cat toys ~ playlist

Sitting around on tissue paper and watching a cat toy spun by his human companion -- two old pleasures combined a couple of evenings ago.

Don't forget the free Chopin recital and talk by pianist Brian Ganz tomorrow at Sundays At Three here in Columbia.

I started to post last night, but a waiting cat was looming out of the corner of my eye. This morning there was to be a return to the vet for an ultrasound to see if the cancer is in an especially dangerous area -- the spleen -- however, I canceled after learning late yesterday that Ollie should go without food starting the evening before the appointment. I don't want to put him through that again. Let's see what we can do about the ultrasound and the spleen later. He's looking fine now and continues to eat and be active. Friends and neighbors, many with cat care experience, have been helping and offering support. In addition to that, last week I found another network of cat lovers, some with lots of experience taking care of cats with various cancers. Their stories and advice on how to know "when it's time" have been a great comfort and help. Some of them might be looking here at pictures of Ollie, so thanks for looking and just click on the "Ollie is your host" label if you just want to see posts with his photos. Clicking on a photo will get a larger view.

I'm making it to a concert now and then. It seems that with Ollie in his current condition and the need to be around to administer medicine with food in the morning and late afternoon or early evening, I'm more comfortable with going to afternoon events rather than evening.

Some recent listening at home:

~~ works for viola and orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams and John McEwen (1868-1948). A new release from Hyperion with violist Lawrence Power and Martyn Brabbins conducting the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales.
~~ Symphonies and Overtures by Franz Berwald (Swedish, 1796-1868). Roy Goodman conducts the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra on Hyperion Dyad (1995).
~~ The Capricorn ensemble plays Glinka's Grand Sextet and Rimsky-Korsakov's Piano and Wind Quintet on Hyperion's budget reissue label, Helios (1984/2004).
~~ All three of Tchaikovsky's piano concertos and his Concert Fantasy. Pletnev with Fedoseyev and the Philharmonia on Virgin Classics (1991/1998).
~~ Camerata Bariloche (the Chamber Orchestra of Argentina) play music by Astor Piazzolla, Jose Bragato and Rodolfo Arizaga on the "Tango!" album in the Dorian label's Music of Latin American Masters series (1994).