simple, because Anthony's mom wants something not too fussy and not too baby, not too bright, but not dull, and not boring. Then I needed to decide orientation. Each row swimming the same direction? That might work, but the design I finished on works well nose to nose, tail to tail. You can see that if you just continued with one strip you could have a pretty cute fashion scarf.

This is the color Ressa chose for her one-year old son. I have made two motifs, nose to nose, and will keep going next with the tail, then then nose again until I have the width I (and Ressa) want.

The yarn is Red Heart Kids, worsted weight 4 4oz/113g 232 yd/212m and the color is 2940 Beach. I used my favorite Provo Craft hook with a number 6 tip.

The motif pattern is very simple, something I felt necessary so I wouldn't have to keep looking at the directions for every step. Once you get the rhythm you can put the directions away.
for your base start with a chain of 26. Skip the first three stitches and double crochet in next strip and across.
*decreasing two in the row (one at beginning and one at end of row), double crochet across*
repeat between * and * until you have 10 stitches.
work even until you have 6 rows of 10 stitches.
*increasing two in the row (one at beginning and one at end of row), double crochet across*
repeat between * and * until you have 20 stitches.
work even until you have 6 rows of 20 stitches.
*decreasing two in the row (one at beginning and one at end of row), double crochet across*
repeat between * and * until you have 6 stitches.
*increasing two in the row (one at beginning and one at end of row), double crochet across*
repeat between * and * until you have 20 stitches.
work even until you have 6 rows of 20 stitches.
*decreasing two in the row (one at beginning and one at end of row), double crochet across*
repeat between * and * until you have 10 stitches.
work even until you have 6 rows of 10 stitches.
*increasing two in the row (one at beginning and one at end of row), double crochet across.
repeat between * and * until you have 24 stitches.

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Sorry I was gone so long

2009-10-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in almost a month because my computer started acting up. After sending it away, it came back with a $125 repair tag and the report that nothing was wrong with it. One of the things I had asked them to look into while they were looking was why my speakers wouldn't work. The speakers work fine, they said, and so do ours when we hook them up to your computer. Right now, I have no sound again, it just quit. Another thing I asked was why, when I added more memory and also took all my old files off the computer, I have only 75% memory available. Before, with a bunch of photos, patterns and files it had 86% available. I was told that was normal. Today, saving nothing and running a defrag after reading email, it dropped another percentage point. But hey, at least my computer hasn't just quit on me, like it was doing before, so I must be ahead of the game, right? If I just disappear again, you know my computer is going back to the shop.
If it doesn't, I plan to post a pattern I worked out for the Tesselating fish afghan in double crochet. The original knit version comes from an older book, but I saw two nice versions on knitknitfrog.blogspot and snhrodinger212. blogspot. Not quite what I was looking for, but nice. I'm making a blanket for our 1 year old grandson. So ta for now.

What does your food bank have to offer besides free food?

2009-09-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

     Does your local food bank have a grocery store? Ours does, it's at the back of the food bank. They call it Value Market. You don't have to be eligible for food stamps, any program or even be signed up for food boxes. And the savings are awesome. Anywhere from 30-70% off regular grocery prices.   They can take the money you spend there and turn $10 into $100 worth of food, or so one of their posters says. It's a small grocery store, sure, but if you start there before going to your local mega store you can save a lot of money. Recently, I bought a 10 pound ham (the loaf shape) for just under eight bucks. I don't like ham, but my hubby does, and I can choke it down at that price. It's a good quality name brand, and with our food slicer we can make deli style sandwiches, or cube it into casseroles, or just freeze pieces to make holiday roasts from.
     Our food bank doesn't sell donated food, the grocery store is run separately, funded by it's sales.   They buy first run food, a lot is name brand food and sometimes they have food packaged for them. You never know what they will have at anytime, though, so having a freezer is a plus. One of the things I keep an eye out for is the little cans of green chiles. If they are cheap enough, I'll buy a case. Cheap enough to me is 50% or less than I would pay at the local Fry's. After you done your shopping, you go past these long tables set up with bags of bread and sometimes flats of fruits or fresh vegetables. No matter your income, after you buy at the grocery you get a bonus from the table of whatever they are giving out that day.
I like to get my rich clients to shop there. I tell them it's good for their wallet, good for the community, and good for their karma. Besides, I think those with should see how hard those without have to work for what they get, standing in line for hours for a free bag of food. Okay, I also like to see them completely out of their element.
   Like every other food bank, ours gives out food "boxes", actually large bags of food here, to anyone qualified. At this food bank, qualified is any resident of Pima county, no proof of need required. It's pretty obvious, though that the people who are willing to stand in the long line that snakes through the giant room are not well off. Anyone may be welcome, but you won't find the comfortable there, willing to rub shoulders with the needy, someone might think they can't keep up with the Jones', after all.   Even if they can't. America does have it's caste system, it's based on how many dollars you have, or at least the illusion of those dollars to the extent you can maintain it.    Don't get me wrong, though. Tucson can be an incredibly generous town. If there is a need, such as the food bank running low, the humane society needing pet food, schools needing supplies, even someone needing bone marrow or help paying for a funeral, Tucsonians will cough up that money or donate that item faster than you can spit. They just have to be reminded of the need. Even the neediest donate something, somehow.
     Anyway, if you have a roommate situation, or more than one household under the same roof, you each can get your own. One bag per month and whatever is being given at the free table. That bag always has beans, rice, canned soup, fruit (fresh, canned or frozen), cornflakes and peanut butter. Neither of us are big fans of cornflakes and peanut butter, so it kept piling up. Then I discovered a recipe for cornflake bars. Lots of recipes. Yummy. Now I don't have excess inventory, just excess calories to burn.    The simple version:

