Just Keep Swimming!

That was a great line from Finding Nemo. And seems quite appropos here. It was a hard morning for me, but I just kept plodding along. I had two spots at a Habitat for Cats clinic, and didn't want to blow it as I have done in the past. I was supposed to have help - more reinforcement if anything - because two of the cats I was going to spay/neuter are both very friendly - but I wanted backup in case they weren't around, but she wound up being ill, so went off on my own. When I got to this location this morning, there was no sign of the two cats I was going to TNR (Trap Neuter Return), just the other two that I have done previously. All four friendly as can be. I had a very hard time returning the other two, but I did. Anyways, I left without placing any food down in hopes that the two would be around later when I came back, and hungry. So off I went to the next spot where I knew I would have to set the trap, that luckily I brought along with the two carriers I was only going to bring originally. Sure enough, when I swung back around after feeding in that area, there was a kitty in the trap, howling loudly. I placed him in the back, put a towel over the cage to quiet him, and went about feeding at my other spots. Its just hard sometimes, getting in and out of my car, I need an SUV, getting my water, dry food bag and wet food container, spinning my head around like Linda Blair from the Exorsist making sure there is no one lurking waiting for me, and placing food in the dark. And look around for the racoons that consistently eat the food I place down shortly after I leave it for the hungry cats every day. Anyways, after doing all my spots,I went back to the one I originally was going to get two cats for TNR, and sure enough, there they both were! So I could only get one, and she is SO sweet. I went to take pictures but my internal memory in camera is full, so hopefully will get one when I get her back to stay the night recouperating before I have to let her go tomorrow. When I brougth these two babies into the clinic, I was amazed by all the other people there that had done the same thing. They had cats trapped to be neutered. I sometimes think I am the only one out there doing this, there are just so many, and so many newborn kittens. I just wish I had some help in the area I am doing! The picture is a drawing done by my talented good friend Kristin who just this weekend was coming home out in Churchville from her very own surprise party, and came upon a kitten mother and her five newborns that were - we believe - dumped in a cornfield. She has rescued them and has them at her house desperate to find homes for them. I attach the poster she created also. She is SO talented. If you would like to purchase any of her art, or you have a special pet you would like remembered in this way, please let me know! Be sure to click on the pictures to make them bigger!

If You Could See What I See...

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. That is so true too. Some people have such sad lives, that when someone walks by and gives them a smile, it really means the world to them. It does me! That person took the time to acknowledge me! Even in the simplest of ways. Thats sort of true with these animals I feed in the morning. They may not be acknowledged by anyone during the day in the neighborhoods I go to, but when I am there in the dark mornings putting down their meagher meals for the day, I talk softly too them, pet and scratch their heads when they let me, and make little kissy sounds so that they know its me, a familiar sound to them. I have seen so many kittens this past week. They just come out of the woodwork. They are still tiny enough to get just so close to my finger, take a sniff, and run off. They are not feral yet, not totally afraid of humans. Its sad to see them, so pretty and sweet. If only we had more people to adopt, we could get these babies off the streets. If only we had people with barns, we could get these babies off the streets. If only I had a ton of money, I could open a shelter of my own and get these babies off the streets. I remain hopeful. And I continue to plunk down weekly a dollar and a dream at the lottery machine! At

tached is another picture of my good friend Kristin's art work. If you have any interest, please let me know! She is truly gifted, and could draw a picture of one of your babies!

