wlvjan1 Happy New Year Everyone wlvhny

May 2012 be a good year for you all

Bliadhna Mhath Ur to all in this Village

May 2012 be all you wish it to be

Happy New Year good health and happiness in 2012...

To the best Village ever: Happy New Year!!!

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to l an all here n across the pond

au ra very best fur 2012 and many many thanks Pete for all u do fur oor wee village

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! I hope 2012 will be everything you could hope for.

Best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous 2012. May the weather be temperate, the eggs hatch, our health and that of our companions (both animal and human) be strong, and may we all lift our voices in song around our separate Christmas trees during the next Christmas season.

Sleep well, Friends. New Year's blessings on all of you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM NOVA SCOTIA AS 2012 COMES IN Was next door for a few hours, Fireworks over the Harbour be getting underway in a few minutes. Have been watching the stage show on TV from Parade Square in Halifax. It's 8C out there tonight & the rain has finally stopped. The band on TV are dressed in suits, no winter gear required tonight. Am going out on the deck to watch the fireworks. See everyone tomorrow. Phyl & Martha turn over the year in the next hour. Then it will be Susan, Skay & Marjorie's turns. All the best to all

Liz - . Happy New Year 2012!!!!!

Happy New Year 2012 to all. Wishing everyone a year of peace and wishing all ospreys a safe journey to their nests.

Oops, posted on yesterday's post. Oh well, wishes are still the same.

Liz May, what a tragedy for the fire to strike so many homes. The good news is all the residents made it out and no firemen hurt. Sad for the loss of pets.

Good night.

Ok, I know I wished everyone a Happy New Year earlier, but now that it is officially 2012 for me, I just wanted to say again that I hope everyone has a great new year!
Happy New Year Martha if you are still awake!

Good morning all, happy first day of the New Year to you all.

PETE - your solo of Auld Lang Syne was word perfect and without any echos.

We are off to Weymouth and hopefully will also see the starlings, thank you Mrs Esse for all the directions, we have printed them off.

I hope everyone has a lovely day.

TTFN xx

Nan and OH have sent us a beautiful New Year card, thank you both........

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Happy New Year again.
Just looked out the bedroom windows - looks much the same as last year - dreich

Good Morning to you All
I hope not too many sore heads this morning!
Safe journey Sandy and Mr S. Enjoy the starlings too.
Just sat an hour with a cup of tea and my thoughts of the year gone. A tear and a smile. Some of it was tough , some of it not so.
EILEEN We didn't hear from you. I hope all is well. JILLR and SHEONA A Happy Year is wished to all of you.
We just might start the day with a walk??
BBL

NAN and OH A Beautiful Greetings card.....Thankyou.

Nan and OH - thanks for the card.

Off to work in 20 minutes. Back later.

What's this - it ISN'T raining. No big puddle outside the back door. Mind dare not try and walk on the grass.

Don't forget to eat your black-eyed peas today.

A very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year to everyone. xxxx

Goodmorning all and Happy New Year once again now we are all in 2012.
May I wish everyone what they would wish themselves.
Hope everyone travelling has a safe journey.
Sandy I hope you get to see the starlings.
Carol enjoy your walk.
Must off and do some preparations as I'm feeding 9 this afternoon.

Now late morning

Best wishes to our overseas friends coming here as their own New Year dawned. A much, much better year: can feel it in my bones.

To prove that...it's not raining yet. That'll do. We might actually get a NY walk this year before the boys take over the kitchen here and prepare a special NY menu whilst I sit by the fire with a good book and a glass of good red

Hope your own day goes well, whatever you have planned

Morning All. Hope no one is feeling to delicate this morning.
Pete forgot to say last night, first class solo, would be nice to have a male voice in the choir
Noticed you even sung acapella. Well done that man.
Have a wonderful day everyone however you choose to celebrate the start of 2012.

May I wish you all a happy and health year. With lots of sunshine and lots of osprey and chicks to watch. Plus of course plenty of new life in all the other web cams we watch.

