About that Cat and one easy, delicious app

   An update on the Dad Chronicles –  To recap, my father has been living in a rehab/assisted living facility for about two years now.  Jeez, amazing how time flies. 

   Initially, he was very upset and a bit depressed that he ended up in such a place and he sulked in his room with the door closed, window blinds drawn for months on end.  Because he had had a second major heart attack after also having a stroke, he was there because of ill health to begin with, and it was hard to determine whether those were his actual limitations or if he was feeling sorry for himself and just not going to engage.  

   At some point he must have realized he was either going to lie there and whither away, or get up and out of his room and start socializing.  While our relationship was strained and is only cordial at this time because I decided it has to be for my own sake, I have to give him credit here.  He has managed to figure out how to make a pretty rewarding life for himself at the facility.  It’s a good facility – I made sure of that before we moved him there.  It’s clean, the staff is wonderful, the food is good, and there are plenty of activities to keep residents busy, if they so choose.   He finally chose… and nowadays he is given easy chores to do daily around the place – like watering the potted plants at the entrance ways and gardens in the courtyard.   

About a month ago I picked Dad up for our weekly grocery shopping excursion.  He talked on and on about a “cat” they had sitting at the nurses station.  He said “Karen.. you gotta see this thing.  It’s so lifelike!  It purrs when you pet it, it rolls on it’s belly to be scratched – it blinks it’s eyes and meows!”   Of course we visited with the “cat”  when we returned with the groceries.. and I swear, it was like Christmas morning when he walked up to that cat and it began to purr as he petted it’s head.  

Now, Dad has had a cat since he moved out of our family home many many years ago.  It always surprised me how much affection he had for his cats because he didn’t lavish that attention on his kin. He was a boat guy for most of his adult life, and the cat names were either nautical or started with an F – go figure.  (Sealegs, Fred and Felix)   

His birthday was around the corner – and I had an idea.   I found Hasbro’s Joy For All Companion Cat  ( the same brand of cat that lives at the nurses station)  on Amazon.   Hasbro developed these cats, and a puppy, with the elderly market in mind – those who loved having pets but can no longer care for them.   Now, some people think this idea is awful – it’s just a stuffed animal/robot – not a real pet, and to dote on a fake critter is just .. not right.   Well I’m here to tell you, my dad, who still has all his marbles… LOVES THAT DARNED CAT.   As do the residents who wander or wheel past the nurses station where it sits and interacts with them.  

I decided Dad should have a cat of his own again…and so… FISH now lives in his room, complete with name tag and owner ID.  I was going to have a shelf installed just for the cat to sit on, but Dad much prefers to have Fish sitting on his bed, right next to his recliner chair. Fish turns his head, wiggles his ears, opens and closes his eyes and purrs when petted, and occasionally rolls on his belly for a belly rub, then rights himself again for more purring.    He’s gone through several batteries in just a few weeks – Dad having discovered Fish is a great chick magnet too.   Some things never change, ya know. 

  

   

 And because the  Thanks and Gift giving season has menus and food on my mind – I’m sharing with you this app I found on FB.. .easy and looks delicious.  This is not my photo or recipe and it’s been shared all over the place so it must be good.   I’m adding it to our Thanksgiving menu – 

 Till soon, friends –