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. 

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. 

2 Down, 1 To Go

 I got Chunky Monkey trapped this morning and he is resting in one of my spare bedrooms.  He has grown a lot this past week, He is not quite so chunky but then he is going to be a long hair as well.

The tabby is left and is much larger than Chunky, it's name is Grayson, I though it was neutral not knowing what it is.  This one will be very tough to catch.  The face melts your heart.  I am not sure this one will ever be tamed but time will tell.

Charcoal is so small you would never know the 3 are the same age.

And So It Starts

 Yesterday I finally got the runt trapped.  Surgery is today and then the socializing/taming starts.  I know I will have my hands full trying to tame the 3 kittens but it will just take time.  The shelters are overflowing and I can not let them back out after being fixed.  I was only going to bring Lila in and adopt out the rest.  I still on planning to see if I can find the kittens homes, but I have a feeling I am going from 1 to 5 in a matter of a few days.  

Lila is such a sweet girl, she lets me pick her up and cuddle her like a baby, she follows me through the yard and if I am not right by her when she is on the porch she follows me and cries.  She is not spoiled.

My tom has been sitting at the front door talking to them.  Once they are in they will be separated from him for a while to socialize them and they will all be fixed along with shots then the slow introductions will start.  I hope it goes well but we are talking cats here.  

Stay tuned for the saga.