How to get comments sent to your email.

Good morning friends!

I hope everyone had a nice, productive weekend. Mr. Primcat and I sure did! It was a very wet weekend with all the snow melting and then buckets of rain from the sky last night so I stayed in all weekend tinkering around the house.

I spent most of Saturday redecorating and tweaking the house. Yay! Finally after 6 weeks of sickness! I have pics to show but I'm saving them for Misi's display chain tomorrow!

And then together Mr. Primcat and I cleaned the house from top to bottom Sunday. Dust, sweep, broom, swiffer, and wetjet. I don't know why we even bothered. The floodwaters are rising in the cat enclosure and the cats keep running in and out bringing muddy paw prints to every surface they touch. The cat enclosure is just a swamp right now. And with 52 little muddy paws running around the house there is just no way to keep up. I mopped the living room and by the time I got to the other side the entire side that had just dried was covered in mud again. Bad Kittehs! LOL! It's a good thing I love them so much. If any one wants to make a donation of swiffer pads to Primcats house I would be forever grateful. LOL!

After yesterdays post I got more than one question asking how to set up your blog so that you get emailed that you received a comment so that you can reply to comments through email.

This is how to do that:

Go to your Dashboard.

Go to Settings under your manage blog area.

Click the Comments tab.

Scroll all the way to the bottom to where it says Comment Notification Email

Enter the email you want to be notified at in that box.

Click Save.

Thanks all there is to it! :)

I will be back soon with Spring decor pics! Can't wait to share!


Until next time...

Carmen and the Primcats

Are you a No Reply Blogger? :(



Don't be a no reply! :)

 Since I've posted this weekend some tips to help you (and me) make our blogs better I thought I would address separately about what so many commented yesterday to be their biggest pet peeve of all in blog-land... the no reply blogger.

What does that mean, you ask?

Well it means that if you comment me I can't email you back a response.

All comments from my blog (and likely your blog if you set it up that way) go to your email so you are notified that you have a new comment.

In my account, I open the email, read the comment and then almost always reply back to you with answers to your questions, my own comments, or just a thanks for stopping by.

However, if you are a no reply blogger that comment goes out into the Internet and never comes back. Actually it heads to an email address that reads mailto:noreply@blogger.com and you never get an answer from me.

I can understand new bloggers being leary about having their email address out there, but it's very simple to set up a dummy email for just your blog where you can be replied to. I did that in the beginning too, until I realized no one was actually going to hack my real email and steal my life. :) LOL!

I urge you to remove no reply from your account and  add an email address that you can be replyed to at. Even if that email address is created strictly for your blog. I want to be able to answer you back when you ask a question. :)

To remove no reply from your account and add an email address...

Go to your Dashboard.

Click Edit Profile on the Left hand side under your picture.

Click the box to Share my profile.

Click the box for Show my email address.

Scroll down and under the Identity area add the email address you would like to be replyed to at. If you don't want to use your regular email then create an account just for blogger.

Scroll down and click Save Profile.

That's it! Your done and you have made it easier for your blogging friends to keep in touch with you!

I hope that this post helps you make your blog more user friendly! :)

Have a blessed Sunday friends!

Until next time...

Carmen and the Primcats

A must read for every blogger! (repost)

Good day blogging buddies!

This is a repost and a MUST READ for every blogger. Please click the link below to read a how to on how to make your blog better and more user friendly for your followers!

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/11/making-your-blog-more-communication.html


Hello friends!

I just came across the greatest blog entry at www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com. I want to share it with you because it will help make your blogs better and makes them more user friendly for your visitors!

I know when I started blogging I made the opposite of every choice she talks about. lol! I have since changed my ways and made my blog more user friendly but I so often come across blogs that aren’t and not even because that’s how you, the blogger, wants it. Mostly because that’s just how blogger sets you up and you don’t know any different.

So I want to pass along this great link to Funky Junks entry to help everyone make their blogs more visitor friendly!

