I Made a Request to the Universe. It Answered.

AKA- A Day in My Crazy Life

Let me preface this post with an acknowledgement that I lead an extremely privileged and full life.

BUT.

It has its challenges.

My day usually begins with the happy, chirping meows outside my bedroom door. Usually before dawn.

I do my best to ignore this.

Until I shift or move, at which point one entitled and spoiled terrier declares, “IT IS TIME!!!” She promptly sprawls across my body, her bony elbows digging into my chest, which gives me about three nanoseconds before she starts licking my nose. Or mouth.

Dog tongue is not on my list of fantasy wake ups.

I should add here that dear husband is deaf, and will most likely sleep through the apocalypse, so this special time is all my own.

After the requisite belly rubs for the terrier, I rise and open the bedroom for the happy cat.

I am allowed approximately 3 minutes to pet the cat and get dressed before the hounds (downstairs in their crates) start voicing their enthusiasm for the day.

Happy Cat pushed into the basement with his 2 siblings (cats have run of the house at night, dogs during the day, because Treeing Walker Hound Dogs like to “tree” the cats, or pin them down and not let go. Good times.)

Dogs fed, coffee in hand, I hide in my office (aka- Writing Dungeon), caffeinate, look at the news, social media, and fend off the 60-pound hound who thinks he’s entitled take his place on my lap like my 6-pound Pomeranian used to. Yes, I have created a monster.

Outside, my Percheron-cross mare (for non-horsey folk that means a sturdy work horse type with a HUGE attitude) is doing her best Jedi-mind meld magic to get my ass outside to feed her ASAP!

There are 5 others to feed as well, one of which was wasting away, prompting numerous vet visits, resulting in a Lyme Disease diagnosis. I now count out 50 doxycycline twice per day (those 10 years as a vet assistant really come in handy! I’m pretty fast, I must say). Then I turn out the thousand-pound toddlers and clean their rooms for them. This is usually when I get to turn my mind off and get those creative juices flowing. This is also usually the time Dear Husband starts listing all the things we need to do today, tomorrow, this spring, this summer, next fall…and, oh yeah, what do I want to do for lunch? Dinner?

To complete our farm family, we have 20+ chickens, and 2 barn cats. And a husband who is most likely asking what “we” are planning for lunch and dinner. In the Facebook post that provided inspiration for this blog post, I did describe him as “frequently helpless.” I read that to him. He protested. For a second. Then laughed when he recognized the truth. It was almost as entertaining as when he claimed to be in better shape than me. Even his mother laughed at that one.

But I digress.

In light of the menagerie, and my desire to actually have time to write and possibly-gasp- get my writing career off the ground (I have 4 manuscripts in various stages past first draft), and in the spirit of starting the new year fresh and motivated, I made one tiny request of the universe.

Just one.

I didn’t think I was asking too much.

“Universe,” I said. Literally out loud, trying to manifest my desire. “I don’t want to take care of another living being.” I think I might have begged.

The Universe, in a lovely karmic gesture, perhaps not karmic, but of the single finger variety, responded.

By welcoming a stray cat into my barn. A stray cat that went from living beneath the tack room, to hiding in the stalls during the day. A stray cat with an obvious infection and problem with its left eye, rendering him half-blind. A cat that appears deaf. A cat that desperately needed to go to a vet.

So, I set out food and water. I set out a crate covered in a horse blanket and stuffed with hay for warmth. And as it got more comfortable, it revealed that it was not feral. It is a he; he is neutered. He was someone’s cat. He is friendly. He is EXTREMELY demanding for attention. He now follows me around, yowling loudly, and now tries to get into the tack room, where my other barn cats live.

Tomorrow, we have the vet appointment. If he is healthy, and gets his vaccinations, he can join the crew.

I won’t be asking the Universe for any more favors any time soon.