November Almost Gone

 Well, what can I say, Wednesday was a mess.

I'd trapped 3 more trailer park cats Monday night, after being offered 3 spots by another group.

I was about to hand off all three Tuesday, but the other group arrived with five cats in traps already, with only six spots.   Great.  I handed off only one of the three and put the two smallest in my bathroom.  I was already tired out.  I'd finally mowed my lawn and that inflamed my back.

But it sure looks nice.  I'm hoping it will be the last time needed until March.

The next morning, I got called by the group who was going to assist in fixing the one cat and they'd been cancelled due to a vet being sick or something.  I'm not sure what.   So she returned the third cat back here too.  I tried to set up a cage for her in the garage quickly.  And unfortunately, my finger became squished between two parts of that pop up cage.   

I hate those cages.  As they age, the back and front become harder to snap into place with the sides.  At the top, there is one latch that fits over the top back, while two latches on the back top, slip over the top from its inside.  When I pressed hard to get the top latched on, my ring finger got pinched between the top's edge and the back's top edge, locked in place now, but over my finger.   I could not free it and finally had to forcefully pull my finger free.

That hurt.  I cursed and moaned for some time.   I got an ice pack on it fast, because I know that's the best way to prevent a lot of bruising and possibly save my fingernail.  My fingertip had gone numb, but after the ice pack and moving it a lot, the numbness was gone and it seems ok today.

I usually use a pry bar to get those latches locked in, but I couldn't find it in my hurry to get it set up.

I realized finally yesterday, I need to stop taking in cats for awhile at least, where my nonprofit pays due to our checking account funds being at the danger level low. It's sad, but when each cat costs $50 to over $100 to fix now, unless I drive to Portland, where caregivers make the appointments, its inevitable.  

There's just not an affordable environment present currently for helping fix cats high volume.   I wish this wasn't true.

Today the weather is back to plain old Oregon winter ick, drippy, soggy, yuck.

With prolonged darkness, along with the outside yuck, it's downright depressive.

Here are some not so great photos of the three trailer park cats who have to wait to be fixed now til next Tuesday. 

 The spots Tuesday are my last pay spots and I made them awhile back--7 in all.  They were all promised out for various cats already but three of those will have to be put on hold.   I have sponsors to pay for four of the 7 fixes which is a big relief.   I have to resist any urge to get others in, until I can somehow find some funding.

There seems to be two or even three different economies going on.   Some are thriving in high pay jobs with insurance through employers while others struggle to pay the bills on jobs that pay ok but not terrific.  Then there are folks in my position, who have no money and never will, due to being on only a very small SS pension, and will struggle no matter what, but when things are so expensive, its much harder.  

I went to feed my cats their morning wet food, and see I am completely out.  How did I let that happen?  Well, I no longer stock up much because cat food is so terribly expensive and I used a lot out trapping in the last weeks.   I'm going to get a 10 lb bag of chicken parts, which is cheaper than cat food and cook it up for them today, as a treat and because its raining out and there's not much else to do.