New Friends

With the addition of a dog, we were off on our second adventure, this time with a sweet black retriever named, "Angel" (her full name is "Angel Muddy Paws"). Kokoro was getting comfortable on the volunteer sign in desk, when Angel came in. I was relieved to see, Kokoro calmly sit and observe the enthusiastic overgrown pup with the kind of disdain only a mature calm cool cat can have. (Normally the word "cool" doesn't come to mind when I think of my fluffy, rambunctious kitten.) Only two days into his second year and Koko really has become quite the little man cat. A confindent strut replaces the former goofy gait, our boy is all grown up.

We loaded up our traveling menagerie in to the white Humane Society van and drove off to Imperial Beach. As we entered the small converted house, now a day care facility, we were greeted by the aroma of home cooking. Ah lunch time, Kokoro and I both licked our chops. There were young and older people seated around what looked like a living room, socializing. In the back yard lunch was being served. Kokoro wanted to visit the back yard. Most everyone was happy to meet and pet our furry volunteers. Angel, who was also new to the P-AT program was a natural. She wanted to make friends with everyone. Koko, well he's a cat. The mere fact that he is a cat, seems to cut him a lot of slack. It was O.K that he was a little nervous, slightly aloof and well, cat like. He lived up to his rag doll breeding and was very laid back, at least in the house. As much as Kokoro loves to go out in our yard at home, he does not like to be out in new places. When I did go to the back yard, he'd get fidgety. He would lead me back into the house, every time I'd put him down. Fortunately people really get a kick out of watching a cat walk on a leash. So it was a win, win.

Most of the people at Los Casa de Sol speak Spanish. Angel also understands Spanish. Maybe I need to teach Koko to understand Spanish. One language my furry boy doesn't seem to have any trouble understanding is the one conveyed through the touch of a kind human and smiles. By the end of our visit  Koko even sat on a new friend's lap to pose for a photo.