Happy Monday! Today is a Beautiful Day!

ALERT:  I saw, and fed, a tailess purebred Siamese cat this morning on Central and Fifth - it had a pink diamond studded collar.  Please spread the word. I wish I had my camera, but who needs one with that description.  Maybe someone can find the owner, or an ad placed for it missing?

Last week I had the honor of being invited to a community gathering at one of my spots, where I have shelters for about eight cats that I feed each morning - and have been for at least two to three years now, rain, shine, blizzard, lightning, I am here each morning at 5 am, and these cats know me, they wait for me, and they are very hungry.  On Saturday, I had the honor to attend this community gathering, and I have to say, as nervous as I was about being around people that I had never met, and most of them disliking cats, I can't tell you how gratifying it was to me, and what a learning experience it was for me, to meet these kind folks.  Most of them are poor, but rich in personality and love.  Love for their neighborhood, for their children, and for their fellow man.  I said I would stay for half an hour, but was there for an hour and a half.  I fell in love with the children.  As you can see in one picture, some of them fell in love with me.  I sat with them and wrote down each of their names.  They loved that I was paying attention to them, and making each of them feel special in this small way.  DeMaria, Kimonis, Nyree, Leonis, Zyonna, Malike, and Devon, a 10th grader at Aquinas, who was already looking into out-of-state colleges.  I was so impressed with each and every one of these kids.  The family next door to the lot came over, they are from Somalia, and some of the kindest people I've met.  They see me out there most mornings, in the dark, feeding the kitties.

Every one was asked to go around in a circle and introduce themselves, and tell what they wanted for this community.  When it came time for me, I introduced myself as someone who comes in the cover of darkness each day, and feeds these cats, making sure they are not multiplying.  I told them how grateful I was to allow me to use their beautiful lot for this purpose.  I told them my goal was to end the suffering of these animals in this tiny corner of my world, their corner too.   And I thanked them for having me there.  I am grateful to Jennifer, who reached out to me to attend.  I left there with a new sense of spirit.

Baldwin and Grand Shelter

Good thing you can't zoom in here.  Not a great pic of me...  :)

On Saturday, I adopted out all three remaining kittens.  WOWOW!  AND, I adopted out the cat I rescued from Webster and Goodman on Friday morning, named him Webster, and a wonderful family came and got him, sight unseen.

WEBSTER - Lovin' life off the streets...

What great luck, eh?  My mother took little Henry, who she is 'fostering' (yea, right Mom),

Henry

and she loves him to pieces already, and another great couple, that Kristin referred to me, took little Roger and Patches.

Roger

Patches w/Sparkles in the background

They came there with the intention of adopting only Roger, but I convinced them how lonely Patches would be once Henry was gone in a few hours, and they took the bait.  I don't think they are regretting it.  They have sent me pics on my cell phone, but am waiting for everyone to send me pics on the computer, so I can share them here.  I am overwhelmed how lucky these animals are!   And I am less overwhelmed than I have been in a long time, kittenless.  As much as I love kittens, they are a handful.  I can concentrate on my own brood for a few minutes now.  :)  They missed their mama's attention!

"Everything happens for a reason, live it, love it, learn from it!  Make your smile change the word, but don't let the world

change your smile."