Cornflake Bars

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

8 cups corn flakes

any desired additives (see below)

Have everything measured and ready before starting.

Heat syrup and sugar together just til sugar melts, stir peanut butter into hot syrup, Stir in cornflakes.

Turn into buttered dish, smooth and let cool.

If desired, when you add the cornflakes, add dried fruits, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips or whatever catches your fancy, but act quick this sets up in moments.

Our food bank is a great place to take the kids. No, really. If you go the right day, there is a farmer's market in the compact park like area just outside. There are nice little paths for walking and well shaded benches for sitting, with open areas for the kids to play in. They have a demonstration garden showing how to grow vegetables and even how to make your vegetable plants attractive enough for landscaping. People in Tucson don't grow lawns, it just isn't done here. If you are going to waste your water, don't let the neighbors see it wasted on grass. But some people also don't like the natural desert planting touted by the expensive landscapers here. Surely, though, no one can object to beautiful ramadas shaded by grapes, arbors of squash and beans, and sunflower and corn screens to go along with the lemons, oranges and grapefruits. I must admit, I spend a little more water and grow some desert adapted peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums (but they do also provide cooling shade). Behind the garden is a chicken coop shaded by a tree. In our area, raising hens is okay in the city, and the coop the food bank has is a cute little thing.

Classes, our food bank has them. The current classes are in gardening. They will train you, provide starter seed, volunteers to get your garden started. It's garden time in Tucson. They've had classes on compost, building a solar oven and water saving. They also have a youth apprentice program on an organic farm.

These are just the things I've had dealings with at our food bank. I know they have other things, and they have connections to other programs. It is an active, vibrant community organization which offers much more than the average Tucsonian realizes.

What does your food bank offer? Have you ever checked? It might be worth your time to find out, even if you aren't facing difficulties. If your food bank doesn't offer much, maybe you can help start a garden or a cooking class. Help your community and find out. Really help your community and volunteer if you can. And don't wait until you see on the news that the food bank's warehouse is empty. Don't wait for the holidays, the need is ongoing. Donate now. You'll feel better for it. Honest. Besides, it makes a good tax write off if you itemize.

Missy, before and after

2009-09-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Missy, the way we found her with sunburned hair, mats and bloody paws.

It looks like my sister intends to keep the little Yorkie that wandered up to our house. She says she is just going to take care of some of the dog's problems first, but she's getting awfully possessive already. So far Missy has her shots, license, health checkup and has been groomed. The vet also discovered that she had a luxating patella (slippy knee joint) and someone had hit or kicked Missy in the mouth, and next week she will be going in to have some loose teeth pulled and to get a close up inspection to see if there is any other damage from the kick.
How do people feel when they kick such a tiny animal? Powerful? Oh, yeah, I can whup that five pound dog! I rescued a miniature pincher that was underfed, had a choke chain left on her as she grew that had to be cut-off, wasn't spayed, had an unaddressed tumor, heart and lung disease, and oh, yes, was kicked multiple times so that the spines on her vertabrae were broken. The people we got her from had the gall to insist they loved this dog, but that she was afraid of men.. Hmmm, maybe it was the man who kicked her? My husband sat on the ground and the dear girl crawled right into his lap and snugged up to him. My dear man fell in love instantly, and I didn't tell him the problems I had found just in the first few seconds, until we got almost home with her. I didn't know about the enlarged heart or the chipped spine until I had the vet look at her (she cried when she saw the x-rays), but I knew something was seriously wrong, and if nothing else, I was going to give that dog a peaceful end.. That dog was trained to be my mom's hearing ear dog, a job she performed admirably until the day my mom died. She rescued my mom, giving her a measure of independence and security. Hopefully, Missy will help my sister, who really needs someone now that she is a widow.

