She is Found

Just a quick note. Jeff found Sedona this morning, she is a bit skittish and very dirty and finally slim... but we are very very happy to have her home otherwise safe and sound.

powerlessness and letting go

I am always reminded, usually by the slap in the face method of remembering, that life is often outside of our control and that we are powerless to change many things. We are dealing with the loss of our cat, my mom is dealing with some personal health issues, and I am dealing with some issues of my own... all of which remind me, brutally, honestly, intensely, that there is little I can do to change many of these things. So, we move on and we get over ourselves. We accept that this is the way life is and we deal. Not well sometimes, but we deal.

I have been thinking a lot today about clutter. I look around my house and think of all of the extra things that I have that I don't need. The kids have too many toys, stuff they don't play with anymore. I have problems with throwing it away. At least in Singapore, right down the street from our house, we have a Salvation Army where I can donate the goods. But, so much of the problem is in my own head. I come by my pack rat syndrome honestly. Both my parents’ horde. My sisters do too, in their own way. So, I have come up with a solution, I think.

This is the plan for de-cluttering my children's stuff.

Step one. Get rid of anything broken. Throw it away.
Step two. Divide the remaining into three piles. Really don't ever see a need for, outgrown or not used. This goes into the immediate donation pile. Second pile, stuff that we may use again, or the kids don't play with anymore, but still has potential. This will go in the "storage" box. I will keep one container of goods in storage for 3 months. We will reassess the toys in 3 months, perhaps rotate some out for play and some of those currently being played with will be returned to storage. Those which we are ready to let go off will then go off to the Salvation Army.

I am not sure how well this will work, but it is a plan at least. As we look more seriously at the Waldorf school, one of the recommendations is that they toys the kids have at home resemble the toys at the school. This is to reduce confusion as to what is appropriate and what is not. I have always liked wooden and simple toys, and many of our toys already meet these criteria, so the transition, for me of the plastic toys will be a welcome change. BUT, we will see how the kids do.

Simply,

Kristy

Time to say goodbye?

Well, it is not looking like Sedona is going to come home. It has been 2 days. Nancy saw her when she left for church Sunday morning and then Jeff opened up the house at 7am and he did not see her. I saw her Saturday, but not again. It is very hard, the not knowing. If she wandered off, that is bad, but if she is hurt and can't get home that just kills me.

So far I have called the SPCA and the AVA (the National Veterinary Association) and will check out an additional resource called the Cat Rescue Society here in Singapore. I wonder if She wandered off to find a place to die (She is 9), if she went into an apartment and got locked in somewhere, if she did make it all the way outside and got lost, it is just so hard to know what happened. I guess we don't know, and we never will.

The kids know something is wrong, but I don't really know how much they understand that the kitty kitty is not coming home again. Declan looks at her picture and says bye kitty, but again, I am not sure he fully understands. Kiera is just mimicking us as we walk around saying "here kitty kitty".

I know that all pet owners face the loss of a pet, that is part and parcel of pet ownership, but we always assumed we would lose JD first and Sedona would be with us for much longer. So much for assumptions. I am just not sure we are ready to say goodbye.

simply,

Kristy

Sedona still missing.

Well, it is not looking like Sedona is going to come home. It has been 2 days. Nancy saw her when she left for church Sunday morning and then Jeff opened up the house at 7am and he did not see her. I saw her Saturday, but not again. It is very hard, the not knowing. If she wandered off, that is bad, but if she is hurt and can't get home that just kills me.

So far I have called the SPCA and the AVA (the National Veterinary Association) and will check out an additional resource called the Cat Rescue Society here in Singapore. I wonder if She wandered off to find a place to die (She is 9), if she went into an apartment and got locked in somewhere, if she did make it all the way outside and got lost, it is just so hard to know what happened. I guess we don't know, and we never will.

The kids know something is wrong, but I don't really know how much they understand that the kitty kitty is not coming home again. Declan looks at her picture and says bye kitty, but again, I am not sure he fully understands. Kiera is just mimicking us as we walk around saying "here kitty kitty".

I know that all pet owners face the loss of a pet, that is part and parcel of pet ownership, but we always assumed we would lose JD first and Sedona would be with us for much longer. So much for assumptions.

simply,

Kristy

Sedona

Well, Sedona did not come home last night. we have searched the building and the grounds. I have talked to the condo manager and he said he would talk to his grounds keepers and maintenance staff, but I am starting to lose hope.

I am going to try to find a picture of my little kitty and post it, but I am pretty sad right now. Jeff is in Jakarta for work and won't be home until late tonight. Sadly, the kids walk around calling kitty kitty, but she doesn't come back. I just hope that someone took her in and is giving her a nice home.

Kristy