R.I.P. Thomas-cat (Sunday Post – 7/09/2017)

July 9, 2017 Sunday Post 30

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!

Farewell, Thomas

It’s been a sad week for us. Wednesday, we had to say goodbye to our darling, sweet Thomas-cat. He had been diagnosed with an oral tumor about 3 weeks ago. It grew very rapidly, both in his mouth and probably into his sinuses and behind his eye. He went downhill very quickly after we got home from vacation. He was miserable and unable to eat, and it wasn’t treatable, so it was time to let him go. But it was a hard thing to do. He was such a gentle, good-natured kitty. He rarely wanted to be cuddled, but loved to curl up near us, as if drawing comfort from our proximity. He spent a lot of his time snoozing; we sometimes joked that he was contemplating the data from the Large Hadron Collider or working on a unified field theory. Go in peace, sweet kitty, to a place where the birds are slow-moving and there’s always a warm and comfy spot in the sunlight.

 

In other news, you may remember that our other cat, Tasha, also had a tumor in her mouth, discovered about a year and a half ago. It has actually shrunk somewhat with steroid shots, according to the vet, and he now thinks it is not cancer after all. We are relieved, and grateful she is still with us.

I’m still not getting as much knitting time in as I’d like, but I’ve made progress on the shawl I’m making for a friend. It’s about half-way finished. (For the knitters among you, the yarn is James Brett Marble Chunky, in the MC45 Tropical Peach colorway. And the pattern is a simple Old Shale or feather-and-fan stitch.)

Photo © K. Pekar, 2017

 

Finding Neverland, the Broadway touring show we saw last Sunday, was pleasant, but not very memorable. I’ll try to write up a review this week or next, once I get the current index finished. This coming weekend, Mr. Bookwyrm and I are going to his high-school reunion.

 

Last Week on the Blog

 

Upcoming on the Blog

  • A Summer Stardance by Emily March – review
  • Other posts TBD
  • Sunday Post – 7/16/2017 – tentative

 

What I’m Reading/Watching

Reading: I finished All Signs Point to Murder (Connie diMarco, ARC) and A Stardance Summer (Emily March, ARC), both for tour posts that published this week. I also reread a few of Stephanie Laurens’ backlist historical romances.

From Holmes to Sherlock (ARC) and The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre (Gail Carson Levine; ARC) are still hibernating, but I intend to get back to them eventually.

Listening to: I still haven’t started Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, but I’m hoping to start it this week—either that or Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology. I’ve also been listening to podcasts: The Allusionist; Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me; 99% Invisible; RadioLab; Imaginary Worlds; and Science Friday.

Watching: We saw the Broadway touring production of Finding Neverland last Sunday. We also re-watched Star Trek: Beyond, which is my favorite of the reboot series so far. And I watched several episodes of the 1980s Agatha Christie series, Partners in Crime; I needed something light and more cheerful this week. I’ll probably go back to Father Brown soon.

 

New Additions to the Hoard

Cover links take you to Goodreads.

For Review or Review Consideration

book cover: Death Distilled by Melinda Mullet

Many thanks to Alibi (RH Group) and author Stephanie Burgis!

Purchased for Kindle

book cover: Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb
book cover: The Dragon's Playlist by Laura Bickle
book cover: Must Be Magic by Patricia Rice
book cover: The Holy Thief (Brother Cadfael series #19) by Ellis Peters
book cover: Naked In Death (In Death series #1) by J. D. Robb AKA Nora Roberts
book cover: The Legacy of Lehr by Katherine Kurtz
book cover: Ross Poldark, by Winston Graham
book cover: Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft by Natalie Goldberg

All of these were on sale. The only two I’ve read previously are Must Be Magic and The Holy Thief.

 

I wish you a lovely week full of books and happiness.

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30 Responses to “R.I.P. Thomas-cat (Sunday Post – 7/09/2017)”

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      The Dragon’s Playlist looked interesting, since I like both dragons and violin music (and my daughter studied violin for many years.)

