Reality bites.

Yes, it does.
Sometimes doing the 'right' thing isn't the 'easiest' thing.

Let me tell you about my day, or at least part of it.


Grandson came to mow my lawn, which is not on my list of preferred tasks any longer.
We were having lunch out on the porch, when my daughter said, "What the heck was that?"
Well, it turned out to be yet another stray cat, on a dead run for the food bowl.
Next and Enough looked unconcerned.
This little cat let me get close, I went and got her a can of the good stuff, which she gobbled up.

She was so small, she looked to be about 5 months old.  She was so thin, her spine was this bony ridge on her back, and I could feel ever single one of her ribs.  She was a manx kitty, like Kizzy, with no tail.

So after she ate, I put her in a crate, and drove her to the vet's.
Yes, to feline leukemia test, to worming, to rabies prevention, to neutering.  Calculating the impact to my checkbook.
Oh, well.


She was obviously someone's cat at some point, because she was very sweet.  She also did not appear to have any claws.
But by the emaciated state she was in, it was easy to conclude that she had been wandering for some time.

I no more than got back to the studio, when the phone rang.
The vet.
BAD NEWS.
This cat is 4-5 YEARS old, missing teeth, enlarged liver, enlarged kidneys, in other words, one very sick kitty.
Most likely very contagious, and not a good candidate for treatment of any kind.
After a long conversation, I agreed with her suggested option, euthanasia.
The cat had not been neutered, could still have kittens, that could be born sick.
She could make other cats sick, and her quality of life sucked, pure and simple.
I know it was the right thing, but it felt like a kick to the chest.

Then, adding insult to injury, I could pay $150 to dispose of the body, or come fetch it.
Back to the vet's.
Then back to the studio to dig a hole, and bury the little kitty that I had hoped to save.

Sometimes, you just have to accept that life can be hard.

But in the back of my mind, I wonder......how did this little girl get to this place.......someone cared......she was so friendly, and de-clawed even......don't get me started on that barbaric practice.
Yet, she was out wandering, sick and thin, searching for food and comfort.
What happened?
I only wish she had shown up sooner, when she still had a chance.
Yup, sometimes, reality bites.

I guess I have to concentrate on what I can do, and not on what I can't.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.


But no one said that would be easy.
"Enough" said.