Tag: chairs

Day one…

The kittens are still alive and so am I! On Tuesday evening, a friend of ours texted over a picture of four kittens on a blanket, with a caption “Look at the black one!” She then proceeded to let me know that her granddaughter or her granddaughter’s roommate had found and trapped these stray kittens at the warehouse that she worked at and they needed homes. Not sure if my honey was ready to bring another cat into our hearts, I forwarded it to him asking if he wanted to meet them. It was a resounding yes.

My honey has an uncanny knack for being able to gauge an animal’s personality. we went expecting to fall in love with the black one, but that’s not exactly how it happened. The black one was pretty scared and the gal handed it to me first. My honey was handed the grey one with white paws. Boots, as he is now known as. He knew how to reel my honey’s heart in and began purring and nuzzling his head under my honey’s arm. That was it. But we were both torn. The black one, now Pook, had been buddies with Boots in play and sleep. The third one was pretty independent. We just couldn’t split them up. Thus, Pook AND Boots.

I have never raised a cat from kitten stage. Our Spanky was probably 6 months old when she came to us. A big difference from what I am guessing are eight week olds. The first day was very quiet. No meows at all. Lots of tails between the legs for Pook. They ate well, drank well, pooped and peed well and slept well. Unlike me, who had my mother’s ears on while wearing earplugs. And silly me, I thought I would let them out of the cage for a little bit to let them begin to acclimate to the room. Not real smart. I left the room for a moment to get cat food and they were gone when I returned. I thought a moment, then checked in the underbed bin for my garden work clothes. That was one of Spanky favorite hiding spots. There they were! Four ears sticking out of it.

But, it gets better. I let them stay there a bit. When I next returned with my honey, they were no longer in the box. After some diligent searching, I finally located a warm bulge in the lining of the recliner chair in the corner. Sigh. I finally had to cut the lining to get them out and re-cage them. Needless to say, the recliner is no longer in the bedroom.

A trip to the local pet store later in the day, and a hundred dollars later and I was armed with plenty of kitten food in various forms. Fortunately we had kept some cute little dishes for food, some not so cute, but extremely practical dry food dispensers, a litter box and enough plastic newspaper sleeves to gather the litter clumps in.

The day ended with the cats romping and wrestling each other and playing with some leftover toys. When I decided it was time for bed, I picked Boots up like a baby and he started to purr and relax. Ahh! I think I stumbled on the Mom factor. Roll them over into the submissive posture to calm them. After a few minutes of cuddling, I placed him back in the cage and did the same with Pook. Mom time was shorter with Pook, but still effective. The closed cage was greeted with a couple complaint mews, but they settled down as soon as the light went off. I think. Again, I slept with earplugs. Mom ears hear everything.

So. Here I am with new mom foggy brain due to lack of sleep. but enjoying the adventure. Day two was a little easier. I learned they are both climbers, thus the early morning order for a cat climbing tower from Chewy.com. I am trying to let them out of the cage, yet keep them confined to the one bedroom until they are too large to fit inside anymore furniture, or don’t want to.

Hope my kitten stories bring a smile to your face and and a bit of joy to your heart!

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Shavuot…

My hubby and I celebrate the Feasts of the LORD, as did Jesus, as did the disciples and the early church. They are found listed in the book of Leviticus, chapter 23.

This year, we had a rainy, cold spring and early summer. The day of Shavuot, or Pentecost, as many may know it, occurred on the last Sunday of May. I awoke to a rainy day. We hadn’t planned on hosting the feast this year, as we had only just moved onto our property two weeks earlier. The shop wasn’t ready, and the house not big enough. But, friends kept asking, so we decided to do it. We hired a few out of work due to COVID friends to come clear out the unfinished shop and move all the excess building materials, gardening stuff, tools, and so much more from the large room in the shop to the small room. We blocked off the staircases with plywood so no one could possibly go upstairs and get injured due to a lack of permanent, stable, stair and balcony railings. I asked a few teenaged girls from our gatherings to come and help me decorate for the occasion. Special individual sized cakes were picked up from the bakery, a huge shopping trip was made. By the Friday before, everything was ready.

As I said, we awoke to rain. Not just a drizzle either. Full blown, hair wet in a minute rain. I found myself in tears. All that work, and now the weather isn’t cooperating. We weren’t sure how many people we could hold in the shop yet, there was no working heat, no outside for the kids to play in, only ports potties to pee in. I began to doubt anyone would come. After a simple prayer, I began to realize that this was a test. Would we be willing to celebrate, and meet with God on this, HIS appointed day to meet with his children, even if it was just the two of us who were there? I resolved to say a resounding YES.

I wiped my tears, put a pair of tennis shoes under my beautiful dress and began the process of toting food from the house to the shop. The first guests arrived as I brought the third batch over. And they continued to arrive for the next hour. One guest took over guiding the parking, the ladies pitched in organizing all the food on the tables. We improvised on our reenactment of the giving of the covenant at Mt Sinai by setting up a ladder in the shop for my honey (Moshe) to read the Ten Commandments from, several ladies held up gray pillows I had gathered to be clouds to shroud the mountain, and several men with shofars sounded the trumpet blast to announce the activity. The Ten Commandments we’re ready, the recount of the giving of the Holy Spirit many years later on the same day was shared also. One man waved our two loaves of bread and led us in prayer. One gentleman shared a short message, a sweet couple led some praise. A few ladies asked if they could sing for the group. They had voices like angels. At one point a couple young women started some Hebrew dance. Teens sat on the blue plastic Adirondack chairs under the covered porch outside, wearing jackets, and visited, kids played in the puddles outside.

It was a beautiful day of remembering the sacred covenant between God and his children. A day of joy, celebration, and sweet fellowship with the brethren. The room seemed plenty warm, you didn’t notice the unfinished walls, only the beauty of the decor and of people fellowshipping. The day began before noon, the last guests usually leave around 9:30 pm. We end the day physically exhausted, but spiritually renewed. Completely satisfied, but wanting more. But, more will have to wait until the Day of Trumpets in September.