Last week it was FREEZING.  Temperatures were under 20 degrees in the mornings, and I had to visit my love of a cat (and her grandmother) on Broad St. everyday.  Some days I walked, some days I took the bus.  The cat is doing great, one by one getting off  of all medications.  Her gradmother however needed assistance with ear drops.  One morning I came in and she said,  "You have TWO cats today in this building."  I have another client in the building that I am starting on February 1st, so at first I tried to figure out how she knew.  I told her, "No, that's not for over a week."  She replied, "No, me! " I love her so much, she is like my family at this point.  After the cat got her food and medication, her grandmother got her ear drops. :) I will not add treating people to my resume though.

On my way home that Thursday, I walked down Lombard and passed by Morris Animal Refuge.  They are closed on Thursdays, but I see a box out front.  People will leave donations of food, newspapers, litter, etc, so at first I didn't think much of it.  Then I see that there are holes in the box.  My first thought is that there is something alive in there, and I hope it is still alive because it is about 10 degrees out.  I knelt down to peer into the box slowly, repeating "please be alive, please be alive" and I see eyes.  Some asshole left 2 kittens in a cardboard box in the dead of winter!  And the shelter was closed that day!

I scooped them up, hailed a cab, and took them home. My cab driver asked about the box, I told him what happened, and in a thick accent he asked if I believed in a God.  I told him that I did.  He said that God make these cats for a reason and he loves them.  The fact that I saved them makes God smile and good things will come to me.  Then we discussed how horrible people are and questioned how anyone could do this.

When we got home, they were visibly shaken and traumatized, but very sweet.  Two boys, about 8-9 weeks old and freezing.  I kept them in my spare bathroom, took them to get checked out the next day, and an old co-worker at the vet fell in love with them and adopted them!  This story couldn't have had a better ending.

Boy are they bonded

Today we lost a wonderful dog unexpectedly to lymphoma :(   Shayne was a sweetheart, not a mean bone in his body.  He had a yorkie girlfriend down the street, loved to meet cats through windows, and would do anything for a belly rub. 

I feel so lucky to have gained him as a client.  Not only was he a pleasure, but his owners are amazing as well!!  I know they are grieving more than I am, as he was their child, but I will miss him terribly!  R.I.P Shayne, you were a woolly love.  I will miss you so much!

 He enjoyed dancing, biscuits, belly rubs, animals in windows, small dogs, cats, leading me home when he was done walking, slobbering, sleeping on the bathroom tile, keeping his dad company when he worked from home, visiting with his grandmother, and hugs.

My butt is purple.  I will explain why my butt is purple.  I was doing an overnight on Saturday and a regular house that I have been to MANY times.  I had to go to the bathroom, so I headed downstairs.  I somehow slipped or lost my footing and slid (thumped really) down the entire flight of hardwood steps.  I took down 2 picture frames with me.  Now, I am a self admitted klutz who has done this before, but not since December 2010.  (Yes I keep track)  Poor dog didn't understand what was happening and seemed truly empathetic. 

Although my bruise has made it tough to do my normal activities, it has been turning into a deeper and more beautiful purple every day.  I was advised not to post a pic of this, but I feel I have to.  It's reality and it is what can happen on the job.  The ironic part is that a houseguest at the same house fell down those stairs only 2 days after I did!  Coincidence? Ghost that likes to push?

This is Shayne.  He decides when he wants to go home and grabs his leash to take me there.  Sweetest dog - won't leave the house without a good belly scratch

In attempts to give poor Terry a rest, I tackled the day all alone.  It wasn't crazy, about 15 stops.  Nothing exciting happened really, so I figured I'd just share some cute videos that I have been taking lately :)

This is Henry.  He is a huge cat who loves to hug.  He also has a huge tongue that he laps up water with

This is Sully who has fallen in love with his new catnip pepper

Yesterday was a hell of a morning.  It was the second day of the new year... coming off of a full moon.... I should have expected chaos.  I was cat sitting at a house since the weekend.  I was hearing odd beeps after turning off the house alarm.  I got in touch with the owner and tried to figure out where it was coming from.  It look me a few days to narrow it down.  It was not the house alarm, nor was it the carbon monoxide detector. It was the smoke alarm.  When I figured that out, I told the owner and she asked if I could replace the battery.  The last visit I was making was yesterday morning.  I had my trusty assistant with me to help out with my morning stuff.  We found the smoke alarm in question and tried to remove it to open it up and at least take the battery out.  I had visions of that friends episode where Phoebe breaks her smoke detector....

Well, we couldn't remove it, but we hit the reset button.  Then the house alarm starts going off!  I fly down the stairs and see on the screen that it says FIRE on the alarm system! NO!!!  I hit the code a few times and it seems to clear.  Then I hear a phone ringing.  I can't find the phone and I figure it's the alarm company.  I finally realize it is coming from the basement so I fly down THOSE steps to find the fax machine and a fax coming through. I get a text from the owner saying the alarm company called her (it was 6am where she was) to ask her about this "fire" and could I deal with it.  I assumed it was dealt with, until Terry says, "Do I hear sirens?"  Fuuucckkkkk!!!!  I open the door and see a fire truck at the end of her tiny street (sirens and all) with 3-4 firemen fully suited, briskly walking down the street.  I take off running down the street telling them that there is no fire, it was just the alarm malfunctioning.  They told me that they still had to check, it was protocol.

I breathe a heavy sigh and with my head hung low I walk them back to their house all the while telling neighbors that everything is fine.  They come in, see that there is no fire, tell me that the alarm is hard-wired to the smoke alarm and there is no battery.  Then they start pointing out other things int eh house that need to be tightened and fixed.  I kept telling them it was not my house, I was only pet sitting, I was terribly sorry that they had to come out, and was she going to get charged for this???   Ugh...  Needless to say I went home and shut down for a bit.  Too much excitement for 9 am

What a LONG holiday!!!  I have to say that I have the best clients.  They really took care of me and I so appreciate it.  I had about a week straight with 20-30+ visits per day.  The business was great, the bad part was that I got sick the day before Christmas.  So I was working and sleeping, hopped up on Advil cold and sinus.  This was definitely a challenge this year, thank god it is winding down a bit.  I need a break, or a vacation.  Some time where I can sit quietly with no responsibilities. Ha!  I don't even know what that is like anymore.