Looking forward to 2003

1) Wahadi shortly after arriving, 2) the area near Watamu where Wahadi's father was found at about 2-2.5 mos, and 3) a map of the coast of Kenya of Mida Creek near where most Sokokes have been located.

  March, was a busy month.  We were excited to receive our first Sokoke straight (almost) from Kenya.  On the trip to pick her up at SeaTac, we stopped in to see mom, made a side trip to make an offer on the place in Montesano (near the coast), did a cat show in Olympia (showed our newly received Sokoke (Wahadi), and then ... our trusty Toyota truck broke down all on the same trip!  We ended up renting a U-Haul truck & trailer to carry home our truck.  The Toyota dealership wanted $2400 to fix it and stated it could have even gone higher! It didn't get fixed until August but it cost us a LOT less (even adding in the cost of the U-Haul.)
 

Leaving Olympia w/ our pick up loaded behind an empty U-Haul truck!

     After we returned home, we learned that the owners of the property had accepted a cash offer from someone else.L Later in March, Ken landed in the ER and was diagnosed with Emphysema (complicated at the time with a virus).  Ken quit smoking and I breathed a sigh of relief.
     The spring & summer just flew as we "worked" most of the week-ends at a local Swap-meet, Bazaar, Craft Fair, and "organized" Garage Sale.  We sold a lot of the items we had left from the catalog business (we'd gotten into about 3 years earlier), my photographs, some collectibles and antiques, and I got some custom business card orders.  It wasn't a lot but every little bit helps.  We also brought our Sokoke, Lizi, a few times to educate the public about the Sokokes and their plight, as well as some of our retired Bengal adults were placed after visits to the bazaar.  We really needed to get our numbers down and retired more of our adults than usual.  We were also preparing for the hoped for move.
  June was very exciting as we welcomed our first litter of Sokokes since April of 2000!  Wahadi and Densi presented us with 4 wonderful babies (though we lost one).  One girl, who went to Bellingham, and two boys who we still have.  They were wonderful!  I kept wondering what their life would have been like born under a gnarl of roots or some hollow in Watamu.  We've so enjoyed them!
     In July, Ken went to work driving for a local cab company and he is still driving for them.  It started with him only working as the relief driver, two 12 hour day shifts and two 12 hour night shifts; now he's driving 5 night shifts.  We started talking to Judy and Sherri about buying their house.  They have property they are going to retire to in Ethel (on Hwy. 12 just off of I-5).  We were really excited about buying their place.  It is all one level, 3 bedrooms, living-dining room, fireplace, enclosed porch, garage, and a "mother-in-law" rental house in the back!  Well, after some thought they decided they weren't sure about selling and we tabled the plans.
 

Wahadi's babies and Claire with her babies.

     In August, Ken and I had planned on a trip together to the show in Centralia; but, at the last minute, he wasn't able to go and I went alone.  I had also planned on visiting with a friend from the old neighborhood; but, we didn't quite "hook up" that trip, having to settle for a visit on the phone.  I brought home a beautiful rosetted mink girl, Fancy, who we are very excited about.  Lizi, our Sokoke from our first litter, went on an adventure to represent her breed to the board of The International Cat Association to apply for recognition, and then stayed in Montana to visit Lynn's male.  It was our last try to get her pregnant.  We were hopeful when she returned home but no babies resulted.
     In September I thought I'd found a job at Fred Meyer's but that fell through.   Ken did manage to get a little time off and we headed over for a cat show and our awards banquet.  We drove from Judy & Sherri's in Woodland to Battleground and spent a lovely visit with Sandy & Gerry Sorlie.  The Sorlie's had lived next door when my brothers & I were growing up.  It was a wonderful visit!  Gerry is still working full time and Sandy recently retired from teaching (boy did that make me feel really old!)  Sandy has a lovely log home (we were jealous!) and Gerry lives there in Battleground with her and commutes to Portland.  We plan on  return visit as soon.
 

Sandy, me, and Gerry in front of our motor home.

     Our trip and been on again off again so we had not "warned" Mom we were coming for fear of disappointing her, so when we dropped in it was a real surprise.  (I'm not sure she's forgiven us yet.)  On this trip we delivered our Sokoke girl to her new owner and recieved the 2nd new girl, Mariposa, toward our improvement goals for 2004.  On the 29th our second litter of babies arrived to our mink Bengal girl, Claire.  Only two litters this year but both were such nice quality and fat, healthy, fun babies.
     By October my unemployment benefits ran out (not the nicest birthday gift!) because I was still looking and unemployed.  We missed my high school class' collective 60th birthday get together in Las Vegas (but I'm sure they all had too much fun to miss us).  Ken started smoking again, but now that he's quit once for this long, the next time will be a liitle easier.
     In November, I DID get hired at Michael's (only for the Christmas season) but that was still much to be thankful for.  We had a very white Thanksgiving and shared our day with friends from our apartment building.  As a proud grandma, I get to brag that my granddaughter, Chantal, is just finishing up modeling school after earning a scholarship out of 2400 girls!  I can't wait to see her photos!
 

Chantal taken at the Wolf education center & gift shop on I-95 (N Idaho).

  December finds us with some surprising developments.  We've put our apartment building up for sale and will put our house up for sale in 2004.  We are moving ahead with plans to buy the house in Woodland from Judy and Sherri who are definitely moving up to Ethel.  I have no plans to physically move until the weather clears and the roads are improved, but as soon as that happens and the "paper work is complete", we'll be back in Washington!  December also finds me working on closing my first Real Estate Note Sale.  When the first one is under my belt, the next one will be easier.  (The next one will probably be the simultaneous closing with Judy & Sherri and the private investor who buys their note.)  We did an easy relaxed Christmas.  It was just Ken and I (Stevie joined us later for awhile).  I did cook but kept it simple and used several shortcuts instead of all homemade to allow me time to enjoy the holiday, too.  So, we had dinner and a movie (Seabiscuit).  It was wonderful.

     For now, until we see you in person, have a wonderful holiday, stay safe and happy and a very Merry Ho, Ho from Ken (and me).