The Best Journey Always Leads Us Home

[Ely1 0]

Mae you are the revered (or more likely feared when it comes to workmen) aunty . Wise through experience. Knowledgeable through your successes in the face of adversity. I would use venerable but lots of people have the impression it just means old which it doesn't.

Ely is just a younger sister to us older ones. Funnily enough her husband and me are the same age and Ely is the same age as my wife (I think, you don't like to ask a lady these types of things).

I will not comment on Elys looks apart from saying that I believe Ely would feel more comfortable if people concentrated on the person she is rather than the outer appearance which is as good as the inner glow she radiates. Ely and her husband make a very nice well matched couple together. I wish them every success together.

Ok, enough back patting for now .

RB

I could not have said it better, RB. Sis Mae is that, and so much more. Very warm in person, so generous with her time and help, and a classy lass to boot!

Hardly much younger than you - I'm 33 this year. Thank you for your very kind wishes I'd like to think The Husband and I are a team and hopefully our shortcomings and strengths only complement each other. It's the similarities that helps a couple get along, but the differences are what makes it interesting!

An sightful comment about the compliments (though very humbly and gratefully received) - I am rather self-conscious (being a Virgo, I'm my biggest critique but a close American friend once remarked that it is my best and worst trait - as I will never succumb to conceit and yet so self-critical to the point of being stupidly insecure). But you phrased it beautifully, thank you Would definitely use more highlighter for the glowy effect~

- Ely

[Ely1 0]

ely. thanks for the compliments. and yes quite a few similarities , if only i was as beautiful and with the sweetest most generous personality instead of being this yellow-faced perpetually angry & grumpy sahm

hmmmz, with both of us being so self deprecating. perhaps i should say that you are the most hideous creature i have ever seen in my entire life and you say i am the most insincere, 2faced person you have ever come across?

LOL! Prozac, anyone?

Those are real issues to deal with, my hb actually hates the fur all over his stuff and barely tolerates the cats but he puts up with them cos of me and they will be delegated to the kitchen only for the new place. As for scratching, they've marked everything and anything they can get their paws on, we've been told that they should be given a designated scratching post and so will be trying that for the new place as well.

Ely, how do we limit their scratching everythning?

Definitely a scratch post - see if your cats are wall or floor scratchers. Cardboard scratchers work best for cats who scratch on the floor, and sisal posts for wall scratchers. One of the best ways to deter a cat from marking/scratching is to use a Off! Spray that's available at most pet shops. They work immediately, and you can also try sticking aluminium foil though not exactly the prettiest option. (Cats hate the sound and texture of foil)

You don't need to make your place a crazy cat lady's home, here's some ideas on how to incorporate scratchers and yet not compromise on style. If you're willing to pay...

The Calypso Cat Scratcher is gorgeous:

Skiitch is a work of art:

There are DIY alternatives, which I plan to incorporate into my home too, but Bondi is a floor scratcher so I'll just get another Bergan Turbo Scratcher for him (he loooovves this toy), as he will also happily use any form of rough mat (think coarse Welcome mats, or car floor mats - cut and mount onto left over laminates or photo frames for the same effect at a fraction of the cost!):

Turbo Scratcher (I buy it off Amazon):

-cont'd

[Ely1 0]

DIY:

From eBay: (US$12.99 w/free US shipping)

and put into Ikea baskets:

- Ely

[Ely1 0]

As for the the fur:

Use Shed-X shampoo available at pet stores, and FURminator brush! Works amazingly well!!

http://www.furminator.com/

It's ridiculously priced at S$129 at PLC, but you get it from Amazon at less than US$20.

Indoor cat food helps too with the shedding and furballs, so you might want to invest in a premium dry food like Wellness, Innova, Orijen, Artemis. Pass on all that overpriced Royal Canin, Science Diet crap that basically is filled with by-products and corn which cats are allergic to.

I buy all my pet stuff from doggyfriend.com.sg which is much cheaper than PLC, with a better rewards system and they deliver at the timing of your choice! Isabelle is quite easy to deal with.

Hope this helps

- Ely

[sleek 2]

wow thanks for all the examples ely. i dont know if they are wall or floor scratchers, how do we tell? i only know they like scratching our sofa, cupboards, cardboard boxes and they are always stretching up when doing so.

i want some zoloft, after watching love sex and other drugs just last week, wouldnt mind Jake Gyllenhaal feeding me some

oh we do have something similar to that furminator thingie but we're so lazy to use it and since it only bothers the hb, he should be the one to groom them

no pet food with fillers in this house, thank you very much the cats eat a mix of dry food and canned wet food 2-3 times a day to keep them happy since we have to cater to 4 different tastes and we get a nice discount from the pet shop people just downstairs.

Edited May 22, 2011 by sleek

[Ely1 0]

wow thanks for all the examples ely. i dont know if they are wall or floor scratchers, how do we tell? i only know they like scratching our sofa, cupboards, cardboard boxes and they are always stretching up when doing so.

i want some zoloft, after watching love sex and other drugs just last week, wouldnt mind Jake Gyllenhaal feeding me some

oh we do have something similar to that furminator thingie but we're so lazy to use it and since it only bothers the hb, he should be the one to groom them

no pet food with fillers in this house, thank you very much the cats eat a mix of dry food and canned wet food 2-3 times a day to keep them happy since we have to cater to 4 different tastes and we get a nice discount from the pet shop people just downstairs.

