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There is a lot going on that I could write about.
I could write about how, after ringing practice at St. Cross yesterday,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cheshcat and I went to the Oxford Playhouse to see a production of London Assurance. This brilliantly witty play, written by Dion Boucicault and performed by the famous Watermill Theatre company, inspired Oscar Wilde... and it is easy to see why.
I could write about development and progress at work with the R&D for new cryogenic detectors.
I could write about ringing practice at St. Giles tonight, and how I practiced -- several times -- ringing the treble for a touch of Grandsire Triples in the [slightly ambitious] hopes of being ready to ring it for a quarter peal in the not-too-distant future.
However, even with all that has been going on, I was not planning to write a LiveJournal entry tonight. In just over sixteen hours,cheshcat and I are leaving Oxford to spend the holiday weekend exploring the Peak District... and there is much that remains to be done before we go! If you were expecting to hear from me, via e-mail or LJ comment or some other medium, it probably will not happen until next week. Don't take it personally; now you know why.
But if there is so much that needs to be done, why am I sitting here writing this? Good question!
Well..... tonight, at Saint Giles, I had a bit of a surprise. After the handbell session ended, people started to arrive for the tower bell practice. One of the arriving ringers asked me if I liked cats. I said that I did. She asked if I wanted to adopt a kitten. I cautiously said that I was looking... but was quite particular about what I wanted. She said that her cat had just given birth to five kittens. They are just four days old and will need homes when they reach eight weeks and can be separated from their mother. One is white... and the other four are black and white tigers. Silver tabbies.
Oh. My. Goodness. That is, of course, exactly what I have been looking for -- a newborn who fills the void left by Totoro's passing. And suddenly, out of the blue, somebody was offering it to me. No more phone calls to shelters, applications, interviews, waiting lists, et cetera, et cetera.
I calledcheshcat and told her to be ready to go out at nine o'clock. I gave her no other details. It was hard to focus on the ringing practice for the next seventy-five minutes. When it ended, we collected Chesh and drove to the other ringer's house. When she saw the newborn kittens -- so young their eyes are not open and their claws do not retract -- tears came to her eyes.
I look like a total mess today, as I was planning to shave and shower and neaten up tomorrow for our trip. However, despite the fact that I look hideous, I have to share the following picture; the first meeting of me and the new furry friend who will be coming home with me in seven and a half weeks:
And here is our four day old and I, next to his mommy and his grandmother (the other ringer from St. Giles):
Finally, here is the whole litter of kittens in their box -- a veritable kitty pile! Can you find our as-yet-unnamed kitten? He is the one on the far right of the picture!
Sometimes the Universe throws good things, too. This year, which I define as having begun on December 17th 2007, has been very difficult so far, with all the major developments in my life being unpleasant and unwelcome surprises. I won't recap them here -- they have all been mentioned in this journal as they have happened -- but I think that this may be a good omen. Such a serendipitous happenstance as this -- to find somebody out of the blue asking me to take precisely the kitten that I was looking for -- seems to be a sign that, as my subject line implies, this dark period is over and it is time to reach toward the light once more.
After a little while, and a toast to celebrate, we went home and told The Boy that we have found him a new friend.
[*] One thousand points to anyone who can correctly tell me what I am quoting in my title. I doubt anyone can do it... but surprise me!
I could write about how, after ringing practice at St. Cross yesterday,
cheshcat and I went to the Oxford Playhouse to see a production of London Assurance. This brilliantly witty play, written by Dion Boucicault and performed by the famous Watermill Theatre company, inspired Oscar Wilde... and it is easy to see why.I could write about development and progress at work with the R&D for new cryogenic detectors.
I could write about ringing practice at St. Giles tonight, and how I practiced -- several times -- ringing the treble for a touch of Grandsire Triples in the [slightly ambitious] hopes of being ready to ring it for a quarter peal in the not-too-distant future.
