Rufus

Well, I rescued the second kitten off the street.  There were/are a total of three that are friendly with me, I rescued Oreo a few days ago, and now Rufus yesterday, with one more to go.  I cannot get her until I can find foster or adoption homes for Midnight, Oreo and Rufus.  I am at my highest max in rescuing cats now.  Rufus has severe upper respiratory infection and his mama, Emma, has not been around for a few days now, so I decided it was high time I got Rufus outta there.  Poor little guy.  And he is not the easiest to give pills to for his sickness.  He hides under the bed - I believe if cats are born outdoors, they will forever be somewhat scared.  My Cinnamon and Sugar were born to a feral mom in a friend's garage nearly 14 years ago, and are still scared when someone new comes in the house. Nevertheless, Rufus is adorable, about 5 mos old, and I promise to get a picture of him soon to post here.  Its getting cold out, and I spent the past two weekend mornings getting my spots somewhat 'winterized'.  I got a note last week about towels vs. straw, and wanted to comment.  Some of my shelter are so rickety, that snow gets in them.  The straw would get wet, and I would have to keep replacing that.  At least the towels are somewhat warm and for sure they are dry when I put them down, so I have to do whats best for the location.  I would love to use straw for all, but its not always feasible depending on how bad the shelter is, and I don't have many good ones. 

The picture attached is of my Boris.  I rescued Boris around six years ago behind Lorraine's restaurant on Culver near Main Street.  It was around 5 below in the winter.  I was feeding cats behind the restaurant under a service truck, and only had a box with blankets for the cats to keep warm.  He came around for a week straight, and started to rub against me, and thats when I knew I had to get him out of there.  When I got him home, his belly was completely hairless, and I thought that he might be a lost cat and had just had surgery or something there.  I didn't know cats can lick their fur right off if they have 'issues'!  Anyways, after sending pictures of him to all the vets in the area, I knew he was mine.  After having him checked out at my vet, he turned out to be positive for FIV, its like AIDS in cats.  His immune system is low, and the most likely way it would spread to another cat is through a severe bite wound.  But, thank the Lord he has been a good brother to his fellow sisters and brothers in the house and there has never been too much of a fight between them.  He is such a good boy.  I love my Boris.

Will Wonders Never Cease?

Wow, I am still amazed sitting here as I begin to write this.  I just had an encounter that made me almost weep.  It re-inspired me to think that some mean people might not be as mean as you think they are.   The woman who has been nasty the past few mornings going past me while walking her daughter somewhere as I am at my second to last stop under the tree feeding all these cats, the same corner where I've rescued seven cats in the past two months, was there again this morning.  She has made it clear she I shouldn't be feeding the cats, and you could cut the feel of hatred toward me with a knife.  Read the past few days and you will know what this is about.  Anyways, I am bent over, thinking I had missed her because I was a little late, and all the sudden, I hear "excuse me", and I jumped up, and she was standing there.  She said "I just want to apologize for the way I've been acting toward you, I am a Christian woman and thats not how Christian's act, and I think what you are doing is a good thing".  I was BLOWN OVER.  Apparently what I said to her yesterday as she was walking away about compassion, and teaching her child that, must have resonated in her.  I reached out for her hand and held it and said "thank you".  After speaking a few more words about what I was doing and how I needed to find shelter for the remaining cats there, we introduced ourselves and hopefully she will help me find a shelter for their food before the really bad weather comes.  I am just so inspired by that.

At my other locations, I placed some worn and broken little cat carriers down with blankets inside them at a couple spots.  Big Red is now injured on his paw.  I've got to do something.

I am on vacation from work today and plan on getting lots done around the house.  Have yourself a WONDERFUL day!

Riders on the Storm...

The Doors.  LOVE THIS SONG.  This song is in the top five of my favorite songs ever.  Its quite fitting for this weather too.  It hasn't stopped in days now.  Its so miserable.  The kitties that I can pet while they are gobbling the food I just put down for them, their fur is soaked.  People say they go find safe warm spots, but I don't believe that for all them.  Some of them either don't have a safe warm dry spot to go to, or they don't know how to find one.  The older kitten I rescued yesterday morning hid under the bed all day until I got home, and slid the bed away from the wall, and picked him up.  He was frightened to death, you can tell he has never been in a house before, nor has he ever used a litter box, after discovering a very damp spot on my bed!  Change of the bedsheets later, and a few times of plopping him in the litter box and showing him with his paws to scratch, he finally used the box overnight.  Yay!  I keep saying HE, its a SHE!  I don't have a name for her either, so much think of one or I will keep calling her a he.  I now have her purring in a ball in my lap.  She really is a sweet little one, very pretty black and white.  I keep telling her how lucky she is.  The spot I got her from , only two showed up this morning.  One was the smaller kitten that I plan on getting tomorrow, the other is older, but allows me to pet it also.  SO many sweet kitties out there.  Someone suggested I should post their pictures on here, so I must figure out a way, in hopes of someone wanting to foster these babies, so I can keep rescuing!  If anyone is familiar with blogs, I would love to know if I can add a sidebar of pictures that would stay there for each new post I do.  

Yes, I had many wet towels this morning.  Its getting to be that time again where I will be doing daily laundry with wet and dirty and frozen towels.  My washer and dryer are ready to bite the dust.  Large wet towels are very hard to carry into the house from the car, especially when you have like 10 of them.  But as long as I have my health, I carry on.  and on.  and on!

Rain in Spain...

