You are the wind beneath my wings....

 His history is unknown. His age was a guess.  We don't know what he went through.  We do know he was terrified of everything.  We do know he gained weight and had his coat become thick and shiny.  We do know that over time, he became afraid of nothing.  

We know that HE knew he was safe.  He was loved.  He would never, ever be abandoned again.

I never heard him growl...not once....ever.  He was a very sweet soul.

He looked liked he was dreaming.  Just last night he was dreaming...running again.. on strong legs....and barking..."boof, boof"...in dreamland.  He looked like he was dreaming when he passed.  I dearly hope he was......

Run, Harry.....run to your heart's content.........my sweet, lovely boy.  Fly.....

Most of all, I wish you love

 Hi there.  Harry's Mom here.  You may have noticed his posts tapering off.  Our apologies.  I feel it is time to let those who have been following Harry's blog and FB page know that our boy is not doing so well right now.

We don't actually know how old he is.  His life before being rescued is a total mystery.  While he was estimated to be nearly 2 years at the time he came to us, I thought he might actually be younger because he grew a bit and his fur filled in so much.  In retrospect, that could have been the result of a long period of neglect and malnutrition.  We think he is nine, but he could be 10 or 11.  

Alas, even "designer" dogs, cats, people...don't come with any guarantees.

Our walks are brief (his decision), our nights are restless because of our concern.  He is eating well.  He enjoys his furball family, all of whom give him nose boops and lots of schmoozes.

We are watching him carefully.  Believe me, if he shows any signs of pain...when that happy meter no longer waggles...we will not let him suffer.

Thank you for reading about our sweet boy.  

Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome...

 Hi, folks!  Gosh, has it been hot! I've been having a lazy, long hot summer.  Of course, the kitties keep me busy.  I have to make sure they don't steal my food, or my beds.  Sometimes I have to "shoo" them out of my beds.  They are getting a little better at behaving.  I must be a very good trainer!!

And guess what?  We have ANOTHER ONE!!  This one is a little, tiny girl kitten.  Her name is "Notte"...that means "night" in Italian.  Mom says she is a "bella Notte!" That makes an awful lot of kitties for me to be in charge of!!

It's been too hot to take long walks.  So I haven't been to the gelato store in a while, where I get my ice cream.  But that's ok because Mom made some at home just for me!!  AND it's peanut butter, just like I used to have back across the big ocean!!  I LOVE IT!!! 

 

Sure hope it cools down soon so I can spend more time outside exploring!

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Six cats.  We have six cats.  That was  not the plan, but that is what has happened.  Just as we were getting ready to have the recent Mamma spayed (and getting her kittens used to us)  some sick monster dropped poison in the street.  Mamma and one kitten died, and also Scruff's "brother" Sib.  It was awful.

Then little Notte was an orphan.  She had already been introduced to us by her mother, so she came to our door often.  Soon she started playing in the courtyard and sleeping near our door, which is not a wise or safe thing to do....so we took her in.

She has acclimated quickly and easily and has become one of "the gang."  

Scruff and Missy Tee, the first ones to come inside, are now official full-fledged house cats with the run of the place both day and night.  Because they are still "kittens"...the others spend the night in their luxurious accomodations in the back room.  Soon, Imp and Calzini will graduate too.  At some point we won't need any cages anymore.  

African winds are making for a hot, dry spell which we hope ends soon.  It is just too hot to walk anywhere and we don't want to hurt Harry's paws.  So I made him "ice cream" from peanut butter and plain Greek yogurt - just like old times!!

We are family....

Hey!  I had some allergy problems but now I get smelly oily stuff in my breakfast.  I like it and it is helping me with my allergy.  

We are getting around outside a little more than before, too!  I had some yogurt a couple of times!  Yay!  I love going to the gelato store, and they remembered me even though we weren't there for a long time!  

But it's ok because I have lots of company at home now and lots of things to check up on!  Like...have the kitties had breakfast?  Where are they all?  Is someone in one of MY beds?  Why are they running around like they are all crazy?  

Lupo is the nuttiest.  He's still a baby, though.  He likes to play all  the time!  The kitties have lots of toys to play with...they have a little mousey thing and a tunnel, and they have balls that jingle and some that don't.  I get tired just trying to keep track of all these kitties!

I get along just fine with all of them.  Calzini gives me nose boops.  So does Missy Tee.  Scuff is friendly.  Lupo is crazy!  And then there is Imp.  Imp likes me a lot.  Maybe he thinks we are "related?"  Hahaha.  I don't know, but he likes to be IN my bed with me and hang out next to me.  I guess he's my favorite!  Can you find him in this picture???  

It's been a long, cold, lonely winter...

Oh, hey!  Hi!!  It's been really quiet around here for a long, long time.  I don't know why, but we just haven't been getting out a lot, and our walks have been short, and there is no one around anyway.  

I've been keeping busy with kitties.  Lots and lots of kitties.  I don't mind them too much, only sometimes.  Like when they steal my beds and then they won't get up when I ask them to.  Mmmmmph.  I get a little annoyed.

One of them tries to take food out of my bowl, too.  I don't like that either.  So now we all eat at the same time.  

