Our Mother's Keepers

Mother's Musings...

2012-03-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm not the "Mother" in the title of my store (do you know who is??), but I am a mother, I'm musing, and I like alliteration.

So, you may have noticed that a number (most!) of these posts are about cats (No!?! REALLY?!?!?). I'm not sure how that happened on my STORE blog, but I think it has something to do with trying to think of something to write about; I've usually posted any current sales and specials on the Facebook page, and I'm looking for something new to write. I try not to post personal info about my family, other than cracking the occasional joke, which is merely to make my blog more interesting and not intended to slight them in any way. Given the insane (hey, the term IS "crazy" cat lady...) number of stray cats we've taken in, let's face it, they're a big part of my life and therefore easy to write about. Add in the growing number of cats I've also fostered at the store, and hey, it's easy to mistake this for a cat blog!

With the recent successful adoption of my latest foster, I'm going to try to get back to BUSINESS for a bit (Oooh, THERE'S a novel idea!!)...although I may have to sneak in a mention of the store cat, Sammie, every now and again, so he doesn't feel neglected! : )

I've been in a musing mood lately, thinking about the business: what products to keep or add, what to let go, what to focus on more, what to do less, how to better build community and connections in my town...and beyond. One of the things I decided to do was to host events at the store, events of the informative, healing, spiritual, or soulful nature. A recent healing event I hosted at the store inspired me to refocus and revisit my thoughts and intentions, including my professional ones. I wrote and posted the following on the store's Facebook page, and I think it sums up these thoughts and intentions fairly well:

"I opened this store nearly two years ago with the desire to do good. To support both local and other deserving artisans and craftspeople around the world. To provide products that are good for the soul and the planet. To encourage and help maintain peace and good health in body and mind. To promote awareness of important issues and support worthy causes near and far. To assist in creating and sustaining a sense of true community within my community, regardless of the various personal, cultural, and spiritual demographics that reside within said community. Right now, in front of me, there is a display of walking sticks; one features a Celtic cross, another has an eagle totem. To my right are Buddhist prayer malas, next to some rainbow pride bracelets. To my left is a shelf, upon which sits a wooden box adorned with a cross, near another box decorated with a five pointed star. In order to stay in business, of course, I must sell these (and many other) products, but in order to promote this sense of universal community that I feel compelled to do, I draw on ideologies and strengths from many corners of the globe, much like the varied nature of my merchandise."

If you add to that statement my desire to help show compassion, give care, and a new life to some of society's abandoned, abused, unwanted, or unloved animals, then I think it would be a great synopsis of my intentions. Sure, some may (and have) state(d) their belief that I shouldn't have a "store cat" or "showcase" the occasional cat or kitten for other organizations at my place of business, but as an animal lover, I feel compelled to do what I can to comfort these creatures and give them or help guide them to a better life. Luckily, I've maintained some semblance of willpower and managed to keep it to one "store foster" at a time! It's just all part of my desire to make this world a better place...to improve and sustain ("keep", if you will...) our nurturing Earth (much like a "Mother" to us all)...

...because we are all Our Mother's Keepers.

There's something about Stanley... UPDATE: STAN'S BEEN ADOPTED!!!

2012-02-14T15:44:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe, but Stanley, the Friends of Ferals cat who is up for adoption, and being "showcased" at OMK, is STILL here!! How is that possible?? Our man Stan is the sweetest cat I've ever met. Sweetest. Cat. Ever. Sure, he's an older fella (about 8 or 9 years old, they believe), but that is one of the best things about Stanley, he's NOT a rambunctious kitten who will climb your drapes, shred your furniture, and make you nuts!! Stanley is like furniture...he likes to find a nice spot to lay, have a good nap, perhaps a snack or two throughout the day, find a different spot, some more napping, some attention and rubbing is ALWAYS nice, but if you don't have the time, well, he's happy to take a nap while he's waiting for you to clear your schedule and make time to give him a scratch or two...what is NOT to like about this cat??

Not that I am anxious for Stanley to leave, he is so sweet and loveable, and I know I'll miss him, but I already have a store cat, Sammie (and six more former-strays at home!), and although they get along much better now, the store is really too small for two cats (no...it is), and while Sammie is being incredibly good to Stanley, I really do think Sam would prefer to be the only cat in the store...especially since Stanley has "stolen" Sammie's favourite cat tower!! In fact, he's laying on it now...snoring!!

One of Stanley's other favourite places here at the store is a box...a small box...a very small box. I can't rememeber what came in the box (a shipment of some sort), but as soon as I put it on the floor with some other boxes (to wait until I had a minute or two to break them down), Stan decided it was HIS box, and he was going to sleep in it...if he could just cram himself into it! Cram he did, and sleep in it he does! I don't know how it can be comfortable, but he loves it, and whoever is lucky enough to adopt this sweet ol' kitty is gonna have to take his box with them!

Look at him...all boxed up and ready to go! Sweetest. Cat. Ever.

UPDATE: STANLEY'S BEEN ADOPTED!!! And yes, he took his favourite box...and his new family also bought Stan's (formerly Sam's!!) favourite tower!! Awww...

UPDATE!!! JUST ADOPTED: Stanley!!

2012-01-26T16:16:00.007-04:00

From Petfinder: Stanley is a real gentle cat, and has real presence. He's had a bit of a rough life, but he's taking everything in stride and doing well. When he was accepted by Friends of Ferals, he was covered with fleas and his coat was covered in scabs. Now, he's a new cat, and his coat's much, much better. He loves to be petted, but he's as happy to then find a nice spot to curl up in. A great cat. Stanley's all yours with a minimum $60 donation to Friends of Ferals.

More about Stanley:

Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots • House trained

We're showcasing Stanley at Our Mother's Keepers for Friends of Ferals. He is a sweet affectionate cat and is being a real gentleman here at the store. Sammie (store cat) is not extremely impressed with Stanley however, but Stanley has only been here a very short time so far, and I'm hoping Handsome Sam will soon become a little more cordial. Sam's not taking it too badly though, he hissed a few times as Stanley wandered by, but then again Sammie was also simply laying on the floor in a very relaxed pose, so he couldn't have been terribly bothered or I'm sure he would have at least assumed a more aggressive posture! If you would like to meet Stanley, stop by the store and we'd be happy to introduce you...Sam would be VERY happy to introduce you...and make you a deal...and help you load Stanley into your car...and wave goodbye as you drive away...and resume his position as the store cat...the ONLY store cat...