"Happy are they who bear their share of the world's pain: in the long run they will know more happiness than those who avoid it."  Jesus (J.B. Phillips translation)

I just love that.  Thank you Jessica for sharing it with me.  I also want to thank your Mom for her donation of all that wet food.  I use 12 cans each day, so I am so grateful for her donation!

I ran into the very ignorant mother again this morning.  Somehow we got on the same schedule that she walks her daughter somewhere, and I am feeding the cats under the tree.  I picked up a little guy this morning from there, I am determined to get most from that corner.  There is NO shelter.  I had to feed them in the pouring rain.  The little guy is in the forefront of the picture posted, black and white.  I will try to rescue the other brown tabby kitten tomorrow.  I must get these young ones out of there.  This woman - I don't know what she said when I said 'goodmorning' to her, but we both went at it again.  She said something about not feeding the cats, and I yelled after her she should be teaching her daughter about compassion, and I said THIS is compassion!  Of course she said to mind my own business, I am sure I set her off, but if she would only give me a few minutes to educate her.  I told her I had just taken another from this corner.  I would love to tell her she can use my trap or carrier to get a few and take them herself to the 'pound', because its HER street, and HER problem!  I am just there to relieve their suffering a little bit, by not allowing them to starve to death.  If anyone can foster one of these beautiful creatures of God, I promise you we will find them a home, they just need a temporary home immediately!

The other picture is of Big Red, at another stop I make.  I've been feeding him for years, and he has been sick and injured for years.  I should have relieved his suffering a long time ago, but he continues to rub against my leg while waiting for his food, so that's a hard decision to make. 

I haven't told you, but Saturday morning, at one of my spots, I saw a red and white kitty come up very hungry for food.  A bit skittish, but allowed me to touch his neck while he ate.  I then noticed his tail looked odd in the dark, so shined my flashlight on him and it looked like most of his tail had been severed and the remaining tail skinned.  I looked at his behind and it looked a mess.  I immediately got my carrier, and was able to grab him and place him in it, drive the the Emergency Clinic, and asked that he be euthanized.  This was very very hard for me to do.  This cat had to be suffering with these injuries, and I am thankful for the vet telling me that this cat would thank me if he could.  I was devastated.  But so thankful that this cat came up to me.  It would have suffered greatly if I had not been there for him.  There are times when this kind of action is necessary, and I challenge anyone who disagrees.

Ignorance

I was infuriated after I left my second to last stop on Grand this morning.  I took a picture of the EIGHT cats there, two kittens are included in that number.   I feed them under a tree.  I have rescued at least six there in the past two months.  Now I took Miss B out for a fish fry last Friday, and wound up picking her up about three houses down from where she used to live - she had been visiting an old neighbor, took the bus from the Women's shelter where she is still residing since being illegally thrown out of her rental house.  Anyways, when I knocked on the door, an older gentleman who was blind in one eye answered the door.  Seemed like a nice man, I shook his hand, introduced himself, half joked if he cared to join us.  He didn't, but I told him maybe the next time.  Anyways, I had it in my head that just maybe he would consider me leaving a lean to against his house for the cats to shelter their food at least, so I was sitting writing him a note after feeding on the corner, and drove to his house, started to get out of the car and this woman and her teenage daughter came out of the other door of the house (2 units), and said to me, are you the one who keeps feeding the cats?  I said YES, I AM proudly.  She said I was causing all kinds of problems with these cats in her neighborhood and I wasn't helping one bit.  That the 'pound' should come take them.  I went on a rant - a respective rant - but nonetheless a rant about its not as easy as it sounds, and that the 'pound' is not going to do anything about them.  There are too many.  She started to scuffle off with her daughter, muttering that she would call the 'pound', and I told her she should, and that she needs to start taking care of her own neighborhood!  What she didn't know I mean't was that it should be a neighborhood collaborative and they should be handling these strays together, humanely.  What she was teaching her daughter was certainly not compassion for animals.  Just ignorance, and a hate for people like me helping animals.  I just wanted to shake her.  I don't know how much luck I will have now with this elderly gentleman Wally, and him helping me to shelter these cats for the winter.  I am just beside myself with this situation.  Its my only feeding place I have no shelter for these cats.  Wish I had some suggestions!

The Star Thrower

I met a young girl in Bushnells's Basin yesterday evening which was midpoint between her home in Farmington and mine, who read my blog and wanted to donate to me.  This girl sent me this note afterwards telling me how nice it was to meet me.  She had donated a ton of wet canned food for the cats.  I can't tell you how much that touched my heart.  She can't drive due to a medical condition so she had her father drive her.  I am just amazed at the thoughtfulness of this young girl, and in awe of how strangers can do the most amazing things for each other.  She sent this to me and said she wished there were more star throwers like me in the world.  It just touched my heart and I am happy to share it with you:

The Starfish Story


Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."


I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!"


Loren Eiseley was both a scientist and a poet, and to this day his writing is the subject of much discussion and inspiration. In this story he is the "wise man" touched by the innocence and determination of another soul.

"The Star Thrower" is a classic story of the power within each one of us to make a difference in the lives of others. And though it has appeared in many forms (sometimes it's a native american man who is throwing the starfish into the sea, sometimes it's a grandfather, or a young girl or boy) it is none the less a powerful reminder that we should be here for each other, and to seek to help, even in small ways, whenever we can.

In such turbulent times as these, when we may feel alone and small and unable to make any lasting changes we may find ourselves asking "What can I do that will make a difference?" or "What can one small person like me do?"

