May 8 2020 - SIP Chronicles - Cattitude?

Last year, our cat disappeared for three nights, returning l mid- afternoon on this date in 2019, lethargic and injured. A visit to the vet revealed severe trauma - animal fight and bite or else hit by a vehicle. I spent about 10 days nursing him back to health - he wouldn't eat, wouldn't move, could barely pee. But I syringed food and water into his mouth, slept with him at night and dragged him back into our house when he thought he should hide under the neighbor's deck.

I think back to that time: what a demanding, insecure  experience it was, not knowing if he'd make it, existing in a state of anxious caring. And I think back to what has happened since then - the upheaval of moving out of our house of 25 years,  wildfires returning to Sonoma County, evacuations from the Kincaid Fire, power outages meant to control the potential fires. The sense of a State of Emergency that hung over the West Coast all fall. And  now the Pandemic.  Sheltering in place with husband, grown duaghter, and this same cat, who has some  residual effects from the trauma -- pain in the hindquarters at times, and damage to the optic nerve that leaves his pupils at slightly different sizes.

What does the cat know of our troubles? His meals still arrive at regular intervals, he watches the birds in the back yard, he patrols the little transit alley beside the house and sleeps in the garage most of the day. For him, almost every day since mid-May, 2019, has been a better day.

I can't say that about our country, right now.

But I do try to adopt enough cattitude to enjoy what I can of what we still have: the sun across the lawn, the walks around the quiet neighborhood, the quietness of the streets, the tasty meals we make, the letters I attempt to write,   because after all, what else are we going to spend out time on?


And you know what?  We will have  mail in ballots in California in November, yes!
Thank you, Newsom!