Inspiration weekend

I started a coaching course this week to help me work through some issues I'm struggling with regarding work (but really regarding life post COVID).

I really like the coach, she's very insightful and has a nice way of asking questions to help me vocalize things I otherwise might try and think my way around.

The homework this week was to help open up and be receptive to intuition. I've been feeling like I haven't been all that successful with it, some very small things at the beginning of the week but nothing really stood out.

Then I thought of my weekend. I had a scheduled volunteer session at the cat shelter. I was not looking forward to it, feeling in a funk, didn't particularly want to drag myself into the shelter, etc 

Once I got there it was nice to realize there were quite a few volunteers working (it's not as fun when you're on your own). I first went through and fed all the cats in the Gen Pop room. Lots of new kitties since I was here last. Another volunteer was doing litter box cleaning so I started going around and hanging with the cats. There was a kitty who was very hissy, I stayed outside the cage but near him to see if he'd get more comfy with me there. Another cat kept meowing as I walked by so I visited her. I was only going to do a few quick pets so I stood bent over but she reached up and I realized I needed to sit down. She immediately crawled into my lap and stayed there while I pet her for a good 30/45 min. 

Today, in class a bunch of us hung out at the coffee shop after and a few people mentioned that I flowed really well and seemed really on my legs. I agreed that I did feel pretty solid-pirouettes landing, mostly staying on balance, everything feeling pulled up and turned out (to the extent my body does that).

Afterwards, I thought about the two things-cat and ballet. I realized the connection is in being in the moment and quieting my active voice. Cats are the epitome of being in the moment. They know what they want and the either go for it, ask for it, or figure out how to get it. If they can't get it, they do something else (often sleeping 😸). 

In ballet, analyzing is one thing, but overthinking doesn't help you. You need the active left brain to stay quiet and let the right brain do its thing. 

By taking the example I inadvertently picked up from the cats, I achieved better results in ballet class than if I'd tried to analyze it to death. 

It's not something I'm particularly good at but perhaps there's something in there about practicing the unused skill of learning to be in the moment that I need right now.

I'll see what my coach has to say about it but I'm already looking forward to the discussion.

Dimple & Cream have found their home

It seemed odd to me that Dimple and Cream would have no interested adopters, given their unique colouration.

A few weeks ago, I ran into my upstairs neighbour, Araceli, at the recycling bin. I asked about her cat and told her about my latest fosters. I asked her to let me know if she knows anyone who might be interested in adopting them. I texted her a picture and almost immediately she gave me the name of someone.

I forwarded the info to the rescue and waited. After hearing nothing, I started to get concerned that the kittens would end up back at the shelter when I went away for Thanksgiving. I reached out to my contact and asked her to look into it. Apparently Caitlin had put that they would might allow the cats outside and so immediately disqualified them without an interview. 🤨

I asked them to interview Caitlin, that she may just need to be educated. Turns out they loved Caitlin and we immediately arranged for a face-to-face so she could meet the kittens.

Well the meeting couldn't have gone better. Caitlin and David are real cat people, he showed me his former boys (two orange tabby brothers!) and the kittens were actually more interested in them both than other visitors I've had. 

David is a skilled carpenter/handyman and talked of putting up cat shelves. I was so pleased that the babies were going to such a good home. 

I miss them already, but it's nice to get my home back again.

Have a great life babies!

Dimple & Cream still in residence

Dimple and Cream are still in residence at the CatBnB. They've been spayed and are waiting to be adopted but at almost 4 mos, they are starting to look more like mini adults. They're eyes turned green and their bodies are proportioned like adults. They're still small and have a ways to grow yet. 

Dimple is a lover. She just wants to be on my lap at all times. She starts purring at the slightest provocation. She's also the feisty one, she's going to make sure you know she's in charge.

Cream prefers to keep a safe distance right up until she sees a clear lap that she doesn't have to fight her sister for. She's fine being close but not that close. She still loves a good chin scratch.

They're both the sweetest, but I'm ready to get my spare room back and see them off to a good home themselves.

Dimple & Cream

I've got some new kittens at the CatBnB. They've been here almost 2 weeks and have another week and a half or so before they are scheduled for spay/neuter surgery. 

Dimple is a female Tortie and Cream is a female orange tabby (unusual as most orange tabbies are male). They're about 8 weeks old and absolutely adorable! Dimple was super skinny and much smaller than Cream when they first arrived but she was much braver and would purr on contact. Her ears are huge compared to her tiny head. 

