Escape is Impossible

[Picture from walking path at work snapped this afternoon.]

It looks like all I would have had to do is round the corner and just keep going. But alas, my sense of responsibility made me return to face the afternoon.

It was tempting today – escape that is – with the beautiful weather and all the crap awaiting me back at my desk. Actually I took the crap with me as I always do – on my BlackBerry. Somehow work seems a little less onerous when you are working from your BlackBerry while soaking up the April sun.

I hesitate to go into detail about work, but let me just say that things are getting interesting around the office. With weeks to go before a big product release, I have the opportunity to hire new staff. That's the positive spin. While my co-worker’s departure was unexpected, I trust it will be a good move for her. But with her goes a wealth of product knowledge. I’ve been leaning on her for all the details since I started my new role in January. Now it’s sink-or-swim for me. Luckily my parents made me take swimming lessons as a youth. It was always the coldest week in August – but that’s another story.

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And now for something completely different - attack cat update.

Shana has recovered nicely, though her forearms and wrists still show the scars of a cat fight. 10 days have come and gone, and no rabies. The cat is now free to roam the garage again. Shana took the little guy - and he is a little guy - to the vet yesterday for the full exam, tests, shots, etc.

Turns out he is an "intact" (though not for long) male. He is young - but not a kitten. The vet estimated him at a year or two. Very healthy - according to the tests. Now comes the fun part of introducing him to our two cats, Roscoe and Patches. [Why don't we just take him to the Humane Society? Hmm - good question, I'll be sure to ask.]

Yesterday we brought in a blanket the cat had been sleeping on and left it in the family room so the other animals could get acquainted with his smell. Today we brought the cat in to the family room - but kept him in the little kennel-carrier. I guess tomorrow it's a free-for-all - bring him into house without the kennel. The vet suggested we get some spray bottles with water and stand back. The spray bottles are to help break up any fights because you don't want to try that with your hands.

Oh - his name: It was Oscar since we found him on top of a garbage can, like Oscar the Grouch. Now the kids and Shana think that Oscar and Roscoe sound too much alike, so they are calling the little guy Reggie. I prefer Oscar - but then I've been pretty grouchy lately.