As they say in this part of the world "lang may yur lum reek"

Nan & OH finally got your card to open. Beautiful card and just love that music
Thanks and best wishes to you both.

Morning. Rain stopped long enough for us to troll round Towneley Park. The birds were singing as if they knew it was new years day. awaiting a toasted teacake and sausage sandwich in the cafe. Life is good.

HOpe everyone enjoys their day whether out and about, or indoors with or without friends and family, the improtant thing is for you to be happy in yourself
The word RAIN is off limits today as we are starting the New Year on a happy note
Thaks for card Nan , that one was just made for you and your swans

Morning all
Happy New Year and all the best for 2012 to everyone I missed last night.
Nan Thank you for your New's Year's card.
Sandy Hope you get to see the starlings.
Anne Sounds a good day for you. A NY walk and then being able to take it easy while the men do the meal.
Marjorie Good to hear from you. Have a great year after the stresses of 2010/11.
Mrs Esse

Sorry folks - I slept through the celebrations last night! I'm on my 3rd cold of the winter and coughing hard now.

I wish everyone a very happy new year with less of the awful weather for Scotland and fewer illnesses for everybody.

Looking forward to the return of the ospreys!

Home just in time as the heavens opened. Not going out again
NAN and OH lovely card, thank you.
JILLR sorry to hear you are collecting colds. Get well soon

Jill sorry you are suffering another cold. Keep warm and cosy and be kind to yourself.

Morning all and a guid New year to everyone. Even to the person I am seeking out whose text sms call made at 11.53 when I was awake, reached me at 1am when I was asleep, could not find the phone and had to do detective work on 1471, still no idea who sent it, automated voice message reader. Whose mobile ends in 1111? coming to get you!!
Sun is wonderful here. Vienna NY concert showed another memory, the Achensee bahn, my first ever holiday abroad when I was 15. My life is flashing past me, what portent is that then?
At the bells when the fireworks started (again ) I rushed out of bed and stood outside but nearly fell over with sleep, got back in bed again fast, have not missed them for years, is this the way things wil be for the future? a sherry at 10 pm llike when I was a teenager with my parents (in England) and off to bed?

May it be sunshine all the way this year for all of you
Going to inspect my roof now for damage by explosives!!!!!!!
Had not realised how spaced out emoticons make a message.....

Happy New Year to one and all. Wishing an enjoyable day to everyone.
Been enjoying New Year's Day Vienna concert - always special.
Nan and OH - thank you for your delightful swan card.
Kath and Carol - glad you got out for walks this morning. It is a beautiful sunny day here so enjoying that. Might get walk in before daughter and Partner pop in.
Jill - sorry to hear about your fresh cold dose. Hope it disappears fast!
Sandy - hope you get to see the starlings display and achieve car mission
Marjorie - hope life is good for you just now.
Anne - great start to the New Year! Enjoy your relax with good book and glass of red while dinner is prepared! Sounds good to me!
Cas - hope you have the sunshine too! Love to you and the boys!
To all my friends in the village - thinking of you all at the start of 2012. Happy days ahead anticipating osprey watching. Let the countdown to March begin!!

Dyfi Osprey Project
A male osprey with a ring White YC visited the Dyfi nest several times in 2011. He was a three year old, hatched in the Glaslyn nest 30 miles north of the Dyfi in 2008. Will he come back in 2012.....?

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Thanks for the link Pete. Food for thought indeed......
Been revisiting some of the Dyfi videos ........ Can't bring myself to dwell on Leri too much though....

Dunedin male preening. (He is always preening)

FFRC Tonight at around 9pm our time (4pm Ohio) the chatters have a surprise for Jacci.

