WebKittyn Warbles
Friday, July 09, 2010
Five Year with my Best Friend
It was five years ago today Darkstar rescued two drowning kittens outside of his store. It was raining heavily and they were in some drainage pipe or something. The water was filling up and the mother cat was trying to rescue them but there were too many and one was stuck on the fence (it was cutting into him). Mama cat made off with a kitten in her mouth and Darkstar went and saved the other two and brought them home.
One was healthy and full of energy and one was badly BADLY cut on his head and side. They were both about 4-5 weeks. We took them to the vet where the girl was declared fit and the boy was declared in bad shape. We took them home and Darkstar talked me into keeping the sick male, a scrawny half-dead grey and white thing. I wanted the girl, she looked like Claude but Darkstar convinced me and I trusted his instinct. Our friend Bob and his wife are cat people and they offered to take the girl into their home.
We moved a mattress out of the guestroom and plopped it in the middle of the living room floor next to the small litterbox. He made himself a home inside this cat condo we had and didn't move much. I had to give him 3 types of medication three times a day along with feeding him some milk stuff through a dropper and calorie paste. He would spend all day in that thing just peering at me until he'd wobble out to eat or use the box. His side was really gashed and his head was badly cut, it had to be god-awful painful.
Eventually he started to heal, it took about a month but he started to mend. He would let me hold him when he'd come out and he moved easier. I played mother cat, I actually licked his head and purred into his fur when I held him and I talked to him constantly.
We kept the mattress in the middle of the living room for three full months. I slept there nightly with the little guy and by the end of the third month he was sleeping with me. He started to play and run but he loved to hide in strange holes like a rat. He would hide from Darkstar and I'd go out there and call 'kitten kitten kitten' and out would pop this little grey head. Since he acted so much like a rat I decided to name him Templeton because I loved Charlotte's Web but even more I loved Paul Lynde's Templeton the rat. So he officially became Templeton the Rat Cat.
Over the past five years he's grown into a fat happy beast who has been there for me through every one of my most trying times. He helped me through the loss of Claude, my first cat. He helped me through losing the Great Catsby who I tried so hard to save. When my dad first got sick it was his fur I cried into at night begging the fates to make my dad better. When I went in the hospital I had his picture everywhere and I thought about going home to my Tempy. When my father died it was once again his fur that was saturated with tears, I think I almost drowned him. He's helped me accept the deaths of two people in my age range, one of whom was a very dear friend. When I get sad about the kidney failure or get to missing my dad he's right there making that 'wempy' noise he makes and licking my nose. I guess he's taking care of me.
My friend James said the other day how people who don't own pets just don't get it. He's right. Tempy isn't a pet. I have no children (my choice) and while I recognise the difference between a baby and a kitten, he IS my child. Out of the four cats, he's my alpha and my very best friend. I don't know what the past five years would have been like without Tempy, particularly the last two with all the sickness, death and sadness.
Darkstar had no idea he was bringing a feline saviour into the house that night five years ago but he did and every day even at my worst I remember to say thank you to Tempy for coming into my life.
Here's to the next five years, my fat grey alpha. You are my Tempy.
The little guy, hiding in his rat hole.
The big guy, the love of my life.
One was healthy and full of energy and one was badly BADLY cut on his head and side. They were both about 4-5 weeks. We took them to the vet where the girl was declared fit and the boy was declared in bad shape. We took them home and Darkstar talked me into keeping the sick male, a scrawny half-dead grey and white thing. I wanted the girl, she looked like Claude but Darkstar convinced me and I trusted his instinct. Our friend Bob and his wife are cat people and they offered to take the girl into their home.
We moved a mattress out of the guestroom and plopped it in the middle of the living room floor next to the small litterbox. He made himself a home inside this cat condo we had and didn't move much. I had to give him 3 types of medication three times a day along with feeding him some milk stuff through a dropper and calorie paste. He would spend all day in that thing just peering at me until he'd wobble out to eat or use the box. His side was really gashed and his head was badly cut, it had to be god-awful painful.
