Success Saturday: Writing Lyrics and Poetry

Today I succeeded in finishing a country song and an animal poem. I also finished organizing the cabinets and putting all the dishes away. I still have two top cabinets I can use, but I am not sure what to put in them because to reach anything in the top cabinets I have to stand on a step stool.  Whatever I decide to put up there, it will have to be something I don't use often.

writing lyrics hard,
fun, and always rewarding
I enjoy lyrics

The animal poem was about Grandma Mary's cat Jay. I wrote it from the point of view of the cat, which was a bit difficult since I am a human and not a cat. It was also rewarding and fun. I think I will write another from the point of view of DC or one of the other cats that have blessed my life. Maybe I write about Mittens the first cat that I remember having in my life.

Haibun-Haiku: A New Cat in My Neighborhood

charcoal gray tomcat

in the new neighbor’s driveway

well fed beautiful

We have new neighbors across the street. This morning I noticed a charcoal gray cat in their driveway. The cat was walking away from me and as I watched its swagger, I realized it was a tomcat. He was beautiful and well fed a good addition to the various cats in my neighborhood. Some of the neighbors have dogs, but they usually remain behind fences and sometimes bark.

Cats and Dogs in My Las Vegas neighborhood

Under the red van
A neighbor’s cat and dog meet
Renew their friendship

I saw a neighbor’s small brown dog, I am not sure of the breed, and yellow cat go under their red van. They park their van in the driveway across the street. Most of the cats and dogs in this neighborhood are on friendly terms.

Why is the cat staring at me?

“Why is the cat staring at me?” sounds like a good title for a flash fiction story. The cat I am referring to is Midnight, who is sitting on a wooden stand by the window. Once I noticed him staring at me, turned his head and began staring out the living room window.

I do not know what he sees outside because there are no birds in the yard this morning. Even the pigeons that usually pick olives from the ground are missing today. The only thing for him to see is the wind blowing through the weeds and the olive tree. He could be looking at the sun, which sometimes shines through the clouds.

Midnight seems content to sit by the window and stare outside or stare at me when I am at the computer. I still do not know why Midnight stares at me when I sit down to compose something. I checked the food and water dishes to make sure that I filled them this morning.

The only other cat items I have to check are the litter boxes. Perhaps Midnight wants me to clean them this morning instead of waiting until evening. Cats are mysterious creature and one never really knows what is on their minds.

Another long and weary day

After a long day
The cats curl up on the couch
I contemplate sleep

Today I checked the blogs of note on blogger.com

I usually check the Blogs of Note about once or twice a week. September was the exception because I did not check Blogs of Note. Today I decided to check it and I found an interesting blog.

The Blog of Note for October 5, 2010 is Cat Chat. This is an interesting, creative, and educational blog. I enjoyed looking at the cat photos and reading the post. I enjoyed this blog so much that I added it to the blogs I am following.

An Interesting day for Writing

I have to admit the only writing I accomplished today was blog entries. My morning consisted of one interruption after another. This afternoon, I had to take one of the cats to the Vet. The cat, Beauty, came into the living room meowing. She would not stop meowing even when I stroked her, so I knew something was wrong. I called the Vet and made an appointment for 2:00 PM and we took her into the office. The Vet checked her out and took care of the problem.

Beauty had a claw growing into her pads, so the Vet removed it. In addition, she had an ear infection. She is at home now, but I have to put ear drops in her ears every twenty-four hours. I am also going to have to keep an eye on her feet.

Mom was upset when we went to the Vet because she thought that Beauty would not be coming back home.  Mom is happy and sitting on the couch with Beauty, they are both dozing. There are some days when the only thing a writer accomplish is interruptions

I am looking for variety for my cats

I work at home and, therefore, I spend a lot of time with my cats. Since I started working at home, I have found that Beauty, Midnight, and Prince like different types of food. I feed them both dry and wet cat food not of the same day, but they get wet or canned cat food about once or twice a month.

When I buy cat food, I look for three things. First, is the company that makes the food a responsible corporate citizen? Second, does the cat food come in convenient and easy to open containers? I have arthritis in my hands, so opening a can of cat food is sometimes difficult. Third, can I save money when I buy the food without sacrificing taste? My cats are extremely particular about what they eat, if they do not like the smell or taste they will not eat the food.

I like to pamper my cats and I have found the best way to do that is to buy hem food that they enjoy eating. When I feed my cats, I watch them eat. I watch them eat because Beauty will let her brothers have her food. I know by the way that they eat if they enjoy the food. When Beauty, Midnight, and Prince like the canned food, they ask for more. They ask for more by meowing and rubbing against my ankles.

I am looking for products to eliminate pet odors

I have cats; therefore, I am looking for product to eliminate pet odors. My cats are indoor animals and trained to use litter boxes; however, they do have out of litter box experiences. I want a product to eliminate the odor in the area around the litter boxes, as well as in the rooms where they have accidents. I am looking for products that are non-toxic, all natural, and biodegradable. I want a product that I can use everyday without worrying whether it is going to hurt my cats, the environment, or me.