Well it's 2012. We made it to another year The starlings are in mass at my feeders & fighting amongst themselves just like usual. Nature doesn't know it's a new year, just another day of food searching to them. & survival. Susan You & Martha have mentioned black eyed peas. What is the origin of that tradition? Anne Sounds like a good, relaxing day in store for you & starting with no rain It doesn't get much better than that, does it? Enjoy your book. Nan Thanks for the card. It made a lovely start to the day especially when we know how fond of the swans you are. Cas You are so right when you speak of "being happy in your own skin." That's what it's all about. Did you manage to have the cats in last night before the fireworks? Mine were but startled when the first one went off anyway. Sandy Enjoy the starlings. Hope they really put on a show for you. Marjorie Great to hear from you last night . All good wishes for you this year. JillR Glad to hear someone besides me slept through the New Year. I have been known to pull that one off Take care of that cold. Nuphar Hope you tracked down the midnight texter. They meant well I'm sure. Just didn't bank on the delay. Hope there isn't any roof damage from the firework. Pete Thanks for the clip from Dyfi. Surely YC will return this year to breed in his 3rd year. It will make for an interesting spring for us all. Are you going to start a count-down for osprey arrivals this year? It would help to while away the rest of the winter.

Ma & Pa on perch at Dunedin

2 ospreys at EL Hondo yesterday:

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Surely the two osprey have made this their winter home. Thanks EJandODIN

Good day, Villagers,

Anne--So glad to read that your weather is better and that you will have a meal prepared for you while you rest. A good beginning to a better year....

Jill-I hope your cold is better soon.

Susan--my black eyed peas have been soaking overnight. I'll put them on to cook in a bit with some ham and onions. We'll also add turnip greens and stewed tomatoes to the meal for extra luck.

Liz--Here's a link explaining why Southerners eat black eyed peas on New Years.

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Nan and OH--thanks for the beautiful card. I love the Lawson site. I sent my grandson an Advent card from there and he had fun for a month with it.

I'm off to do the morning chores. It's nice here right now, but we're supposed to get some colder weather early in the week. It's time to begin putting out the suet for the birds again.

Managed out for a bracing walk. Freezing cold wind but it stayed dry for us Heavens opened after we had arrived home to nourishing bowl of broth. A very good start

Liz: - sorry that so much of your old building has been lost. It must have been hard for you to watch
Jill - good to hear from you though sorry that you have yet another cold. Maybe some of our bracing air would help??
Martha - a good beginning to a better year, indeed. Hope it is also a better year for all here who have had worries during 2011. Thank you for your summation thoughts last night. They were beautiful. Ah, that explains black eyed peas

One very good piece of news from here: "vicarious liability" legislation now in force

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One very sad piece of news from US re demise of Whooping Crane #6-05

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Excellent news Anne, on the vicarious liability and your walk.

Male osprey on perch at Dunedin has been getting upset about something over the past few minutes. Mantling and screaming at something.

Very difficult to get video there: just when I set video up - someone moves the camera view Yes, usually to the golf course Got couplf of short videos: will post later

Are you ready for this revelation, my friends? Gossip about Derek the Rev? Well, more like a laugh. I awoke form a deep sleep at 2.30 this morning because D the R my dearly beloved had a handful of my hair and was pulling it for all he was worth. When I asked this morning what the heck he had been dreaming about he explained...I'll leave that to him.
Aha, his inner cave man will out.
For those few who have met me, you will know that getting a handhold of my very short hair is, in itself, an achievement!
A very happy new year to all and wildlife watching.
Cathie C

Not Guilty - your honour.Anyway I plead the headaches.
and I won't do it again!

Ooh who'd a thought it? Hope he wasn't bellringing

Happy New Year to you all.
Here's to a great year in 2012, with lots of ospreys and chicks. Hopefully I will be able to visit Lowes in July when I am over for a family wedding.
I'm also looking forward to a 10 day holiday in February, in Jamaica with my husband. We are getting along great, and things are looking good.
This winter has been very mild so far, with very little snow. Not even enought to build a
Its only minus 8 this morning, and we are to get temperatures above freezing again this week. Sorry to hear about the recent gales and rain over there.
Best wishes to you all
Sheona

SHEONA Such good news for you. I am so pleased. Enjoy it all. You so deserve it. A Very Happy New Year to you and yours.

