Ramadan Is Almost Over

I feel sort of bad about this. Here it is only a few more days left of
Ramadan and I'm only just now telling you this.

If you can, go to YouTube. Search for Native Deen. That's the name of a singing group. Search for their song Ramadan Is Here. The official version, not the one with Alvin + The Chipmunks. The song is cute and so is the video.

Actually, all of Native Deen's music is good. I have their cds and play
at least a song or two off them almost every day.

Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.


hugs, Tawny
tawny_ford@webtv.net

The Life + Times

I'll tell you what, there really hasn't been a whole lot going on these past few months. Leastwise not at my house. But that's good, that's how I like it.

About three months ago a stray cat showed up in my yard. Actually, two stray cats showed up at just about the same time. A grey one and an orange + white one. Softy that I am, I started putting food and water out for them.  

After about a month, the orange + white one decided my yard was her yard and she'd run the grey one out. Every time he (although I don't know if it was a he, I was never able to get close enough to tell) showed to try and eat she'd be on him and he'd be running for his life over the neighbor’s fence.

The orange + white cat turned out to be a female. It took a month and a half before I knew though. She wouldn't let me anywhere near her. Yes, I could feed her, but that was it. No fraternization.

The poor cat looked terrible. I truly thought she was about a hundred years old, that's how bedraggled, tired, sad and malnourished she was. She walked with her head down and she slunk with her belly almost touching the ground. It was heart breaking to see.

My guess is she used to belong to someone. I'd say she used to be an indoor cat and then someone either moved and left her behind, or tossed her out. Anyway, sad was all over face and her demeanor. I figured she was going to die soon.

I talked to her every time I saw her. Didn't make no matter that she wanted nothing to do with me, I still spoke to her a couple of times a day. Finally, about a month ago it paid off. She came to me and we were immediate buddies.

It got to where if I went out in the backyard and sat down, she was on my lap. If I went to the mailbox at the end of my driveway she followed me like a dog. She was sleeping in my garage at night. And I was getting up at 7am every morning to feed her outside and Kathleen inside.

Kathleen is my 15-year-old indoor cat. She has always been an indoor cat, an only cat and my faithful loving companion. Had it not been for Kathleen's total intolerance for any other animals I would have brought Stray Kitty into our house as soon as she let me pet her.

Because of Kathleen I began a twofold mission--to fatten up Stray Kitty and nurse her back to health, and find her a good, loving home.

I asked everyone I knew if they'd take Stray Kitty home. I asked people on Facebook that I barely knew. I spoke to neighbors I'd never spoken to before. When that didn't pan out I started contacting no-kill shelters in my area. When they turned me down I tried to bribe them, but they were still over capacity and couldn't take Stray Kitty.

Finally I resigned myself to the fact that Stray Kitty was going to have to go the vets, get her shots, etc. and then come live in one of my bedrooms. And only in one of the bedrooms because I knew Kathleen would never permit her to live peacefully in the whole house.

I even chose a name for Stray Kitty--- Earl Lee, after my cousin. Yes, I know Earl Lee is a boys name and Stray Kitty is a girl! But see, Earl Lee was on deaths door down in Mississippi and his mother, my Aunt Shag, went to Mississippi, brought him to Michigan and nursed him back to health. See the similarity, sort of?

Of course, Earl Lee (my cousin) then turned on Aunt Shug and has been a miserable, no good, piece of crap to Shug since, but that's a whole other story.

Anyway, then a woman in a WebTV-only newsgroup that I frequent suggested that I contact the folks in the WebTV-only Michigan newsgroup and maybe someone would want Stray Kitty.

So I contacted a woman who lived in Southfield, maybe five miles from here. Turned out her two elderly cats passed away this past July. She said she'd love to have Stray Kitty!

This morning she and her husband picked up Stray Kitty and took her home with them. They seemed to be awfully nice people. I know Stray Kitty will be well cared for and much loved.

I've been sad all day. I miss Stray Kitty. But sometimes you have to do things that hurt you bad in order to do something good for someone else.  

Be good and be careful, stay strong, take care.

Hugs, Tawny

248-615-1300