Meowwwwwwwww...

Hello, it's Ernie again. Mom's asleep, and I stole the computer for a while. She should have known better than to make the password ashleyernstberger. She is definitely a target for identity theft! 

You may be wondering about my very private condition. I have a few updates. The last I wrote, Mom had to begin collecting my pee. It's times like that where I really wish my arms were long enough to give her a hug. She really deserved it. She was bent over the bathtub with a baby eye-dropper trying to siphon my urine droplets out of the tub and into a plastic baggie. She even used a dust pan a couple of times. I wish I could have helped, Mom! Maybe next time you should just tape the plastic bag to me and let me hang out with it for a while. 

After getting a sample, she took it to the doctor. He did a test on it and found that I probably have a bladder stone. OUCH! No wonder it has been hurting so bad for so long! Anyway, Mom and Dad have been talking for a while about what to do. The doctor wants me to have an x-ray so they can see the stone, but Mom and Dad don't want to do that. They said it costs $80, and from what I hear, that's about what Mom makes in one week as a teacher. I know they can't afford it. 

Dad told the doctor that he just wanted to the special medicine and cat food that was going to make me better. I don't think the doctor was too happy about not having the x-ray, but he must have agreed to give Mom and Dad the goods. I know this because this morning Mom was chasing me around the house with an eye dropper full of this pink goo and she was trying to shove it in my mouth. SICK! She tried twice, but I ran away (and gave her a swift kick to the stomach a couple of times). Seriously, Mom, you try drinking that stuff!

Mom did give me some special cat food that is supposed to help my stone. It is mine and mine alone! How nice! Since the day of my birth, Edna and I have shared everything. Same food. Same water. Same toilet. Now I have something of my own! Edna didn't like it. She kept trying to eat it, but Mom told her to go away. I get to have my special food twice a day.

When Dad got home, he and Mom tricked me into taking that pink goo. Mom held me while Dad forced the pink goo down my throat. They said I was a good boy, but I was fighting back tears. 

I don't know if I can tell a difference yet in the way I feel. I just hope that I get better soon. Although I will miss peeing in the tub. It's much more civilized than a litter-filled box with day-old turds that I share with my sister. Ew. 

Til next time...

Meow,

Ernie

My First Doctor's Appointment

Hi, this is Ernie. Mom is letting me use the computer to recount my very first trip to the doctor yesterday. Mom and Dad have been a little annoyed with me lately because I have been peeing in their closets (my favorite one is the guest bedroom's!), and I even pooped on the rug in the laundry room the other day. I also like to pee in the bathtub. It's like my own personal toilet! I don't know why they get so mad at me! I can't really help it! I think I have an irritable bladder. I try to go to the litter box about 10 times an hour, and I scratch around a lot (mainly because I lost a toy in there at Christmas and I want it BACK!), but I just can't pee in there anymore. 

Anyway, Dad yells at me all the time, and Mom is getting sick of it. She always defends me and tells Dad that he can't just throw me outside. I mean, is he serious? I would never survive! I have my claws and all, but my tough sister Edna is the one who could protect herself. I have gotten outside twice in my life. One time was when Mom and Dad were in their apartment. I hid under Mom's car all day until they figured out to come look for me. I wasn't going to be wandering around outside all day! Are you kidding me? With all those Chinese restaurants around...? The second time was this past spring. I was really scared. I just hid under Dad's grill and cried until they found me. Needless to say, Dad, you can't just throw me out! I'll change...I promise!

Mom called the doctor yesterday to make an appointment for me. What a sweet Mom, she is. It was even Mom and Dad's two year anniversary yesterday, but they spent their night at the doctor with me. Which reminds me, I need to get them an anniversary card...

They had to put me in the cat carrier to get me to the doctor. This part, I hated. Imagine if you were locked in a room that was just barely bigger than you with teeny tiny peepholes and a cruddy old towel underneath you? I couldn't turn around. I couldn't get comfortable. I even felt a little carsick on the drive because Dad, for the first time in his life, drove like a maniac. I cried the whole way there, and they just laughed at me. They especially laughed when the carrier tipped over in the car. Ever heard of a seat belt? It's the law. Grrrr.

When we got to the doctor, I had to be weighed (10.75 lbs! Still skinny!), but after that...the RUDEST thing ever was done to me! The nurse stuck a thermometer in my butt! Mom tried to comfort me, but seriously,  it was humiliating! 

