Introducing the Shadow

A week and a half ago I volunteered at a SPCA pet adoption event.  Now I do understand that the intent is that we adopt animals out to their new forever homes.  However, a lady came in with a tiny (7 week old) kitten and wanted to leave it with us.  The event leader really didn't want to take it in because when we have kittens, people will adopt them but not adult cats.  Consequently, I heard this voice saying, " Hey, I'll  take it and foster it until it's old enough to adopt out."  I looked around and discovered that the voice was mine.  We did adopt out some of our fostered pets and the little one came home with me.

on 'the porch rocker'

Am I adorable or what?

I named her Sombre, spanish for shadow, and call her Sombrita while she's small.  She is solid black, long-haired, inquisitive, playful, very sweet, and very smart.  I brought out a carrier and put an old sweatshirt in it and put her in there when we went to bed.  After two nights, she figured out this is her bed and the next day when she was ready for a nap, she went into her carrier.  Two visits to the litter box and she had that nailed.  She even found the 2nd box on her own.

Now remember, I have two other pets at home; Katie the wonder dog and a 19 year old siamese mix named P.I.T.A.  You work out the acronym and be assured that after all these years, it still suits her.  Katie has taken to the kitten and vice-versa.  We had a Burmese who was Katie's best friend and they tumbled and wrestled and played together.  Kate's waiting for Sombrita to get bigger so she can have a new best friend.  PITA, on the other hand, is another story ... she moved to my bedroom, coming out only long enough to hiss and spit at the kitten, go eat and hiss and spit again on her way back to the bedroom.  Today she realized she was only cutting off her own nose to spite her own face and is back in the living room again.  She's still not thrilled but is accepting.  The noise the pellet stove repairman made kind of pushed the process a little.  All three were scared enough to call a truce and the kitten figured out how to get up on the big bed so she could be close the nasty old siamese for protection.

That noise is scarier than PITA is

Aw, she's not so tuff

wanna play?

Watcha eatin'?

I still have cat/kitten toys from my other cats and have put them out and they keep the little one busy.  She's a hoot to watch as she plays and races around the house.  My hallway has become a racetrack ending in a slip and slide.  She sneaks up on Katie to chew on her ears and bats her tail then runs and hides under the entertainment unit.  While Katie's looking under one side, Sombrita's on the other side watching her.  Who needs TV?

And I'm Grateful For . . . 3/29/11

This post is getting later and later.  It's Tuesday evening and I'm finally getting to my Saturday post.

I'm grateful ... that there were no deaths or serious injuries related to the recent storm (at least, that we know of) and that the structural damage appears to be damage we can bounce back from.

I'm grateful ... for the crews from all the various utility companies from all over California and a few from out of state who came to our assistance.  Also to the CDF, CDCR, and our local fire department.

I'm grateful ... for neighbors, friends, and total strangers who all came together as one community to help each other through this time.

I'm grateful ... that the damage to my home and yard was relatively minimal and that I have so many angels surrounding me to help me deal with it.

I'm grateful ... to have the downed trees cut and out of the driveway and from against the back of the house and to have the power back on and to be able to do laundry, make a decent cup of coffee, and start putting house and yard back together again.

I'm grateful ... for the sun that kept peeking through the clouds today and looking forward to a sunnier day tomorrow.

The Storm is Over

I'mmmm baaaaack!   Seems like it's been forever since my last post.  So much has been going on.

Short form:  did a pet adoption a week ago Saturday and now am fostering the cutest, sweetest kitten ever.  (Story and pictures to follow.)  The next day we experienced "The Storm of 2011".

We'd been experiencing winds and rains (can you say deluge?) and it was followed the next night by the storm from ****.  Woke up that Monday morning to inches of snow and trees down everywhere.  Power was out as well.  Our utility company was joined by utility companies from all over California and some from out of state.  The Dept of Forestry and the Dept of Corrections (prisoners) were all here helping to bring us power and clear roads.  We rejoined the world this weekend and (the community) are now getting ourselves back together again.

Personally, I lost numerous trees.  Some of which fell across my driveway and across the carport.  Another multi-trunk tree (bad news) took out my patio cover which (good news) prevented the tree from coming in my kitchen door and window.  It fell on the propane tank but avoided damaging any tubing or piping.

deck & back of house

looking out my back door

another view of tree trying to come in where it's warm

there's a driveway hidden here

Driving through the mountain community looked like driving through a war zone.  Roads and highways covered with downed trees.  Power lines down everywhere.  Convoys of utility and other assistance trucks everywhere you looked.  People without power for one day to over a week, some are still waiting.  It's been a real 'camping' experience for many.

Fortunately for me, one of my angel friends brought me a generator for day 3 through this past weekend so I had light and my fridge was plugged in (I could throw away the yuck and start all over again.)  We were very lucky.  A lot of structural damage but no deaths or serious injuries, just a major inconvenience.  My young neighbor is cutting my trees for firewood and cleared the driveway, carport, and back door early so I wasn't trapped.  

Everywhere, you see neighbors helping neighbors; strangers helping strangers.  This is really a "community" in every sense of the word.  

And today the sun is shining and the weather is warming.  The ground will dry and we'll put things back together again and go on.  Meanwhile, the first thing I did was make a real pot of coffee, run a load of laundry, and flip switches just to watch the rooms light up. 

Next post I'll introduce you to Sombre (Shadow,) the little kitten I'm fostering; pictures included.  Til' then...

And I'm Grateful For . . . (3-19-11)

I'm grateful for ... the propane dude who came to fill the tank Tuesday and took time to bring pellets in for my stove.

I'm grateful for ... a dry, warm home and the thoughtful husband who made sure I'd have this after he was gone.

I'm grateful for ... the youngsters who come and help with the outdoor & indoor chores I can't do anymore and who have adopted me as a courtesy grandma.  Their spontaneous hugs when they see me, no matter where, brighten my entire day.

I'm grateful for ... the other propane dude who was here Friday to change the regulator on my tank and  added to my indoor stock of pellets to make sure they would get me through the nasty weather forecasted.

I'm grateful for ... the weather clearing long enough today so that we could hold our pet adoption as scheduled.  And I'm grateful to those who came and gave some of our pets their new forever homes.

Dear Lord, I'd be grateful, too, if now someone would come fix my pellet stove (which died Friday night) so I could use it and not have to burn propane like I own stock.

And I'm Grateful For . . . (3-12-11)

And I'm grateful for ...

the friends and other caring people God has given me,

the opportunities that God has given me to care for others in return,

having the health and abilities that my mom no longer had at my age,

the birds and frogs who've returned to make my yard cheerful again with their singing; another promise of Spring.

And I'm Grateful For . . . (3-06-11)

I'm grateful ... that yesterday was such a full day and evening, that I didn't have the time to put out my Saturday list.

And I'm grateful ... that Friday I was able to drive to the city (for a funeral) and back without my furry little security blanket, Katie.  This was the first time since the onset of the panic/anxiety disorder that I've made this round trip completely alone and a really big leap of faith.

And I'm grateful ... for the friends and church members who helped put together a very special birthday surprise for our priest and simultaneously for a young man who our church has adopted.  It was a real piece of work to pull it together but it was a huge success!

And I'm grateful ... for the daffodils I see blooming along the sides of the roads; they're the promise of Spring.

Looking For a Red Hat Group

Everywhere I go, mom tags along.  She says it's because she has to drive the car and sometimes be on the other end of the lead but I'm ready for something to call my own.  I've decided I'm old enough now to join a canine red hat group.