Mothers’ Day Weekend

Saturday, 10th May 2008 – Sunday, 11th May 2008: Mothers’ Day Weekend

Woke up early to feed and clean up after the kitties before heading on off to the MNS HQ for a brainstorming workshop conducted by our immediate past Branch Chairman, Anuar. I brought Felicity with me, as I would be going to the SPCA after the workshop and would try to find her a good home.

The workshop was productive and offered many interesting brainstorming strategies. As an incentive for creativity, Anuar offered prizes for 2 of the sessions. Rick won one for thinking up the highest number of uses for a paper clip. I won the second one for thinking up the most improvements to the standard shopping cart. Felicity lay curled up against my shoulder because she kept disrupting the sessions when left in the pet carrier to play with her jingle ball.

The workshop was over by noon and we thanked Anuar and left. I arrived at the SPCA around 1230h and set up Felicity’s cage in front so visitors could see her. She was happy to play with her ball and I told her I would be back soon.

Rose was there bathing dogs and cleaning cages already, and asked if I wanted to tickwash dogs with her. I made a large tub of Tactick solution, grabbed 5 leashes and set to work with Rose, bathing, rinsing, grooming and tickwashing dogs. We did all the dogs in Sick Bay, Kennels E & F and Appu’s Bay. There were a few gunk-filled ears for me to clean and a few sores to be medicated, but apart from that, there were no indications of injury or serious illness. Dr. Pushpa informed me that the garlic I bring every week is working very well, as the number of worm, tick and parasite infestations has gone down significantly (Note: Garlic is not toxic to pets unless given in large quantities continuously).

Reve came over to Sick Bay to call me out as there was a potential adopter for Felicity. They seemed like very nice people but were not truly committed to keeping a ‘common cat’ like Felicity. The trouble is, most of the visitors enjoy Felicity’s company and are quite willing to play with her, as she is a friendly, intelligent and healthy young cat. However, they came to the shelter hoping to get a Persian, Siamese or Bengal cat, and are not keen to bring home a ‘common tabby’ that they could not show off as status symbols. I am sad that breed discrimination is preventing Felicity from finding a good home. However, I would much rather find her a family that wants and loves her wholeheartedly, than foist her on someone who prefers pedigrees and will later abandon Felicity for a Persian. I will try to find her a home via e-mail appeal, and failing that, I will find a way to keep her without the housemates going ballistic over our growing zoo.

FELICITY, AGE 3 ½ MONTHS

At 1700h, Rose and I washed and put away the pails, tubs, clippers, scissors and other dog cleaning and grooming paraphernalia. I got to work cleaning the shelter. I soaped, scrubbed and disinfected the Admin/Reception area, the kennels and the catteries while the dogs were out playing in the shelter compound.
Again, a few visitors turned up after closing hours to surrender their cats. I explained our policies and euthanasia rates to them and advised them to take responsibility for neutering their pets. I made them promise to make appointments with the Spay & Neuter Clinic and reminded them that their cats’ lives are in their hands. These are mostly simple-minded folk who are horrified at the idea of euthanasia and it didn’t take long for me to persuade them to neuter and save the lives of their animals instead.

Finished cleaning the shelter, showered, put Felicity back in the Battletank and bade goodbye to Reve, Rolled on back to the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters, tidied up, fed and cleaned up after the kitties and drove on over to the supermarket to buy Bulla Low Light 98% Fat Free Vanilla Ice Cream for Mom.
Crammed the ice cream tub into the beer cooler I keep in the Battletank and barreled back to the parental home in time to wish Mom a Happy Mothers’ Day at the stroke of midnight and hand her my gift of a chintz-patterned box of healthy treats.
Mothers’ Day was a pleasant affair. I cleaned the parental home, spring cleaned my bedroom, bathed Amber, checked the Battletank’s oil level and took Amber out on a car ride and walk. The Twin and his Girl arrived in the late afternoon and the Twin helped Dad troubleshoot the parental laptop.
We went out for Mothers’ Day dinner at the country grill which doesn’t play any country music and has Bangladeshi waiters who couldn’t even tell us what it was they had just brought to our table. The quality of food made up for the service and we had to agree that we enjoyed the dinner very much. We came home to the highly anticipated ice cream, which I served with peach slices. We instant-messaged Big Bro and got to see his new apartment thanks to the webcam. He showed us his bandaged arm and illustrated the bone inflammation for us. We waved our ice cream glasses at him and Sis-in-Law as they yelled Happy Mothers’ Day. The parents haven’t left the laptop alone since the day they acquired it and I foresee many happy hours of video-chatting friends and family.
I finally washed up, packed my things, kissed Amber goodbye and left the parental home at 2300h. Arrived at the Quarters to find that Jake had already fed the cats, bless his heart. Cleaned the cages and litter trays, did the laundry, swept the floor and went to bed flanked by Daisy and Pixie. It’s been a satisfactory weekend, although not incredible.