Meetings...

 

I have to say that December was a pleasant month, with no HOA business, other than the regular Architectural Committee requests.  It brought me to a decision: I have resigned from the board, effective with the March meeting.  Why not immediate?  Thanks for asking - my concern was it would leave the board with a potential 2 to 2 voting situation.  With an odd number on there, decisions can still be made.

On the Architectural Committee, one of the members wanted to discuss a homeowner request; a request that was previously denied, going by the CC&Rs.  Two other members said they could be available any evening.  I asked Steph to set up a Zoom meeting for last night.

Out of the 5 members on the committee, Steph and I were the only ones who showed up.  Not the member who originally asked for a meeting.

And, so it goes.

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A Meeting Closer To My Heart...

Murphy and Stella.  The antics make me laugh.  They have been playing together this morning.  Stella has energy and street smarts; Murphy has size, patience, and wisdom...

 The next two images show Stella as a blur...

 Murph surprised her on this one, and Stella jumped up and backwards...

 It may be hard to tell, but Stella is about a foot in the air on that shot above.

Murphy taking the high ground...

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Toys...

The little girl is loving having all these cat toys to play with.  Murph is mostly OK with her... as long as she doesn't get cat spit on his favorites.  ;-)

There is a woven bucket of cat toys in the living room.  Murphy pretty much doesn't touch them.  Stella has discovered them: "I can play with all of these toys??" 

"Yep.  They are all for you and Murphy."

 OMG - look at that little face.

Steph came over this afternoon, to clip little nails while Joan held Stella; wrapped in a little blanket.  Um, Stella wrapped in the little blanket, not Joan.  Only a bit of growling - Stella, not Joan.

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Cutting It Close...

While having a late lunch, it hit me: the lady at the Visitors Center at the last Regional Park we were in said, "Be sure to renew your park pass before the end of the year - the price is going up for 2026."

I said, "So, how would you feel about a quick trip to the closest Regional Park?"  Which turned out to be Estrella Mountain Regional Park.  The lady at the entrance gate told us she could sell us another pass right there - we don't have to go into the Visitors Center.  So, we're good for another year.

 

With My Homies...

 

Making music today with Mark, Danny, and Gil... that's the participants in "the big group" for today.  There will be 7 of us by the end of January.

We had a good time; even started working on a technically difficult new-to-us song (to be announced later).  I enjoy these guys.  Everyone gets along, similar ages and sense of humor.  And, we get along great.

It's a 40 minute drive to Mark's, if the traffic is reasonable, so it's fortunate it's a good time.

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On the new kitty front.  Joan showed me a couple videos of Murphy and Stella playing.  The big furry boy continues to be very gentle with the little girl.  I did tell him this morning, when he and I were out for our morning walk, that "It's OK for you to establish who the alpha is."  I mentioned that to him, because Stella has spunk and smarts - it's how she was able to survive as a very young kitty living in a parking lot. 

Sharing Is Caring...

 

The biggest concern with this new kitty situation was how Murphy would react.  His behavior could make this situation very good or very bad.  And, so far, it has been good.

This morning, Joan opened the door to the catio to give Stella the option to come and go.  A half hour later, Stella is content to be inside.  Murphy made the first move...

 Murph went inside, walked by Stella, then to an upper level.  "Yeah, this used to be mine," he told her.  He stayed for a while then stepped out.  A few minutes later, Stella came out on her own.

Then, some cautious interaction between them in the tunnels...

 Stella playing on her own for a bit...

 She is discovering some of the many cat toys in the house.

There will be other topics in this blog, but Stella is new here and the focus of our activities right now.  Being a "two cat family" is a change for us.  Not being an "only child" is new for Murphy.  We're all learning.

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Here's a different topic: we generally keep our Christmas decorations up until just after the New Year.  Today, the Yuletide stuff came down...

 OK, somewhat Stella related - the stuff came down to give her less stuff to mess with.  I'm glad Joan got that photo of her under the tree.

With stuff out of the way, Murphy and I went outside while Joan ran the vacuum around.  Murph is not a fan of the vacuum, so this worked out for all concerned.  Then, back inside and he stationed himself just outside the catio...

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It took a while, but I got out for a motorcycle ride today - beautiful sunny skies, temps in the mid-70s for a high.  It totally didn't suck.

