10.02.2010 Jack and a Pole

Let me 1st apologize for my lack of posts. To say my life is crazy busy would be an understatement. My world is crazy and it hasn't stopped spinning long enough to let me have an ounce of free time. I am TIRED, a lot!!! I've gained 10 MORE pounds. Blah, blah, blah.

But i am rejoicing still. September was especially hard on me and my mental state...i'll leave it at that. I had started a new post about a week ago, but never finished it. It's a good thing. I deleted the "poor me" post...because the next morning i woke up with the most AMAZING PEACE and JOY. It was profound to say the least. Amid the chaos i had clarity. It's hung with me too. Life is good. I am healthy, my kids are healthy and happy, and not everything in life is according to our plans. As a matter of fact NOTHING is according to any plan we might have for ourselves. To say we are in control is laughable. When we give it over to God...ALL OF IT...we can feel the peace i was describing. Yes, we can help ourselves up from the pity party - - that IS in our control.

But this post is not about me. It's about a cat. Our grey cat Jack to be exact. He is such a great guy! Not only does he "tolerate" his lowly human servants - he brings me great happiness (and terrifies me too) just to keep life interesting. This morning was the latter of the two.

Our friend Jim and his furr family have been adjusting well to living here. For the most part that is. Do you remember about a month ago (Labor Day to be exact) he had that unfortunate run in with Bubba Lou (the brown Lab that hates cats) and ran himself right up the utility pole? After tha unfortunate incident we bought stuff to make a fence (albeit temporary and ugly) but have not finished it. We have acreage and it's alot of fence. So anywhoo...we've kind of worked out a system over the past couple of weeks where i let the cats out at 6am when we get up and they get to explore for a couple of hours then i bring them in and all the dogs go out for the rest of the day, and same thing once they go in at night. It's worked out pretty well. Well this morning (being the weekend) we slept a little late, and i automatically let the cats out when i got up. Well, Jim let the dogs out as usual...and the cats were still out. The 2 kittens made it safely inside. Katie took off one way, and poor Jack...well he was run directly in the direction of that pole. HE DID IT AGAIN!!!! This time he didn't climb as high as the transformer so we attempted to coax him down. We moved the trampoline right up to it - trying to coax him down with his treats. He started to, changed his miond, then went higher. Ughhh. Not again! Then he decided he DID want down but made it 2 steps then flung himself the remaining 30-40feet. Not onto the trampoline or safety....but onto the other side - - the road. He landed in the ditch in some brush. On his feet, as cats do but with a thud and a crunch. Jim was there and scooped him up. No obvious damage but he was wigged out. He started dry heaving when we got in and not breathing real well so we began to get worried. Then he hid under the bed. We called our vet, then the only clinic open on Saturdays who tried (not so hard)to fit us in. A 35 minute drive there, a body check (which was more like a massage..i was so jealous)and a few x-rays later...i am happy to report no serious damage.

Jack has now spent TWO of his Nine Lives in the last 30 days. He will likely be sore for a few days - but was otherwise fully intact. No broken bones or ruptured organs, or internal bleeding. (though *ha-ha* he did have some bones of a mouse or a bird in his stomach which looked interesting on an x-ray!) We brought him home, put him up in his favorite luxury digs and let him rest. He's doing well (now 8 hrs later) and seems fine. Though i haven't seen him walk since we got home from the vet. The vet assured me he is resiliant and will be fine.

I personally think Jack & I just need to curl up and sleep the whole weekend. We did finish the fence, this afternoon, by the way. Now all the 5 dogs will be trapped in the back and we can keep our gate to our property open for our neighbor and the UPS man without being greeted by 4 or 5 tail wagging mutts. I hope the cats understand that they can have the entire front half of the property while the demon dogs are relegated to the back. I'll let you know how that goes. *wink*

I also have some other news to share and an update on our Homeschooling but i'll save that for another post - that way i'll make sure to make the time. =)