I'm grateful for: Kittens!; S1 meeting a girl; friends only a bus ride away.

I survived the megillah reading, it was actually quite fun and went very well. I made two important new acquaintances who are probably entirely responsible for my having a good time yet. They don't have any names yet, they are a pair of two-to-three week old kittens who were found with no mother this morning.

They are strong and healthy, not starving or dehydrated, their eyes are open and they can walk a bit and wash themselves but can't lap. They are both tri-colours (females) and, well, just adorable. I spent the whole time, almost, just holding them against my chest for warmth. It was a coolish day and they had gotten cold enough that they literally exhausted themselves trying to stay warm. They were in a box with two t-shirts, which is why I picked them up and held them. I had on a jacket and they tucked right in between the jacket and my jumper, cuddled up, and as soon as they were warmed up fell promptly to sleep.

They had nothing to feed a baby kitten and no means of feeding them either, until I asked if they had an eyedropper. They did, and I directed people to warm up some of the water from a tuna can. Can't little kittens like that cow's milk, and these are ALL breast-feeding parents, no formula to ask for. Anyway, the kittens fed reasonably well on the tuna-water, taking into account that they had no idea how to get food other than by nursing. Wait for a kitten's mouth to open, squirt a little bit in quick, and then wait while she works her tongue around, swallowing.

After they'd had their little meal, they were full of energy and climbed all over me, and several other people who wanted to hold them. The kittens also gave me what to talk about with people who felt they had to be sociable, or polite, but would otherwise have had nothing to talk about. No, really, I'm not being harsh, at least no intentionally, these are all moms of young children who have taken the less trodden bath, having home-births, not vaccinating their children, homeschooling, ecologically breast-feeding, you-name-it. If I'd disagreed with them on any of that stuff they could have argued with me. If we'd had kids the same age undoubtedly we would have talked about that. I don't work or do anything interesting that they can see - whenever I come to these things I sit in a corner in my wheelchair and pretty much wait for it to be over. I'm not necessarily anti-social, but getting out at all takes so much out of me that I am not that anxious to strike up a conversation with someone I don't know and with whom my only connection is being similarly 'alternative.'

So, for today, we had a topic of conversation and it was good. I think I made a new friend, possibly two, who I might not have gotten to know without the kittens. More important to me about the day out is that my kids met many more possible friends, and S1 has, I think, met his first real girl-friend (don't tell him I said so).

We drove north with six people in our five person car - TH, D2, D3, S1 and S3 on my lap in the front passenger seat. Not really safe but as there was no accident, no harm done. D2 got a ride home to her apartment from friends who were at the thing, and we were all set to drive home with a proper five, but instead ended up taking S3's friend NS home with us. He was desperate to see the baby goats, and TH will take him home again tomorrow on his (TH's) way to work. It's good for S3 who hasn't had an opportunity to play with friends his age for what seems far too long. NS rode on S1's lap coming home, both because he is smaller than S3, and because I had the kittens still tucked into my jacket.

Poor S2 had been home alone all day and was sick. We'd thought a volunteer from the other side of the moshav would be coming over to be with him (the volunteer said he would come), but he apparently didn't make it. S2 was feeling really awful when we got home, unsurprizingly. He'd overdone and also not really eaten and rested well. After we got home and got him some ginger ale and some vitamin 'C' and something to eat he was doing much better. I also left the kittens tucked in with him for about twenty minutes, which I choose to believe also helped.

Now I am sitting up with the kittens in my lap. D3 is sleeping in my room because of needing to possibly help with the kittens during the night. My dog Chamuda is on the bed and has been really well behaved, sniffing at them, and lightly licking each one on the butt. I think she would like to try to adopt them honestly, but I'm too afraid to let her try, because what if I'm wrong -

I want to lie down and go to sleep, but at the moment I haven't figured out how I might manage it. We tried putting the kittens in a box lined with toweling, but they just cried and cried. We couldn't sleep through that so back they came on me. I guess I am the new mom. They are so unbelievably cute I can't complain. Too much.

This is very hard on my arms and back and eyes and all. My bed is broken so I no longer have any back support. I'm thinking of getting my old bed back, the one which TH built for me so long ago, but I haven't been able to make up my mind. I have to stop typing now in any event, the keyboard is still wonky and it is just very hard. Not complaining, but explaining.

Thanks so much for help with the word lists. I thought of doing a google search but decided I just couldn't cope, and I have so many helpful friends here, I knew you'd come through. Thanks, really. We need to do this kind of vocabulary work here, which we never did in the States. I do want my kids to be able to spell in English.

I'm off to try and figure out how to lie down with two tiny kittens without waking them up or killing my back. Good night.

I'm listening to the breathing of the dog, S3, and two tiny kittens.

:: Yesterdays : Tomorrows ::

~~~Last Five Entries~~~
Hi and goodbye - 2010-10-15
I'll be moving on - 2010-10-10
Gold membership and stuff - 2010-10-10
Decisions, decisions - 2010-10-07
Days to go - 2010-10-06