More Sidney Stories....

Well, I was going to add additional memories to the previous post of Sidney, but I decided I would simply post additional blogs.

Carrie and I were remembering other Sidney stories and two came to mind....

The first one was how Sidney would get on our bed and then hunt through the covers to find a place to sleep. I am not sure I am going to be able to describe how he did it and we never did get it on video. Basically, he would go under the covers and put his head down and then raise it up so as to move the sheets up so he could go further under them. He would repeat this over and over until he got to the place (or position) he was seeking under the sheets on the bed. Watching this from the bedroom door always made us laugh. He was working so hard just to find that perfect spot under the sheets. Once he found the spot, he would be there for hours and sometimes all afternoon or evenings sleeping.

Sidney first started going under the covers when we were in the process of selling our house in Lawrence. Our house had been through a few showings, so we had been gone for the afternoon. We came home to find Sidney out in the family room and everything seemed normal. When we went into our bedroom, we could see that there was almost a tunnel under blankets that were nice and neat when we had left. As we investigated what might have had happened, we figured out it was Sidney that had gone under the covers under the sheets to find that perfect spot. He had tunneled his way about halfway down from the pillows to the middle of the bed. I am sure that people going through the house wondered what was wrong with our bed and what the lump was in our bed.

Carrie told me that he use to sleep under the sheets all the time when he was a kitten. The time I saw this in our house in Lawrence was the first time I had seen him tunnel into the blankets. From that point on including when we moved to Topeka, Sidney would continue to tunnel in sheets throughout the house. Whether they were on our bed (where he primarily do this), other beds in the house, or blankets in our family room. We loved it and miss this behavior from our little kitty.

The second one has to do with Sidney waiting for us when we would be getting ready in the the morning. Again, no pictures from this, but we have it in our memories and we miss seeing him waiting for us as we get out of the shower.

Sometimes when we would get up in the mornings, Sidney would be no where in site. Obviously, he had found a place to sleep other than our bed. This could be possibly in one of the spare bedrooms, down stairs in the in one of the rooms, or tucked away in a closet somewhere in a room where we forgot to close the door. We never thought much about it as we were getting ready. But then, about the time we were getting in the shower, here would come Sidney slowly into the bathroom. Walking as though he had been partying all night and was not sure why we were up so early. Typically this is during the week as we are getting ready for work, but he also did this routine on the weekends too.

Sidney would walk into the bathroom and either sit in front of the shower or walk over to one of the sinks and sit on the floor mat. Lick his paws, clean his ears, or lay down to rest a bit more as we prepared to get in the shower. Usually as we would exit the shower he would have changed his location to be right in front of the shower. There, he would sit on the mat and as we finished our shower, we would have to step over him all the time dripping water all over him as we grabbed our towel. He did not seem to mind at all as the water dripped on him. Sometimes he would make a little meow to at least let us know he was there waiting and almost to tell us to hurry up.

It was usually at this time that he would get exited and go into the shower to drink the leftover water on the shower floor. He would stay in there as the shower continued to drip and splash him, but again he did not seem to mind.

It is odd that since last Tuesday, I have not been able to remember a song that I use to sing about Sidney almost every day. I cannot even remember how the song goes or what I use to say. So odd!

Well, that is all the stories about Sidney for now. It is one week ago Tuesday that we put him down. Yes, we are doing better, but it is still difficult to be in the house without our boy walking around or snuggling up with us in the bed. I am sure we will continue to miss him and remember him for years to come. He was the best!

Update to the Car Wreck

As you may recall, the car wreck for our 2007 Honda Accord took place back on February 6 (What a Snow Day!). We have gone all this time not yet knowing the fate of our Honda. The car has been at a local shop for the past week being evaluated to see about repairs and up until this morning we did not have any news other than it was not being totaled.

Well, after they started pulling things apart, it was recommended that the car should be totaled. They have to tear apart the firewall between the engine and the interior. By doing so, this will cause a lot of work to be done on the dashboard. The body shop is recommending that the car be totaled, so it is back to our insurance agent to determine the next step.

I was told by our insurance agent that the car being totaled is on the fence. He is leaning towards totaling it out, but has to wait for more details to come in from the body shop. We are obviously hoping for it to be totaled, but time will tell.

Carrie and I are still trying to decide how to proceed with the ticket that was issued. It still makes no sense to us, but having to go to court to try and refute it seems crazy too. Odd Topeka law that requires a ticket to be issued.

Anyway, things are progressing and hopefully we will learn before the end of this week what is happening with our car.

What a Snow Day!

I went to bed Tuesday evening to snow falling and the chance for a lot of it to fall through the evening hours. I awoke Wednesday morning to the sound of NPR saying that all area school were closed, University of Kansas was closed, and various other places were either closed or canceled. Still no word about Washburn from NPR at 6:45. I called the main number for Washburn to check announcements and nothing. I started getting up and about to get ready for work. At 7 a.m. came the announcement that Washburn University was closed for the day because of snow. I went ahead and got ready for the day. Carrie checked her work (Payless) to see if they were closed and no such luck. She was ready for work and left around 7:15 or 7:20.

