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Monday, January 29, 2018

Becoming Boone...Part #1

Each of us have a story to tell…

Last summer I taught a workshop at Cheap Joe's Art Stuff in Boone, North Carolina. It’s one of my favorite places to teach for many reasons. The people are warm and friendly, the country is beautiful and I get to spend time with a very dear friend, Joe Miller (the one and only Cheap Joe). I had the best week ever! One of those weeks we hope for as teachers. My students were eager to learn, positive, nurturing to their class mates, funny, creative…and above all, inspiring women. I came away with a full heart.

The next day Mike and I packed up and started our drive to Tennessee. We planned on arriving in Knoxville within a few hours and would join our son and family for dinner. About 100 miles into the trip we stop to have lunch at a sandwich shop along the interstate. We sat outside in the warm Tennessee air. Within seconds a small kitten appeared. He had been hiding under a boat trailer in the parking lot. He ran to my husband and wrapped his little body around his ankle. It was obvious the kitten was alone and not cared for and blind in one eye. I was very concerned about touching him because he was obviously sick. But Mike was already petting, scratching and comforting the kitten. He was starved to be touched. His desire to be touched was greater than his want for food. 

I started making phone calls looking for a facility that could help him. I found a humane society and animal shelter. I picked up the kitten and we got in the car and I waited for all hell to break loose!!! The odd thing is the little kitten didn’t get excited at all…he just wanted to lay his head on my feet. I’ve never had a cat not go wild in a car! We drove 30 minutes to the nearest animal shelter. They turned us away. Why? Because we weren't residence of that county. No kidding! But the kitten was found in their county. Didn’t that matter? No! They gave us another number to call. That shelter turned us away too. They already had 400 cats that needed homes. At this point we were sitting in the car trying to figure out what to do. And now the little kitten needed to go potty. I got out of the car and put him on a little plot of grass in the shade. Immediately a sad sick cat came out of the bushes towards us. Oh NO! People were leaving sick and abandoned animals outside the shelter! 

What were we going to do? We had a sick kitten, family waiting in Tennessee and a plane flight home to California in 4 days. I called my son in Tennessee and said we had a “small” delay and we’re running a few hours behind…and by the way do you have a 24 hour animal hospital near you?

Next we drove to the nearest pet supply store and got a litter box, food, water, bowls, flea drops, flea comb, a couple toys.


And this is where his story begins…The story of Becoming Boone. 

Be sure not to miss Part 2...it's my favorite! Add your email address to the "Subscribe" box, it's located in the right column, on the top.

Happy Adventures!
Brenda & Boone



37 comments:

  1. I can hardly wait for the next installment! Precious Boone. ~Kellsey

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  2. Oh...I LOVE this story Brenda. You were in my neck of the woods. NC. And I grew up in Knoxville. My daughter is a Vet Tech at an emergency clinic here in Raleigh. It is a shame that they wouldn't help you....but I have hopes for a happy ending. We now have 4 kitty cats as my daughter brings her work home with her.��

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    1. Thank you! I love your line "my daughter brings her work home with her." She loves her work!!

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  3. Brenda, thank you for this lovely little story of Becoming Boone. A happy threesome Mike, you and Boone. Boone is a beautiful, sweet critter. Many happy years together.

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  4. Yippee! Boone's Story ! So happy Boone found the bestest home with you and Mike.

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  5. Awww...happy and sad at the same time. :-) LOVE these watercolors!

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  6. OMG! Look at that sweet face! Don't you just want to kiss it? You wouldn't be telling us this story, Brenda, if it didn't have the happiest of endings, so I'm looking forward to Part 2.

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    1. It's hard not cuddle him...all the time. He is soooooooo soft!

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  7. I so love this sweet kitty story. It warms my heart on a cold, rainy winters night! Thank you....

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  8. What a beautiful kitten. I hope you have many happy years with him/her.

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  9. Oh what a cute furbaby. I can't wait for part-2 of this story.

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  10. What a poignant story, Brenda. I, too, love Cheap Joe's (daughter went to college in Boone) and we have a rescued orange tabby, but I especially love the road sign. I have a saying I'm known for, "Trust the detours." This came from a number of travel incidents that offered up gift after gift. It's taught me to indeed, relax, breathe and trust the detours of all kind. I've shared your post to the cat rescuers in my family and we all await "the rest of the story."

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    1. Oh my gosh!!! We are are on the same wavelength! So much of what happened during those days changed my heart. God put us on a detour that healed my heart in only ways HE can. The tour was a gift. ~Hugs

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  11. Boone will be forever grateful for your kindness and compassion. He may even be the cat of a lifetime, who knows?
    I'm so glad you took him with you.

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    1. He is like no other creature I have ever known! A gift!

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  12. Wonderful story Brenda! I just know it will have a good ending and can’t wait to hear it. I love cats and have always had one, or more, near me!!!

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  13. Thank you for having an open and loving heart.

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  14. Boone really is a purfectly timed gift from God for you all. I love this Brenda. Thank you. Dale & Dave

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    1. I'm glad I get to share his story and adventures!

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  15. Thanks for mentioning Joe's book you bought, "Joe's Journals." I went to his site and bought the set of 3. They sound great! (Thrice Told tales and Old Water Colorists Never Die They Just Wet Their Sheets) :o}

    Again, I know Boone and his companion kitty (forgot the name) are ordained of God just for you. Faithful Father God. Love.

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  16. Oh my...sweet Boone.
    I know he'll be in your sketchbook soon if not already!

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    1. Ginny, You know me well! Yes...Boone has found his way into ourselves and into the pages of my sketchbooks!

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  17. Oh boy! I think we have a lucky winner! Did little Boone courageous approach to the humans pay off? Did he find his ticket out of misery and a potential very short life? I hope so..... :-)

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  18. Brenda, I'm so glad you kept Boone and nursed him to health! Where would he be if you didn't? He's such a pretty cat. Just read part 2 and so glad you changed the way you were going to travel. Ah! You are my kind of people!

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  19. I finally stopped crying... I rescued our current furry baby and Boone looks very much like a little kitten that I had a love affair with for 6 months before the road took him. Monster kitty looked a whole lot like Boone. What a wonderful story to share with us! Thank you, safe trip home and looking forward to the next page in this story.

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  20. I'm sorry for the sad tears...
    Sending hugs, Brenda

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  21. Oh my I just finished reading about Boone Part 1 and 2...what a GREAT story! Your writing really keep me engaged in the story!! I really enjoyed this so much!! You and your husband are such an amazing couple and Boone is so blessed to have you guys in his life❤️

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