Forever home?

As I visualized this blog I thought about “forever homes” because I wanted both my cats and my G4 Mac notebook to last forever. I was reminded that both my cats and my Mac came from abused situations.

When I sold my home and could no longer have a dog, I determined that I needed a cat and Crowley entered my life. He came from Denver Dumb Friends League. As we drove home, even as he cried all the way, I promised him that this would be his forever home. He cried for the next six months (still does 4 years later) and I thought getting him a friend would alleviate what I perceived as his loneliness so Pema, Siamese mix, entered our lives. She was a rescue cat as well, but feral. As she and I drove home, I made the same promise – this would be her forever home. There have been many times - thousands – when that promise seems rash. We continue today, two cats and a mom. Pema was abused, but has gradually come to trust me a bit and like Crowley curls up with me each night. Crowley was not abused, just abandoned. He is my lover cat – Pema the one who keeps us young.

My first Mac notebook was like the cats – rescued, like Pema abused, and with time we have gotten to be compatible. When I first got this Mac G4 laptop notebook - abused by an anonymous University of Denver student who had apparently thrown it out a window or perhaps it was stepped on at a party – I was recovering from computers that lost all value as I walked out of the store. This notebook still has dings and idiosyncrasies. The proprietor at the Mac store told me that he had reconditioned it and it would give me some years of good service. Today, six years later, I think I got a good deal.

The computer has traveled across the US a number times, always in my arms, accompanying me to Washington, Boston, New York City, Chicago, California, North Carolina while having its “home base” in the places I have lived: Colorado and now Pennsylvania. It still works just fine, but I can no longer get batteries so it become a desktop and our traveling together is ended.

The cats’ pictures were up on my iPhoto and everyone who wanted could see them as I emailed the pictures to everyone I knew, just as proud as any parent would. People come to visit and know the names of the two cats and when guests stay the night, the cats do them a huge favor by sleeping with the guest – just so they feel welcome in our home.

When this notebook first came to be mine, people used to come over and ask to see it – it sports an aluminum case, making it both light weight and durable. Now, six years later, people come to see it because, in our world of obsolete technology this is a relic and people don’t have a memory that goes far back. Getting “parts” (i.e., batteries) is difficult especially since I live in a world where the mall is at least one hour away, but the nearest MAC store is Harrisburg, about three hours south.

The cats remain central to my life, but the days of my G4 are numbered. Today or tomorrow, my new MAC notebook will arrive. Like the last one, I have selected a refurbished model. I am assured that it comes with the same care and innards as the new Mac Pro would. I saved over $100 by purchasing this used one and can put that money toward word processing software that is specific to Mac.

I hope in five years I like this new notebook as much as I love my cats. What a good bargain I have received from these adopted things.

Having cats and Mac notebooks is important to me as I do church in this rural area. Sometimes, I think isolated living is impossible but that is when God settles in my brain or on my shoulders or in my heart and reminds me that cats and computers and malls are nice but not critical to this life I am called to. I hope that God is as good to you in the things that enter your lives as she has been to me. Each day throughout my day, I give God thanks for the things in my life – cats, notebook, people, rain, warm weather and friends. Could life be better?

P.S. I hope you enjoy this comparison and that reading it lightens your day a bit.