Street Cat TNR - A Year Later

Below is a repost of what I put on the Nextdoor community last week (08/12/18).  My post brought out folks who have been doing TNR in the community to talk about their experiences.  So touched to learn that there are many folks who care about animals and the environment.  My post also generated discussions around TNR, and my successful attempt encouraged some to look into doing the same in their neighborhoods.  I am happy to know that I have made a difference.

BE PART OF SOLUTION NOT PROBLEM!

Dear Neighbors, I started trapping feral cats on my street last September (first trapping 9/10/17) and to date, with help from a cat rescuer, we have trapped 27 cats on my half of the street alone. We trapped the last kitties, #26 & #27, this morning. For the time being, all the cats around here are sterilized and vaccinated. My neighbors and I noticed a significant difference. We have FEWER cats (the number went down from 24 to 12 or so). The ones around keep to themselves. Less meowing, fighting, spraying and roaming. Both humans and cats are happier now. I encourage you, who want to do something about the feral cats in your neighborhood, to look into TNR. There are many wonderful organizations that will help you. I have learned so much about cats and rescues from them, and gained much respect for all animal rescuers out there. You must have a big heart and passion to do what you do day in and day out. ❤️ ONE unsterilized female cat and her offsprings can produce 225 cats in two years*. I’m happy that this cycle is broken on my street. I will continue to monitor and trap new cats that try to move in, but they will most likely be chased alway by the resident cats. A big THANK YOU to my neighbors who have been supportive of my effort in this past 11 months. It is truly a community effort. * Some more statistics on feral cat reproduction rate: http://www.solanoferals.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=65

An Accidental Cat Whisperer

I don't consider myself as a cat person.  I have never owned a cat and don't know much about cats.  Yet, I have become a guardian for the community cats in my neighborhood.

I took action because the growing street cat colony in my neighborhood is concerning. Although the cats help control the rodent population, they should not become a nuisance to the neighborhood. Overpopulation of cats creates an unsanitary and unhealthy environment as well.

Neighbors complained but no one took action. So, I started looking into how I can be part of the solution. Through research, I found that the most effective way to combat feral cat overpopulation is by performing TNR (trap-neuter-return). But how do I go about it? How do I trap a cat? Where do I bring them for neutering? What do I do with the cats afterward?

Working with Homeless Cats Network, a non-profit cat rescuing organization, I learned to trap and care for the cats. A wonderful cat rescuer showed up on Day 1 with 5 traps. We trapped 8 the first weekend. The next week 7, then 5 then 3, etc... in all in the past 6 months, we have trapped and neutered 23 cats.

In addition to being neutered, these lucky cats also received shots, checkup and were micro-chipped. The cat lady brought them back to the neighborhood and. They officially became managed cats.

It is such an rewarding experience. I am still feeding and trapping the cats because I have to make sure the cycle is broken. It will be a ongoing thing.

For now, these feral cats and the neighbors are coexisting peacefully. I don't think I can ask for anything more.

The Story of the Rabbit Hole Cafe @...

My friends know that I like to cook because I bombard them with pictures of my food (and other people's food) on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, emails, text messages, etc... and they put up with me.

My family knows that I like to cook because I make them eat my food.  Come over and try this.  Take this home.  Let me know how you like it.  Do you want more?? .... and they oblige.

Some folks say maybe I should open a restaurant.  I say NOPE because I only like the cooking part and not the running/managing part.  Besides, I am not a creative cook.  I don't create recipes.  There are many recipes out there written by great food people and I'm perfectly happy trying them out - maybe improvising here and there.  Basically, I am a copycat.  Moreover, it would be a great cheat if I open a restaurant with other people's recipes.

Still though, I like the idea of giving my cooking an identity.  I want to give it a name.  How about...

• Sut's Kitchen?  Boring!!
• The Kitchen Lab on Berta?  Sounds clinical.
• Berta Cafe?  Nah!
• Rabbit Hole on Berta?  Hmmm... some potential

After few months of part-time brainstorming, something that has to do with rabbit seems to stick,  I like rabbits because I was born in the year of Rabbit and I like anything bunnies.  I like the name Rabbit Hole because it reminds me of clever Bugs Bunny poking his head out from the hole.  It also reminds me of the old Chinese saying, "A clever rabbit always has three holes (hiding places)."

So Rabbit Hole Cafe is it!!  When I cook at home, I call it Rabbit Hole Cafe @ Berta.  When I cook at Robert's, I call it Rabbit Hole Cafe @ Club Jo Lin.  You see, my Rabbit Hole Cafe is virtual.  It's imaginary.  It's cooking at-will.  It's about having fun and enjoying the moment.

Early this morning, a light bulb came on in my head while I was still half asleep.  A logo image came to mind. I grabbed a paper and scribbled this:

What do you think?  I thought it's kind of clever turning "bb" into rabbit ears.  I took a picture and sent to Robert.  Look honey, I'm doing your job!!  Robert liked the idea.  Ha!  That was expert opinion!!  YES!