When I got back, the fur babies were napping; Stella inside the catio...

 And Murphy on top of the catio...

 That gray blanket that Murphy is laying on is Stella's lap blankie: it's what we wrap her in so she can lay in our laps.  Murph is making sure his scent is on there.  ;-)

 

White Smoke!

 

Yesterday, while visiting with Steph and Dan, Steph asked if we had made a decision on a name for the new little girl.  I told her we were narrowing it down.

Dan asked, "Will there be white smoke when you make a decision?"

I chuckled.  Steph had no idea what he meant.  "When a new Pope is selected, the papal conclave releases white smoke, and the new Pope and the name he has selected, is announced.

No, her name is not White Smoke.

We are proud to announce: Welcome to the family, Stella Rose.

The decision came about this morning.  I told Joan, "I am good with Skye Blue or Stella Rose - I have taken Starr Angel out of the mix."

She said, "Let's go with Stella Rose.  I read that it is good to have a two-syllable name for a cat."  The decision has been made.

After getting Murphy and Stella their lunch, Joan and I made another drive to PetSmart: Stella Rose needs a name tag and Steph wanted some more of those after Christmas deals on dog toys.  Then, a stop at the Neighborhood Walmart in the same plaza, and across the street to pick up Panda Express... because, as we all learned from A Christmas Story (the movie), Chinese food is a Christmas tradition: "fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra").  ;-)

This is what we saw when we came into the house...

 Yes, the big furry boy was on top of the catio; the little girl inside on the third level.  No fussing, just chillin'.

We ate, then Joan took Stella out of the catio and put her on my lap.  After some petting, we decided it was time to put her down and let her explore the living room.  Murphy followed her around, still no fuss.  After a while, I took Murphy outside so Stella could explore without an audience.

Murph and I hung out for a while.  I took this shot of Murph...

 

Joan sent me this in a text...

 I don't think it gets any sweeter than that!

After exploring a bit more, Stella went back into the catio on her own, had a bit more to eat, then back out again...

 I was very impressed that she went in there, with no persuading.  And then back out...

 Then, playing with Murphy's tunnels...

 Another day of firsts.  She is progressing faster than I thought.  I think she likes being a part of the family.  I think we'll all sleep good tonight.

 

 

Dad. Dad... she's still here...

 

That was a quote from Murphy in the middle of the night.

"When is she going to go home?"

I explained, "She didn't have a home, buddy.  This is now her home."

"So, this is forever?"

"Yeah, that's the plan."

My morning routine takes longer.  I had help this morning, for which I am grateful.  Getting the food bowls in and out of the catio requires one to be at floor level.  I need both hands to get up from the floor, which makes getting the bowls (3) out a three-step process.  Then, since we don't have a second set of bowls for the little girl (they are coming today), those bowls need to be washed before I can fill them.  This morning, Joan got the bowls out of the catio and washed them while I was working on Murphy's food and water.

Then, put out pills and vitamins for Joan and me.  Get ice water and hot cocoa to take those pills.  Then take Murphy outside for his first walk in the yard.  Only 40 minutes today, compared to nearly an hour yesterday.

I checked on the little girl in the middle of the night.  Murphy wasn't at the foot of our bed like usual - he was on his tower, about 10' from the catio.  Skye/Star/Stella was quietly awake, looking back at me.

This morning, Murph was a bit growly a couple times, until he got to go outside.  Realization is setting in.

They played through the catio for a while...

 This little girl is now showing us her playful side.  She has a half dozen or so toys in the catio, and she is trying them all out...

 She has a lot of kitten energy.  I hope I have the stamina to deal with the kitten energy.

Considering how well she is doing, we are thinking we'll let her out of the catio today to explore some of the house.  We'll see. 

 

How do you spell RELIEF?

 

If you said, "From the 1970s TV commercial: R-O-L-A-I-D-S," you get 30 bonus points.

The vet appointment last night ran long.  It was supposed to be at 6:30 - we were there 20 minutes early, in case they could get us in sooner.  We didn't get into an exam room until just before 8:00.  The little furry girl was a champ during the wait.  Only one minor outburst in the exam room, when she was done with being handled, poked, and prodded.

More patient than I would have been.  And, perhaps, scrappier.

