Video of Ellen the Kitten Eating

Here's another video... it went live after the other two. Notice how her little ears bob in rhythm when she is drinking milk? That is sooooo cute!

Videos of Ellen the Kitten

The video on left is of Ellen the Kitten being treated to her postprandial massage. On the right is a (sorry) out-of-focus video of Ellen cleaning herself!

Ellen the Kitten is Growing!

On the left is Ellen from May 7th, on the right is Ellen from May 14th. With one week between the two, you can compare the photos for how Ellen is developing and thriving.

This is a praise! Thank you for your prayers.

Ellen is now able to drink directly from the bottle. She started doing this on Friday. She also started cleaning herself and has become much more playful.

When she eats, Ellen's little ears bob with her sucking on the bottle. After her meal either Cathy or I will give her a belly rub which she enjoys immensely! She's not nearly as boney as she was just a week ago!

When the videos are verfied, I'll post links to them. To see videos of Ellen, click this Google Video search or click on the categories for kittens or Ellen.

Ellen is Doing Better!

So, Ellen started walking on Thursday (05/11), and she is no longer dehydrated. She also had an "explosion" in her cage which Cathy had to clean up, but now the little kitty has had solid stools. She is crawling around a lot more and has a healthy appetite.

Based upon this, I think Ellen is out of danger, and God has granted our requests for her well-being. I'll get to see her soon, so I'll snap some photos and upload them!

I'm Concerned For Ellen

Ellen, our new bottle kitten, is not responding as quickly as I hoped. She has not attempted to eat from the bottle yet, so Cathy and I have been feeding her with a dropper. The poor kitty has the runs and is dehydrated. We have decided to take her to the vet tonight where she will at minimum get some water into her system.

Ellen must have been without her momma for an extended period. Perhaps she was the runt of the litter, and her momma was moving the nest and was unable to come back for her. Ellen has fight in her, though, so I keep praying and hoping for the best.

I believe Ellen does have a fighting chance. She just woke up a little while ago. When I checked on her, she was looking around for a nipple. I was able to feed her 1/4 teaspoon. She went back to sleep on my chest. *sigh*

Your prayers would be appreciated.

Update at 8:31 P.M.: The doctor says Ellen should be O.K. It apears the worst of it is over, and her color (gums) is good. Apparently the gums are a good indicator of overall kitten health. Anyway, no antibiotics, just continued loving care.

New Bottle Kitten - Ellen

Ellen came to us last night. We have no history on Ellen at all except that the people who dropped her off at the shelter said she is two weeks old. As you can tell, Ellen's eyes are already open.

Ellen is rather weak and is not taking the bottle directly. Currently, Cathy is feeding her with a dropper. She'll need some extra love and close care for the next few days, and I've been praying for her as well. Lord willing, Ellen will be more active and eat well in a week or so.

It is just one kitty in this litter. Assuming she is two weeks old, we'll get her tested in another two weeks, and then she can interact directly with the other cats.

Lee is Sick (but better)

Yeah, I'm sick. Friday I woke up with "really bad allergies" and went in to work. My voice started giving out on me about 10 A.M., and I decided I was coming down with a cold. I couldn't leave work since I had a trip to TN to plan. I took Zinc and Airborne and hoped for the best.

The cold only got worse. When I get a cold it usually takes me a week or more to recover. On Saturday the cold was present but seemed to be no worse. I went to my all-day class. I got tired, but not sickly. Saturday evening, however, I was getting a sinus headache and generaly feeling lousy.

Sunday was even worse. I am pretty certain I ran a fever Saturday night; I just couldn't stay warm, then I was really hot and sweated a lot. We got to church late and I kept to myself, and we left after communion. I doubt anyone even had a real chance to notice we were at church!

Cathy believes in homeopathic remedies. I was taking a sinus remedy and began taking "head cold relief" drops after church. The difference between conventional treatments and homeopathic rememdies is a matter of differing philosophies. Conventional medicine (e.g. Day-Quill) supress the body's response to sickness to make us feel better. Homeopathic rememdies boost the body's response to make us get well sooner.

