TNR Tuesday!

Every once in a while, I have to pat myself on the back.  I think about what I can accomplish in the span of an hour and a half, and think 'gee, that's pretty good.'  I am not looking for compliments from others, I just have to remember that I should be proud of my own accomplishments.  I always poo poo others when they compliment me, saying its 'no big deal.'  But to me it is, when I stop to think about it.  This morning, on top of feeding 50+ cats at 14 different locations, I trapped two more kitties on Niagara.  One is a calico - Nellie, the other looks like a young brown/grey tuxie tabby, and not sure of the sex, but I will call it Noodles, just the same.  If Noodles turns out to be a girl, she may be pregnant.

Noodles from Niagara

Noodles

Nellie from Niagara

Nellie

Speaking of pregnant, at my last 'stop', on Parsells, where I've been searching for the white kitty that looked like she had given birth recently, and where I just rescued Peepers, there is another white kitty with black, and this morning, a muted calico that looks to be pregnant.  I thought 'damn!'  - I have two more spots at the clinic for TNR next Tuesday, and will have to wait until then.  I pray this cat doesn't have kittens, and will be one of my captures next Tuesday.  :(  Its always very disappointing to drive away from a pregnant cat.  Very sad for me.

The Bay Street girls are out in full force with the warm weather arrival.  They are trying to make a buck, most likely to feed a drug habit, or to put food in their babies mouths.  My view has changed a lot over the past few years on different lifestyles.  Everyone has their thing.  I don't pronounce judgment the way I used to.  It is what it is.  If you are gay (I have many many friends who are), if you are transgender (I am just learning about someone who is and her/his experience with it), that's the way God created you and if there is something you want to change, then do it.  We only live once.  Might as well be happy, even if its the hardest thing in the world to do at the time - look at Bruce Jenner - in the spotlight no less.  If you are a prostitute, you are doing the only thing you know how to do, and its the only choice that you can see, even though you are not seeing the big picture and looking at the other choices you have.  But I don't look down on these people. Passing judgment on people makes me frustrated for them, but it would harm my relationship with these lovely people, it would stop communication and learning, and it wouldn't allow me to alleviate their suffering if need be, it would close me off to what they have to offer.  They have a heart, and they have families and they love, just like we do.  Judging others shows ignorance, and not understanding what that situation is that the other person is going through. I am not superior, even if I think I am.

Kristin came over on Sunday to help me move a shelter and there was a group of guys standing across the street, sitting on the steps of a boarded up house, not really paying attention to the two girls carrying really heavy shelters and boards, and we didn't mind, we were just yakking up a storm and enjoying the sunshine.  After we were just about finished, we went over to them because at this point, they were looking like they were wondering what we were doing, so we introduced ourselves, explained what we were doing, why it was a good thing to do what I do every day, TNR, feed these rodent killing kitties, etc.  After listening, they were like 'yea, we get it' - we met one guy nicknamed Fleetwood, who said he had three pit bulls, all sweet, told us their names - one was like Ralphie, the other was Bones, and the other was a weird name I can't remember.  He told us he had been in prison, and that he had a job and was doing good.  He made us laugh, he was pretty funny.  He also mentioned about the other guys and asked us if we ever needed some pot, we wouldn't have any trouble around there.  We told him we were all set, but would keep it in mind!

"Judge not that you be not judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."  

Matthew 7:1-5