Eli's Story

I am just going to ramble here and I DON'T care who reads it.  

I think I've posted that my niece has had her troubles but she seems to finally found her way out of the dark hole she has been in.  She is in California, has a job, a place to live and still on the countdown for days sober of 126.  When she left town she left a cat, Eli, at her parents house that already had a cat and three dogs.  Sweet Eli was left in a house where he was not wanted, not loved and lived on a tightrope threat of being dumped any day.  As you also may have read if you are a follower my sister and her family are really not very good animal people, not dedicated to them, i.e. previous dumping of Maggie the Cat.  

I got wind of Eli's predicament at a lunch with Sis.  I asked if she had called Street Cats and her response was that they cost money.  Okay, money versus the LIFE OF A DEFENSELESS ANIMAL!  Here we go again.  I immediately called B as she is on the  board of Street Cats and told her I would pay the intake fee (she actually did) and wanted to get Eli out of the desperate situation he was in.  B made it happen!  She also went and picked him up and saw the deplorable conditions he was living in.  He once was a sweet cuddly kitten but was terrified and scared half to death when they finally got him to foster care.  Eli was so traumatized he spent 2 months in foster care when he finally was put into the main Street Cats population ready for adoption.  We were really afraid he was going to spend the entire rest of his life in foster care or the Street Cats facility because of his debilitating fear.  Eli was LUCKY!  After only 2 weeks in the system he has found a forever home with a guy of all things as that is one of his fears...didn't used to be...hmmmmmmm.  This guy came in and fell in love with Eli.

The other part of the story is that Eli was not Sis's cat, it was her daughter's and she was in rehab getting well.  All of this happened over two months ago and Sis FINALLY told her daughter on Tuesday about him being gone.  TUESDAY!  B called the niece on Wednesday to talk to her and was forced with the responsibility of filling her in on all of the horrid story.  Of course she is broken-hearted but understands that Eli is in a much better place.  

I have to tell you my sister is just not a reliable pet owner and her history backs this up.  When she was young and first divorced, living back with my parents she brought a cat home.  That cat lived in the dark windowless garage for a very long time.  I don't even know what happened to him.  Then she moved out on her own and adopted two beautiful cats named Miss Emmy and Sapphire.  Miss Emmy was a case for sure but Sapphire was a jewel (no pun intended).  She was so very sweet.  She had them for several years then got married and pregnant with my niece.  My niece was born at 4 something pounds and was in the NICU for a few weeks but when she was to come home Sis called the vet to come and get the cats, her pets, her friends for several years and have them euthanized.  I could not believe it.  Luckily Sapphire was adopted by the vets son who fell in love with her.  I guess Miss Emmy was put down.  So sad.  Then the story of sweet Maggie the Cat who had been adopted from Street Cats.  She had issues but Sis DID NOT take her to the vet to address the health issues and her total fear of everything and everyone, instead the decided to DUMP her on the hottest day of the year in a neighborhood that was just being built.  Smart move IDIOTS!  That cat was scared of her own shadow, no one would be able to adopt her.  

I haven't even addressed the dogs, which she has a bit more affinity too.  A story for another day.

The Bad Seed

Monday morning pink

Well, I bit the bullet and invited Sis and her family to Thanksgiving.  I first sent an email to my Bro-in-Law and then to Mom-In-Law to ask what they thought.  The BIL because I like and wanted to know his thoughts.  The MIL because she was the recipient of the pilfering niece.  BIL said that "if you invite the melon, the seeds will follow!" I loved that response and it was so true.  Gave me a giggle too to think of my sister as the melon and the niece as the seed, THE BAD SEED!  My MIL, absolutely love my MIL.  She is a giving and loving and totally forgiving person.  She said that, "Please do not leave out any loved ones, especially family, they must be loved.  The more the Merrier."  That lady is awesome.  So I took her advice and Monday while at Daddy's I did it.  Oh, I was there paying his bills and all three of us were there trying to figure out all of the bills.  We were a unified set of siblings doing what was right and you know what, it was like old times.  We were laughing and talking and having a good time.  I'm still angry at her by her actions, a lot but she is my sister.  Also, on the loan front, well, that didn't happen she said because apparently she is on some stuff of her daughters and those were defaulted on, BAD CREDIT DEMONS.  Too bad but frankly I'm glad because I didn't want to be hauled into that mess.

Thanksgiving...Maybe

Thanksgiving...yes that time has rolled around yet again and I'm in a bit of a quandary about something, family.  As usual I am hosting the turkey feast but unlike last year we will be missing a few people, maybe.  This is how it is:  Last year I had The Hubby's side of the family and my side of the family, together, like I have done many, many times.  If you go back and read HERE you will see that things did not go well.  My niece totally ruined The Hubby's favorite holiday and a wonderful time we should have had with family.  Stealing and drugs are not part of Thanksgiving for me.  Anyway, I sent an email out to The Hubby's family and we are having Turkey day here yet again, WITHOUT my family.  Bro is having a nice day with his wife's family and hopefully Sis will be too, but that leaves my Daddy.  I will talk to him today and I'm sure he will come to our house whether he drives or someone goes to get him.  He never stays long but he totally enjoys it.  My problem and worry is that Sis will eventually ask what we are doing, "WE" meaning them too, and I DO NOT WANT THEM at my house.  I think the niece is still in rehab in Michigan but I do not want to take the chance she shows up and frankly, I'm so pissed at my sister right now I can't deal with her.

I asked her 2 weeks ago to PLEASE go by Daddy's and call Medicare and his health insurance supplement people to figure out why nothing is getting paid for his home health care visits.  She has yet to do that so I will go this afternoon after work and after watching Rio all day and deal with it.  She works, I work yet I have time, she apparently does not, but she has time to take off Fridays to go get her nails and hair done and to visit the bank to get a loan to pay off her credit card bills.  Yup, I got that phone call last Friday.  She called me and asked if I would do her a favor.  I sort of, reluctantly said "Sure,"  as she wanted me to be a REFERENCE for her as she was getting the loan to pay off her credit cards.  She wanted my address.  I wait for the stuff to come in the mail and then I will call and if it is some kind of a co-signer thing, NO DAMN WAY!  For goodness sake, as Bro put it, why not hock the mountain of jewelry she wears on each and every single finger, including thumbs, oh wait, that is why there is credit card debt.  Plus the Harley her husband had to have and the new Camero she had to have.  DON'T GET ME STARTED!