Here in Chicagoland, we are lucky to have Turano Bread available in pretty much all of the local grocery stores. I don’t really remember my mom and dad having sourdough bread in the house growing up, but then maybe it was just the time – mid-70s – everyone was making their own yogurt (my Mom included – but maybe only a couple times!) but now artisan bread is just about everywhere. If I were to be deserted on an island and could only have two things, I would have unlimited bread and cheese. Well, if I could have a third thing, I’d ask for unlimited wine too!
I happened to pick up some sourdough Turano bread and decided to make a breakfast panini. No meat this time, just cooked egg whites, baby spinach, a couple slices of cheese ends and that wonderful, delicious sourdough bread.
That bread is the perfect panini bread – it gets nice and crunchy, but not too crunchy, yet tender on the inside. And hello, see all the cheesy goodness? I think the fresh fruit totally evens out the cheese, right?!
Just as I was about to go to the gym, Tony texted me “call me.” I called and he said, the paperwork is all set, they are moving me to the next hospital. The next hospital is the hospital that is actually going to be doing the transplant. I said “do you want me to come now?” and he said “Let’s just wait and see.” I had to run a work errand for coffee creamer and since Goodwill was right next door, I popped in for a couple minutes. Of course it’s all decked out in Christmas stuff. Skippy, they had a whole snowman section! I bought the mug with the arrow above it for .99 cents.
How cute is that snowman with the bird on its shoulder?! It was $4.99 – too pricey for me, but still cute.
For lunch I heated up some lasagna soup (Louise, this may be batch 68 – I’ve lost count!) that I made the night before last. Okay, here’s the thing I wasn’t thinking about. I made soup right before I went to bed. Um, it’s not going to cool down before I need to go to bed and I can’t put hot soup in the fridge, so I put it outside my back door to cool off. Yesterday morning I turned on the computer and I have a little weather icon on the top corner and it said 9 degrees. Crap! I bet my soup froze! But it didn’t. Instead of using lasagna noodles I cooked off some frozen ravioli – which was artichoke ravioli and worked nicely with the soup! I added some chopped fresh spinach, and we had packets of Parmesan cheese leftover from a pizza party, so that went on top. Pure comfort in a bowl if you ask me.
I ended up leaving at 4:00 since I technically worked through lunch, and when I got to the hospital I was fully prepared to make the trek to the new hospital. Nope. I was concerned about all of his belongings going with him. His back of clothes and outdoor coat when we got to the hospital now nine days ago. His cell phone, cell phone charger, etc. The nurse came in and said “we are just waiting for a call to say the bed is ready for him. I ended up leaving at 9:00 and he was still there. Bonnie (my MIL!) I would have texted you what was going on, but it was already 10:00 p.m. your time. He could still going during the night, and I’d just get a phone call saying that he’s been transferred.
At about 6:50 I ended up going down to the cafeteria – it closes at 7. I got my customary chicken finger salad, but since it was so close to closing time, the chicken fingers tasted more like chicken feet, but the salad was good.
In case you are wondering, this is what it looks like when its all chopped up!
So I still left the pot of lasagna soup outside for some reason. I could have put it back in the downstairs fridge, but I was getting ready to go to the hospital before work and figured I’d deal with it later. When I pulled into my driveway last night, I saw a giant raccoon running from my back door. My immediate thought was “that raccoon better not have eaten my soup!” Yep, ladies and gentlemen. That’s what you say out loud when you live in the “sticks!”
So I come inside, drop off my purse and bags, and open up the back door to bring the soup in and a cat comes running into my house. Yep, a cat! I have seen it before around the neighborhood – I’ve even given it milk on a couple of occasions in the summer, but it never came inside the house. Not gonna lie, I freaked out a bit. What if this cat had rabies, what if it tried to scratch my eyes out? Nope, it jumped into my computer chair like it was meant to be there!
