Rover the Rescue Kitten

So, we did not plan this. We have one cat that we love and that loves us (me really). Since yesterday we are cat parents to two cats. The newest addition is named Rover, as in Mars Rover Curiosity or as in Roverandom, a story by Tolkien (I LOVE TOLKIEN). Little Rover (and his sister) showed up at a friend's door with fleas and very, very hungry. The kittens are about 3 months old and they had clearly been exposed to humans before. While I would have liked to take in both kittens, Rover needed us more (and I am sure his sister will find a good home soon, too). Frontline (see an earlier post as to where we buy our supply of Frontline for a much better price than say Petsmart) took care of the fleas within a day and I removed a couple dead ones using a flea comb purchased for $6 at Petsmart. He also has an injured front leg :(. I took him to our vet, who took X-rays revealing a broken humerus (which cannot be adequately immobilized with a cast) and suggested three things:

• surgery to stabilize the bone with a metal plate
• amputation of the leg
• euthanasia

The latter was not an option for me, because lets face it: The reason why I became Rover's mom was so that he wouldn't get euthanized. He is a very happy kitten, very friendly, playful and he will grow up to be a cat with a great personality.
The surgery was estimated to be anywhere between $1,400 to $1,800 without pre-OP bloodwork. Amputation was estimated to be between $700 to $900. I did not know what to do. I had just been entrusted with this little guy and at the time of the vet visit he did not even have a name yet (the husband and I decided late last night on Rover). But I knew I could not be responsible for his death. One of the senior vets brought up another option: Wait and see. There are plenty of cases where the bone heals on its own and the cat does not suffer from any disability. Amputation is always an option later on.
After $218 in fees (X-ray and exam) I took Rover home and waited for the husband to get home to discuss our options and decide on a plan of action. We made a pro and con list and we still could not decide. We saw him play with a stuffed mouse and then he passed out on my husband's belly. He ate well and was perfectly happy. And eventually we decided to wait and hope that his little body will recover on his own. Instead we will focus on getting his shots and getting him tested for parasites. Tomorrow he will get his first round of shots...

Some pictures will be posted soon. Promise.

Vegan/ Vegetarian Chickpea Spread - Recipe Monday

Initially I wanted to post a sweet treat recipe and I really really wanted to bake. But it just too hot in Texas to turn on the oven. :( So instead I thought I share a great chickpea spread (that isn't hummus).
Before I jump into everything, let me give you a little bit of a back story. Our weekday dinners consist of homemade bread and spreads (onion and chive cream cheese (vegan or dairy), peanut butter and jelly, nutella (LOVE), cheese (vegan or dairy), and fake cold cuts) along with the occasional salad. Sometimes we go to Wholefoods and buy their mock chicken salad which is to die for both in taste and in price. The other day I found myself searching the web for a mock tuna salad because I used to love tuna salad. I found a couple of recipes, some more specific than others, most claiming to taste exactly like tuna salad, but all of them were attested superior taste and uber-deliciousness. So not following any one recipe but rather a combination from memory I  made a chickpea spread which was quite tasty. We made it two days in a row and finished it all in one sitting. It was NOM!

This is what you will need:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained
• 2 tbsp of (vegan) mayo (I used veganese)
• 1 pickle, finely diced (I used a dill pickle, but you can use whatever pickle you like)
• some onion, finely diced (to taste, I used about 2tbsp)
• 1/2 cup sweet corn OR a celery stalk, diced OR a small handful of sun-dried tomatoes OR all of the above together OR whatever additions you like in your tuna or chicken salad
• a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (if you are making it vegan, make sure that the Worcestershire Sauce is vegan)
• salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, process the chickpeas to your preferred consistency. Transfer to a bowl.
Stir in the mayo, diced pickle, onion, soy sauce/Worcestershire sauce and corn/celery/or what ever you choose to add. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

And you're done. It's that easy. Spread it on bread or crackers or use it for dipping your favorite veggies. I assume you can keep it in the fridge for a couple of days, but I haven't tested that yet, as I said we finished it in one sitting.


Make sure to give this one a try. I am sure to make this again soon :)

Amazing Cell Phone Deal from Amazon

Amazon is currently have a gold box deal for a Pantech Crossover phone that runs Android 2.2 (Froyo)  upgradable to 2.3 Gingerbread. Currently there are only 17 hours left for the deal which is 70% off the retail price of $199, so you'll pay only $60. In addition, it comes with $25 refill cared (but no SIM card).

My phone was a prepaid phone as well and this is a significant upgrade if you are in the market.  Here's a little info about the phone from Amazon:

The Android-powered, 3G-enabled Pantech Crossover for AT&T lets you stay connected to friends, family, and coworkers through messaging and social media wherever you roam. It boasts a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, 3.1-inch touchscreen display, 600 MHz processor, 3-megapixel digital camera/camcorder, Wireless-N Wi-Fi connectivity, and the popular AllSport GPS app.

I'll post a review of the phone and show you some before and after pictures once I get it.  And I haven't forgotten about the laser DIY projects, they are coming very soon! I just need to buy a laser pointer :)

Net Debt - Aug 2012

Student loans: -$78,644.83 (+63.08)
Car loan: $0
Revolving Credit card debt: $0.
Mortgage: -$138,817.46 (+210.55)
Total Debt: -$214,462.29 (+273.63)

The past couple of months I've been putting money towards the student loans to try to keep it at bay however, interest is still accruing so while I actually pay $100, it only goes down $63 worth.  ::sad face::

However, I look forward to the months ahead and really hope to put a significant dent into the student loans as they are my highest interest loans now. I know my goal is high with getting it down to 75k, but if some things pan out for us (getting a second job in the house - no pressure though!), it should be feasible. Not to mention my tuition for school has just decreased significantly due to policy changes. So some of the money I put towards tuition can now go towards the student loan.  ::happy face::

On a side note, I now have $107.41 ($77.41 from credit card rewards, $30 from surveys) towards my amazon experiment which will go towards a new garage door opener. About half way to my goal, I'm guessing by the new year, I'll have a new garage door opener! Patience is a virtue of mine. ::happy face::

Cat Cuteness :)

Nothing better than waking up to a cute face like that. Have a great Thursday and look out for Monday I may have a special treat for you.