In reality we don't have to be rich, talented or even particularly intelligent to make a difference in the life of another. We just need to remember that we ARE here for a purpose, and that making small changes in the world eventually add up to something bigger in the life of another.

When we become throwers of the stars, we too, have the power to change the world.

TGIF!!!

Whew!  Whatta week!  Today at work we are moving to a new location, so I have very little time to do my post as I must continue to pack all my stuff!  Its amazing what you accumulate at home AND the office.  Quickly though, it was wet and dull morning.  No bodies!  No anyone for that matter!  Its very quiet out there at that time of day (Mom....) - all the bad people are sleeping.  I must find homes for the five kittens that are at the corner of Grand and Stout.  They have NO SHELTER where they are.  I feed them under a tree.  There are no abandoned houses around to place shelter for them.  And the folks near that corner HATE cats.  Thats why I wish Miss B. still lived there.  They are precious little things.  Also Rufus on Hayward.  His mama has flown the coop to Garson, one street over, and he is all alone.  This morning he nuzzled me under the neck while I held him.  He is about five months old, black and white.

I am going to try to move some shelters around this weekend, make them a little more weatherproof.  I pray they stay where they are and no one moves them.  Hooligans, or the owners of the abandonded properties.  I wish they understood the importance of having a warm dry place for these animals to nestle in.  To keep their food dry.  Its a sin when someone ruins a perfectly good shelter I set up.  Its not like its in plain view to everyone.  They need this, and I pray my shelters stay for the winter.    If anyone has time to build little boxes for me it would be GREAT!  I need plenty to place for the 40-50 or so I feed!

Never EVER a Dull Moment

Wow, do I have stories, or do I have stories.  First off, I sat on my couch this morning, sipping my vanilla flavored Starbuck's coffee that I had just brewed - I indulge myself occasionally - looking out the window and watching it downpour with rain and lightning, along with listening to the thunder just moments after the lightning, thinking to myself, well, I'll wait another few minutes. I did that for half an hour, but it just kept coming.  I finally went out - it was still pouring - at 5:30 - knowing I was going to be soaked again another morning.  Luckily, as I started to drive down the already flooded streets, the rain started to let up a bit, so I was somewhat relieved. 

There were all the normal things this morning, the soaked and dripping wet towels I had to pick up and replace with dry ones, and the bowls I placed down the day before had to be replaced due to the winds we also experienced along with the all day and night rains...  It started off just being a normally quiet morning until I was going to my second to last stop when I saw a body in the road.  As I sat there in my car at the corner, disbelieving what I was seeing, I saw some people surround the body and it looked like they were struggling and trying to pick up the body to move it.  I then shoved my hand in my very wet pocket looking for my phone, and immediately dialed 911.  I started to choke up as I told the dispatcher that the body looked lifeless, and that these people were trying to move it.  I told her my location and name, all the while choking up - now I don't know about you, but when I see a lifeless body on a wet street face down, its pretty emotional.  And here I work at a hospital.  Anyways, so then after a minute or two, I started to drive toward the already moving body being carried away from me - and now I could make out who was carrying.  A woman about my age, and two young kids.   I opened my window and said 'whats going on' and she said it was her daughter and she had had a seizure.  She - the body - was still completely lifeless.  Here was her mother and younger siblings quietly and calmly carrying this girls body home.  It was surreal.  Finally, after what seemed like 10 minutes, I heard sirens.  As the police arrived, and I again choked up explaining what happened, and which house these people were going into.  I think I am just a super emotional person these days!  Anyways, I am assuming the girl was OK, I saw a few ambulances pull up.  For a split second, after knowing it wasn't a shooting, I felt almost guilty for calling the police.  Remember, just for a split second I felt guilty.  I had all these police and rescue vehicles out just for a call I made.  But then I realized that it could have turned out really bad, where the girl did actually die, or it could have been a shooting.  So I guess I did do the right thing!  But boy, that was some crazy stuff to see in the wee hours of the morning!

Judge Schwartz Letter

In reference to the earlier post from this morning, I thought I would repost the letter I wrote to the judge on behalf of the dog that was starved to death in this woman's garage.  The woman who did it, Love Jackson, no longer resides where Daisy now does.  I just wanted to share this with you, to show you that I tried, on behalf of the dog.

Honorable John R. Schwartz

Rochester City Court
99 Exchange Boulevard
Rochester, NY 14614

Dear Judge Schwartz,

I would like to re-introduce myself to you as I was one of the spectators involved in a recent animal cruelty case that you presided over, both in the April pre-trial process and the trial on July 27, 2010, the Love Jackson starvation case. You made a great impression on me seeing your sincere interest toward the people involved in bringing charges. Those who took the time to unmask this kind of cruelty, and actively did something about this kind of tragedy. I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with you that July day and sincerely appreciated your advice that you would read and consider any additional information that came after that trial date. As you explained, you could not read my letter attached to the petition until after that trial procedure.

This letter further elaborates my deep concern for animals that are abused. My love of animals stems from an early age when my grandparents and parents taught me how to love, treat and respect animals. My grandfather, Bill McCann, was very much involved in Rochester's political scene in the 1960s, one position was a personal assistant to Rochester's Police Commissioner. He ran for Sheriff taking on Sheriff Skinner. Unfortunately, he did not win the election. He, personally had many pets, even taking in orphaned cats. He was my mentor.