It’s hard to tell in that picture, but it’s all light grey with dark grey face, ears and paws. I called my Mom and my sister, they both said do what you think is best. My Mom said to keep it inside because it’s cold out, but when I was talking to my twin sister she said “you don’t have a litter box, or cat food.” As soon as it heard the can opener it jumped on top of my counter. . . on top of the lasagna soup recipe!
I ended up giving it a little bit of milk, some water and some canned tuna – in oil no less! It ate two small bowls of food, and then I didn’t really know what to do. It seemed friendly, but this is not the time to take a cat to a vet and have something else to take care of in my life. So . . . I went outside to bring something else in from the car, it followed me out, and I ended up leaving it outside. Last nights lows were in the upper teens, and I kind of thought, if it could survive the single digits last night, I am sure it will be fine?
I never did end up getting a call, so maybe today he’ll be transferred to the new hospital. At least it’s not as cold today as it has been – it’s already 20 degrees out – almost balmy! Ha!
Question of the Day: Should I have let the strange cat stay in the house? I am feeling a bit guilty this morning for not keeping it. And by the way, it had a flea collar, but no tags.
Kitty does have a family somewhere. He looks too well kept and was too friendly and comfortable to be a stray. Hopefully he made it back home in time to snuggle in for the night. Without a litter box you may have had a mess on your hands with giving him/her milk. Love the new snowman mug. I like cups that are shaped like that and take up my whole hand when I hold it. My hands are always cold so it feels nice. Hope they find a spot for Tony soon.
That snowman mug looks like a great latte mug 😀
Well, you know I am a sucker and magnet for cats. He’s a beauty, for sure, too. However, Pixie does not like the other cats, so it is the garage. I have done makeshift litter boxes with a cardboard box before, too.
Goodness, how long can it take for a bed to open up?! Good-NESS!
I wouldn’t have taken the cat in at this point, either, but I would have a hard time figuring out what to do, too. You just have way too much on your plate. Maybe if he tries to worm his way in again call a no-kill shelter nearby? Maybe he’s microchipped and they can scan him?
I have to agree that the cat looks well taken care of and I also love Kira’s comment that the kitty came to you when you needed a “friend” It’s so cute that you fed him and spent a little time together.
I just rescued a cat about 3 months ago – a blue point Siamese (looks very similar to the one that got in your house but shorter hair) and they found him on the streets – we tease him about being “street” but he adapted so well to our house and life that my heart wants to believe that he only spent an afternoon on the streets before he was taken to the Siamese rescue 🙂 I also can’t bear to think of him outside… Breaks my heart!
Tony is in my thoughts – your strength is a wonderful thing.
I’m sure the cat belongs to someone, and will only come around every so often. However, I can’t help but feel like she came to comfort you in a lonely and exhausting time. So you fed her! It’s what you do!
I’m sure the cat belongs to someone so hopefully they got him in last night. Considering the above comment abt cow’s milk being hard on a cat’s stomach, it’s a good idea you put him back out 😉 I’m sure it was fine…9 lives and all. Hope things are moving in the right direction for Tony.
Huh, I’m not sure about the cat! Probably with the weather being as awful as it is I would totally let it in. The of course my moms would maul it and I would then realize it’s probably safer AWAY from them 🙂
Your chopped up salad looks pretty impressive! Thinking of you and Tony.
Bullets-
~ “If I were to be deserted on an island and could only have two things, I would have unlimited bread and cheese. Well, if I could have a third thing, I’d ask for unlimited wine too!” <– I'm with you!
~ I use the phrase "cheesy goodness" often, too.
~ I bet you could make that lasagna soup in your sleep!
~ I love salads with a little fried chicken, too. And I usually save them for times when we are dining in Rob's parents' small town in Michigan and I'm getting really sick of pub fare!
~ Cute kitty! And I'm not sure what to tell you about that. Being that he jumped into your computer chair and onto your cupboard, it sounds like the cat belongs to someone, that (s)he is used to those items and sounds! I just worry someone is missing their kitty.
