Cat Tales with Laura and Inspirations with Laura

Detours

We do not like it when we have to get off our regular life route. There will be many detours in your life, such as road construction. We lose valuable time by taking a detour, but you may discover a new business you want to return to. I found a lovely coffee shop by taking a detour and a wonderful old mining ghost town I walked through. I looked at the tombstones and discovered that most had been born in the 1700s. The old equipment for the mine was still there. It had rusted over the years, but it was still connected. One time, a detour took me past an old mom-and-pop grocery store. The store had an old Wonder Bread sign on the old-fashioned screen door. It was the only business left in that area. Detours can be enjoyable when you find treasures and new places to eat and see again.

Diverted

When one is cleaning your house and the phone rings, you get diverted from the job you were doing before the phone rang. The diversion can be good as you can rest from cleaning for a while. It is easy to get diverted from a task if you try to complete too many tasks simultaneously. I try to stay focused on the most critical task at hand. One does not want to be diverted for long as you won’t accomplish your goals.

Too Many Irons In The Fire

An iron left unattended can start a fire. Nothing will get done as it should if you do too many things simultaneously. Never leave the first iron unattended before moving on to the next item to be completed. In repair, the most necessary thing is first, such as the roof, foundation, furnace, leaking faucet, and more, before you move on to painting or remodeling. A roof that leaks will destroy your entire home quickly, and other repairs won’t be necessary without a home. Never do more things in one day that are impossible to complete in one day, as every job should be completed to perfection the first time.

Do Not Let Things Divert You From Worship

Without God in your life, you would be nothing. God put your body’s first breath of air the day you were born. Thank God for your many blessings, and sing praise to God daily. God had picked you up many times when you were down. God has put a roof over your head and people who genuinely love you. God created you, and he loves all of his children. God made every one of us for a purpose. Maybe we are caregivers, ministers, farmers, teachers, accountants, and many more titles. All of us are to help spread God’s good works and tell people how God has changed our lives for the better. Be kind, caring, loving, compassionate, hopeful, peaceful, joyful, faithful, and more to people and all things that God has created on earth. Be helpful and considerate. Be one of God’s good stewards.

My Cat Is Not Acting Like His Usual Self

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date February 12, 2024
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Cats And Territorial Problems

A cat may start to urinate on your bedding to show the other cats that the bed belongs to him. Take your cat to your Vet to rule out a urinary problem. Sometimes, cats will attack a newcomer to your household until he starts to fight back, and he may become the head cat. Never have over three cats in your household unless you have a large home where they can escape and be alone. Make sure you have at least one litterbox per cat. The top experts suggest you have two litterboxes per cat. Humans like to be by themselves now and then for some alone time. Make sure you have plenty of cat beds, hammocks, windowsill beds, and towels in boxes for your cats to sleep in. Cats will urinate on beds to stake their claim on them. You will throw them out soon since they are hard to clean and will fall apart after the third washing.

Cats And Health Issues

If your cat is sleeping more than usual, acting differently, or has a different meow voice than they usually do, take them to your Vet ASAP. A cat with a mournful meow may not be able to urinate because he has a blockage, and he will die soon if he does not get treatment ASAP. Cats with vision problems start to put their paw out to judge distances when they jump, or they may plan to land on the furniture, but they fall to the ground after they jump. They can have optic problems or possibly a brain tumor. If their regular behavior changes, you may have to put them to sleep. A cat with breast cancer sleeps more than usual, and they are not very peppy. A cat with mild kidney failure can live many years with the proper treatment. As a cat ages, they will sleep more and be less interested in toys. If you bring a well-mannered younger cat into your household, your old cat will start to play again and be more outgoing and peppy. Never let a young cat stay in your home with your older cats if he wants to fight them or make their life unbearable. Please pay close attention to any changes in your cat’s behavior and take them to your Vet ASAP.

Cats Have Good And Bad Days

Somedays, your cat will want to play, be energetic, and knock your bookwork to the floor. He would rather sleep all day on dark, rainy days and be left alone. Let’s face it: we are not so ambitious on dark and dreary days. Cats like certain foods and do not care about some kinds whatsoever. We love some foods; other foods make us sick, and our feline friends are no different. Cats can be allergic to certain foods. Cats are allergic to pollen and dust. Sometimes, my cats sneeze, get over it as soon as it rains, and settle down the pollen count. As your cat ages, he will have more health issues. Take your cat to your Vet once or twice a year or whenever he acts out of the ordinary.

Tags Signs of a Sick Cat, Whats Upsetting My Cat ?

A Gift From God

Has God Ever Given You A Gift?