Eventually he started to heal, it took about a month but he started to mend. He would let me hold him when he'd come out and he moved easier. I played mother cat, I actually licked his head and purred into his fur when I held him and I talked to him constantly.
We kept the mattress in the middle of the living room for three full months. I slept there nightly with the little guy and by the end of the third month he was sleeping with me. He started to play and run but he loved to hide in strange holes like a rat. He would hide from Darkstar and I'd go out there and call 'kitten kitten kitten' and out would pop this little grey head. Since he acted so much like a rat I decided to name him Templeton because I loved Charlotte's Web but even more I loved Paul Lynde's Templeton the rat. So he officially became Templeton the Rat Cat.
Over the past five years he's grown into a fat happy beast who has been there for me through every one of my most trying times. He helped me through the loss of Claude, my first cat. He helped me through losing the Great Catsby who I tried so hard to save. When my dad first got sick it was his fur I cried into at night begging the fates to make my dad better. When I went in the hospital I had his picture everywhere and I thought about going home to my Tempy. When my father died it was once again his fur that was saturated with tears, I think I almost drowned him. He's helped me accept the deaths of two people in my age range, one of whom was a very dear friend. When I get sad about the kidney failure or get to missing my dad he's right there making that 'wempy' noise he makes and licking my nose. I guess he's taking care of me.
My friend James said the other day how people who don't own pets just don't get it. He's right. Tempy isn't a pet. I have no children (my choice) and while I recognise the difference between a baby and a kitten, he IS my child. Out of the four cats, he's my alpha and my very best friend. I don't know what the past five years would have been like without Tempy, particularly the last two with all the sickness, death and sadness.
Darkstar had no idea he was bringing a feline saviour into the house that night five years ago but he did and every day even at my worst I remember to say thank you to Tempy for coming into my life.
Here's to the next five years, my fat grey alpha. You are my Tempy.
The little guy, hiding in his rat hole.
The big guy, the love of my life.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Blogathon Unofficial 101 - How it All Works
1. What is a pledge?
A pledge is a promise that if I (or your chosen blogger) makes the full 24 hours, you will donate a certain amount to the charity. The pledge is NOT monetary, it is promissary and goes to the blogger so they may keep a tally of how much they have raised.
2. Where do I pledge since there is no official site?
You send an email to (that's me!) and let me know how much you can donate to Guiding Eyes for the Blind if I make the 24 hours.
There is also a "Pledge here" link on my blog that will open the email for you to make your pledge. I try to make it easy.
3. What happens after it's over?
Usually the Blogathon people send out an email to the people who have pledged to let them know their blogger finished the 24 hours. This year I will be doing this myself, another reason I ask for the email pledge. When I complete the 24 hours, all my sponsors will be notified.
4. Who gets the money?
Guiding Eyes for the Blind gets every penny. The email I send you when the Blogathon is over will include both the direct online donation link and mailing address for donations for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Not one cent is to go to me or ANY blogger. This is about a cause, not the self.
5. How will you know if payment is made?
I won't unless you are willing to send me the thank you note you will get from Guiding Eyes for the Blind. It's all done on the honour system, no one is going to be knocking on your door to collect the pledged money. It's your karma.
6. Can I skip the pledge and donate directly?
Of course. It would be nice if you would forward me the thank you so I may add it to my tally but that's not necessary. Pledging is just a way for the blogger to feel good about what they're doing, it's not a requirement.
7. Do you have any special requests?
I do. On the donation form there is a slot to make your donation in memory of a person whose name you put in. I ask that you put Jeffrey Dunn in there so the people at Guiding Eyes can know how many people cared about what Jeff did.
8. Will you entertain me for my money?
I'll try. I shall attempt to be witty in my writings, I don't plan in advance, I just go with it. My mother will probably guest post and I've asked Darkstar to stay home that night and do a special radio show to keep the blood pumping so I shall do my darndest to earn your money.
9. This is legit, right?
Yes it is. The official Blogathon has been mentioned on MSNBC and has raised great amounts of money for the different caused people choose. The only difference this year is we're doing it on our own because we just can't not do it.
