Go West, and all that . . . .

Hang a left and just keep on goin'. It's time to do some driving. We're taking bets on how long my son stays in Vegas. Someone is actually giving him six months. :) All kidding aside, I hope he does what he says he wants to do and carries through with his plan. And it would be great if he and his friends rent a house with a guest bedroom . . . and pool. Definitely a pool.

Purr

There’s a feline addition to my household. My son brought his cat, Purr, to my house since he is moving across the country. He and Max don’t get along very well but they’re learning. Max cat-growls, Purr hisses, repeat, over and over again. Purr is barely one. Max, who just went on hyper thyroid medicine, is 12. Purr likes to explore and get into things. He has no front claws. Max does. When they wrestle, it can get ugly for Purr but he’s good with his back leg claws. I know. I have a gash across my palm to prove it (my fault). Looks like Purr is here to stay for a while. My son is moving to Las Vegas. I will ride with him out there and fly home. I-40 nearly all the way. Will see the Grand Canyon for the first time. Yes. Another checkmark on my list. :)

But Who's Counting?

Is there any endeavor so confusing, so mysterious, so diverse as the role of a parent? I am a parent. I have been a parent for 7,665 days. He is 21 years old today. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was skipping pages in our nightly book readings thinking he'd never notice? Wasn't it just last week that I was yelling my lungs out for him at his Little League games? Surely it was just a couple of months ago that we were discussing what it means to figure out your passion in life and then turning that passion into a way of life; a living. Yes, it was just a couple of months ago. Discover your passion, I told my son, and the way you make money in the world will never be a "job." If I could choose for my son to really "get" any of my little parental lectures, it would be that. Explore yourself; listen to your gut; take time to discovery yourself and what brings joy into your life and then.....go for it! In recent months my son, after 3 years of college, assured me that he has found his passion. This requires, of course, a complete change in his course of study and a move to another State. I wasn't thrilled. It wasn't my plan for him. As I heard myself saying, "Are you sure?", I could actually feel my own words nipping at my soul and telling me to "put up or shut up." Either stand by your words or tell your son you're a parental fraud; a mere imposter of a mother. My decision only required a few seconds of discussion between me, myself and I. I chose to believe in my son. I told myself that I can't admonish my son to find his joy in life and then not offer encouragement simply because he's not following my preconceived plan for him. If it works out for him, great! If it doesn't, then it won't be because he didn't get solid and honest parental support. The truth, I realize, is this: My son could tell me that he's decided to be a Ringling Bros. circus clown and I would immediately start researching where he could get a top-notch red nose!
My son has his own brain. He's a 21 year old man. If he's going to make risky decisions in his life, now is the time to do it. :) Who am I, as his parent, to tell him to seek his passion and then chastise him because it isn't my passion for him? Right? Right.
So this is the philosophy I'm banking on.

Awwwwww......

Beside the word "cute" in the dictionary, doesn't it say "kitten"? This is one of a litter of four from a feral stray mama cat that I feed outside behind my house. I started petting the kittens early on to try and "domesticate" them. Largely, I've been successful. Mama hauled one of the kittens across the street and left it under a back porch. She didn't tell me why she did that. Two days later I mentioned to my neighbor across the street that one of my little kittens was missing and I feared the worse. He said he'd been hearing meowing under his porch. I told him to please check. He did and immediately fell in love. It was one of the two tortoise shell kittens. With that one safely rescued and taken care of, I concentrated on the other 3. I caught two of them yesterday, the orange tabby and the one above. The orange tabby is already taken and the little alien kitten above (the runt) is staying with her brother, the tabby, until adopted out. The other tortoise shell, I fear, will be relinquished to the feral cat community since he/she is too quick for me and darts under the house now when I come close. Three out of four isn't bad, though. Not at all. I took the 2 kittens inside my house for a bit and Max, my 12 year old male cat, let me know right away that they were not welcome. Max is truly a loner cat.
So at the end of the day yesterday, 2 little kittens were safe and snug in their own little kitty condo up the street from me. I'll be able to visit. I hope the one above gets adopted by someone close.