STANLEY HAS BEEN ADOPTED!!! I miss him already...

Back to "normal"...whatever THAT is!!

2011-12-27T16:56:00.002-04:00

Sigh! It's all over...the stockings are no longer hung by the chimney with care...just the ugly winter vinyl now hung on the store windows to keep out the chilly air...UGH!! Note to self: when I finally win that lottery, have insulated double-glazed energy-efficient windows installed at the store...THEN spend the rest saving the planet!! Hmm, I wonder what the landlord would say if I asked him what he thought about replacing those three giant windows?? Probably something like, "I think your rent is going up...WA-A-AY UP!!!"...perhaps I'll stick to the original plan: lottery, windows, planet.

SIGH!! So now what do Sammie and I do here at the store to wile away the weary winter days? He already misses all the Christmas shoppers; he had great fun greeting people and following them around to collect his kitty-rubs as if it was an entrance fee! Now he sits and stares at the door and sighs (seriously, the cat actually sighs!), as if to say, "Hey, where did everyone go? It's okay, you can come back; she already scooped my litter box!". There's only so much trouble the two of us can think up together, and my mind is already busy enough thinking of excuses for not starting the quarterly taxes...like blogging...c'mon, taxes or blogging? I think we all know which takes priority! Or a nap...perhaps Sammie and I could take a nice long nap...until Spring...

Sammie...the store "greeter"!

2011-12-23T14:59:00.000-04:00

Sammie is, what I and the people who were looking after him figure, an abandoned housecat. He showed up in the countryside a couple of months ago, half-starved, but incredibly friendly and affectionate. He loves to cuddle, purr, and generally rub around everyone. The folks who named him Sammie were feeding him and allowing him to "crash" in their shed at night (they even put in a heater for him when it got cold), while they put up posters and online ads trying to find where he belonged. They grew quite attached to him, but were unfortunately unable to take him in. I was already fostering another orange kitty at the store, Jack, but wee Jack was being adopted soon, so I agreed (once Jack went to his new home) to keep Sammie at the store. He'd at least have a warm and safe place to stay, and with all the attention Jack received, I figured I'd have no difficulty finding a good home for Sammie if he wasn't truly happy here. He settled in right away, however, as if he'd always lived in the store! He loves people and enjoys greeting customers (when he's not on a break!), so until I can afford to hire staff, I'm not seeing a reason to hasten his departure; customer service is customer service, whether it comes on two legs or four!

You don't know Jack! (so let me introduce him to you...)

2011-10-29T12:22:00.002-03:00

This is Jack:

I'm looking after Jack for my friend Jennifer and Friends of Ferals. Jack is a feral kitten who has a leg injury. He arrived at the store yesterday following a Vet visit, and will be spending some time with me here at the shop, getting some "R & R" while he heals. I wanted to give him an October-ish name and, since he's orange, "Pumpkin" quickly came to mind, but I think it's too "sissy" for such a tough little critter, so a customer and I came up with "Jack"...as in Jack O'lantern. Yup, I like it, it's a nice "sturdy" name.

Doc thinks Jack's injured leg is likely the result of a cat-fight, so she gave him some antibiotics and will take another look in 10 days or so. I'm hoping it is a recoverable injury, as he is a sweet little fellow and I think he'll grow into a very nice cat. He's rather shy and sometimes a little nervous, but he seems to be adapting well to the store and certainly appreciates attention and affection...well, not at first, since he'll often hiss when you try to pet him, but once you get a couple of rubs in, he immediately starts purring and rubbing against your hand! Perhaps I should have named him "Fickle".

Little Jack spends much of his time sleeping, eating and drinking...and eating and drinking and eating and drinking...which is just what he needs, I'm sure, to help him heal. He seems to be using his injured leg a bit more today, although he still prefers to hold it up close to his body and hop around. He allowed me to pick him up this morning and judging by the volume and intensity of purring, he certainly enjoyed his cuddle...and so did I...until he peed on me! Oh well, nothing a change of shirt didn't fix...although I didn't plan to buy a new shirt today! Note to self: wrap Jack in a towel when cuddling...and bring a change of clothes to work...

...'cuz how can you NOT love this face...

...even when the other end pees on you.

~ Leesa

UPDATE: Jack was adopted by a wonderful couple and went to live with them on December 18th. I miss him terribly, but he remained very shy around people during his time here, and a nice quiet home is a better fit for him than the store.

Another cat post...SHOCKING!!! (not really...)

2011-10-12T16:20:00.005-03:00

"He that will not be merciful to his beasts is a beast himself." - Thomas Fuller

My store is in a building with apartments on the upper levels. I learned yesterday that someone moved out of one of the apartments and left their cat behind! Yup! (insert foul language here) Thankfully, the building manager loves animals and was feeding the poor wee critter (well, not TOO wee...kitty's obviously been well fed!), but was desperately looking for a home for kitty, as they are trying to renovate and rent the apartment. I took a photo of kitty, posted it online, and immediately a number of friends leapt to my aid in the quest to find kitty a good home. One friend found a rescue group that would help with re-homing, another agreed to foster kitty, another provided litter when I brought kitty down to my store today...then also referred a lady to me when she learned the lady was looking to adopt a cat. Wow! Thanks y'all! Just when I was truly "bumming" about the cruelty of someone who treated their pet like a used tissue, all of these people came together to help this poor abandoned critter and restored my faith in humanity.

So, kitty (the building manager didn't know her name) now has a home with an older lady who recently lost her own kitty companion. In the short time kitty was here at the store with me, she was very loving and affectionate, so I'm sure it is a good match. I kinda miss kitty already...like I said, she was very affectionate and loved being in a lap...hmm, probably a good thing she didn't hang out with me a the store for too long, or I'd never get anything done around here...well, anything other than kitty cuddling!

"Because the heart beats under a covering of hair, of fur, feathers, or wings, it is, for that reason, to be of no account?" - Jean Paul Richter

Cashmere Scarves from Scotland!!

