Flashback Friday: Puerto Rico

With winter right around the bend, I thought I'd do a flashback to a warmer place. A place Adam and I visited once, fell in love with, and nearly up and moved to. Seriously.

We went to Puerto Rico the first time in 2004. We met my parents and my brother and SIL in San Juan and took a cruise together. It was a really fun vacation, but one of our favorite parts was the additional days Adam and I spent in PR before the boat launched into the Caribbean. We found an awesome B&B in El Yunque. The freakin' rainforest! Our residence clung to the side of the mountains and we overlooked acres and acres of tropical trees, filled with papaya and bananas and other deliciousness. In fact, every morning, the owners of the B&B took a machete and cut down fresh fruit for the morning's smoothie. Drool...

We hiked to the top of the highest mountain in the forest (don't be impressed - it was only a 2-3 hour hike each way) and it blew us away. The initial stretch of path was your typical steep-ish climb, but soon, true to the region's name, we were drenched in rain. I remember just smiling, shrugging, and continuing on, happy to have this characteristic phenomenon happen while we were there. The most amazing part, though, was when we finally broke through the cloud line and made it to the highest point. I shimmied out to the tip of a rock at the top, and looked down - it felt like I was soaring above the clouds. (We have photos of this, but they're locked in the sleeping child's room right now, and you know I won't risk waking her!)

We spent many an hour relaxing in hammocks on the porch connected to our little suite, chatted up the owners of the place, and fell in love with Puerto Rico. Visiting Viejo (Old) San Juan was also amazing, but our hearts belonged to the wilderness. And we never forgot it.

Fast forward two years to 2006. My dad suffered a stroke, and life as I knew it was totally upended. This event in my family's life jarred me awake from the life I had been leading in Chicago. It was a good one, but it wasn't perfect. It wasn't what I wanted forever and ever. Adam and I began talking. A LOT. We both felt like we needed some change. But not just carpet, or even moving to a new house across the city. We wanted significant life change to take place. We discussed what this meant, and eventually it came down to this: we would move out of Chicago. Our new locale would be either St. Louis or Puerto Rico. STL had the obvious benefits of being nearer to my family, having a lower cost of living, an easier move, and just a more relaxed life. Puerto Rico, on the other hand, had this:

and this:

(Yes, that's me, lying in a hammock, looking down the side of the mountain, listening to water trickle. Sigh...)

And we were damn serious. We started searching real estate listings online. Very quickly, Adam found exactly what we wanted: an established bed-and-breakfast business/residence (for the owners) FOR SALE. We read and re-read the listing. We pored over the photos. It had multiple (small) buildings: a guest house, a main house (for the owners), a bath house, and a little suite-hut for couples. Oh, and an open-air dining room. And it was at the top end of our price range. (By "top end" I mean completely out of our price range.) But we were really interested. So much that we contacted the sellers, arranged travel, and we flew the hell down there to check out the property. To this day, it still blows my mind that we were that serious.

Here's just a glimpse of one of the buildings we could have owned:

Um... yeah. You could walk up and down the driveway and pluck Birds of Paradise and Ginger Flower to arrange on the table. If you had long monkey-arms and leaned really far off of the porch, you could pick bananas off the trees and eat them. We're talking par-a-dise.

So we stayed overnight (I think just one night), toured the property fully, talked at length with the owners, and then left to clear our minds while staying at another establishment.

Clearly, we did not purchase this property or move to Puerto Rico, but it wasn't nearly as tough of a decision as either of us had anticipated. It just didn't feel right. The property itself had a handful of issues, but that wasn't it. My tummy just didn't feel right about it, and Adam agreed. And that was enough for both of us.

That doesn't mean we don't think about it often. In fact, we know that someday we'll move away from St. Louis to go somewhere new, whether it's a several-month stay and a return to our house, or a complete up-and-move and not come back. We just have too much world to see to stay in one place forever.

I KNOW we made the right decision. I never, ever wish that we would have moved to PR. We have so many wonderful things going for us in this life now, and we wouldn't trade it for "paradise."

Band-Aid

Nearly every morning, the three of us lie in bed, just snuggling. It's one of my favorite parts of the whole day. We "snooze" as a family. And part of this group includes Bernice (see previous post). As you have read in the past, Olive has a bit of an obsession with being scratched by the kitties. So, picture us three humans piled in bed along with this big-headed, wonky-eyed kitty who is very much a kitten in spirit. She loves to scratch, bite, and play, much to Olive's pleasure. 9.9 times out of 10, Olive gets her beloved scratch from Bernice, and yesterday was no exception. And I do mean beloved - she gazes at it, and admires it.