So, on the Day-Quill plan, I would probably be sick for more than a week but I could tolerate the symptoms. On the homeopathic remedy plan, I was miserable from Sunday morning until bed time, but today I can tell I am on the mend. I am taking the day off work to rest (hence the updated blog), and I may not go in tomorrow, except to pick up stuff for the trip.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the misery I went through yesterday. But I would rather get it over with than to suffer for almost two weeks, like the last time I had a cold. Thankfully, Cathy and Rhonda have not picked it up from me (thank God).

Get Better Gas Mileage

Improving Gas Mileage (Edmudns.com & About.com)

1. Slow down.
   Driving the speed limit, rather than 5 to 10 miles over it, can have a significant impact on gas mileage, especially at highway speeds. If you're not sure what speed to travel, a good rule of thumb is to "Drive like you have a soon-to-be licensed teenager in the passenger seat and there is a police car following you."
2. Gradually slow for stop lights.
   Rather than rush up to a red light, start slowing down in advance of the light. This may allow the light to turn green before you reach it, meaning you can cruise right through. It takes less fuel to accelerate a car that is in motion than one that is at a dead stop.
3. Avoid abrupt accelleration.
   The "jack rabbit" start is one of the biggest fuel wasters. Accelerating smoothly yet briskly accomplishes the task of getting a car up to speed without using as much gas. Drive at an even speed, whenever possible.
   
4. Don't let your car idle for long periods of time.
   While it may be nice to have your car's interior temperature at the "perfect" setting the moment you step in, the unnecessary idling means results in zero miles per gallon during the idling period.
   

A couple of other tips for better saving money on gas:

• Buy gas before the weekend. Gas prices seem to go up after business on Friday.
  
• Eliminate unnecessary cargo. Hauling heavy loads in the trunk or inside the car will lower your gas mileage.
• Go into the store rather than sitting in the drive-through.
• Comparison shop for cheaper gas. Try your local Costco or Sam's Club and check an online service like GasBuddy.
• Link several short trips together, starting with the farthest away trip first. Linking trips together helps keep the car at operating temperature. Starting with the farthest away trip allows the engine to have more time to get up to operating temperature.
  

Other Good Ideas (that don't really affect gas mileage)

• Regularly check your tire pressure.
• Keep your car properly maintained. Blocked air filters, dirty oil, and lack of attention to other maintenance items all decrease performance.
• Calculate your gas mileage on a regular basis. By being more aware of your gas mileage, you are more likely to make changes. Sometimes it may mean a change of driving habits. Other times it may mean a change of cars.
• Purchase a fuel consumption gauge. A fuel consumption display can help you see, in real time, how your driving habits are impacting your gas mileage. If your car does not already have one, you can purchase an aftermarket gauge that plugs into your car. There are many available on the market, such as ScanGauge.

Recipe: Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Tetrazzini

This dish was first made in a restaurant using chicken and was named for an opera star of the 1890's, Luisa Tetrazzini. Over the years, countless cooks made the dish at home, resulting in numerous delicious recipes like this turkey version.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Cooking time: 40 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
6 ounces spaghetti
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated skimmed milk
1/2 cup low-fat (1% milk fat) milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lower-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon each salt and white or black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
2 cups chopped cooked turkey breast or chicken breast
1 jar (2 1/2 ounces) diced mushrooms (drained)
2 tablespoons chopped drained canned pimientos (optional)
1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and keep warm.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a medium-size saucepan, whisk together evaporated skimmed milk, low-far milk, flour, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Cook and whisk for 2 minutes more or until thickened. Stir in the Cheddar cheese until melted. Stir in turkey, mushrooms, and pimientos (if using).

Step 3: Place half of the spaghetti into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole. Top with half of the turkey mixture. Repeat layers. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over casserole. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Nutritional Information for One Serving:
Calories 458
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 5g
Protein 41 g
Carbohydrate 51g
Fiber 2g
Sodium 569mg
Cholesterol 84mg

Lee's Seminary Schedule

Well, I got my class schedule figured out for the rest of the year. I still have to petition to get into one class and three other classes require a signature to get in. If it all works out.