2011-10-10T19:26:00.005-03:00

Back by popular demand: Cashmere scarves from Scotland! These deliciously soft cashmere scarves are made in Scotland and were a HUGE hit last year. I DID order more this year, and they DID arrive more than a month earlier this time, BUT they also sold like proverbial hotcakes last time, so if you want one you might want to come in soon while there is still a good selection of styles and colours. There are solids, plaids, and patterns...many suitable for men too (in fact, those were the ones that sold out first last year). There are too many colours and patterns to post pics of them all, but here are a few examples:

Update: Some of the patterns/colours pictured above have already sold out. There is a very small window of ordering opportunity with the importer, so once these are gone, they're gone until next year. I hear that these same scarves sell in New York for twice as much, but our price is only $39.00 + tax.

Introducing P.J. -- the flying cat!

2011-09-22T13:00:00.007-03:00

I left the story of P.J. to the end of my kitty intros (Aren't you glad I don't have any more cats to talk about?!? Yeah...give it a while...they just keep coming...), simply because there's not a whole lot to say about P.J. He doesn't have a sad story like most of the others...he wasn't abused or abandoned, he doesn't have phobias or PTSD, and he didn't show up on our doorstep in a terrible state...we adopted P.J. from the SPCA. Why on sweet Mother Earth would we ADOPT a cat, when they just keep showing up at our house on a fairly regular basis?!? Well, at the time, we "only" had three cats when my daughter saw P.J. in the SPCA display at the local exhibition and fell in love with him...he IS awfully adorable...and we had NO idea that the strays would keep showing up at such an alarming rate! In any event, she finally talked us into adopting the lil' fella.

One of the first things P.J. did, after he moved in, was to pick out one of my daughter's stuffed animals (a puppy) and start dragging it around the house, then sleeping on it when he got "tuckered out", as kittens so often do. P.J. is three years old now, and although he no longer drags it around, he still loves to sleep on his stuffed puppy, which we keep in his favourite cat bed. The funniest thing P.J. does however, is fly!!

Quite often, when you're in our kitchen, you'll see something flying through the air in the livingroom. If you watch through the open door to the livingroom, you're likely to see it fly by again...and again...until the giggles, which you're quite unable to surpress, make the flying thing stop and look at you as if to say, "What are you laughing at? I wasn't doing anything!" This flying thing is P.J. who, for some unknown reason, loves to "fly" about the livingroom by "launching" himself from various pieces of furniture. He's gotten quite good at it too, where he used to go from desk chair to green chair to loveseat, he can now make the leap right from desk chair to loveseat....although I still find it rather unsettling at times to see this flying thing go whizzing through the air at chest level when I'm least expecting it.

Good thing he's so darn cute!

~ Leesa

Our own "Fat Boy Friday"!

2011-09-16T22:02:00.011-03:00

For any of you who are also my Facebook friends, you may have noticed that I've been following the online progress of an overweight cat, affectionately called "Fat Boy" (for obvious reasons!), who is a resident of the Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan) Humane Society. Fat Boy is on a diet and gets weighed every Friday...hence the term "Fat Boy Friday". This Friday however, I thought I'd introduce you to our own "Fat Boy" (we call him "Fat Boy - East Coast Edition"...he even LOOKS like Moose Jaw's Fat Boy!)...although his real name is "Rowdy".

Rowdy is the cat who lived next door when we moved into our current house. He lived there with his owner, a very sweet elderly lady, who was simply the best neighbour we could've had. Rowdy was an incredibly shy cat though, and try as we might for the first three years, he just wouldn't let any of us near him. But he adored his owner, and she doted on Rowdy. She became ill one spring however, and by summer she had to be hospitalized. Her daughter would come every morning to the house next door, to feed Rowdy and let him out for the day, then come back to put him in at night. Poor Rowdy missed his owner terribly, and was so lonely for her and the attention and affection she lavished on him, he began coming over to our house, usually finding me in the garden. He started allowing me to just pet him at first, then later to hold him on my lap as his owner had so often done. After a while, Rowdy would even run to me when our neighbour's daughter came by in the evening and tried to put him in for the night, and we offered to be Rowdy's foster family until our neighbour was well enough to come home. So Rowdy moved in!

Unfortunately our dear neighbour was not able to come home, and passed away in hospital. We offered to adopt Rowdy permanently, especially since he was already living with us and we didn't want to disrupt his life any more than it so recently had been. Although Rowdy had always seemed quite content to stay with us, and certainly appreciated the attention and affection we gave him, it was obvious he still missed his former companion dreadfully. He stopped wanting to go outside, and instead would lay for hours on the sill of one of our windows which faces his previous home, staring at the house next door...sighing! It was heartbreaking when our neighbour's family started moving out her belongings, and again when the new owner of the house moved in, as the increased activity next door would make Rowdy sit up on the windowsill and look out excitedly, as if he expected to see his beloved companion finally coming home again.

Rowdy's greatly decreased activity level eventually resulted in a greatly increased body weight! The previously slender cat next door became our own lovably lazy "Fat Boy"...before we'd ever heard of Moose Jaw's feline celebrity! After a very long time, Rowdy finally gave up his post on the windowsill, and now spends the majority of his time on whatever lap happens to be available, enjoying an abundance of scratches and rubs, purring loudly with that endearingly squeaky purr of his!

~ Leesa

Today's colour: orange. Brought to you by: Healey.

2011-09-13T16:21:00.006-03:00

It's a rather quiet day at the store today, but we had a very busy weekend, so it's all good. It gave me time to change the window decor this morning...I put pumpkins, gourds, and fall coloured flowers in the windows...now if I could only find the fall leaves I hang over the top of my curtains...must remember to check the attic when I get home...

All of the orange in the windows makes me think of my favourite orange kitty: Healey. Oh, c'mon, you didn't think you could get away without hearing about yet another cat, did you?? Ha! Silly YOU!!! : )

Healey started coming around the house for an occassional meal during the fall and winter of 2007/08...of course, I hadn't named him Healey yet. He was looking a little rough, so we asked around the neighbourhood to see if anyone knew where he came from or belonged, and heard that he was also visiting some of the other people on our street. Some were happy to feed him once in a while, but he was apparently being a nuisance to others (especially up at the nursing home), and they were less than happy about it. So, before anyone followed through on their threat to "call someone" about the cat, I figured I'd try to convince him to come in and hide out at our place.