However, even with all that has been going on, I was not planning to write a LiveJournal entry tonight. In just over sixteen hours,
cheshcat and I are leaving Oxford to spend the holiday weekend exploring the Peak District... and there is much that remains to be done before we go! If you were expecting to hear from me, via e-mail or LJ comment or some other medium, it probably will not happen until next week. Don't take it personally; now you know why.But if there is so much that needs to be done, why am I sitting here writing this? Good question!
Well..... tonight, at Saint Giles, I had a bit of a surprise. After the handbell session ended, people started to arrive for the tower bell practice. One of the arriving ringers asked me if I liked cats. I said that I did. She asked if I wanted to adopt a kitten. I cautiously said that I was looking... but was quite particular about what I wanted. She said that her cat had just given birth to five kittens. They are just four days old and will need homes when they reach eight weeks and can be separated from their mother. One is white... and the other four are black and white tigers. Silver tabbies.
Oh. My. Goodness. That is, of course, exactly what I have been looking for -- a newborn who fills the void left by Totoro's passing. And suddenly, out of the blue, somebody was offering it to me. No more phone calls to shelters, applications, interviews, waiting lists, et cetera, et cetera.
I called
cheshcat and told her to be ready to go out at nine o'clock. I gave her no other details. It was hard to focus on the ringing practice for the next seventy-five minutes. When it ended, we collected Chesh and drove to the other ringer's house. When she saw the newborn kittens -- so young their eyes are not open and their claws do not retract -- tears came to her eyes.I look like a total mess today, as I was planning to shave and shower and neaten up tomorrow for our trip. However, despite the fact that I look hideous, I have to share the following picture; the first meeting of me and the new furry friend who will be coming home with me in seven and a half weeks:
And here is our four day old and I, next to his mommy and his grandmother (the other ringer from St. Giles):
Finally, here is the whole litter of kittens in their box -- a veritable kitty pile! Can you find our as-yet-unnamed kitten? He is the one on the far right of the picture!
Sometimes the Universe throws good things, too. This year, which I define as having begun on December 17th 2007, has been very difficult so far, with all the major developments in my life being unpleasant and unwelcome surprises. I won't recap them here -- they have all been mentioned in this journal as they have happened -- but I think that this may be a good omen. Such a serendipitous happenstance as this -- to find somebody out of the blue asking me to take precisely the kitten that I was looking for -- seems to be a sign that, as my subject line implies, this dark period is over and it is time to reach toward the light once more.
After a little while, and a toast to celebrate, we went home and told The Boy that we have found him a new friend.
[*] One thousand points to anyone who can correctly tell me what I am quoting in my title. I doubt anyone can do it... but surprise me!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
From:
no subject
The Peak District, eh? I remember that part of the country well - my mum's family are all from there. Enjoy the Katonic ancestral homelands. ;)
But of course, the main reaction to your post:
SQUEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! KITTENS!!!! Awww!!!! *melts*
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Maybe Nomad will end up adopting the lot...? ;)
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Oh, I'm so happy for you and Chesh and The Boy! And they're just adorable! How wonderful for you all!! *big hugs*
Have a great trip too!
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P.S.
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Oh -- and "oooohhhhhhhhh de baby oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh de booooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" That is what I said when I saw the pictures. (How difficult it must've been to pick just one of those little cuties!)
Awwwwwwwww. I remember when Bilbo was that age!
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And Kitty-Tetris in that last picture. Not taking them all home has got to be a challenge.
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The one you chose is the prettiest (obviously)
Having a slight pang here as
No idea on your quote this time I'm afraid.
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Oh, and as for the second line of your comment? Yes, I always do! *wink*
[*] Despite the fact that, when I originally made this post, I didn't respond to any of the comments that people left.
[**] As things pertaining to you so often do, my Love!
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enjoy the weekend!
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it's a bit of a parallel-felbrigg tradition to be in Derbyshire this weekend, but we're not going this year. It's so, so lovely this time of year, all lush green and hawthorn! Enjoy!
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