Critter-filled Sunday

I throw up my hands!

Archie...

Barn cat? House cat? Happy wanderer?

Daisy and Honey...

... well, at one point they were both barn cats. Then Honey nixed that. Now Daisy is trying it out.

Me and the "barn cat" Daisy! Well, she's still at least a part-time barn cat.

But Mootie...

The towel has been officially thrown in. I always intended to move her into the house. She's a sweetheart. And look, she helps vacuum. And every time I photograph that damn floor, I remember how much I want to get the downstairs floors refinished. I was hoping that would happen this summer but I'm not holding my breath at this point.

Meanwhile Annuk...

...comes in and out a bit but seems pretty content sunbathing outside!

And here's why I no longer fill the birdbath...

Daisy and Archie came from the same dump in Syros, Greece, but at separate times. I really wonder if they are related. Or do they know they're both Greek?

Not that it matters!

Here's that barn cat Daisy again...

And not just the cats are spoiled. We picked up a  watermelon for the rescue pigs today:

And here's the guy who used to resist every single pet I tried to add to the family...

He's the one who let Mootie in! And as you can see, she's very grateful.

Archie is trying to brainwash me...

And I have the CUTEST DONKEY IN THE UNIVERSE!

The sweetest, too.

And I love his smile!

And his velvety nose.

And for the record...

...these cats DO get fresh water every day! But Annuk thinks rain water is better.

While Redford...

...is quite frankly jealous of every other cat that comes near me! He will swat them away if he's getting cuddled and they come near us.

And these sisters...

...are very bonded! Buttercup is also their sister and she too is closely bonded to Daisy and Honey, but she was off adventuring somewhere when I took this.

And here's Gordon being all soppy with his Mootie...

Mootie is the one with no teeth. She turns 9 this year and no way am I letting her grow old in the barn. She spent many months in a shelter labelled "unadoptable." You can read more here.  She is unspeakably sweet and it has been a real privilege earning her trust over the past several months.

And can I ask for some good thoughts for our dear cleaning lady, Rosemary? She became very ill with a serious infection several weeks back and spent a week in hospital. She is slowly healing from that but is having many tests and there is fear that something more sinister is behind the infection. She's still losing weight and she didn't have any to spare to begin with. We twice sent her flowers and cards while she was laid up. Today she showed up with a rhubarb crumble cake she'd baked for us, plus two jars of rhubarb sauce and a lovely card. We were so touched that she was spending time baking for us when she's still not feeling all that great herself.

She is not only an awesome cleaning lady (I hate that term, because she's more than that!) but a very kind person who is constantly putting others before herself. Now she's facing some very difficult health challenges and we are just so hoping all will be well for her. If you could send her some healing thoughts, zen, prayers, whatever you like, that would be great!

Hope you all had a great weekend. I am well on my way to become a certified grand master crazy cat lady... and here all those years I thought I was a dog person. What the hell happened