Week 45: Kids and Kitties for one last week in Columbus

Project: Elementary School and Colony Cats

Actual Time Taken: 3 hours

It was our last week here in Columbus, and our last week is always a bit hectic. Between packing, finding a new place to live in the next city, and cramming all the things you meant to do before you left a city, I didn’t have enough time to hit all three places I’ve been volunteering here in Columbus. But the two I did get to were so much fun, and I’m so thankful that they were able to have me again!

I went back to visit my friend who teaches a class of autistic children at an elementary school in a Columbus suburb one last time. Her kids actually remembered me, which I didn’t expect, and one child said “Oh, the Lion King agaaaain?” when I walked in. I thought it was hilarious, replying that it was nice to see him too.

I didn’t have any coloring pages to bring, so I helped them with their afternoon activities on the iPad, played a few board games, made fun sand castles with some weird kinetic sand, and helped them with counting on the computer. I was so happy to see their completed Lion King gallery of watercolor works of art from the coloring pages I had brought them the last week. We had a great time, with one of them asking if I could “Come back in two days?” I replied that I so wish I could, and believe me, if I lived here, I would be in that class room every week. Those kids seriously stole my heart.

Their Lion King watercolor art gallery

On the way out I got to pop into the teachers bathroom and was amused by the sensation that was clearly left over from my own elementary school years- I wasn’t supposed to be in there- only teachers are allowed in the teachers lounge! Oooooo, I’m gonna tell!!! (Some things never change, huh?) Hanging on the wall in the stalls were adorable white boards for the teachers to ‘talk’ to each other, which I found hilarious.

Official teacher-bathroom ‘grafiti’

I also got to make one last trip to the Colony Cats, and I found that as I was cleaning, I kept looking out for that tiny little black kitten who was so in love with me last week.

A fully occupied cat-tree-apartment

I made my way though the various rooms in the colony, cleaning as I subtly searched for Mario. I felt like a girl at a school dance, hoping that the boy I had a crush on was there, but not being overt in my search for him.

No sign of Mario here in the nap room… (Who am I kidding- they’re all the ‘nap’ rooms)

As I went along I found evidence of the same shenanigans that my cat gets into at my house, including his fascination with rolls of paper, be it of the toilet or of the towel variety.

 

<– Paper towel and toilet paper rolls

just aren’t safe here… —>

I still couldn’t find my little friend, so I went next door to where they keep the ill cats in quarantine, for their own healing and to mitigate their contagion from spreading though out the population. Each cage had a tag attached to it explaining the cat’s ailment or background and some of them were absolutely heart breaking. Some were ‘surrenders,’ from owners who no longer wanted the cat, and some had serious illnesses, such as one kitten who was battling cerebal palsy.

  

  <— The quarantined kitties and their life stories —>

This side of the Colony was hard to see, but it was also really great to see what great care these cats are getting, even if they are being rescued while battling some kind of illness.

I looked high and low in both rooms of the Colony and couldn’t find the affectionate black kitten from last week. Finally, I asked one of the volunteers about his fate, and she cheerfully reported that he had been adopted out.

Mario is at some loving home somewhere in Columbus now. What a lucky family to have such a love bug!

Part of me was terribly disappointed- I had already decided that if he was still at the Colony I would take him home. But another part of me was relieved. We really don’t have room in our lives for another pet right now, and I was so happy to hear that he had found a forever home with a  loving family. I mean, who could blame them- he was the cutest, most affectionate cat I had ever seen! Of course he was adopted. So I heaved a heavy sigh, perked up at the thought of him having a good home, and finished up cleaning the Colony one last time.

Another super sweet kitty who needs a home!

I had such a great time volunteering at all the places I got to in Columbus- from petting bunnies to scooping litter to hanging out with some very special kids, Columbus was surprisingly fun for me, and I will definitely miss these very special non-profits when I leave at the end of the week!

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All pictures by me!

Week 44: The week I almost made a huge life mistake…. (Or Bunnies, Kitties, and Kids, oh my!)

Project (s): Ohio Rabbit Rescue, Colony Cats, and an Elementary School visit

Time Taken: 4.5 hours

I went for the Volunteering in Columbus trifecta this week by hitting three non-profits in seven days.

I really had my hands full this week. (See what I did there?)

