I am about to feed the kittens. I am about to have been feeding kittens. I will be feeding kittens. I will have been feeding kittens. I am feeding them now.

Typing with one hand is slow, and I make lots of mistakes, and the 4am feeding comes early.

Every time I get another batch of kittens, my respect for momma cats grows. A momma cat has to be on duty all day, at least I get to share the job with willing helpers. Also, while we have been blessed, my mortality rates are much higher.

This batch is doing very well. They are eating, no diarrhea, and they are getting good bacteria mix in every bottle.

This "feed every time you look at them around the clock" stage is short. Soon they will be tumbling over each other, wobbly legged, all over the kitchen. We will be cautioning each other to watch where we step and to do "the kitten shuffle" so as not to step on anyone. Then they will learn to climb, get into everything, have their spay/neuter surgery, and be up for adoption.

Usually the house is clear of fosters by Christmas. By the time kitten season comes around again in late March/early April, we are ready to start the dance over.

Yes, we are crazy.

No, we can't save every stray.

We can, however, stay just crazy enough to save this one. And this one. And this one. Over and over again.


Today is:

Accountant's Day

Celebration of Our Lady of the Snows

Domhnach Chrom Dubh, Ireland (Grain Festival)

Festival of Hungry Ghosts, China

Imp-Handling Conference (Fairy Calendar)

Independence Day, Peru, Puerto Rico

Kermesse, Brussels, Belgium

National Hamburger Day (Please, this is all kids eat besides pizza, it needs a day!?!)

National Milk Chocolate Day

Singing Telegram Anniversary (Whom do we hang, er, I mean, thank for this one?)

St. Nazarius' Day

Terry Fox Day


Birthdays Today:

Sally Struthers, 1948
Rudy Vallee, 1901
Beatrix Potter, 1866


Today in History:

Emperor Theodosius defeats Emperor Magnis Maximus at the Battle of Aquileja, 388
Crusaders attack Damascus, 1148
Henry VIII marries Catharine Howard (#5), 1540
Sir Thomas Harriot bring the very first potato to Britain, 1586
Hawaii's first US elections, which sent the first Asian Americans to Congress, 1959