Over these past years I have assumed the task of seeking our feral cats, feeding them, giving them the necessary medical care and finding good homes as much as my position allows. My work has evolved into setting up a blog site.- http://thebean10.blogspot.com -to make this plight known to a large population.

As any large city, Rochester has a major problem with homeless and abused animals, and people with an indifference to what animal's rights should be. With this Jackson case, I saw our judicial system work and it energized me to continue with my goals to bring animal cruelty to the forefront.

With this letter, it is my sincerest request that you give the person who brutally abused God's creatures in such an inhumane and unjust manner, Ms. Jackson the fullest sentence to the extent the law allows. In addition to her jail sentence, we should set a precedence to assign parole-like work to continue after her time served, to work in an animal shelter under strict guidance where hopefully she would find remorse and compassion for the animals in her care.

I am most grateful for the time you took to read this letter and I hope you will give my requests serious consideration prior to Ms. Jackson’s sentencing on August 27th. At present the law considers this degree of abuse a misdemeanor. Life, be it animal or human, deserves respect, kindness, compassion and love.

Thank you.

Soaked to the Bone

I just started probably the best post in a long time, and for some reason, I deleted it by mistake.  Second time is not always the charm, but I will attempt to remember what I said:  It was a morning from hell (no, I am kidding, I didn't start out like that)  As I left the house this morning at 5:10, I heard the rumbling of thunder and the lightening had lit up the sky.  At 5:20, when I made my way to the first stop (I reversed my route this morning because the last two stops have no shelters and I feed the cats under trees) to get the cats fed before the rains came, it was too late.  It started to pour.  And picture this, its lightening wildly now.  The kitties were no where to be seen.  I managed to place a plate of dry food down on the top step of Miss B's old house (where no one is living at the moment) where its dry, and I do hope they find it.  Otherwise, they are going to be very hungry today.  Its terrible.  I thought I found some shelter for the one corner yesterday morning, but I discovered it looks like someones does live in this - what I though was - abandoned house just down from this corner.  This is why I am desperately trying to find homes for these cats at this corner, because it will be impossible to feed them when the snow comes.  Anyways, onto the next stops, where in the end, I was completely soaked.  Everything, top to bottom.  I compare this kind of weather to a snowstorm, which I go out into also - except in the snowstorm, its more physical exertion because you have to trudge through the snow, which is harder, then trudging through the water and mud.  Both situations are just plain bad.  On a brighter note, I forgot to mention another out-of-the-ordinary situation that occured this weekend while out on my route.  At one of my more scarier feeding spots, there is a house on the corner, a house that used to house the devil.  Its where this person lived and starved her dog to death in February, 2010 in the garage behind her house.  I went to court for the dog, and I also wrote a letter to the judge about it to spare her no leniency.  Turned out she was spared with sentencing of community service - to work at an animal shelter, but apparently this evil person has also moved since then, because out of the house on Sunday morning walked a woman.  I backed my car up - in the dark of course - and attempted to just make conversation with her to find out if she knows anything about the cats around there.  She did, she said she feeds them too.  Turns out her name is Daisy, she has dogs, hamsters, fish, etc. and loves animals.  I blessed her, told her what a great person she is.  She told me that where I feed - under a porch a few doors down from her house on the corner, the guy that lives there doesn't mind.  I asked her to confirm it with him.  I hope she does and I hope he is OK with it.  Its a very bad street if you go there in the daytime.  Scarey, really.  But its quiet and calm at 5:30 am.  It just goes to show you, even where evil used to reside, good can overcome it.  I am so thankful that this animal loving person named Daisy lives there!

I am Losing It...

This is why I need a recorder.  I forgot to mention some highlights to my normally very dull daily early morning routine this past weekend.  First on Friday morning, there I was getting out of my car on Central to feed the ... three, no, at least six cats (that I can see in the dark), there was a woman walking past, and I spoke out my usual 'good morning!' greeting, but she kept walking.  I watched her and thought, mean...  mean..  mean....  the usual typical female out there in this area that isn't high or asking for money -- but when I got onto the porch, and started to pour down the dry food for the beautiful black and white cats that come right up to me meowing each morning, I saw the woman had stopped and said something like 'oh she is feeding the cats too'.  Well, that was my opportunity to talk to her.  Her name is Loretta, she was a nice black woman who told me she feeds cats too on 4th Street.  Its odd though, either these people are too ignorant to know about cats getting pregnant, or they just ignore it.  If I lived in the 'hood there, I would be trapping cats left and right and getting them fixed.  Then again, its always the transportation and time I have a problem with when it comes to trapping.  So maybe I can understand.  Anyways, I gave Loretta my number and told her to call me if she ever had a cat in need.  She really was a nice lady. 

Sunday morning, as I was going towards Hayward from a sidestreet off of Parsells, I saw two animal figures in the dark moving, and knew they were too big to be cats.  As I got closer, I saw a pit bull and a white german shepard.  I stopped, opened the window, made the kissing sound, and the pit and shepard came galloping over, with the pit climbing up on the side of the car trying to get into the window.  You could tell she was VERY friendly.  The white guy was just kind of circling the car...  I got out and started to pet the both of them.  I was totally bewildered about what to do, so I got out my paper plates and bowls, got the small bag of dog food I keep in my trunk, jug of water, and placed it down for the both of them where they gobbled it right down.  As they were doing this, the pit started to get into my car and wouldn't get out!  He wanted to go with me, whereever I was going!   As all this was happening, I had to tell someone! so I got out my cell and dialed 911.  Just as I was explaining the situation, I said, oh never mind, two patrol cars are just coming toward me!  They stopped, I explained what was happening, and the pit started to go up to the patrol car and try to lick the officer!  The officer loved it, was smiling, petting and talking like a baby to the dog.  But as usual, there is nothing they can do for the, and animal control doesn't come on until 7 am.  By that time, these dogs would either be long gone or hurt or killed.  So, I had to shrug my shoulders, give the little guys a pat (the dogs!), and be on my way.  I went down the street to feed at the next two spots, and wouldn't ya know it, here come Thelma and Louise, all the way down the street!  (yes, that is what I named them that morning).  Of course they scared off my kitties, Red and Emma and Rufus, but at least they didn't eat them, proof of that as I was feeding them Monday morning! 

