glamour shots

from sunday to tuesday of this week i was on the freshman retreat, and miss ruby stayed at a cat boarding place near my house that i found online - great reviews, facebook page with cute pictures of the kitties - i was sold.

i arrive to drop her off and...so, you know how in a christmas carol scrooge is shown what the future will look like if he doesn't change his behavior?  i was shown my future.  the ladies who run the boarding place are crazy cat ladies who talk in baby talk to the cats (her: "ruby tuuuuuuesday!" while scratching ruby under her chin.  ruby: shocked face at me and inner dialogue of "who is this weird lady who is holding me??") and know all the cats' names (she introduced me to many cats as we walked back to ruby's crate) and ascribe human characteristics to them and take in any cat they find (they were bottle feeding 10 day old kittens when i arrived) and tried to pawn off kittens on me (her: "ruby tuesday needs a friend!  you could name her ruby monday!" me: "ummmm...").  but people: I TALK WEIRD TO RUBY.  I ASCRIBE HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS TO HER.  I COULD BECOME THEM!!!!  it was like the warning that scrooge got from the ghost of christmas future.  i can't become a crazy cat lady!!

when i got over the initial shock of these loony ladies, i decided that actually, you want crazy cat ladies running a cat boarding place.  they loved on ruby and she came back happy and no worse for wear.  she is going back there this weekend when i go out of town (one of my new friends invited me and several of her other friends to her parents' vacation house for the weekend!).  me, when picking ruby up: "do you have availability next weekend?  i know it's a holiday weekend...?" cat lady, immediately: "yes.  we'll take her." (then consults schedule to see if there is availability.)

the best part?  THE PLACE TAKES GLAMOUR SHOTS OF YOUR KITTY AND SENDS THEM TO YOU WHILE YOU'RE GONE.

email #1, received 5 hours after dropping ruby off:

Here are a few photos of Rubys first day at the 'Inn' And she is already on our Facebook page.
You relax. Miss Ruby is in good hands 
Herman: Staff Photographer

ruby has never looked so cute!

the next day, i get email #2, subject line "rubys first adventure":

Hi Momma Claire 
Here are some photos I think you might enjoy Ruby, by the way, is doing just fine. She goes around 'hissing' at the other kitties letting them know she is the Boss! She's a cat with 'Cat-a-Tude': That's my kinda'a kitty :) 
Herman: Staff Photographer

you cannot make this shit up.

please note the captions.

1. i ate these photos UP and loved getting them.
2. i will totally be bringing ruby back to this place.  duh.
3. ruby is famous and was on their facebook page twice.  she got some "likes."  i was so pleased.  HA. see: this is how you become a crazy cat lady!  it is so easy!  slippery slope!
4. THIS IS NOT A FANCY CAT BOARDING PLACE!  i feel the need to tell people that.  this is a normal place with average prices.  they are just loony cat people who love my kitty.
5. they have a staff photographer!?!?  (slash retired guy who needs to fill his time.)