Who Calling Catmom....

[Kaleigh]

I always love reading your posts. You have a jewelry collection that is TDF. Please tell us more, won''t you??
xo
Lisa

 

[Skippy123]

Yay, hip hip hooray, Catmom has a thread!!! Yes, please tell us more sweet Catmom!

 

[Linda W]

Well it is about time!!!!! We want to hear all about you !!!!!!

 

[FrekeChild]

Yay Catmom!!!!!!

And can we have more pictures of your collection?!?!

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 2/21/2009 12:38:58 AM
Author: Linda W
Well it is about time!!!!! We want to hear all about you !!!!!!

Ditto!!!

 

[Catmom]

HA, thanks everyone! Special thanks to Kaleigh[Lisa] for starting this thread although I think she just secretly covets my sparkly stash.

I''m really honored though that you thought of me!

I''m just an old as dirt [53] Midwestern girl, been here my whole life. We live in the north western burbs of Chicago. Although with the weather here the last few years hubby and I have begun looking seriously for a winter home down in the Ft. Myers area of FL. We are actually going down there again next Saturday for vacay and more house hunting. Good thing we weren''t leaving today as we''re in the middle of another snow storm 4-8 inches. Hubby and I have been married 29 years in August and we have 2 children, our daughter turns 25 in May [YIKES I AM old as dirt] and my son just turned 21 in January. I''ve had a love of all things shiny and sparkly since I can remember. I just couldn''t indulge while growing up. I''ve made up for lost time though, just check out my closet, even my clothes have sparklies on them, LOL!

I grew up very poor. The third of 3 girls. We were the family on the giving tree, waiting for the box to arrive on our doorstep to see if we were having any Christmas presents or Christmas dinner. The first winter after we were married my hubby bought me a leather coat and he was floored when I told him it was the first leather coat I had ever had. I think that is why my hubby spoils me so much with the sparklies now.

My parents met while my father was stationed in France during WW2. My mother was 20 years younger and spoke no English but somehow they managed to get together. They married in France but moved back to IL after the war. My mother eventually learned English and when I was 9 or 10 decided that she needed something more and went back to school to become a nurse. Money was a little more available then so I was able to take the music lessons I had been begging for. I became quite good at clarinet and won several scholarships to the Chicago Music College which was part of Roosevelt University. My degree is from there in Clarinet performance.

I met my hubby at school. He was also a clarinet performance major. It was NOT love at first sight, LOL. He was cocky and arrogant and we fought over the same clarinet positions. He had no use for me and it was vice versa until the day he saw me crawling the halls at school. It was my 18th birthday [back then the legal drinking age was 18, I''m OLD remember!] and my friends had taken me out to drink our lunch. I guess I was stumbling along the hallway when he saw me and thought now hey, here''s someone I should get to know. My friends all thought he was a terrible influence on me, LOL. A good example, every month we would have to perform in a Repertory class in front of the music school. We would get a wind group together and before the performance would go out and get tanked and then come back and perform these wonderful, bombastic pieces that by end would have everyone on their feet. Except the teachers of course. They knew we were tanked but we performed exceptionally well and our legend spread. We had the best attended Rep classes ever. Ahhhhhh the good old days.

Unfortunately for me, I had to give up clarinet when I developed a terrible case of TMJ. I just couldn''t play any more without being in excruciating pain. I ended up going into business and eventually worked for a large healthcare corporation where I managed the customer service group of the dialysis division. We provided supplies and hardware for home dialysis patients. I then moved from there and became the Medicare expert and also ran the dialysis supply company. I retired after 20 years. My hubby lasted a little longer in music before changing. He played for a time in the Mexico City Orchestra and decided it wasn''t for him. He then taught music at Old Deminion University before coming back to Chicago and teaching in schools here. Right after we were married he took the H&R Block tax course to make some extra money. Boy oh boy did that seemingly innocent class change everything for us. He started teaching the course, became an Enrolled Agent, became a CPA and joined a big 5 accounting firm. He now is an international tax consultant where he works with the IRS and various other governments to set up how various corporations handle their taxes between the countires. He travels a lot. Did I mention he travels a lot?

Ok I think that''s about enough for now. You must be terribly bored! I''ll come back later with more if you want. Also feel free to ask any questions. I don''t mind.

