I didn't do it, obviously.

Three reasons.

#1

If I changed my blog name, oldblackcatboo would just be out there.
Floating around for the taking.
Someone else could use it for whatever they wanted.

and then

#2

As I researched more artists and their websites, I found that while they might have used their names on the website,
their blogs many times had a different name or their studio.
Hmmm....
Old Black Cat Boo Studio?

I like that!

and finally
#3
I saw some artwork the other day that I liked and then I couldn't remember the artist's name except for his first name. Then I remembered one of the words from his Etsy shop and I typed it in and found it!
so that made me THINK and I typed in:
black cat cynthia

ok, my blog didn't pop up but when I typed in

old black cat cynthia

it went right to my blog!

and then I typed -

black cat cynthia myers

and BAM back to my blog!

OK, I'm keeping oldblackcatboo for the name of my blog.

and I'll use my name when I finally set up a website.

Thank you for your patience.

XOXO

A Quick Thank You

for the kind, supportive and encouraging comments on the name change!

I'm still working on changing the look etc. 
Be back soon!

CHANGING MY NAME

This is Old Black Cat Boo.

I've showed her photo many many posts ago.

Look at the sweet little face.

When I started my blog I didn't know what to call it.

I had been selling a few paintings on eBay and my ID name over there was oldblackcatboo.

Still is.

Boo was very special to me and I loved her very much.

So, in her memory, I used her name.

She was the first cat that I "rescued".

She started it all, as far as rescuing kitties go.

But....

I've been trying to set goals for myself and figure out my future.

I'm just beginning to work on a business plan and setting some goals.

I've been working on paintings both for eBay and commissions.

I need to focus on what's most important to me.

I want to paint, do illustrations and write.

Given my love of animals, all of this will be intertwined with that love.

So I'm going to stop obsessing over the other stuff.

and Focus.

I'm happy to say that I have actually written the text for one of the children's books that has been swimming around in my brain for quite some time!

Now I need to start the illustration part.

I'm channeling my energy.

I want to change my blog around a bit.

The LOOK of it and....

The NAME.

So, someday you will no longer find oldblackcatboo

but instead it will be....

Cynthia Myers Art or

Cynthia Myers Paint and Pen

or Cynthia Myers Art, Illustrations and Stories

or maybe just Cynthia Myers.blogspot

or......

but it won't be Cindi Myers, there's an artist with that name and another with a different spelling

and a writer.

If you Google Cynthia Myers, the famous first ever Playmate Playboy Bunny pops up.

But she passed away last year so maybe my name will someday pop up first.

It is my given name.

I use it for everything official and legal.

So I'm using it for the blog too.

Input?

HERE'S THE "SKINNY"!

The other day I noticed that Jimmy was hesitating before he would jump up on the sofa or the bed.

Then I noticed while he was at work with me, that he didn't seem to want to run and play with his buddy like he usually does.

(One of the vet techs brings her little terrier with her everyday to play with him.)

But when he hesitated before jumping out of the van and then gave a little cry,
I decided to have Doc take a look at him.

Jimmy's back was out. So Doc gave him an adjustment.

As he was feeling down Jimmy's spine and doing what he does, I asked if he thought Jimmy was too heavy.

"How much does he weigh?" He asked.

I said that the last time I weighed him he was 18 lbs.

Doc gave me that "look".

So after the chiropractic adjustment, I walked Jimmy up front and put him on the walk-on scale.

30 lbs.

I took Jimmy off and I stepped on it..........

After a month of holiday goodies, Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas dinner and New Years Day dinner

I have gained almost exactly the same amount.

Doc said I have to reduce Jimmy's meals down to 1/2 cup twice a day, instead of the 1 cup twice a day plus treats that he's been getting.

Jimmy is back to running and playing like he always has.

Doc said that his back was really out, I'm not sure if it was just the extra weight or from one of the dogs jumping on him or from his rough and rowdy playing.

And for me?

Two words.

Weight Watchers.

Blue: I can't even scratch myself...

without her taking my picture!

And Another One Done.

I finished two paintings that were commissioned.

The client wanted the "Let it go" painting with the cat looking up at a bumblebee recreated.
Exactly the same as the other. I did it,
but it got me thinking about doing "prints".
I'm researching into that a bit.
The client also commissioned a painting with her dogs done in my quick scribble style.
She wanted the little black one to be digging in the yard and looking over his shoulder with his cute little tail showing.

Her German Shorthair is a live wire so she wanted her to be jumping in the air and

her older little terrier mix would be just sitting there doing nothing.

I decided to do something different so I used scrapbook papers and mod podged them to a block of wood that I had painted the sides black.

I scribbled out the dogs and "painted" them with Inktense pencils and then cut them out and mod podged them too.

I'm actually happy with how they turned out. I'd like to do others with quotes.

