Here Kitty Kitty Kitty!

A couple of nights ago, my husband called me into the bathroom on the far side of the house.

Shh, listen! Do you hear cats?

uhmmm, OMGosh! Yes I do! They must be outside, fighting!

Sure enough, a couple of big cats seemed to be doing that territorial cry. I just shooed them away, and carried on.

We have heard them a couple of times, but I thought nothing more of it. I figured Figuro, the big orange cat that lives next door, must be trying to maintain his territory. Although, Sergio & I sometimes swear it sounds like it is right under us.

Today, I thought about it and told Sergio we should check the vents & crawl space doors to see if any cats got in. When I got home from work I found a poster taped up on our light post with the face of a cute little missing house cat. I called. They ran over. After calling Cali Cat (the female decawed house cat that got out) unsuccessfully. We (the neighbor missing the cat & his son) did manage to chase a HUGE gray cat out from under the house.

BUT that was just one cat from one crawl space. You see, my house has two crawl spaces, the second from an addition to the house. Over on the other side of the house, I have another cat under the house in the crawl. GREAT BIG, MAYBE A MAINE COON? I don't know big darn cat that has no intention of moving. Did I mention he/she is really big? I can't convince my neighbor to take this one, to replace their missing cat. They kindof thanked me, and we will continue to look. I will continue to monitor activity for Cali Cat.

So, now I am worried about this HUGE cat that has managed to get in my crawl space.

I go in. I gotta rescue it!

So in I go!

Luckily, we have the kind of crawl spaces that are dry, has a nice vapor sheet covering pea gravel, and, ahhhh, electricity with light switches!

I'm good with that. Pleased I find NO bugs, rodents, etc (well, jeez, what do I expect? This big cat has been eating something!). The cat stares at me without blinking. The cat doesn't move a muscle, yet I hear growling......

I'm in on my hands and knees trying to sweet talk this uhm, tiger? Suddenly I realize the growling & hissing is coming from my left! Opposite of Cujo Cat. FIGURO! The other neighbor's big yellow cat, and he is PISSED. I get around him realizing he is territorial over this other cat or scared shitless and trying to act tough. I get my back to the wall and try to get the cats to run out the opened crawl access door. I shoo Figuro with my big ole flashlight and he bats at it angrily instead of running FROM me, he darts toward the other corner and Cujo Cat Tiger chases him up into the rafters/ floor beams whatever they are! Now these cats are deeper under my house!

Meanwhile, above me, I can hear my dogs FREAKING out! They hear the cats, me, OUR cats, whom have decided to "talk" back at the cats under the floors, and an occasional, "Knock it off!" from Sergio, who is on a business call instead of trying to keep me from losing a limb to a Ferrel cat (actually he doesn't know I am under the house at this point, although he did here the neighbor under there!

Now, that I know Figuro is involved, I run to those neighbors to get them to help me. The teen daughter joins me under the house, and eventually her father also comes over (but not under the house~ cat allergies!)

For now, we have given it a rest. I left the door open for them to run out (not a great idea as it is cold and our bedroom (the area this situation is) has gotten chilly as well. So, I put the door back on, but it's leaning so they or at least the BIG CAT can retreat out. Figuro will come when he knows its safe and he wants back in at his house.

Lets just hope I don't wake to even more cats under there in the morning!

Spirit In The Sky

Robert Dale Tribby
1958-1998

This photo is of my favorite cousin (sorry girls!) Robbie and his wife Donna. They lived in California at the time. A very free spirited, simple, loving and gentle life there during the late seventies early eighties. They also had the pleasure of life in Vermont, as well as Tennessee.

When we were little, Rob, and two of his sisters, lived in Indiana. I was little but remember them moving away. Texas was so far, but at least I had other family there so I knew we would still see each other. In Houston, he was blessed with yet another little sister. Rob was all boy. He teased us girls all the time and we loved it. Julie & Leann were always trying to join in on the corrupted fun, but poor Rob always got in trouble when they'd get caught.

Rob's life was always torrid. His relationship with his father was unthinkable. He tried for so long to please, then he rebelled. Things only worsened for him.

When he was a young teenager he came up to Indianapolis to give life a whirl. His father left him on the Interstate with a point of the finger as to the direction to Indianapolis from Houston. Rob hitched rides till he arrived. He moved around alot. I was four years younger than Rob, so I only got parts of the stories, but I never understood, why on earth, my cousin did not live with us, my other Aunt & Uncle, my Grandparents or his other Aunts & Grandparents. He mostly lived in what was called a half-way house for run-aways. He would stay with us for weekends but return during the weeks. He also tried to go back "home" to Houston a few times. Whenever he did stay with us, Julie and I were thrilled. We thought of him as our big brother. We loved him madly.

I understand Rob was, well, a rebel. He didn't follow rules too well. He smoked, he drank and he did a few drugs. Such were the seventies for a lonely, confused, angry young man.

He found his way to a Commune, in Tennessee. There he found a new way of life. Say what you will about Communes, this place was a bit of Heaven on Earth for him. There, he was loved. I remember my sister and boyfriend (now husband) going to see him. She must have been 17 or 18. I was so afraid she would stay and never come back! She did. She was able to explain his way of life to me and I was glad he found this place. This is where he found Donna.

From there they moved to Vermont, then settling in California. Rob & Donna had two beautiful sons. He was so good at keeping in touch. And keeping us in his life.

I am not sure why, but Rob got restless with his peaceful life and journeyed back to Indianapolis. He kept in touch with his family in California but chose to start a new life back in Indy.
For the next 10 years, Rob would try to find himself. He was an extremely smart man. He was never afraid to try new things and was a true Jack of all Trades. He meet a new love, had another son and was living his life the best way he knew. I loved having him at all our family gatherings. He was funny, he was like a mini-Tom (my Dad).

Rob fought many demons and depression. He always wanted to please and make others proud. I don't know if he will ever know how deeply he touched our lives. I see his smile everywhere. I hear his laugh. I feel his presence.

Rob died one evening over 11 years ago. It was a great loss. He is deeply missed. I try to keep his memory alive. His spirit is all around.

Today was Rob's birthday. Today Rob would have been 51. He died when he was only 39.

He will always be The Spirit In The Sky to me. This is Rob's song.

Julie, Leann, Shari, Janet, Jamie and I miss you, Rob.
My folks do. My husband and daughters do. We all do.