Eight Inches

Sunday morning:

Yep, its March 30th, and we had another eight inches of very heavy snow overnight.  It was brutal on my back this morning.  Not to mention all the shelters were buried in snow, so it was brutal on the cats too.  People keep saying, this is the last one, that was the last one, but I am not so sure.  I do know in my heart that its not going to last forever, but it really has been a very very very long winter, and we are all sick of it.  I saw someone in the hood shoveling, and I thought 'this would make a great hot cocoa morning' - I imagined myself driving around with a thermos of hot cocoa and opening my window, and giving the guy a cup, and a smile.  :)  I am such a dreamer.  But it would have been a nice thing to do.  The guy shoveling could have been a very nice man, maybe old, maybe with a heart condition, who knows.  Everyone is battling something right?

I am in the middle of laundry.  I had some very wet towels to pick up and replace with dry ones at almost all of my 16 locations.  I shoveled and shoveled.  At my first spot on 7th, the large board must have come down overnight because it was buried under the snow.  I was able to see the inner workings behind it that I usually can't see because of the board, as I walked up to it and saw the black cat come out of one shelter, and another come out of another.  So I am glad they were using them, and that it provided safety and comfort for them.

Monday morning:

Well, I certainly got a good leg workout this morning.  The snow that fell yesterday was as hard as a rock walking on it.  There was no give.  It felt like walking with 50 pound weights on each leg.  There were more kitties out this morning waiting.  And lots of wet towels.  Tomorrow will be an even bigger mess because we are supposed to be in the 60s today, and there will be a ton of snow melt.  Oh, my poor washer.  I am hoping to survey all my shelters soon, to see what did and didn't make it through the winter.  I know there may be a lot of wet straw inside many of them.  It must be dry - its vital to keep the cats that use them warm.  And its nice bedding to nestle in. 

I finally received an update on Teddy - he is the cat I rescued from Parsells who had the rodent ulcer on his mouth.  He was fostered by a woman named Gail, who did such a great job getting him ready for his forever home.  He was a street cat, but underneath, a pussycat.  Such sweet cats out there that one might never know if they are not rescued.  I am so grateful for all the cats I've been able to get off the streets and into loving homes.  One cat at a time.  :)

Here is what his new mom has to say:
"Janine, I have been meaning to write to you but time always gets away from me :) Teddy is doing great! He spends pretty much the day with us downstairs and usually either sleeps in his favorite red chair or up in our room at night. He LOVES to play! He is constantly chasing balls and other random stuff that are the kids toys which is pretty funny to see. The kids just love him too; Ava is so gentle with him and Claire talks about him all the time. I don't have any pictures right now bc my phone won't send pictures but give me a little time and I can probably send one via email from my husband's phone."

Have a great day!

"Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men but from doing something worthwhile."