The New Year's Eve Adventure of Alex the Cat

I'm feeling melancholy right now. Probably because I just saw Marley and me and the tears are still dry in my eyes. Yes, you can guess how it ends: a great dog's life, the full deal. Ok, and my son is leaving for Iowa tomorrow, and work starts again on Monday, and my bike was stolen. Oh, and I'm sleepy. I know, I've got my health, and my family. Oh, I better knock on some wood because I'm crying about nothing.

On New Year's Eve, Alex, our cat, got scared by our neighbor's dogs and ran up a tree--not just any tree-- one that was about 40 feet tall with few branches and an incline close to straight up! Once he was at the top, he realized what he had done but could not come done. This started at about 1pm in the afternoon. We went and had coffee and returned, but still Alex was in the tree (about 3pm). Randy rigged an old recycling bin and somehow got it almost to where Alex was--but still Alex had to come down a bit--and even then, would he go into the bin? At about 4:30, I finally visited fire station number 9 hoping they would help, but they wouldn't come (they had good firefighter logic about why they wouldn't come, but still I left heartbroken and scared for my cat). At about 5:30, Kate and I decided to go to First Night--Randy decided he needed to stay because if Alex came down Randy said he needed to be there in order to lower Alex down. I left not thinking Alex was going to make it. At about 11pm, Kate and I decided we couldn't make it anymore--we were too tired and also very curious about Alex. When we got home, straightaway--we used a flashlight and looked for Alex in the tree. Well, we could see he was no longer in the tree --but did he fall? We ran into the house, and Randy reported that Alex made it down to the next little section (still 35 feet up) and Randy used a laser and coaxed Alex into the bin. He couldn't believe Alex went into the bin! He was so happy! He then lowered the bin down quickly and Alex was safe. Yeah! It made us all know how much we love Alex and are glad he is part of our family.

My Philosophy

Got to put this on my blog before I forget:

In your heart, in your mind, and in your imagination, you already have all the love you need. This comes from a song: All the Love you Need by Big Head Todd and the Monsters.

New favorite songs though come from: Mates of State: Rearrange Us. Here is a free link on npr.org: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98637616
Mates of State is the second one down.

My Indian Friends

Yes, you Ave C (yes, ya'll are still Ave C guys) Indian guys inspired me. I also have to say, thanks, I've learned more about India from ya'll than I had ever or would have ever learned. I received a doll from my grandmother went she went to India, I believe in 1970, but all that insprired was a, "wow, that's a pretty cool doll", no curiosity about the actual country except maybe acknowledging the Taj Mahal. I don't know where the doll is now, I'm sure it was hidden by my step-mother (another whole blog), but didn't think/remember about this doll until ya'll went. Is there another word for ya'll? There must be, because from what I've heard, it's a Texas word, but I can't come with an alternative. Please help.

I now can name other cities in India just like off the tip of my tongue: Noida, Greater Noida, and Mumbai (ok, maybe there has been lots of reasons to know Mumbai but still it would not have made it into my knowledge base without ya'll going there). Also, I want you to know that I listen to the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire, a LOT. And don't forget, these names of these cities, well, I can just name them in conversation. Yeah. I look international and intelligent. Yeah.

Just to let you know my environment: Alex is on my lap, bugging me, and I'm watching that millionaire show, couldn't remember the name, but it's deal or no deal (I got so nervous I turned it off, and now I don't if he took the deal). Also all of our bikes got stolen--but it's not as bad as it seems. Garage door wide open all day, and finally the thieves said, well, we might as well take them. Thanks goodness, you're in India. Kate went around the neighborhood investigating.

Two days before Christmas

Ok, you got the title, so you have your place in time. The first thing on my mind is work. I do like my work. In general I help people, which is lucky considering all of the work you could do, but sometimes even my work is not all that helpful to people. I like to think I turn people on to education, but I know, sometimes due to my inability to catch all folks, or to be sensitive to all phone calls, I feel sure I turn people off of education, and perhaps even for the rest of their lives. man, that's a bummer.

I help people with GED and ESL. Yeesh, though, it's a hit and miss deal.

Christmas is coming, and I don't like this holiday, although I always end up falling for it.