Sunday 30 August 2009

Weekend Duty

Saturday, 22nd August 2009: Weekend Duty

I had pledged to be on mobile registration duty on Saturday, and so I was up early to clean the cage and litter trays and get the kittens ready to go to the SPCA before I left for work.

Dr. Pushpa was already at the SPCA feeding the animals when I arrived before 0800h, and had been expecting the Whisketeers and me. She advised me to let the Whisketeers be put up for adoption at the Outreach Booth this weekend at the Tropicana City Mall, and I concurred because their chances of adoption would be better there. I kissed each kitten goodbye and good luck and left them in the care of the good doctor until Jacinta and Nicole arrived to collect them from the shelter.

















Tropicana City Mall, just down the road from the BOQ

Arrived at the Office at 0815h and got to work straight away. It was a productive morning and everything ran smoothly. We were done for the day by noon, and our coordinator sent for pizza. It started to rain torrentially just as we were in the middle of our scrumptious pizza lunch. I finished my meal, thanked my colleagues and our coordinator, and drove back to the parental home for the rest of the weekend.

My heart was aching over having to part with my beloved Whisketeers, although I didn't let my sorrow show. I prayed that the Whisketeers would find good homes and that they would be happy and healthy always.


Sunday, 23rd August 2009: Another Soiree

I had spent much of Saturday and Sunday giving Amber a bath, cleaning the parental home, spring cleaning the parental kitchen cabinets, washing the cars and helping Covert Mum re-pot her chilli plants. Sunday was also Vinayagar Chatthurti, or Lord Ganesha's Birthday, and the parents and I went vegan for the entire day to prepare for our temple visit in the evening.

Made another futile attempt at filling in the rest of Covert Mum’s faded Scrabble tiles with the Sharpie I had used the week before. There wasn’t anything wrong with the Sharpie – it’s just that the original green paint from the tiles kept coming off and clogging up the nib of the Sharpie. I hit my head repeatedly against the side of the coffee table in my frustration. The glass felt cool against my forehead.

“Why are you hitting your head on the table?” Covert Mum wanted to know.
“Because if I were to hit someone else’s head, it would be assault and battery,” I sighed.

Covert Mum took away the Sharpie and applied heat to it but it didn’t help. Another good pen destined for the landfill. So long, pen.

Left the parental home at 1900h to attend my buddy Adeline's soiree. Adeline's baby, Meagan, turned two, and a gathering of family and friends was in order. I met some of my buddies at the party and made a few new friends.

























Here I am, reading to Meagan.

It seemed like only yesterday that the football team attended Adeline and Philip's wedding at the church in Brickfields, and now their little one is already two. It won't be long before I am ready for reading glasses, Birkenstocks and a Zimmer frame. C'est la vie.

Many Happy Returns, Meagan.


Monday, 24th August 2009: SPCA on My Day Off

Weeded my unruly little yard in the BOQ in the morning before leaving for the SPCA. I was anxious, of course, to see if the Whisketeers had been adopted. They hadn't. They were still there, active and ambulant but otherwise missing me. They clambered up the side of the big cage they were currently housed in and cried plaintively at me to pick them up and bring them home. I spent a quiet moment with them, explaining why I had to give them up, but promising them that I would do all I can to ensure that they go to happy homes.

The weather was fair and I wasted no time getting to work washing the Pound Dogs. I hauled a pail of tickwash over to the Pound and started leashing the dogs. Many were skittish or displayed antisocial behaviour such as snapping and snarling. Thean came up to me and asked if I could let two volunteers assist me. I turned around and, lo and behold, it was the two gormless youngsters who had hindered my work 3 weeks ago.

I hadn't expected to see them again but I had hoped that they would have learned something about volunteering and the care of animals in their last couple of visits to the shelter. They hadn't. I let them handle the more good-natured dogs while I took on the snarling, biting ones. They stood there watching me with glazed eyes and their hands at their sides as I wrestled with a churlish Alsatian-cross. They provided me with an audience I never requested, watching me work while they stood there with the hose in their hands, water running down the drain, while the dog they were supposed to wash stood there shivering in a shampooey mess.

