I'm taking a break from studying. Tomorrow morning is my Principles of Management midterm. At a ridiculously early nine a.m.
Gone are the days when slumber meant sleeping through the sunlight, only emerging once the sun submerges. These days, i'm up early - 9 ish, sometimes 10 ish. The young sun always feels so good against my face, gently warming it. And its never too hot and never too humid in the early morn.
I also geniously discovered that my plants stay alive if i water them under that same, refreshing morning sun. I've been doing that for a while now, regularly and reliably and the plants are.. ALIVE! They aren't flourishing - no crazy flowering spurts but the leaves show a rich green. A sign of life. Ahhh.. Cultivez mes petits!!
I've been doing quite a bit. Studying for exams which are strategically scattered throughout the week, which simply means that the actual studying may be scattered too. I also successfully completed a 10 page take-home midterm. The subject matter - Principles of Interviewing. We were given a 5 day deadline. All requests for an extension of time fell on deaf ears. Despite my displeasure and the fact that yet another weekend was sacrificed, it was completed.
Oooo, Oooo.. there's more news. Last Friday, half way through Organizational Behavior, i recieved a very exciting sms from Is-a-bell. [Is-a-bell hails all the way from the Republic of China, an only child of a military general. She's was a classmate, now - my neighbor]
"Hey nitz. Would you like to take in a kitten? She's very cute."
I immediately let go a silent 'Hell-yeah!' and nudged Mimo in the side, where he absolutely hates it. Mimo glares at me. I look at him.. and mouth out an exaggarated 'whaaaaaaaaaat??'
Please note that all this while we are sitting in class, hence the hushed conversations.
I show Mimo the sms. By this time, i can hardly sit still. I feel like calling Is-a-bell and saying, YES!! YES!! Ohhh YES!!.. The kitty is mine. Mimo's done reading her message by now. He looking at me, subtly shaking his head [that's the universal sign for 'NO', except in India perhaps, where the left to right movement of the head is often a gesture of approval]
I am impatient by now. 'Well, can we get the cat?'
Mimo, in his calm and unimpressed voice says, 'We'll have to think about it.'
My eyebrows move up in query, 'Think about what? Its not like we're getting a horse.'
His reply, 'Your sister is allergic to cats.' So matter of factly. Arrggh. So annoying. I hate matter of fact kind of answers. They make me feel stupid, like duh.
That would be a problem. She does have a troubled nose. Its always up to something - running, getting clogged. What faulty plumbing. I am now in deep thought. 'There must be a way.'
I have had a cat before. This was circa 2000 during my shortlived stint in the US of A. Munchkin, a beautiful black and white Persian princess. She was my princess. Our story has a sad ending, with me leaving the States and her behind. I tried to bring her back but there was simply no place to keep her. I have dogs in Ipoh. Dogs who chase cats. Munchkin's a house cat. It would have been too traumatic.
Anyways, because i have had cats before, i know that with the proper diet and care, their fur won't shed as much. That's pretty much goes down to the root of the problem [the one with my sister's faulty plumbing.] The fly-a-way hair [or fur] is the culprit behind irritating noses. Especially noses like my sisters'. I will talk to her about this. This is a positive thing, my revelation.
The weekend passes. Is-a-bell's working now. Our timings clash and i don't get to meet the cat. Eventually, we find common ground [and time]. I go to her new apartment. Its sweet, she and her other half painted the walls a warm orange, giving the apartment a mediterrain feel. I especially love the floor to ceiling windows that are in every room of the apartment. Its high up, and the view is awesome.. convenient too as you can check out traffic conditions from all the nearby expressways.
There were only two kitties for adoption. The rest have a home, with Is-a-bell and her other half. I decide on the blackish and white one, the relatively more active one out of the two. Kitty number Two is pretty. A metallic blueish-greyish coat and eyes that are really something. But Kitty number Two is timid, way to timid for my liking.
Kitty number One has a bad eye. Is-a-bell's other half says it normal. 'The second eyelid hasn't opened up.'
Mimo and i have agreed not to make any rash decisions. Well, its more like i was advised not to make any rash decisions. We will take the cat to the vet before making a commitment. Better a healthy cat than an unhealthy one. Always.
Finally, two days ago the cat goes to the vet. We meet with Is-a-bell's other half in front of the vet. Sigh. The vet's out on an emergency. Is-a-bell's other half, let's call him 'A' , tries calling the vet at the number he stuck up on the glass door. Both the kitties are in a paper bag, nestled inside a cardbox box, which is inside the paper bag. Kitty number One and Two. They are quiet. Calm.
There's no answer from the vet. A and Is-a-bell have to go to work. Poor people. So, Mimo and i volunteer to get the kitties to the vet. A and Is-a-bell agree, saying they'll call us later to check up on things.
And that, ladies and gentlemen.. is how my 'family' has expanded. The kitties went to the vet. Kitty number One is officially and permanently blind in one eye. Kitty number Two is cool. Both were dewormed and routinely checked. We then took the babies home and quickly fell in love with them... Kitty One and Two.
They are friends and siblings and it will tear my heart to separate them. I am looking into a foster home for Kitty number One, now duly named 'Pirate' in honor of its one eye. However, what it doesn't have in sight, Pirate makes up for it in personality. [we think the kitties are both male] He's loving, and exceedingly gentle and comes to you when you call it.
Pirate conquering mountains.
Kitty number Two now goes by the name - Grigio which means Grey in Italiano. The other name i had for it was 'Greyskull' but we decided not for fear of He-Man's copyright laws. Grigio is quite playful too, but he takes longer to get used to you. He is fully content entertaining himself with the wire hazards around the house which makes my next activity - Kitty Proofing the Apartment. Below is Grigio:
The Glare of Grigio.
Both kitties were already trained to use the litter box prior to moving in with us. That's a relief. Another plus point to convince my sister with the runny nose.
But for now, cultivez mes petits!!! Grow strong, Grow tall.
