Saving Sheila

Two or three days ago, I heard the sound of very loud, yet tiny sounding meowing outside of my apartment complex. Since I was taking my dog for a short walk before work, I couldn't really approach it, but once I took her back upstairs, I went in search of the tiny kitteh. I heard it hidden among some foliage, meowing it's little head off. I thought I caught a glimpse of a little body and blue eyes. I tried calling it; I tried finding it. It was too far in and it refused to come out. Racking my brains for anything I could do to help it, I immediately thought of the cans of tuna fish we had in our pantry. Sadly, they didn't have a pop top and my automatic can opener was out of juice. Then I realized I had a can of sardines. If I could pull one apart into tiny pieces, maybe I could lure the kitten out. But once I got to its hiding place, the tab broke, and the can remained stuck. Frustrated, I said a little prayer that someone else would find it and headed off to work. When I returned, I didn't hear any meowing, so I optimistically assumed someone *had* found it and helped it.

This afternoon, I was taking the trash out, when I heard it again, much louder, much more desperate. Immediately, I went to the bushes. The closer I got, the quieter it would become. I threw my trash to the side and got down on my hands and knees. It was hard to see, but there she was: a black kitten with green eyes, watching me warily. I tried caling it; I reached my hand in and it crouched further beneath its shrub. Finally, with no idea what else to do, I reached in, grabbed it behind its scrawny head, and pulled. Scooping her up into my arms, she immediately went quiet and curled into me. She even started purring a little. But all I could think was, "What now?" We can't have a cat. I didn't know anyone that wanted one. But I couldn't just leave her.

After a fruitless attempt at contacting a woman in my complex who was an advocate for animals, and a ring over at the humane society where they informed me all shelters were full, and many phone calls, I contacted my aunt. She agreed to take her, nurse her to health, and find her a home. I was so grateful I could have cried. I waited in my bathroom (to avoid a confrontation with my dog), letting the kitten sleep in my arms, until my aunt called. We surmised it was a little young to eat real food, and that not only was it severely dehydrated, but it was ill.

I hope you find a good home, Sheila. (Yes, I named the baby.)

Library Loot

I planned on a trip to the library today, and made myself follow through, even though I knew I'd stay forever. I was a little disappointed, as there were many books that looked interesting, but didn't exactly *grab* me, and so I ended up heading home with only one: a highly unusual event for me. But it's for the best, considering my busy schedule lately. (For example, I spent a long while trying to complete my statistics homework this afternoon when I got home, and I have a test tomorrow.)

The good thing about the book I got was that it did grab me, it really, really did, and I am really excited about it. Having already started it, I have to say that I'm already happy to be along for the ride. A reading me is a content me. The book was a suggested book for my new chick lit book club, entitled Twenties Girl, by Sophie Kinsella. Not her usual chick lit slant, Kinsella introduces Lara Lington, who has just attended her great-aunt's funeral. And she meets her great-aunt's spirit. With a final request for Lara - find a missing necklace - she must find the necklace in order to put her great-aunt to rest.

What really intrigues me about this novel is the personality of the spirit - a real "twenties girl" - feisty, spirited, fascinating. I haven't gotten far into the book, but I' looking forward to meeting Sadie and reading the all about the shenanigans Lara gets into, not to mention the arguing and learning she'll earn through her old auntie. I'm not recommending, however, until I complete it. Until then, happy reading!

Fall

I live in South Texas, so when everyone at my work announced (at different moments in time) the first day of Fall, I might have said "yay" in my head, but it meant nothing to me. Our leaves don't change colors, and our weather doesn't get cool until - oh - December or so.
But this morning, I took my dog outside, and it was cool! It felt amazing! It smelled so fresh! It was Fall! Mind you, "cool" in South Texas is in the mid-60's, and, to give you an idea of how our weather here really goes, when a few of us found out that the high would be in the low 80's, we all cheered, because that is unprecedented so early and it's been so hot lately, but today was perfect. It'll change by tomorrow and it won't actually get "cool" until, you know, Christmas. But still! Count your good days!
P.S. I will be going to the library soon (when I finish the very latest book I have been reading, John Kessel's The Baum Plan for Financial Independence. Full-time school, plus work is not conducive to reading time.) When I do go to the library, I will blog about my picks, why I liked them/chose them, maybe a little about each one. I stole the idea from my sister, who stole it from someone else. I'll have to find out who and get back to you.

P.P.S. I joined a Chick Lit reading group, so some of my picks will be due to said reading group. :)

Rain, Rain . . .

I love the rain. When I don't have to drive through it, anyway. Yesterday, my husband and I were driving home from church, and we hit a street that was starting to get pretty gnarly. Rain was spraying up over our hood, and my SO finally asked if we should turn around and head in the other direction, to his parents' house, which was closer. Honestly, I kept hearing that annoying standard reporter's voice in my head: "If you can't see how deep the water is on the streets, it's

safer not to try it. Turn around, and find a safe place until the water level goes down. I'm Sue Suzerain, reporting for . . . "

So, yes, I asked my husband to turn around. As we were busting our slow U-y, I looked further down the road we were currently leaving behind, and saw a car, stuck and stalled.

I headed to class this morning in a light drizzle. However, in Statistics, it was announced that we were to expect more of the same as the day before for this afternoon. My professor was correct. I sludged to my car, sans cute umbrella and matching - adorable - rainboots. Once I closed the door and breathed a sigh, I realized everything was soaked: me, my clothes, my flip-flopped feet, my backpack, my purse, and - oh yay- I was dripping steadily all over my car interior. The rain was coming down, but not as hard yet as it could have been and probably will be, so I grit my teeth, turned my defrost to blasting, and slowly eked my way out of the parking lot and to my apartment, where I promptly changed into dry sweats, and am pondering a cup of hot chocolate or maybe just a nice burrito with salsa.

Until next time: stay dry, my friends!