rejected by the court, accepted by the cat

I was going to bed last night about this time when I looked at my email and was reminded that I needed to call in on jury duty.  Good thing I did as I was to report in the morning!

The courts ordered batch after batch of prospective jurors.  I was called to Department 32 on the 5th floor.  (I did a lot of stairs today - only took the elevator once)  They filled the jury box plus at least 12 more plus the rest of us completely filled the audience portion of the room.  Jury selection took all day.  They finally swore in the alternates and released the rest of us around 4:30pm.  I was surprised they didn't have to let off more prospective jurors for hardship as they expect this case to last all of September.  But my jury duty is done and I cannot be called for another 18 months. 

I don't mind jury duty. I am grateful for our justice system and citizen jurors are a vital part of it.   I think the judicial process is interesting and I have almost always been impressed with the jurors with whom I have served and their desire to discover truth and serve justice.  I think I am a reasonably good, fair-minded juror.  However, I am not entirely heart-broken at not being selected.

I was decidedly anxious today.  As I realized that this jury selection was going to take quite a while, I began to worry about getting to Animal Care Services on time to pick up the Happiness Twins.  I sent a note to the judge asking to be allowed to leave at 4, but she didn't deem it necessary.  She said that we were going to adjourn at 4:25 anyway.  But we didn't.  It was 4:30 ish when they sent us rejects back to the juror's room to sign out and get our attendance verification.  The line was long and the guy in  front of me had parked in the wrong place and was having concerns about getting a ticket.  worry worry worry

I got to the shelter minutes before 5.  In fact when I got home there was a concerned message on the machine worrying about whether I was going to come.  Flower is still waiting for adoption, but they said I was there too late to do adoptions and I realized that we don't know where her place of sanctuary could be.  So, we must wait and think about this a bit.

A gal brought out two cardboard cat carriers showing plenty of signs of life.  The girls were recovering nicely from their surgery.  When they spay the kitties, they put a small green tatoo in the surgery area so that if a vet wonders if they have been spayed there is external proof! 

When I put the Felicia and Felicity in the Den of Happiness, they both looked naturally nervous - especially as Anna had sniffed at their carriers already and was nosing outside their door.  Felicia hid.  Felicity wanted attention. She likes to be petted! She would try to stand up on her hind legs to be petted, then fall down - I don't think the anesthesia had worn off - but it didn't discourage her.   Felicia came out after a bit, but kept her distance even when looking for something to play with.

Later the guys and I took Joseph's computer in the Den of Happiness to watch an episode of Once Upon A Time (leaving Andrew's friends playing Magic in the family room).  Felicia hid the entire time.  Felicity demanded lots of attention.  She loves to have her head rubbed. She moved from lap to lap to lap, briefly tried to get on Andrew's back or shoulder, climbed boxes, roved the floor.  She would get on a lap and into a comfy snuggle position - for maybe a second or two - then be on the move again.   I don't see how we are going to keep her from running and jumping for a week or more while her stitches heal.  She batted at a plastic bag of craft stuff.  Tried to climb on unstable piles.  She is going to be a lively little handful.  Suddenly she discovered her tags (she has a name tag, a license and a rabies tag, I think)  Such contortions as she tried to paw at them and bite them.  No way can she bite them as they are right under her neck, but she tried.  Felicity is a funny, crazy, attention loving little girl.  She is also one who wants to help you with the computer (and will get in the way of or on your books, no doubt)

Felicia is shier, more cautious and is going to take a little longer to get to know.  I hope that Felicity's growing confidence helps her, but somebody was hissing at her sister when we said good-night.  It's been a hard day for these girls.

I had bribed Anna with a ham bone because she was upset at being shut out - jealous and curious and somewhat vocal about it.  The ham bone kept her happy for maybe half the show.  Then she was at the door sniffing, whining and sometimes barking, then running around to the folding doors at the back.  Felicity approached the door and moved away several times.  When we had the door open with just the baby gate in place, she went right up to it and looked out.  Seeing Anna in the front room with the bone, she scooted back but then returned.  Later when we were leaving, she came up to the baby gate with Anna  right there. Anna was actually very good just then.  She crouched down and was quiet. Felicity did a bit of growly thing, but she also put her paws on the baby gate, before she retreated again.  I think in time, these two will really be friends.

Joseph expects Velox to bite him tonight for spending time with other cats.