Cat Extraction

Today was an emotional roller coaster. Compartmentalizing sadness, knowing I was going to take mom’s companion away from her, I left for a garden rollout. An upside to our recent snow, traffic was light. Traffic is never light here! Not even on the weekends. The further south I drove, the better the driving conditions were.

The community where we installed the garden serves the Hispanic community. Not every resident is Hispanic, but the majority are. I love this culture. I find that skilled nursing residents take interest and care of each other. Add the cultural aspect, and WOW, what an amazing community. They are truly a family.

I have enough Spanish to reply in phrases to residents and staff, and understand a lot of what they were talking about. Some of the residents also had some English. Gestures go a long way.

The roll out was a great success. My new educator is going to do well with her suite of communities/gardens.

After pausing for lunch I went to mom’s community. My first step was to find her. She was happily involved in a music hour. I checked in with the Health Services Director. We covered a lot of ground in 5-minutes.

As I used my key to open mom’s door, the door simply opened. She had forgotten to lock the door. I did a sweep:

• Removed 40 magazines.
• Emptied Elvis’ litter box into a garbage bag.
• Put away the clothes we bought mom for Christmas, still in their gift bag on the floor, three weeks later.
• Tossed 15-day’s worth of the community’s activity sheets.

I packed up a paper bag with a case of Elvis’ wet food, a gallon ziplock of the kibble, I just delivered for him, some toys that were hidden deep in his bed, and the roll of poop scoop bags. Despite a grocery bag of kitty items removed, it doesn’t look like a thing is missing.

After I took the paper bag to the car, I went to find mom. Music had ended, and she was in the dining room seated for dinner with three of her pals. I pitched my spiel, which she bought with thanks. With love and kisses I left mom and went to collect Elvis, and head home, locking the door on my way out.

After I got home and got Elvis settled, I went back to work for most of an hour.

Elvis is doing very well. He’s not skittish with us here the way he is at mom’s. I placed a fleece on an area he likes hanging out on, and a velour top that mom made for dad in another spot he is enjoying. While spending 15-minutes with him just now, I told him both myself and my DH would be working from home tomorrow, and he would have our company all day.