By this time it was a cold and rainy February. You'd think the poor fellow would be thrilled to come in out of such miserable weather, but nothin' doin'. He decided to "move aboard" the boat that my husband Dan had in our back yard. I built him (the cat...not Dan...) a little shelter out of a cardboard box, and covered it in plastic to keep out any rain that might find it's way under the boat. I put old towels in the box, so he'd have something soft to lay on, and I changed them whenever they got muddy kitty prints on them. I can't tell you how many rainy nights I spent, crouched beside the boat, getting wet and muddy myself, trying to get that darn cat to let me bring him in the house! He would tolerate being rubbed with a towel for a short time, but if I tried to pick him up, he'd run away, so I merely dried him off as much as I could, made sure his bed was dry, and brought him food every night.

April rolled around, and although the weather was certainly much nicer, the cat was looking worse for wear. By this time he had a lot of burdock stuck in his fur, especially all along his tail. He would let me pat him for a little while, but I still couldn't pick him up, and he certainly didn't want me messing with the burs stuck to him! He'd tolerate me sitting beside him on the front step while he ate though...and this gave me an idea. I got him used to eating on the front step with the door to the porch open...then one day, I posted Dan behind the open door, with instructions to slam it shut when I grabbed kitty and tossed him in the porch! Plan went off without a hitch...Dan and I quickly ran around and into the house via the side door, expecting to open the door between the porch and the living room to find the cat desperately trying to escape the enclosed porch...instead we find kitty curled up on the top of the carpeted cat tower, eyes half closed, as if we'd interrupted his afternoon nap. What the h***?!? Where did the shy and nervous cat go?? The one who would only put up with a few head scratches before bolting? I thought I'd tossed him in the porch, but the cat we found there was acting like a lazy old house cat who'd lived there all his life! And that's the way he's been ever since. He goes in and out several times a day, but he's one cat indoors and another when he's out...but at least now he's always happy to come in...'cuz that's where the belly rubs are...and Healey LOVES his belly rubs!!

~ Leesa

More Store Stuff...WARM stuff!!

2011-09-10T11:15:00.001-03:00

Do you feel that new chill in the air too? The days are still nice, but first thing in the morning, and at night, we're starting to get a hint of what's on the way! Which reminds me...

It's time to put out Our Mother's Keepers' donation bin to collect new knitted (and crocheted) winter accessories (hats, mittens, scarves, winter socks, etc.) to be distributed to children and adults in our community who need them. Last year Our Mother's Keepers donated 24 hats, 7 pairs of mitts, 2 pairs of socks, and 2 beautifully knit baby blankets to our local Family Resource Centre. Thanks to everyone who donated last year, and we look forward to the generous support of our wonderful customers again this year. If you're not a knitter or crocheter, you can still help keep someone warm this winter by purchasing these items at your local department store or craft sale instead; as long as they're new, it doesn't matter if they're handcrafted or not. Share some warmth; it will give you a warm feeling inside!

Thank you!
~ Leesa

Where did THOSE come from?!?

2011-09-06T16:42:00.019-03:00

I figured I'd introduce you to all of the cats first, before moving on to the birds, but the rest of "the boys" will have to wait! I refer to the six cats at home as "the boys", and I USED to refer to the four finches at the store as "the little boys", since they were all males...or so we thought...

Imagine my surprise, while cleaning the bird cage last Saturday, to find four wee eggs!! You could have knocked me over with a feather...a little tiny supposed-to-be-all-males feather!!

But first, let me introduce "the little boys"...I mean, "the three little boys...and a girl!"...

First we have Carl. Carl is a Zebra finch. He is a black-cheeked Zebra finch. And a finch with a cheek patch is a boy finch...that much I know! (UPDATE: Uhhh, I've been informed that BOTH the male AND female of the black-cheeked Zebra finch mutation have cheek patches! Say wha'?? Ooops!! Don't I feel like a dumb***!?! But, despite Carl's rather "maternal instincts" mentioned below, he IS a boy...because he also has a chest band...and THAT is a sure sign of a male...) Carl is a chubby little finch, pretty happy and groovy, for the most part...unless something "ruffles his feathers" and then he has no trouble giving me a good cussin'!

Next, we have Rusty. Rusty is another Zebra finch. He is a brown-cheeked Zebra finch. And a finch with a cheek patch is what now?? That's right: a BOY finch!! (Reminder: UNLESS it's one of the black-cheeked Zebras...see above...) Rusty is a little obsessive/compulsive, and boy, can he build a nest...and take it apart...and rebuild it...and take it apart...and rebuild it...

Carl and Rusty are a pair. Yes, they are both boys, but they are a bonded pair (don't judge, people...no haters, no haters!!). They cuddle and groom each other, and sleep in a nest together...it's so cute! I got them from a local finch breeder, 'cuz I thought it would be nice to have a couple of chirpy little feathered friends to keep me company at the store. Carl and Rusty were cage-mates at the breeders; Carl was the only black-cheeked Zebra finch the breeder had at the time, and I fell for his unique coloured patches.

Then we found Dudley...well, not literally...we found out about Dudley. Dudley is a Society finch. Dudley is a boy Society finch...'cuz he sings...and only the boys sing (THAT I do KNOW...for SURE...no REALLY...). Poor little Dudley had lost his mate, and was acting withdrawn and lonely. When his owners couldn't seem to find anyone with other Society finches to take Dudley in, I decided to try him with my Zebra finches, since I knew that Zebra and Society finches get along...which they do...in pairs! But what happened when I added a single Society finch to a pair of Zebra finches is that the Zebras started bickering about who was going to be Dudley's buddy! Oh my! That will never do! Sooo...

Off we go, back to my breeder friend, who also happens to have Society finches (thank goodness). And we get Kricket. Another Society finch. Another Society finch who was rather young...too young to tell whether he/she was a girl or boy...no song yet. But it is love at first sight when we introduce Kricket to "the other boys", he (she) and Dudley pair up and become even MORE sweet and affectionate than Carl and Rusty (I didn't think THAT was possible!), and Carl and Rusty go back to being as sweet and affectionate as they ever were. Ahhh...that's better...all is peaceful in our happy birdie habitat again! La la-la la-la...

