RIP Shaun

 The community lost a great chef and Irishman yesterday.  Shaun Brady was THE chef at Irish Fest which always runs over Labor Day Weekend.  After mass on Sunday he served breakfast, only this year there will not be any breakfast.  He was killed yesterday evening trying to stop a carjacking.  He was only 44 and had a wife and 2 children.

I had the pleasure of meeting him this summer.  My Monday knit group went to his restaurant Brady and Fox for our summer Dishcloth Swap.  There were not many people in there and he came and spent some time talking to us.  Prayers for his family and the Irish community as they mourn the loss of Shaun. 

Licorice Is Home

 

 Last Thursday I came home and checked the deck just to see what was going on and there he was.  Licorice was sitting on the 2nd step down and he looked good. I immediately put out food for him, he ate and left.  He has been up every morning since then.  I think he forgives me for what I did but it is for his own good.  He remains about 5 feet from me, so the progress I made with him is still there.  I hope to be able to pet him one day but we all know cats live on their terms, not ours.

Meanwhile I am trying to get Lila but she is not cooperating, I need to get her in and get her fixed and then keep her in.  My tom keeps talking to her and the other day I opened the door to feed her and he comes running and nose bops her.  I told him to tell her to come in so we can get her fixed and she can become an inside cat. 

Happy Granny Square Day

 Making granny squares is kind of like making socks for me, very therapeutic.  My grandmother who taught me to knit and crochet could make a mean granny square.  I love to make granny square afghans for babies, easy to make and so many colors you can put together.  

The only bad thing about making one is all those ends to weave in.  

The other day at knit group we were wondering if you can knit a granny square, and yes you can, I found a video and free pattern over there from Frankie Brown.  I have printed out the pattern and maybe this winter it will be my let's see if I can do this project.

Go get some yarn and make a square or 2 or 100 and enjoy.

Waiting

 I got Grayson last night came up by itself and I jumped at the chance to trap.  I got a cancellation apt this morning so he will back this afternoon and released tomorrow afternoon.   

This will make all the kittens and the dad fixed.  I have not seen Licorice since Saturday when I released him. I know my back yard was his safe space and I violated it by trapping him.  I am hoping after he gets over the experience he will come back, he knows there is always a bowl of dry food and all the love I can give him.

This week each of the kittens have come up on their own to eat which is a good sign.  My week next is packed and so Lila will have one last week outside and then the next week I will concentrate on bringing her in.  

I feel like I can breathe knowing I have the 4 fixed and then get Lila in.  It has been a stressful summer with all of this but I hate that someone dumped her and then she had kittens and now....I will have a little feral colony.

Trust me I am NOT giving up on taming the kittens and eventually bringing them in.

3 Down, 1 To Go

 Finally got Licorice trapped he is in surgery today to get neutered.  I would put tuna in the trap and he would only go halfway. Last night I tired Sardines and he was like NO.  So I put his regular food next to the Sardines and bam, trapped.  He is gonna hate me for a few days, but he will be much healthier as a feral not getting into fights.  And no more kitties from him.

I have the tabby left, it is tough trying to keep 3 out of the trap and get the right one in.  I have made some progress with the tabby though, who I think is a male.  He sat at my feet last night and ate out of the tray I put their food in.  This morning apparently I was  not moving fast enough to get food put down and he mewed at me like hurry up it has been 8 hours since I last ate.  The kittens are getting closer to me, have not been able to pet them yet but....

Lila will be coming in soon, I think she is pregnant again and I am not going to let her go through that again and I do not want to deal with kittens again.  

Please do not dump your animals.  Take them somewhere, I know the shelters are full, but.... I hope there is a special place in Hell for people who dump animals.