And we have another kitty now.  His name is Lupo.  He is sort of in the house and sort of not right now.  I guess everyone is taking their time getting used to him.  He is a strange little dude.  He has a funny voice and he talks a lot.  He's sort of ugly but he's very friendly.  Sometimes he is TOO friendly and tries to play with me.  Or he wakes me up when I am having a nice nap.  He's just a baby, I guess.  

Then, finally, on a nice day the whole pack took a big walk!  I was so, so, so happy.  And guess what?  My ice cream store was open!!  Yeah!!  I had ice cream again.  I couldn't believe it.  It's been such a long time!

Maybe I can get back to having adventures now!  I sure hope so!

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The quarantine is slowly being lifted with gradual reopenings.  Hours are still restricted, restaurants are "take out" only.  Barriers are in place inside businesses and masks are mandatory.

But, in spite of that, life is returning to some semblance of the former normal.  Cafes are open, again with limited hours for now.  But we took the opportunity to go to ConAmore for gelato, and a yogurt for Harry, which he happily slurped down.

Truthfully, I have been quite worried about Harry lately and so I was not able to write.  He had a couple of blood tests taken because of a problem he has been having and we had to await the results.  Turns out, he has allergies, just as he did in New Jersey.  We are once again adding Omega3 to his food every day and he is improving.  

Meanwhile, the kittens are becoming regular homebodies.  Lupo (Wolf) has recently joined the cast of characters.  He is about 6 or 7 months old.  I have no idea where he came from, but he was a mess.  An extremely friendly mess.  Now that he is clean and well fed, he is looking somewhat better.  He has not been neutered yet, so he sleeps in his luxurious accommodations (a cage with a loft bed) in the cortile.  It is raised off the tiles and covered in an old quilt to keep him warm at night.  

We've been working on his gradual introduction because both Scruff and Imp were rather miffed at his presence.  They are, however, coming around.  

In about a week he will visit the vet and come inside permanently.  

I'm changing...arranging....I'm changing...

I've been cooped up with these kitties an awful lot lately.  We don't go on our big walks anymore and I hardly ever see my buddies.  I saw Re the other day.  Once in a while I get to say hello to Jack.  And we NEVER go for gelato, either.  I really miss that.  It's getting really nice outside, so I don't understand why we never go anywhere anymore.

At least I got to go out on my balcony.  My comfy pad is out there again.  I like to check on my kingdom.  Funny...it is very, very quiet out there.  Almost no one goes walking by.  

And, guess what?  I used to be annoyed by the kitties.  Mom keeps saying, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."  **Sigh**   So, I decided to be more like a kitty.  It is working out pretty well, too.  I let them "schmooze" me.  I even learned how to do it myself!!  Sometimes I schmooze Mom and Dad.  Haha...really, I do!  

And it is much better, too, since I decided to have my dinner at the same time as those pesky kittens.  That way they don't bother me and try to steal my spagetters.  

I had to put my paws down, though, about  my favorite bed.  Every one of them tries to take over my favorite bed.  They have lots and lots of soft, comfy places to plop.  My bed is OFF limits!!  It's really easy.  I just start getting into my bed...and pretty soon they have no room...so they HAVE to move!  No more Mr. Nice Pup from me!

Otherwise, it's been boring.  But I will keep you posted about how I am becoming a cat. Sort of.  

***************

We are in the fifth week of quarantine.  The town provides daily updates via social media about the status.  Currently, we are still a "Red Zone" until April 19th.  

The house is clean, the laundry is more than caught up, and cats and Harry are settling into routines and getting more comfortable with one another.

Stay home, stay healthy.

Our house is a very, very, very fine house

Wow, we have had really, really short walks lately.  And my whole pack doesn't go out much, either.  I guess it's because it's been really COLD!!  It snowed!  Really!  So, I get on my Kodiak coat and go out and get right to business and then I pull Dad back home because that is where I want to be! I don't like the cold.  I don't like snow and I don't like rain.  I like my couch.

Besides, I haven't seen anybody outside in a long time.  I guess they don't like the cold either!  No hoomans and none of my friends, either.  

That's ok.  I like it inside.  And I have to watch the kitties, too, it's my job.  I have to make sure they don't steal my couch.  They try to do that a lot.  

I guess it will be another day of snuggling with my little buddies.  

We are in day number 24 of quarantine.  We are officially a "Red Zone"...anyone coming in or leaving requires permission from the Mayor. 

The weather has been UNUSUALLY cold - after a couple of days of cold, bone chilling rain, it snowed yesterday and there was another little squall this morning.  Normally, the windows would be open and the balcony ready for warm, summer days.  The only good thing is that this miserable weather is helping to keep people indoors.

All stores that are open (food supplies, pharmacies) are restricting entry to one person at a time - mask and gloves required.  There are also plexiglass barriers protecting the supermarket clerks and the pharmacists. Everything else is closed.  

We have kittens, Harry, books, Netflix, music and plenty of good food and wine.  I refuse to complain.  Except about the weather.  The weather is just...insane.  

Keeping safe.  Salute. #IORESTOACASA  (I STAY AT HOME)