10. Why Guiding Eyes for the Blind?
Because it was a part of Jeff that he loved dearly and this would make him happy. His friends miss him a hell of a lot, it's not often there actually IS something you can do.
A pledge is a promise that if I (or your chosen blogger) makes the full 24 hours, you will donate a certain amount to the charity. The pledge is NOT monetary, it is promissary and goes to the blogger so they may keep a tally of how much they have raised.
2. Where do I pledge since there is no official site?
You send an email to (that's me!) and let me know how much you can donate to Guiding Eyes for the Blind if I make the 24 hours.
There is also a "Pledge here" link on my blog that will open the email for you to make your pledge. I try to make it easy.
3. What happens after it's over?
Usually the Blogathon people send out an email to the people who have pledged to let them know their blogger finished the 24 hours. This year I will be doing this myself, another reason I ask for the email pledge. When I complete the 24 hours, all my sponsors will be notified.
4. Who gets the money?
Guiding Eyes for the Blind gets every penny. The email I send you when the Blogathon is over will include both the direct online donation link and mailing address for donations for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Not one cent is to go to me or ANY blogger. This is about a cause, not the self.
5. How will you know if payment is made?
I won't unless you are willing to send me the thank you note you will get from Guiding Eyes for the Blind. It's all done on the honour system, no one is going to be knocking on your door to collect the pledged money. It's your karma.
6. Can I skip the pledge and donate directly?
Of course. It would be nice if you would forward me the thank you so I may add it to my tally but that's not necessary. Pledging is just a way for the blogger to feel good about what they're doing, it's not a requirement.
7. Do you have any special requests?
I do. On the donation form there is a slot to make your donation in memory of a person whose name you put in. I ask that you put Jeffrey Dunn in there so the people at Guiding Eyes can know how many people cared about what Jeff did.
8. Will you entertain me for my money?
I'll try. I shall attempt to be witty in my writings, I don't plan in advance, I just go with it. My mother will probably guest post and I've asked Darkstar to stay home that night and do a special radio show to keep the blood pumping so I shall do my darndest to earn your money.
9. This is legit, right?
Yes it is. The official Blogathon has been mentioned on MSNBC and has raised great amounts of money for the different caused people choose. The only difference this year is we're doing it on our own because we just can't not do it.
10. Why Guiding Eyes for the Blind?
Because it was a part of Jeff that he loved dearly and this would make him happy. His friends miss him a hell of a lot, it's not often there actually IS something you can do.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Blogathon 2010 - This One’s for Jeff Dunn and the Dogs
So it seems the official Blogathon team had to take this year off. Kinda sucks, this was an important year for me and the first time the 'thon really felt personal. I decided I would do the 24 hours anyway and lo and behold, others have also jumped on the bandwagon and there will be some sort of unofficial Blogathon going on this year.
There probably won't be any fancy pledge site like there usually is but it's all about the honour system anyway so it can still happen in a big way and make a difference.
My dear friend Jeff Dunn passed away on June 22nd. I've known Jeff since 1984 and he was truly an inspiration in so many ways. Having beat cancer as a very young child, Jeff grew up blind but he never let it stop him. There wasn't an ounce of self pity in Jeff's body and he did more than many sighted people (his word) that I've known.
Somewhere along the way Jeff hooked up with a wonderful place called Guiding Eyes for the Blind. In their own words:
This place is so much more than just a school to get a dog. It's a community full of caring people from the people who raise the puppies to the trainers to the administrative staff. In fact, they've recently added a new program for children with autism, further testament to the dedication of this place to making the quality of life better for people who truly need and deserve it.
Guiding Eyes became a second home for Jeff. He took on a position there and worked fiendishly to bring computer accessibility to those who didn't have it. He was an expert in all things technical and had a true passion for bringing the online world to everyone who wanted it. He was a mentor and a beacon of hope and strength for so many people and his spirit never failed to touch anyone he came into contact with.
The world lost a shining star when Jeff died but he didn't want people to mourn him. That wasn't Jeff.