Months go by...like SIX freakin' months...long enough to forget to pay attention to whether Kricket ever develops a song. I was just happy that Dudley was happy and singing again! Then, last Saturday, there they were: four...little...eggs...!!! (Dun dun duuuhhh...!!!) The funny thing is that two of the eggs were in one nest and two in the other! The Societys always sleep in one nest and the Zebras in the other, but they do change nests back and forth...usually when obsessive compulsive Rusty decides to move to the other nest and "redecorate" it. So I figure that's how the eggs got "divied up". The funnier thing is that, when I removed the eggs (they were soft and definitely not viable, but that can happen with a first lay), Carl the little black-cheeked definitely-male Zebra finch (no, I'm SURE!) was more concerned about me taking the eggs than were the Society finches. For the next two days Carl perched on the edge of the nest, looking in, and giving a strange little chirp I'd never heard before. Now I know that Society and Zebra finches will "foster" eggs from other finches, but I would have thought it would take another female to foster the eggs...not...Carl!! Carl?? A Mommy?? Sure...whatever...

~ Leesa

Store stuff...

2011-08-30T16:01:00.002-03:00

Support the Sunshine Group of Kendall Lane! Genuine freshwater pearl earring sets...five pairs of earrings, each pair a different colour...only $10 for the set. Three different lotion/body care packs: 1. Vanilla Body Care, 2. Moisture Therapy, and 3. Foot Works...each pack contains three different products and is a bargain at $10 per pack! These boxed sets make great gifts!! (I bought two of the lotion packs myself...Happy...uhh...TUESDAY to me!!!)

Grief, Generosity, and Gratefulness (...is "gratefulness" a word??)

2011-08-25T23:31:00.008-03:00

Hey! Guess what? We're breaking from what has become a tradition in my posts, and I am NOT gonna gripe about something! No way!? WAY!!!

Wow...what an outpouring of emotion over the news of Jack Layton's death, huh?? I can't really explain it, but I too feel an overwhelming sense of loss at the sad news. I've never met Mr. Layton, I don't have a touching Jack anecdote, and I can't say that my life has been directly and immediately altered by his passing (other than emotionally...who can truly say, at this point, what his loss will mean politically, which will certainly directly affect all Canadians!)...but I can't help feeling that the world itself will be altered (and not in a good way!) by the passing of such a caring and charismatic man. He just seemed like one of "those" people...those really good people, who gave of himself, and worked tirelessly to fight for others, to make the lives of other people better. No matter your political affiliation or personal opinion of the man, I think you have to admit that he certainly did try to improve our country and the world as a whole...it offends me greatly that some have taken to "dissing" him...and so soon after his death too! But that is coming too close to me "griping"...which I said I wouldn't do...so let me just say, a little respect, if you please.

I was incredibly touched tonight, by the generosity of some people I know, who responded to my plea and gave of their time and talents to do something nice for some other people in need (nice segue from my previous words about Mr. Layton, don't you think, since he was so concerned about improving the lives of others? Yeah, I'm awesome like 'dat...). It restores my faith in humanity, which (unfortunately) has been lagging of late. The world could be such a better place if we all extended a hand, instead of raising a fist! It's not the few large things that will change the world, it's the multitude of small things that will make a lasting difference. If I've learned anything about my last year in business, it's that the things I view as "small" are actually quite "large" when viewed with someone else's perspective. From my perspective, $10 barely covers the cost of a single meal in a fast food restaurant, and certainly not in a fancy dining establishment...but $10 contributed to one of my causes in Kenya will feed a hungry child breakfast for an entire year...a YEAR!!! Is it just me, or is anyone else feeling truly blessed??

Oooh, look at me now, segue-ing into "gratefulness" (still not sure if that's a real word...it just looks wrong...I'll "google it" later...and when did "google" become a verb...or even a word...I'm so F'in' OLD...). I received an email lately, with a definite "Whoot-whoot" put-yer-hands-up attitude (Thanks again...you know who you are...), and it never ceases to surprise me how, just when I'm starting to wonder what the h*** I'm doing, I get a "You go, girl!" from an unsuspecting source! I DO have a whole lot to be grateful for...I DON'T have to trudge across miles of seemingly endless desert in search of food and water...as bad as I feel some days, I'm NOT at the end of my journey yet...and I CAN still make a difference, no matter how small I perceive it to be! So what is stopping YOU from changing the world?? Do you think that your "small" contribution won't mean anything? I dropped off a few jugs of kitty litter to the local SPCA tonight...a small gesture, one might think...but to the homeless kittens who need that litter and the kind folks who look after them, it makes a BIG difference. So, before I get all weepy and emotional (geez, I hate it when I get like that...), let me just leave you with the challenge to make this world a better place, one seemingly small gesture at a time (in Jack's honour, if you wish...)...

Peace and Love,
Leesa

New gripe, new kitty intro...

2011-08-24T17:29:00.009-03:00

Apparently my posts have now taken on a format: 1.) gripe about something, 2.) talk about a cat. And since I have almost as many cats as I do things to complain about (...nah, I'll never have THAT many cats...I'm not sure there are that many cats in the whole country...), it works for me.

Today's gripe is: my new cell phone! Yeah...I HAD a cell phone...an OLD cell phone...and it was JUST a cell phone. I know, how ever did I cope with a phone that ONLY made calls?? No photos? No email?? No internet??? No freakin' way!!! So, my husband, my dear husband, my poor dear sweet well-meaning but very misguided husband decided to buy me a new cell phone...one with all the current "accoutrements". No, it's okay, he DID survive...although he may be psychologically scarred for life (s'okay, he was a little scuffed and dented when I found him anyway...right, Hon?? Yeeaaahh...).

Now, I gotta say, I'm a pretty bright gal..."smarter than the average bear"...and so, okay, I'm no teenager, but hey, I'm not THAT old either (if you disregard the Yogi Bear quote)! I don't know anything that makes me feel more ancient and stupid however, than a new cell phone! And don't start with me about "But ya gotta read the manual"...I DID read the manuals...all FIVE of them...seriously...this device from hell came with FIVE freakin' manuals!! Whatever happened to good ol' turn-it-on-dial-a-number-and-make-a-call cell phones?? I just want to be able to call home, when I'm on my way, so my poor dear long-suffering husband can have a nice hot cup of tea ready for me when I get there (that way he has to endure less of MY suffering!). By the time I get this phone on, unlocked (why in the name of all that's Holy will it not STAY unlocked?!?), get to the right screen, and enter the number, delete the number, re-enter, delete (the freakin' numbers are so tiny 'cuz they're crowded onto tiny little keyboard keys which they share with letters and other symbols...these are GLASSES I'm wearing, not MICROSCOPES!!), and re-enter the number...well, by that time, I'll already be home, sitting on the deck for about 30 minutes, still trying to get the **** cell phone to work (yeah, I know, I AM home, so what's the point of still trying to CALL home, but by this point, Baby, it's now a freakin' personal vendetta between me and Satan's pager!), while hubby is trying to call me on my cell, wondering where I am. GREAT...now I have to try to figure out how to ANSWER a call too!! Well, at least the incessant ringing of my phone will lead hubby to find me on the deck...curled in the fetal position...sobbing...surrounded by handfuls of what used to be my hair.

