Been back from CO since Saturday the 4th …
My folks’ house got listed Thursday the 2nd, then officially on the market on Friday the 3rd with a Saturday the 4th Open House which yielded lots of foot traffic and 2 possible offers leading to an all cash offer on its 8th day on the market!
On the phone with my cousin a few days before returning to SC, I mentioned I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed…and then when we finally rolled into town a little after midnight, we discovered mice had been at play while we were away – leaving calling cards in that very bed…AIEEEEE!
All this after admitting to my baby cousin that ‘Home is where your bed is!’ (a major positive affirmation to where we are currently sojourning)…talk about a humbling re-entry into life back in the swamplands.
MamaCass & Naomi on our front porch
Previously, leaving our little rental house in SC for any length of time, MamaCass stood guard on the porch; grabbing the critters, both rodent and insect, for snacks before they could saunter inside. Now that our beloved porch cat has a permanent home on the other side of town with a proper cat lady, we came home to an empty porch ‘non-greeting’.
And, with our little rental’s insides newly discovered by resident rodents.
Since our return, we’ve been busy de-mousing the premises and trying hard to not skimp on those necessary procedures even if we’re tired, sleepy and needing to clean and dry clothes/bedding/rags with a non-functioning dryer no less. Read: wash at the house then take it all to the laundromat to dry (new dryer installed Wednesday the 8th).
Really things are okay, just that this place that never ever felt like home is even less so without MamaCass on so many levels.
And on so many levels her life reflects our own since moving here:
- Up and out after our 3 years between homes; her life of producing litters of kitties after kitties – rescued and put on a more healthy life path.
- Trusting that where we are is where the Lord wants us regardless of it not being the best fit for our true needs/desires/way of life; her trusting us to give her a place of refuge on our porch, even though she wanted to come inside – a time of healing and reconnection, regrouping for what is next.
- Giving support and caring for each other as a ‘purpose’ during the interim – our commitment to moving on only when our newest responsibility had a real home (our landlord forbids pets, so we could never formally adopt MamaCass, even though we captured her and got her snipped after her second litter appeared on our porch). She is a true South Carolina MamaCat and would not have done well moving with us across country when the opportunities for us opened up.
The fact that she’s finally got a forever home and moved on in her life gives me hope we are close to moving on with our own lives, too.
God’s speed, MamaCass – wish us luck!
“The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” Proverbs 12:10 NIV
Am I to assume that the 8th day offer led to a sale? Fast! Not nice to come home to mouse droppings, especially on the bed. Hope you have been having comfortable sleeps since then and good memories of Mama Cass. More will be revealed regarding your desires, wish you the best!
Denver market is hot! Yes, the 8th day did indeed lead to an offer and we’ll be closing in a couple of weeks! Yippee!
Hope you’ve been breathing easier these past few days…the fires have been brutal in your part of the world.
There’s nothing like cleaning out someone else’s house to make you reevaluate what you have in your home… and want to get rid of a lot of it. I’m glad that MamaCass was able to find a home to call her own… she looks like a real sweetie. Good luck as you move on too!
Oh yeah about re-evaluating ‘stuff’…I read the book you blogged about ‘the swedish art of death cleaning’ and I’m still not able to deal with photos! HA!
But in the scheme of things, that’s not really a biggie.
Hi Laura,
always good to read your updates. Your latest one finds me here in Manchester at midnight, listening to Bobbie Gentry. Incidentally I’ve just pre-ordered a comprehensive eight CD box set of her work out next month. I’m a big fan and highly anticipating it. Just not told Jen yet!
Whoa, didn’t know she had that much work to fill 8 CDs…of course I know her ‘ode to billy joe’ but that’s about it.
Your latest response here finds me after I watched a few Dr Who episodes…I’m on season 5 (Matt Smith) around #13. I finally got Terry to sit and watch one with me (he claims he doesn’t want to get hooked like me!!HA!) the one with Van Gogh. Of course, he loved it, but won’t relent! Funny
Anyway, great to hear from you, too!
