"What I did for Thanksgiving vacation..."

Do you remember writing papers with that title in grade school? Well, it's been a doozy of a last few days with getting soaked at work in the rain over the weekend, then going to see my friends in a drag show at Bourbon Street on Saturday evening with my husband and my go-to-girl Richele. Will blog on that later when I get a couple photos from Patrick who shot that night.

I spent 2 days painting Ciara's bedroom a Barbie Doll lavender. And I informed her that in 2 years she can't get all 'emo' on me and want it repainted black. Cus I ain't gonna do it!!! It's staying Barbie Doll pretty-girl color until she goes to college - which it will then be promptly turned into my yoga/meditation chamber - hehehe.

I have spent all day today in bed with a flu bug - but at least I am getting some photography worked on for here and my Flickr site!

But the biggest event this vacation was Sunday late afternoon when Patrick and I rescued a kitten!

We had just done a little photography excursion in the car and were in line for gas at CostCo in the ghetto. Even with the running cars and windows rolled up I could hear a kitten squawking in distress.

I still can't believe no one else heard her. Not even P. When I finally pointed it out to him he said, "It's a dying bird". Then he somehow caught a glimpse of her orange tabby face caught in the side of the parking lot, above a wall where there was an extremely thick and prickly hedge made of thorny twigs and sticks separating the CostCo parking lot to the minimall on the other side.

Well, I immediately jumped out of the car, jumped up the wall and searched for her - - she was crying loudly and caught in the thick mess. P, meanwhile, got his gas and pulled over to park the car. But he didn't get out - thinking I would get her out quickly or give up. Neither occurred.

It was so dense and prickly, I scraped my arms and hands trying to break pieces off so I could make a tunnel big enough for my hand to reach her. She is the size of my tiny hand by the way. I guesstimate about 6 weeks old, tops.

She was terrified and panicking, of course, as I tried to get to her which made her even more caught int he branches. She even sliced open the soft pad on her back foot on those horrible thin branches.

Not a single person asked to help me or even asked what I was doing. I am sure it was quite a sight seeing me up on that wall and digging into a hedge at sunset. I was praying to Jesus to help me get her out because I had no doubt in my mind that she would not have survived the night stuck in there. She would have succumbed to exhaustion, dehydration and exposure easily.

At one point I made the decision that I'd have to drive all the way home to pick up cutters to get into that hedge and that I'd be back in about 45 minutes. I felt guilty, but jumped down to the ground. She started screaming.... SCREAMING! It was as if she knew that she was going to be left alone. It broke my heart.

So I jumped up again to try and got as far as being able to touch her nose softly. Finally after about 40 minutes my husband came out to help - and with his help we were able to get her.

Of course we took her straight home. She was covered with fleas and dirt and trembling from fear and shock for the first half hour. But settled into my warm, fuzzy vest which is now dubbed 'the cat jacket' or 'her mom' since it is lined with a faux fur.

She is very young. We looked for her mama and any siblings but it was clear she was abandoned in there on purpose. Also, her demeanour makes it seem like she wasn't a Ferrel kitten - she was scared and in shock, no doubt, but she had to have been around humans before.

We now have 2 cats and 2 dogs - and I already suffer over our animals and their well-being so, believe me, I wasn't going to be getting a new cat until Jordy passed on (he is about 10 years old and still has plenty of time). Also breaking her into how things are done around here and with the dogs takes time. Like I have that right now ;)

She is precious. We love her already.