Okay, so it's not THAT bad, but it's bloody close!!

On to the kitty part of my post: today's kitty is "Mickey"! Mickey is a stray we'd been feeding for over a year before we took him in. He's a beautiful ol' fella that I would have taken in when he first started coming around for food, but he was always so scared and nervous, we couldn't get any closer than about 10 feet or he would run away. Well, Mickey showed up again last November in quite a state. He had a puncture wound on his leg, and his ear was such a mess...trust me, you don't want me to describe it! I knew I had to trap him and get him some immediate attention, so I did. As scared and nervous as he was, he was even more hungry, and he fell for the crate trap. Lucky me (HA!!), I happened to catch him on a day when Dan was on duty, and by the way that crate was rocking on the deck, I was afraid Mickey would hurt himself if I waited for Dan to get home. So, thanks to a very kind gentleman and his taxi van, we got the crate and Mickey to the vet. I'd always planned to one day catch Mickey and at least have him neutered, but this visit was just to deal with his wounds. After dealing with Mickey's injuries however, the sweet lady vet at one of our local vet clinics offered to neuter Mickey on her lunch break, as she figured we'd never catch him again! Thanks to another very kind gentleman with a van who just happened to stop in at the clinic as Mickey was being released, I was able to get Mickey and the crate home...even sedated, he was not a "happy camper" in the least, and there was no way he was coming out of that crate!

So, Mickey lived in the crate (it's a very large dog crate...plenty of room for a bed, a litter box, a food area, even some toys) in my daughter's room for a week or so, until we were able to finally coax him out. Even then, we'd have to leave the crate open, so he could run in whenever he was "spooked"...it went from being his prison to being his "safe place". The first few nights were like having a new baby again; Mickey wasn't used to the litter box, and would wet his cat bed in the night, then cry for me to come change it (thankfully we have lots of extra cat beds!). He got along quite well with all the other cats, but hated people; even when I was feeding him or changing his bed, he would lash out with his claws. It's only now, many months later, that we're able to pet him without bloodshed...well, USUALLY! Mickey didn't show any interest in going back outside for a long time...of course, it was winter when we trapped him, and I figure he had quite enough of living out in the cold! He does go outside now, but is always happy and anxious to come back in...he knows he has a home now. I can't wait for the day when he'll tolerate more than a quick rub or scratch on the head...he's still quite nervous. One of our vets thinks he's more than a feral, she believes he was abused and has suffered psychological damage...it breaks my heart, and just makes me want to pick him up and hug him...which is not a good idea if I want to keep my blood INSIDE my body! Time, I'm just going to give him lots of time...and love!

'Cuz how could you not love this face:

~ Leesa

Ah ha ha ha...

2011-08-19T18:22:00.003-03:00

Okay, so if you read my last post (Random Ramblin's) in which I b****ed about how cold I was, you'll probably think I'm getting what I deserve if I now b**** about the heat, right?!? Like Mother Nature is flippin' me off with a "Take THAT, Sucka!! How you like me NOW?!?", huh?? Okay then, so I won't b**** about the heat...but know that I'm sitting here, roasting like a Christmas ham, and breaking a sweat from merely blinking...and no, that is not b****ing, that is whining, there's a difference... : )

Dan is off sailing today...which makes me hate him jes' a little (Hi, Hon!!)...not because I enjoy sailing (I don't...no, Dan, I really don't!), but because he has to be cooler out there on the water than I am sitting here in this oven I call a store ('Scuse me? 'Scuse me?!? I'm ready to be turned and basted, please!!). But don't tell Andy the cat that Dan went sailing...unlike me, Andy LOVES sailing!! And no, you don't have to go back and read that last sentence again; yes, I did say that Andy is a cat, and he loves sailing.

Since Boots (another of our cats) was featured in my last post, I'll tell you a little about Andy in this one. Andy was a tiny kitten when Dan found him while on duty at one of the more remote firestations one very cold night in January a few years ago. We were having a severe cold-snap, so being the cat-lover he is, Dan brought the kitten into the station out of the bitter cold, and I guess the little thing became Dan's "shadow" that night. The next morning, when Dan got off duty, he reluctantly left the kitten at the station in the care of the other firefighters, but decided to go back and "check on the kitten" later in the day...yeah, we all know what happened next, so we can skip ahead to after Dan brings the kitten home from the station, right?? Good!

And now we have Andy, who's grown into a pretty amazing (if often irritating!) cat. He's a bobtail, who is very vocal and demanding (I swear he's as obsessive-compulsive as Dan! Hi, Hon!!), loves to go for long rides in the car, and of course go sailing! We discovered the sailing part when, for some reason (I think it was the preceding car ride), we thought we'd take Andy to Dan's sailboat...and Andy LOVED it!! When we were getting off the boat, Andy kept trying to climb out of the dinghy and back on board the sailboat. I thought it was because he could see all the water surrounding the smaller boat and I figured it scared him, but when we got back on the dock, Andy kept trying to get on everyone else's boat too!

So what do you do when you have a cat that loves sailing?? Well, you buy him his own little kitty lifejacket of course!!

~ Leesa

Random Ramblin's

2011-08-10T13:04:00.003-03:00

Sooo...it is AUGUST, right?!? I mean, I haven't been in a coma and just woke up in October...correct?? Can someone confirm this please??? Perhaps it's age dulling my memory, but I seem to remember LAST August, when it was so hot in the store that I think I would have committed some mild atrocities (I said "mild"!!) just to get some relief from the heat (besides, I'm pretty sure "heat-induced temporary-insanity" would stand up in court...). I swear, I could have roasted a ham on the countertop in here!! And here it is, August again (which I will continue to assume until someone confirms my increasingly convincing coma theory...), and I'm wearing a sweater...and long pants...and SHOES, people...NOT sandals...shoes...with SOCKS!!! As relieved as I know the general public is at NOT having to stare at my ugly sandal-clad toes, this is NOT normal, people...we should all be b****ing about the heat...that's the way it goes: b**** about the heat for the three months of summer; b**** about the cold for the other 9 months of winter...world without end, amen!