  2. Rita @ Paging Through Books

    So sorry for your loss ((hugs))
    I had a favorite cat who developed the same thing on the side of her nose. I didn’t want to let her go but I was advised it was a kindness to release her. I feel your pain and your loss of your companion.

    I would like to read All Signs Point to Murder, The Dragon’s Playlist, and Snowspelled sometime. Have a better week ahead…
    Rita @ Paging Through Books recently posted…Review: The Truth We BuryMy Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Rita. I’m sorry for your loss, too. I know it’s an inevitable part of living with and loving a pet, and I’m glad we had Thomas in our lives. I’m giving Tasha extra love these days…

      I hope you get to read some of those books at some point!

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      They really do become part of the family, or in your case, the work family. My condolences to your boss and everyone at work.

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you for the hugs, my friend. I need them! As I’ve needed the knitting this past few weeks. It’s soothing, somehow.

  6. Kathy @ My Nook, Books & More

    I’m so sorry for your loss. Our dog Koko is my first pet and I can’t imagine losing her. It’s good to hear Tasha is feeling better. I hope she continues to stay healthy!! I hope you have a good week!
    Kathy @ My Nook, Books & More recently posted…Weekly Wrap-Up #125My Profile

  8. Charlie

    I’m so sorry to hear about Thomas-cat. It is a hard thing letting go of a loved one, even though we know they are in pain. I do remember when you relayed Tasha had a tumor and I’m glad to hear it is not cancer. Does the vet ever think it will go away entirely? I have a friend who knits, and I think she’s gotten faster at it, but I remember her working on one piece that took her forever to make. Halfway to go!

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      I don’t think Tasha’s will go away entirely, and it’s not operable. In fact it seems to be irritating her a little more recently, but we keep an eye on it and take her in for steroid shots periodically. (They require sedation, since the shots go right in her mouth, poor darling—and she’s quite the little fighter when you try to get near her mouth.) The shots seem to keep it from growing and have probably shrunk it a little. As long as she’s otherwise healthy and seems to enjoy her life… that’s the main thing, that while she’s a little irritated about it once or twice a day, she’s happy most of the time, and not in pain.

  10. Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library

    I’m so sorry for your loss of Thomas-cat. My beloved Sheltie had something very similar happen and I still miss him. It sounds like letting go was the only thing you could have done though it doesn’t make it any easier. I’m glad to hear Tasha is doing better. Take care of yourself this week.
    Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…Sun at Midnight – Fiction ReviewMy Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Katherine. I think a lot of us have gone through this with one pet or another. I’m sorry about your Sheltie, too. Of course you still miss him. I still think of my childhood kitty occasionally, and he’s been gone for over 30 years!

  11. Greg

    Oh no so sorry to hear about Thomas. He looks like he was such a sweet and wonderful cat- all my condolences. It’s hard to lose a friend like that.

    I’ve been trying to make time for podcasts, Imaginary Worlds sounds like it would be interesting. And I do need to get to the new Robin Hobb series. Same with the Cadfael series, which I’m starting to wonder if I’ll EVER get to yeesh.
    Greg recently posted…On The Run Part IIIMy Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      I think you would love Imaginary Worlds. Do you commute? If I did, that’s when I would listen to podcasts. As it is, I try to squeeze them in when I’m folding laundry and such. It’s one of the very few drawbacks of working from home; I don’t have a built-in time for listening to audiobooks and podcasts. 😉

  13. Michelle @Because Reading

    I am so very sorry! He was very lucky to have you all! (((HUGS))))
    Your knitting and gorgeous! I love those colors! I really want to get back into crocheting. I hope to start again in the fall.

    Have a great week, Lark! HUGS!!!!

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Michelle. It wasn’t quite the shock it might have been, because he went downhill so fast in the four or five days before we had to put him to sleep, but it was a hard decision, and we miss him.

      Thank you for the compliment on my knitting, and I hope you get back to crocheting! I find that working with yarn is very calming… except when I make a mistake and have to go back to fix it LOL!

