7 Months

 The boys are 7 months old today.  Does not seem like they should be that old but they are.  I still would like to know who Grayson's dad is with his beautiful markings.  I am pretty sure Chunky's dad is Gizmo the long haired all black cat with a limp. I have not seen him since I brought the kits in, so he must have found a new place to hang out at.  

They are a delight and so full of energy.  Chunky has become my shadow, we often sit on the couch and watch TV together, he all stretched out on my lap.  Grayson is very skittish still, can not pick him up.  But he is sleeping on the bed with the rest of us now and he often comes in the living room and naps in the window corner, so we are getting there.  He plays a lot on the stairs and comes in the kitchen for meals.  Some kits just take longer than others.

Yesterday was 5 Years

 Yesterday was the 5th year my dad went home.  He was ready, the dementia was getting worse and thoughts of putting him in memory care by himself just did not work for me.  I miss you dad, take care of my kitties and see you someday.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

 Happy Halloween, it would have been my parents 70th anniversary.  

And not only is it Halloween, but the Dodgers won the World Series, sorry dad your team lost.  

 

 

 

National Cat Day

 I am on feral #12 now with Grayson in the house.  All my cats have been ferals.  It just takes time for them to trust you so you can bring them in.

I have one feral Licorice who may never come in but that is ok, he gets food and shelter and knows I love him.

RIP Charcoal

 Today is the 4th day I had not seen Charcoal.  Of course I feared the worst and unfortunately my fear came true.  I got a message from a neighbor that a small black cat was by the pool.  I went and looked and sure enough, she had been there a day or two.  I have no idea what happened.  So I came home and asked a neighbor to help me and she is buried in one of my flower beds under the deck.  

I am sad for her loss and the fact that she never would get close to me and let me pet her.  I wanted to eventually bring her in as well.  But that was not to be. I hope she did not suffer too much.  

Like my dad said in my dream I can't save them all.  So out of 5 kittens I have the 2 boys and Lila.  

RIP my sweet girl, I loved you even though you kept your distance.

1/2 Birthday

 The kittens are 6 months old today, already.  It has been fun watching them grow and change.  The boys are tight, one does not make a move without the other and they are very whiny.  If they are out and do not see me they freak out.  I know it will get better but their life has been one change after another.  The other day they got out of their room before I could catch them.  They immediately ran to Lila like mommy there you are and she was like oh no, she hissed and smacked at them.  They both stopped and looked at me like what was that about?  So they recognize her but she does not recognize them?  Or is she just done with them, but no reason to be rude.  

BigBoy is not sure about any of this. His world has been turned upside down and he looks at me like ok time for them to go. I keep reminding him he invaded his sisters space when he came in and he needed to deal with the fact that they are staying and not going anywhere.  

Chunky is my shadow, he needs to be held and loved and when I walk he is in between my feet, hard not to trip or step on him, but....

Charcoal comes up in the morning for breakfast and is getting that whiny mew that the boys have.  She is getting a bit closer. I feel bad cos she is outside by herself.  The other day I had the front door open and the boys were out of their room and she was on the porch and they were all 3 at the door mewing at each other.  It will be 2 weeks this weekend they have been in and I have to wonder if they will forget who she is.  

It has been 20 years since I have had kittens and how much work they are.  Also the boys are quarantined until they get all their shots.  

Chunky Monkey, Charcoal and Lila Grey

Grayson

The Boys Are In The House

 I got Chunky Monkey in last night and tonight I got Grayson.  They have their own room because I need to get them their FLV shots which is a 3 week process with 2 doses.  They are both fixed and have their rabies shot.  Then the introductions can begin.

Lila gets her 2nd dose Wednesday and can be introduced to BigBoy.  Not sure how he is going to react to 3 new cats in the house because it has been almost 3 years since he had sisters.  I told him he needed to remember he was a feral that invaded his sisters space but I doubt he remembers that.  

I need to figure all this out and make sure they do not get out and they all get along.  

Charcoal will be by herself outside now and she really does not do people at all.  Her dad is there too so maybe he can hang out with her and she won't be lonely.  I am not giving up on her just some ferals never will be tamed.  I have had some ferals for over 10 years that would never let me touch them but they came for food and shelter and they knew I loved them.  We have to remember we live in the feral world and have to abide by their wishes.  

 

Halloween Stars

 What to do on a rainy day.  I have been wanting to make these stars for all my holidays so I got my Halloween stars done today.  They are like jelly beans you can't just make one.

Lila

 I sure missed with Lila. I thought for sure based on the age of the kittens who turned 5 months yesterday and reading all about the cycle of female cats she was pregnant. But nope she was not.  So that is good.  I must have fixed all the males she has access to.  She got fixed yesterday and turned into a snuggle girl.  She is still a bit not quite sure but today she gets the run of the house while BigBoy is locked up in my bedroom.  So she gets out during the day and he gets out during the night.  

She needs to heal from her surgery and she still has the 2nd shot of her FLV shots to get in 3 weeks, then I can slowly introduce them to each other.

Chunky Monkey has only had his rabies shot so when he comes in he gets quarantined as well for 3 weeks and then introduced to BigBoy.  Looks like my Fall is gonna be busy getting them to all get along.

Charcoal still remains extremely skittish but she is growing into her legs just like Licorice her dad.  Grayson is going to be a big tom and so beautiful. He let me touch his nose yesterday.