Thinking of you Biz. I hope all goes well today.
Praying for you & Tony as he faces yet another challenge.
Side note: cows milk is really hard on a cat’s tummy, causes upset and poo’s.
Oh…cute little kitty. don’t think he would make it two steps into my house without Kylie getting upset. But I am sure your new visitor has your house marked on his data base as a place to visit when “hungry for tuna and milk” 🙂 He’s probably on the prowl and has a home he lives at….so no guilt……the smell of Lasagna soup got his attention along with other critters around your neck of the woods. 😉
I love Turano Bread I can get it here in Appleton at the GFS store. It is always a treat. Just a plain slice, toasted with melted peanut butter is a slice of yumminess. But yeah, pananies are great with that bread.
Hope Tony gets that transplant soon. Will the hospital be close by so you can visit??
Have a great day. You know, everytime I see a snowman and hot sauce I think of you 🙂
I would have brought the cat to a humane society or a no-kill shelter of some sort. It’s so cold outside. Someone I know, their animal got out last winter and he found it frozen to death. 🙁
What a pretty kitty! If it had a flea collar, it’s probably an outdoor cat that belongs to someone. (Also, it seems like it was pretty friendly and used to people based on what you said about its behavior!) We lived out in the country when I was growing up, and had an indoor-outdoor cat. He usually came in at night in the winter, but sometimes would go off on adventures for a few days at a time, even when it was cold out…he always turned up eventually, no worse for the wear. 🙂
Hope Tony is able to get transferred soon and that it all goes smoothly! I am continuing to pray for you guys and send love and healing energy in your direction.
What you did for the cat was very kind – I’m sure it appreciated the snack! Letting it outside was probably the best thing to do because with a collar, someone would likely be looking for it. And without a litterbox at your place, I don’t see where you had another option. Cats get very stressed out when they don’t have a litterbox and tend to get a little out of hand (at least mine do!) and you don’t want pee all over the place! 😛 I hope the transfer goes smoothly today!
I would have freaked the F out if that cat came in my house. I am allergic so would have let it back outside, I am sure it has a nice cozy spot to sleep. Hope the transfer comes thru today, waiting on the bed is another lesson in patience. Will Tony be close to home in the new hospital?
We are cat people who also feed the birds, and all the little furries in the neighborhood. Yep! We would have given him a home for the night and hoped he would want to stay…… Nothing as comforting as those little faces who are so glad to see you when you come home, cuddle with you, comfort you and just be there when you need a friend. Better than medicine to us is our Kitty. Endless entertainment and endless kitty love that we just cannot do without.
Kitty is so cute! The flea collar is a pretty good indication that someone cares for it somewhere out there. Don’t feel guilty–I’m sure kitty will be back to see you (and the tuna).
Kitty looks pretty clean and fluffy to be an outside kitty. I bet it spends a lot of time inside somewhere. I also bet it will remember where the tuna lives and be back to visit 😉
I think I would have kept it in my garage overnight and call the animal ambulance the next day to pick it up. If it had a flea collar it probably has a boss somewhere too.
I am wondering something, isn’t there a waiting list in the US for a kidney transplant? I’ve looked it up on the internet, in Holland it’s 4 years of waiting.
No way would I let a stray cat in my house – but we also have 2 dogs and that would not go over very well! Ha.
Fingers crossed everything goes well today!
I probably wouldn’t have let the cat stay inside – in fact if it jumped on my counter I would have freaked out a bit (I have serious issues!!!).
I hope they get everything worked out soon to transfer Tony – that waiting in limbo is the worst.
Your breakfast panini looks super tasty!!
I don’t think I would leave a strange cat in my house. Maybe the garage but I would put a towel or blanket outside in a box so if it wanted shelter it could stay there. I live in South Texas so it does not get as cold as it does up North. We were in the 70’s yesterday and we are supposed to be in the 80’s today. I did make a enchilada soup last night that was so good. Will have to try the lasagna soup on our next cold spell.