"Come on," I urged them, trying to sound friendly and encouraging. “The poor dog will catch his death of cold. Just give him a good wash and let me have the hose next.”

I thought I was going to die of old age watching the youngsters tickwash the dog. We finished washing all the Pound dogs and I cleaned the place up. The youngsters slouched off to do whatever inconsequential thing they had been doing before they came to ‘help’ me at the Pound. I commenced cleaning the Cattery and scrubbing and disinfecting all the cat baskets, litter trays and food and water bowls.




Beautiful cats for adoption at the SPCA. Won’t you give them a home?


Next, I cleaned the dog and puppy enclosures and Maternity Kennels. I washed and disinfected the Front Reception/Admin/Office area and took out the trash. I worked solidly for 2 more hours until the shelter was clean enough to meet my exacting standards. It was 1930h when I was done. I went up to the Bungalow to shower and change. Jacinta and Nicole were surprised to see me, as they were not aware that I was having a day off and had been at the shelter all day.

Stopped by the SS2 night market on my way home. I am convinced by now that you can purchase everything and the kitchen sink at the night market. I swear I even saw a stall selling Made-In-China sex toys (“Love Stick” and “Nipple Play”, anyone?) in between the stalls selling Korean kimchi and bubble tea. I stocked up on organic fruits and veggies to last me the week, polished off a chilled young coconut and headed home to the BOQ.

The coming workweek brings with it the promise of new adventures.

10 comments:

Ellen Whyte said...

I do hope and pray the whisketeers find a home. They're so cute, that they should!

~CovertOperations78~ said...

Thank you so much, Ellen! Mitchell was adopted yesterday. Now praying for the remaining two.

Pat said...

Great news about Mitchell! I hope the other two get snapped up quickly.

My heart aches to think of how you must feel. But, I pray they find good homes and others to care for and love them. Leaving YOU to love others, as you loved them.

Hugs to you, my dear friend.

~CovertOperations78~ said...

Thank you for understanding how I feel, dear Pat. I love them and I feel so torn. I'm planning on sending out an email to try to find them good homes, and paying the adoption fee (probably just a token sum to cover vaccination and barely cover spaying) myself. Each time any of my Second Chancers get adopted, I pray they forget me soon so they can learn to love their new families. On my part, I promise never to forget them. And I never have. I've recorded all their birthdays and gotcha days.

P/S: Well, your Larnee told me on FB that she NEEDED more pets. Ah ha!
P/P/S: I understand your allergies, though. :o(

hobbit1964 said...

Lynn

I have been wrong about you all along.

I am not meant to have an intellectual discourse with you.

My mistake. I should have been smart enough to see that with you, I must seek places to pig out. Coconut is definitely a favourite.

~CovertOperations78~ said...

What on earth do you mean, Jeffrey? Honestly, it's quite difficult to read you sometimes. I don't know if your comments are tongue-in-cheek or dead earnest.

Ellen Whyte said...

thanks for the offer of the $$$ Ee Lynn but now I have a vet who charges me Malaysian prices instead of super-inflated orang puteh prices $$$ is not a problem. What I do need is space to park recovering kitties! but I am blessed with a new friend who has space and who has offered to help. So after the shots are complete, and after Raya, we start snipping! Hooray :-)

~CovertOperations78~ said...

Hello again, Ellen! I can help with the boarding post-innoculation and post-surgery. Will also talk a friend into letting us use his house in Sunway as it will be closer to your place and he has a hang of a lot of space. I will do the cleaning, feeding and care. I have spare keys. Alternatively, my place may be small but it's not bad!

Unknown said...

Saying goodbye is hard especially when every bit of you cries out for the Whisketeers. Do not worry as those who adopt will make just as perfect mums and dads!

Aha!more 'choices' at night markets? We are saintly and we won't be tainted!

~CovertOperations78~ said...

Thank you, dear Keats! I am willing to let go of the Whisketeers, as long as they get adopted! Right now, it breaks my heart seeing them waiting for a new home, biding their time in the SPCA. I miss them so much but must let separation take place so they can learn to love their new mums and dads.

I don't even want to look at the plastic junk they sell at the night market! Everyone was just walking past the stall, looking kinda embarrassed, except for little tots attracted by the bright packaging!