Canst thou cast out into the sea?

Today has been one of those days that will go down as completely topsy-turvy. It began with my taking a new route to work, which shaves around 15 minutes off my already pretty short commute. Good. However, I was following behind a NW Natural Gas truck when I saw a furry grey and white kitty dart across the street. I held my breath and waited for it to run around the truck but to no avail. It ran right between the front and back tires, hitting one of the tires. The truck drove off and I can only assume he didn't realize what happened because he put on his turn signal and drove quite civillaly onto another street. Well, I was horrified and distraught so I parked my beast of a Volvo in the middle of the road and ran over to this poor animal. She had tried to get up the stairs to someones' walk way but had obviously broken her leg. So she slumped down sideways and I watched, sobbing, as she died. I won't put all the rest of the details because they are not pretty but I will say that at least she had me to pet her little head as she looked out for the last time. Damn it, why do things have to die?! I mean, I know it's the cycle of life and that animals die all the time-but watching it and stroking its gentle fur while it takes its last breath is a completely differnet thing.
So after calling Zakk a zillion times, leaving a note for the poor neighbors and calling the humane society, I said a little prayer for it and drove off to work. I didn't know what else to do, I was pretty shocked.
After that horrific ordeal I get to work and Zakk calls with good news-the guy renting the cool Victorian is going to show us the house today! So I left work at lunch and realized that the house is a couple mere blocks from our old house on N Wabash! We toured the inside, walked around the backyard with its raised beds and nice carport, gawked over the beautiful English-style garden out front, and ran to my car to sign the application as soon as the tour was over! Keep your fingers crossed, friends, that this all comes together the way it's supposed to.
This was definitely not a normal day by any standard, but one I feel has been pretty productive nonetheless. Two things before I go, though. A small prayer for kitty, name unknown, and a small hope that the house issues work out.
peace,
Erin

Katmandu

Yes folks, from the family that brought you Mr. Kerouac cat, tragically killed by whom we can only assume was a pissy neighbor, and Piglet, that mentally unstable meow who managed to scale two feet up a window screen and escape, we are now proud to bring you mister no name kitty #3!!!

We have been talking about getting a new cat but I didn't want to be the one to pick him or her out because I am not in harmony with the great cat nature that is nice-kitty. No, I only seem to pick out the wackos and the ones channeling Hannibal Lector. So Zakk went to the Humane Society last week and spent some quality kitty check-out time in the "visiting rooms" and found this beautiful boy you see above. He is 2 years old, 11 lbs., all black with little white tufts in his ears. For those of you who remember Piglet, yes, this cat does have an actual tail, as well! He is a really sweet natured, gentle lovey cat. A little shy still-but no wonder with the noise we four make! He likes to snuggle and headbutt us for affection, and doesn't seem to want to eat my face off or slash through my ankles...which is a nice change. The only thing he's done so far besides keep to himself or cuddle and purr is eat a small bag of catnip he ripped up during the middle of the night-but who can blame him?

I am really happy to have a cat in the house again, and I think there can be some mutual lovin' now, instead of my misadventures in psychocat.

If you thought this was an absurd length to a "cat-devoted" blog, I apologize. But if you are still reading this, and I can only hope you are, any suggestions on a name?!!