Your answer should be I have received many gifts from God. I have received many gifts from God over the years. It may be a simple gift or a complex gift. God has saved me from many illnesses over the years that could have killed me. God blessed me with excellent and loving parents. God brought people I needed into my life at the right time and place. When my father died, God made sure I had a friend that would make sure I saw the good things in the World, and that would bring happiness back into my life once again. I had prayed to God to get such a person into my life, and my prayers were answered. When I have been sick or ill, God has ensured there is always someone who will care for me and help me through it. I have been blessed with loving and caring friends.

Gifts You Found That Came From God

One day on the road, I found a cross bracelet that had been run over a few times but was still wearable. We all have experiences in life that leave a few marks or scars on us, just like the bracelet. Shortly before I found the cross bracelet, I had passed the lay minister’s online classes. I figured God was pleased with me. I wondered what my Mother would think about what I had done with my life. I found a bookmark that said daughter on it in a book I purchased used. The bookmark said I am very proud of what you have achieved in your life. I had a pet goat, and one day, I found a nice bale of alfalfa hay lying in the ditch that I put in my pickup for my pet goat. I also discovered a new bag of horse feed in the ditch one day, which my goat loved. I lost my pager once while I was mowing my lawn. I looked and looked for it and found it clipped to an evergreen branch like a Christmas decoration. I was sick with pneumonia, and two neighbors came over with food, and that was the best food I had ever eaten, in my opinion. My neighbor takes me to doctor appointments, which I appreciate very much. God brought a lovely blogging group into my life, bringing me joy.

Pets From God

God has brought many pets into my life that needed forever homes, and I have been blessed to have the pets come into my life. I have adopted many cats and dogs, including a Gerbil, guinea pigs, a fish, a bird, a hermit crab, and a chameleon. I also had a pet goat and three horses. I loved all of the pets, and they adored me. I fed, watered, and gave them Vet care when they were sick. Pets bring great joy and companionship into your life. They are our furry little children that God created.

Tags gifts, God, God Is Love, Inspirations with Laura

Cats May Not Look Like Their Parents

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date February 5, 2024
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Long Haired Yellow Female And Male Cats Kittens

They had a gray-stripped tabby female kitten and a stripped gray male kitten. The gray-striped female kitten had one long-haired, yellow, tabby female kitten and a cream-colored male kitten. The long-haired yellow tabby kitten had a calico kitten, a black tuxedo kitten, and a dark-colored calico kitten. The Fathers were black, gray, striped, or black.

Black And White Female Cat That I Adopted

Both of her parents were Himalayan with long hair. She had calico kittens and gray-striped kittens. She took off one day to live with my neighbors as a house cat, and they took her with them when they moved. I never told them she was my cat as she had found a home indoors because, at that time, I had all outdoor cats.

Long-Haired, Gray-Stripped Female Cat That I Adopted

Her parents were Himaylan, and she had a gray-striped short-haired kitten and a female and male long-haired gray-striped kitten. The Father of these kittens was black and part Himalayan and Siamese. All of the kittens were very friendly and outgoing.

My Cat Addi And Peters Kittens

Addi is mainly gray with a light cream color, and Peter Is a Long Haired Cat that is part Himalayan and Maine Coon. They had five kittens. One is a light cream colored, one is a gray tabby, there are two gray and white tabbies, and one is a red tabby. Peters’s Mother was a shorthair tabby, and his Father was black.

Flossie My First Cats Kittens

She was a bi-colored cat. She was gray and white. She had yellow tabby kittens, a short-haired yellow and white male kitten, a dark-colored calico kitten, and many more. She never had any kittens that looked like her. Her kittens were very gentle, just like her. When she knew she was going to die in her old age, she went out to the field where my Father was working, and she died next to where he was working, and he buried her there.

I had a Female Maine Coon Kitten That My Cousin Gave To Me Years Ago.

Her name was Fresca, and she had never had any kittens that looked like her. She had all domestic short-haired kittens that carried her genetics. Many years after she died, one of my cats had a male kitten that looked identical to her, so her genetics are still in my neighborhood, as I have given away many of my cats to my neighbors over the years. I gave the kitten that looked like her to one of my cousins, and he was a house cat until he died at the age of 11.

Cat Genetics Live On Just Like Ours

It may take many years for a genetic trait to reappear, but eventually, it will. Being left-handed generally skips one generation, but it will reappear in the next generation. Rare genetic mutations will show up again after many years of being dormant. No one knows what they will look like or what genes they inherited over generations.

Tags Cat Genetics, Kittens

Courageous Or Brave

Valliant, Courageous Or Brave

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date February 2, 2024
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Are You Valiant?