Cream was much more cautious and tended to stay outside of reach. When I was able to give her a little scritch on the chin, she immediately loved it but she didn't purr for awhile.

As with most of the kittens I've had, they got some loose stools about a week into their stay so I had to medicate them, which can be a life threatening task for the medicator! Kittens have sharp claws! They both love Churu treats and playing on top of my legs.

New foster kittens

I got a text on Tuesday morning if I could take in a couple of kittens. I was picking them up by late afternoon. Wasn't planning on it but they're only 6 weeks old! I'll only have them a short time because of my trip to visit Mei over Memorial weekend. 

They are really tiny. I sort of weighed them today, they are under 2 lbs! Super cute but skittish around me. Dorito is the one with more white, Pretzel is the greyer one. 

Pandemic birthday

Last spring, I felt bad for people having pandemic birthdays. I thought I had just gotten mine in last February and assumed things would be back to some semblance of normal by now. It became clear shortly thereafter that COVID would be with us awhile so here we are, my turn at a pandemic birthday. 

So, it was a day like any other pandemic day, except for taking the day off work. I hung with the cats and watched them nap.

Did my grocery errand today instead of Saturday and hung out with my neighbours with a mini cheesecake they got me. Not a bad way to spend a birthday under any circumstances.

The best news happened for the cats: they have a new cat momma! I met with Azar via video a couple of days ago and she seems like a real cat person. I'm so excited for Grubs and Roly to find their forever home.

And it turns out Azar is a neighbour! She lives about 10 min from me. I love knowing the boys will be close.

End of an era in the White House and at work

Well it's was a traumatic, stressful, rage inducing 4 years. 

I'm completely obsessed with the wonderful young poet Amanda Gorman. Her poem was amazing and her performance of it, from her choice of outfit & jewelry to her hand gestures to her voice, transfixed all of us.

On a sad note at work, we were informed that Mike Mason is being let go from the company as of the end of February. No one (aside from the decision makers) understands this decision and those of us on the project are devastated.

The kitties are finally getting comfortable around me. 

Even Roly will hang on the bed with me. Such beautiful boys!

New cat visitors & a traumatic week

What happened this week at the Capitol is a wholely predictable travesty and tragedy. Also potentially terrifying. No more from me on that.

The kittens from December had to go back to the shelter during the last week of December due to needing medications for parasites. Candy corn was not going to be having any of that and let me know it. 

I found out a week later that they were being adopted. I was so thrilled for them but so missed them. They were so cute.

I picked up two new cats, this time 1 yr old orange tabby brothers. They are gorgeous cats but extremely skittish. Grubs, the short hair has been out playing with their toys and has even gone so far as to sniff my hand but won't let me near. I barely catch a glimpse of Roly Poly as he's dashing away between hiding places. 

They are amazing jumpers though! Grubs got himself into the tiny window ledge.

Roly stayed in the crate for quite awhile, although now he's mostly under the bed. I did catch him jump onto the top of my 5' cabinet in the bathroom! 

I hope they warm up soon, otherwise this won't be fun like the *corn sibs.

Fostering kitties

Last weekend, I took in two sibling kitties for fostering until they can find their forever homes. 

They are the cutest!! I kept them in the guest room their first day but they seemed pretty curious by day 2, so I let them check out the digs. The neighbours met them in the hallway that afternoon.

They have very different personalities. Popcorn is the male white and orange. He is more bold and took to me right away but he's also kind of feisty and prefers to play with his teeth. I'm trying to train him out of that but it's challenging.

Candy Corn is the female calico and she was more cautious but is super affectionate when she wants to be. She tends to enjoy pets and likes to sleep right on me or next to me. 

While I'm working, she will tend to sleep in the guest room with me, he will be on the sofa. They're pretty good eaters. They like playing with the felt dangly toy they came with. He's better and using the scratching box, she doesn't seem to have figurdt it out yet. 

He figured out how to climb the Xmas tree but hasn't done it again. Litter box duty is a pain. I'm still keeping them in the room when I'm out. Luckily, I don't get out much due to the pandemic. 

They can sometimes sleep in the most uncomfortable positions. I'm enjoying them while they are here, but it will be a lot less work when they are adopted.