A Personal Update

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Depressed Blue Heart flames Pixabay
Pixabay

I know my presence in the blog world has been unpredictable lately.  This is a personal update.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to delve into my heartache, past or present.  

When Aspen died, eight years ago, I swore that Crystal would be the final feline.  Throughout her 16 ½ years, Crystal had health problems, and due to the medicine she was on for years, she developed fear aggression toward other animals (including the late big brother who doted on her).  I repeated that vow almost daily — no more cats.

Now I’m going to confess how pathetic I am.  The very first night of being utterly, painfully alone was enough to make me do two things.  First, I had a big plush teddy bear delivered.  Not a substitute, but it’s better than nothing.  You’re supposed to be laughing with me long about now.  Although if all you can do is snicker because it really is that pathetic, I understand.  Just keep it to yourself.

Secondly… I broke that longstanding vow.  Now two kittens — six-month-old ginger sisters are on their way to me.  Not what I had in mind, for appearance or ages.  I’ve always wanted a black cat, and I hoped to stagger their ages from tiny kitten to six to eight months.  However, like they say, beggars can’t be choosers.  The arrangement certainly simplified things for me.  So, I’m trusting that this is the right pair.

I expect them to be into everything, so I’m trying to think of “detective duo” names for them.  I hadn’t realized quite how male dominated the fictional detective world is.  The heck with name-gender.  They’ll be whatever detecting pair suits them, be it Scully & Mulder or Holmes & Watson… or some other duo.

Regardless, they will be my Valentines.  I wish you all a happy Valentine’s Day.

Teagan

♣ ♣ ♣

Fiona Finch & the Pink Valentine

Kindle:  relinks.me/B084NZFZ14

Paperback:  relinks.me/B084P73L4C

Fiona Finch n the Pink Valentine
Fiona Finch & the Pink Valentine, Cover also by Teagan R. Geneviene

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Copyright © 2023 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

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128 thoughts on “A Personal Update”

    1. You are so kind, Robbie. I’m afraid I haven’t created anything for a few weeks now. The kittens help enormously, but I’m still trying to pull myself back up. Crystal required so much care from her Inflammatory Bowel Disease and other issues. My heart was tied up with her. I hope I can start writing again next week. Thanks for visiting. Hugs.

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  6. Wishing you a Happy Valentines Day!! 12 years ago we lost two dogs and a Maine Coon cat within the span of 6 months. They were all independent rescues within months of each other (we were official empty nesters and missed the chaos of always having a houseful of teenagers). Anyway after the heartache of that experience, I told my wife….no more animals for quite some time….too hard to deal with the loss. A week later I came home to two baby Maine Coon cats. I’m a softy and my heart melted immediately. Fast forward 12 years and we have hauled them from San Diego to Goodyear and now Seattle. I tell you all this because it truly was a blessing to immediately jump into more pets….it helps with the pain. Side note: love Maine Coons as they are very social and smart like a dog, but furry like a cat! You have had a full plate….my best to you!! Take Care!!

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    1. Hi, Kirt. I’m glad you shared that. What a terrible time that was for you. Mine moved back and forth across the country with me too.
      Yes, getting these 2 within a week really did help with the pain. I admit I was a bad case. Now if I could just pry myself out of worry-mode. Thanks for taking time to comment. Happy Valentine’s Day to you too.

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  7. Teagan, you have gone with your heart (something I guess you always do) And that’s never wrong for you – just believe that. You deserve all the love and cuddles they will give you – and hopefully help with whatever trials and tribulations life throws your way. Even a pesky blocked kitchen sink!! 😊😘. Hope it gets sorted tomorow.

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        1. That dashed corny-faced, jolterhead still isn’t here. Two hours after the appointment “window.”
          My PTSD causes me problems with appointments, or people even saying things like ‘I’ll call you back in 20 minutes.” I’m immobilized until whatever it is, large or minor, happens. Plus, Daphne gave me quite a scare. A false alarm, but… If I weren’t so exhausted, I’d be furious with that shag-bag lobcock. But it’s a good excuse to brush up on my Victorian slang! 😀

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    1. Thanks for your kind thoughts, Rebecca. My only inflexible requirement for them was that their markings not be like any of my past cats. While ginger wasn’t on my wish list, I had never had one. LOL, they’re really more of a blush or apricot color, rather than orange. Now that I think about it, they almost match my new rose gold hair. Ha! Now *that* would have been vanity if it had not been an accident. Hugs.