I started the week off volunteering at the Ohio House Rabbit Rescue again by  socializing the bunnies, but this time I had backup. A couple of girls from the cast expressed interest in volunteering at the rabbit rescue with me, so I brought them along this week.

Volunteering is a serious business. Clearly.

Deidrea getting in some quality time with Snowball.

A total of four of us descended upon the Ohio Rabbit Rescue house that afternoon (trust me, it’s easy to round up people to pet bunnies for an hour) and spent a few hours petting, cooing, and giggling with the buns as they hopped around their pens happily. It was a win-win situation, for sure.

Our PT Dionne doing some good!

Cuddle time for Friar!

A few days later, I went to an elementary school where my friend teaches a special needs class. She has numerous assistants, but the more the merrier, so I came in for an hour at the end of a school day. I brought some Lion King coloring pages and we showed them the YouTube preview of the show, so they would understand why a strange lady showed up one day with coloring pages from an ‘ancient’ movie, as far as their five-year-old lives were concerned.

A preview on YouTube of our show, projected on their awesome SmartBoard.

(It’s a white board that you can interact with computer programs on! We live in the future!)

I had so much fun playing with the kids, helping them move from station to station around their classroom. Each student had their own schedule to follow each day, which kept them on task for this free hour at the end of the school day. My coloring pages became a station unto itself and the watercolors were broken out, which is a rare treat for them. When they were done, they got to tape up their works of art on the wall for all to see, and it was so great to see them add their creations one by one.

A few of their pieces of art.

To round out my week, I hit up the Colony Cats again. I started off this week cleaning the kitten room, which is exactly as heaven-like as it sounds- a room full of kittens, all clamoring for your love and attention.

Kittens, kittens everywhere!

These kittens were very determined to not have me work. One kitten thought the brush was a toy and dueled with me the entire time I was brushing his cat tree.

Hey. You. Human. Stop working and play with me.

After shooing away the first meddlesome kitten, I bent down for a hairball and I felt four paws land on my back. I looked up to find Rascal, an 8 month old orange tabby, who felt like going for a ride.

Giddy up human!

While I was de-velcrowing Rascal from my sweater, another kitten had decided that the paper towel roll was the perfect size to be his sparring partner, and I turned around to find him wrapped around the roll, chewing up the towels with abandon.

Not. Helpful.

Some kittys aren’t as meddlesome, but more lonely than anything. Certain cats just need some extra love, and they’re not afraid to ask for it.

Kitty climbing up my leg for loves.

Most of these persistent kitties go away after a few pets, but one kitten did something I’ve never seen before. I bent down to clean the base a cat tree when a tiny 7 month old black kitten named Mario walked straight up to me and literally climbed up my chest. He wrapped his two little paw on either side of my neck, nestled his face into mine, and I melted. I let him have a little snuggle time, but when I tried to put him down to finish cleaning, he proceeded to climb right back into hugging-position.

Hugz. I needs them.

“What are you doing??” I asked, slightly surprised. He was so in need of love and attention, he could not be deterred. I must have tried to put this kitten down about five times and five times he climbed me like a tree. At one point he realized that he could perch on my back as I cleaned, and decided that my back was where he wanted to stay for the rest of the time I was there.

 

Mario taking a snuggle ride.

I was fully in love. Phillip came by to pick me up and I showed him this tiny ball of love. He picked Mario up to see what all the fuss was about and the kitten promptly fell asleep in his arms.

Phillip is a popular napping spot for our furry kids too.

“We are taking him home.” Phillip declared with absolute finality.

We were so close to just throwing him in a box and walking out the door, but we forced ourselves to walk out of the Colony to clear our heads. But for a good hour or so, we were determined to get this cat.

Mario loved the aquarium and would take breaks from my shoulders to paw at the glass.

As the day wore on, however, our senses returned. We absolutely cannot adopt another soul at this point in our lives. We just got an RV that we aren’t totally settled in yet, we have a dog who was away for training and hadn’t even seen his new house yet, and we have a cat who absolutely abhors the sight of other members of his own species. I mean DESPISES them. It’s to the point where Copeland literally goes straight for the jugular of the offending cat upon sight.

Yeah. No way. Can’t do it.

I already have my hands full at home… we can’t adopt another one right now.

So I decided that we couldn’t get him.

…

(Unless he was still at the Colony next week….)

Love bug.

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All pictures taken by me!

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