Well, this morning, guess who was back?  It was the white german shepard running all over the neighborhood - and this time with another dog!  Of course I called 911 and did my duty, but what kind of dog owner allows their dog to roam like that, and no collar to boot!!  I pray they find their way back home. 

Whew!

Whatta weekend!  It was a very busy weekend, with lots of family in from other states for a wedding celebration.  All in all a good time was had, despite the miserable, rainy, gusty winded weather both days.  I had to replace a lot of towels for the babies out there, and a lot of paper bowls, as the wind carried a lot of food bowls away with it.  I will have to get to the dollar store to find some heavier bowls to place down for them.  I was also thinking that I should invest in a flashlight, a heavy duty one.  I have this tiny one, and it would be really helpful to me to see that I am ALONE when I make my way back into the dark places I venture to.  I also want to share that this is spider time of year.  Take a look at the spider I became fast friends with last year when I was feeding on Niagara Street.  Now THATS a Spider! (said in a Paul Hogan voice).  I used to have to pass this big fella each morning, another reason why I need a good flashlight, to see these things, and where they might be lurking!

But I am all into spiders, creepy things, horror movies, etc.  Maybe that's why what I do doesn't scare me as much as it would the next person.  I am used to horribly creepy scary things!  :)  My babies are all doing well, Trouble has not been sick in a while, hopefully thanks to the new food my vet tech told me about.  The recent cat I rescued from Miss B's old 'hood Midnight is a sweet and adorable little black girl with a tiny white tip on the end of her tail.  I must get her adopted.  Also, the two kitties I rescued from there about four weeks ago, the two sisters, one of whom got out of her foster mom's house, and was finally found - her name is Cloe - and then Phoebe, her sister, is being adopted tonight!  Yay!  Thats great news!

All in all, things went well this weekend.  I must get Midnight's picture for everyone.  She is a petite beauty.

There Aren’t Enough Days in the Weekend....

Boy, is that the truth.  I have a family wedding this weekend, and it will take up my entire Saturday, and most likely half of Sunday with the family brunch that morning.  The older you get, the more precious your time becomes.  The more precious relationships become.  You weed out the bad, and cherish the good.  Life goes by so quickly when you get older.  There are so many things you can miss if you don't take the time to just sit and listen.  To just sit and watch.  To just sit, and learn from whatever you are doing.  We mourn the loss of relationships, either if someone passes on to their next life, or if we lose someone because that person doesn't want to be a part of our lives anymore, its all sad.  But if you are in a good place with yourself, its not as bad.  After all, we are all we have, ourselves.  We are our own best friend, and we have to treat ourselves that way.  OK, that was deep.  Lets move on...

My girl Trouble has been getting sick each day after I feed her wet food - Fancy Feast.  She is my uncontrolled diabetes kitty.  She weighs practically nothing.  I have been thinking of her suffering lately, and have contemplated having her euthanized.  She looks like she is suffering half the time.  She lives on my fridge for fear of a few other cats.  So you can imagine what some mornings look like when I get up and she has thrown up from on top of the fridge - its all over.  Splatter.  Everywhere.  Anyways, I called the vets office and sweet Kelly, a technician listened to me and my Trouble frustrations, and suggested we try a special wet food for her, easier on the stomach, and better for cats with diabetes.  I picked it up after work and brought it home, and gave her half the can, and guess what, she loved it, and after I fed her the other half this morning, NO VOMIT.  YAY!  And to think a girl who just works at the vets office could think of that.  I am thrilled, and Trouble seemed just a teeny bit happier this morning!  Have a great weekend!

Thursday

How's that for an exciting title.  I really should change that too, but I am just in a blah blah blah mood these days.  Anyways, it rained over night, and there were a lot of soaking towels, and some wet kitties, but at least I fed them and gave them dry towels to eat on.  I stood at the kitchen sink this morning after I returned, and I was rinsing out the 10 cans I had opened and put in containers for the next morning - I feed that much each day - I thought to myself how easy it would be to just STOP what I am doing.  How I could afford to take a little vacation each year if I didn't spend over $5,000 + to feed these cats.  Thats only the food.  Let alone the extra money I spend neutering them, having some euthanized ( even thats close to $100) if they are very sick, let alone my own brood.  After all, they are suffering as it is, if I stopped, maybe they would find another food source.  Although I know in my heart they couldn't, and I know they would suffer greatly after that.  This is where my head is at lately.  Its getting to me.  But every once in a while, someone comes along, like an e-mail I received this morning from a total stranger who said she had been reading my blog for about a month now, and offered canned cat food to donate to me.  What a wonder.  What a blessing that every once in a while, someone comes along, a total stranger, and out of the goodness of their heart offers something to me to make my days just a little easier.  So, thank you for that.  How wonderful. 