Cute, but what a mess. You can see the pain in her eyes from the stickers embedded in her feet.

Missy now. Happy, sassy and oh so darling.

Dental Nightmare

2009-09-16T22:10:00.000-07:00

Today was a nerve wracking day for me. I took a cat and a dog into the vet's to have dentals done on them. Amber, the cat and Joey, the dog are six and five repectively, but both had hard starts to their lives and both have depressed immune systems. I was mostly afraid Amber would not be accepted for surgery because she has asthma, but when we got there, miraculously she didn't have an attack and her lungs were clear enough. The vet said we should take this window and jump for it. With cats with asthma, you may never be able to find a chance you can have their teeth fixed because getting upset, like going to the vet can do, can cause an attack. Amber's teeth were bad, I've known for a little over a year we needed to get them done, but her health would never allow it. Today we jumped, and she had all but two of her teeth pulled. At 6 years of age, her teeth looked so bad that the tech was shocked to find out how young Amber actually is. The vet understood, writing on her paper in big letters,. BORN FERAL..
Cats that are ferals, or who are born feral often have medical issues that doom them to die young if they are left in the streets. Amber's mother Bullseye delivered her litter in our garage, but immediately took them across the street to the wrecking yard. Five weeks later, she showed up at our front door and started yelling. At least I think she intended it to be a yell, but she, like Amber, had a soft spoken nature and it came out about as loud as a cat sounds when it is upstairs in the bathroom linen closet and you're in the basement doing laundry. I only heard her because the door was open, and I was walking by the screen when she tried to yell at me through it. I was puzzled because one of the marks of a feral is their silence around a person. It is the first test we use to see if we have trapped a feral or just a neighbor's cat. Her odd behavior made me go to the door to see what was wrong with her. She ran a few steps, turned and yelled at me again, so I stepped out. Again she ran a few steps and yelled. I had the strong feeling she needed help, so I followed her around the house to the garage. In the garage was her litter, minus one kitten. They looked horrible, covered in grease and with grease impacted under their eyelids. At first they tried to run, but as soon as I scooped them up. they started purring. I always wondered what their mom had told them, but they were the most cuddly kittens you could ever meet.
It took us two months and the loss of another kitten, but finally most were healthy. Not Amber, though. She was the sickest survivor, and she has had problems since. She had the "dire rear" and throwing up for two years, long after we found out her allergies to chicken, beef, corn and wheat. Have you ever tried to find cat food without any of those ingredients? Throw in budget and it gets even harder. We had to have litter boxes in every room, but even with them, sometimes she just couldn't make it. You've never lived til you're cuddling a sweet little kitten on your lap and you suddenly see that look just before she starts spewing from both ends right on your new robe. Finally, though, she could eat, and keep it down most of the time, and she got fat. Like the vet said, wouldn't you if you starved the first two years of your life? Of course this is the same vet that when asked why she walks so oddly, said that in his considered opinion, she'd built weird. Then all of a sudden, about 6 weeks ago, she stopped eating. I knew it was time to get her teeth done, but with the monsoon, as sparse as it was this year, she still was having minor asthma attacke. No big ones, but she couldn't have surgery.
But today, the stars aligned and the airways cleared. She could have her teeth pulled. All but two.
Joey I wasn't worried about. Sure, he had it rough as a puppy. I'm sorry, you don't have a pup lose 60% of his hair and have skin with black thick places without knowing something was wrong. I was fostering dogs at the time, but had already let the group know I was too full and couldn't take anyone else in. That didn't stop them from calling me and telling me to get to the animal control immediately, or "he" will be put to sleep in an hour. I had to get him, they insisted. They said to look for a springer spaniel. When I got to the kennels, I couldn't find a spaniel of any kind, just some big dogs and this 15 pound half hairless mix. That was "him", Joey. He had the demon, demodex mange, and he had a life threatening case of it. The vet the group wanted me to take him to was one I had worked with in the Humane society. I told the lady exactly what that vet would say. "Why are they wasting their money on this dog. They should put him down." Not believing me, she made the appointment, the vet looked, told me word for word what I said he would, and later called her and told her the same. When she called me with an appointment at another vet, she couldn't help but laugh, but she also asked if I thought they should take their speutering (spaying/neutering) to another vet. No way, for surgery he is one of the finest vets I've seen. Six months of poisonous treatment later, Joey was finally well, and I couldn't part with him after all the work I'd put into him.
Joey's teeth were never good even as a puppy. They had always been easily chipped and because of his lack of early socialization and the things he endured when sick, it was impossible to brush his teeth properly. I knew his immune system wasn't up to snuff, if it had been, he's never have had such a bad case of mange, so I knew that we needed to get his teeth cleaned before he ended up with heart problems. But I didn't think he'd have problems being accepted for surgery, after all, he'd just had a checkup in June. He almost got bounced from surgery because his protein levels were too high. We had more tests done, all negative, so the vet went ahead and did the surgery. When the vet started, it was obvious Joey had far worse problems than either of us had imagined and HE had almost every tooth pulled instead of the two she predicted or the three I expected..
You just never know. We went in today, fingers crossed Amber could have her teeth pulled, and no problem. Joey, who was expected to sail right through almost didn't have his dental, and as bad as his teeth turned out to be, that could have ended up fatal.
They're both home now, happy with their pain meds and the first food they've had in 24 hours (a dangerously long time for a cat, by the way). Amber will probably get fat again, and Joey, well he was still the same smart ass when he came out of the vet's office as when he went in. prancing along, barking at a man across the street and complaining that if he had thumbs he wouldn't have to wait for me to open the door.

