Lessons from 2009

Having a blog makes me look at things a little differently. I’ll be out with friends and think “I could write about this … as long as I changed the names to protect the guilty and placed black bars across their eyes in incriminating photos.” Everything is possible source material for a blog post/essay.

When I ended up in front of a sushi boat sometime in the beginning of the year and tried octopus for the first (and last) time, I thought it’d be interesting to keep a log of things I learned over the year. Okay, maybe it’s only interesting to me and to one or two of the six of you who read the blog.

My iPhone addiction came in handy. When I realized I learned something, I added it to a running Notes. It’s not a long list. And it’s not a profound list. My life hasn’t radically changed this year. I didn’t discover the secret to cold fusion or learn a second language. It’s just a list of odds and ends that I picked up. The list isn’t in order of importance, but in chronological order.

ORK: Happily Ever After

nce upon a time, Lady Cat was lost. She couldn’t find her home and grew to resist attempts from the Two-legs Tribe to help her.

But Lady Cat was lonely, so, like most lonely Lost Girls, she turned to an underground world of Tomcats for companionship. Soon Lady Cat was not so lonely — she had five little kittens to keep her company.

She taught the kittens how to play and hunt bugs. Most importantly, she taught them to all do their business in one spot. The kittens started to grow, and the Two-legs worried the fields wouldn’t support the family of 6 plus the roving tomcats. What would happen if the kittens grew up to become lonely and desperate like their mom?

ORK: Please Take Me Home with You

Well, folks, the ORK is down to two adoptable 4-month-old kittens. Callie is still living with her brothers but her new owners are supposed to come get her on July 30.

If you’ve been following the ORK saga and thought, “Hey, I’ve always wanted a kitten,” or know a friend who’s looking for a little fluffy ball of kitten goodness, now’s your chance to act!

Up for grabs are:

Sensitive White Kitten ISO Loving Home

Fiddler: Likely Aries ISO soul mate/family. Neutered, vaccinated (rabies, FVRCP), clean bill of health. Knows how to use litter box. Completely white. Likes hiding under beds and in boxes. Favorite toys include anything with feathers.

I’m a sensitive boy and may take a couple of days to return your love. Enough petting, though, will start my motor purring. I’ve been around other cats and wouldn’t mind doing that for the rest of my life.

Wanted: One Good Home

Smokey: Wanted for the crimes of being cute and losing small toys under shelves. Your  home could be the purr-fect prison. Suspect is neutered, vaccinated (rabies and FVRCP) and knows how to use the litter box. Grey with some banding, particularly on the legs.

Often spotted on window sills. Suspect may be a little shy but is gentle and likes having his ears rubbed. Would do best indoors.

On the Prowl

For the entire Operation Rescue Kitty saga, click “cats” in the tag cloud or browse these links:
* ORK Prelude
* First Move In
* Second and Final Move-in Day
* Only Kittens Now
* We’re Free (Kind of)

ORK: We’re Free (kind of)

We interupt your regularly scheduled Aruba travelogue for this Operation Rescue Kitty update.

How come Callie gets the box seats?

Sky went to his new home last Tuesday. He’s living with one of my neighbors. The other three adjusted pretty well to his absence. Although the other neighbor saw Smokey and Moss nursing off Callie. And I spotted Moss doing it today. I don’t think she has any milk, but it seems to keep everyone happy so what the heck.

Besides, Callie has a new place to live, too. The neighbor found her a place to live and she moves out on July 30. That means I just need homes for Smokey and Moss.

ORK: Only Kittens Now

I’m trying to resist the urge to sing, “Ding dong, the witch is dead,” because (a) Drifter’s not dead and (b) she was a bitch because of nature and being lost or abandoned so it’s not completely her fault … but, damn, I’m glad she’s gone. The expression on her face in the video linkat the end of the post is typical of how she always looked.

She successfully passed on her habit of hissing to Callie, and I figured it was only a matter of time before all the kittens jumped at me and hated my food-bringing presence. Of course, now that Drifter’s gone, 3 out of 5 cats hiss anyway when I come in the room.

I can’t care, because I do care. It’s time for socialization.

Sky, Moss, Callie and Rose (clockwise from top left)