I will fight back if I feel threatened. Being courageous is not easy sometimes. It would be best to have a worthy cause worth fighting for before you feel brave enough to complete your mission. If your child is threatened, you will jump through a ring of fire to protect them. If you hear someone in your yard or trying to get into your home, you will call the sheriff and obtain anything that would save you by your side. If someone attempts to harm our pets in any way, we will put an end to it. Someone I knew once came into my house, but I did not realize they had come in, and I met them with a baseball bat at the bottom of my steps. Luckily, I looked before I used my bat.

Courageous At Trying New Things

I like to try various foods when I have traveled abroad, and none have disappointed me. I have purchased some of them from foreign food companies on the Internet. I had never tried zip-lining but jumped off the platform and loved it. Never be afraid to attempt new things, as they may be the highlight of your day.

Firefighters, Police Officers And More

People that put their lives on the line every day to save us. Firefighters will walk through a home that is on fire to protect the occupants of the house when the roof or floor could collapse on them and kill them. Police walk into all kinds of domestic assaults where people have guns and knives to save the lives of innocent victims. They are genuinely valiant.

Brave animals

A Mother mountain goat will keep kicking away at a predator that is trying to kill her offspring until the predator finally runs off or she is slain. Cats will claw away at a dog’s nose if the dog continues chasing the cat. I had a long-haired outdoor cat, part Siamese, and he had had enough of our Samoyed dog chasing him around the house. He lit into her nose, and she never pursued any cat again. One Mother cat kept running back into a burning house to save all of her kittens. She managed to get everyone out, but one kitten died from smoke inhalation. She was severely burned, but she survived after many skin grafts, and all of them found good forever home.

God Is Very Valiant

He protects us every day we are alive, even though we may not realize he did. God fills our lives with goodness, kindness, love, faith, hope, and more. You are never truly alone when you turn your thoughts toward serving God in any manner that presents itself. God forgives us for our sins if we truly repent. If we feel down about something, God gives us hope for a better tomorrow. Jesus had people put him down, but he rose above it as he told the believers about God and what God stands for and represents to the World. Some of his followers and non-followers betrayed him. Jesus laid down his life on the cross so we would be forgiven for our sins. There will never be anyone as brave as Jesus.

Tags brave, courageous, Inspirations with Laura, valiant

Bookwork

Be Organized

Have a file for each category, such as checks, health bills, etc. Do not be the kind of person who has receipts and cannot find them when needed. Never put all receipts in one big group; you will be sorting through them frantically when tax season comes. Make sure you print out receipts for items ordered online right away, or you will have lots of emails to go through before you can print out the receipts you need. Have record books and write down expenses in them regularly. Keep your items in a place where you can locate them ASAP. You may want to put non-deductable items in separate folders so you have proof that you paid them if needed. The last thing you tax man wants to see is a giant shoebox full of your receipts, but he would make more money when he gets everything organized for you. Put your receipts away when you get home so you do not lose them, and write them down soon. Store your records and keep them organized for seven years before you get rid of them because you will need them if you are audited.

Record Books

I write down my expenses in record books at least every two weeks. I want to stay on top of my bookwork and not have much to write down all at once. I have tabs on my record books for the various expenses. I also have folders with tabs for multiple items. When an old record book gets filled up, start a new one and put the tabs you will need in it.

You Cannot Deduct That

If in doubt about deducting something from your taxes, leave it off. You cannot deduct non-prescription items. If you donated and received a gift for doing so, you must take off what the gift is worth. If you donated $40.00 and the gift is worth $20.00, you can only deduct $20.00. Some people have told me they tried to deduct food they gave someone. That is a gift, and you cannot deduct that. If you give something to charity, it is only worth market value and no more. Get a receipt from the charity with their signature on it.

Do Your Bookwork Early

You can write down all your expenses on the papers you give your tax man now. I always have all of my bookwork done by Dec. 26th. I have my car mileage written down, health insurance, medicines, taxes, property insurance, and other expenses that occurred throughout the year. I bring this to my tax man so he can work on it early. I do have to wait on the 1099 ‘s for income, and if I am lucky, I will receive those by Feb. 15th. I then take that to my tax man, and soon, I have my taxes paid and do not have to try to get it done at the last minute. Do not put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Stay organized and on top of your bookwork.

