News on Yakitti-Yak in New Immigrant

Smile: NO FELINE LEUKEMIA (a fatal, contagious HIV-like disease) ! Halelujah! I am so grateful!

Sad Face: Although Yakitti (new spelling thanks to vet's secretary) checked out fine, she weighs only four pounds and Dr. Havlik said she was not far from death from starvation. Her body has consumed all her fat and has started in on her muscles. Knowing she's not contagious she is now inside, in the office by herself. She will need a long time of care to regain weight and health. She has meds for parasites. I visit her but not too often because she needs lots of sleep now.

Smile: Yakitti-Yak did very well in the cat carrier, calming down in a half hour, about the same as poor Tuco taking her first car ride without Mom and Una. When the vet examined Yakitti she was sweet and not scared. She knows how to use a litter box.

Concern: We are awaiting blood test results on Willow. Vet is concerned about her large urine output. Stuck a needle through her belly and got a urine specimen!

Smile: Pyewackett is an entirely new cat since her surgery. Dr. Havlik explained with wide eyes how decayed and infected Pye's molars were and we both attribute her increased playfulness to her lack of pain from those. Animals hide pain well. We would have been screaming with teeth that bad!

Smile: Since my Thursday trip last week to La Crosse a lot has changed. Gossamer time is upon us. The wee,emerging leaves create an auburn hue to the horizon. Also saw several great egrets in the backwaters.

Smile: In our rock garden the sedum is green, the ribbon grass is about six inches tall and everywhere the grass is Green!!!

Smile: Two busy, swift tiny ruby-crowned kinglets are flitting about in our hackberry tree.

Frown: Because of the emerald ash bore we have to remove two ash trees in our Cedar Falls yard and will have another dead tree removed (killed by the drought) and some trimming done. $$$!

Worried Expression: Chronic wasting disease has been found in Iowa deer killed eight miles down the road. As I believe I've said CWD has spread throughout the state of Wisconsin and this year it was declared that all deer killed by hunters must be tested. Up until now it was only specific counties where deer required testing.

Smile/Frown: In an Earth Day report I heard that folks were demonstrating in La Crosse, WI about Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe's Railroad's plan to build another set of tracks along the Mississippi. They want to do that so they can handle up to 150 oil trains a day, rather than the current 75.

Smile: Following the Planning & Zoning Public Hearing Monday the P & Z Commission passed the eleven page addition for our zoning ordinance on frac sand mining. No objecting voices were present. Next step is three public hearings before the Bd. of Supervisors.

Smile: This P & Z Commission has been nothing but impressive in this process proceeding as serious information gatherers and "deciders." Having endured the idiocy of a "good old boy' P & Z Commission it is almost unbelievable to witness this one. Most of this is a credit to John Smola who developed the first educated Commission. Both John and Bonnie were in attendance.

Sad Smile: After the meeting I went out for a snack with a fellow Dem. In the years since we've been together face-to-face (other than on e-mail or FB), she has had two more surgeries for bone degeneration. She is younger than I am and her pain is visible. In recent years she has had an assortment of other problems, including being about to lose her job as a social worker with the chronically mentally ill. This is heartbreaking for her, not only to lose employment but for the clients she has served. I am dismayed at the inadequate reorganization of mental health services Iowa has passed (the reason her position is being eliminated). In all honesty, I have never felt so dismayed and outraged at Iowa. If a mentally ill person savages one of our schools, we will have only ourselves to blame.

Mad Face: I have tried and not yet had luck posting photos. Feel like an idiot. Will keep at it.

I am grateful for Earth Day. Will the excellent speeches/discussions keep people talking and finally supporting action? The clock is ticking.

I wish you more smiles than frowns in your lives.

Carpe Diem!