Hi, all.

Since I last wrote my mother has become a widow, I have adopted a stray cat, and work has picked up. I have thought about all of you and wondered how you've been getting on as we still slog through the pandemic. I kept thinking I'd pop in to this space to write a bit or, at the very least, read your blogs, but just felt a bit too 'meh' to want to do either, ultimately. For some reason, today's the day. I'm glad to be here now. 

At the risk of airing a bit of dirty laundry, I've been struggling a bit emotionally. Although I did not care for my mother's husband of 38 years, I worry about my mom's well-being now that she's on her own and wish that she were financially able to move closer to me and the rest of her friends and family. As she's a rather private person I can't say how she's set in the funds department. I do know that she's slated to receive her spouse's social security checks, so that is a small yet stable help. I check in with her many times a week to see how she's getting on. She's still in the process of getting through certain bits of paperwork that come with one's spouse dying. In fact, she's over in Oakland at the moment obtaining both a copy of her marriage certificate and a copy of her husband's discharge papers from the Navy. I presume such info. is needed in order for her to obtain the s.s. checks. 

Although I did not want to attend, I and my husband went to mom's husband's funeral. It was held at a military cemetery on the outskirts of Sacramento, our state's capitol. As one might imagine, the day was baking hot---somewhere in the 90s F/30s C--and we were sweating in our dark clothing. I don't know if Covid dictated that the service be short, but it was and mercifully so. As it was a naval service, included was the ceremonial folding of the US flag. I had never seen anything like it before save for maybe on TV. The ritual of the flag folding was interesting to watch, but also, somehow, felt a bit over-the-top. The performance aspect of it---two men talking turns slowly saluting a folded American flag--kind of took me out of the service. However, I think mom appreciated the ceremony, so that's all that matters. 

We're calling him Bart, short for Schnurrbart. 

The above little cutie was found dodging cars and fending off dogs on a really busy road over the weekend. I 'kit-napped' him and took him to a vet's clinic to see if he were chipped as he was found without a collar. He is, indeed, chipped, however the chip has not been registered to anyone, unfortunately. I then posted on our local social media platform called Nextdoor that I'd 'rescued' our man from the streets, but have not received any nibbles as to who the owners might be on said platform. He likely could be a stray as he has scratches across the bridge of his nose and was a bit scrubby-looking when I came across him. My husband and I will foster him for the duration and if no one comes forward to claim him we will likely keep him. He's a champion biscuit-maker, knows how to use a cat box and is generally pretty chill. 

I think he's missing the thrill of the Great Outdoors as he's howling at dusk to be let out. It's unlikely we'll let him roam free again, but we have been taking him out in the garden with a harness and leash on for 'walkies'. -better than a kick a head, as my dad used to say!