But the relief: the little girl is healthy.  The Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS tests were negative.  As was the heartworm.  Confirmation that she really is a girl (it's hard to tell with kittens).  Good skin and teeth.  No fleas.  The vet declared her "very fit."  A big sigh of relief.  She got her first round of shots.

We made an appointment for next month to have her spayed, chipped, and the booster shots.

This means she and Murphy are OK being around each other.  I did not want to let Murph get close, in case the little girl had anything contagious.  She has spunk.  It will be interesting to see what Murphy does when she hisses back at him.

Now, we need to work on a name.  We had time while waiting last night to go through lists of names.  We need to make a trip to PetSmart to stock up on kitten food, a collar, a tag, and a harness.

Joan had ordered a couple cans of kitten food to get us through these first few days.  When we got home last night (close to 9:00 pm), I opened one of those cans and gave her 1/3 of the can.  She ate that right down.  She got more before we went to bed.

A photo from the vet exam room...

 Cute little face.

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Knowing we can put this little girl and Murphy in closer proximity, we moved the catio into the living room.  Murphy was very curious, walking all around the catio to take in this new critter from every angle.  She kept an eye on him.  No aggression on either part...

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This afternoon, we made a trip to PetSmart: Steph had some "after Christmas" items she wanted for Dicha, but our main objective was for kitten food, new litter, and a collar.  A harness will come in time, and a name tag when we finalize a name.

As of right now, the finalist names are: Skye Blue, Star Angel, or Stella Rose.  I am good with any of those; we'll take some time to see what feels right.

While we were out, Steph came over to check on the kitties; Murphy was resting on his tower (where he usually goes when we are out), and the little girl was resting in the catio.  Steph got to hear her purr, when she reached inside to give the little girl a soft pet. 

When we got home, Joan cleaned the litter boxes for each of the fur babies, then got the little girl out for her first "lap time"...

 Yes, Murph was right there, too.  Very gentle.  He was quite content to be beside these two.  And little Stella/Star/Skye fell asleep purring.

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This evening, I got to do some kitty cuddling, too...

 Murph came over to check in on her: "She smells nice."...

 I have been very impressed with how gentle Murphy is with her.  As I'm writing this, she is back in the catio in the living room, Murphy is laying right beside it.  They have been reaching out paws to each other.

Murphy is behaving even better than I had hoped.  When he is at Steph's house, he and Tango wrestle like a couple young boys.  Murph is very gentle with their special needs boy Alfie.  And gives their Grande Dame Tasha plenty of space.  I am even more impressed now with our big boy.

 

 

So...

 

How did it go?

Skittles (or name to be determined) had a quiet night in the catio, in the garage.  I was awake just before 5:00 am, and went out to check on her.  Quiet and calm, but she looks unsure; which is to be expected.

I got her some soft food and fresh water.  She did not move to go to the food while I was watching.  I gave her some petting and talked softly to her.

When Joan got up and went out to check on her, she had eaten the soft food... and then back being in a little ball on her blanket.

Joan called around to see if we could get a vet appointment today, but no answer.  Probably closed for the day for the holiday.

In the meantime...

 

Her little paws are tucked, so I have to think she isn't feeling distressed.  Probably the perspective with Murphy, but she seems so tiny.

Joan did manage to get a vet appointment for 6:30 this evening.

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Mid-morning, Joan said she wanted to move the catio out into our courtyard.  She carried the little silver girl while I rolled the catio through the house and into the yard.

I had been wondering if Murphy was aware that there was another cat out in the garage.  I'm going with: no.  When he saw her being carried through the house, he bristled and hissed.  Murphy is a definite Alpha, so I think it was a show of dominance rather than anger.

With umbrellas up so there is plenty of shade, Joan put the little girl into the catio, and we watched.  Skittles (or name to be determined) perked up right away.  As far as we know, outdoors is all she knows.  She was looking around with curiosity, not fear.

Joan let Murphy out, and he went right to the catio.  We did not let him get too close.  Yes, there was a hiss, but not spitty - you can tell when Murph is mad, and this wasn't that.  Curiosity on both of their parts, but the little girl did not seem fearful.