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/11/making-your-blog-more-communication.html

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Remember to update your blog lists! (repost)

Happy Saturday Prim friends!


I always find new blogs I like by looking at the blogs on your blog list. I realized awhile back that that my blog list doesn’t automatically update when I start following a new blog. I have to go and update it every time I start following a new blog so that the new blog shows in my blog roll.

So to keep you blog list updated and help your friends find the great blogs you follow do the following:

Go to your dashboard.

Click Design.

In your gadgets find your blog list and click to Edit open it.

A new window will open to configure blog list.

Click the Add to list button.

Select Blogs I’m following.

The newest blogs you have selected to follow will appear. These blogs are not currently showing in your blogs list on your Blog.

Select all and the check boxes will check.

Then click add and they will be added to your list.

Click Save and you will go back to your design page.

Click save again and you are done!

Now all of your followed blogs are showing on your Blog and I can find all the best blogs to follow! Remember to do this anytime you start following a new blog!

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Thrifty Thursday…

 
Being a Queen of thrifting… I am sad to say I haven't been doing that well at the Goodwills lately. :(
I think donations are down… which leads them to mark the decent things they have UP to prices I refuse to pay. So really in the last few weeks I have only bought a few things.

Here they are:

A tiny buttocks basket for $0.50.

And a nice sized crate for $2.00



I really like what it says. I am not sure if I will leave it white. I think I will probably stain it with my trusty Olde English Stain. I don’t do white in my house. In fact I intentionally avoid it. So this will probably get primmed up.



I also found a wood spoon for $0.50. It was shellacked… so Mr. Primcat Sanded it for me and I’m going to coffee stain it.



   

This speckled blue bowl for $0.50.



 

A Pfaltzgraff Yorktown Punched Tin sconce for $0.99.



And a beautiful 10” wood plate with carved pineapple for $0.59.

 


That’s it for the TS finds.

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Weigh In Wednesday! 2/23/11

Hello friends. I hope everyone is doing well in blogland today. :)

It’s Wednesday! Time for a weigh in.

Here’s where we are today.

Ideal Weight: 110-115

Starting Weight Jan 3, 2011: 145 Pounds


Last weeks weigh in: 133 pounds 12 ounces

Current weight:  132 pounds 13 ounces

Total lost so far: 12 pounds 15 ounces

Another pound shed!


I made some changes this week to my diet and honestly I was expecting to go up this week. But I didn’t and for that I am grateful.

I have been following the Cinch! diet since January 24th and it has served me very well as you can see.
This week I decided that it is just to hard for me to cook the Cinch! dinners and I decided to go back to the Lean Cuisine Market Creations for dinners. I was worried that the Sodium content in them would screw me up, bloat me and make me feel like crap, but it seems it’s fine.

I also had some wine over the last weekend. YUM! I thought for sure that would mess me up too… but it seems so far I’m ok there too!

And then we went to Raisin Rack last Saturday and picked up some Just Tomatoes Etc. dehydrated foods. I got the tomatoes, the hot veggies and the regular veggies. I have been snacking on those every night outside of my restricted portions! EEEKKK! I was sure that was gonna get me. But no. I’m still right where I want to be!

One pound a week off. Phew!

I have not worked out at all this month and have overall been pretty much inactive because of how sick I have been. I am seriously considering not going back to the gym. I have 2 weeks to decide. But with the weather warming I think I can get back to walking and won’t need an inside place to workout…I say this as I look out my window to 4 inches of snow over 2 inches of ice. LOL!

As far as being sick. I am getting better. S.L.O.W.L.Y. My lungs have cleared and I can breath again. However the congestion in my head/face/sinuses has been consistent and without fail. It is slowly clearing up too… but it’s taking forever. It is currently in the middle of week 6 of illness. YUK! I think having Crohns has played a huge part in not getting better too. My immune system is trashed on my best day. Add a cold to that and you might as well just kill me and get it over with.



