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 dishes, 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...

 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."

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 this little girl grabbed Joan by the heart strings the moment she saw her.  We'll see how this plays out.