random thoughts – Day 1,432 – (Saturday) – inside and out

The highlight of the day was several weeks in the making. It involved visits to a website that increased in frequency to reach what might be considered stalker level. The usual mental hoops and gymnastics before engaging in pretty much anything included questions like “Do I really want this?” and “Am I ready for this?”

The location of the stalking was the Lowell Humane Society website and the subject of my attention was a female Domestic shorthair Tuxedo kitty called Stanley. And today was the day I got to take her home. The schedule was shuffled and some plans were cancelled to accommodate picking up Stanley and spending time acclimating her to the house.

The bio for Stanley (soon to be renamed, but I don’t know to what) noted she is a shy gal, and during the Zoom meeting earlier in the week, the foster volunteer said she doesn’t like to be held, and is either really quiet or super talkative. I didn’t really know what to expect.

During the ride home, little girl meowed when the car was in motion, making her quite the vocal back seat driver. She was quiet during red lights. When the door to the carrier was opened, she bolted for the living room, where she promptly hid behind a chair. She stayed hidden most of the afternoon. Behind the couch. Behind the chair. In the corner of the dining room. Under the table.

Sometimes she was staring in my direction, other times she seemed to be doing anything she could do to not look at me. Knowing what I heard about her shyness and hermit tendencies, it wasn't a surprise. It will just take some time.

Fire and ice on Palmer St.

I had to leave for a couple hours to attend the WinterFest Sponsor event that I thought was last night. The festival had some great stuff. Palmer street had fire sculptures on one side of the street and ice sculptures on the other. 

Middle Street had circular swings that lit up in different colors after dark. Bands performed in the tents, crowded with festival attendees. In a parking lot near a music tent, brightly colored Adirondack chairs circled ground level fire heaters, and elsewhere, standing heaters warmed chilly attendees. 

At the sponsor event
at Cobblestone’s, a jazz band performed on the third floor. On the second and third levels, wait staff passed trays with chicken sliders, beet bruschetta, and shrimp something or other. Buffet tables held pasta dishes, Caesar salad, fajitas, and a charcuterie spread.

Somebody's watching me.

When I arrived home, the place was as quiet as a tomb and kitty was nowhere to be seen. I checked all the known spots from earlier and finally found her behind the living room chair, curled up next to the doumbek drum in its case, untouched since the pandemic slammed into life after I took one class.

Ninety minutes after arriving home, kitty was still behind the chair, peering at me. I can’t find any evidence that she has eaten, had any water, or used the litter box. She’s probably still trying to figure out what the heck is going on and where she is. She just needs some time.