Friends?

Well, the kitten and the older cat drama has simmered down. Tim, the baby, wouldn't leave Sam, the older one, alone. After awhile Sam got a little depressed, stopped eating and looked at me as if to say - I thought he was just visiting..... But after a few days Sam's appetite picked up and it's not quite the love fest it was in the beginning, but they're doing okay. They play and Tim grooms Sam, but Sam's over it. He's just tolerating the little one.

I wish I could report all kinds of interesting things in Charlotte, NC and in my life, but it's all about work, work, work. We're winding down the third issue of Cats & Dogs of Charlotte magazine which will be the holiday issue. We did themed photo shoots and I think you're going to like the end results! We've depicted Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, New Year's and that's about it. I couldn't pull off Kwanza, hopefully next year.

Went to a wonderful networking group tonight called BLOC (Business Leaders of Charlotte). It was pouring rain, thundering and lightening as I drove there, and I thought that we would have a small crowd and I would get to be a little more one on one with people. But, as always, it was jammed packed. I dropped by Victoria Dashiell's antique store unannounced on my way there and convinced her to come with me. She's having another vintage, live blues night on Saturday, 9/2. Luckily I do have one more vintage outfit!

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend.

Tomorrow's a new day. Tomorrow will bring new adventures to share with you. Everyday is a blessing, everyday I will try to visualize peace, not only for myself but for everyone I love, and those living in turmoil.

Sara Abrams

One more of the Kitten...

I couldn't resist. This is day three of the kitten's arrival and my older cat is really taking good care of him.

Sara

Ohio! New Cat!

Okay, the biggest news first - I adopted a kitten! I can't believe I did it, but it's been a real blessing. My male cat is about 4 years old and he's very anti-social to people. It took him a few months before he warmed up to my roommate. And I've never seen him around another animal, so I was nervous about introducing another cat to the house, especially another male. I also felt guilty that I didn't take an older cat, since they're harder to get adopted. But in hindsight, the kitten was the right move. When I finally let the two meet he came right up to Sam (the older one) and instead of hissing at him Sam sniffed him and started grooming him. It's been going pretty well since then and Sam's actually started playing with him! And it's so much fun to have kitten energy in the house. He's everywhere, exploring. He usually runs instead of walking and he plays and plays and plays. Too much fun. His name is Timmy.

I haven't written for a week and the news prior to the kitten was that I got in the car Thursday (a week ago) and drove myself to Youngstown, Ohio. I did it in two stages on the way up and spent the night in West Virginia. Then Sunday I drove back in one fell swoop, leaving at 9:00 am and getting in around 8:00 pm. Quite a drive. But well worth it. I love the idea that I can make it to see my relatives by just getting in the car. Youngstown is my father's hometown and it's always a treat to visit there. His two sisters still live there and some of my cousins and their children do too. The photo in front of The Rayen School is my aunt and her daughter-in-law. That's the high school that my aunts and my dad went to and also Debbie, the daughter-in-law. I think it's already closed, or if not, they're closing it in a few months, and they're going to have a big reunion for all the alumni. It was sad driving through the neighborhood and seeing how it's deteriorated. Youngstown is always a little bittersweet when I visit. I went to both synagogues and the attendance is so low. I don't know what they're going to do.

I'm going to stop writing this blog. It's boring. I'm actually boring myself. Time to go.

Tomorrow's a new day. Tomorrow will bring new adventures to share with you. Everyday is a blessing, everyday I will try to visualize peace, not only for myself but for everyone I love, and those living in turmoil.

Sara Abrams

Good Stuff, Bad Stuff

It's really bad in the Middle East and I'm consumed with it, and I'm not. It's really strange. There's so much suffering going on and there's not much I can do to help. So I keep plugging away and keep sending out good thoughts. Something good needs to happen. Any suggestions? POSITIVE suggestions?

Well, here's something you can do to help the world, locally. I was at Atrium Animal Hospital on Thursday to take 9-year old Kelanie to visit. She's been saying she wants to be a vet for the past three years and her uncle asked if I could arrange a tour for her. We'll get back to that in a minute. What I need from one of my readers is to take a look at the sweet punim (face) of little Bob, the rescue dog. Yes, yes, he's got Pit in him but the girls at the hospital say he's just a sweetheart. Lynne Wilson (the woman in the white t-shirt) found him on her doorstep. He was terribly malnourished. She brought him to Atrium (her vets) and they've been loving on Bob and taking care of him for a while. He's up to 50 pounds, and as mentioned earlier, a sweetheart. Lynne has been paying his vet bill, but she can't continue by herself and because of where she lives, she can't adopt him. Cats & Dogs of Charlotte is going to pay for his neutering, but he really needs a home. Please put out the word. For more information, contact me and I'll put you in touch with Lynne.

Back to Kelanie. Her aunt and I accompanied her and we had a lovely tour of Atrium Animal Hospital. We saw the surgery rooms and the dog and cat pens and looked at the regular medication and the vast array of holistic medicines. Dr. Kim Hombs came out to meet Kelanie and encouraged her to follow her dream. It was a very fun afternoon.

Two more shots to explain. That's me decked out in my vintage best at Victoria Dashiell's party celebrating the second anniversary of her antique store on Remount and South (check out the whopper mosquito bite on my leg). Of course, only Victoria and I had dressed up (pretty much) but it was still fun. There was a blues band and low country food. I still owe her $7.00 for the entry fee, in case she's reading this. I'll pay!

The final photograph is the temperature reading on my car. Yes - 108 degrees! Yikes! And humidity on top of that! It's been pretty miserable. But the nice part is that there always seems to be a down pour on about the third day and that brings the temperature down quite a bit so we can gear up for the next heat wave!

Tomorrow's a new day. Tomorrow will bring new adventures to share with you. Everyday is a blessing, everyday I will try to visualize peace, not only for myself but for everyone I love, and those living in turmoil.

Sara Abrams