Happy Birthday, Dear Wylla!

 Though it's been almost 3 years since Wylla got better and started living her life like a normal cat, not a day passes that I don't think about how grateful I am that she is healthy and here.  Our girl turns a whopping five years old today.  FIVE! A wonderful milestone -- she's had more healthy years than not.

It's funny to think back to when we first met our Wee Wylla -- that adorable odity, the stoutest of all the Stouts,  the cutest thing ever.




When we first saw this little face we had no idea what was to come -- we did not know then that she would soon be ours.

And thank goodness she did join our family -- I can't imagine our world without Wylla in it.


She brings levity to each day with her bright trills and well-timed dramatic flops.  She offers great companionship and provides comfort and good cuddles. She's such a dear friend to Bean and spares her from boredom.

Our life is better with the sweet presence that is Wylla.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Wylla Francis Stout!   We're so happy to have this day to celebrate!  We wish you many happy, heathy years to come!





Here she is:
One month, one year, two years, three years, four years, and today!
(click on the pic to take a closer look)

Welcome Back, Butterbean!

I'm happy to announce that our dear Butterbean is much feeling better. Her anxiety level has returned to "normal, " and things are once again, looking good in the litter box.  She went and visited her doctor on Tuesday, and we got a positive report.
We're hoping that's the end of the Big D, but should it return, we'll take her in for an ultrasound to see if there's some sort of underlying issue.  The poor girl has had so many visits to the vet this year -- I guess that just happens as our kitties age.


That was a hard couple of weeks for her, and I'm so glad things are better. Her Hyperesthesia kicked into high-drive and she was having such a hard time relaxing.  I'm so happy to see her comfortable once again.  She's returned to her happy, purring self.  

I think Wylla is really glad to have her sister back to normal, too. Bean was so easily agitated when she wasn't feeling well and had zero tolerance for her pesky little sister.  There were a few spats and eventually, Wylla figured out that it was better to keep a safe distance from Bean, so that's what she did.  They're back to romping, chasing, playing and snuggling just like they used to do.  Of course, there are still a few spats every now and again, but that's just part of their relationship. We call it "fun fighting" --  it never gets too heated.

Thank you for all of the well-wishes for our girl!  We are so glad to have a healthy Bean who's out in the world and not retreating because she doesn't feel great.

Welcome back, Charlene Butterbean!













And, Wylla. Thank you for being so patient while your sister was on the mend!














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Ever-Present Wylla

 I've been working hard trying to organize ten years of kitten photographs and have been spending lots of time in front of my computer. Usually, I float around the house with my laptop but because I'm shuffling things around on external hard drives, the cords are keeping me tethered to my desk.

Thankfully, I have my ever-present Wylla to keep me company.  With this little beauty by my side, even the tedious task of organizing hundreds of thousands of photo files is bearable!

It's horribly dark, windy and rainy right now, but before the storm moved in, we did get a few sunny afternoons. I took these photos earlier in the week when the days were still bright.  Wylla is beautiful year-round, but I do think she looks loveliest in the fall light!

Fall is Charlene's season, too, but she has been keeping a lower profile and is still not feeling her best. Hopefully, her GI issues will be resolved soon and we will have our normal girl back.  For now, we'll keep doing all we can to figure this out and get her through it while trying to minimize her anxiety and keep her comfortable.  Thank you for well-wishes for our Girl.  It's nice knowing you are out there and rooting for our girl!

Where We're At

I spent a lot of time cleaning, editing, and rearranging the room once occupied by kittens. I hung a new pair of blinds in the windows that filter the fall light beautifully.  There's a soft new rug on the floor.  I made a little window seat and covered it with a comfy quilt and the girls have really enjoyed having this new vantage point that looks into the backyard and vegetable beds. The squirrels are working overtime right now so they've been offering lots of entertainment for Wylla and Charlene.

This room is a comfortable space and we've all been spending a lot of time inside of it.  It's very peaceful and serene.

We are all doing fine.

Of course, we were all very sad about all that happened, but we're moving away from that and now we're in the "well, what's next?" phase of processing.  And honestly, I don't know what's next.

When Panleuk enters your home, there is a mandatory one-year period of waiting before you can foster again.  Even after a thorough cleaning, the virus can live in porous surfaces for up to a year, so we're sidelined for now to prevent future litters from becoming infected.

But there's a very big part of me that's thinking we might be through with fostering. I'm not 100% sure, and not making up my mind about the future right this very moment, but this is where I am currently leaning.

And if that is the case, what will happen here on this blog?   I do want to continue something here, but I don't know what shape that will take yet.  I will figure that out. I know some might have ideas of what direction I should go, but I feel I need to find this on my own --  considering first how what I do impacts those closest to me first.


For now, I'll continue to share stories and photos here.  I am going to post less though -- without kittens, content isn't as plentiful.  I always struggle to fill five days when we're between litters or taking breaks. I would rather do fewer posts of quality than five posts of filler.


SO, that's where I'm at. Which really isn't any further along at all, but I'm not racing to make decisions right now. When a clear path appears, I'll start heading down it and a decent clip.


Thank you for your patience as I think things through.

And thank you again for all of your love and support -- the comments, sweet notes in the mail, emails, flowers, thoughtful gifts, and donations in memory of our precious Waddells.  We appreciate you so much and we love you.


I'll wrap things up today with a batch of photos of dear Wylla basking in the lovely fall light. She's been so happy spending time in the room. I hope you all can find as much peace in your day.

xoxo, Laurie