 

[Linda W]

Oh my gosh Michelle what an interesting life you have had. I Love how you met your hubby, I just love it!! How awesome that you both played the clarinet together.

You are not older then dirt, I am older then dirt HA.


What are your favorite foods? How did you get into collecting your beautiful jewelry? I love your collections.


Linda
xoxoxox

 

[coatimundi_org]

Oh Michelle--I am so excited to read about you! I''m so glad Kaleigh started this thread, because I have enjoyed your posts since I joined ps. I love reading about your background--your upbringing, and your musical talent! I love the clarinet. Who are some of your favorite composers/musicians?

I love how you and your hubby met, and that you guys would get tanked and jam!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/21/2009 2:48:35 PM
Author: Linda W
Oh my gosh Michelle what an interesting life you have had. I Love how you met your hubby, I just love it!! How awesome that you both played the clarinet together.

You are not older then dirt, I am older then dirt HA.


What are your favorite foods? How did you get into collecting your beautiful jewelry? I love your collections.


Linda
xoxoxox

Thanks Linda! Hmm....food.......now that''s another long story, LOL. I used to love everything carby and starchy and had the weight to prove it!

Hubby too. 6 years ago we made the decision to go low carb and haven''t looked back. Hubby lost over 50 lbs and I lost around 35. We don''t cheat so I haven''t had sugar or white flower or potatoes in 6 years[except once] and I don''t miss it! Actually we were in Hawaii a couple years ago and I was offered a free pina colada at the pool. Foolishly I took it not realizing the amount of sugar it had and boy oh boy was I sick the entire next day. I will never eat anything that has sugar again. There are low carb candies on the market and I also make a fantastic low carb pumpkin pie or cheesecake if we feel the need for something sweet. But once you are off of sugar you really don''t feel the need for sweets anymore. Our desserts these days are mainly sugar free cappuccinos or latte macchiatos. A little squirt of heavy whipped cream and yum!

Hubby has kept the weight off and I was doing good too until last year when I had my mini stroke and the following issues. The medications I''ve been on have added 13 lbs that no matter what I do I can''t get off. Grrrrrr, so very frustrating!

As far as my jewelry goes, I guess my hubby learned early on that I didn''t want any gifts withs cords unless asked for specifically and he could never lose if he gave me jewelry. I have this weird thing that all my jewelry has too match stone wise. It bugs me if my earrings aren''t the same gem as my pendant or RHR or bracelet. It doesn''t bother me if they are different cuts or even different gold colors as long as the stones are the same. That''s why I try and have matching sets. Just something crazy about myself, LOL!

I''m still working on the blue sapphire suite and the tsav suite and the aqua suite. I do have a gorgeous sapphire suite that hubby bought me years ago, earrings, bracelet, multi-stone pendant, ring, etc. but they are very dark, almost black. Now since discovering PS we''re working on a new sapphire suite. PS gets me in trouble every time!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/21/2009 3:12:53 PM
Author: coatimundi
Oh Michelle--I am so excited to read about you! I''m so glad Kaleigh started this thread, because I have enjoyed your posts since I joined ps. I love reading about your background--your upbringing, and your musical talent! I love the clarinet. Who are some of your favorite composers/musicians?

I love how you and your hubby met, and that you guys would get tanked and jam!

LOL, coatie, yeah there''s something to be said for getting tanked and getting a good jam on!

My favorite composers are Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Mahler, Mussorgsky and Copland. Gotta love those Russian composers, well not Copland and Mahler, LOL.

My hobbies are quilting, genealogy and gardening. My favorite color is cobalt blue and I have a cobalt glass collection to go along with that. I''m a not so secret reality tv junky. The trashier the better! I''ll watch anything but I can only get my hubby to watch Idol, Survivor and Amazing Race. I''m on my own for the rest. Thank goodness for our two DVRs, LOL!

I''m in a holding pattern right now with my health. A year ago yesterday I had a mini stroke while my hubby was on a business trip to Japan. Thank goodness my daughter was home to get me to the hospital. They found a hole and an aneurism in the wall between the atrial chambers of my heart. The hole allowed unfiltered blood to circulate to my brain. Something that I have had my entire life. Apparently they get larger as you age and I had a clot go through which caused the stroke. Does anyone remember Tedy Bruschi, the football player? He had the exact same thing when he had his stroke. I had a device implanted in my heart to try and close the hole but as of October it was still open. So everyone, please send dust that come April 15th the hole is closed or I may have to have another device implanted on top of the first or open heart surgery to close it once and for all.

