Sunday Post – 10/21/2018

October 21, 2018 Sunday Post 38

The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimba, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!

 My Week

This week ended on a sad note. On Wednesday, our kitty Tasha went to the vet for an antibiotic shot, because she was having trouble with the oral antibiotics prescribed after her abscessed tooth was pulled last week. The vet ended up admitting her for observation and daily antibiotic shots. The vet says she seemed to be doing well on Thursday. We were expecting to pick her up on Friday, but she died that morning, right in the vet’s arms as he was checking on her. The vet thinks her heart just gave out. She’s been going downhill since July, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected. But I wish I had been able to say goodbye to her. She spent an hour curled up on my lap on Tuesday evening, purring as I petted her, so I’m trying to think of that as our “goodbye.”

I will miss her nightly cuddles, her gentle purr, and her “singing.” In the 14 years she spent with us, she slowly went from aloof and touch-me-not to being an affectionate lap kitty — though she never did enjoy being picked up. Tenacious and feisty, she kept going for almost 3 years after her cancer diagnosis: our little miracle cat.

We will miss her very much.

Requiescat in pace, Tasha. (photo © 2018 K Pekar. Taken last April.)

 

Challenge Update

I’m doing really badly on all my challenges. Blog Ahead has been basically a bust. I had to work Saturday, so I couldn’t do the Dewey 24-hour Readathon. I’ve only read a few ARCs for ARCtober. And I’m even behind on The Backlist Reader Challenge, which is even more embarrassing because I’m the host. I’ve been in a reading slump and a reviewing desert, which is really frustrating.

 

Last Week on the Blog

 

Upcoming on the Blog

 

What I’m Reading/Watching

Reading:  I finished up the two ARCs I was reading: The Bartered Brides (Mercedes Lackey) and Not Quite Over You (Susan Mallery.) I also reread Divine by Mistake, which I have a strange like-dislike relationship with. (My feelings about it don’t rise to the level of love or hate.)

In ongoing books, I really need to get back to The Underwater Ballroom (anthology; ARC), and I haven’t looked at Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day at all for the last few weeks.

Listening to: I am still listening to The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal. It’s a sequel to The Calculating Stars and it’s excellent, though perhaps not quite as gripping as the first book—at least so far. I suspect things will ratchet up as the Mars Expedition gets underway.

Watching: We saw one or two episodes of Cadfael, and I watched a Miss Marple episode, “The Moving Finger,” for the umpteenth time. (It’s one of my comfort movies.)

 

New Additions to the Hoard

Cover links take you to Goodreads.

For Review or Review Consideration

Thank you to Lake Union Press and Little Bird Publicity.

Print Freebie

The library book sale gave away its unsold books. There wasn’t much of interest, but I did pick up this book.

Purchased for Kindle

 

I wish you all a good week, and plenty of good books to read.

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38 Responses to “Sunday Post – 10/21/2018”

  2. Jackie Briere

    Oh, that’s so sad to learn about your kitty. 14 years is a long time. I’m sure you will never forget. She’s beautiful.
    Breadcrumbs cover looks so nice.

  3. Lark

    So sorry to hear about your sweet, sweet kitty. They leave such a hole when they’re gone, don’t they?

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Yes, she was. Our little miracle kitty… when she was diagnosed the vet though maybe 3 to 6 months. But she did really well to hang in there so long, and until the last two or three months, she seemed pretty happy with life on the whole. The last few months, she was starting not to feel as well, but still not ready to give up. Even that last day she was home, she was happy sitting on my lap. I just wish her last few days had been at home instead of the animal hospital, but we couldn’t have known; even the vet thought it was the tooth infection more than the cancer.

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Aj. I’m sorry to hear about your dog. Like him (or her), our other kitty only lasted a few months after his diagnosis. (We had to put him to sleep last year.) Tasha’s case was unusual. It was not biopsied, so it’s possible it was a different type than he thought originally, and less aggressive. We were grateful for the extra years.

