Saturday, January 15, 2011

Contented Snowy Saturday


I am enjoying a quiet, pleasant, slow-paced Saturday at home with my wonderful cats, Thelma and Louise. The snow is ever so slowly drifting down, and I occasionally glance out the window, wondering how long it will be falling, and how much will accumulate. I will listen to my beloved Prairie Home Companion at 6, then at 8, when it ends I will watch my equally beloved British sit coms on our local PBS station. I enjoy my job, but my work days are often fast-paced and hectic and demand all my attention and thought. This kind of day is a welcome relief. Days like this make me long for retirement, but I have to wait several more years for that happy time.

Friday, December 24, 2010

A long ago Christmas, during a tough time

I have never, to my recollection, shared this story with anyone. When I was about 13 or maybe 14, I helped my mother steal a Christmas tree. We never discussed it, at the time, or during the entire rest of her life. My father was out of work, had been for quite a while, due in large measure to his alcoholism, which was also never discussed or acknowledged. My sister is 10 years younger than I, and we could not even afford the $5 a tree would have cost at the time. So one evening my mother told me to come with her, no explanation of our destination or purpose. We went to a corner lot, owned by a local shop which was selling Christmas trees as a sideline that year. She picked out a tree, told me to help her, and we took it. Even at that age, a part of me knew that I was not to ask embarrassing questions, or resist. We took the tree home, decorated it, to my little sister's delight, of course. I suppose relatives and friends gave us presents, I can't really remember. But my mom died in 1998, and we never, ever spoke about it. I am a mother now, and I can understand her desperation to make sure her youngest child had a Christmas tree.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

veggieover50: Reflections on companion animals

veggieover50: Reflections on companion animals: "Well, Thelma and Louise have been living with me for 3 years now. They are considered 'senior cats', I guess, because they are about 12 or 1..."

Reflections on companion animals

Well, Thelma and Louise have been living with me for 3 years now. They are considered "senior cats", I guess, because they are about 12 or 13 years old, as near as we know. My son had them for 8 years, until he could no longer keep them. The first thought I had was, bring them to me, and we'll find a home for them. They have never lived apart, we wanted them together. I fell in love the second day, and my wonderful landlords let me keep them.
When you are raising a child, your hope is that he or she will grow up to be a healthy, independent adult who can make it on his/her own. But when you are caring for beloved animals, you hope that you will be able to care for them as long as they live, and make their aging years as comfortable and pleasant as possible. I strive to make my apartment "senior cat accessible", putting chairs and tables and chests at levels that Thelma can reach and climb on. Louise is still very agile but Thelma is large and can no longer jump as high as she used to.
And I am touched by the small changes in behavior. Both like to be near the heat registers now that it's cold, neither ventures as far into other rooms as they do in warm and hot weather. They make me happy and content and needed. As I too am aging and less and less able and agile, we are a good little family, I think.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

eResource News: Learn More About Veganism

eResource News: Learn More About Veganism: "November is Vegan Awareness Month. Here are some websites and links to resources in the library's collection that will help you learn about ..."

Saturday, July 10, 2010

That Arizona anti-immigration law

As the proud, politically liberal mom of a half Puerto Rican adult son, I hate this unconstitutional law. If my son happens to be in Arizona, there is a real possibility that some police officer could ask this Schenectady, NY, USA native to "prove" his citizenship! I hope that all who are put in such a situation will sue the State of Arizona.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Health Care Reform

I am so pleased that this historic bill has passed, and so proud of our President and Congressional Dems for their courage in never giving up!