#founding

Here she is just before her disappearance.

She made it through that first difficult week and opened her eyes.

Literally hours after I took that picture with her, one of her eyes sealed shut from infection.

This ridiculous baby would not be deterred. She wants to go on adventures so badly. She managed to travel alone through a hoarded room for a day and a half while she was still deaf and blind. A little infection wasn't going to stop her.

A few days later, she woke up, opened both eyes, and decided to be a menace.

On Monday, I picked her up and took her to the vet. There isn't much you can do with such a tiny kitten. The vet tech checked with the vet about testing for parasites. They were outside of the exam room, but I heard a very tired vet respond, "I'm not going to violate a kitten."

She gave me ointment for her eyes and assured me it should be safe to have her around my adult cat at this point, so she came home with me to find out if Laszlo would let me keep her.

Laszlo is not impressed with this interloper, and he hasn't been shy about vocalizing his displeasure.

However, he hasn't been directly aggressive. He lets me talk him down, soothe him, pet him, and give him treats. He's a very good boy, and I think we'll be able to make this work.

I was never concerned about how Rhapsody would feel about all this. She loves kitties, though she isn't quite sure what to do with one so much smaller than her.

She's not getting run of the house yet, not until Laszlo adjusts and accepts, but since she wants to roam so badly, I let her have supervised time on the open futon, which is more or less neutral ground.

She found a cave bed I purchased years ago for other animals, and none of them ever cared for it. It's her safe space now.

Since it looks like I'm keeping her, I need to decide on a name. The top contenders are Astrid and Sonata.

She's finally becoming less baby and more herself, and so far she's adventurous and fearless. She loves food and isn't shy about demanding it. She's got a big purr, and she loves pets and cuddles, but doesn't much care for laps.

I love her.

Seamus Heaney

A spirit moved. John Harvard walked the yard, The atom lay unsplit, the west unwon, The books stood open and the gates unbarred.

The maps dreamt on like moondust. Nothing stirred. The future was a verb in hibernation. A spirit moved, John Harvard walked the yard.

Before the classic style, before the clapboard, All through the small hours of an origin, The books stood open and the gate unbarred.

Night passage of a migratory bird. Wingflap. Gownflap. Like a homing pigeon A spirit moved, John Harvard walked the yard.

Was that his soul (look) sped to its reward By grace or works? A shooting star? An omen? The books stood open and the gate unbarred.