Tags bookwork, receipts, tips

Take The Less Traveled Road

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date January 26, 2024
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I Like To Take The Back Roads While Traveling

We took a back road in southern Iowa and discovered a quaint old grocery store. The store had an original wooden screen door with an old metal Wonder Bread sign attached to the middle of the door. We drove through what once was a small town, and the only business left was the old grocery store. It was a Sunday afternoon when I saw the store. I wish we had driven through the town on a weekday as I would have loved to visit that old grocery store inside. I have found old hardware, antiques, appliances, and furniture stores. I adored looking at the architecture of the buildings, visiting with the owners about the history of the buildings, and buying a few items now and then. I love old hardware stores as you can purchase old stock that is new and well-made.

Go In A Old Store If You See One

I grew up next to a small town with an old general store still operating there. It had a post office, food, tools, dishes, irons, paper, guns, and more. I liked the old floors in the building, the ceiling, and the wainscoting, and I loved the old cylinder gas pumps in front of the store. I loved to visit with the couple that owned the store. The woman who owned the store gave me a painted turtle that I named Skipper. Skipper lived in a shoebox in our house. He ate cottage cheese and lettuce. When he got big, we let him loose by the creek by our place, and my Father spotted him years later. He was huge and happy living off the land. I went to an old opera house once, and they told me they were packed every night from the 1920s through the 40s. The new owner was restoring it entirely as a bed and breakfast.

Don’t Always Follow The Leader Dance To The Beat Of Your Drum

If you know someone is in the wrong, do not follow them. Don’t you have to do anything wrong to get accepted into a group? You do not want to be in that group, for it will destroy you. The devil will try to lead you astray many times in your life. Take the right road for you, and do not let the devil control you or influence you or bad people or their evil ways. Stay connected to God through prayer and faith.

Small Town Stores That Offer Much More Than You Ever Dreamed Of

I found a fantastic clothing store in a small town, and every time I went to that town, I headed to the clothing store, an old soda fountain shop, and the hardware store. Old stores going out of business are an excellent way to find old stock items that are new at closeout pricing. I will always look for an old soda fountain shop and others with lots of history behind them. Visit with the owners, and you will learn a lot about the town’s history, as every town has a history and story to tell. Travel on the less traveled roads, and you will be amazed and thankful that you did.

Tags Inspirations with Laura, Travel

Cats And Food That They Love

Post author By Laura Weers
Post date January 22, 2024
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Comfort Food For Your Cats

My cats love catnip treats and act very relaxed after eating three treats per cat. They love fresh-picked, frozen, and dried catnip. They will roll around on the floor for some time after consuming something. All cats love tuna canned in water. If you have trouble catching your cat for a vet appointment, put out some canned tuna and call your cat, and he will come running. You can put him in his pet carrier. My indoor cats like to lick out my yogurt container after I am done eating it. They also want tiny pieces of cheese, goldfish crackers, hairball treats, dental treats, and Temptation chicken-flavored treats.

Outdoor Cats Love To Catch The Catch Of The Day

My outdoor cats loved catching and eating mice, birds, rabbits, chipmunks, and voles. One of my cats caught a beautiful Blue Jay, and I told her to drop it now. She did, and the bird was fine. One of my house carts next door slipped outside for a few moments, and he placed a live chipmunk that was scared to death at my feet; the chipmunk got his bearings again and quickly ran off. One of my house cats killed a beautiful goldfinch one day, and he never went outside again. I have had lots of excellent mousers throughout the years. They would wait for mice in the grassy ditches, and they might catch three mice a day and eat them. I had one eighteen-year-old cat try to run a rabbit down as she almost did; she ran out of breath and had to give up on it. I know she had eaten many rabbits in her younger years. I had one female cat and a small female dog that would hunt and catch many mice together. A gray-stripped tabby cat came up the house with a Vole sticking out of her mouth, and she left it on the cement in front of my door. A cat loves you very much if she presents you with freshly killed animals.

Canned Foods Or Pouched Foods For Your Cats

My cats love good quality canned cat food with chicken or tuna. They also like Hartz squeezables, which are chicken, tuna, and shrimp flavored. My cats will not touch canned cat food they do not want. Never buy canned cat food full of fillers, grain, dyes, ash, or preservatives, as these are not good for your cat’s overall health. Cats like Sheba brand cat food and food made in America or Canada. Do not buy canned cat food with words you cannot pronounce, as they will most likely harm your cat’s overall health and well-being. I have purchased some refrigerator cat foods that come in a plastic see-through bag that is farm fresh for my cats, and they love those. Freeze-dried cat treats are a quick snack for your cat, giving him a little extra protein for the day. If your cat will not eat it, throw it out or return it to your store for a full refund. Never make your cat eat something, as it may be spoiled or contaminated. I hope you and your cat have healthy and tasty foods to consume.