Whew, after all that I think I just may have to go break open the wine. Hmmm, maybe a jam session is in order, LOL!

 

[miraclesrule]

Wow Catmom, 6 years with no sugar!

That''s unbelievable. I am so envious. Both you and your hubby must have the willpower of saints.

I love reading about you. I think we were born on the same day, so I feel a certain affinity for you.

 

[Skippy123]

Catmom, you are not dirt old and I can honestly say you look gorgeous (I met Catmom irl) and you look young for sure!!! I agree you have a fabulous collection and you are just a warm person!!! Wow, it was great reading about you. I loved how you and hubby met; do you go to the Symphony for fun? That is really neat how your parents met.

Wow, how inspiring about you two losing weight too! Sounds like you are such a great support for each other! You look great. I love blue too!! haha to trashy reality tv. Are you keeping up with the Bachelor?

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/21/2009 5:03:50 PM
Author: miraclesrule
Wow Catmom, 6 years with no sugar!

That''s unbelievable. I am so envious. Both you and your hubby must have the willpower of saints.

I love reading about you. I think we were born on the same day, so I feel a certain affinity for you.

Thanks my birthday twin!!! I just read your WW thread and you are a beautiful woman inside and out!!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/21/2009 5:51:24 PM
Author: Skippy123
Catmom, you are not dirt old and I can honestly say you look gorgeous (I met Catmom irl) and you look young for sure!!! I agree you have a fabulous collection and you are just a warm person!!! Wow, it was great reading about you. I loved how you and hubby met; do you go to the Symphony for fun? That is really neat how your parents met.

Wow, how inspiring about you two losing weight too! Sounds like you are such a great support for each other! You look great. I love blue too!! haha to trashy reality tv. Are you keeping up with the Bachelor?

Aw thanks Steph, but if you want to talk about being gorgeous it''s certainly you! You are the most nicest person I have ever met. I don''t know about looking young. Here''s a pic of us in Hawaii doing our tourist thing. Judge for yourselves everyone!

We used to go to concerts all the time but not so much any more. Hubby travels too much right now although he''s counting down the days until retirement and then watch out! I''m most certainly keeping up on the bachelor. Can you believe the rumors that are going around? I really hope they are not true.

One other fact I forgot before is my name is CatMom because I am owned by 5 indoor cats. Plus I belong to an organization in our county called Spay & Stay and I am a registered caretaker for this organization. I am responsible for feeding and sheltering a feral cat colony along with catching any of these cats so that they can be seen by vets, given shots, spayed or neutered and microchipped. They are microchipped so that if they are ever picked up by animal control we are called and they are returned to us. This is a very successful program and my own colony has been reduced from a high of 12-13 cats at one point to a total of 5 cats today. I think over the years I have fostered and placed over 100 kittens not counting the ones that went into my house, LOL! And the very best news is that the last of my females was spayed last year so no more kittens for my colony. Hallelujah!!!!!

 

[miraclesrule]

MEOW!!!

You two are HAUTE!!

 

[Kaleigh]

You put the G in gorgeous!! I loved reading about you, how you met your handsome hubby. I didn''t know how talented you were with the clarinet. You are a hottie!!!!

 

[Catmom]

Aww thanks for saying that miraclesrule and Kaleigh!!! I don''t feel so much like a hottie any more. Is there such a thing as a hot grannie?

 

[Lorelei]

M, you look great!! Thank you so much for everything you do to help cats too!! You do good work

 

[Linda W]

Michelle,

You and your hubby are adorable!! Yes, you are a hottie!!!!!

I have to hand it to you both... staying away from potatoes, I don''t know if I could do that!!!!!


I am so sorry for your health issues and I pray you won''t need another surgery.


Linda
xoxoxoxoxo

 

[Definitely. Maybe]

Yay! I was so excited when I saw this thread for you! I have loved reading your posts and I love, love, love that yellow diamond of yours!

Your life seems so interesting and exciting!

So, is your mom French? If so do you speak French or any other languages?- I LOVE France. I went in March 08 and then went back there from September 08- November 08.

Do you get to travel often with your husband when he goes on business trips?- I love traveling and have always wanted a job with a lot of traveling.

PS. I hope the rumors about the bachelor aren''t true either.

