2018

I thought it would only be fair to allow 2018 time to right itself before I commented, but now that we're into February I suppose it's time to face facts. 2018 appears to be on the same rocky trajectory as its predecessor. So it goes.

First, Mom. She's not doing well at all, actually. Stuck in the bed that Hospice provided, breathing with some additional oxygen, and heavily medicated for pain and so on. But she's Home, and Dad and the Hospice team of nurses and caregivers are doing a good job keeping her relatively comfortable and, I believe, free of pain. She's surrounded with flowers and classical music, and we read to her a lot and hug her and tell her how much we love her. Dad tells her stories about the good times they've had together, and I've been reading her some of our old favorite stories.

And she's had visitors! My sister came for a couple days at the end of December, and my brother in early January. And his kids came in groups of two after that (which reminded us of the dwarves coming to see Beorn in "The Hobbit"). Seeing them all, and watching the recognition in Mom's face and the warmth light up her eyes when they spoke to her was lovely. She's lavished so much love on all of us over the years, and I'm so glad they were all able to come see her one last time.

Aren't my brother's kids cute? They've all turned out to be really fine young people. Which this world needs!

Now for something completely different...

Last Tuesday Katie was walking, after school, from the school to the library when she found a battered cardboard box by the side of the road. A mewing box. Being a compassionate soul she opened the box and found... well, exactly what you would expect to find inside a mewing box. When Ed picked her up to take her to her dance class she sent the kitten home with him. To me!

We initially thought kitten was a boy, and, thinking of names, Ed suggested that his coloring was much like that of Gustaf's Licorice Rockies. So we named him Gus. I liked "Gus" because it makes me think of Gussie Fink-Nottle, who was a famous newt fancier, and I'm sure our little Gus will fancy newts too. But then we did some googling on "sexing kittens" and began to suspect that "he" was a "she." Which, actually, is my preference in cats after our experience with Harry's waywardness regarding litterboxes in the basement. The vet confirmed our suspicion the next day, when Gus went in to see him. So our "Gus" is a "Gussie." Or, when feeling particularly on her dignity, "Augusta." Which still brings to mind Gussie Fink-Nottle, but also is a family name, in that my dad's mom sometimes went by "Gussie" among her friends.

Anyway, Gus is healthy and sweet and fits in very nicely. Finny is wild about her, but she is not at all wild about him. But I'm sure she Will be. She and Livy have already made friends. Kali doesn't like her one bit, but I expect she'll come round. And it turns out that Three cats is just what we needed around here!

(This is from December, but it's the only one I've got of Kali!)

(Finn's nose has become almost entirely pink!)

Daddy gave me this box. I had to explain to him about cats and boxes. Livy was ready to drive her new train the Minute I set it down on the floor! Choo choo! Those funny Amazon people.