Update from Sunday's Post

I experienced two acts of extreme kindness this weekend. At one point yesterday, as I was telling my mother and sister on the phone, both times I could not control my emotions, and started to cry, and my sister saying 'you are so queer'. Its true! I was terribly emotional yesterday realizing that there are some really kind people out there! First kindness was done by a retired woman named Pat who took the chance and went and got Bailey, a 9-year old dog that I found out last Thursday needed to be rescued by his owner who is too sick to care for him any longer and was going to take him to Lollipop Farm that Saturday. Pat went and picked up Bailey that very night I sent an e-mail out, took him to the vet the next morning, where he was treated for severe ear infections, updated on his shots, and told to put at least 5 pounds back on his very lean frame. Pat and her sister have both enjoyed taking Bailey for walks, something he was not used to. And they are enjoying spoiling Bailey also. I am sure something he surely deserved. Second kindness was when i went to speak to Julio who owns the house yesterday afternoon on Central Park. I didn't know how that would go - here is a man who doesn't know me from squat, I have set up a cat shelter on his property while he was having his unlived in home remodeled all last winter and this summer and spring, and asked me to have my stuff off it by end of July, when he was going to move his family in. He has slowly been removing my boards and such, and finally, I had to speak to him. I drove there but he was not home. I wrote out a note to leave for him, begging him to help me find a solution, as there are four cats at least that depend on that food that I leave, and that shelter. I then noticed a group of men across the street. I forgot to mention, the street was blocked off at the other end with yellow tape and several police cars. I decided to do a U-turn and go speak to the men, not knowing what to say, but started off with asking what happened down the street. They told me it was a shooting. I joked, during the day? thats not supposed to happen in the daytime, and they laughed. Come to find out these three black men, Bill, Bill's father Benny, and Bill's uncle, all knew who I was! I was the girl that feeds the cats across the street! I told them my plight, and to make a very long story (which I am good at!) short (which I am not good at!), Bill offered to help me move my shelter out of there and onto the bank owned property next door. This is the house that I reported the little white dog being neglected behind the house a year past, Appollo. The house is empty, and this man helped me carry this large shelter and boards to behind the property of the neighboring house. Not only did he do that, but knowing I would be going behind the house in the dark at 5 am, made me promise not to go there in the mornings. He said please go after work, that way I can see you and know you are safe. He is right, and I will try to get on that schedule. He then helped me set up the bowls with food, and went across to his house and got me a jug of water. Just as we met in the middle for me to get the water, I realized what a kind thing for this man to do, and it made me cry. I hugged him and thanked him. I told him his father raised a good man. I will never forget that kindness. Makes me want to cry now! :)

Whitecaps on the Water

Well, my day started out pretty bad. And I do say that knowing its not as bad as some. The eastern part of our country is experiencing a huge hurricane, and there are people that haven't had anything to eat for days in Africa, and in America for that matter, and there are people out there who have lost their homes, or someone in their life precious to them. But allow me my little pity party for now. It started with cleaning out a mess OUTSIDE the litter box for one of my kitties that has diabetes, she just can't seem to get it right these days. Then I discovered a very large puddle in the same room, and I am sure it was done by a different cat, and that is because I am fostering two kittens, and my older cats are really fighting this. They do not like it, as I have finally figured out by whats been happening since the kittens have been here. I have found MANY accidents around my house, enough to make me think I need to buy a new couch. I am very upset about this but don't know how to resolve it, unless to get these kittens adopted. Anyways, after mopping up the puddle with paper towels, I mindlessly threw them in the toilet and flushed. Minutes later, I heard a noise, looked in and saw the bathroom floor flooded, and water gushing over the toilet. I grabbed every towel around me and began wiping that up, but that was after I reached in the toilet to pull out the obstruction. YUCK. In the meantime, there was so much water, it started to flood the basement. Now, this is ALL before 5:15 am. So that mess was cleaned, and out I go into the wild winds of Rochester. There is no way that the food I placed this morning would be there for long. The wind will be carrying that away in the containers I place. On top of that, at one location, the man has removed all my boards and wants me OUT. I am going to have to go over there and try to talk to him. I just can't believe its hurting him, or his family, to have this small out of the way shelter in the very corner of his large yard. On top of that, its teaching his children compassion. But some people are just plain mean. Oh what a day, what a day. I had a garage sale yesterday, in hopes of making some money to help me with the expenses of feeding my herd each morning, and I made a whopping $53. And some of that came from my own family feeling sorry for me! Its just not my time right now, and tomorrow is another day...

Some Days You're the Bug; Some Days, the Windshield!