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  9. Awww. I’m so glad you broke your vow, Teagan. Some vows were never meant to be kept. You’re going to have lots of fun with these two, and I expect plenty of purrs and laughter. Enjoy. Those two have just entered kitty paradise. ❤

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    1. Hi, Teri. I don’t think I’ve done a name announcement post, but I commented to a couple of people. I tried out a few duo names on them. For about an hour it looked like Phryne & Dot (Miss Fisher Mysteries) would stick… but it just wasn’t quite right. I’ve gone with Velma & Daphne. That Scooby Doo pair fits each of them very well. Hugs.

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  11. I an so sorry for your loss, however, I think you are going to enjoy these two new little “lovers”. I am sure you will find just the right names for them. I am happy for you, and considering the amount of comments, many others are, as well!

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  14. So sorry to hear about your loss Teagan. Pets have been an important part of my life too, especially my dog Jack. Losing them is so hard. I go for you naming them Holmes and Watson. Of course if you want funny cats that make you laugh they could be Laurel and Hardy.

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  17. I’m so happy for you Teagan!! Giving these kitties a loving home is the ultimate act of love and I know Crystal and Aspen are watching over you all. Everything happens for a reason and these two kitties were meant to be with you. Love naming them after sleuths. I used to love Nancy Drew as a child, Nancy and Drew.

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    1. It’s so good to see you, Suzanne. I loved Nancy Drew too. I made this video shortly after they arrived. Now they just discovered TV, and a “Little Adventures” guineapig video. LOL. One is *much* friendlier and more outgoing than the other.
      Thanks for your kind words. Hugs.

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  20. If they’re twins then Thompson and Thomson from Tintin books, or if you want the French version Dupond and Dupont. Makes it easy when you call them…
    I always liked Randall and Hopkirk even though one of the detectives was dead… may not be apt…

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      1. Perfect; we’re fortunate at the moment, having son and DIL staying so we get to share their triangular cat so we can delay the inevitable moment when we cave in and find a replacement for Nutmeg. Having a daughter who is a vet, and always having to rehome felines, I doubt we will be short of volunteers.

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        1. I’m so sorry about Nutmeg. A wonderful cat. Yes, your daughter’s vocation will come in handy for that. My next-door neighbor is with local animal control. When I asked for a referral to an in-home euthanasia service, to my surprise, she offered to take care of it (I had not realized that is part of her job) — of everything, all the details. Then, she offered to help me find another cat. A day later I took her up on it. She even went to the next town, where there is a cat rescue, and made all the arrangements for these 2 kittens, and delivered them to me. Everything could have been a lot worse without her help.

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          1. I wish you oodles of love with and from them. We are currently enjoying sharing the house with Son and DIL and their cat so the sting has been slightly drawn. But the thought of a new resident does keep recurring..

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  21. It’s always heartbreaking when our family member pets cross over the rainbow bridge. It does make the house seem extra empty, I know.
    How wonderful you are able to adopt these little sisters. Have fun! ❤

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  22. I think you should get to know them before naming them. Victoria Iphigenia is Sara Paretsky’s hard boiled Chicago detective. Nora Charles is the more sophisticated sleuth. Nora and Vic might be fun. Good luck! I’m sure it’ll come to you.

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  25. What a perfect valentine season gift. You are going to have so much fun with a pair of kittens. After we lost Lola and Najar, I wasn’t going to get any cats, but then a pair of kittens happened. Cats happen! And they bring so much joy to your world.

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    1. Indeed they do bring joy, Tim. I know you and Laurie love your kitties. And they certainly have a way of finding you. I almost sent a note asking if you knew of any, because I really wanted a black cat. But my next-door neighbor is with local animal control. She came through in a big way, and got permission to help Crystal in my home. Then she went above the call to work with a nearby rescue group, and will pick up these two sisters, and bring them to me. Hugs.

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      1. It’s nice to have such a wonderful neighbor. And you can’t look a nice, giving neighbor in the mouth. Black cats are fun, but like the Sone’s sang “You can’t always get what your want…” but “You get what you need!” You are going to be happy with those two kittens.

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  26. Scott and Bailey: UK duo. I am sorry for your loss and I shed a tear, I have experienced it. And I smile because I know what’s coming! My two were siblings and couldn’t have been more different. I will always miss them.

