As the pictures can attest, we've been getting quite a bit of late-season snow and ice. The barn kitties have enjoyed a bit of exploration, but by now they're like the rest of the animals - more than ready to see the advent of spring.

Peter has been stricken as of Friday with a bad UTI (urinary tract infection) and is at the vet's, on antibiotics and on and off with a catheter in to help drain him out. It appears to be a very ongoing

situation and he's currently on valium as well as antibiotics, the vets say, in order to further relax his urinary tract and enable the passage of what amounts to 'sandy urine'. Lots of uric acid crystals, apparently. He's been charming the vets with his friendliness, though, and when he's not on a catheter, he gets to roam freely with a few other cats accorded that privilege, as he plays well with others. This suits him fine and he comes looking for love regularly.


When he does come home, he will be a house kitty from now on, however; he'll have to be on a special diet. The vets are checking to see whether his diet and Omaha's have any overlap, as that will make feedings easier; how she'll handle the INTERLOPER will be determined whenever he gets here. The barn kitties, thus far, seem to be coping with his absence; less well are they coping with being kept indoors, although it's cold, wet and windy enough that they're not inclined to roam much, either.

Tonight we found a hypothermic ram lamb in a state of near-collapse. His wool was soaked and while he is still responsive, he was very weak. We've brought him inside and put him in the bathroom with a bowl of warm water and a separate bowl of sweet feed; he is tolerating being toweled off with the heat cranked up. We're debating whether or not to keep him under cover for the night and trying to keep him in enough sweet feed to generate energy without giving him bloat.

Either way, right now he is about as cooperative as he's ever likely to be in his life, lacking the energy to struggle or fight when we take pictures and towel him off. Look at those big brown eyes! Give him a few hours and he'll probably become too much trouble for us to be able to keep him inside, even though the odds are poor for his survival if we don't keep him in for at least 12 hours. Time, and fate, will tell.