I am looking for Odor Eliminators that I can sprinkle on the spot where the odor originates. I want a product that I can use on the floors, the furniture, the enclosed patio, and the pet carriers. I have one cat that has stress incontinence and every time I take him to the veterinarian, the cat urinates in the carrier.

I want an odor eliminator I can sprinkle in the pet carriers and the cats' litter boxes. I am looking for a product that is fragrance free because my cats are extremely particular. They will not use the litter boxes if they do not like the odors the boxes emit.

Treats for Cats

I am looking for treats for my cats. I want something I can give them while I am playing with them. I want something that they will enjoy as much as they enjoy their playtime. I want something that will make my senior cats come running when they see me take the treat container out of the kitchen cupboard.

I am looking for a cat treat that is natural and contains no artificial flavors, but with added vitamins and minerals. My cats are extremely particular when it comes to treats and they will not eat just anything I bring home from the grocery or pet supply store.

The flavors my cats like are tuna, salmon, turkey, chicken, and beef. When I buy treats for cats, I read the labels. I want a treat that is low in calories, because my three indoor senior cats do not get very much exercise. I also look for treats that help keep tartar under control.

My cats (Midnight, Prince, and Beauty) look forward to their playtime and treats. They know when I bring home a new bag of treats and they will not let me rest until I give them each a treat. I know immediately if they like the treat because they ask for more.

Reviewing the past week

It is Saturday, May 22, 2010, the end of good and a bad week. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I spent approximately eight hours each day in a paid training class. On Tuesday, I came home and found my mother has lost her hearing aid. It fell out of her ear when she lay down on the couch. Thursday, we took the hearing aid back and the docotor ordered her a larger hearing aid, which we will pick up next week.

On Friday, I went to the pharmacy to pick up one of Mom's medications. When I came home, I found one of the cats had died. I took his body to the animal shelter to let them cremate Spot. Next week I am taking the other cats to the vet for their shots and senior wellness exams.

I am starting a series of form poems about all the animals, mostly cats and dogs; I have encountered in my 63 years of life. I think poems are the best way to remember pets, at least for me.

Midweek Reflections

It's a typical Wednesday morning, if any morning in my life can be typical. This is trash collection day in my neighborhood, so I rolled the plastic trashcan to the curb about 6:30. The garbage trucks came about 7:30, which is earlier then normal.

Yesterday, I had another ultrasound on my left breast and I still don't know whether the mass is benign or malignant. The appointment was for 3:30 PM, therefore I didn't get back home until about 5:00. I checked my voice mail and, of course, someone called. I don't know who, because it was too late to return any calls. I get the message today and deal with it.

Instead of taking messages, I sit down at the computer and wrote yesterday evening. I finished one poem for a contest. I'll submit it today, after I complete my blog entries. I still have to go to the grocery store, but I'm going to wait until this afternoon. The only thing I have to get is a bag of dry cat food and a loaf or two of bread.

I have a description to finish and post today. Then I need to review any other writing items and upcoming deadlines. I think that is all I have to do today, unless something comes in snail mail that I have to deal with. I think I'll use the "typical Wednesday morning" line in a story.

Personal relationship with pets

Dogs, cats, parakeets
give unconditional love
bring smiles to my face.

The pets I have cared for over the years have taught me many things. Each pet has a special place in my memory with the lessons they have taught me. Each pet brings both smiles to my face and tears to my eyes. My cats, dogs, and my Grandmother Newland's parakeet taught me that different species of animals get along better then human beings.

I saw a Mourning dove today

I saw a mourning dove today; he was walking on top of my garage roof. Now the pine tree is gone, it is easy to see birds or cats walking on the roof of the garage. I have not see a cat walking on that roof in a while, but there is a neighborhood cat that jumps onto the roof from the stone walls between my yard and the neighbor yards.

The cat that walks on the roof is too well fed to endanger any bird in the neighborhood. I am not sure she would know what to do with a bird if she accidentally caught one. It would be an accident if she did catch a bird. To begin with, she does not even attempt to chase them when she does see birds walking on the ground in front of her.

I have not included that cat in a story or poem. This is unusual because I usually include every cat I have ever had or encountered in a poem. I think it is about time I included her, she is a beautiful cat mostly black with a few orange and white spots decorating her fur. That is why I think the cat is a female. Cats with more then one color in their fur are usually female and yellow cats are usually male.

Writing my memoirs

I have decided to write my memoirs. On December 24, I will be 62 years old and I think I need to get started on the process. What brought this on, you ask. Last night my cat, Lion, died in my arms. I thought Lion was 10 years old, but Mom says he was closer to 12. Mom's probably right because I sometimes forget birthdays and dates (with the exception of my own).

His death got me to thinking about how short life is and how unexpected some of the events occurring in life. I miss Lion, he is the first pet I've had that died in my arms while I was petting him. I was present at his birth, I watched him grow up and I taught him to ride on my shoulder. I think I will start my memoirs out by writing about Lion.

I don't think one has to write memoirs in chronological order. I'll write chapters and each chapter will focus on some event in my life. Each chapter will focus on a life changing events or those that affect me in some way.