Maybe small little things that would be easy to hang wherever.

So. I have the commissioned "Collie" to do next.
And then Anne's dogs. Anne are you out there? LOL! I will be emailing you after I'm done with the Collie!
After that, two girls at work want me to do their dogs.
Kinda funny, I mean after I said that I wasn't going to do any more commissions all of sudden everyone wants one.
I'm going to work on "just doing it" and TRY to stop fretting and stressing over it so much.
Sometimes I need to just step out of my own head.

A Miracle? Or something Gross.

Something happened on Wednesday with my old dog Griffin.

Remember, he's the one with the tumor growing in his mouth.

He's my ancient Shih Tzu who I almost gave the OK to have jaw surgery done on him but then realized it would be too painful and given his extreme age and horrible history with anesthesia, a very bad idea.
So...that morning as I was getting ready to leave for work, I couldn't find him.
I called for him and looked everywhere.
Could he be outside? Did I forget him when he was outside with the others going potty?
I was in a panic, he was nowhere to be found.
I ran downstairs. None of my dogs go downstairs, they are afraid of the stairs because they are open in the back.
I ran back up. I was just about to start crying when I heard a "clink".
I ran back down stairs and saw that the little waste basket that I drop the used cat food cans into was tipped over.
I squatted down and under a little table (I have a bunch of furniture down there) I could see Griffin
and he could see me.
Suddenly he was running, running around the basement with the empty can in his mouth.
Finally I cornered him and carried him upstairs.
Then I left for work.

Wednesdays are my short days at work so when I came home I let everyone out and back in. I got busy doing house stuff when I realized Griff wasn't in the room. I ran to the basement stairs and he was halfway down. I called to him and he stopped. He didn't turn around. Frozen.
I yelled "Griffin" again. He just stood there. Like I said before, I don't think he knows who he is anymore.
I clapped my hands and he turned his head and looked at me. Then he looked down the stairs.
I gave up and walked down and picked him up and plopped him on the kitchen floor.
He ran off and hid in the living room.

Later in the evening, while on the computer I got up to get a drink and while I was in the kitchen I heard a "Clink" again. I went downstairs and there was Griffin, standing over the cat box, munching on "kitty granola".
I stomped up the steps with him and made the cats go downstairs and closed the door.

Then I started to worry about his tumor again.

What if the edge of the cat food can cut it?

And munching on cat turds couldn't be good, to say nothing of the dog poop he dines on out in the yard.

With great trepidation I sat down with him on my lap and stuck my finger in his mouth to feel the tumor.

Ick.
I felt nothing except his teeth and the bottom of his mouth.
What?
I laid him on his back and pried his mouth open.
No tumor.
WHAT?!?!?
I sent a text to my niece Lily.
She sent one back "WHAT!?"
I went and looked again.
No tumor.
How is that possible?
I posted it on Facebook.
Someone said maybe it had been an "Abscess".
Uh, no. I saw the X-rays. I SAW it.
I FELT it. It was thick and rubbery
and it was GONE.
Thursday I told Doc and asked if he thought Griffin could have "chewed" it off?
He shrugged and said that maybe Griff just worked on it until he wore it off.
One of my co-workers said "and then he probably ate it".
Gag.
But whether it's a "Miracle" or something "Gross"
I'm just glad it's gone.
There must be a morale to this story,
I'm just not sure what it is.

the usual plus two

resolutions.

hate them.
they seem to be easily forgotten or end in failure.
why set myself up again?
but, ok...
here ya go -

figure out my future.
dust myself off from falling off the health wagon

and get ready to jump on the next one coming up the bend.

get rid of the junk in my house, i.e. organize.
finish projects.
do my art stuff.
write.

and...

learn to ride a horse.
yeah.

 

I haven't ridden one in almost forty years.
when I was young and my mom was around, I used to get to ride on trails for my birthday

or on some special Saturdays.

now it seems like that never really happened, it's been so long ago.
like an old movie that I faintly remember.
I kinda just decided it would never happen again, too many things to do.
but why not?
yep, there's a resolution.
and one more....

that I REALLY don't want to do but
my niece is adamant about it.
to get over my fear of snakes.
Fear is not really the right word here.
hmmm.
what word describes paralyzing panic to the point of not being able to breath.
terror
hysteria

derangement: mental unsoundness ???

 

and it's not the getting "bit" part.

that doesn't even frighten me, I'm not scared at all about that.
I've been bit before, not by a snake but...
it's the slithering and winding and the wrapping around part.
I can't even post a photo, they bother me that much.
but my niece thinks I need to get over it,
that the "fear" is locking up more than I realize.
I don't like that anything could have that much power over me
and what if I was riding a horse and we came across a snake?
ok, so my usual resolutions plus two new ones.

did you make any resolutions?

care to share?