Lets see… what else has has been going on. Not much. 

I spent Saturday shopping with Tammy and Jamie. We had a great time but didn’t find anything we couldn’t live without. We went to the Scott Antique Market in Columbus, Ohio and then when we didn’t find anything there we started hitting the thrift stores.  I bought a punched tin wall sconce in the Pfaltzgraff Yorktown pattern and a crock lid with a pineapple on it. Spent a whopping 1.60 total. Tammy and Jamie didn’t get anything. I think we are all BROKE. LOL! We spent the most money on good healthy yummy food at the Raisin Rack.

Seriously… if you haven’t tried the Just Tomatoes line of dehydrated yummys… get some! So good!



I haven’t changed anything in the house lately either. Same, Same. I have picked up a few things over the past 2 months that I’m ready to put out but I haven’t actually done it. Sick, Lazy me.

I am ready to decorate for spring… but I realized I don’t have a lot of spring decor. I will have to work on that!

I am super excited to have won Misi’s givaway! SO that is going to help me out in the spring decor area! :)



The Primcats have been enjoying the weather warming up. They have made a complete mess of the house. Running in and out of the cat enclosure mudding up every surface they can. LOL! They have spring fever too!



Ok… time for me to get to work! I have a pile of orders sitting here waiting to go in… better get to it!

Peace, love and happiness to everyone!

Until Next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

I won!!!!

I can’t believe it!!!!!


I won Misi’s blogiversary giveaway from http://1890gablehousemusings.blogspot.com !!!


Thank you Misi!


Can you believe it??? I can’t!!!


Best Monday surprise ever!!!


So excited that I have something wonderful to look forward to in the mail now!!! Yay! Surprises!!


Until Next time…


Carmen and the Primcats

Still have a few Shooflys for sale!!!

Just wanted to remind everyone that I still have a few Shooflys for sale on my Goods for Sale page. It's up there under my header.

There are only 4 left.


Leave a comment or email me (link on right column) and I’ll get back to you.


Until next time…
Carmen and the Primcats

Very cool cabinet…

This is a cabinet/ dry sink at my local prim shop. I snapped some pics way back in December because I think this is the next piece I’m going to have my carpenter build. I want it in the entryway.

(Just to clarify, neither hubby or I will be the "carpenter" on this. We don't have a large woodworking assortment of tools yet. I'm sure someday we will but until then I will stick to Todd, who built my beautiful piesafe for $130.00! Here is Todds Website for you Ohio ladies. http://wood.web.officelive.com/default.aspx )

Love it! Isn’t it cute?


Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Wednesday Weigh In 2/16/11

I’m still at it. Following the Cinch! Diet and doing well! Its still very easy and it’s certainly something I can see myself sticking with after the 25 day core plan is done.

Here’s where we are today.

Ideal Weight: 110-115


Starting Weight Jan 3, 2011: 145 Pounds

Last weeks weigh in: 134 pounds 10 ounces

Current weight: 133 pounds 12 ounces


Total lost so far:

11 pounds 4 ounces


Lost another pound this week! I’ll take it!

Still have not made it back to gym and I don’t know when I will. I can’t breath. Flat out. Even the simplest task like moving clothes from the washer to the dryer gave me an asthma attack. I really hope it goes away soon but I’m guessing it will be another month before I get well again.

The weather has warmed, it’s a whopping 37 degrees here! And it’s supposed to get to 52! WOW!  So I might try to take a short walk, maybe 10 minutes or something. I really WANT to get moving and I’m frustrated that I can’t. I got sick a week before I started this diet so all exercise ceased. Grrrrr. Oh well… it is what it is!

I’m still losing weight and eating 4 proper meals every day and I am more than thrilled about that. It’s great!

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Tuesday talk…

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all had a nice Valentines day yesterday! Nothing much eventful at our house. We had a nice dinner and just hung out. I wouldn’t dare go out to dinner on V day anymore. It’s just to much hassle. Leave it to the youngin’s!