I know yesterday was 9/11

2009-09-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

I know that yesterday was 9/11, but I really didn't want to think about it. Even after all this time, it feels too raw when I let my mind go there. But trying to ignore it did no good, I spent much of the day seeing the images on tv and the net. Even writing these few lines has tears in my eyes. What I remember most about that day and the months that followed were the acts of heroism. The teachers at a daycare herding their charges to safety through choking dust. The first responders running up the stairs in the second tower, knowing they might, probably, die, because they saw what happened to the first. The guide dog and his owner helping guide others through the blinding dust and smoke to safety. The people on a plane who weren't going to sit back and just let the hijackers win. The people who ran to help others when they could have run to safety. The K-9 who risked his life to find survivors only to later be shot and killed by other police officers when in the line of duty pursuing a felon. The searchers in the following weeks knowing they couldn't possibly find a survivor, and the joy when they did against all odds. The same searchers when it became obvious just how dangerous and toxic the rubble was, but they kept digging, looking for corpses so families would know. All the dogs who risked their lives and sanity to find the dead. Don't think these dogs didn't know what they were being asked to do. I've trained dogs for this. They knew, but they went willingly.
It was a bad day, but it was a time that showed what Americans were capable of. We pulled together. Stores in the area opened their doors to give away food that would have spoiled anyway. Crime dropped. Flags flew. People were proud to be Americans. Not the fakey political pride of the later Bush years, but real pride in heroism and generosity. We cared. Why we have to have grand tragedies to act well towards our fellow humans, I don't know, but I do know that this is one thing I wish we could have kept out of that horrible time.
The horrors only brushed lightly over us, so far removed here in Tucson. My husband was in California that day at the airport preparing to fly home. He had turned in his rental car and was heading for his plane when the terrible news broke and all planes were grounded. He returned to the rental place where miraculously they still had his car. The company, Alamo, let him take the car out of the state, return it in Tucson and didn't charge him. They even gave him a coupon for future use.
Maybe next year I'll do better on 9/11, cry a little less, maybe even forget a little. I doubt it. I don't think I'll ever stop feeling this pain when I let my mind go back...I'm not sure I want to.

2009-09-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Quick update: I talked to their previous family and Gabby is 6 or 7 and Kiki is just a little younger, though she acts like a kitten.

Skunk for adoption, and Kiki too.

2009-09-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

Or IS it a skunk?

No, it's Gabriella, aka Gabby, aka Skunk. I know, I know, I should call her Penelope for the cartoon cat with Pepe Le Pew, but you know how nicknames can be, not always flattering. This cat with her unusual markings was left with us when her family lost their home. She is good with children. Our 1 year old grandchild lies on her, bites her tail and pulls her fur, but as fast as we rescue her, she comes back for more. She is fine with other cats, doesn't particularly like our gallumphing big dogs, but the little rescue Yorkie is ignored by her. She is an opinionated cat, not what you call sweet, but she is loving and likes to share the lounge with you. She is about 4 years old. If you are interested in adopting her, please email me at rossmary@rocketmail.com.