I have a good story for you, a friend shared with me.  To me, its just an enjoyable short story.  I hope you enjoy it too.  Love the quote at the end too.

A great read- (A letter from someone who wants to remain anonymous, who farms, writes well and actually tried this):


I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and transport it home.


I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my rope.  The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes, my deer showed up-- 3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope. The deer just stood there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the end so I would have a good hold..


The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step towards it, it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope .., and then received an education. The first thing that I learned is that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that rope.


That deer EXPLODED. The second thing I learned is that pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some dignity. A deer-- no Chance. That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly as good an idea as I had originally imagined.. The only upside is that they do not have as much stamina as many other animals.


A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the big gash in my head. At that point, I had lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil creature off the end of that rope.


I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that the feeling was mutual. Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where I had cleverly arrested the deer's momentum by bracing my head against various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation we were in.


I didn't want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder - a little trap I had set before hand...kind of like a squeeze chute. I got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope back.


Did you know that deer bite?


They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when ..... I reached up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they just bite you and slide off to then let go. A deer bites you and shakes its head--almost like a pit bull. They bite HARD and it hurts.


The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My method was ineffective.


It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now), tricked it.


While I kept it busy tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose. That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day.


Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, and their hooves are surprisingly sharp... I learned a long time ago that, when an animal -like a horse --strikes at you with their hooves and you can't get away easily, the best thing to do is try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape.


This was not a horse. This was a deer, so obviously, such trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried to turn and run.


The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit you in the back of the head. Deer may not be so different from horses after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head and knocked me down.


Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on you while you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering your head.


I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went away. So now I know why when people go deer hunting they bring a rifle with a scope......to sort of even the odds!!


All these events are true... An Educated Farmer

''Life's tough, pilgrim, and it's even tougher if you're stupid.''-- John Wayne

Blah

Sorry for the title.  I really should change it, but thats exactly how I feel today.  My spirits are down, and I can't seem to get them picked back up to where they usually are.  Life sometimes gets the best of me.  Not often, but occasionally.  Actually, rarely.  So, on I trudge....  step by step, inch by inch..  Good Lord, I need to sit and watch a few Vincent Price movies ...  This morning was usual.  Thank God the rain has held off, but will be coming shortly, and lasting for many days and through the weekend for sure.  Its going to be tough on the cats and tough on me.  I was hoping to get out and stock some shelters with straw, but its going to be too wet and you don't want to expose the straw to the moisture.  Midnight had a good evening at my home.  She is a very sweet, very tiny, delicate little girl kitty.  I know she will make a good companion for someone.  I must get a picture of her but cannot find my camera.  I will find it and get a few good ones.   She has the tiniest little feet and paws...  I believe she had a litter already, and I don't believe she is over a year old.  Poor thing.  Wonder where her kittens went.  I must get in touch with Miss B.  I have not spoken to her since my visit to her in the hospital.

I see little souls wearing fur,

souls who bark and souls who purr....

Born unwanted and unloved,

I see all this and more from above....

I watch them suffer, I see them cry,

I see them lost, I watch them die....

I see unwanted thousands born....

and when they die...nobody mourns....

These are castaways who will never see love or security....

A few short months they starve and roam,

Or caged in shelters--nobody takes home....

We cry, we feel, we love....

Our presence now only known from God above....

My pain and suffering came to an end,

so don't cry for me, my person, my friend....

The living ones need you now....

Please stop their abuse somehow.

-Auther Unknown-

PLEASE MAKE ROOM FOR AN ABUSED OR RESCUED DOG OR CAT IN YOUR HOME AND IN YOUR HEART

Midnight at the Oasis.....

Bring your camel to bed...........???  or at least I THINK thats what she is saying in that song???  Yes, Midnight.  I rescued Midnight this morning.  Another cat off the street.  Another very sweet, very very affectionate, very tiny little black cat who needed to be rescued.  She was very passive amongst the other four aggressive cats I feed under the tree on Miss B's old street. In fact, she is the cat Miss B had to put out when she was removed from her property due to cockroach infestation.  So poor Midnight was beside herself, wondering why she didn't have a home to go to anymore.  She is really very sweet.  She has a pure white tip on her tail, and a little white triangle under her chin.  When I brought her home, brought her to the nice clean little bedroom with a pretty clean bed, a little kitty bed on top of that, a window shelf for her to look out, a nice clean litter box, and a bowl of dry food, wet food, and water, the first thing she did when she got out of the carrier was to hop up on the bed where I sat down and just wanted to be held.  She is a lover.  I hope I can get some pictures soon to post.  I found the following and it is just so profound to me.  I love it and I hope you do too! 

"I Have Done Something...

I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness, and betrayal. And I was angry.
"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment, and then He spoke softly, "I have done something," he replied. "I created you."
-- Author Unknown
"Saving the life of one animal may not change the world, but the world will surely change for that one animal"

Sunday/Monday

Its a beautiful sunny fall Sunday morning, and here I am at work - bad girl!  But am so far behind I just need to catch up, and tomorrow it will be running around to my mother's house before work to feed her cats  (Gracie and Benny (#3) both of whom I rescued last winter) while she is in the mountains for Columbus Day weekend with the rest of my fam (yes, that the downside of this, I never get to go anywhere - who will feed the cats?) so no time to blog tomorrow morning!  I did have a really fun evening last night though.  I went to a comedy club with a co-worker and we saw Louis Anderson.  I laughed so hard I was crying.  I needed that.  Everyone needs that kind of laugh.  Seriously, if you haven't laughed like that in a long time, you need to get out and see a comedy act.  Its good for the soul.  I needed it also because of the rock in my stomach feeling because of little Cloe, one of the two girls I rescued over two weeks ago, who was being fostered by someone, and the unneutered young female cat got out and has not been found.  Its been well over a week.  The foster mom has been gone all weekend too, so this is not good.  I am so sick over it.  So, thank you Louie for being there last night!