This weird weather is even affecting "the herd" (of cats...yes, I think we have enough that they officially qualify as a herd...). They whine to go out, they go out, they look around in disbelief, shiver, and whine to come back in...then (of course...they're cats...) whine about 30 seconds later to do it all again...all the while looking up at me as if to say, "What the h*** did you do?? It's freakin' COLD out here...and WET...turn off the d*** waterworks and jack the heat!!". When we've tired of THAT game...okay, when I tire of that game, since THEY never do...they proceed to spend the rest of the day laying around the house, sleeping and shedding...and while I don't mind the sleeping (at least they're not whining to go out...), the shedding is getting to be a little much...it doesn't matter how often we vacuum, there are always little kitty-hair-tumbleweeds rolling accross our floors...all we need is some cheesy wild west music and little cowboy hats and sombreros for the herd (note to self: check eBay for little cowboy hats and sombreros...).

Then we have "Boots", a member of "the herd" who doesn't need odd weather to be odd himself! I'm not sure what the cause(s?) of Boots' "issues" are...he was found as a tiny kitten, crying his wee heart out under our front porch a few years ago, when apparently the rest of his family (Mommy-cat and 3 other kittens) were found days earlier on the next street in our neighbourhood...and he's been a dry-roasted little nut since day one. This morning he was doing his usual run through the house as if the hounds of hell were hot on his heels. There is never anything chasing him (well, not anything I can see...), but he'll be absolutely terrified of something, run a few frantic laps of the house, then dig his way under the comforter on my bed (this is why I won't buy a new comforter) and hide there, shaking with fear, for an hour or so. The only thing that comforts him is if you hold and pat him as though you're burping a baby...considering he has grown into a very large cat however, this is not a very comforting activity for the human "burper"...especially when he comes flying at you unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere, and leaps (claws out!) on your shoulder for "burping"...there is usually at least one human in the house who, when shirtless, looks like they've been in a vicious knife-fight, and I don't think any of us own a shirt without at least a few claw-holes. There are a few known triggers that set Boots off: toast popping, the sound of kittens crying, furnace men in the basement, and PC party canvassers...but then I think those things terrify most of us, don't they??

~ Leesa

Melancholy Mornin'

2011-08-02T14:20:00.000-03:00

We dropped "the girl" (a.k.a. "Tater") off at the airport last night...she's off to "Merry Old" (England) for 4 weeks...and I miss her already! Who am I going to get into trouble with for the next month...who will help me prank Dan...who will giggle hysterically at my silly sayings and voices (Dan usually just looks at me as if he's wondering how long it actually takes to fill out committal forms...)??? SIGH.....

Well, at least the grey and dreary morning I woke up to is starting to brighten a little...we just might not get that thunderstorm afterall! And I have a new book written by H.H. the Dalai Lama that I picked up at the airport bookstore...I do enjoy his writtings, especially his sense of humour! And despite how sick and tired I've felt lately, I can be incredibly grateful that I'm still this side of "the big dirt nap", when so many others who suffer are not as fortunate, right? Right!!

Speaking of storms, you'd think we were having a rainstorm in the store right now! The finches are in their birdbath, and seem to be trying to give ME a shower as well! Talk about extreme bathing! But then, there's something else to be cheerful about...how can anyone stay melancholy watching four funny little birds having such an enthusiastic bath, followed by some pretty impressive fluffing and tail-shaking to dry off?!? Well, you just can't, that's all! : )

And lookie there...why, it's starting to look almost sunny out! My "Melancholy Morning'" might just turn into an "Alright Afternoon!"!

I'm going to steal another quote I found on a friend's facebook page:
"Gather the crumbs of happiness and they will make you a loaf of contentment." - Author Unknown

~ Leesa

Morning (and into the afternoon) Musings...

2011-07-21T13:39:00.001-03:00

Okay, so if you know me (or read my recent "pepper" post), you should know that I like to write, love spicy food, drink tea, just can't say "no" to the assorted stray animals that show up at our door (oh yeah, we've got more than the six cats, we have several birds, a chinchilla, a couple of aquatic critters...), and like to crack wise! Yup, I love to make jokes and play pranks (especially on my long-suffering husband...but if I can still "get him" after all these years, then it's really HIS fault now, isn't it??), and I've got a repertoire of sayings and "voices" that crack my family up. So when I thought I'd lighten up the store blog with a bit of personality, I wanted to keep it lighthearted and fun.

If you read my last post (Horn of Africa Crisis) however, you'll know that I can also be very serious and feel deeply the disasters that strike our beloved planet and the beings (human and non-) who inhabit her. That is why I do a "Featured Cause" that changes every month or two. Sure, the money (or sometimes food for the Food Bank, or soap for Haiti) I collect for these causes may not amount to much (well, the 600 bars of soap for Haiti was pretty awesome!) in the grand scheme of things; but just as I can't sit in my warm home with plenty of food on my plate while some stray, abused, or abandoned critter is sitting (cold, hungry, often injured) on my own doorstep, I also have a hard time enjoying all of my personal (although modest) comforts when so many others in the world are suffering great hardships.

Some have criticized me for including foreign causes, rather than focusing only on local ones. Yes, I agree that there is a lot of need in our own backyards, and I certainly DO feature local charities and organizations, but when I get an email like the one I received last night (from the lovely woman who brings the jewelry to me from the women of the collective in Bobong, Kenya), and I hear how there are not only hundreds of thousands of people starving because of the drought, but as many livestock and wild animals desperately searching for food and water as well...well, it affects me deeply!

Human or animal, none of us are able to choose when or where we are born, and there are so many things (like this devastating drought) that are beyond our control (don't start a "humans-are-responsible-for-climate-change" arguement with me here...I happen to agree wholeheartedly with Al Gore...but that's fodder for another post), therefore I try to do what little I can to ease the suffering of those less fortunate...near or far. That's also why, initially inspired by the compassionate works of my own amazing daughter (also fodder for another post), my store is full of not only goods crafted by local artisans, but also various products that benefit numerous disadvantaged groups around the world.