In lieu of flowers, his family asked for donations to be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind and I can't think of a better way to honour my friend, first computer guru and inspiration than to dedicate this year's Blogathon to him.
The Blogathon will be held on July 31st beginning at 9AM. I will be posting once ever 30 minutes for 24 hours and will include an anecdote or story or quote about Jeff at the end of each entry as I have asked those who knew him to send me their memories.
This is all happening quickly and sort of haphazard with the announcement of no 'official' Blogathon. I don't even have an icon yet and nothing on my sidebar but that will pop up in a day or so.
Now I ask you to for your pledge. Don't worry, I'll be pestering you a whole lot more as it gets closer but all I'm asking for is an email sent to me with a pledge for an amount.
If you don't want to pledge, if you don't want to wait to see if I make the 24 hours or not, that's fine. You can go directly to their website and donate here.
If you choose the second option, I ask this of you.. On the donation form is a section to make the donation in memory of someone. I ask that you put Jeffrey Dunn's name in there. Then I ask you to forward to me the thank you email you will receive from Guiding eyes so I can add it to my ongoing tally as I will have to keep track of it myself this year.
No amount is too small, I know money is tough. This is something truly worthwhile though and Jeff Dunn was really a special person. Dig into your hearts and your pockets and make a pledge. Anonymous is fine, I don't have to know who you are.
This one's for you, Jeff. I miss you.
There probably won't be any fancy pledge site like there usually is but it's all about the honour system anyway so it can still happen in a big way and make a difference.
My dear friend Jeff Dunn passed away on June 22nd. I've known Jeff since 1984 and he was truly an inspiration in so many ways. Having beat cancer as a very young child, Jeff grew up blind but he never let it stop him. There wasn't an ounce of self pity in Jeff's body and he did more than many sighted people (his word) that I've known.
Somewhere along the way Jeff hooked up with a wonderful place called Guiding Eyes for the Blind. In their own words:
Guiding Eyes is dedicated to enriching the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women by providing them with the freedom to travel safely, thereby assuring greater independence, dignity and new horizons of opportunity.
This place is so much more than just a school to get a dog. It's a community full of caring people from the people who raise the puppies to the trainers to the administrative staff. In fact, they've recently added a new program for children with autism, further testament to the dedication of this place to making the quality of life better for people who truly need and deserve it.
Guiding Eyes became a second home for Jeff. He took on a position there and worked fiendishly to bring computer accessibility to those who didn't have it. He was an expert in all things technical and had a true passion for bringing the online world to everyone who wanted it. He was a mentor and a beacon of hope and strength for so many people and his spirit never failed to touch anyone he came into contact with.
The world lost a shining star when Jeff died but he didn't want people to mourn him. That wasn't Jeff.
In lieu of flowers, his family asked for donations to be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind and I can't think of a better way to honour my friend, first computer guru and inspiration than to dedicate this year's Blogathon to him.
The Blogathon will be held on July 31st beginning at 9AM. I will be posting once ever 30 minutes for 24 hours and will include an anecdote or story or quote about Jeff at the end of each entry as I have asked those who knew him to send me their memories.
This is all happening quickly and sort of haphazard with the announcement of no 'official' Blogathon. I don't even have an icon yet and nothing on my sidebar but that will pop up in a day or so.
Now I ask you to for your pledge. Don't worry, I'll be pestering you a whole lot more as it gets closer but all I'm asking for is an email sent to me with a pledge for an amount.
If you don't want to pledge, if you don't want to wait to see if I make the 24 hours or not, that's fine. You can go directly to their website and donate here.
If you choose the second option, I ask this of you.. On the donation form is a section to make the donation in memory of someone. I ask that you put Jeffrey Dunn's name in there. Then I ask you to forward to me the thank you email you will receive from Guiding eyes so I can add it to my ongoing tally as I will have to keep track of it myself this year.
No amount is too small, I know money is tough. This is something truly worthwhile though and Jeff Dunn was really a special person. Dig into your hearts and your pockets and make a pledge. Anonymous is fine, I don't have to know who you are.
This one's for you, Jeff. I miss you.
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