Monday.... Busy, Busy

Busy day today........ I drove my husband to the airport for a quick out-of-town trip, so we were up and out early. When I got back home, I called A's house to speak to her niece L who is visiting here with her parents and her brother & sister. L and I spent a few hours doing some errands and shopping for a new CD player in Best Buy. Her portable CD player broke into pieces when she got down here, so she found a new one that she liked. That's one of the first rules of being almost 16--- you've got to have your music wherever you go. L is a sweet young girl... 15 going on 16, rather than 15 going on 38. This is the second summer that she's come down here for a visit, and I'm sure it won't be her last.

L will be celebrating her 16th birthday with us on Wednesday. We've arranged a lunch at one of the tea rooms nearby, and I'll be going along with my young friend C. One of the tea rooms in League City has a beautiful "garden room" that's painted with flowers and trees and vines and birds--- the whole room looks like you're sitting outside in a garden instead of inside with comfortable air-conditioning. One of the tables in the garden room even has an large sun umbrella stuck into the middle of the table, so that's the one we've reserved for L's birthday lunch.

This evening, I drove little Mickey Kitty to the vet's office. He will stay there tonight, then have his neutering and de-clawing done first thing tomorrow morning. More than likely, he'll sleep most of tomorrow, and I'll be able to pick him up on Wednesday morning. I swear, that little kitten broke my heart when I had to leave him at the clinic tonight.

No matter how many times I've brought one of our pets to the clinic for an over-night stay, my eyes puddle up and I could just break down and cry. Mickey Kitty was in his traveling crate and I put my fingers through the grate to pet his nose and say goodnight, and I swear that little cat melted into my hand and turned upside-down to look at me with the saddest little brown eyes.

The window is open again now from the breakfast room to the screen porch, and the other cats have been going in and out as usual. ShadowBaby has sniffed all around Mickey Kitty's basket, as if he's looking for him. AngelBoy took one look into the empty basket and put his nose in the air and his tail fluffed up high, as if to say "Well, finally... that woman has come to her senses and given us our porch back." Rusty has been sleeping all afternoon and I'm sure he hasn't got a clue that Mickey Kitty isn't here tonight.

It's amazing how you can take away one tiny little kitten and the house just seems extraordinarily quiet. In my mind's eye, I can see Mickey Kitty in the crate at the pet clinic, and he's looking for his basket, his toys, the other cats, and Gracie, who seems to be his four-legged favorite. And dare I hope that he's looking for me as well.....