And hey, if it does nothing more than keep me from my self-centered b****ing about my own problems and illness, it's STILL good!!

Here's a quote I stole off a friend's facebook page:
"In seeking happiness for others, you find it for yourself." ~ Anonymous

Peace.
~ Leesa

Horn of Africa Crisis

2011-07-20T21:29:00.000-03:00

'The head of the UN refugee agency has called the situation in drought-ridden Somalia the "worst human disaster" in the world". (CBC News)

Since I've (apparently) become known for my "Featured Causes", I've had a few customers stop in wanting to know if I'm collecting for this disaster. I already have two causes "on the counter", and don't want to have too many going at once (for propriety's sake), but wanted to let people know where they can donate, if they so choose.

You can donate online to a number of agencies through the CBC News website:
http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/indepthanalysis/story/2011/07/13/national-somaliadrought.html
and, since some have expressed the wish to mail a donation, my personal suggestion would be UNICEF, since they are already "boots on the ground" in this crisis. See info below.

UNICEF Canada

UNICEF is on the ground in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable children and families. Their life-saving interventions and expertise for nutrition, immunization, water and sanitation, education and child protection are delivered on a mass scale, in coordination with the UNHCR and WFP.

Make cheques payable to: "UNICEF Canada" and write: "Horn of Africa Crisis" on the front of the cheque. Mail cheques to: UNICEF Canada, 2200 Yonge Street, Suite 1100, Toronto, Ontario, M4S 2C6

Put some pepper on it!

2011-07-19T13:05:00.000-03:00

Okay, so what's the point of having a blog, if I don't do what I love to do and just write...right?!? So I think it's time to put some pepper on this thing and spice things up a bit...oooh, spicy, now I'm craving something spicy (something else I love: spicy food!)...CRAP!!!

So, let's distract the rumbly-tumbly with a nice hot cup of white tea, shall we??? I'll just reach over here and plug in the kettle (one good thing about having so little space in my store: almost everything is within reach)...double-CRAP, the kettle is dry and the water source is all the way down the hall through the security doors...brb...

There, water fetched, kettle plugged in, I'll have tea shortly...and hey, someone left the security door open, so I didn't have to fight with it (the lock in that particular door can be...uhh..."irritable" <-- sanitized word, I would have said "#$%&%$#" if I wasn't worried about offending anyone...) while juggling the kettle and my cup (sink is too small to fit my kettle under the tap, so I need to fill it with a cup). But hey, such small inconveniences when you look at the big picture, right? RIGHT!!

Ahhh, hot tea...lightly sweetened with Agave Nectar...just the way I like it...well, I'd like it better if I was sipping tea while lounging in bed with a good book, surrounded by my six favourite men...my six CATS, people...what were YOU thinking, huh?? Sheesh! Hey, if you're like me and are still frozen in July (yeah, I know, something is SERIOUSLY wrong with my internal thermostat!!), you appreciate having a cuddly herd of cats to keep you warm...hmm, might have to add to the herd by winter, just to make sure I don't freeze to death...given that the strays have been moving in at roughly 6 month intervals however, I really don't think I'll have to worry about looking too far to increase the herd! My husband and I might have to both take second (or third?) jobs and perhaps put the daughter to work to feed them all... : ) Kidding, kidding...if you could see the overgrown beasties, you'd know they are certainly NOT missing any meals! Gee, I WISH I had my cats' life!

But until I win the lottery, I'd better get to work; I've got a bunch of new jewelry to tag -- made in Kenya and supports health and education initiatives in a small village there.

~ Leesa

'Net Specials!!!

2011-06-10T23:48:00.001-03:00

They say the internet is where it’s at…well, it’s where the savings are at (if you’ll pardon the poor grammar), that’s for sure. Find us online at any of our websites (www.shopwindsorns.ca , Facebook, or here on Blogspot) and watch for our ‘Net Specials: exclusive offers, contests, fun stuff…you never know what we’ll do next! And don’t forget to check in often…who knows when one of our ‘Net Specials will pop up and how long it will last!

Soap for Haiti arrived at Clean the World today!!!

2011-02-16T15:21:00.000-04:00

The eagle has landed...I mean soap; the soap has landed! It arrived at Clean the World today (Feb 16), where they will ship it to Haiti for distribution, along with educational materials, in an effort to combat the deadly outbreak of Cholera there. Thanks to all who made this possible!

Final soap tally...

2011-02-02T17:31:00.002-04:00

‎600 bars of soap packed (in 3 large boxes) and ready to go (tomorrow, hopefully). A big thank you goes out to PeopleWorx for their generous donation today toward shipping costs. It came at a great time, as I'd just found out how much (GASP!!!) it's going to cost to ship 600 bars of soap!!! All for the greater good......not the greater good of my wallet, but I'm still thrilled that the soap drive was such a success! Thank you all!

Last chance to drop off soap for our Soap Drive for Haiti!

2011-01-25T11:35:00.000-04:00

We've got 366 bars so far! We'll be collecting until January 31, so get your soap for Haiti in soon! Also, if you buy one of our regular bars of soap, $1 will go toward the shipping cost of the soap for Haiti; buy one of our specialty bars, "Friday" created by Bohemian Bubbles to support our cause, and $2 will go toward shipping!

"Soap Drive" for Haiti!

2010-12-15T23:17:00.002-04:00

Our Mother's Keepers is doing a "soap drive" for Haiti! Cholera is a deadly disease, yet one simple way to avoid infection is hand-washing. With food being a more pressing concern, many Haitians cannot afford soap, which is often scarce to begin with. We'll be collecting new bars of soap to send to the "Clean the World" organization. Keep that in mind when you get yet another "soap-on-a-rope" from Aunt Edna for Christmas...or when your "Secret Santa" at the office gives you a box of those pretty (but smelly!) little soaps you know you'll never use!

Am I blogging???

2010-08-30T13:08:00.000-03:00

A number of people have told me that I should be blogging...so here I am! Not really sure what I'm doing, so please be patient with me. I guess for starters I'll just click around and see what all these little icons, tabs, and buttons are for...if I'm not back in a week, send out the search party!

~ Leesa