Tags Cat food, cat treats, comfort food for your pet cat

Connected To God

We Stay Connected To God By Faith

Faith lets us see the sunshine in life on a dark and dreary day. I believe that God will help me in the trying times in my life. God will bring rain if it has not rained in a long time. When I doubted myself, I prayed to God to help me, and he always has. If you lose faith, you have lost part of your connection to God. Faith has saved my life many times with different illnesses and diseases I have had. Trust in the unknown is what it takes to succeed and move forward.

Hope, Joy, Peace And Love

God brings all of these into your life. We always hope things will improve in our lives, and they generally will if we follow God’s path. We receive joy on the birth of a new child, wedding, graduation, confirmation, and joy that God loves us. Peace should be a given, but at times, we are at war, and God finally does end the war most of the time. The Devil does not like peace. He wants you to argue and blame God and be mad. Never give the Devil an ounce of your time because he wants you to worship him, and then your soul will be lost forever. Love and God go hand in hand. God loves us so very much that he gave his only begotten son for us to die on the cross so that we may be forgiven for our sins and live in the house of the Lord forever. No one loves someone more than to lay down their life for them.

The Bible And Attending Or Listening To Church Services

Reading the Bible keeps us up on God’s teachings and reminds us we can use the Bible in today’s living. What applied to people years ago also applies to us today. People prayed for their loved ones to get well and helped each other when problems arose. Reading a daily devotion enables you to relate that devotion to your life today. I like to listen to my minister give sermons on Sunday. She makes the Bible come alive and tells us how we may interpret different sections of the Bible. One Sunday, she mentioned the wolf in comparison to the Devil, and I thought what a good analogy that was. Sing praises to God every day of your life and thank him for all the gifts he has provided for you. You may have the gift of good health, family, friends, housing, and so much more.

Nature

We can see God’s hand at work when we see the beautiful birds in the air or the sweet smell of flowers. God has a very scenic World for us to live in, filled with mountains, streams, rivers, and wonderful old architectural buildings. God has provided trees to make our homes out of. Trees are also used for paper products and to put oxygen in the air. God has provided a beautiful supply of animals; some are for eating, eggs, milk, and more. God has provided animals that are our pets that bring love and companionship into our lives. We have vegetable gardens, fruit trees, grapes, and various things we can eat if we tend to them.

Tags Inspirations with Laura

Snow Removal Clothing

Mittens

I buy Thinsulate or another brand of insolated mittens. I wouldn’t say I like working with gloves, but I wear them occasionally. I buy waterproof mittens that are good to -25 below as they are handy when shoveling or blowing snow. You get what you pay for when it comes to mittens or gloves that will keep your hands warm and dry. I replace them about every four years as the lining tends not to warm your hand anymore after that length of time.

Warm Coat

I buy a coat with a hood on it, and that has an excellent heavy lining. I’m not fond of jackets as they do not keep you cozy and warm when you are out in the elements. I try to buy a coat with a metal zipper as they tend not to wear out. I have had nylon zippers wear out in three years, rendering the coat useless. I do not like down coats, as you tend to sweat a lot when you work in those. I buy a coat two sizes too big so I can wear a vest under it and any other clothing such as a T-shirt and a heavy flannel shirt.

Insulated Pants And Boots

I buy LL Beans insolated flannel blue jeans, which keep me cozy and warm. I also wear waterproof slip-over pants that I purchased from a farm store if I run the tractor or snowblower outdoors in – -20-degree weather. I buy waterproof-lined boats from a shoe store or farm store so my feet stay cozy and warm. I also wear -20 below wool thick socks to avoid frostbite on my toes.

Flannel Shirts And Heated Vest

I own a variety of different kinds of flannel shirts; some are thin, some are thick, and some are lined. I love a quality flannel shirt as it will withstand many washings; it looks new and wrinkle-free if you put it on air fluff in your clothes dryer and let it dry on a hanger. I purchased a heated vest last year that runs off a battery pack. That vest is a lifesaver as your inner-body core is nice and warm while you work out in the elements.

Covered Flannel Or Knit Head Hoods

I own a flannel hood that slips over my head so my eyes are visible. I love that head cover, as the cold snow does not get into your coat, and your face stays nice and warm. I also own two knit covers where your nose, mouth, and eyes are visible. They are like fancy full-head cover stocking hats. They pull over your neck, also. I stuff them into my jacket so all the snow stays out of my coat.

Coveralls And Snowmobile Suits

I used to own some heavy-lined coveralls, but I did not like them that much. They kept me warm but not warm enough to suit me. Snowmobile suits keep you very warm outdoors, and they are waterproof. I hope you stay cozy and warm while you are braving the elements.

Tags snow, snow cleanup, snow gear, warm clothing