Apparently, though, Bernice got those little needle-claws in a bit deeper than usual yesterday because throughout breakfast, my little Korean obsessed over this scratch on her pinky finger. Of course, oatmeal, banana and other detritus got in the cut and the child was not happy about the stinging that ensued. So, to get through breakfast, I promised her a first-ever band-aid (at least the first in a locale she had access to) after she finished the meal. I expected her to be very interested in the bandage, but I never anticipated this:

Completely Blown Away

Yesterday, I posted that my organization, Tenth Life, was in financial dire straits. So I kicked off another Sock Monkey auction to help raise much-needed funding for the special kitties I serve. Auction update: Elisabeth has the lead at a bid of $60. Let's keep it up, gals! (And guys, if you're out there.)

You all blew me away. I was floored by the support that just freely flowed from my readers. Not only did the bidding take off quickly, but some people offered me even more help in totally unique and awesome ways.

- Shelley and Kelly of Briar.Claire (ADORABLE stuff!) offered to donate 10% of all sales from November 12th-November 24th to Tenth Life! Shop, shop, shop!!! Here's a sneak peek:

- Kris, at Life in the Hammer Home, offered to send me one of these cute little dudes that I posted about the other day to auction off monkey-style to benefit Tenth Life. Thanks, Kris!!! Can't wait to see the little guy in person :)

- Christine, my good friend at 12,450 Miles, made an amazing offer. Not only did she write a beautiful, selfless post yesterday to support my organization, but she one-upped herself today and is putting her money where her mouth is (her words). If you comment on her blog post with something for which you are thankful, she will donate $1 to Tenth Life. If you're brand new to her blog and have never commented before, she'll donate $2!!!! So let's make her pay! ;)

- And there were a handful of you (I won't mention names) who just bypassed all this and made jaw-dropping donations to Tenth Life immediately. I am unbelievably grateful to you. Because of your generosity, we can get these forgotten pets the medical attention they so desperately need. Thank you deeply.

I feel like I owe everyone a little more explanation of my organization and what it does, as well as why we're in a financial crisis. The two are pretty linked, actually. What Tenth Life focuses on is the cats that no one wants. We rescue kitties who have critical injuries as well as lifelong conditions that make them difficult for typical shelters and rescues to care for. Sometimes, all they need is a quick trip to the vet and some medication. Sometimes, they require significant surgical procedures and ongoing supportive care.

For example, meet Chester:

This gorgeous, trusting orange tabby with a significant limp in his rear leg had been living on the streets for many months, over the harsh winter of 2008-2009. A wonderfully kind older woman was feeding and caring for him as well as she could, but she suffered from advanced-stage pancreatic cancer and knew that her life was nearing its untimely end. Instead of worrying about herself, she was extremely concerned about what would happen to Chester when she could no longer care for him. She contacted Tenth Life to see if we could help. Being exactly the type of cat we focus on, we admitted Chester in a heartbeat. He was scared at first, but clearly enjoyed love and affection. His leg, however, needed immediate attention. After some x-rays and an exam, it was determined that Chester would need his leg amputated in order to lead a healthy, happy and long life. He had most likely been hit by a car, and just kept on going despite his hip being shattered into countless pieces and the obvious subsequent pain he suffered. The estimate for the surgery came back: about $950-1000. Wow. My organization was under two months old at the time. We didn't have that kind of money. So I just asked. I posted on Facebook, on my blog, I emailed friends and family, and people came through, and Chester was able to have his much-needed amputation. Here he is post-surgery.

He had a rough go of things for a couple of weeks following the procedure, but before long we had an amazing adoptive family for Chester.

And he remains there today, happy and healthy, and enjoying playing with Shirley, his three-legged canine counterpart.

Bernice is another perfect example of the cats that we try to save with Tenth Life. Here's Bernice when she was found crawling out of a culvert in rural Illinois (sorry, these are kinda graphic):

Her eyes were crusted over with infection, she was filthy and emaciated, and in desperate need of care. She started at a veterinary clinic near where she was found in IL. They got her stable enough to travel, and then she was transferred to Tenth Life's care. Once she was cleaned up, we discovered that she was missing one of her eyes and her remaining eye doesn't see much, so Bernice is basically blind.

Blind, but incredibly sweet. I've learned, in my 32 years as a cat companion and my 6+ years in rescue work, that animals with special needs are often the most affectionate animals you'll ever encounter. My theory is that they learn quickly that humans are trying to help and they learn very quickly to win us over :)

Not only is Bernice blind, but she suffers from another, more serious, condition , hydrocephaly, or literally "water on the brain". Basically what this means is that there is an excess of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricular system of her brain, causing abnormal general movement and a very grim prognosis. Cats with hydrocephaly almost never live more than a year or two because, as they age, they develop seizures that worsen over time. Eventually, her seizures will become more frequent and severe than her little body can handle. There is no real treatment for kitties with this condition so, sadly, it's a matter of making Bernice as comfortable and happy as we possibly can for as long as we possibly can. And for this sweet kitty, it means lots of snuggling. She has found a very special place in my heart and I might just have to adopt her myself!