While we were waiting for the doctor to see me, I found a hiding place underneath the bench that Dad was sitting on. After the thermometer tragedy, I wasn't so sure about this whole doctor thing.

The doctor came in and Dad had to put me on the table. The doctor pet me and felt around in my belly, and then he even looked under my tail! Again...rude! He talked to Mom and Dad about me for a long time, using words I didn't really understand. I remember something about how Mom and Dad need to lock me in a room by myself with an empty litter box with no litter and make me pee in the box to collect my urine. They have to bring back the urine to the doctor to see if I have an infection or possibly a stone. A stone?! I don't want to be all by myself! I will miss my sister!

When it was time to go, I had to get back in that dreadful cat carrier. Mom kept saying I was a good boy, so that at least made me feel better. 

I am going to try not to pee in the closets or bathtub anymore, but if I have an infection, I can't really help it. If Mom lets me have the computer again, I will update after they collect my pee and take it to the doctor. Alright...let's get this pee collecting over with...

Meow,

Ernie

Signs of Spring

For a couple weeks now, Luke and I have anxiously awaited the blooming of our bradford pear tree in our front yard. Unfortunately, in the fall, the tree suffered some damage due to a wind/rain storm and a huge section of branches broke off. This was really upsetting to us, and it made us question the livelihood of the tree come Spring. Lucky for us, the tree has survived and looks beautiful! It is the biggest and best on our street, and we were dorks yesterday and took pictures of it. :-)

Additionally, we are waiting on the blooming of our weeping cherry blossom tree in our side yard. Of course this tree has special significance as it represents the child we lost in our miscarriage about 6 months ago. The tree has looked pretty puny throughout the winter and has worried us a lot, but we see signs of budding and we are very excited for it to bloom. The due date is approaching, April 13...and I hope we see blooms by then. 

Luke and I have had quite the wonderful weekend. Friday night we enjoyed some Puccini's, which is a local Italian restaurant with a few locations in the surrounding area. We ate it a few times last year on the northwest side, and we discovered a location right off 116th street so we dined there on Friday. Yummy! Luke then got the awesome idea to rent "The Brave Little Toaster," the 1987 classic tale of discarded electric appliances who go looking for their master. We absolutely loved watching the 22 year old movie and laughed the whole night. 

Saturday we spent a good 20 minutes laying in our driveway in the sun, and I think we both fell asleep! We also did a lot of productive things around the house like laundry and cleaning and putting the trim up in the bathrooms and entryway. YES we are STILL finishing up the tile job! It has taken forever! But I see the end...it is near!

I made some absolutely STELLAR crockpot ribs for dinner and really want to share the recipe with you.

Use anywhere from 2-3.5 lbs of pork back ribs. Do not use spare ribs as they are not as tender and don't do a nice job with this recipe. I made that mistake a few months ago.

Cut off any excess fat you see (I don't like doing this as I don't care for handling bloody animal parts, so I leave the fat on usually...)

Spray a crockpot with nonstick spray and turn it on low. Cut the ribs into 3 sections (about 4-6 inches long.

Mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar with 3 tablespoon of liquid smoke and some garlic (how every much you like, chopped up), as well as salt and pepper to taste. Rub this mix into the ribs and then layer the ribs with sliced onion. Red onion works nicely.

Pour a can of coke, diet coke, Dr. Pepper, pepsi, diet pepsi...any dark cola....into the crockpot with the ribs. 

Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. The smell in your house will be amazing!

After 8 hours, take the ribs out carefully, probably with tongs or a slotted spoon because they will literally be falling off the bones at this point. Dump out the liquid from the crockpot, then put the ribs back in the crockpot. Dump in BBQ sauce (I like the Jack Daniels brand) in the crockpot over the ribs. Cook for about another hour.

Take the ribs out and ENJOY! They are so amazing. They fall off the bones and would make excellent pork BBQ sandwiches, too. This is Luke's favorite thing I make, and he even compares them to Loon Lake Lodge ribs, which is a high compliment! 

I just wanted to include a couple pictures I found of Edna on my camera. Look how pretty she is!

 

Edna's Valentine's Gift

My mom and dad gave the cats this laser pointer toy, and Edna REALLY likes it! Check out these hilarious videos!