I´m Still Here

For those who log on here once in a while to see if I´m still alive, I apologize for the long absence. I was in the U.S. from mid November until mid December. The trip turned out to be twice a long as my original intentions, but at least I came back clutching the permanent visa that I filed for in early July. Despite any frustrations I may have felt and expressed, it has been pointed out by all of my Brasilean friends who have had the experience that what the U.S. does to visa applicants (even just for a tourist visa) is far more bureaucratic and disrespectful. After listening to some of their stories, I haven´t any doubt they are correct.

I could, of course, have written here while I was in the U.S. , but it is always a little inconvenient not having one´s own computer, and it always seemed like there was something else to do. But the main reason since early in December is the distress I have been feeling since I found out that the woman who was supposed to be taking care of my cats was actually letting them roam around outside without any identification. Not only letting, but forcing, them to. Let´s name her: Carolyn Devine. Carolyn doesn´t even live in the house anymore and her adult son says he doesn´t scoop cat shit so the cats have to go outside. I lived with Sydney for 14 years and Spanky for 7. What Carolyn Devine and her dysfunctional family did to them in the course of 4 months is virtually criminal as far as I´m concerned. I got lucky and Sydney walked across the street while I was there, so I managed to rescue him and take him to a safe house where he will be appreciated for the amazing creature that he is. I was not able to get Spanky. Let´s name the son too: Doofus. Doofus told me Spanky got away on the day they moved back into the current house (which they had been forced out of temporarily due to a fire) which, according to what Carolyn told me back in July, should have been in August or September. Carolyn told me in an email that he had been gone for two weeks (mid-November) when a contractor was there. The conflicting lies from this family are almost non-ending, so it is impossible to know the truth.

Part of me wants to publish the whole history of Carolyn´s perfidy even if nobody really wants to read it, because it needs to be told and I´m not sure I can "get over it" until I do. Another part of me knows I should "just" try to put it behind me. I´ll listen to anyone´s opinion who wants to share it.

I will try to be more reliable about keeping current here, and also to try to figure out how to post pictures...which I don´t have, but I might get motivated to take.

Tchau