It is hard to believe that the cold season is here, and the holidays are right around the corner. I have done a little shopping, but still have more to do. As for my weight, I think this past month has been particularly challenging for me. I sometimes have no willpower. I suppose I often reflect on my life, taking my age into account, and remind myself that I don’t have much time left, so I want to enjoy certain things. I also think I would like to reach my weight goal I set for myself. This past year, I have maintained the 200 lbs, going over one or two pounds, but this month has just been really bad, and the holidays are coming, which will make it worse. In my last weigh-in, I gained 7 lbs, although 2 lbs of those are from the week before, so really it’s 5 lbs. I am bummed out, and I do feel those 7 lbs already. I often pray to my good Lord to help me regain my willpower. Those who don’t have the issues I have will never understand; those who know from experience will understand.
Would I ever try those quick remedies? The injections? No, I say no because you will have to continue to use it all your life to maintain the weight you want. And on top of that, I have heard some really horrible side effects, and that scares me as well. Enough not to want it, but at the same time want it, if that makes sense? And then there is the price for that. Just more of a reason not to. My husband is against it. So I don’t see that happening any time soon.
The struggle is real. I have to fight the temptations and try harder to reach my goal. Once I do, I am sure I can maintain it. Maintaining the 200 lbs is actually pretty good, so if I can do 200 lbs, I can do 125-150 lbs. I will continue to pray to my good Lord, that he help me with my willpower, and help fight the temptation. God willing.
As for what is going on with my ferals, I don’t recall (let me go look). I mentioned Lilo not feeling well; she feels better and is now going into the heated house to sleep, which makes me so happy. It is getting into the 30s-40s, so I was getting worried about her. As for Mittens, he still comes around. I worry about where he sleeps at night. I would really like to get him to go into the other house. I want to fill with straw, to begin with, if he likes it, maybe plug in the heated pad.
Then there is the Russian Blue, I believe now to be Smokey. I started to call him Ash, thinking it was another feral furbaby, but now I am 99.9% sure it is Smokey. The two photos below, the first one is of Smokey from a year ago, then the second photo is from earlier this week of who I called Ash, but he looks just like Smokey, I am sure it is him. Plus, he lets me get close, where if it were a new cat, they would run away further, but this cat doesn’t, which is what my Smokey did. If it is him. I am so glad to see him return. I wish the others would return as well. I love and miss them all.
Now, looking at this handsome furbaby, doesn’t it look like the same cat? I have more photos, but I believe it’s him. I feed him when he comes around. He doesn’t come around every day, but when he does and I notice him, I feed him. Speaking of feeding. I’m stepping away to make a salad for lunch. My salad was good and hit the spot.
I was looking through some photos, and I found a photo of Smokey from earlier this year. He had an injury on his shoulders; the photo is not the best, as it is a screenshot via my Ring camera. See the injury on his poor shoulders. I have no idea what or who did that to him, but one of the other ferals also had the injury. I really think someone is hurting these cats. I have seen injuries on my other ferals that came around that looked like they were poked with something, or possibly shot with a BB gun. That really scared me when I saw it, and makes me very angry.
This is Smokey from March 27, 2025. See the injury? I see no blood, but he is missing hair. What in the world happened to him? Was it a cat fight? Below is a picture from March 5, 2025, of Boots (the black cat, the other is Lilo, my tortie girl), with a similar injury, like what in heaven?
It was getting me upset, seeing my feral cat coming around with injuries; this doesn’t have blood either. But the injuries I saw on Momo and another feral furbaby looked like puncture wounds that had blood. I was so scared for them. Why do humans have to be so cruel to animals is beyond me. I hope and pray my other ferals are doing okay, and if someone is trying to hurt them, I hope they escaped and relocated somewhere where it isn’t happening. I’d give anything to catch these monsters!
Smokey looks all healed. He hadn’t come around since I can’t remember, possibly the beginning of the year; I’d have to look through photos, but he has since started coming around again. I just went out and put some food out for him. I love that he doesn’t run away that far, like a foot or two; he knows I bring him food.
These precious little souls bring me joy, happiness, and warmth to my heart that I can feed them, and offer shelter in bad weather on the deck, if they like. I just want them to know love, and that is what I try to give them. Like Lilo, little by little, I can hold her longer; she trusts me so much. But at the same time, she still has that feral streak in her. She is coming around, though. I am just glad that she is using the heated house now, instead of staying out in the elements, as it gets colder. I want the other cats to come up, too. I can get another heated cat house. And even if it isn’t heated, I can fill it with straw so they can keep warm.
Well, that is all for me. I will see you in my next post. Stay warm and safe. Have a blessed day. And don’t forget!
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Luke 1:37 NKJV
Until next time
Emily
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