Lucy in St. Davids with Diamonds
On Thursday we returned to Arizona. I said to my hubs at around 1 pm, having been up 14 hours Ontario time already, “I don’t have anything funny to write about this week for my humour column. (Sunshine and a Purple Dress.)”
Hubs replied, “Surely having flown to Ontario and back and visited family and friends daily and gone to Good Life, and gotten the flu [me-only] – there must have been some fun in this!”
And I assured Laur, “There was lots of fun, but nothing funny.” Question: “What’s the difference?” Answer: “Fun is enjoying things at the time. Funny is when things don’t go as planned but are amusing afterward.” (Who knew I could be so philosophical?!)
And then I said, “Ah ha! Our Lucy visit!” By Friday at 1 pm, I had written this week’s story.
Let me backtrack a little here. Lucy is a 9-year-old tortoiseshell cat. She has been bouncing around homes for two years. There is nothing wrong with her. She is my favorite cat ever, but we live in a trailer park in Green Valley, AZ for half the year and cannot bring her. And finding a home for a middle-aged abandoned cat – even though she is in perfect veterinary health – well, it’s no easy feat. And I’ve had a village of cat-lovers looking out for Lucy for a year.
And then the sun smiled on Lucy and us in January of this year (though not many other places in Ontario. Gah! What a winter!). A friend of Anna’s whom I’ll call Vivi mentioned Lucy to her mom Eva (not her real name), and Eva decided to give Lucy a try. Prayers do get answered. Not every time, but I’ll take any help the Good Lord sends my way.
It’s a bit of a story but Laur and I weren’t even in St. Catharines when the adoption/transfer happened. It was facilitated by two marvellous women in our seniors’ apartment – plus Vivi, Eva and Lionel (Eva’s husband).
Lucy took very little time adjusting to and LOVING her new home. Well, what not to like? Complete run of the house. Lots of windows in a country location, so there is so much to watch. A fireplace – just for her, or at least she thinks so. And all the attention she could possible want.
I asked Eva if we could come to visit during our brief visit to St. Catharines this past week, and Eva and her hubs were delighted to have us visit. I have to tell you that I was happily jealous of their home in St. Davids before we ever arrived. A few years ago, we had looked at buying a modular home in this 55+ community. It was perfect for us – it was so like our Green Valley community.
But before we moved from Sudbury to St. Catharines, prices skyrocketed as folks from Toronto started to buy up real estate in the Niagara region. End of that dream – though we do have a very happy life-lease 55+ condo. Another story for another time – but, being a Sudbury gal, I do miss those wide-open spaces.
We arrived, and I thought Lucy might greet us at the door. Quite the opposite. She retreated, fast, into deep hiding and would not come out – even after we left. Eva and Lionel plied her with treats. No way. She loves what she has, and she was not going to risk it for a few cat cookies. Far from being disappointed, Laur and I were delighted. We love that crazy cat and we want her to be happy.
And we adore Eva and Lionel. They are gems – such kind and service-oriented people. Eva has even offered to teach me how to know and crochet. (Granny Marj, quit laughing hysterically! 😊 ) We look forward to having a summer BBQ with them. OK, we can’t afford to move into their community – but we can afford to visit!
But the funniest part was this. Lionel told us, “Lucy is a real mooch, you know!?” We were gob-struck. Lucy never so much as sniffed at the food we ate. “Oh yeah,” said Lionel. “I get out some cheese and crackers and she’s all over it.” Plus, Eva and Lionel run fish-fry fundraisers. You can imagine how that might get a cat’s attention!
Laur and I pondered this as we drove home… And then I started to laugh hysterically! “Laur,” I chortled “I’ve got it!” It took me a few breaths to get this out. “What in the world would Lucy want to mooch from us?! Think about it. Lucy is a carnivore. We are vegans. What in the world could we possibly have eaten that Lucy would be the least interested in?! Tofu? Peanut butter? Flaxseed? Dark chocolate?”