So clearly, mine is not a profitable organization, which is why we reached an all-time financial low yesterday. We rely pretty much completely on the donations of individuals like you generous people. Sure, we charge an adoption fee to send these little guys to loving homes, but it's never enough to cover the extensive vet bills the cats incur. And yet, I'm willing to fight for them, for their lives, and their rights. I firmly believe that every animal deserves kind treatment and the best chance at life that we can afford to give them. Tenth Life is my way of making a difference, no matter how tiny, in a few of these lives. I love what I do, even if it's a struggle every day.

I thank you with all of my heart for everything you've done to help me continue this mission.

*I will reward you later today with a cute Olive post. I promise! I just felt I owed you all...

Monkey Auction

Hey all. It's that time again... monkey auction time!!! I was planning to do a monkey giveaway, but due to Tenth Life's extremely high vet bills and nearly nonexistent bank account that I just found out about this morning and am in tears over (no I'm not exaggerating - we're talking single digits...), I'm auctioning off one of my sock monkeys! All proceeds will go to benefit the cats of my organization. No one (not even me) gets paid one lick of money. So every stinkin' penny goes to my feline clients. So here he is... meet Theodore!


His head got a little smooshy on the one side, but I swear he's cuter in person. Monkeys are so camera-shy. Anyway, those of you who are familiar with my monkeys know that each one comes with his or her own story and personality. Here's Theodore's story:

"Theodore is excited because he just graduated kindergarten, though graduation day was bittersweet because he wet his pants. He prefers to go pants-free because then he can hide his accidents, ironically. When he's not concerned about his overactive bladder, Theodore enjoys playing his Atari - his favorite games are Pong and Q-bert."

Here's how the bidding will work:
Bidding begins NOW, Wednesday, November 18th. Bidding will end at EXACTLY 10pm, CST on Sunday, November 22nd. How will we know if you bid past the time? Your comments are stamped with the time they were posted. All monkeys will begin with a minimum bid of $10 and must increase in increments of $2.50 or more. All monkeys will be shipped to the winning bidder on Monday, November 23rd via USPS Priority Mail. Therefore, if you win, get your address to me ASAP!!!

Thanks and good luck.
(PS - if you don't want a monkey, but would rather just donate to our organization, aimed at rehabilitating cats with special needs and finding them forever homes, just click here and follow the directions. Thanks!)
(PPS - all donations are 100% tax-deductible! Get 'em in before the end of the year!)
(one more - if you don't wish to do any of the above, please share this post!)

New Carpet!

Since we've moved into this house in 2006, we've had this hideous carpet on the stairs:

Please note the stains, the hideous greenish color, and you can almost see the places on the first step where Auggie (cat in foreground) scratched daily. This carpet had stains on it when we moved in, but continued to collect liquid treasures over the past three years: Adam's coffee (also the culprit of Baby Latte's funkiness), cat vomit, chocolate ice cream, and various and sundry other mysterious things. The stains were nearly impossible to remove, so we finally succumbed to passivity. We just gave up and let the stains stay as they appeared.

A couple of weeks ago, we decided we'd had enough. Off to Home Depot we went, selected carpet and booked the installers. We could not wait!!! Unfortunately, we had a different time frame in mind than the professionals did, and in the interim between ordering the carpet and having it installed, we really let things go. Wanna know how bad it got? One of the landings of the staircase to our third floor acquired a giant puddle of cat puke that remained for a week or more. We just didn't clean it. Um... gross.

We've spent the last week painting the stairwell walls, which had also been neglected, the baseboard trim, and the banisters. And now. We have neeeeeeew carpet! Hurrah!

I know you can barely see it, but do you all really care what it looks like? No, you come for pictures of the baby.

And by the way, no one in the family is allowed to walk up or down the freshly carpeted stairs carrying anything other than water at this point. You've been warned, potential visitors.

awesome giveaway

Check out my friend Kris's blog for an incredible giveaway: a HANDMADE felted Eddy doll from the popular Korean cartoon, Pororo. I desperately want to win this little guy, but plan to buy one if I'm not so lucky :)

Monkey Joe's

Do you people have these places? We went to Monkey Joe's yesterday, another rainy, dreary, cold day here in STL, with our good friends Jen, Abby and baby William. MJ's is basically a gigantic room filled with those inflatable bouncing houses. Some were just big bouncy things, others had obstacle courses and slides and ladders. Super fun. And we nearly had the place to ourselves!

While I enjoyed catching up with my friend, Olive ran around, vacillating between having the time of her life and being scared out of her wits.

Here's the time-of-her-life portion:

I LOVE these last two shots. Abby was so incredibly sweet, helping Olive through the tricky, tough parts and encouraging her along.

And at one point, Abby turned around and said, "come on, Olive!," grabbed her little hand, and off they ran! Sigh... so deliciously cute!!!

Then came the point where she was done. Just. Done.