This morning... well, lets just say it started for me at 1:30 am. or so, just when the storm blew into Rochester. We had some really hard rain, some really loud boomers (thunder) and some really wicked lightening. From that point on, I probably caught a total of an hour of zzz's until I finally crawled out of bed at 4:15 am. It was a really tough night. First thought, is that rain I feel on my head?

So you get up and close the window, 2nd thought, the cats must be so scared... 3rd thought, did I close the windows on the porch?... 4th thought, I hope the kitties that have no homes have found shelter, and I hope they aren't scared to death. All these thoughts going over and over in my head. Not just that but the thunder was just SO LOUD, who could sleep? But I trucked out there and its almost as if the heaven's closed up for me, just in time, because at 5:10 am.,the rain had pretty much ended. I was so thankful. Not that I have had a really bad hair week already! But it would have been just a tad worse than worse if I had to go out in the pouring rain. I changed a lot of wet towels and blankets at my locations, and there were a lot of hungry and sick kitties waiting for me. Thank God I have my health, even though I don't feel too great these days, just trying to get over a nasty summer cold.

I also want to touch on another subject, totally not cat worthy. Why do people have to drive in the passing lane on two lane highways? Those lanes on the left are meant for passing a car on the right, ONLY. Not to be driven in, especially if someone is trying to pass you! And why do some people feel that they need to control my speed? If I want to drive faster than 55, let me! Just move over, let me pass, and then you can go back to the passing lane, if you must! Also, why when you start to pass a car on a back country road, they speed up as you are trying to pass them? Whats wrong with people? Since I've been travelling to Newark each week, I have seen the mean side of people more than I've cared for. I've wanted to put this gripe in the editorial of a newspaper for so many years, but never did. At least I can do it now, on my own blog, even though no one will probably read it. Have a good day.

Dark and Scary

Nice teeth Mr. Raccoon! This morning was like any other, but its so dark out now at 5 am. It doesn't start getting light until after 5:30, so thats a whole half hour doing what I do in the scary darkness. I know my friends think I am crazy for what I do, and its hard to defend myself with them, so don't even go there (and you know who you are!) because I will either start going at a later time (5:30 am), which I will have t

o soon anyways, thats what I did during the winter time season, or I won't be doing what I do! Those are the two choices I have right now. And the latter isn't a possibility with all the critters out there depending on me. Speaking of critters! I am so tired of the raccoons!!! I need a solution! This morning, as I bent down to put food in a bowl, I could hear scratching of bark above me, and I looked up and there in the tree were two raccoons staring down at me. Close too! I hit them with my bag to try to scare them, but they didn't move too far or too quick. They are eating the cats food! Those cats are left hungry after I leave. I must find a solution! They are at quite a few locations that I feed at each morning. Does anyone have a solution? I moved my feedings to another abandoned house across the street from one location, but I don't think it is helping. I think these fat creatures are smart and are meandering over to gobble up that food after figuring out that I put food there.

When Tragedy Occurs, Try to Find Meaning in Life, and Realize What is Most Important To You

If we could all hear one another's prayers, God might be relieved of some of his burdens. ~Ashleigh Brilliant

A very tragic situation has happened to a fellow cat feeder/rescuer. Her house burned down a few days ago with all eight of her cats inside. Ann is 73 years old and has been a devoted caregiver to animals for many many years. I just recently met her through e-mail where we have exchanged a number of messages due to her feeding on property that belongs to my place of employment, and I rallied for her to the boss and she was granted permission. Unfortunately, the people that live in the apartments don't like her feeding the cats and have destroyed her shelters a number of times. Ann has lost everything, including all eight of her precious babies, her cats, and Ann is 73 years old. I cannot imagine losing everything in one fell swoop like that. It would be almost too much to bear, but tragedy strikes all of us in some form - losing our parents, loss of a child, loss of a home or even a dear pet, and somehow we cope, even though it is the most excruiating pain we will ever feel. We get through it. I still can not fully understand or describe how this situation has impacted me because it could have been me. All I know is that my life has been changed and I am truly moved by what has happened. It makes me strive to be a better person and to live up to my full potential. It makes me so grateful for the wonderful friends and family in my life and how I must cherish these relationships and make sure that people know how much I love them.