  8. Greg

    Oh I’m so sorry! Even if it wasn’t entirely unexpected it’s still a shock to get that news. I’m so happy you got some lap time with her on Tue night though. such a sweet looking cat. Sending supportive thoughts your way.
    Greg recently posted…Halloween Creatures 2.0 Book TagMy Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Greg. She started out so aloof, but became quite affectionate in her later years…sweet but determined when she wanted to get our attention.

  9. sjhigbee

    I’m so sorry to hear about the sad death of your lovely cat – the pic of her shows her to be beautiful. And thank you so much that in the middle of your own distress, you took the time to give me some advice on the cause of my dizziness. Thank you so much! I’m sure the next few weeks are going to be rough, but at least you can gain comfort from the fact that she was loved and looked after right to the end. Take carex

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you so much. One of the blessings of book blogging is the caring people I’ve met. I’m grateful for all the people like you who have taken time out of their day to express their sympathies.

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Yeah, it was. 🙁 But it will get better. Thank you for the hugs, Kimberly. The sympathy and support everyone has shown have really been a comfort.

  11. Northwoman

    I’m so sorry about Tasha. I was glad I left the vet’s office when they siad they couldn’t really treat her and took her home for another night with us. She was pretty good until just a couple days before.

    I really want to get to Fated Sky! I purchased the Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marillier on audio awhile back and have yet to read it. I’m listening to and really enjoying Heart’s Blood which is just coming out on audio. I hope your reading this week goes much better. Anne – Books of My Heart

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Anne. I would have brought Tasha home if they had realized she was that close. As it was, they really thought the immediate problem was the tooth abscess, and she would respond to antibiotics. But I think her system was already stressed and shutting down; that could even be why she got the tooth abscess in the first place. I’m glad you were able to have that last day with your cat.

      The Fated Sky starts out a little more slowly than The Calculating Stars, but the intensity soon picks up and I’m riveted to it. I’m almost two-thirds of the way through. I hope the Sevenwaters audio is good. I keep meaning to reread Daughter of the Forest so I can read the other books.

  12. Michelle @Because Reading

    You made me cry. I am so sorry about Tasha! She was very loved. My heart hurts for you. Sending you lots of big hugs!

    I hope this week is a good one for you, Lark! Hugs again! ox

  14. RO

    It’s always so hard to lose one of our furried loved ones, even when we sort of know in advance. I don’t think it makes it easier. Sending some cyber hugs your way! RO

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, RO. I’m not sure it makes it easier, either. But it’s good to remember that we gave her a good life and a lot of love, and she had more years than we thought when we first found out about the cancer.

  15. Literary Feline

    I am so sorry for your loss, Lark. They really do have a special place in our hearts, don’t they? Your description of Tasha gives me hope that Nina will come around and be a cuddler someday. I hope you have a good week, Lark. Sending your hugs.

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you. They really do. I hope your Nina comes around eventually. It took many years of patience with Tasha, and trying to connect with her on her terms. She loved to play with toy mice, which we would throw so she could chase and “catch” them. And she liked having her head and neck scratched when it was her idea, but didn’t like being picked up or touched otherwise. Then for some years she would perch next to one of us on the sofa, or the arm of the sofa. It was only in the last four or five years that she really started sitting on my lap. At first it was only for a few minutes at a time, but it began to be longer and longer.

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Lisa. She was a beautiful kitty, yes. I’m doing OK, though every now and then it hits me out of the blue. But we’ll be fine.

  18. Lola

    I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Losing a pet is so hard. I still miss my pet rats that have been gone for years now. She sounds like a great cat and I am sure she had a great life with you. I am sorry you didn’t get to say goodbye, but it sounds that moment on Tuesday were she purred in your lap was great.

    That’s too bad you’ve been in a bit of a reading slump. Slumps are annoying, I had one of those too earlier this week. I hope you’ll enjoy your new books.
    Lola recently posted…Review: Stolen Princess by Kelly St ClareMy Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Lola. I remember your posts about your rats, and how sad you were when they were gone.

      I hope both of us get over our reading slumps soon.

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      She was a beautiful kitty, and from a very standoffish start, she had gradually become very affectionate, even demanding (in a good way.) I really miss her. We’ll get another kitty someday, but not for a bit.