Scrags

I've been away for awhile.  I've been hiding within myself, just trying to hold on.  Life is not bad for me, it is just different.  Things are going on at home that occupy my mind.  First and foremost, the blessed arrival of Baby Ella.  She is beautiful and arrived without much muss and fuss, on my end anyhow.  Sadie and Jesse may not agree.  Each time I see a newborn baby in this land, I wilt a little bit, and I watch grandparents playing with infants with a great deal of envy.  Envy is not a good trait, I must try to count my blessings.

Doug is here with me now.  It has been difficult to find a quiet time and spot to be alone with my thoughts  and to blog.  My apologies.  We are not tripping over each other's space now.  We have moved into our villa.  I have lived for eighty-nine days in a hotel.  It was a nice hotel and encompassed at least three different moves into four different rooms and two different hotels.  I suppose my relief at having our home now does not define me as a world traveler.  It was fun a little while.  I never imagined I would be homeless for so long!  All is better now.

Our villa is out in the middle of nowhere, and I LOVE it!  We are away from the city.  It takes us at least 25 minutes to get to the outskirts of the city where we can get food and household items.  No more running to the mall next door for supplies for tomorrow's lesson or for tonight's fast food dinner.  I'm  going to need to be more organised in my thinking and planning.  That's okay.  We do have a new grocery store only about ten minutes away.  My favorite part of the entire store is the section in the back that is labeled, "Non-Muslims Only."  They stock delightful items like pork chops and pork loins and bacon and sausage and hotdogs and bologna and pork rinds and salami and all of the things that I have been deprived of since I left home.  They have ...... HAM!!!  Honey ham and smoked ham and deli ham, I have SO missed having my favorite ham and cheese sandwich.  I have to admit, I have had bacon for breakfast for the last three days.  It's all gone now, I think I'm okay with not having bacon for awhile.  I just needed to work through the feelings of deprivation.

I have so much to catch up on.  I will start with a little adventure I had at school one day.  We have a room called our LT room.  In this locked room, we have a bathroom and a sink and fridge and table and counters for workspace.  It's like a nice little teachers' lounge.  I may duck in there every few days to use the facilities or to snatch a few moments of peace and quiet.  One day, after hanging out for 10 minutes, or so, I was casually looking through some big books laying on the counter when I heard a little whimpering, "meow."  I looked out the window to the outside yard thinking there might be one of the wild cats outside.  No cat.  "Meow, meow, MEOOWWW," I heard.  At that point I determined my feline friend and I were sharing the same quarters.  So, I began to search about.  Obviously, he wanted to be found.  I lifted table skirts and peeked about, at that point I decided I needed reinforcements.  So, I went in search of one of our workers. 

She was busy with one of her never ending mopping chores, but she was more than happy to put aside her mop and help me with my quest.  She got down on her hands and knees and peeked beneath the counter, and sure enough, there was this little bit of scraggly thing.  Orange and white striped hugging the back wall just waiting for some one to find him.  Of course the whining, " meow, meow, MEOOOOW!!!"  helped with the search.  After some poking about with a broom stick, the worker lady snatched him out from under the counter and wrapped him up in a paper towel.  He didn't look quite so cuddly now.  Actually, kind of scratchy and just a little bit creepy.  He had one third eyelid that sort of refused to go back in place and covered part of his green eye.  He looked like he really needed some one to love him. 

I could have easily fallen in love with scragglepuss, but then I would be stuck with a problem.  It would be a big problem, because I would end up forking out big bucks to take the little feller home with  me when my time is up here.  Fortunately, I had a good idea for a home for him.  The worker lady and I stuck the little guy in a cupboard until I could commandeer a suitable box for him.  I sent a few text messages and talked to a few colleagues. One of my co-teachers warned me not to let him out into the courtyard because she was certain the boys would kill him....gulp. 

Plan A included Michelle.  Plan B involved letting him loose outside the school to fend for himself.  I didn't like plan B very well, Plan C was as a last resort bringing him home with me, I didn't think the hotel would look favorably upon Plan C, so I was really counting on Plan A working out.  Michelle texted back saying that, yes she wanted the cat but would have to talk to her husband first.  I anxiously awaited her next response.  Finally, at day's end, I collected my furry friend, now nicely deposited in a box with airholes, and called Michelle.  Well, she hadn't yet talked the matter over with her husband, but decisions were made in a hurry and before any minds could be changed, I quickly made my way over to her house. 

It was love at first hiss.  When they lifted the cover off the box and made the first cautious effort to stroke the little darling, kitty reacted with a great big, "hisssspt!"  We all went, "Awww..."  Michelle had the biggest, happy grin on her face.  I knew they were going to be a happy family, and I beat a hasty retreat back to the city.

The next day, Doug and I went out to our villa to clean up and begin to get ready to move in.  Michelle and family just happen to live right across the street.  I was really afraid to call her.  I figured they would love me or hate me after 24 hours, I had visions of a wild fleabitten hellcat living next door, but I decided no news was good news.  I sucked it up and cowardly sent a message enquiring after the wellfare of  "meowface."   Michelle called right back and told me to come visit.  I tripped across the street and was met with the site of fuzzy little scraggly kitty all nestled up snug beneath daddy's chin.  That silly little cat is one of the cutest little ugliest little cats I've ever met.  When he's lifted up and his paws are reaching for something to catch, his legs stretch way out and are long and seem way out of proportion to the rest of his body.  His ears are just way too big for his pointy little head and puts me in mind somewhat of a gremlin.... Awwww..... I quickly dubbed myself  "Auntie," and received the position of Kittysitter when they go away on excursions.  Ahh, home sweet home.