 I brought a guitar out, played and sang quietly.  Murph likes the music, Skittles looked on with interest.  I was thinking: music soothes the savage beast.  OK, neither of these felines are savage.  It's a start.  I won't let Murph get close until we get through a wellness check on the feline formerly known as Skittles.

 

  

It went from quiet to eventful...

 

Steph had the prime rib in the oven.  We had some time on our hands.  Joan said, "Let's go back to Black Bear Diner and look for that cat again."

"Yes, Ma'am."

We went equipped with cat food, water dish, gloves, a towel, and a carrier.  Black Bear was packed - hard to find a parking place!  Who knew so many people went there for Christmas dinner?

We eventually saw the little silver and gray cat, parked the car, and tried to coax her towards us...

 She is a cute little thing, and so tiny...

When we saw this little girl climb up into the undercarriage of a car, that cinched it - Joan was not leaving without her. 

One of the waiters stepped outside for a break - he said, "You know how to get that cat to come to you, don't you?"

I said, "Yeah, have David your manager call her."  David wasn't there.

After about 20 minutes of trying to get her to come close, David pulled into the parking lot.  He recognized us and came over.  Joan explained that we were trying to catch the little silver girl, take her to a vet to see that she's healthy, and keep her safe.  Joan was very concerned about her "living" in the parking lot, especially with all this extra holiday traffic.  

I said to David, "We are not trying to take her away from you.  If you want to take her home, we'll take her to the vet, make sure she's healthy, get her spayed, and get her back to you.  But, living in the parking lot is dangerous for her."

He said, "I have talked to my wife about her.  I won't stand in the way of her getting a loving home, and it is very obvious you two care."

He knelt down and Skittles came right to him.  We put down the carrier, he put her in it, and said: "She probably thinks I'm a traitor..."  We exchanged phone numbers and told him we'd keep him in the loop.  And then, back to the house.  Skittles did not make a fuss or a peep while in the car

Not knowing her health status, we moved the catio to the garage and put her in there, still in the carrier, but with the door open if she wanted to move around...

 She reminded me of Izzy when we first got her: so small and unsure of what was going on.  We talked softly to her, got her some food and water.  Then decided to give her some space to chill.

It was now time: the prime rib was ready to come out of the oven.  While it sat to "breathe" Joan told Steph about what was going on - of course, Steph had to come to the garage to see for herself.  "She is beautiful!"

Joan and Steph talked: "Skittles doesn't fit her - she needs a Christmas name"... "Noel,"... "Scarlet"... I suggested "Star," as in: the star that rose in the east over Bethlehem.  Yeah, we are getting invested.

Joan got online to see if we could find a vet that might have an open appointment tomorrow.  In the meantime, we have to keep her segregated from Murphy and Steph's cats.  The catio is the perfect solution.

And then, time for our Christmas dinner...

 The prime rib was delicious!  Steph made sides to go with it.  A wonderful meal, with those we love.

When we were done eating, Joan decided that the little silver girl needed a bath.  So, bins with warm water, cat shampoo, and lots of towels...

 Little Skittles did not make a fuss.  She let Joan handle her, soap her up, and rinse her off.  I know all this must be scary for her, but I hope she knows it is all out of concern for her welfare...

 While Joan did the drying and wiping her eyes and face, Steph worked on cleaning her ears...

 Yep, the whole spa treatment.  Joan looked close through her fur - no sign of fleas or any other skin issues.  Skittles was compliant through this whole process.

While the three of us were working with this new little kitty, Dan and Murphy were watching football.

It's all good.

Looking online, the soonest Joan could find a vet appointment was Saturday.  We'll try calling around first thing in the morning.  In the meantime, Skittles (or name to be determined) will spend the night in the comfort of the catio, with fresh food (hard and soft), water, and a litter box.  And "blankets" (towels).  We will be checking on her regularly.

I thought I might get out for a bicycle or motorcycle ride today.  Maybe another day.  Joan is looking to do a good thing for this kitty, and I am a willing participant.  Joan talks like this is an "until we find her a good, safe home" situation.  We have always been a one-cat household, but something about this little girl grabbed Joan by the heart strings the moment she saw her.  We'll see how this plays out.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Sitting here in the quiet this morning.  I get to pull this image out...