Hubby gave me my Valentines gift early, last Friday. He was trying to make me feel better since I am still sick. He got me the quilted heart for my Arrow hanger. I love it. ♥ Now if I could just find the strength to hang the dern thing!

   

I got him this cute little blossom bucket the says love and has a sheep on it. And a card from me. and a Card from the cats. :)

 

So… yeah… I’m still sick. :( I’m on my second antibiotic now. I did 4 days on a z-pack with no change so she put me on 10 days of cefdinir. :( I’m feeling about 5% better. That’s it. It has been officially 4 weeks and 2 days since I got sick and I’ll tell you what… I’m sick of being sick! And I’m sick of taking 20 more drugs a day on top of the 14 pills a day I already take for my Crohn’s. So frustrating!

I am still on my diet and I’m doing well. :) That’s good news to report. :D We will weigh in tomorrow!

My scale that my Dad and stepmom got me for my Birthday finally got hung Sunday. Mr. Primcat did it for me. I am really itching to decorate but even the tiniest thing sends my lungs into distress. It’s very frustrating. I can’t even carry a laundry basket. So bless him for putting it up for me.

Here it is.

     

Punky wanted to be included.




I hung it in the kitchen from the ledge area. I do not know if it will stay there but for now it will do. :)

That’s about it for now!

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines to all the my special blogger friends! I wish you all blessings of love, peace and happiness today and everyday!


Until next time…
Carmen and the Primcats

A yummy snack from Cinch!

This is my Absolute favorite breakfast/snack recipe from Cinch!.  Even Hubby likes it!

It’s a Kiwi Crunch and it’s delish!

One slice Whole Wheat bread toasted.
1/4 cup Low fat or no fat Ricotta Cheese.
2 Tablespoons sliced Almonds
One whole kiwi peeled and sliced.




Little trick for perfect slices… use an egg slicer. :) Also works for slicing olives, mushrooms and lots of other softer foods.





Another variation just as yummy… everything the same just use a banana!







YUMMY!!!! And good for you to boot! Try it!

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Weigh in Wednesday 2/9/11

Due to illness… I’m a week behind in updating this. Sorry to my fellow losers!! Even though I have been sick I promise I have still been at it!!!!!

Still on the Cinch! diet with no problems. Woohoo!

The Gym… my breathing nemesis right now. LOL! I have gone to the gym a few times but I must admit that with this illness… this last week I have FAILED at making it to the gym. I went last Monday and Tuesday but then it was OVER. And the last 3 days it would probably just kill me. O.O

I really want to go… but I know I can’t yet. Hoping to get back to it by Friday. Really hoping. I think I feel worse because I can’t go. I would take a walk but darn it… it’s just to cold with this respiratory problem. So no exercise for me.

So… lets get right to it…


Ideal Weight: 110-115

Starting Weight Jan 3, 2011:
145 Pounds


Cinch! start Weight Jan, 24th:
139 pounds 10 ounces

5 day Cinch! Detox RESULTS

Day 1 detox weight:
139 pounds 10 ounces

Day 5 detox weight:
135 pounds 3 ounces

I lost a fantastic 4 pounds 7 ounces on the 5 day Detox!!!
Woohoo! Totally worth it!!!

Current weight: Possibly 134 pounds 10 ounces

Not sure. My scale is being stupid. >.< I replaced the battery but it’s still not giving me consistent results. I weighed myself 5 times tonight after replacing the battery and I got 138,137,136.5, 138, 135.8. Um… No. I definitely did not gain 4 pounds today. I will have to reweigh in the morning and see.

I am used to weighing myself every morning since I have Crohn’s Disease. And even the slightest dip in weight can point to a flare.

