Update on Nico and a Few Other Things (Long)

Nico turned up Monday AM, was there at 4:15AM waiting for his canned food, but didn't get to eat any because the feral ate 2 packages of Whiskas (their "meat" and gravy), a full bowl of dry and another half a can of Fancy Feast I put out (for Nico).

He (Nico) did get to eat canned yesterday afternoon when I got home, as the feral wasn't around then. Sometimes he comes in the afternoons too, but usually just the mornings. I think that grey and white cat might have been abandoned and now is semi-feral, perhaps not a true feral. He certainly won't let me get too close, but his hunger overrides almost everything else. He scarfed down all the wet I put out this morning, too, so Nico got none. There's only so much food I can put out and the grey/white guy seems to have limitless stomach capacity.

Nico is using the shelter, but I'm concerned about the wind coming at him, when it blows from the southwest. Trying to figure out what to do about him; I'm very worried. Still don't want to bring him inside if I don't have to, because there's no way to keep him separate from my cats. I don't need more vet bills I can't pay and Annie doesn't need the added stress.

I do have someone coming with a truck tomorrow AM to help me clear out the garage of the all the crap--wood, lattice, netting, plastic stuff, rusted BBQ...junk like that. One thing I could do, though am not keen to, is totally clear out the garage, move all the power tools (includes a table saw) into the basement, and leave the garage door up a foot so Nico could come and go and be protected from the elements. Of course, I'd likely have other critters in there too, so I'm not sure Nico would stay in there. There's no connecting door from my house into the garage, though, so I'd have to go outside to feed him, clean a litter box, etc.

The problem is that my basement already has a fair bit of stuff stored in there (it's not a big space) and I'm not keen to move more in. I hang my laundry up down there, have clotheslines strung across. (It's an unfinished basement.) However, if it meant giving Nico a better place....I wonder why his human doesn't do that herself. Just open up her garage door a bit and leave a nice, cosy bed and food in there for him.

As for other things...Remember Mom's friend, Sheilah, who is terminally ill with pancreatic cancer? Well, I hunted for a blank holiday card to send her, because of course I couldn't send one that said Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Found a lovely card by a local photographer and sent it off a couple of weeks ago, with a note. My mom called me Friday afternoon to tell me that Sheilah had called her to say she got my card and that it was the most beautiful card she had received in all her life. Sheilah was having a bad day on Friday, so I hope it gave her a tiny bit of solace.

Oh, and do you recall that I ran into my old boss in Tim Horton's last week? Well, yesterday morning, when I got to work and booted up, checked email, there was a message from him thanking me for saying hello and suggesting we get together for coffee/tea or even lunch and catch up. What could I say but yes? Awkward, awkward! This week isn't good for me, so perhaps next week. I replied and said the last 10-11 years of my life would take 30 seconds to cover. I mean, what can I say? I've worked in the same place for a decade, I didn't get involved with anyone else (the thought of another putz in my life makes me gag), I live alone with three cats, have gained 30 pounds, and oh yeah, spent most of the past decade clinically depressed and at least semi-suicidal. What fun that will be to talk about!

On a brighter note, I got a chicken for my Christmas dinner. Prefer it to turkey and when I cook a turkey it usually lasts forever, till I toss out the frozen leftovers six months later. So I have the fresh cranberries to make the sauce (easy), have the stuffing (I cheat and use Butterball's [?] frozen stuffing, which is yummy) and now the chicken. All I need are the fresh veggies, closer to the day. I'm getting used to Christmas by myself, but it certainly has taken a long time.

Actually, this year is the first year I'm genuinely looking forward to it. Not sure why, and the feeling might not last until the 24th and 25th. But I'll just go with it for now. Last year I bought a few little things for the cats (cat grass, treats), but not with the real intent of buying them presents. This year I did, found a few inexpensive items at PetSmart and Canadian Tire, so I'm actually going to wrap them and put them under the tree. Okay, maybe I'll leave the catnip toys in hiding till Christmas morning, otherwise Nicki will fight with the other two, since nip makes him so mean. But I think it's the CB that has me looking forward to sharing Christmas with the cats this year.

I will say that the CB has taught me that we are stronger together, that it's okay to need help once in a while and okay to ask for it. I really am learning a lot about what I think the meaning of life is from this wonderful community. I would say it's been eye-opening, but really, it's been heart-opening and I feel deeply blessed to have discovered it.

And since that's a pretty good note to end on, I'll stop right here. I hope everyone's having a good week!

Late afternoon sky from my bedroom window, Friday the 3rd.