This is Kiki. She is a little younger than
Gabby, but comes from the same household. Now her you can describe as sweet. You can also call her a wimp.
For some reason, one of the other cats here, who is always sweet and caring to any cat that comes here, has decided to make her his personal target. She doesn't stand up to him, unless cornered, then she screams bloody murder for help. Not exactly a fighter. She also does well with the grandchild, but she doesn't volunteer to be his plaything like Gabby does. She would probably do best in a single cat household, but a friendly cat, kitten or dog that would welcome and play gently with her would be just as good for her. She loves to play and cuddle. If you are interested in adopting her, please email me at rossmary@rocketmail.com.

These are 2 more of the cats ready for adoption. In a prior post Ebonetta told you about herself, she is available, and her golden-eyed brother Onyx also is available.   We'll talk about him another day.

Soon, another black cutie will be ready. His name is Jet and you can see some of his pictures also in an earlier post.

Ebonetta, my Squirrel (above) and Onyx.

Try a little charity tax advice, and Starfish is now StarfishRescue

2009-09-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

Don't be confused by the name change. I just decided that if I ever decide to go for my 501(c)3 status, that the name would be StarfishRescue, so I thought, what the heck, maybe I'd better change the blog name now before it gets as popular as I'd like it to be. Yes, I know it's slow building right now, I'm trying to get the hang of this computer thingy as well as this bloggy thingy. Bear with and hopefully I'll get a good blog going.

Speaking of 501(c)3s, did you know that not all charities qualify for this tax status and not all that do are willing to go through the expense and trouble of qualifying? Or, that they can lose the designation even if they do nothing wrong. Not having the status doesn't mean they are not legit, as long as they follow local laws, and declare any donations as regular income. If you donate to an accredited 501(c)3, you can use it as a deduction on your income tax IF you have enough deductions to use the schedule A (or have to because of marital status), IF the deductions are still enough after doing the math, IF the charity is one approved by the IRS, and IF you have a receipt. How do I know this? I am a tax preparer for a large chain, and people are always shocked to find out they can't necessarily deduct their donations, and that it isn't dollar for dollar anyway.

Did you know that you can donate to any charity you like, there is not law against it, but you cannot deduct that donation from your income? But a lot of the time, your donation to even the biggest charities can not be deducted because you don't met all the IF's. So if you want to donate to a small group or individual doing charitable work, and it won't affect your taxes anyway, consider it. BUT, before you do, ask questions. What is the money used for, what exactly is the aim of the charity, do you feel that you can trust the charity. Don't be surprised if they don't have a separate bank account for their charity, many are too small and receive little or no donations coming in, except maybe from their mothers, and it has to be included in their income anyway. If it worries you, though, give goods, such as food, blankets, towels, sheets, the ever needed carriers, and if it is a TNR group, traps and dishes. Better yet, volunteer some time, or help find homes for the adoptable pets out there. Adopt if you can. Adoptions are down across the nation with the current economy, people are afraid of losing their homes, and abandonment is on the rise, the numbers are overwhelming in some communities. But just think, if you can find just one home for just one pet out there, you will have made a difference to that one, which is the StarfishRescue philosophy.

Now go out there and hug someone.

Joey just had a bad thought

2009-09-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

He might get stuck having to live with yet another dog and another cat. Jet the kitten is getting ready to be adopted, soon it will be time to get him neutered. The little Yorkie (we are now calling her Missy) has not found her former home, and my sister is making noises about keeping her. Which means here. Seriously, if you know anyone interested in adopting a small Yorkie who seems to have collapsing trachea and needs some serious hair care, have them take a peek at her picture below. She's a good little girl, good with a 1 year old toddler, myriad cats, several dogs that are much bigger than her, rides well, understands how to hold still for a harness to be put on, walks well on leash, likes to lie by my feet when I'm on the computer, and at Chuck's feet when he is playing video games. She does not seem to have any formal training, doesn't know down, sit, stay, but then it may be a language barrier, we live in an hispanic neighborhood, but I don't speak spanish. She has had some anxiety when left alone, but she seems to be getting over that fairly well. Whoever gets her will probably have to deal with some yelping until she is comfortable that she has not been abandoned yet again.

