Cats, Grownup Movies and International Visitors

September 29,2008

The Queen (LuLu our cat) is not amused. For the past month, we have foster cared two kittens. They appeared on our front walk. There was one (Captain Jack) that had an infected eye and a shoulder gash. He was shy but very loving. Although my husband Alan took a stern stance on not feeding or encouraging the cats to stay, he was feeding them within a few hours. We called the Clinton County Animal Control and the Humane Society and they informed us that a sick kitten was usually put down because they were concerned about cross infections. We took Jack to the vet ($100) and found that he was fine. We found a wonderful home for Jack with my boss who has a preteen daughter and lives in the county. He is having a great time. The other kitten disappeared for a few days but reappeared when Jack left. Again, we contacted the Humane Society and they advised us to keep her (we called her Kitty Witty) until she weighed two pounds. Alan put additional boards (to keep her warm) under her box in the garage and found a good place for her food. We had to keep them in the garage because LuLu would not let them in the house and continually hissed and fought with them through the window and doors. We found a good home for Kitty Witty and now it seems lonely around the house.

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The leaves are turning; the air is a little crisper. I try to take time to enjoy the trees as I am hurrying to my next activity. We usually try to spend at least one October weekend up in Northwest Michigan, which is a virtual golden landscape. We are going to California for a week in October so we are not doing Northern Michigan. I remember that a Southern California person who came to speak at a conference in Northern Michigan, he thought it was so beautiful he had died an gone to heaven.

We have enjoyed our Netflik choices. I tend to pick a lot of BBC productions. We watched Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont and Good night Mr. Tom. Both were in the category of movies for grownups. Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont was a beautiful story about an older woman who found friendship with a younger man, which helped brighten her years. Good night Mr. Tom was a heart-tugging tale about World War II and the movement of children from London to the country to avoid the bombing raids.

We had the honor of hosting two young ladies from Japan for a weekend. We do this as part of Community Volunteers for International Programs (CVIP). These girls were in their late teens and in the USA to attend MSU for a three-week English immersion program. Although it rained all weekend, we were able to show them a cider mill, my church and some of the Michigan landscape.