Zoloft is cool, though anything *pam is a friend (lorazepam, diazepam, nitrazepam) and Xanax gives a Zen inner poise But I wouldn't mind Jake Gyllenhaal feeding me compost either~

Haha, I have several rake brushes and massage brush for Bondi but the FURminator works the best. HUGE clumps of hair omgah. I also have Mysterious Purr Padds that electrostatically traps dander, flea dirt, hair and dust:

Hmm, wow - stretching upwards means wall scratchers but if you're not opposed to cat posts/condos, let me know and I'll direct you to some REALLY cheap ones. Pet stuff here are so expensive I baulk everytime I'm at PLC.

Ahh, a pet owner after my own heart Makes my heart skip a beat whenever people say "no fillers"!

P.S. We ARE up late, aren't we?

- Ely

[Ely1 0]

ROFL This is hilarious and geeky...lol

Your love for cats remind me of Angela in "The Office" (US version)

Just had dinner with Ader and mum + her sis. Brought up this subject and got shot down!

Looks like this will be an uphill battle that will take some time - I need reinforcement

Fur and claw damages will be the main problem for her now, so I need to put forth rationalized and convincing arguments for our future 'debates'

I knew a fellow geek would appreciate the humour

Cute videos always work. Here, try Chase's: http://www.youtube.com/elyria59#p/u/1/cBb73zGAY_s

He's quite the King Of Cute!

- Ely

[sleek 2]

i tried to pm you my mobile # but your box is full. maybe you want to pm me yours so i can exchange secret whatsapps with you like you did with may dream?

[Ely1 0]

Hi Sleek,

with 4 cats, I'll think they'll want some condo space, so here are some multi-level ones. Unfortunately the "REALLY" cheap ones are only available to ship in Australia - pity.

Cat Condos:(all ship internationally - check shipping during checkout)

42" Leopard - US$29.99

52" Beige - US$29.99

Smart Cat Ultimate - US$53.49

Smart Cat Multi-level - US$42.75

Beige 73" - US$58.88

-cont'd

[Ely1 0]

Armarkat 57" - US$84.99

76" Cat Condo - US$49.88

Beige 62" - US$39.88

80" Cat Condo - US$69.88

- Ely

[footprint 0]

beige 73 looks good!

i yet see a cat able to climb so high before, only know by theory..

so they do really know how to and will climb high high?

for sure i know dogs cant.. they so scare of falling!

hee

[RimBlock 0]

Hardly much younger than you - I'm 33 this year. Thank you for your very kind wishes I'd like to think The Husband and I are a team and hopefully our shortcomings and strengths only complement each other. It's the similarities that helps a couple get along, but the differences are what makes it interesting!

Ok so you are not quite the same age as my wife but fairly close. I will not say which way the difference is for fear of retribution .

I do agree with your view on marriage and working together but, in my opinion, a more realistic view would be 'finding someone whos irritating habits you are willing to spend the rest of your life ignoring for love of being with them'

An sightful comment about the compliments (though very humbly and gratefully received) - I am rather self-conscious (being a Virgo, I'm my biggest critique but a close American friend once remarked that it is my best and worst trait - as I will never succumb to conceit and yet so self-critical to the point of being stupidly insecure). But you phrased it beautifully, thank you Would definitely use more highlighter for the glowy effect~

(/sounds of putting some boots on)

The problem, I find, with a person who is clearly very attractive always claiming they are not is that it can get irritating for those who are not so blessed. Having gone out with a few girls who were very insecure about their looks, it is the failure to accept the truth of how people see them that has caused relationship problems in the past. I have found acceptance with a 'Thank you for your kind words' is a much better policy than denial. I know it is hard to get yourself in to that mindset but it is usually worth the effort. I must admit, on the rare occasions I have been complemented, I used to automatically do the same as you. Now I just think a 'Thank you' and then moving on to something else is more classy. Think to yourself, what would Mae do .

To give a personal example on a slightly different trait, in school I was very quiet. At sometime during my working life I decided to stop doing that and realised that others opinions really do not matter as much as I thought they did. I decided to live for myself rather than living to give the image I wanted others to have of me. I now happily give training to 20-30 strangers, tend to be the person who volunteers to do presentations to the group when on training courses and arrange training to groups around the world within the organisation I work for. I sometimes have to restrain myself or I would be jumping up and answering questions a group has asked the trainer and take over the training session. Admittedly, teaching is a second love.

(/sounds of some boots coming off) .

Oh and I think the glow you have now gets you more attention from men that your hubby maybe would like without you needing to add more .

RB

[hafiizh 0]

on the note of getting attention from men, Ely can I invite myself to your house warming?

PS my wife insists on coming along too.

I cant believe I missed the last gathering. see? I was off RT for 2 weeks and I got left out.

[footprint 0]

can i come too?

[RimBlock 0]

on the note of getting attention from men, Ely can I invite myself to your house warming?

PS my wife insists on coming along too.

I cant believe I missed the last gathering. see? I was off RT for 2 weeks and I got left out.

You snooze you loose .

I missed the gatherings as well but met for drinks after.

Think everyone is looking forward to seeing Elys stuff bought from ebay and the like.

Ely, I think you will have to label everything with a ticket stating where you bought it and for how much to save you having to repeat yourself over and over again.

RB