A Practical Solution ....

I've been offline for almost a year ... and unfortunately cannot figure out how to post to my previous blog - most likely, because my email address had to change, too ... ergo, the practical solution is to simply begin again .... and let me open with the answer to the question - So where the heck have you been?!  Why did it take you A YEAR?!! to get your computer fixed, girl?!!

The week my computer died - in fact, within just about 48 hours - CoCo got sick, I had bronchitis, AND my computer died (!) ... so I addressed 'health' and literally pushed the computer to one side of my desk ....

CoCo actually recovered faster than I did :) ... but then it was the bloody hot summer, and I just did not want to be outside, running around, trying to find a computer fixit person - so I figured, ok ... soon it's going to cool off and THEN --

Then CoCo, age 17, died on September 12th.

Recently a friend passed a rather insensitive comment that I handled CoCo's death 'well', because I wasn't screaming-crying-hysterical ... yeahhh, I do that... but more often, especially as I get older, the way that I grieve is - well - the wind is pulled out of my sails :  its hard to remember to shower once a week, or brush my teeth every other day, or change my clothes a few times a week - or change them at all from what I've slept in, when I do decide to leave the house --- in other words:  'major depressive episode'.

When CoCo passed, I said 'no more pets!' - not just the wrenching loss (which is very hard!) but the financial expen$e ... but apparently God (and my beloved Myndie and CoCo) had other plans ...

There are some stray cats that hang around this bldg - one of my neighbor-friends, feeds them; provides outdoor shelter ... one especially - all black except for white on her chest - was always especially friendly - but wary of men and dogs ...

The very night after I lost CoCo, I was sitting outside my apartment and this then-kitten walked over cautiously, glancing around ..."No more big dog,"  I sighed.  And the cat came over, rubbed herself against me, looked at me, and sat down.  And here she was.  Here she was!

I named her Delilah because - like the famous nighttime radio host - I would (at least in the beginning) see her only after dark ... We moved from lapsitting and chatting, to 'here do you like this cat food?', to her recognizing her name and streaking across the parking lot towards me when I called it out, to her teaching herself how to knock on my door (not kidding!) to -- yeah, you knew that was coming, right :)  She has a food dish and a water dish, toys all over, a scratching post, and yeahhh she now sleeps in the bed with me <3  And something else, too:  Delilah used to leave at dawn, when her mom would come to the door to collect her ... well, I'm not supposed to have two cats in this place... and I tried to shoo 'Big Mama' as I took to calling her, out of our lives... but, ya know???  It's like when you get married and get in-laws ;)~~  So Big Mama has HER food and water dishes and her favorite blanket here, too :)  Yes, I know I need to buy a cat carrier and  get them vetted (hey, I did check two stores and they didn't carry them - I'm trying!) ... and ... we're all doing the best we can here!  We have each other, and together we shuddered through the polar vortex when I was having problems with the heat and developed mild hypothermia, by sleeping all clumped together ... the girls go outside and come back in on a regular basis - but this is home base, now <3

In fact, time to call them in and see if I can't get a few hours of shuteye before Sunday sunrise!