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/22/2009 1:51:37 PM
Author: Lorelei
M, you look great!! Thank you so much for everything you do to help cats too!! You do good work

Thank Lorelei! I have one female, actually the matriarch of my feral colony that has become very friendly and will often come into my house when I open the door. She likes to sneak bites of my cat''s food and run back out as fast as she can. She been in my colony for at least 7 years now and just lately has been coming in to get petted instead of stealing food. This morning I was petting her and she was rubbibg away when she started making this wierd noise that at first I couldn''t define. After a few minutes I realized she was purring her fool head off, the first time I have ever heard her purr in 7 years.

Hy hubby thinks that there''s going to come a day when she just refuses to go back outside and I''ll be CatMom of 6 instead of 5.

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/22/2009 2:50:42 PM
Author: Linda W
Michelle,

You and your hubby are adorable!! Yes, you are a hottie!!!!!

I have to hand it to you both... staying away from potatoes, I don''t know if I could do that!!!!!


I am so sorry for your health issues and I pray you won''t need another surgery.


Linda
xoxoxoxoxo

Thanks Linda!! I don''t have a problem with potatoes, it''s the Cinnabon buns that get to me every time. I hate going to the airport or to the mall and as soon as you walk into the door that''s what you smell.

Last Christmas my daughter surprised me on Christmas morning with home made low carb cinnamon buns. Oh they were so good!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/22/2009 11:55:07 PM
Author: Definitely, Maybe
Yay! I was so excited when I saw this thread for you! I have loved reading your posts and I love, love, love that yellow diamond of yours!

Your life seems so interesting and exciting!

So, is your mom French? If so do you speak French or any other languages?- I LOVE France. I went in March 08 and then went back there from September 08- November 08.

Do you get to travel often with your husband when he goes on business trips?- I love traveling and have always wanted a job with a lot of traveling.

PS. I hope the rumors about the bachelor aren''t true either.

Aww thanks DM, you are so sweet! Yes, my Mom was French and an only child. When she came to this country she spoke no English but quickly learned. She did always have an accent though. After my grandfather died my grandmother would come over from France and spend the summers with us. She also spoke no English and did not want to learn. She had a very hard time when she was here because not only did she speak no English, she didn''t like or appreciate the American ways. She always thought my sisters and I were little heathens. Goodness gracious when we we were hungry we would run and get a snack or make lunch without asking permission! How terrible of us!!!

So she hated being here and she was very lonely back in France. Sadly she ended up committing suicide. I think she felt like she didn''t fit anywhere anymore.

I took 4 years of high school french and 3 years of college french but was never a great conversationalist. I''ve been to several countries with my husband on business trips including France, England, the Netherlands, and Japan. The next time he goes to Korea I am going to try and tag along. I hear there''s some great shopping there!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/23/2009 12:09:08 PM
Author: Catmom

Date: 2/22/2009 1:51:37 PM
Author: Lorelei
M, you look great!! Thank you so much for everything you do to help cats too!! You do good work

Thank Lorelei! I have one female, actually the matriarch of my feral colony that has become very friendly and will often come into my house when I open the door. She likes to sneak bites of my cat''s food and run back out as fast as she can. She been in my colony for at least 7 years now and just lately has been coming in to get petted instead of stealing food. This morning I was petting her and she was rubbibg away when she started making this wierd noise that at first I couldn''t define. After a few minutes I realized she was purring her fool head off, the first time I have ever heard her purr in 7 years.

Hy hubby thinks that there''s going to come a day when she just refuses to go back outside and I''ll be CatMom of 6 instead of 5.

Oh bless her!!!

I have tamed a wild cat, it took a long time, you couldn''t even glance in his direction at first but now he loves being fussed, he is such a darling! I bet you will be CatMom of 6 very soon....

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/23/2009 12:48:16 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/23/2009 12:09:08 PM
Author: Catmom

Date: 2/22/2009 1:51:37 PM
Author: Lorelei
M, you look great!! Thank you so much for everything you do to help cats too!! You do good work

Thank Lorelei! I have one female, actually the matriarch of my feral colony that has become very friendly and will often come into my house when I open the door. She likes to sneak bites of my cat''s food and run back out as fast as she can. She been in my colony for at least 7 years now and just lately has been coming in to get petted instead of stealing food. This morning I was petting her and she was rubbibg away when she started making this wierd noise that at first I couldn''t define. After a few minutes I realized she was purring her fool head off, the first time I have ever heard her purr in 7 years.