I went downstairs to wish her a safe day and turned on the computer. I decided to do some work (e-mail and tickets). I looked out the window and saw all of my neighbors out shuffling their drives, sidewalks, etc. It was still snowing and had been doing so all night. Carrie sent me a e-mail message around 8:10 to ask a question and I knew she had gotten to work ok. I called her and she said the roads were not bad, but they were not great either.

I finished doing work and checking the Internet before around 11 a.m. I decided to go out and do the driveway. I first had to search for my snow boots and then started the driveway. By 11 am the snow had stopped and the sun was out. It took me about an hour to the do the driveway and walks before I went back inside. Carrie and I had talked twice during the morning and a few times via e-mail. I spoke to her last at 10:45 or so when she was heading out to get her nails done.

After finishing the drive and walks I came inside to warm up and get something ready for lunch. I called Javier to see how his trip went to Kansas City and he was on his way back. I finished talking to Javier and got a call at 12:20 p.m. from Carrie. She did not sound like her usual self and all she said was "I was in a wreck. I am OK, but my head and right knee hurt. A abmulance is headed to the scene and I will call you later." My heart sank and I asked her where she was at. She told me on I-70 & California. I told her I would come out there and she told me I would not be able to get to her because of the traffic. She told me again she would call me with more information.

An eternity seemed to pass. Meanwhile, I called around to let various people know. While I was waiting for Carrie to call me back. After calling a few people I tried calling Carrie. No answer. I waited a while longer and called our insurance company to let them know what had happened. Still no word from Carrie. I tried her again and again it went to voicemail. Finally at 12:50 p.m. my phone rang and it was Carrie. She told me the ambulance was there and they were taking her to St. Francis. I told her I would be leaving the house and see her there.

I had brushed off my car while I was doing the driveway, so it was ready to go. I got my things and headed to St. Francis. I was trying not to rush so that I would not end up in a wreck myself. I came down 6th street heading East and I think I saw them taking Carrie out of the ambulance. I asked at the front counter if she had arrived and they did not yet have a record of her arriving. They directed me through a set of doors where she would be coming into the emergency room.

I stood around for a few minutes waiting to talk to the reception desk as they were busy with some other people. About that time a woman came walking to the counter asking if they knew a "Brenda" that worked there. The lady said that the woman from room #3 was asking for "Brenda". No one knw a "Brenda" in St. Francis emergency room. I knew that was Carrie and I walked around the corner to see her in the bed.

She looked fine except for a scrape next to her left eye. The nurse finished her work and Carrie started crying. The nurse ("Kim" I think) told me that Carrie had done just as she was instructed to do... not to cry until she was done with what the nurse had to do. She said had done good! Carrie started crying and she started talking about what had happened.

Carrie was headed East bound on I-70 between Adams and California. A line of vehicles were all using the slow lane (right lane) because there was still a lot of snow on the fast lane. She was going 30 - 35 mph as well as everyone else. There was a car in front of her and apparently a semi in back of her. the car in front slowed and Carrie did too. When Carrie did her breaks the car slid to the right, then to the left, and then did a 360 before coming to a stop. Carrie said she was calm during the whole thing until she looked out her drivers side window to see the grill of a semi coming directly at her. There was nothing she could do, but she recalls throwing her hands up as if to stop it. The side airbags as well as the drivers seat air bag all went off. We think that she got the cut from the side air bag opening to protect her and getting caught her sunglasses caught between the bag and her face. The glasses broke in two. In the hospital she was upset about her sunglasses because they were her favorite pair.

Two guys found Carrie in her chair half laying over on the right passenger side. One asked her if she had passed out and we think that she probably did. As soon as she was able to do so she found her cell phone and called me to let me know she had been in a wreck. By the time I spoke to her the second time she said the fire department was there and the ambulance was getting ready to take her to St. Francis.

After speaking to her I got in my car and drove to see her. I called and left a message for Brenda who was at work. I was almost to the hospital when my phone rang and it was Brenda. Or course she thought it was social call, but I told her Carrie had been in a wreck and was being taken to St. Francis. Brenda said she would watch for Carrie's arrival. I got there shortly after that to find Carrie.

Anyway, I am starting to repeat myself. It was a very interesting day and one we will not soon forget. A day that I hope we, or anyone else, ever has to go through. It was scary for Carrie and for me. Carrie is doing well, but she is sore from the wreck. She is taking pain medication and will hopefully go back to work soon.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers during this interesting time on what was a snow day for me. Definitely not a snow day that I will ever forget!

For a complete listing of pictures of our car, visit my site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/havertyj/sets/72157603865284754/.

Be safe and watch for more little less serious posts in the future...