 That's the way Santa arrived in the Tropical Tip.  Maybe he uses a pack mule here in the desert?  ;-)

We will be having Christmas dinner with Steph and Dan - the travel is planned, the GPS is programmed, and we'll bundle up for the trip.  Or just walk next door.  It makes my heart happy to be so close.

Joan bought a prime rib, Steph is going to make it; sides are planned.  And all the kitties get to play together.  Before Murphy, some cat(s) had to spend Christmas without family around all day.  For Steph and Dan's cats, it meant a cat-sitter coming in.  Or, if we were here in our RV, it meant Izzy or Rufus was alone for some time while Joan and I went to Steph and Dan's house.  Murphy, Tango, Alfie, and Tasha all get along... so, when we go to Steph and Dan's house, Murphy comes with us.

Last night, we played some family games.  There may be more of that today.  For the first time, we have done away with prizes for the winners.  That feels OK.

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During a period of light rain yesterday, Joan and I did drive to the Black Bear Diner parking lot, with food and water for the little silver and gray kitty, but we didn't see her.  In driving all around the parking in that shopping/dining area, we saw where various "feeding stations" were put out for needy animals.  Hadn't noticed that before.

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The weather weasels have backed off on their rain predictions for today: the 70% chance that was forecast for today just two days ago is now less than 10%.  A high today of 72º, mostly or partly cloudy.  For sure, it won't be a "White Christmas" here, and I am grateful for that.

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Merry Christmas!  Traditions change, but I hope your holiday is joyous - wishing peace for us all.

 

Christmas Eve...

 

 

Out for a bicycle ride this morning, but Mother Nature was giving us a light, spitty rain; coming and going.  So, I kept the ride just in the neighborhood.  I put up the HoverAir X1 Pro to get some video of the ride... follow mode and dolly track. 

A short video...

 Then, this afternoon, some time with Steph and Dan: our somewhat traditional Christmas Eve snack foods, and some family games.  A good time with "the neighbors."  This is why we're here: getting this quality family time, any time; but especially on these special days.

 

Banned?

 

Not to be confused with band... which I am going to be playing in later today, at Mark's house.

This morning, while outside with Murphy, I was watching some videos on my phone; while taking in the pre-sunrise sky...

 The videos?  Regarding the deadline today.  The deadline?  Yeah, today is the day that the FCC set for any other government agency to do an audit of whether or not DJI drones are a threat to national security.  If no agency intervenes (and none have), the FCC is not allowing the importation of future models of DJI drones.

There has been a lot of speculation about what that means.  Most considered it not a "ban" on DJI drones, but rather a restriction.  A new ruling has made it MUCH more than that.  The FCC has now turned over the decision of importation of any foreign-made drone or component to two government agencies: The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense).  Yes, that means Kristi Noem and Pete Hegseth will get to decide what drone and component makers will be allowed to import.  And while there are a small number of US drone makers, they use foreign components.

So, who cares?  Thanks for asking.  Over 90% of the first responders who use drones are using DJI.  This means no new drones and no repair components at the whim of these two departments.

This is a kick in the guts of those who use drones in their operations, whether commercial or public safety.  Not to mention those who fly drones for recreation.  And not just DJI, but any foreign manufacturer.  This will effectively stop the "shell" companies who are essentially using DJI components and technology to make DJI "clones" (which some say are actually owned by DJI).

Is this an issue with China spying on us through commercially sold drones or trying to give the (virtually non-existent) US drone makers a leg up?  Or, a government over-reaction to an issue that doesn't exist?

For those who have DJI drones, it will still be legal to use what you have.  But, good luck getting repair parts in the future.  Or the opportunity to buy improved technology that the rest of the world will get.

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A very enjoyable day of making music with Mark and Podge today...

We set things up a bit different today, running all mics and instruments through Mark's new mixer...

 During our session, UPS dropped off a new acquisition...

 It is a stand that puts the mixer at a good working height.  Yes, that is a lot of cables.  There was discussion today about getting some wireless adapters for microphones.  Running everything through the mixer means no need for each player having an amp.  Options.  At some point.

Mark and Podge are sitting in for a few songs with a friend of theirs who has a 3 hour gig tomorrow evening (yes, Christmas Eve).  I suggested we play the songs that they will be playing so they get one more rehearsal.  That done, we took turns picking songs for the rest of the afternoon... a good time!

 

It's Electrifying...

