December,  2007

Dear Friends:

Another Stray - well, sort of - found his way to us, this time at home in Limestone. We had some bitter cold nights and days, and one morning in the middle of December, the little guy in above picture sat on the ground, unable to move more than a couple of inches. So naturally I could not leave him out there to become cat food, or freeze to the ground. It looked like he had sprained his wing. Because the wing did not hang down, I did not think it was broken. I brought the little feathered creature into the warmth of my kitchen, and he has been enjoying the food, water and the view out of the window for quite a few days now.  Since we are planning a trip down to Florida by the end of this month, my big concern was what to do with him. Thank God our webmaster Charley and his wife Ruth, who came to visit one day. They offered to “birdsit” the little finch [Common Redpoll] while we are gone. Maybe by the time we get back home he will be able to fly again. If not, oh well, there is always room for another creature in this house!

Jim and I took a trip down to the Shelter this month to take care of a couple of things, and to see this new dog which has been costing us a fortune for vet bills. I was surprised how much this Chihuahua does NOT look like a Chihuahua.

 Ted had told me before that Chico looked like a mini-Shepherd, and I agree. But he is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever seen: He puts his little paws up on you so easy, and just adores you with his eyes. He definitely was, and is worth every penny, we had to pay to the vet to give him back his health. He is also still growing, so maybe by the time he is a year old, our little Chihuahua will be the size of a Rottweiler. Amazing!

 All the dogs with the exception of the two huskies have been moved inside. All seem happy and content lying on their blanketed beds. That’s the good life, they seem to say.

Of course this good doggie life would not be possible without our faithful supporters. We are forever grateful to have your financial help. As I said before, without you, all these dogs and cats would be dead by now.

We received four Wal-Mart gift cards which will cut the cost of our cat expenses down some. Mary will be using two of them to buy food for the felines; the other gift cards will be used for much loved pig ears for Christmas: dog treats. We also received a Staples gift card which will let me buy some much needed cartridges to keep on printing this newsletter in order to keep you informed. And we received donations in memory of various people and animals from the following supporters of Charley’s Strays:

Linda Scotti: in memory of Harry Clark, Sr.

Mary Klayda: in memory of husband Frank and brother, Charles.

Alice Winston: in memory of Michael Kane’s cat Sweetie, and also from Michael Kane. in Sweetie’s memory.

Jean & Ralph Catignani: in memory of Bridget, a friend’s dog.

Rita Nadeau: in memory of Cathy O’Connor’s cat Sara.

We are sorry for your losses.

One of our friends and supporters took their little dog to Dr. Bachrach for a check up. Instead of charging for the dog’s visit, the Bachrach’s asked to give us a donation!

CAT REPORT  – December 2007

More thank-yous this month – the cats are having a lovely extended Christmas. 

I learned that last month’s cash gift was from Jenny Bering, and now I have gift cards from Mildred Walker and Cindy Houston. After buying two different kinds of beds (see below), I was debating whether to spend the remaining dollars on scratching posts, cubes, hollow scratchers or more beds; now I can get some of each. Many thanks to Jenny, Mildred and Cindy; to my neighbor Bunny for a check; to Karen, Olivia Charles and Kathy for cat food; to several people for coupons; and to Teresa and family for all their help.     

When I bought round beds, I chose small ones, intending them especially for Lisa, the smallest of the funny-foot family. I put a couple on the human-size bed in her room.  Turned out she wasn’t interested, preferring the larger one that she fills about half of; and Black Peter John Paul Joe Louis, Robin and Emery all claim the new ones are the perfect size for them. Peter is telling the truth. 

Robin and Emery – well, I’m not sure how they fold themselves that tightly, and often a head or a pair of feet hangs over an edge.  But the cats look happy.

I also found some super-soft flat beds. The first one went to Kennebec, who spends most of his time on it, and the others are equally well used.  Kenn already had a soft bed, two pillows and a basket with one of Teresa’s hand-knitted linings, all of which he’s ignored for weeks. For quite a while he slept on the shelf in the back end of the kitchen, on top of the cornflakes box he tipped over. Then he moved to the storage bin under the front window (closer to his food dish). That’s where I put the bed, and so far he seems very appreciative.  He now has the kitchen to himself again, by the way; my Woodstock has moved back into the adjoining room.

I hope all of you have enjoyed your Christmas holiday and are looking forward to 2008.

ADA Fence, Palmyra

Al & Judy Smith, Belmont

Alice Winston, Swampscott

Beverly Maheu, China Village

Cathy O’Connor, Winslow

Charley & Ruth Ames, Grand Isle

Cindy Houston, Woburn

Cristine Cardello, Melrose

Denise & Rita Lawrence, Reading

Diane &Mike Rizzo, Oxford

Donna Bering, Lynn

Doris Lary, Hartland

Dorothy D’Alessandro, Ossipee

Dorothy Eckstein, Medford

Dorothy Watkins, Amesbury

Dottie of Conimicut J

Elizabeth Fay, Northport

Emile Jorgensen, E. Boston

Enid Hayes, Halifax

G& R.Welch, Stonington

Harriet Snyder, Brockton

Inge Maiellano, Marblehead

Iris Martinello, Tewksbury

Irma Simon, S. China

Jean Catignani, Conway

Jeffrey Lieberman, Fairfield

Jennie Bering, Lynn

Jim Lavita, Dennis

Joann Denapoli, Winchester

Joe Arouca, Ormond Beach

Joe D’Alessandro, Tuftonboro

John Caswell, Newport

Jon & Barb Anderson, Augusta

Josephine Ford, Holden

Josephine Smith, Woburn

Judy Rohweder, Northport

Karen German, Reading

Larry & Arlene Hayes, Reading

Linda Merriam, Dresden

Linda Scotti, Beverly

Lisa D’Alessandro, Raymond

Lorena & Harry Clark, Beverly

Marcia Smith, Bucksport

Marian Delarue, Woburn

Mark Resendes, Revere

Marlene Kaplan, Melrose

A huge Thank you to all of you!

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