(Hmmmmm I could use a good flare right now. A twenty pound one would be nice. LOL! Just kidding!!!! er…. sorta. )

Anyway… little tip for weighing yourself. My morning weight is always dead on consistent. Very tiny fluctuations. 1-2 ounces… if any. I know a lot of people say that’s not possible… but I’ve been weighing myself everyday for 4 years and I can tell you my naked morning weight is the most consistent way to keep track of my true weight. I started my naked morning weight per my gastroenterologists instructions. So if you want to keep track of your most consistent weight… that’s how you can do it. Naked… after the pee.

I REALLY hope I am able to get back to exercising soon. Actually what I really wish for is nicer weather so I can just power walk! Come on Ohio! Cooperate!!! and I will keep up my new Cinch! eating plan. It’s pretty easy and I like it. I would recommend it if your looking for something to try or if your stuck at a certain weight on another plan.

Ok that’s it for my Wednesday Weigh in. Sorry it’s not more exciting.

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats

Asthma? Really???? Just like my Tracy cat!

Apparently three weeks of sinus issues, coupled with a sore throat and a wicked cough, assaulted my lungs to the point of “temporary” asthma. O.O


Crazy!!! Who knew?!?!


I had asthma when i was younger, along with a slew of allergies, but fortunately as I grew older I grew out of them. Thank goodness!


No worries today though! I got all the drugs yesterday!!!


I got Advair and Albuterol for the asthma.

A Z pack of antibiotics for the sinus infection. She thinks I’m over the infection but wants to be safe since I’ve been sick so long.

And for a cough suppressant to help ease the inflammation (coughing makes it so much worse) she gave me Hydrocodone pills for day time and Hydrocodone -Homatropine Syrup for night.

Phew! Now that is some meds!!! If I don’t get better now… I don’t think I ever will! I’m hopefully on the mend! Fingers crossed!


Speaking of asthma though… I thought this would be a good opportunity to tell you about something most people don’t even know exists.


Feline Asthma



Yep… you read that right. Cat’s can have asthma. 

A LOT of cats have asthma.


We have a very special cat named Tracy that has severe asthma. ♥♥♥


Please take the time to read this... you never know when you might need to know this information. Had I not known about feline asthma Tracy wouldn't be here with us now.

Knowledge is power. ;)





Asthma, in humans and in cats, is a constant inflammation of the lungs. And even though you can’t see it, that inflammation never completely ceases. Our cat receives the inhaled asthma medication Flovent every 12 hours to make sure that her unseen but constant inflammation is treated and never worsens.


What does feline asthma look like? Kind of like a hairball but it never produces a hairball which is why it is often overlooked. People often dismiss it because it often seems like nothing more than a hairball hack. Until they find their cat dead of “Unknown causes”. But really it was asthma. :(


It could have happened to us if I wasn’t already cat health obsessed when I rescued Tracy. Fortunately I knew about Feline asthma because I sit around and read obsessively about cat health. (My husband swears I know so much about feline health I could be a cat vet right now if they would just give me the paper that lets me be one. ) My husband was even convinced her persistent coughing was just hairballs. It looks so much like it… but it just never ends. If I had listened to him… our darling little girl would most certainly not be with us anymore. With treatment she hasn’t had a single attack since we started Flovent in mid 2008.


I took this video for my vet during the diagnosis process. This is what asthma coughing looks like.


This is a video of Tracy having an asthma attack.

If the inflammation were allowed to continue it causes irreversible permanent damage to the lung tissue that can not be repaired. Every cough… makes the lungs tighten more and more. Not treating asthma consistently is dangerous and deadly. It only takes one asthma attack to kill a cat and since that attack can not be foreseen, you have to treat the inflammation daily, with either pills or an inhaler, so that an attack never happens.


So many people, vets even, think that asthma needs to be treated after an attack, but that is not the case at all. You must control the inflammation to protect the cat (or human) from any further lung damage daily and before an attack happens.


