Mid April

What a week. Work was very busy, the food bank was very busy, and the usual life things were very busy.

I didn’t go to yoga on Tuesday, the morning class on that day is a gentle class and instead I put in several hours of work in the yard to fill both yard waste bins and got half of the front yard cut back. It is easier to see backing out of the driveway, but still half to go.

The goal this rainy weekend was to fill them again to be picked up this week. That has not happened.

On Wednesday I worked my check in shift at the yoga studio then had a private session to work on a couple of things that need fine tuning.

Besides having to be at work a couple hours early on Monday the shifts all week until Friday were non stop. But there seems to be the dullest of lights at the end of the peak tunnel.

On Thursday I was really hoping for a light day at the food bank so I could get more done at home but instead it was extremely busy. They have also changed the days for handing out food so were expecting a lot of people later in the day.

After I put everything away they had me bag up food for 12 families. This was three bags apiece. One was full of cans (blue bags) then a bag of dried goods like oatmeal, beans, applesauce, pasta, nuts, milk, peanut butter, ect. And then a third bag of frozen food, protien, strawberries and tortillas. By the time I finished I had just enough time to get home and walk before work.

Friday after yoga, dropping off dry cleaning, doing laundry and my walk before work it was nice to have a slower night.

I also took about 20 of these pictures, sticking my phone into the Portulacaria trying to get a glimpse of Ethel and her kittens, with no luck. But at one point something growled at me so I figured I was close and walked away.

Today while on the phone I walked out back to lower the umbrella because the wind was picking up. I had seen Ethel go into one of the feral cat condos yesterday. She had gone in but came right back out.

But while walking past it and she was across the yard I opened up the lid to see four week old kittens.

I did not stick around or try and touch them. From what I have read you should wait about two weeks before touching.

I also don’t want her to abandon them. I was happy to see her hanging out in the rain on the top floor looking out the door, knowing her kits were dry and warm inside.

Lori thinks she has homes for all four, of course assuming we catch and tame them. So very many pieces of advice on that today as the pictures were shared.

One friend who has captured kittens that young guaranteed us the momma would follow if we moved them. She did it and put them all in her spare bathroom. I said fine I’ll bring them all to her place because we don’t have a spare bathroom. 🤣

I do know that if Ethel abandons them we will have to bottle feed as the pound euthanizes bottle babies for lack of staff and we do not have the time or energy for that!

Day Light “Savings”

I just moved all the clocks up before heading to bed.

We lose an hour this weekend and just why can’t it be out of a Monday instead of an already packed weekend.

The weekends have been very busy with yoga teacher training since January. We are in week nine, full day classes this weekend and next. Then the eleventh week is our testing.

Today we were studying nutrition and more philosophy. Also we have all put together our own sequences for the testing day when we all “teach” the other students. We practiced and fined tuned those as well.

The only day of the week I have not been going to yoga is Thursday because I am still volunteering at the food bank. This week I took in a huge donation from one of the teachers at the yoga studio. She picked bags of avocados and lemons.

There has not been much else going on. Work is the busiest time of year. We are also down another person on my shift so we are working with half the staff of last year.

The last kitten is pregnant. I didn’t catch her, but trapped her in the garage, only to find out the clinic nearest us has no appointments for the next month.

Sadly we are pretty sure Farquaad is dying or has died. He was not feeling well for the last few days and although he was drinking water he has not been eating.

We have not seen him for over a day when he was moving very very slowly. Personally I think someone around us left out rat poison for the rats and he being a good hunter caught and probably ate the rat.

I am still walking every day and made my 100 miles for February, but just. I am looking forward after teacher training for some studio time to paint, garden and project time and heading to Seattle in May.

Ending the month

Let’s not drop the ball on the last day of the “blog every day of the month” month.

Today was a volunteer day at the food pantry. They were thrilled when I walked in because there was so much food to process. Lots and lots of Thanksgiving donations and food drives.

I sorted for three straight hours and it didn’t seem like I made a dent. Although I know I did. I was sorting out expired food, writing the expiration date on every item. I kept filling carts and Ruth, one of the employees kept taking them to the food room and stocking them.

When I got home and logged into work, I submitted for the “volunteer – community involvement day” pay for tomorrow. The company I work for will pay us 8 hours (once a year) for volunteer work.

I have not used it in the past but now I have tomorrow off so I can volunteer the full day and hopefully get through the backlog of food and make room for Christmas donations.

This photo doesn’t even show all the food that was there. Nor how many boxes and bins were behind all that pile.

Busy busy busy

There were so many food donations at social services today, I worked extra long just to clear everything. The city is closed for Veterans Day so there was no going back to finish tomorrow.

This is the first day since September 1st and 2nd, when my sister and I went to see my Aunt that I did not take a walk. It was worth it.

I got every thing processed. I got everything put away. More Thanksgiving donations were delivered from Stater Brothers. Cases and cases of green beans, corn, stuffing mix, gravy and other items to start putting together baskets next week. And now all of these other donations are not in the way of that assembly.

I got all of the boxes and bags processed and these are some of my carts before taking them and stocking the food room.

By the time I finished there was a full box of expired food we threw away. But so many cans for the hungry families in our community.