Update on me

I've been very busy lately, and not feeling terribly great.

I've had a hard time actually wanting to eat anything these days. I manage to get just enough to stop the hunger pangs; I seem to get full very quickly, on a very small amount of food. And no, for the trolls out there, I am not eating McDonald's. I never eat there, as they don't even have vegetarian fries--I do occasionally get an unsweetened iced tea via the drive thru, because they are one of the last bastions of freshly brewed iced tea. I love iced tea, but the from-concentrate nasty crap that most restaurants have switched to is just intolerable. And, I know the southerners are going to burn me at the stake for this, but I don't like sweetened tea. I feel it ruins the taste of the tea. I just adore the flavor of black tea, and we brew gallons and gallons of iced tea here at home, in addition to cups of hot tea in the winter to warm our hands and lips.

I'm finding that a balance of protein with a bit of bread is the best way to satisfy my hunger without being too much of a chore to eat; a soy burger on a bun with a bit of ketchup fills me up--almost too much--and gives me enough nourishment that I'm not hungry later. I've never been able to eat large amounts of food, but my appetite has just disappeared lately.

In other news, my husband and I decided to become foster parents--to three beautiful kittens. We're fostering for Robin's Nest, a local cat rescue that also does spay/neuter programs for needy families. Our little girls came out of a poverty situation, where their mother had become pregnant in a household that could not afford health care for their cats. The parents have both been fixed. The girls came to us at 8 weeks old, covered in fleas, and absolutely adorable. They're FELV/FIV negative, vaccinated, wormed, and treated for fleas and ticks. They will be spayed before they are adopted out, which will be done when they are 4 lbs each. Robin's Nest spays or neuters EVERY cat before adoption.

I am also volunteering at their adoption center, cleaning cages, socializing cats, assisting with blood draws and vaccinations, and helping with adoptions. They are a very positive organization, with extremely experienced and knowledgeable folks in charge of things. If anyone is inexperienced, there are several wonderful people who make great mentors. I signed up to help with fundraising, too, and I'll be renting a booth in the craft fair this weekend, where I will sell photography. I've also donated the remainder of my wedding favor spoons, which will be packaged with the Robin's Nest Cookbook to encourage sales.

Of course, you're all saying, "That's great, Rio, but enough talk about the kitties, WE WANT PICTURES!" Ask, my friends, and you shall receive! I have many photos and videos of the little darlings.

The long-haired one is Charlotte (the sweet one), the white one is Ptera (she's got extra thumbs!), and the short-haired buff colored one is Anya (the wild one). Enjoy the photos and videos!

Click on the thumbnails for larger pics:



Videos: