Phoebe – This Old House 2

Ms. Phoebe arrived in her new home with my daughter and has settled in very well indeed. She follows K around the apartment and frequently talks about whatever, maybe the weather. Just adorable, she is. Makes me want to go back to the shelter to adopt that little stinker who was just as pretty and loving but also sprinkled with a dash of crazy, I think. Mike says no, no, and ten more nos. So I think it’s a no go.

When you rescue an animal and provide the home and love they’ve never known, there is no question they realize their sudden good fortune, you see and feel their appreciation. Want a natural high? This is one of the best. For those of you who have adopted homeless animals, you know what I’m talking about.

Yesterday mom and I drove to Staten Island to say good bye to a wonderful, genuine, kind, no-bullshit, give- you- the- shirt- off -his- back kind of guy… My Uncle Guy. Loved him, miss him, what a gem. He lived a full 84 years, healthy until the end, still walking two-three miles a day, cooking for himself, visited his wife daily on his walks in the cemetery. Christmas Eve he was told by his Dr. the aches and pains he was feeling weren’t just old age, he had bone cancer. Everywhere. With the dignity and grace and common sense he’s always embodied.. he simply said to his doctor with his son by his side…..

“It’s OK. In every book and story I’ve ever known, there is a beginning, a middle and an end”. This is my end, and I lived a full life. I’ve traveled, I’ve shared my life with my wife of 55 years, raised two boys, had three wonderful grandchildren and knew my great grandchildren. Life Was Good”.

Not three weeks later he passed. This picture was taken at a family celebration for my college graduation and my sisters HS graduation. He was as proud of us as any father would be and at times throughout my life when I needed the advice of a Dad figure, he was often the voice of reason.

During yesterdays visit to the funeral home, I got to visit with cousins I don’t see often . This family of ours always manages laughter and keeping it real regardless of the circumstances. Now and again I am reminded of this and I’ll always be grateful.

My daughter is now happily residing in her new apartment. Since we are her landlord, she gets to have a pet. Holding down two jobs and taking care of her horse leave not a heck of a lot of time spent at “home” during the week, so having a dog in the apartment really wouldn’t be fair to the dog. Or the neighbors. We contemplated letting her take our little doxie Rudy with her because he sleeps in her bed at night and loves her way more than me nowadays, since I relegate him to the crate due to his pisspot tendencies i.e. marking of good furniture. Again and again and again. *ahem. Rudy also howls when we leave home. LOUDLY. So.. no apartment dwelling for Rudy, he’s stuck with us.

Anyway…. we went to the local cat rescue last weekend – Forgotten Felines on the shoreline… and there were about 100 cats in need of a home. At least. Those folks are amazing in their good care of the cats – basically an entire house is dedicated to the care and keeping of those 100 or so cats. There are cat beds and cat scratch posts and cat sky scrapers and cat jungle gyms all over the place. Indoor and outdoor rooms as well, all secure from predators or escape artists. One long haired calico girl sat quietly in a corner. K went over to her, petted her, then picked her up and put her on her lap. It was love at first Purr.

We did go around to meet the others, but came right back around to Ms. Purdy. (Now Phoebe). Phoebe was found on a construction site, locked in a closet with her kitten, emaciated. She’s looking much better after the care she’s been given. It took several days for them to approve our application, but she just received word that she can pick Phoebe up on Thursday evening.

It was weird being on the other end of an adoption interview and inquiry into my references. Usually I do that sort of thing to determine whether we will approve a family for whatever dog it is they are interested in. What is sometimes difficult is when people have to be told their adoption application has been turned down for whatever reason. It’s not meant as a put-down.. merely an attempt to find the best possible situation for the dog or cat who has already been through so much. We don’t like to adopt dogs out to people who are beyond our home-visit range… about an hour or so. If you have trouble, we want to be able to come to you and help, or take back the dog. Sometimes the children in the house are too young and rough when handling the dog and we know it will be a stressful situation for that particular dog. It’s not that the people are “bad people”. Inevitably, we piss a few off, never our intention, but the welfare of the animal should come first.

ANYWAY… I look forward to Phoebe’s arrival at daughters apartment. I already dropped off a present.. a cat tier and scratching post so she can scratch to her hearts content and lie on the tier in the window full of sun.

We’ve got another small adoption event coming up… Flyer below..