I am thankful...

As I prepare to leave for family gatherings, kittens are ramming from one end of the house to the other. Stodgy Ivan has decided to join the general mayhem, adding the sound of thunder to the pitterpat of kitten paws as he launches off the furniture to join them.

It has been a rough year, but out of difficulties have come so much to be thankful for, mostly in the form of YOU, dear readers. While I've done less rescue this year while life is reorganized, some of you took it upon yourself to fix cats in your own neighborhoods and properties (and in many cases, get them off the streets into homes) and we were some small part of that, in getting some of them fixed. And we did have some handfuls of cats and kittens come through here from existing colonies, to be fixed and placed in homes.

On the money front, Mary and the Leewit Fund, the generosity of several past adopters, the natural gas lease, and the thoughtfulness of a long-absent father who nonetheless included his daughters in his will, have provided a jumping-off point that may actually mean there is seed money for a REAL community spay/neuter fund for outdoor cats. I need to be sure the farm is secure, and that mandatory maintenance is taken care of, that the natural gas lease is real and not just smoke-and-mirrors, and must complete the 501(c)(3) process, but it's looking good.

(as Ivan comes roaring back into the room...Nellie and Ditzy on his tail).

I am thankful for all the friends who have gotten me through my reintroduction to single life, with cards, email messages, phone calls, and dinner out. I received two invitations to Thanksgiving dinner, which brought me to tears. I am thankful for my family, with whom I've had more contact than ever before and who haven't once told me to buck up and get over it, no matter how long they've listened to me ramble on the phone!

I'm thankful for this house, barn, and land, which I appreciate now more than ever before. I am thankful for this good green earth, and the tiny patch of it that I hope to make into something more than just a living space.

So while I lost one thing, I gained so much more, and learned how to love what I have.

I'm extremely thankful for my fosterers, and for Donna and Tim, for looking after my cats while I travel for work. Special thanks to Cary for taking on my bottle babies this year!

I can think of more, but I'll post that on the Feral By Nature blog this evening.

(as Ivan gives up on kittens and tries to cuddle into my lap...which is occupied by the laptop...He succeeds).

So to all of you, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!