Today I am feeling just a little "slow". Not like I am ever a great morning person, but we are having another fundraiser today, and quite often I have no luck at all with these kinds of shows. I for years have refused to do them, just because I get such a low turnout. But, we are trying it again. I hope just at least a few people show up. That would be great. Maybe that is why I am avoiding getting going, dread.
But, on the other hand, I have a kitty sleeping on me and that is certainly encouraging me to not move too much. We took two of our young cats in to be spayed three days ago, and they are recovering well, nearly back to normal, but one is certainly resting a bit more. With barn cats, they multiply fast. And strays come and adopt you. And leave kittens also. So, we are taking our kitties in to get fixed two at a time. As paychecks allow. So far four of the barn kitties have been fixed this year (girls first), we have four that are already fixed, and the others will get done as soon as we can. The waiting list for Cats Anonymous is pretty long, and honestly, we can do it for about the same cost with our country vet. And I really like the whole thing of not asking for help. Pride, you know. We have the majority of the cats outside, but a few come in and out, and some were raised in the house as little ones so they are very very social. We had a fiasco last spring with some babies getting killed by a critter, and all the soft hearts in the house determined to protect any more that were born, so the kids and I brought the mamas and babies inside to protect them. So, they are all litter trained, and we found homes for the majority of the babies. But a few remain. We still hope to find other homes since they are all so sweet and make lovely, attentive housecats. But we sincerely try to limit how many house cats we have to two. The rest have a kitty tahj mahal on the front porch and in the barn, so they live quite well for barn cats. But, if you know anyone who wants a very snuggly cat - we have some lovely ones! There are a few favorites that will stay - like the stray with the leg that is permanently damaged (so she has basically three functioning legs), and the one that has totally adopted Steve as her owner. But, if they stay, well, they are awesome mousers, live the high life well fed out here, patrolling the barns, and loved on by everyone. When we have a bonfire, several of the cats will come and join us and snuggle (and try to scam some treats). They have a good life. We just are making sure that there aren't too many! And living in farming country, there are lots of barn cats, so if the kids really wanted another kitten at some point - there are so many being given away from other barns. And likely another pregnant stray mama will show up at some time. And leave babies, and maybe stay, like the last one. I have decided that my kids are the absolute champions at taming a cat that has never had much human contact. They slowly earn its trust. And then slowly over time build a sweet relationship with it. And then we get it fixed and vaccinated. Maybe that is another one of our contributions to life here! Hee, hee.
Well, now just writing has encouraged me to start my real daily activities!
I am slowly going through everything we own, everything that is hiding in the basement, a box at a time. Yesterday I had on a marathon of the show "Hoarders" (talk about motivation to anyone to get rid of stuff!) and the kids would bring me up a box/container at a time and I would go through it. Things were divided into throw away, donate, keep. If it was a keep, it had to have a place to go and a purpose! I got through six boxes, and of that, only two boxes of things were kept - mostly summer clothes for the kids and a few sentimental things, five garbage bags of things went out - I have a habit of keeping things until I can decide about them - got a lot of deciding things done yesterday, and three bags of donations went out to the van. The deal is that nothing can be left laying around. I do one box all the way, clean up after it, and then call for another one. I was so very proud of myself. Even with my love of books, some of them are going for donations! It was amazing to see how much I got done, and how quickly I could return my house to order after the sorting process. I don't think I can do that every day, but if I even did that every couple days, in no time at all, the entire basement would be sorted through and decluttered! Wow.
So, thanks for the encouragement of letting me talk to you! Could you please leave me a note if you follow my blog at all? I don't mind writing just to myself, as it is so therapeutic and sorts out my mind on issues, but it is also really encouraging to think that maybe it helps someone else. I haven't figured out how to put a counter on my blog, but I would like to know if people look at it. I hope it is helpful for someone, at the very least lets you know that life is honest, and real, and funny, and sometimes messy. But it is great! God loves us all!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
But, on the other hand, I have a kitty sleeping on me and that is certainly encouraging me to not move too much. We took two of our young cats in to be spayed three days ago, and they are recovering well, nearly back to normal, but one is certainly resting a bit more. With barn cats, they multiply fast. And strays come and adopt you. And leave kittens also. So, we are taking our kitties in to get fixed two at a time. As paychecks allow. So far four of the barn kitties have been fixed this year (girls first), we have four that are already fixed, and the others will get done as soon as we can. The waiting list for Cats Anonymous is pretty long, and honestly, we can do it for about the same cost with our country vet. And I really like the whole thing of not asking for help. Pride, you know. We have the majority of the cats outside, but a few come in and out, and some were raised in the house as little ones so they are very very social. We had a fiasco last spring with some babies getting killed by a critter, and all the soft hearts in the house determined to protect any more that were born, so the kids and I brought the mamas and babies inside to protect them. So, they are all litter trained, and we found homes for the majority of the babies. But a few remain. We still hope to find other homes since they are all so sweet and make lovely, attentive housecats. But we sincerely try to limit how many house cats we have to two. The rest have a kitty tahj mahal on the front porch and in the barn, so they live quite well for barn cats. But, if you know anyone who wants a very snuggly cat - we have some lovely ones! There are a few favorites that will stay - like the stray with the leg that is permanently damaged (so she has basically three functioning legs), and the one that has totally adopted Steve as her owner. But, if they stay, well, they are awesome mousers, live the high life well fed out here, patrolling the barns, and loved on by everyone. When we have a bonfire, several of the cats will come and join us and snuggle (and try to scam some treats). They have a good life. We just are making sure that there aren't too many! And living in farming country, there are lots of barn cats, so if the kids really wanted another kitten at some point - there are so many being given away from other barns. And likely another pregnant stray mama will show up at some time. And leave babies, and maybe stay, like the last one. I have decided that my kids are the absolute champions at taming a cat that has never had much human contact. They slowly earn its trust. And then slowly over time build a sweet relationship with it. And then we get it fixed and vaccinated. Maybe that is another one of our contributions to life here! Hee, hee.
Well, now just writing has encouraged me to start my real daily activities!
I am slowly going through everything we own, everything that is hiding in the basement, a box at a time. Yesterday I had on a marathon of the show "Hoarders" (talk about motivation to anyone to get rid of stuff!) and the kids would bring me up a box/container at a time and I would go through it. Things were divided into throw away, donate, keep. If it was a keep, it had to have a place to go and a purpose! I got through six boxes, and of that, only two boxes of things were kept - mostly summer clothes for the kids and a few sentimental things, five garbage bags of things went out - I have a habit of keeping things until I can decide about them - got a lot of deciding things done yesterday, and three bags of donations went out to the van. The deal is that nothing can be left laying around. I do one box all the way, clean up after it, and then call for another one. I was so very proud of myself. Even with my love of books, some of them are going for donations! It was amazing to see how much I got done, and how quickly I could return my house to order after the sorting process. I don't think I can do that every day, but if I even did that every couple days, in no time at all, the entire basement would be sorted through and decluttered! Wow.
So, thanks for the encouragement of letting me talk to you! Could you please leave me a note if you follow my blog at all? I don't mind writing just to myself, as it is so therapeutic and sorts out my mind on issues, but it is also really encouraging to think that maybe it helps someone else. I haven't figured out how to put a counter on my blog, but I would like to know if people look at it. I hope it is helpful for someone, at the very least lets you know that life is honest, and real, and funny, and sometimes messy. But it is great! God loves us all!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
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