Maverick here, with the Easter edition of “Cat Tales.” You may have guessed who fixed me up for this pic. If you said my friend, Spaghetti Betty, you’re right. As you already know from previous blogs, I don’t like dressing up, but she’s my friend, and I don’t want to hurt her by refusing. I look like I should be the dealer behind a blackjack table; only we’re playing with eggs instead of money. But with the price of eggs these days, playing a game or two may be worth it.
It seems like my mom and I have had a lot going on. My mom continues through her medical journey. She had her second post-op appointment, and her next and final one for this last surgery will be at the beginning of July. Speaking of July, she is scheduled for her next surgery then. She’s been told it is an extremely difficult operation, and she will be in the hospital for at least 4 to 5 days. She wishes she didn’t have to have it, but it’s one of those things in life that happens. She told me that you don’t always get a choice whether things go our way or not. This will be her third surgery within a year. I worry about her, but she has a great surgeon who cares. She still hasn’t had her knee replacements. There is so much wrong with her. She just went through two separate EMGs. So far, we know she has a pinched nerve between her C5 and C6 vertebrae. It’s known as the “stress vertebrae.” She has been in such pain for a couple of years now, but the specialists are getting to the bottom of her medical issues. She just got her other EMG results on her legs, and there is something wrong with the bottom of her spine. She has to have two MRIs now. She is claustrophobic, so she isn’t looking forward to it. She also has ear crystals, so she is scheduled for physical therapy, which is coming up later this month. They make her dizzy, and the room spins. Sometimes she throws up because it is so bad. My mom is a mess. As of right now, she has to have four more surgeries, and there is a possibility of more. I feel bad for her, but she is a trooper, and I am very proud of her.
I had my thyroid check-up yesterday. I lost 1.5 pounds, and my thyroid was normal, so they are still keeping me on one pill in the morning and half a pill at night. They found a heart murmur, so they took my blood pressure, and it was high. But they said they weren’t overly concerned because dogs and cats get anxious about being there. Mine was 170 over something, it should be 120 over something – similar to a human’s blood pressure. I need to have an echocardiogram now. My mom will try to have that done in May or June at the latest. It’s expensive, but it will tell the doctor whether or not I need to be on heart medicine. The doctor also found a tumor near my throat. She said that those are seen with people with thyroid issues and that they are usually benign. I hope so. I also got one of my vaccines that was due. Everyone who worked there was going up to my mom, saying I was the sweetest cat. My mom had a cheesy-looking grin on her face because she already knew I was sweet.
As for me, I have been rather ornery. Spring is here, and for whatever reason, I like to get into things as it gets warmer. My mom thinks I have arthritis. I don’t jump on things when it’s cold outside, but now that it’s getting warmer, I can jump again. The other night, I was playing voyageur on the kitchen counter where the sink is. I played it last year and it was a blast. I pretend I’m a voyageur, in my birchbark canoe, trading furs and interacting with the natives. I love singing voyageur songs like “Alouette” as I shoot the rapids.
So the other night, I was playing voyageur, and when I got to the rapids, I decided to turn on the tap water in the sink to make it a more realistic experience. I found it easy to do because it’s a handle that lifts upward, not one that turns, and I could adjust it to the exact amount of water I wanted going down the rapids. I made sure it was on full blast so it sounded like rushing rapids. Keep in mind, this was happening in the middle of the night. I had just shot the rapids when my mom came sleepily out of the bedroom. She quickly turned the tap off and lectured me not to do it again. I don’t always listen, though.
I decided to do it again the next night, too, because my mom seemed to be sleeping soundly. I tiptoed my paws out of bed and jumped on the kitchen counter to play voyageur again. I guess I was singing rather loudly when I turned the tap water on to shoot the rapids because when I looked up, there was my mom with her hands on her hips, giving me the evil eye. Oh Oh. I knew I was in trouble. She shut the tap water off, and before I could jump down and hide, she lifted me off the counter and took me into bed. She gave me another lecture in the morning. I know she doesn’t trust me because I see her in the evening now, checking to make sure nothing is covering the drain, just in case she doesn’t hear me the next time I play. She doesn’t want me to flood the kitchen. She said I can still play voyageur, but I am not to turn the tap water on again. I love my mom, but sometimes she isn’t fun.
I was talking to my friend Spaghetti Betty. She is fine, but getting tired of the snow, ice, and cold. She’s from California and loved her first winter in the Sault, but like she said, “It’s supposed to be Spring.” We’ve been researching books and libraries online and found some interesting things about unusual libraries around the world. According to “Letters from Afar,” there are 6 unusual libraries that are different than our local library.
England
When the village of Westbury lost its public library, locals took matters into their own hands by converting an old red telephone booth into a mini-library. Now, anyone can leave a book or take one, creating a community-run literary treasure trove. Despite its tiny size, the booth remains well-stocked, proving that a love for books needs no grand building.
Peru and Bolivia
On the remote Uros Islands of Lake Titicaca, where indigenous communities live on floating reed islands, a special library arrives by boat. This floating book service, often powered by local volunteers, brings literature to children who don’t have access to traditional libraries. The books are sometimes exchanged between islands, ensuring that even in one of the most isolated places on Earth, stories can still travel.
Columbia
Deep in the rural areas of Colombia, a teacher named Luis Soriano takes books to children by donkey. Known as the “Biblioburro,” this traveling library consists of two donkeys, Alfa and Beto, who carry books to villages with little access to education. Soriano’s mission has inspired similar programs worldwide, proving that a simple idea can have a profound impact on literacy.
Kenya
In the arid regions of Kenya, where roads are scarce and schools are few, books travel by camel. This mobile library, operated by the Kenya National Library Service, delivers books to nomadic communities, ensuring that even the most remote villages have access to literature. The camels, laden with book-filled boxes, trek across the desert, bringing the joy of reading to children who might otherwise never hold a book.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
In the bustling streets of Buenos Aires, artist Raúl Lemesoff transformed a 1979 Ford Falcon into a mobile library, unlike any other. Dubbed the “Weapon of Mass Instruction,” this tank-like vehicle is stacked with nearly 900 books and roams the city, offering free literature to anyone willing to read. The goal? To fight ignorance and promote literacy in an unconventional, attention-grabbing way. By turning a symbol of war into one of knowledge, Lemesoff’s creation proves that books can be just as powerful as weapons, if not more so.
I think that’s it for this month’s “Cat Tales.” I hope you enjoyed it. I wish everyone a Happy Easter, and please remember the real reason we celebrate it – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Today’s quote: “How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven.” – Robert A. Heinlein
Have a beautiful April.
Love Maverick
- Spaghetti Betty Does It Again - April 13, 2025
- Happy St. Patrick’s Day - March 12, 2025
- Be My Valentine - February 11, 2025