(To our credit, we did give her animal product cat food.)
Lucy is in a better place on all levels. And I think Laurence is eyeing their second bedroom.
Hubs replied, “Surely having flown to Ontario and back and visited family and friends daily and gone to Good Life, and gotten the flu [me-only] – there must have been some fun in this!”
And I assured Laur, “There was lots of fun, but nothing funny.” Question: “What’s the difference?” Answer: “Fun is enjoying things at the time. Funny is when things don’t go as planned but are amusing afterward.” (Who knew I could be so philosophical?!)
And then I said, “Ah ha! Our Lucy visit!” By Friday at 1 pm, I had written this week’s story.
Let me backtrack a little here. Lucy is a 9-year-old tortoiseshell cat. She has been bouncing around homes for two years. There is nothing wrong with her. She is my favorite cat ever, but we live in a trailer park in Green Valley, AZ for half the year and cannot bring her. And finding a home for a middle-aged abandoned cat – even though she is in perfect veterinary health – well, it’s no easy feat. And I’ve had a village of cat-lovers looking out for Lucy for a year.
And then the sun smiled on Lucy and us in January of this year (though not many other places in Ontario. Gah! What a winter!). A friend of Anna’s whom I’ll call Vivi mentioned Lucy to her mom Eva (not her real name), and Eva decided to give Lucy a try. Prayers do get answered. Not every time, but I’ll take any help the Good Lord sends my way.
It’s a bit of a story but Laur and I weren’t even in St. Catharines when the adoption/transfer happened. It was facilitated by two marvellous women in our seniors’ apartment – plus Vivi, Eva and Lionel (Eva’s husband).
Lucy took very little time adjusting to and LOVING her new home. Well, what not to like? Complete run of the house. Lots of windows in a country location, so there is so much to watch. A fireplace – just for her, or at least she thinks so. And all the attention she could possible want.
I asked Eva if we could come to visit during our brief visit to St. Catharines this past week, and Eva and her hubs were delighted to have us visit. I have to tell you that I was happily jealous of their home in St. Davids before we ever arrived. A few years ago, we had looked at buying a modular home in this 55+ community. It was perfect for us – it was so like our Green Valley community.
But before we moved from Sudbury to St. Catharines, prices skyrocketed as folks from Toronto started to buy up real estate in the Niagara region. End of that dream – though we do have a very happy life-lease 55+ condo. Another story for another time – but, being a Sudbury gal, I do miss those wide-open spaces.
We arrived, and I thought Lucy might greet us at the door. Quite the opposite. She retreated, fast, into deep hiding and would not come out – even after we left. Eva and Lionel plied her with treats. No way. She loves what she has, and she was not going to risk it for a few cat cookies. Far from being disappointed, Laur and I were delighted. We love that crazy cat and we want her to be happy.
And we adore Eva and Lionel. They are gems – such kind and service-oriented people. Eva has even offered to teach me how to know and crochet. (Granny Marj, quit laughing hysterically! 😊 ) We look forward to having a summer BBQ with them. OK, we can’t afford to move into their community – but we can afford to visit!
But the funniest part was this. Lionel told us, “Lucy is a real mooch, you know!?” We were gob-struck. Lucy never so much as sniffed at the food we ate. “Oh yeah,” said Lionel. “I get out some cheese and crackers and she’s all over it.” Plus, Eva and Lionel run fish-fry fundraisers. You can imagine how that might get a cat’s attention!
Laur and I pondered this as we drove home… And then I started to laugh hysterically! “Laur,” I chortled “I’ve got it!” It took me a few breaths to get this out. “What in the world would Lucy want to mooch from us?! Think about it. Lucy is a carnivore. We are vegans. What in the world could we possibly have eaten that Lucy would be the least interested in?! Tofu? Peanut butter? Flaxseed? Dark chocolate?”
(To our credit, we did give her animal product cat food.)
Lucy is in a better place on all levels. And I think Laurence is eyeing their second bedroom.