No I do not need 5 cats in the house but you know sometimes you just have to save what you can.  If Grayson lets me pet him and pick him up he will be in the house as well. I hate to leave Charcoal out by herself but Licorice is out there and they can bond.  

Stay tuned. 

Cursive Handwriting

 

"Have you ever wondered why children are no longer taught to write in cursive?"

And no, it is not by chance that they tend to use it less and less.

Writing in cursive means translating thoughts into words; it forces you to not take your hand off the paper. A stimulating effort, which allows you to associate ideas, link them and put them in relation.

Not by chance does the word cursive come from the Latin "currere", which runs, which flows, because thought is winged, it runs, it flies.

Of course, cursive has no place in today's world, a world that does everything possible to slow down the development of thought, to fill it.

I think cursive was born in Italy and then spread throughout the world.

Why?

Because it was compact, elegant, clear writing.

But ours is a society that no longer has time for elegance, for beauty, for complexity; we have synthetics but not clarity, speed but not efficiency, information but not knowledge!

In general, we know too much and too little because we are no longer (generally speaking) able to put things into relation.

Most people can no longer think.

This is why we should go back to writing in cursive, especially at school. Because this is not just about recovering a writing style, but about giving breath to our thoughts again.

Cognitive development

Writing in cursive can help children develop cognitive skills by integrating fine motor skills with visual and tactile processing.

Brain regions

Cursive writing activates different neurological pathways than typing or manuscript writing.

Brain connectivity

Handwriting can increase connectivity between brain regions, especially those involved in memory formation.

Kinesthetic stimulation

The fluid motion of cursive writing provides a different type of kinesthetic stimulation that helps different parts of the brain develop and integrate.

Learning and memory

A study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that cursive handwriting helps the brain learn and remember better.

Functional specialization

Cursive writing can help train the brain for functional specialization, which is the ability to work efficiently.

The benefits of handwriting are numerous, especially for children's cognitive development. Here are some key advantages:

*Cognitive Benefits:*

1. Improved memory and retention: Handwriting helps encode information in the brain, making it easier to recall.

2. Enhanced focus and concentration: Writing by hand requires attention and engagement.

3. Better comprehension: Handwriting slows down the learning process, allowing for deeper understanding.

4. Increased creativity: Free-flowing handwriting can stimulate imagination and idea generation.

*Neurological Benefits:*

1. Brain connectivity: Handwriting increases connections between brain regions, particularly those involved in memory formation.

2. Functional specialization: Cursive writing trains the brain for efficient task processing.

3. Neuroplasticity: Handwriting exercises promote neural adaptability and development.

*Educational Benefits:*

1. Better learning outcomes: Studies show that students who take handwritten notes perform better academically.

2. Improved writing skills: Handwriting practice develops fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and writing fluency.

3. Enhanced literacy: Cursive writing helps recognize and write words, boosting reading skills.

*Emotional and Social Benefits:*

1. Personal expression: Handwriting conveys individuality and personality.

2. Emotional connection: Handwritten messages evoke feelings and empathy.

3. Tactile experience: Writing on paper provides a sensory experience, fostering a sense of accomplishment.

*Additional Benefits:*

1. Slows down digital overload: Handwriting offers a break from screen time.

2. Develops patience and perseverance: Handwriting requires practice and dedication.

3. Fosters elegance and beauty: Cursive writing promotes aesthetic appreciation.

By incorporating handwriting into daily life, especially in schools, we can nurture cognitive, emotional, and social growth in children, and rediscover the joy of putting thoughts into beautiful, flowing words.

She Is In

 Yesterday morning I sat with Lila off and on while I was getting ready for church.  I read a post on FB that said something about I asked God for help and now I had to wait for his timing.  I felt I missed an opportunity to bring her in yesterday.  However my conscience said get to church you have all week.  Sure enough  I got her in this morning with some tuna. She sat at the storm door for a few minutes crying and then she started exploring the  house, ate some tuna, we snuggled and then she got up on the couch and sat on my lap making biscuits.  She is exploring and going to all the windows.  She has a room upstairs where she will stay until she gets fixed and has had her shots and then gradually gets introduced to my tom. They talk through the storm door all the time and have nose bopped but she will be in his house now.  Stay tuned.

Chunky Monkey is next. 

Feral Update

 So I am pretty sure Lila is pregnant again and after trying to get her to just come in on her own, the trap is set to catch her and get her in and then get her fixed and she becomes an inside cat forever.

Licorice continues to come up in the morning, eat and sometimes nap on the deck and sometimes leaves after eating.

I think Lila moved the kittens again a couple of days ago. She has been hanging around in the back yard, looking for a new place to have kittens?  Anyway last night the kittens followed her and this morning she only came up with Chunky Monkey.  She barely ate and left.  She left him on the front porch crying for over half an hour and he finally left and went across the street like he is used to.  I have no idea where Charcoal and Grayson are. If she moved them where I think she did most of my ferals while outside (before coming in ) have lived in that area of a grove of trees and have been safe for many years.

Chunky Monkey now lets me pet him and this morning after he ate we sat on the front porch and we snuggled and I petted him.  I have a feeling he may come in soon on his own especially if Lila does.  The 3 are still so attached to her even though they are 4 1/2 months old. She on the other hand is slowly leaving them, probably cos she has a new batch on the way.

I feel bad about bringing her in and leaving them on their own, but everyone who works with cats says they will be fine, they know where shelter and food is.  They have been coming over on their own to eat, so.....we shall see.

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.