Bell Arrives

I'm happy to report that we are in possession of our kitten Bell. We took the train to Tuckahoe, Yonkers, to retrieve her from Judith and Deidre Beck who had so kindly driven her down from Herkimer. The kitten comes from Herkimer and the Bellinger Rose b and b, formerly our O'Donnell family home, where she lived recently. We named her Bell after the Bellinger Rose.

All of the literature is very specific that when you bring a new kitten in the house with a resident cat, you keep them separated at first, so Bell is now ensconced in the bathroom and Rose is snooping about, but not upset. Yet. She doesn't know there is a kitten in the house.

Ted got Rose a new little toy for the occasion, a grey mouse. This is like when my sister Cynthia was born, and Thom and I returned home from my grandparent's house in Haddonfield, New Jersey, where we had gone while my mother was in the hospital. Cynthia was born July 7th, and it was hot in Haddonfield. When we got home, Cynthia was swaddled and perched on an armchair in the living room. Thom and I were like, "Cool." But the really good news was that our sister had brought a gift with her, a jungle gym in the backyard! Yay! We ran outside and thought the infant had excellent taste. The following winter when I put my mouth on the frozen metal jungle gym, my father had to come out and rip me off. Ouch.

Before my brother Eric was born on December 6th, Santa's Christmas elves came to the house and delivered a miniature artificial Christmas tree decorated with colored lights and little toys. It was a school day, and when Thom and I came down to the living room it was not yet daylight. The little tree twinkled in the dark. I was enchanted. The Christmas elves pulled off something magical. I'm telling you people, my parents were on top of this stuff!

Here is our trip today:

At the Tuckahoe train station, picking up Bell from Judith Beck and daughter Deirdre with Mr. Beck who kindly shuttled the kitten down from Herkimer. Judith told us she works, in fundraising. She looks no where near 81. No where near. We brought her a bouquet of flowers.

All aboard the Kitten Express. On the train heading back to Grand Central.

Home at last.

Many many thanks again to Chris and Leon Frost and Judith and Deidre Beck for making this happen. It's been quite a project (read below). It feels like a big accomplishment.

I just opened a bag of food for the kitten and Rose came running, but it's not for her. Busted! I'll go distract her with the grey mouse...