Many vets are not up to date on the latest treatments so if you ever face this situation arm yourself with knowledge because you’re going to need it to make an up to date educated decision on what treatment is best if your cat does have asthma. A few of the best websites out there that discuss all the options, from pills to shots to inhalers are:


http://www.fritzthebrave.com/index.html


http://www.felineasthma.org/


http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Pages/Feline_Asthma_Web.pdf


My personal choice for Tracy is the inhaler with Flovent but there are other daily meds you can choose from. I chose the inhaler for her because it has the least side affects of all the choices. Since she will be on medicine for the rest of her life, the least harmful option was the obvious choice in my book.


Bonus: Tracy loves getting her medicine and she races me to the chair to get it. She knows it makes her breath. :o) If I even sleep in on the weekend one minute past 7:30am she pokes me in the face to wake me so she can have her meds, and the feline greenies treats that go with it. It is so adorable. ♥♥♥


Here is a video of Tracy getting her meds one week after starting.

FYI… don’t get your panties in a bunch because I tell the other cats no. I’ve been flamed to no end on youtube for treating my other cats “badly”. EYEROLL! Yeah… we all know how bad I treat my cats. ;) In the beginning it was very important to make sure this was TRACY time only. And this was taken only one week after we started the inhaler.


Extra information…


I highly recommend you print out this protocol and show it to your vet if asthma is the diagnosis.


http://www.fritzthebrave.com/meds/inhaled_protocol.pdf


And this is the device you will need to buy to medicate your cat if you chose inhaled meds.


http://www.aerokat.com/


There’s also an online yahoo group here that you should join if you choose Inhaled Flovent.


http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/felineasthma_inhaledmeds/


And here are other videos of cats getting their inhaled meds.


http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Aerokat&search_type=&aq=f


So there you have it… if you ever face a cat having an asthma attack… you now know everything you could possibly need to know to go get them the proper treatment.


>^..^<


Thank you for reading my Feline Asthma Public Service Announcement. :)


Tracy and I will be having our asthma inhalers together twice daily for the next two weeks. :) They do say you turn into your animals. LOL!


Until next time…


Carmen and the Primcats

I’m still alive!

Barely! I’m still sick.

I’m sorry I’ve been missing and I really appreciate all the emails checking on me but I don’t feel well and I don’t like to share a bunch of negativity on my blog. In fact… it’s a HUGE pet peeve of mine. Those consistent Negative Nancy’s quickly get removed from my blog roll, and seeing how I’ve been sick for so long… I don’t want to have to remove myself! LOL!

So… long story short. I’ve been sick since January 16th. It’s very frustrating. This darn cold has mutated into three different week long illnesses and starting this week… week four of this illness… we have now moved into my chest and I can’t breath. YUK! Such is the life of an immune compromised person who gets a simple cold. :( I’m guessing… based on last years winter cold, I may be well by March. I’m going to the doctor today so maybe! :/ I’m hoping. Lets pray for that!

…and enough of that crap! Again… negative Nancy’s NOT my style. Lets move on to happy stuff!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I won a giveaway from Linda over at Parkers Paradise a few weeks ago! YAY me!!! And Thanks Linda!!!! I was super excited because she mixed everything up in the 5 boxes she gave away so I didn’t know what wonderful things I was going to end up with.

Check out my goodies!!!

Three Pewter Pieces!!! Woohoo!!!!  



An awesome wood bowl with matching candle sticks.



Soy Tarts and wax dipped pins.



An adorable heart tea light holder.





Some great Pantry cake molds! I’m excited about these! Can’t wait to use them!!!



The pins ended up in the laundry room display…



Here’s the other wall just for fun! My rug beaters and my washboards. :)



The Pewter Stein ended up on the Pewter shelf. I need a bigger shelf! O.O



The cream and sugar set…



And the tea light holder by the Valentines tree.





The candlesticks are in the entry way and the bowl in the office. :)

Thank you so much Linda!!! I love love love everything you sent! What a wonderful giveaway and much appreciated!!!

I will be back soon with more fun stuff from the last few weeks! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for checking on me!

Until next time…

Carmen and the Primcats