Juliet

contd from yesterday...
Although she had slept through the night (which is more than I did!!) in the cosy darkness of my walk in bedroom cupboard, nestled in my woolly hat, and she managed the kitten bottle and so had her kitty milk breakfast, and then settled on me with a sort of novice purr,  I knew, after my wee-hours conversation with self,  that I can't look after her.  Not just because of Elizabeth, Caroline and Harry, but also that I simply cannot dedicate the amount of time needed for her safe survival - especially this week of vacation when the whole reason I have not gone home to the UK nor to my holiday home in Akbuk is specifically to stay here in Istanbul to write my masters' thesis. Originally due 4th September - already a deferred date and missed, partly due to the summer's political events - I now have the University's permission to submit by 13th November. And I simply must. I owe it to myself to succeed in this. So, late morning, I took kitty to my vet. Robin came with me. The vet pronounced the kitten to be female and healthy - which I already knew - and then I asked him the BIG QUESTION.... "can I leave her with you until she can feed herself?"  Being a wonderful man who has saved the lives of several campus cats I have taken to him over the years, he said yes, but perhaps a little reluctantly.  And so I left her, now named Juliet (as we found her on the balcony) equally reluctantly, with my woolly hat for her comfort and solace, while my comfort is knowing that she is in excellent hands... and yet already I miss her. Life is tenacious and this little thing, having lost her mom, was grasping at her chance for food and affection with all paws this morning. Bless. I will go visit - and have already advertised on Facebook to find her a forever home. 

Didn't risk trying to work in the school building this afternoon - who knows what or who would have turned up this time?! - but managed to get some writing done at home.  Harry went on a "playdate" with Mehtap, neighbour friend Caitlin's kitty, for several hours (supervised by Robin, thank you)  and came home totally exhausted. Yay. We might all sleep tonight.