Y'all are so nice to me, and you have been so nice to me for so long. I am deeply grateful. I really appreciated hearing that you have had similar experiences with loved pets and loved people. I would really love to hear more. Please write to me at jimchaney@cableone.net One of my wonderful nieces had the same suggestion of getting a new kitty, and when I arrived back at the house a few days ago, my niece, who has a doorkey, told me to close the front door quickly. I asked why, and she pointed to a doorway, where I saw this little black streak running through the den and then the connecting living room. My niece had called the "pound" in five counties to find a cat that looked like Abigail. She went 50 miles to get my kitty, who is black with white on her throat and part of her belly. I named her Esmerelda and call her "Izzy." Izzy is a nine week old darling ball of black fluff who sleeps on my chest when I am in bed, except when I turn over onto my tummy and then she sleeps on my butt. And purrs. Funny sensation, the sense of whirring in your butt. The last two days I've been studying for an exam-12 hours a day, and Iz sleeps on my tummy except when that cute black furry face looks over the top of my book at me or gnaws on the edge of the book. Iz is what the term "beautiful cat" is all about. I've been at the computer for about an hour and in that time she has managed to turn over the trash can, run through the house many times, has snuggled up to my feet, looked up many time with an "Isn't it time to play?" look, and is driving her 7 year old thirteen pound stepbrother Tupelo to distraction. Tupelo jumps up on the desk to get away from her and then sits on the scanner. He's now licking his left front paw while he stands up. Tupelo is very patient and usually gives me 5 minutes before he throws the papers off the scanner so he can lie down. Cats are hilarious. Please let me hear from you. Jim

We went to the movies last night and I packed myself some carrot stick and hummus and a big bottle of water, instead of splurging on a bucket of popcorn and diet soda. You know what, I didn't even miss it. But I will admit to buying a package of peanut M&Ms, but I only had them after the carrots, and I only had 10. :-) I'm still hovering around 27 lbs of weight loss. Still working on the last few pounds. I fell off the exercise bandwagon last week, but I going to get back on it this week.

I lost a precious young cat to it as well. In her case it was fast and deadly. She seemed the peak of health and vigor and a week later was fighting to breath. The doc pulled off the fluid around her lungs ( I had no clue it could present itself like that) and he was also amazed tht she was so healthy and robust and had never seen a cat be compromised so quickly from it. It didn't help that this cat, who had never set foot on earth, but raised totally indoors had FLV (mother was a feral born kitten), and that probably set her up with the response from the corona virus. He also gave me the option of steroids and bringing her back in to drain off the fluids to keep her with us as long as possible. I told him to immediately put her out of her misery. I wasn't going to put her through that. Calvinette was about six then, and had just lost her mother from cancer. Very hard to wrap your mind around with it just comes barreling at you with no warning. I remember the posters in the vet's office years ago when there was thought to be a vaccine effective against it, but it's not recommended anymore. FIP is not a virus induced disease in the strict sense of the word, but an immune response to a common, and often minor viral infection. I'm so sorry for your loss. Of course it hurts, a lot. Know that the short life she lived, was a wonderful one and I don't believe that those links of love are really lost through death.

Get out now. "Since the beginning of our relationship, since day 1, my boyfriend has accused me of cheating on him numerous times. After about 4 or 5 months of being together, he confessed to me that he had cheated on me 2 months prior.. with the daughters mother. " This child, unfortunately, is picking up on the behaviors of her, at least somewhat, abusive father if not both parents. This child is being neglected by all, and you are more than stuck in the middle. You should not be spanking this child; if for any reasons, because that leaves you open for accusations of abuse yourself by either mom or dad, whom obviously don't have their crap together. You sound intelligent and sincere, but you also sound naïve about step-parenting and what you have gotten yourself in the middle of. Mom and dad have all the legal rights and backup of the court system. You have none. Dad, and maybe mom, are trying to control you (with THEIR child) and evidently need an almost free babysitter, and you are playing into their hands. AND, then, you are making the mistake a lot of SPs make, and that is they think they are doing something wrong and they have to save the child. In reality, this is not your child and you will get emotionally (if not physically) beaten and bruised with these types of parents (parents who like to dump their kids on someone else and then try to blame that person for their child's inappropriate behaviors). Remember, the court system takes the word of bio-parents 100 times over that of a "stranger" even with scant evidence. I know you are very worried about this child, but you need to be worried about yourself AND your parents too. You need to leave. I know it will be difficult because you (and your family) are emotionally engaged to this child. You need to get out now before things get worse. Bio-dad and BM don't care about you and your family. Heck! They don't even care about their own child! Your BF is just trying to leverage anything against you, including his own child, in an attempt to control you. Get out now.