What Did You Eat?

WCB: Roundup!

It's hard to accept the hard fact that Sundance is gone. I often find myself looking to see if he will rush out of a bedroom, almost tripping me.  Then at other times, it's all too easy to realize that he will never cuddle in our laps or play fetch with the tennis ball.  I want to thank every person who sent messages or comments of support.  They've meant the world to me, and acted as a balm to my aching heart.  Blogging has been one of the best experiences in my life, meeting people all over the world with a bounty of compassion and sympathy. Thank you so much.  I treasure you all.

This week there were so many wonderful WCB posts, with cats up to all kinds of things. Just look at this Roundup!  Thanks to everyone for taking part.

WCB: Good-Bye My Friends

(We are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging this weekend. If you would like to take part, just leave your permalink in the comments section of this post or email me at upsiefan (AT) yahoo (DOT) com.  We would appreciate it if you mention our blog in your post. The Roundup should be ready on Monday.)

Last November, we agreed to take in two feral kittens and make them people oriented, so they could be adopted.  When it was obvious no one was waiting in the wings to take them, I gave them names and told my husband we had two more members in our household. Not long after that, the girl, Dexter,  died from FIP.  We held our breath, waiting to see if the male, Sundance, (or Upsie) would come down with it.  But, we seemed to have dodged a bullet, and Sundance grew and grew.  We felt safe.  Two months ago, I noticed that he wasn't his normal lively self, but he was still affectionate and seemed healthy.  Then, two weeks ago he suddenly crashed.  He avoided us,  hiding and cringing when he saw us coming near him. He stopped eating and drinking water.  It was obvious that he was in a great deal of pain.  I knew in my heart that he had FIP, because he was acting exactly the same way Dexter behaved just before she died. 

Bad Times

This is one of those awful times when I realize that one of my little friends will likely leave soon. Sundance is very ill, and it appears that it may be the same thing that killed his sister, Dexter.  He's in great pain and it's hard to see him going through this. The vet ran a blood panel yesterday and I'll get the results later today.

I haven't been in the mood to cook. In fact, I need to get provisions at the grocery store, but each day I find a new excuse not to go.  That means scrounging around in the fridge, where I often find food that I've overlooked. In a time like this, I find myself eating comfort foods, which are soothing.  I found a thick tortilla in the fridge and baked it in the oven with some sauteed onion, yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, and Jack cheese. 

To my surprise, on another day I saw that a Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam cheese was hiding in the back of my cheese container in the fridge.  It was my entire meal, and what a meal it was! 

Food can be reassuring during sad times.

UPDATE:  The Vet called with Sundance's blood test results.  He has FIP.  It's a horrible disease, and fatal.  He can no longer eat or drink water on his own.  A difficult decision must be made soon.  Thanks to everyone who has sent kind thoughts.  They mean the world to me.  Sundance has been a joy to know, even though it's been less than a year that he has lived with us.

Bratwurst With Sauteed Mushrooms And Garlic

There's not much work involved in this meal.  The bratwurst sort of takes care of itself, cooked on my grill pan, plopped on a whole wheat bun, and slathered with mustard.  I had an hankering for some sauteed mushrooms,and that was where my real interest was focused.  I can't remember exactly when I first had mushrooms fixed this way, but I do remember that I loved them. It's just mushrooms, sauteed with a lot of garlic, in olive oil, and tossed with chopped parsley.  I do get carried away with the garlic, but it tastes so wonderful with the mushrooms.

WHB: Red Bell Pepper And White Bean Soup, With Arugula

My back and feet both ache horribly.  I spent the day trying to find shoes and inserts for my plantar fascaitis. After I found shoes that "might" help, I decided to test them by going to IKEA.  I always wind up wandering around on the second floor of the store, getting more and more lost, until my head feels like it's going to explode. It turned out that the cute, inexpensive computer cabinet that I wanted was sold out.  Why was it sold out? Because it was featured on Oprah!  That's why.  And my feet started to hurt, so there was nothing to do but sit down and eat a hot dog and a cinnamon bun, both of which are sold at the exit, taunting everyone in the long check out lines.  Eventually, your will is broken and nothing will satisfy except the solace of a so-so hot dog and cinnabun.

It would have been so nice if I had some of the wonderful red bell pepper soup I made on Friday. I could have soaked my feet in it.  It's a lovely recipe, low in calories and full of anti-oxidants.  It has only one tablespoon of oil, no cream and three red bell peppers.  It also had the added kick of arugula, which tastes great with the natural sweetness of the soup.  Arugula is an herb, which can surprise people sometimes.  So, it makes this recipe perfect for Weekend Herb Blogging, which was created by the lovely Kalyn. She is back from her travels to the BlogHer Conference. So, stop by her site at Kalyn's Kitchen and see all the wonderful herby recipes from bloggers all around the world.

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WCB: I Went Out, But.............

Sundance here.  I was feeling a litle down today and mom is worried. If I don't feel better tomorrow, I think she'll take me to the vet.  Bummer.  She took me outside today to improve my mood, but I had to wear a collar and a long snakey thing.  I couldn't run off like I wanted, but it was pretty nice. I ate grass. 

Presto Pasta Night: Penne With Broccoli, Sausage, And Smoked Mozzarella

I'm tearing myself away from The Ruins, which I started reading an hour ago, to post about our meal tonight.  Believe me, it's hard to do anything but read that book.  I'm hooked.  In fact, if I had started the book before dinner, cereal would have been the blue plate special. But, dinner was served and it's a dish that I've made many times over the years. The ingredients change according to what's in the fridge and pantry.  Basically, it's pasta cooked with a vegetable, such as broccoli, rabe, or asparagus. Then I toss it with cheese and sauteed sausage (or mushrooms).  Tonight is was penne with broccoli, sausage, and smoked mozzarella. It's a very simple, but satisfying dish, and most people are always enthusiastic in their praise when they eat it.  The smoke mozzarella packs a punch. I smell like I've been sitting around a campfire.  Hmmmm...I could take a bath and read the book.  But I usually drop them in the water when I do that.