Eventful

I worked a 16 hour double this weekend to try and get financially ahead. I am also about to go on a working spree again before winter hits hard but that will start for next pay period. This is enough for now... but then its time to start working on buying a small trailer to expand space. I am a minimalist but there is a certain level of comfort that is expected.

I would like a 10 ft egg either fiberglass or aluminum with a shower, porta potty, jackknife bed, and dinette/ kitchenette. The dinette will be coverted to a home office, sofa for sleeping or entertaining friends, and the bathroom for obvious needs. I don't want to be tied nor have to drive to use my facilities. Then the van will be for sleeping, porta potty, and camp gear/ storage, bike hauler, more likely an off road/daily driver vehicle as I think finding a spot for a camper seems relatively easy for very little money and when  in conventional housing, the trailer can be in storage or used as a get a way spot.

The reason for this change... I haven't particularly been looking for a new cat/kitten but I missed having 2. Unfortunately my older girl Ajah wasn't handling her companion well and her companion wasn't handling traveling too well. So I made that difficult decision to place her with a great friend and she is doing well now in her stable house dwelling life. But Ajah is lonely and over affectionate, and there has been a gap for the both of us....

In the meantime, mid Sep there was a semi feral cat on the grounds at work that had kittens in the dumpster, which were then scared off by the grounds keepers and she took them to the near by woods, staff fed them and now have been working to trap mom (get her fixed and find her a farm home) and the kittens (to be socialized and placed).

My co worker knowing I am mobile, have only 1 cat  and a love of torties caught the tortie kitten and brought it to me after spending the past 2 weeks gaining her trust. She stayed the night in one of the offices and I brought her home this morning. She handled the van ride really well, loves to sit on my shoulder, is purring already, and seems to be in good health. She is eating and drinking. I stimulated her in the litter box and that produced good results. Stools look normal. I am guessing she is around 5 weeks which is far younger than I prefer but she was bound to be harder to socialize and could get hit by a car in her current situation plus winter is coming.

Ajah is still hesitant but thats to be expected and will change over time.

I have named my new girl Julia. She is named after the Julian family name in Rome as their family historically was brilliant, stead fast and bound for success that was created by strong teaching and nurturing surroundings. Julia was born in a dumpster, went to the woods, and now to me. She has already figured out the indoors is good, likes humans, and needs to eat to survive.

Furthermore, as I have done a great deal of traveling through out most of my adult life, I have created a system for adaptation which will work for most but not all. This is the youngest kitten I have gotten. She did well in the van, is using the kitty playpen I set up for her litter box and feeding times. (no door closed) I also opened the carriers and put her bed in there and she going there for a safe place. I will take her on rides in the van for short trips and once she is old enough for shots and is fixed, she will learn about the leash. She is already visiting family and has met the dogs (who don't live with me) to experience people and new sites and smells. The next 6 weeks are critical.

Her comfort on the road, in new surroundings, with strangers, with Ajah and her schedule are incredibly important for her comfort and mine. Tomorrow I am going to clip her nails and in a few weeks she will get her flea treatment. I figure now is the best time since I do have an apartment, she and Ajah can have room to get to know each other, get used to life and gradually move into things. I will also begin showing her in TICA in the HHP category in December.

So until December 2011 I will work a lot and save hopefully and then get my trailer, hitch up and begin camp hosting and working agency in my career field. I haven't had a stick to it plan but now  I am putting those plans in place. One of my co workers is doing the same but going car less for life in a big city and he really inspired me to once again reach for my goals. I hardly see half my family now and with Skype and other technology, I can keep in touch.

Then when I settle down, I will build a cabin in the foot hills of the mountains in AZ, use the trailer and van for get a ways and sit on my rustic porch in my small cabin staring at the endless land scape sipping coffee with a good book in my old age.