THE SILVER LINING

I find that the things that cause us the greatest amount of pain, are the things that teach us the most.  They are often the same things that are the hardest to understand in the beginning and sometimes right through to the very end; but we'll discover when we look back down the road after they have passed, that we can see those things and understand them alot more clearly...........

Tonight's entry is to thank the lovely people who have reached out to me since learning of my sister's cat Puddles' predicament.  To those who have offered their support, their condolences, and their kindness, I truly thank each and every one of you; no amount of words on this page could ever adequately express my heartfelt appreciation for your displays of caring. 

Unfortunately, there are also those who have disappointed me deeply with respect to this situation.  Since I am at a loss to understand their behaviour, I can only assume that their lives are more important to them than what is going on in the lives of those around them.  I hope for their sakes that the way in which they conduct themselves when it comes to others, will be worth it in the end.

I can't sign off this page without sharing some pictures that helped me to remember something good when I really needed it earlier today...................

My little friend Red (now know as Stan) and his roommate Lewis.  Thank you to Red's family for sending these today of all days.

"Today will never come again  Have I done any good in the world today, have I helped anyone in need?" 

PLEASE HELP

I have a very, very desperate need for someone out there to help me if at all possible...............

When my younger sister passed away last month, she left behind her two cats Cuddles & Puddles.  I have just learned that Puddles is (through no fault of her own) no longer allowed to stay in her home.  She is a 2 yr old tabby female with white markings;  she is also a very quiet and low maintenance kitty who is about to become homeless or worse if we can't find someone that can help us.

Unfortunately, the rescue is unable to assist and so far we've been unable to find a solution.  My sister has been gone only afew weeks and now one of her little friends finds themselves having just lost her, about to lose the only home she's ever known.

I just spent seven months being completely powerless while my little sister wasted away from cancer, now I find myself powerless once again and I don't know how to articulate how upsetting it is to think that this poor cat is facing abandonement and me of all people, is unable to prevent it.

My sister is gone and how I pray that this will be one thing she cannot see happening.  If there is anyone within the sound of my voice that can help us find Puddles a new, loving, home - please reach out to me.

NO INHIBITIONS

The little boys spent the entire morning racing around like someone had lit a firecracker under their bums.............adorable sounding yes, but not so adorable to be apart of when your trying to maintain quiet for the sake of your better half who is still sound asleep! *L*

So after a crazy fun filled morning, it wasn't long into the afternoon before the boys each found their respective resting spots and were out like lights before I knew it.  I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I came upon Abner who had somewhat of a napping partner in Flossy............

Ugh, actually I think Abner ended up using our Baby Girl as more of a foot rest from the looks of it, but my first thought was more along the lines of, have you no shame!

But you know boys..............they always count on us females being unable to resist their cuteness (cheeky buggers that they are).  :))

IT'S KITTEN TIME!!

I was chatting with a fellow cat lover earlier this week and we were trading "kitten stories" - you know the ones where you talk about having had that kitten experience and remember fondly all the trouble your little ones got into?

You love them, they are a joy, and there are so many delights in having them, but kittens are not for the faint of heart and I applaud every foster parent that takes on more than one litter (or even more than one kitten) at a time..............and keeps taking them on as the little ones get adopted! 

I came home the other day to discover that somehow Abner and Hobbs had gotten into the entire roll of toilet paper and had enough time (which I suspect doesn't take long), to unravel it and surprise us with shards of toilet paper everywhere!!!!  It was on the floor, in their fur, under things, on top of things, and loads of places in between............if I didn't know better I would have thought those two had some secret kitty cat party while we were at work and ended up getting caught in the clean up! *L*

It truly is like having children.........except thankfully these ones can't actually talk back.

ABNER BOY

I woke up from a nap earlier to find this adorable little being beside me................

And then I came upstairs from being downstairs and found him in  a new position in the hallway................

He's some kind of handsome he is!!!!!

PURE VENT

Come next month, Flossy will have been with us 1 year exactly.  This realization is very, very troubling to me as I think about how hard it is now going to be to move her if/when someone does wish to adopt her.  A year is a long time for a cat to become settled in a home and she doesn't realize her stay with us is temporary, to her it's home - her sanctuary. 

In all the cats/kittens we've been involved in saving, Flossy is now the one we've had the longest and from a personal standpoint I'm not happy about that either.  Noone can predict when her forever home will come and there's apart of me that worries now that it never will and am I really prepared to foster her indefinitely?  The honest answer is that I'm not, but what's the alternative...........have her move to another foster home so I can take on another cat that may be more adoptively attractive?

I didn't sign on for the one and I can't fathom the other - I can't see my way clear on this one at present, here's hoping that this too will work out.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE.......

I remember when the litter of kittens of which Abner and Hobbs belonged, first arrived and how unreceptive Flossy was to them.  Infact that was so much  the case that I dissuaded a potential adopter from adopting Flossy into her home with one of the little ones, because our Baby Girl's initial behaviour demonstrated what I thought was total hate for them.

Once again I'm shown that I don't know everything in fostering (far from it), and that the bonds that develop between animals is on noone's timetable but their own.  Flossy now interacts, plays with, and enjoys Abner and Hobb's attention immensley - I attribute some of that to the fact that since they've grown, they must appear as more fun and a little less unnerving to a full grown cat! *L*  This past weekend I caught her and Hobbs (who she seems to spend the most time with), snuggled up on the bed together and her proceeding to groom him; then just yesterday I came upon Hobbs alseep in our livingroom and within two seconds, Flossy hopped up and we ended up with this shot:

As I type this, Flossy and Hobbs are engaged in a serious game of hide n' seek and from the sounds of it, she's loving every minute of it!!!

TIME

I don't know the person who once said that time waits for noone, but they couldn't have been more right.  Regardless of what's going on in our lives, a new day begins and ends, the hours on the clock continue to move, and daily activities of what we know to be life here continue to flow.   Everything is always changing and it happens whether you are ready or not.

Abner and Hobbs continue to grow rapidly and mature, Flossy trusts us just a little bit more each day and that's no more evident than in the fact that I wake up almost every morning now with her cuddled up in behind my legs, and our own two boys, Silly and Rocky..........they continue to love us and tolerate ALOT.