Did I tell you the story of my professor (from student days) who came into class one day looking disheveled and discombobulated, as if he hadn't slept all night and said -- heed my advice: the more kids you have, the more problems you'll have. One day this one is in trouble, the next day it's the other one. It never stops.
I thought about this every now and then. At the time, I did not agree: I have a friend who has three siblings. Each sibling has at least four kids, as does my friend. Though they surely had their rough days, I have never heard of any great drama filtering through the lives of any of them. So isn't it really a matter of luck?
On the other hand, if you have 8 cats who consider your garage their home (well, seven of them do, plus the newborns up in the rafters), it's going to lead to chaos alternating with relief. Or indifference, if you don't like cats.
This morning, my favorite little girl, Dark Blue (guess who named her), showed signs of distress. She's not well. There is not a hope in hell that we can catch her and get her to the vet. Not even food will lure her -- she's not eating.
On the up side, the two guys who flew out the bathroom and disappeared for two days into the wilderness found their way back and are having a hell of a good time in the garage with their sibs!
(five kittens plus Dance, the one with a shaved side)
And, the kitten who had bitten Ed in his utter terror, and who was under observation in the sheep shed (doctor's orders), had Ed in there with him for the better part of the night. By noon today, they were like this:
And like this:
Ed let him loose after that. Observation completed.
(reuniting with sister in garage...)
Do remind me if you wish that we have too many cats here! Don't I know it! But, it is what it is. We are grateful that most of them seem to be doing well and no one is spooked by the capture and trauma of surgery.
I worked in the garden just a little. Yeah, still lovely...
(Waiting for Ed...)
And then I had a wonderfully long visit with my sweet friend who is briefly in Madison.
I just saw her two months ago and yet, for both of us, but especially for her this has not been an eventful set of weeks. So much to process! So many worries, so many smiles!
And in the afternoon, I am with Snowdrop.
Today, she discovered that I grow lavender. This thrilled her no end as she has smelled the fragrance in a tiny bottle of "calming oil" in her home. "It's the same smell!" I let her snip a stem. (And no, that's not a lavender plant before her; that's a salvia. She's clutching her little lavender piece in her hand.)
The evening is a bit of a whirlwind. Phone calls, emails, cats, and very very late, a dinner of reheated red lentil soup with Ed, on the porch. Just because it's August.
I thought about this every now and then. At the time, I did not agree: I have a friend who has three siblings. Each sibling has at least four kids, as does my friend. Though they surely had their rough days, I have never heard of any great drama filtering through the lives of any of them. So isn't it really a matter of luck?
On the other hand, if you have 8 cats who consider your garage their home (well, seven of them do, plus the newborns up in the rafters), it's going to lead to chaos alternating with relief. Or indifference, if you don't like cats.
This morning, my favorite little girl, Dark Blue (guess who named her), showed signs of distress. She's not well. There is not a hope in hell that we can catch her and get her to the vet. Not even food will lure her -- she's not eating.
On the up side, the two guys who flew out the bathroom and disappeared for two days into the wilderness found their way back and are having a hell of a good time in the garage with their sibs!
(five kittens plus Dance, the one with a shaved side)
And, the kitten who had bitten Ed in his utter terror, and who was under observation in the sheep shed (doctor's orders), had Ed in there with him for the better part of the night. By noon today, they were like this:
And like this:
Ed let him loose after that. Observation completed.
(reuniting with sister in garage...)
Do remind me if you wish that we have too many cats here! Don't I know it! But, it is what it is. We are grateful that most of them seem to be doing well and no one is spooked by the capture and trauma of surgery.
I worked in the garden just a little. Yeah, still lovely...
(Waiting for Ed...)
And then I had a wonderfully long visit with my sweet friend who is briefly in Madison.
I just saw her two months ago and yet, for both of us, but especially for her this has not been an eventful set of weeks. So much to process! So many worries, so many smiles!
And in the afternoon, I am with Snowdrop.
Today, she discovered that I grow lavender. This thrilled her no end as she has smelled the fragrance in a tiny bottle of "calming oil" in her home. "It's the same smell!" I let her snip a stem. (And no, that's not a lavender plant before her; that's a salvia. She's clutching her little lavender piece in her hand.)
The evening is a bit of a whirlwind. Phone calls, emails, cats, and very very late, a dinner of reheated red lentil soup with Ed, on the porch. Just because it's August.
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