This morning was pretty typical, except the fear factor was up a notch.  I get scared every once in a while, especially on the weekends.  Statistically there is probably more violence on weekends, and people are partying, doing drugs, jonesing from the drugs, etc., and its dark to boot, so I do get a little scared the first four stops I make.  After that, it gets a little easier, the spots I feed at a little more out in the open.  The first four are kind of tucked away, so if anyone was hiding, they could get me.  I chased away one raccoon this morning.  Little bugger.  And I think I've figured out which cat I will rescue next thanks to a couple who took the last kittens in, and offered to take in one more needy one.  I am going to rescue Midnight, who was not on the list I gave a few posts ago, but she has been coming around and she really is not fit for the street.  I had her neutered a month or so ago, and she is not doing well.  Very tiny, losing weight, and very passive due to the other agressive cats under the tree that I feed at near Miss B's old house.  So, very soon, you will be hearing about Midnight!  Have a great rest of the weekend!!

TGIF!!

Its a glorius day, minus the fact that Cloe is still missing in an unknown-to-her neighborhood, I am sick over this, and the fact that what I see each morning breaks my heart with the cats that are starving, just waiting for me to come along.  God forbid I am sick a day.  Its glorius for the fact that the sun is rising, I am breathing, its going to be warm out, and its not raining.  I had enough food to feed all my babies, and then some - yes, had to chase a raccoon away.  Its glorius because I am trying to get out work at noon today, so I can begin my weekend.  Its glorius because there have been no deaths in my family, no serious illness, and I have a job.  I am thankful for all that. 

What I do need to concentrate on are two things:  Big Red has a very serious ear ailment.  The other morning, he scratched his head VIOLENTLY.  That poor animal.  And the little white and black cat that I believe had babies months ago, the ones I saw huddled in the igloo behind Paul's house with both of their eyes closed shut due to infection, I can hear her breathing, she has an URI that needs treatment.  I will have to try to trap Big Red and bring him to the shelter.  I hate bringing cats to the shelter, but he is suffering, and I have no money to have him treated, nor do I have a place for him to recouperate.  Also, I am a little frightened of him as he is a tough cat, and very unpredictable.  I could never hold him, I don't think.  Although he does circle around my legs at times, and when I pull up he does get up and does a big stretch the way cats do when they get up on their feet.  Its heartbreaking to see the illness out there.  The shelter is where I know the suffering will end.  And its only suffering that I will bring an animal there.  I have a friend who transports for me, because I just cannot handle going there.  Its too much for me.  I did it once this summer and I stood there crying my eyes out while this heartless worker there ignored me.   I am so grateful to have this girl who will drive sick kitties for me to the shelter.  In an ideal world, I would have the money to treat these cats, and a place to bring them for recouperation.  But I don't, and thats that.  Regardless, its still a glorius day. 

•Heaven's the place where all the dogs/cats that ever loved you, will be waiting at the gate.

Recently, bad things are happening to good people in my life.  Things that I just don't understand why they are happening.  It seems every time I become happy about life, something smacks me in the face.  Whether it be a huge, twice a year tax bill, or a friend has been diagnosed with something unpleasant and is very scared about it.

Yes, sometimes bad things happen to people who seem undeserving of them. But God allows things to happen for His reasons, whether or not we understand them.  I must remember that God is good, just, loving, and merciful. Often things happen to us that we simply cannot understand. However, instead of doubting God's goodness, my reaction should be to trust Him. ”Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Thats a good one I must remind myself of.

I like the following too:  knowing that God wants to allow us to have faith and a choice is often a cold comfort when something terrible happens in the world, to us, or someone we love -- but, it's worth remembering that we Christians believe, "Our days on earth are as transient as a shadow," while what comes afterwards is eternal. Sometimes on this side of eternity, all we can do is realize that we are going to see our share of sorrow, accept that, "God moves in mysterious ways," and keep on keeping on, secure in the knowledge that there is something better to come when this life is over.

One last thing, the pictures are of a dog that is in the care of a friend who runs a rescue shelter that recently had babies.  One is of the mom and her babies, the other is of one of the babies a few weeks later.  I share them with you because its just adorable.  Just precious.  How could there not be a God to create something this beautiful?

Now That's a Knife!

(said in an Australian accent...)  I found a six inch dagger this morning on the porch of where I feed baby Rufus and his mommy Emma  - things looked askew - not sure what was going on yesterday, but of course I did pick it up and brought it back to my car.  Wouldn't want that to get into the wrong set of hands, most likely AGAIN.  I have found many things over the years that would make a normal person cringe.  Knives (big), condoms (gross), and even a dealer's stash (drugs).  Yup, I've seen it all.  Anyway, the knife I found was not something you use to cut a steak with, nor did it happen to fall out of someone's sink onto the porch of this boarded up house.  It was trouble, through and through.  I've asked cops over the years what to do with the knives I've found, and they just say to wrap it well and throw away, but I think there has to be a better way to dispose of these lethal instruments.  You think about the animals that forage the dump sites, and how they can easily get hurt by stuff like this.  If anyone has a good suggestion, please let me know!