 

If you said, "A line from the song You're the One That I Want from the musical Grease," you get 15 bonus points.  

The battery for the Burgman 200 came yesterday evening.  I went into the garage to replace the old one.  You might think that swapping out a battery in a scooter is an easy task, and I would tend to agree with you.  We would both be mistaken.  

I couldn't get my fingers around the old battery to get a grip to pull it out of the snug space under the right floorboard.  I spent 20 minutes trying different grips and different angles; nope.  I came up with the thought of hooking something through the battery lugs and pulling it out that way.  I said to myself, "Self, you have a couple metal S-hooks that your old bike helmets are hanging on."  Yep, that would work.  And then I said to myself, "Self, you are about to put metal hooks in the battery lugs with you being the connection between them - maybe you should put on some rubber gloves."  I told myself that was a good idea.

The hooks worked as hoped, and the battery came right out.  Moving the positive and negative cables aside, I started lining up the new battery to fit it in place.  Then, asked Joan to come out to the garage and hold a light for me so I could see to fit it in that snug place.  That works, and it went in.  I put the connections on and gave it a test start... yep, fired right up.  Then, put a Battery Tender on it to make sure it is topped off.

This morning, I pulled the battery tender, tested the battery voltage again, started the bike, then buttoned it all up.

Joan had a doctor appointment this morning for a blood draw, and when she came home, I asked if she wanted to go out for breakfast... "How does Black Bear Diner sound to you?"

She was onboard.  It is less than 2 miles from our house.  Breakfast was tasty.  When we came out to get in our car, there was a light gray cat in the parking lot.  Not grown, but not a kitten.  A pretty light gray/silver striped.

Joan asked, "What should we do about this?"  I knew we were going to be here a while.  We tried to coax the young cat to us, but it was wary.  With us talking to it and trying to get close, it eventually got into some bushes (and away from the parked cars).

We got into our car; I could tell this isn't where this was going to end.  "How about we go home, get some food and water, and a carrier, and see if it will come to us."  Joan agreed.

We came back to the parking lot, better prepared.  Joan opened the food, put some in a container, and set it down.  As long as we weren't close to the food, the cat came out.  At one point, Joan was close enough to give it a light pet.

 The little silver cat ate some of the food, but wasn't going to let us get too close.  After spending a half hour or so trying to woo it, we left the food and water in some bushes.  Joan said, "We can come back tomorrow and bring it more food and water... if it is still here."

Back home, it was time to give our big furry boy his lunch.  Murphy looks huge!

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Joan and I got out on our bicycles early this afternoon - the first chance to try out the new helmets with the built-in communicators.  I could hear her just fine, she said my voice sounded muffled and dropped off... probably my quiet demeanor.  ;-)

When we got back from that ride, I took the Burgman scoot out for a ride.  Yes, I did shut off the bike at the top of South Mountain... and it fired right up when I was ready to roll again.  I enjoy the exercise we get with the e-bikes, but I enjoy even more taking the scoot on those twisty roads.  And the CTX is even more fun.  Each one has a place.

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We were running an errand after I got back from taking the scoot out... Joan said, "I would like to go by Black Bear and see if that cat is still there."

When we pulled into the lot, there was a young man from the restaurant taking garbage to the dumpster.  We asked him about the cat; he said, "The manager here takes care of that cat - let me go get him."

We spoke to the manager, David.  He told us that this cat was the runt of the litter of three, from the mom he called Skits (because she was skittish).  One of the cooks took one of those cats, and a customer took home another.  He calls this little silver one Skittles (named after Skits), and he feeds it every day.  He also said that people have asked him why he doesn't take it home - he told us, "I get to see it every day here.  I work 10 to 12 hours a day, so if it was at home, I'd never see it."

Joan told him that we considered catching it and taking it to a vet... and then, I don't know what... but I did tell her that "I won't say 'no' to whatever you want."  The manager David told us that he would miss it, but wouldn't stand in the way of it getting a good home.

I think Joan was relieved that this pretty silver cat is being fed daily.  Skittles was still very skittish when we approached, so no little sister for Murphy at this point.  We learned that she is about 5 months old, and David plans to take her to a vet to get her spayed if she is still around in another month. 

I'm guessing we will go by Black Bear more often, now.