We need to find her a home, and place several cats also. Their places are sorely needed by other homeless critters. But don't worry, we will keep her here unless another foster can take her. She will never have to face the desert alone again as long as we have a home ourselves.

T-Shirt yarn rug

2009-08-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally finished my back hall rug made of t-shirts. Because it was going to be used for a utility area where the big dogs thunder through to go outside, I didn't bother cutting the t-shirts into nice strips, I just tore them into about 1 1/2 inch strips. First, though, I cut off the bottom edges and set them aside. I pulled off any peeling plastic from iron-ons that I could, those that I couldn't I cut the shirt off even below. I left stains that didn't come out in the laundry, paint, printing, bleach marks, and any color unevenness, they just added to the design as far as I was concerned. I didn't worry about the weight of the shirts, I figured it would be pummeled so much a few ripples wouldn't matter.
To keep it from having huge ripples from uneven "yarn" sizes, every so often I added a row of two of a stretch double knit salvaged from an old stained house coat of my mother's (the light blue in the closeup) as well as a few other double knits. Those I cut into roughly 2' wide strips because they were so light. I just cut the material in spirals, and if there was a corner, I didn't bother rounding it. I also fudged the number of stitches, adding one here, or skipping one there. I didn't mind ripples, I didn't want waves. I used a single crochet and a Q hook. When it was as big as I wanted, I used the set aside bottom edges of the shirts for an edging all around.
It took a lot more t-shirts than I thought it would, in order to finish it and keep it a free project, I had to beg for stained and tattered tees from co-workers. That worked too well I fear, because now I have a stash of tees to make something else out of. It seems that everybody has tattered and stained tees laying about, and this way they can get rid of them guilt free.
If you decide you want to make a rug out of t-shirts, and you want it to lie flat, you need to cut your yarn evenly. There are several ways to do this, and some good video tutorials on the net. The way I do it if evenness matters is to use a quilting guide , the kind with the square measuring marks, and a rotary cutter. First cut off the bottom hem and across the chest just below the arms to make a tube. Slip the guide into the tube and line up the bottom edge of the material with one of the lines. Make an angled cut across 2-3 squares and up to the width you want your yarn so that your leading edge has an angled point. then cut across at the measure you want, 1, 1 1/2, 2 as many times as you can fit. Turn the tube of cloth and continue the lower cut around, angling it at the ends to join with the next strip so that you have a continuous strip. With careful cutting you can have very even yarn. Roll it into a ball, giving the yarn a good yank to stretch it. As it rebounds, the edges curl in, making a very neat, round yarn. When you have finished your rug, paint the back with latex to make it slip resistant, or you can coat it with rubber cement. Because nothing short of gluing the rug down will hold it in place with these dogs, I did neither, but it really doesn't slip underfoot at all.
BTW, the cut off parts of the shirts shall not go to waste, I am cutting them up to make a rag rug. When I get that done (in however many years from now) I'll let you know how that works.

Jet is not afraid of dogs

2009-08-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

As these pictures of Jet the kitten and Chico the big dog show, Jet is not afraid of dogs, either. In many ways this kitten is ready to be adopted. The only thing holding him up is that he still has to be pulled out from under the cabinet yet when loose. He is ready for a home with a person or family who has a lot of energy and also understands (or is willing to learn) what a not instant kitty really means.

MORE exciting yarn news

2009-08-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

While at the thrift store finding the future dog blanket (below post), I found three other afghans and instantly knew that I wanted to use them for a wedding ring afghan. The top picture shows the balls of yarn I ended up with once I frogged (ripped it, ripped it), or unraveled it for those non-crocheters out there. The afghan they are sitting on is another buy at $1.50. Large enough to completely cover one and in perfect shape. I never liked harvest gold and avocado before, but this one I like. I think I will keep it. The other three afghans were $1, $3 and $.75. Now if I ever finish my UFOs (UnFinished Objects) I'll make me that quiltagan. Of course, if I make it, I'll probably just have to give it as a Christmas or wedding present, it would be too pretty to suffer the slings and arrows and other unmentionable onslaughts of living in a rescue household. At least if the picture in my mind is the quiltagan that I make it will be.