She had six albums, as well as a duetted album with Glen Campbell and a live album. She was years ahead of her time-one of the first women who wrote her own music, produced her own music (even though ‘they’ didn’t credit her), published her own music (she said she got more satisfaction at seeing her music in a songbook than getting to #1 with Ode) and was also a keen businesswoman: within months of the success of her first single, she established two music publishing companies, organized beneath her parent company Gentry and negotiated her own contracts. The cover of her final album is one of her paintings, she designed her own costume and shows when on Vegas, and with the show she had over here in the UK became the first woman to host her own programme, Bit of an all rounder!!
Then she became the Harper Lee of the music world. A few years ago my daughter Millie was the only child in her class to spell Mississippi correctly due solely to the fact she’d heard me playing Gentry’s Mississippi Delta where she spells it out in the song!
Ps speaking of Millie I’ve sent you an email of her and James at Laura’s Place, from a different angle!
whoa what a strong, true working musician. I will definitely research her life, etc. Thanks for the ‘new’ discovery, right here on my side of the pond – (chuckle)
BTW: I haven’t received the photo you mentioned…so glad to hear you guys are visiting Laura’s Place…
I have tried sending you that email again. Thought I’d best mention it here in case you receive neither my reply by email and my sent again email!!
Vincent-yes, that is one of the great Doctor Who moments at the end.
Eagerly awaiting our new female Doctor. No definite date yet-either late next month or in October.
Covering all the bases here: responded to your two emails and this one regarding the photo – received!
BTW: How far is it till I get to the new female Doctor from where I am in the succession of Doctors?
You’re getting close. After Smith it’s Peter Capaldi and then you’re there-Doctor number 13.
WOW!
Phew, it sounds as though you’ve had a bit of a hectic time Laura. I’m glad that Mamacass has found a forever home after you rescued her.
LOL – It sort of forced me to focus on our own sorting, clearing, cleaning needs here at our place – ya know?
Wow! A cash offer! Things wentwell
Oh, yeah!
😉
A funny story that even at the time made us smile; on what turned out to be Mom’s last night at home, my lil’ sis slept on the sofa near Mom, who was snoozing in her recliner. Mom’s cat Star had curled up by Sis’s feet, then sauntered off. In the middle of the night, Sis felt something tromping over her blanket, but it wasn’t the weight of Star Kitty. You can guess what it was. 😀 Star and that interloper played for the rest of the very early morning, but the uninvited pest was later caught by traps laid by my brother, no more intruders permitted.
That aside, I’m so sorry you came home to mousy mayhem, yet you are so right about MamaCass’s place in your life. And now a different horizon awaits, with MamaCass in a good place. Love and prayers are sent for awesome blessings!
notallsurprisesarebadeveniftheyseemickypeace
What a story!
I wonder if it was a sort of ‘final’ gift for your mother…you know how cats entertain and give their prizes to those they love…
neededtodeepcleananywaypeace
Too often, what we face is not a reflection of what we deserve, but I’m not certain it’s all a matter of balance, either. Your work in CO must have ended with a smiling, gratified sigh. A fictional life story might have allowed you a well-earned dénouement when you returned, but in the saga that is real life, the challenges continue, don’t they? (If I were writing it, I’d bring another refugee cat to your porch. Soon.) <3
I’d love another refugee porch cat…at least a fictional one! HA!
Interestingly, the feral cat population in our neighborhood has declined drastically this past summer – a good thing if all found forever homes somewhere (I can hope).
ps-simmering ideas on that EBA!
Family, change, beds, mice (oh I hate the mice we have in the winter), cats… life. You are doing great, Laura. My best to you.
Thanks, Jennie.
I’ve been immersed in your tribute to Milly – such a fine soul and such fine writing.
Enjoy this year’s new crop of kiddos in your classroom!
Congrats on getting that house on the market! What a process, Laura! You must be exhausted. So sorry you had to come home to mice!!! I know you miss MamaCass while at the same time being glad for her to have a family. Praying that God meets you here at this moment. (I know He will.
Amen, sister!
🙂