I later got creative.  I revised my little line art to have the rabbit head poking out from the hole and making the line wavy to give it some energy.  Here:

You like the idea?  Robert thought it was cool but he suggested that I should put the word hole next to rabbit to make the name complete.  Hmmm... I thought holes are supposed to be underground but, heck, I don't argue with someone who designs logos for a living.  So here goes again:

Robert said this looked great then I didn't hear from him until the afternoon.  I knew he was working on a project so I didn't want to bother him anymore with my new-found creativity.  Little did I know, he was busy transforming my simple artwork to this:

TA-DA!!

Oh My God!!  How did he do it?  How did he know this was exactly what I had in mind and with the exact colors I wanted?!?!  I didn't even tell Robert about the colors!!  I was envisioning either a green background with yellow lettering, or a yellow background with black lettering.  The nose of the rabbit would be orange.  Robert changed the nose to eyes but he made them orange.  Just like how I imagined!!

Wow!!  I am so touched!!  I am so blessed that I have a guy who knows me inside out and entertains my craziness all the while putting his project on hold just to make me happy.

Oh man!  I am the luckiest girl in the whole wide world!!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  MY SWEETIE!!

So what do I do now?  I guess I'll have to cook a lot more!!

Stay tuned for food pictures from the Rabbit Hole Cafe...

It's Bath Time!

I'm having my bathroom remodeled after all these years - 20 years to be exact.  In the 20 years that I'm in this house, we have remodeled/updated the house one section at a time.  It's now the bathroom's turn - HURRAY!!

The bathroom has been as is ever since the house was built in the 70's.  Oh, correction: we had to install the shower and tiled the bathtub area when we first moved in. Everything else was there since the beginning.  All these years, it just quietly serves its purpose.  Functional, utilitarian and nothing to brag about.

But of course all things deteriorate over time.  Tiles started falling off, paint peeling off, toilet wobbly, exhaust fan struggling.  I think its day has finally come.

OK, bathroom, you're next. First of all though, we need dough!  From having enough dough, deciding on the new look and feel, picking the materials, searching for discounts to chasing down the contractor, it took me one and a half year!!

At last, we started work on March 19th.  Since I'm finally doing it, I decide to go all out.  Everything was torn down and the toilet relocated.  I even put in a sun tunnel.

Like how bones are jointed at the right places, everything has to click for things to fall into place.  The project was moving right along until this week.  We have to stop work now because the darn vanity cabinet is not here.  It had to be reshipped, the guy said.  "There was an accident."  What accident?  Did you give my order to someone else?  Ugh!  

So this is the jointing bone effect: the baseboard can't be installed because the contractor needs to know the exact location of the vanity leg in order to cut the baseboard. The toilet can't be installed because the baseboard is not in.  The medicine cabinet and the vanity light can't be installed because we need to know the exact center from the cabinet.  Towel bars cannot be installed until all these are in place.  Oh, can't forget the shower door too, which will go in last.

So close... so close... just hang in there, Suts.  It will eventually be bath time.  *sigh*

Update: the bathroom was finally done on 4/21/13 and the shower door installed on 5/20/13.

Happy 2013!!

So on January 1 2012, I set off to start my project 365.  One picture a day.  Now, how hard could that be?  Well, it was harder than anticipated.  I only had taken 208 photos for the project.  Oh, and 2012 was a leap year so there were actually 366 days.

So, I didn't do well.  I had excuses but ultimately it was my own doing.  It took determination, dedication and discipline.  I didn't own it.  Oh well, what happened happened.  I just have to make sure that I don't repeat myself going forward.

Nothing is easy even if it's the simplest task if you are not determined to keep it up.

Though an incomplete project, I've learned something.  Spotting beauty around us.  Beauty is everywhere.

No, I will not try this Project 365 thing again.  Once is enough but it was a learning experience.

Happy New Year Everyone.  Make everyday count!!

My Food Book II

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Project 365 (Minus X)

So I set out to do a Photo Project 365 in year 2012.  I did good the first day, the next day, the third day, then I skipped a day, and later more days....

* Sigh* Easier said than done.  Like so many things in life, it takes time; it takes thinking, and it takes dedication.

Although I'm kind of disappointed with myself, I'm not going to beat myself up for failing.  Yes, I can be more self-disciplined, but I also want to do this as way to explore, to observe and not as a chore.   I don't want it to become a daily task where I have to mechanically shoot a photo everyday - for 365 days.

WHAT DO I SEE?  I do need to open my inner eyes more. There is beauty in everything around us.  I think the most important thing with this project is to discover through my eyes, my heart and to capture with my camera lens.

I'm no way near there (yet).  I do want to become more sensitive to what's in my life.  Whether this is a complete 365 or not, I hope to be able to tell myself at year end that I have accomplished what I set out to do and that's to develop a greater appreciation for the daily happenings in life.

Project 365 (2012), a set on Flickr.