While frogging the one with the fringe, I learned a new stitch. It works up very quickly. I have seen it before, but I had no concept how it was done. I'll set it down here, and if anyone knows the name of the pattern, please let me know. If there is a designer out there who deserves credit, let me know so I can give due credit for this simple, quick and pretty pattern.

for pattern stitch using american convention: foundation chain multiples of 20+ 13 *double crochet 10, chain 10* repeat from *to* across, always start and end row with 10 double crochet. Repeat rows til desired length, single crochet down closest side, don't cut yarn and secure stitches so they don't pull out.
Now the tricky part to explain. I wish I had thought to take pictures, but it was only by taking it apart that I understood it. The chain 10s make a ladder of chain 10 rungs. Starting at the bottom rung on the first ladder, pinch the center and pull it up behind the 2nd rung . Pinch the center of the 2nd rung, bring it through the pinched center of the 1st rung, bringing it behind and behind the 3rd rung. Done right, it twists them all together and the top one holds the lower ones together. If you let go of the top twist, the whole thing falls apart quicker than a run in a cheap pair of nylons. At the top of the ladder pin or tie the last twist so it can't come loose. Do all the ladders this way. Pick up yarn, single crochet in 10 foundation chains, *[single crochet in 3 foundation chains, skip 4 foundation chains (which forms the loop), single crochet in 3 foiundation chains], single crochet in next 10 foundation chains * Repeat from*to* across. Single crochet up side. Single crochet in tops of 10 double crochet, *[single crochet in1 chain, flatten pinched loop with finger, single crochet in 2nd chain while also going through 5th chain (near side top of loop) single crochet in 6th chain (far side top loop) also going into 9th chain, single crochet in 10th chain], single crochet in tops of 10 double crochet*, repeat from *to* across. Fasten off.
I hope I described the stitch well enough for someone to try it. If anybody tries it, let me know how it works.

EXCITING find, if you like yarn, that is

2009-08-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love to do is cruise the thrift shops for things to remake. I found another thrift that I just love. I'm always on the lookout for yarn. I don't know why, when my mom died she left me a huge metal cabinet full of yarn. It just seems I can't find the exact yarn I'm looking for in all my stash, and I'm too cheap to buy new skeins and can't justify it anyway. This place didn't have any yarns, so I wandered over to look at blankets, needing another for one of the dog crates. Lo and behold, there was this beautifully organized rack of knitted and crochet afghans in wonderful yarns. I found one that though big and thick was badly felted, perfect for a dog to use, but I didn't want to spend more than $10 and typically around here a full size afghan costs $30-$60. I looked at the tag anyway and the price was an amazing $1.50.

Update on Jet and the found Yorkie

2009-08-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

Well, Jet has sure settled in. Last night when I was holding him, he discovered the pleasures of tickle-tummy. Then he washed my face. I could just hear the "tsk-tsk, people just don't groom themselves properly, I guess I'll just have to take care of that for them". Today he was lounging on top of his hidey-hole, watching me. He loves to snuggle and is already head butting me.
We have taken to calling the little Yorkie that we found Missy. This morning, she decided to start showing her true Yorkie self and take over the canine pack. I wondered how long it would take. She started with walking behind the other dogs and lifting her leg to pee over their pee. When they came in, Chuck was still snoozing, so Chico, the big American pit decided to go back to bed and jumped up to lie on Chuck's feet. Missy jumped up beside him and just looked at him. Chico sighed and moved over to the doggy bunk and she settled into his spot with a self-satisfied smirk.

This week we found a dog and caught a kitten

2009-08-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

This little Yorkshire girl just walked up to our door last Saturday (August 8th, 2009) and just asked to come in. She's very sweet, looks and acts like she was well cared for at one time. We think she understands English, though no commands we have tried, but we live in the heart of a Hispanic neighborhood, so we can't be sure. Her hair is terribly sunburned and her feet were burned by the pavement and she was full of cactus and burrs. She has no microchip. If you are missing a yorkie, or know someone who is, please email me at rossmary@rocketmail.com. She already has an interested adopter, so if you want someone to adopt, please adopt one of the cats we have available. (Read Ebonetta's story below.)

......................

JETThis little boy was caught last night, after midnight August 14th, 2009. Five minutes after we caught him, Chuck held him and I examined him. This morning he was purring for his pictures. Believe it or not, he is actually a feral kitten. He was born in the junkyard across the street. A few weeks ago, we were taking the garbage out, and he was sitting right there on the porch. Behind him were the two spayed cats we call The Aunties, with what can only be called encouraging expressions on their faces. He looked at us a long moment, but decided not to come in at that time, thank you. But he was very curious, raising his neck like E.T. (if you're old enough to remember
that) and trying to see inside the house. As soon as we caught
him this morning, we took him to a secure facility, which we
call the bathroom. Right away, he was looking around and
putting his paws out to touch things. We have had a few other kittens this bold, and I think they are too curious to be afraid As you can see, he is unafraid. We think he will be ready for
adoption in about three weeks.