  14. Jorie

    Hallo, Hallo – I’ve been travelling through #TheSundayPost linky – I came through yesterday inbetween lightning storms (they love to circulate in the Summer!) whilst adding your lovely blog’s post to my own routed list of bloggers I have been enjoying with this week’s Post! Forgive me, I had to wait out the storms (even though there is one inbound now again, oy!) before I could re-settle into leaving you a comment!

    I skimmed what happened about Thomas because I honestly grieved the loss of my darling tabby cat due to the same situation a bit of a year and a half ago (you can read this post) Your just never quite prepared for what will happen! 🙁

    Being knitty is something I can relate too! I am working on prayer shawls (to donate to local churches) – I came into making them when I was helping a friend who was grieving a sudden loss of family members – wherein I found I truly love how the shawls are made & I found by knitting them for others I’ll never know or meet, is both meditative and relaxing. Love seeing your current WIP! I started resuming my knitting after not having knitted since last year (close to when I lost my cat). It feels good to return to the shawls but also, just the art of creating with yarn again is joy!

    —

    Book-wise – you have given me a LOT to consider seeking out! From the Cosy Mysteries to the Fantasy (technically, I do know of Wildwood Dancing as it’s author on my own TBR!) to all points in and out of the genres your reading & discovering! I love seeing another reader who reads between genres and is always seeking the stories which give them the most joy to be reading next! 🙂

    I do want to read Emily March – do you suggest a book of hers to start with if you’ve not read her previously?

    I haven’t read this kind of story by Burgis; I know her from her Seventh Street Book Thriller novels – which are just on the ‘edge’ of what I can handle as they are slightly less Cosy Horror and a bit more Classically Horrific. They kept me engaged though in what was happening – but I know she has a lot of other releases which I think might charm me even more!

    Did you start Snowspelled yet? I’m most curious about this one…

    Lovely blog!! I will definitely be returning! Likewise, I hope you’ll stumble across me as I’m now participating in #TheSundayPost! (my 1st went live yesterday; a few days late!)
    Jorie recently posted…Author Interview | Jorie talks to Candace Robb about her writerly process in creating the Kate Clifford series which includes “The Service of the Dead” and “A Twisted Vengeance”!My Profile

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Hi, Jorie, and welcome! I thought I had replied to this, but somehow, even though I read it and went and visited your blog (and read your post about your kitty — so sorry!), I must have missed replying. Anyway, thank you for stopping by! 🙂 And yay for book-blogging knitters! There are quite a few of us, I think.

      Best place to start with Emily March would be the first Eternity Springs novel, Angel’s Rest. If you read Kindle books, it’s on sale right now for $2.99 US. If not, I hope you can find a paperback copy around somewhere.

      I don’t recognize the Seventh Street Book Thriller novels. Are you sure it’s the same author? I couldn’t find them by that name, or under her name, but now I am curious.

      And yes, I’ll certainly stop by your blog, and I’m glad you’ve joined the #SundayPost!

      • Jorie

        Hallo, Hallo Lark!

        Ooh, I’m so happy to read your replies – I have two tabs open to read them simultaneously – which is why I know you found the Burgis novels I’ve read! I’ll respond on the other page, in a moment! This is good to know – I oft felt knitting & reading were choice companions but I tend to find a lot of readers (locally) crochet or opt-out of old world arts altogether; quirkily enough! Thanks – I’m definitely enjoying finding the bloggers via #SundayPost!

        Blessed! Thank you for letting me know about Angel’s Rest! That is the one I’ll mark down to read first and the series, too! I am so thankful I asked!! I’ll be getting a paperback copy – either purchased or borrowed from my library! Cheers!

        • Lark_Bookwyrm

          Most of the women in the knit-and-crochet group I attend are crocheters rather than knitters, but at yarn shops I have found more knitters than crocheters, so I have no idea which is more popular overall. My grandma taught me to crochet; my stepmother taught me to knit. But I didn’t really get into either until my daughter was young, and I needed something to keep my hands busy while I waited at her ballet classes.

          Enjoy Angel’s Rest, and have a great week!