Going past Miss B.'s old house this morning, I pulled over as I noticed the SLUMlord moved all her stuff to the curb - trash day.  There were television sets, stuffed teddy bears, clothes, everything you would have in your house was at the curb.  I sat for a second before I pulled out one of my large dinner sized paper plates and wrote the following on the back of it "To the Slumlord:  Shame on you for putting an elderly woman and all her worldly possession out on the street.  God will deal with you at the end.  Anything for a buck, right?"  I then placed this in the mailbox to the house.  Now, some of you may find that to be harsh, but I am calling it like it is.  There had to be a better way to do that.  Miss B. experienced her mother's death months ago, and I am sure she was faced with the decision of using her government check to pay that month's rent, or burying her mother in Florida.  What would you do.  There had to be a better way to help her.  Shame on that SLUMLORD.  I did, at the end, pick up a sweet little teddy bear attached to a heart shaped velvet pillow, and a pile of her mail, and I am sure that when I see Miss B. again, she will be very happy to see that one small momento in/of her life given back to her.

One more thing, Cloe, the unneutered girl kitten that is being fostered is still missing since last Saturday.  Please say a prayer for her safe return.

Rainy Days and Tuesdays

always get me down.......... Isn't that a Carpenter's song?

 Its like the 10th day in a row that its rained?  I really hate the rain.  I really really do.  Its so wet and muddy out there.  And can you imagine how the cats with the upper respiratory ailments are feeling?  Plus, my towels are so wet I have to wring them before I put them on my back seat.  And then I run out of large towels.  A few very kind people have donated towels to me, but they are like hand towels, and I really can't use them, except to wipe my own hands after I get in the car and they are covered with wet cat food and mud.  I need to go through my inventory, as I seem to be out of large bath sized cotton towels.  I need to lay down so many of them out there.  I had an offer by a very kind person to take another cat I feed off the street.  This has left me in a dilemma, wondering which cat is worse off.  There are so many.  Do I take the sweet female kitty that's definitely under a year, and not even fixed, with no shelter on the corner of Miss B's old place, or should it be Poppi, who is still very shy, but there every morning waiting for me, letting me touch her but just not enough to hold her.  Do I take the pretty tabby that greets me at the car door each morning on Second Street, and has actually gotten into my car a few times crying, or do I get the red kitty on Third that lets me pet him.  Do I get Rufus, the only kitten left out of three - the two I rescued and adopted out a month or so ago.  But will her mommy Emma miss her?  I just don't know what to do.   Its such a tough call. 

The Drill

Well, I've just taken some valium prescribed by my dentist in prep for a small procedure to fix a crown in my mouth.  My mother will be picking me up soon, and dropping me off for the hopefully quick visit.  I have a severe fear of the dentist.  Not of him personally, but what he can do with a drill.  So, he has precribed the drug in hopes it will calm me.  I doubt it.  Its going to be very bad either way, I just know it.  I am even contemplating switching dentists for one that provides gas.  That I can handle.  So, think of me!  :(

Lots happening this weekend.  Last weekend I brought two female kitties, one neutered, the other not, to a girl who offered to foster them.  They were kitties from Miss B.'s neighborhood.  I also got the two kittens from Miss B.'s house during the week and brought them home.  The weekend prior,
I also rescued Allie from the same corner.  My good friend Kristin took him in and renamed him Vincent Van Gotto (for his ear that is half cut off ).  The other two females that were being fostered were doing great until Friday night when one got out.  The poor girl Vicky is frantic, along with her 12 year old daughter, and so am I.  I pray she gets found.  I will go over with flyers to post if no good news today.  I am heartsick over this.  Vicky brought the other kitty that is neutered to Petco Saturday for adoption, but no luck for her.  The other girl that got loose is not neutered, so say your prayers for her safe, and unharmed return.  Vincent was also brought to Petco on Saturday.  A tearful Kristin brought him in, and to be honest, it is traumatic to bring a cat to put in a cage for the first time.  I did the swame thing.  But I now look at it like its a chance for them to socialize, be around people and noise, and hopefully be adopted by a loving family.  No bites on Vincent though. 

Saturday I also received a phone call from Miss B., who stated she was in the hospital.  She went from the women's shelter, where she is still residing, to the hospital.  Something about high blood pressure - over 200.  Here is a woman who was forced out of her apartment - and I am learning more about this - I don't think she was able to meet the rent - but regardless, who is this cold landlord that could force someone out to a shelter, and get this - all of Miss B.'s belongings were piled up in the driveway this morning as I drove past at 6 am., after an all night steady rain.  Televisions, all her clothes, every thing.  Can you imagine being that desperate, where you have no one to help you even move your things into storage?  Now I know one of the reasons when I see people's belongings - furniture, clothes, beds, etc. when I drive past these neighborhoods and these things are at a curb.  There are just so many reasons that people get evicted from their homes, but it all boils down to money.  The evils of money.  Its just plain sad.  She has now lost everything.  She will have to start new when she gets back on her feet, if she ever does.  I did go visit Miss B. yesterday morning and she was so happy to see me she cried.  I just wish I could do more for her.  Its pretty sad.  Really.  But I have to remember the good that I've done, by taking in some or most of her cats.  There are still three or four more on that corner that need help.  I must figure a way to help them.  There is NO shelter there for them, I continue to feed them under a tree, and when it rains, forget it.  The food is saturated after an hour.  Can't even think of the weather to come...