Wave for the camera, Jet

Recycle art Lamp

2009-08-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

Take some pretty tins and some old lamp parts...
An old shade and some paint, on top place a small glass globe to shine...

And you save
space in a landfill,
have a pretty space
to set your drink
and a nice light to
read by.

Ebonetta's pictures

2009-08-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

2009-08-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hi, Ebonetta here. Daddy calls me Netty, but Mama calls me Squirrel because she says that when I'm leading her somewhere I look like a little squirrel flicking my tail. I'm looking for a new home, not because mommy and daddy don't love me, but because they are trying to rescue as many starfish as they can, (a whole litter is out there waiting for their turn) and I'm ready for my own place. I wouldn't mind having my brother Onyx with me, he gets scared easier than I do and I could hold his paw, but I'm always up for adventure and I could live without him, as long as I have someone willing to play with me. I get along with dogs and cats, and even babies. I'm clean and not destructive, I've been fixed (though I'm not sure what was broken) and mama always says I have the perfect kitty manners. I do have a big strike against my finding the perfect forever home, though. You see, I used to be a feral kitten. Don't know what a feral is? A feral is a domestic cat, bred to be a house cat but born in the streets. Sometimes our mothers were someone's pet, sometimes it was our grandma, but a feral isn't born in a house. People sometimes call ferals wild cats, but a wild cat is something like a lynx or lion that was never bred to be a house cat. Anyway, the two older cats my mama calls the aunties brought me and my brother to the house we now live in and told us to walk into this little cage for a treat. The door shut, and we were trapped and a few minutes later mommy and daddy came out of the house and carried us inside. I can tell you, we were plenty scared, but the aunties had filled our heads with wondrous stories, and within a very short time, we found out how great snuggles were, and then how fun playsticks are and mousies and even the dogs and cats made great toys for us. Momma says we aren't "instant kitties" and she thinks that if I find a good home, I still will hide for a bit until I know the people I move in with. I think she's wrong about me, though I'm sure my brother will be like that. Me? I'm brave enough to let daddy's grandbaby pull my tail, and I don't even scratch him for that. I can't imagine anything scaring me. I said I had a few strikes against me, and momma says a biggie is that I don't like to sit on laps. I am just not a lap cat. I like to be near you, I like my ears and belly rubbed and if you ignore me, I will pat you to get your attention, but I don't like to sit on laps. I have too good of manners to squirm if you pick me up, but I'll get off as soon as I can. But I think not everyone wants a cat all over them all the time hugging them like my brother does, am I right? It doesn't mean I'm not affectionate or anything, some people don't like to be hugged, some cats don't like laps, that's the way I see it. And speaking of seeing, I keep my eyes open as wide as I can so I can see a gnat move from across the room, not because I'm a nervous Nettie in case you wonder when you see my pictures. I'm always alert for things to go play with.
So, if you can see it in your heart to give a little black kitty like me a forever home, please let my mommy know. She says she won't let me go with just anyone, there are adoption procedures to follow, but I just know you are perfect enough for me, and being perfect, you won't find adoptions hard.
Love, Nettie.

First time blog

2009-08-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog ever, so be patient with me, please.
I named this blog starfish after the famous Starfish story by Loren Eisley from his book Throwing Stars. In essence, the story relates a person on the beach at low tide watching a young person picking up and throwing starfish back into the ocean. When asked why throw the starfish into the ocean, the answer is to save them. But there are miles of beach and thousands of starfish, they can't all be saved, you can't make a difference. The youngster picks up another and replies "It makes a difference to that one."
That's what my husband and I try to do, make a difference to one at a time. We do TNR (trap, neuter and return) for a small colony of feral cats that comes to our house. Anytime we catch a kitten or a tamable cat, we tame them and put them up for adoptions. Tamed ferals are unique, they are not instant cats, but they can bond as strongly with you as any cat born and raised in your home. If you are interested in adopting one, we have some available, as well as some adult fosters that were never feral, and some we are about to catch for taming. As I go along, I intend to post their stories and pictures.
But this blog is also about other interests, such as crafts, Christmas, stories, crochet, knit, recipes, even video games. You name it, I've probably got an interest in it, or at least an opinion, so let's see what happens down the road, shall we?