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  28. I have said never again more than once, especially with dogs which we currently don’t have for first time in 40 years. I can’t imagine not having a feline around we still have four. My theory now is whatever comes to us. Your ginger sister are unque and sound like they were meant to be yours. Hugs xo

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  29. I’m told female ginger cats are less common compared to male gingers. This isn’t a name suggestion, but free association took me to this story, so I’m going to burden you with it. LOL When my youngest was wee, her grandparents had a friend named Diane who had a dog named Sparky. Wee girl thought their names were, and called them, Diamond and Sparkle. 😀

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  31. I also have plenty of cuddly toys, and although every so often I donate/gift one to a good home, there are still quite a few left (and I did get a small one not very long ago). I am looking forward to meeting and reading about the adventures of your two new kitties. You have great suggestions already. For some reason, the only duo that came to my mind was ‘Thelma and Louise’, and they are not detectives, and I am not sure the names work for cats either, but I am sure you’ll choose once you meet them both. Take care, Teagan, and big hugs.

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    1. Hi, Olga. I used to love stuffed (plush toy) animals, but haven’t had any in a long time (with cross-country relocations and all). I confess that I like this bear a lot. 🙂
      Thelma and Louise was the first pair of names that came to my mind. I considered various types of sources. Finally I decided that for detective stories, the gender of the names didn’t matter — and I “decided” to go with detective duos. Quotes there because I might change my mind for the umpteenth time. Thanks so much for commenting. Hugs winging back to you.

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  34. Dear Teagan, I am so sorry for your heartbreak. We also vowed no more cats when Elijah Moon died, but that lasted a month. Then we got Garfield. Your cats take a piece of your heart with them
    if they are male, Starsky and Hutch, if male and female, Tristan and Isolde! I love Hunt and Peck and Cagney and Lacey. Have fun choosing what YOU want.

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    1. Dear Noelle, thank you. I’m so glad you got Garfield.
      Such a big percent of detectives are male, that I’m ready to ditch the whole idea of gender and just give these two girls boy names if the spirit fits. I was a huge Starsky and Hutch fan back in the day, so that had crossed my mind. 🙂 Hugs.

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  35. Both my fiancee and I lost cats from our lives prior to re-meeting each other later in life. We were both full of sorrow losing our fur babies and I didn’t get to say goodbye to mine since I had separated from my ex and she did the dirty deed while I was at work. She was brave to do that, but Anubis and Bast told me they had our girl when she passed, and I took comfort in knowing that. In my new life with my fiancee, TJ, she put out there to her son to grab us a couple of kittens from a new litter born a few houses down from him and his roommate. Neither of us were ready to replace our beloved cats, and TJ didn’t think her son would listen to her, but they did, and they rescued two of the kittens from the litter. I told her we would be assholes not to take them in after all the effort. I believed in both those kittens and I believed in the divine for sending these specific two our way. My fiancee didn’t want another black cat, but we got a black and a ginger. I believe in the will of Bast and she sent us these two precious cats who have enhanced our entire family’s lives. Obey the goddess and the impossible becomes possible.

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  36. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and the kitties. Have you considered Cagney and Lacey as names? In the 80s, I bought a middle aged friend her first teddy 🧸. She was thrilled and I was pleased she got such pleasure from a simple gesture.

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  40. I would be the very last person to laugh about you getting a teddy bear as I have more than a few of them myself! This past Christmas was the first in a long, long time I didn’t buy a new one to add to my collection.

    How exciting you’re getting two new kittens! I’m looking forward to seeing their photos and hearing about their antics.

    Miss Scarlet and Phryne come to mind for names or Miss Scarlet and The Duke. 😀

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  43. I join you in your sorrow and loss, and now your joy with the two kitties that have found their way to your loving home. They are a lucky pair! The strange thing was just this morning before I read your post, names for a pair of male kitties came to me – Jed “Kid” Curry and Hannibal Hayes. Remember the old “Alias Smith and Jones” western from 1971 – 1973?

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    1. And those are delightful names, Dan. I always thought so.
      The woman from the rescue place sent a photo of each, but I’m waiting until I can share my own. I’m not sure if they will be here today or later in the week. I’m crossing my fingers for today, since the plumber will *finally* be here on Tuesday for the kitchen sink. I hate to do something so disruptive for them right away, but… Being without that sink for over a week has been inconvenient. Hugs.

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