Hy hubby thinks that there''s going to come a day when she just refuses to go back outside and I''ll be CatMom of 6 instead of 5.

Oh bless her!!!

I have tamed a wild cat, it took a long time, you couldn''t even glance in his direction at first but now he loves being fussed, he is such a darling! I bet you will be CatMom of 6 very soon....

Oh Lord, please NO! I already live in a zoo. 5 cats, 2 parrots, a ferret, a bearded dragon lizard and a tortoise. I def. don''t NEED another cat.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/23/2009 2:04:33 PM
Author: Catmom

Date: 2/23/2009 12:48:16 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/23/2009 12:09:08 PM
Author: Catmom

Date: 2/22/2009 1:51:37 PM
Author: Lorelei
M, you look great!! Thank you so much for everything you do to help cats too!! You do good work

Thank Lorelei! I have one female, actually the matriarch of my feral colony that has become very friendly and will often come into my house when I open the door. She likes to sneak bites of my cat''s food and run back out as fast as she can. She been in my colony for at least 7 years now and just lately has been coming in to get petted instead of stealing food. This morning I was petting her and she was rubbibg away when she started making this wierd noise that at first I couldn''t define. After a few minutes I realized she was purring her fool head off, the first time I have ever heard her purr in 7 years.

Hy hubby thinks that there''s going to come a day when she just refuses to go back outside and I''ll be CatMom of 6 instead of 5.

Oh bless her!!!

I have tamed a wild cat, it took a long time, you couldn''t even glance in his direction at first but now he loves being fussed, he is such a darling! I bet you will be CatMom of 6 very soon....

Oh Lord, please NO! I already live in a zoo. 5 cats, 2 parrots, a ferret, a bearded dragon lizard and a tortoise. I def. don''t NEED another cat.

Thats what I always say but they keep a'' comin!!!

Oh you have a little fezzie, I LOVE ferrets!!!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 2/23/2009 2:09:14 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/23/2009 2:04:33 PM
Author: Catmom

Date: 2/23/2009 12:48:16 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/23/2009 12:09:08 PM
Author: Catmom

Date: 2/22/2009 1:51:37 PM
Author: Lorelei
M, you look great!! Thank you so much for everything you do to help cats too!! You do good work

Thank Lorelei! I have one female, actually the matriarch of my feral colony that has become very friendly and will often come into my house when I open the door. She likes to sneak bites of my cat''s food and run back out as fast as she can. She been in my colony for at least 7 years now and just lately has been coming in to get petted instead of stealing food. This morning I was petting her and she was rubbibg away when she started making this wierd noise that at first I couldn''t define. After a few minutes I realized she was purring her fool head off, the first time I have ever heard her purr in 7 years.

Hy hubby thinks that there''s going to come a day when she just refuses to go back outside and I''ll be CatMom of 6 instead of 5.

Oh bless her!!!

I have tamed a wild cat, it took a long time, you couldn''t even glance in his direction at first but now he loves being fussed, he is such a darling! I bet you will be CatMom of 6 very soon....

Oh Lord, please NO! I already live in a zoo. 5 cats, 2 parrots, a ferret, a bearded dragon lizard and a tortoise. I def. don''t NEED another cat.

Thats what I always say but they keep a'' comin!!!

Oh you have a little fezzie, I LOVE ferrets!!!

He actually is my son''s. We started calling him the rat after my son brought him home and the name has stuck. I never really thought that ferrets could have personalilties before but this one is a riot. He''s kinda grown on us so much so that when my hubby is working at home he lets him out in his office and they play all day long.

Here is a picture of the rat after a hard days work with my hubby.

 

[Lorelei]

Oh he is adorable!!!!

 

[Definitely. Maybe]

aww I used to have a ferret. They sure are a lot of work... well, at least they were for me when I was little and constantly having to clean its cage.

 

[Linda W]

Michelle, your ferret is so cute. My neighbor down the street has 4 of them. They are so cute. She got them as babies. She actually has a house for them out of cages. She sews little pouches for them that they sleep in. She has made them for every holiday, it is a riot.

She has them for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. it cracks me up. If I go over there, they poke their nose out of the pouch and greet me. They are so cute.