Carol - Thank you for your kind thoughts. We are working towards reconciliation, and hopefully can work things out. I am so happy after having such a difficult year in 2011.

Love the protective story , Derek, the very best. You have been watching the kittycam too much and they have escalated in size and ferocity.

Hi everyone, hope you have all had an enjoyable afternoon. We are quiet and squared away after eating early today. I made gypsy tarts and they were very popular. We ate a big meal between 1.30 and 3 -3.30 and OH has just asked about tea
Thanks for the Dunedin pictures and vidoes.
Sheona glad to hear things are going well for you and that you are taking time to work things out. Holiday in Jamaica sounds great and will be really good if you can get to Loch of the Lowes this year.
Derek, protector of the family.
Anne glad you managed your walk.
Off to have a look at cams.

Sheona - good to hear from you and to hear you happier. Your 2012 should be better too
Nan - can you not tell OH he's had his tea?

Lots of wingercising and scratching/shuffling at Phoebe's nest just now

Lengths of branches in the gully tonight, didn't see them arrive.
Huge rat at Caerlaverock or is it an otter cub? Has back up movement.

Anne he's forgotten the soup, steak pie, pudding, company etc but never forgets a meal time. Thinks he may be able to wait until about 6.

Sheona - great news for you and your husband. Sounds like lots for you to look forward to in 2012! Delighted for you! All best wishes.

Daughter and partner had a great time skating today in Princes Street Gardens before visiting us. Enjoyed seeing the videos of them skating. Had some mulled wine and festive bites with them before they set off visiting. Steak pie is the order of the day for us shortly with assorted veg - always traditional on New Year's Day like so many. We are also having Christmas pud though with brandy butter!
LIZ - so sorry to hear the news of the fire at your old building. Devastating for all concerned

Badger arrived at Caerlaverock.

Anne So far,so good. Tomorrow is the big day ! Twins arrive with arms & baggage.

Here today we have 14°,dull and gray. Perpignon 18° ... KRAAZY weather..
This time of year we should have a foot of snow,or more...

dinnertime..

Rutland AW now settled on the River Lobo in the Ivory Coast:

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Evening all.
Our turn now. Been pouring with rain since about 11AM. Everywhere getting very squelchy and plenty of large puddles on the roads over to Dad's this afternoon.
JillR Sorry to read that you have another cold. Hope it is better soon.
Pete Thanks for the link to the Dyfi video. Good of them to produce more video's now to remind us of last summer.
Liz May Must be very sad for you to see your old building destroyed by fire. Feel very sorry for all the people now made homeless but at least everyone got out safely. Very sad about the pets though.
EJandODIN Thanks for the El Hondo updates. Would have thought they would stay there now for the winter.
Anne Great to see you got your walk in before it rained. Good news about 'vicarious liability' coming in to force. Just wish the fine could be a lot higher but the threat of imprisonment might make them take more care.
Very sad news about the whooping crane.
Sheona Really great news from you. I sincerely hope that everything works out for you. Enjoy your trip to Jamaica and hope you can make it to Lowes in July.
Carmac Have a great time with the twins.
Mrs Esse

I just got this as part of an email from my cousin in Alabama (two states east of me). I thought it was interesting. He has a new house and is just learning the ways of the wildlife near him.

The weather will be changing soon. I've got the best foul weather forecasters---turkey vultures. 75-100 roost up the road as one of their migratory stops. When the weather is turning for the worse, not as many stay. They circle and land about 3:30 each afternoon and head out 8-ish when the thermals from the creek provide lift. If the weather is turning bad within 24-36 hours, they circle about 3:30 as usual but don't land. Instead, they catch a late thermal and head south. This morning about 6:30, they were headed south in large groups...not a good sign.


Our grandfather used to stand on the front porch each evening and forecast the next day's weather. Maybe Cousin Tom got the weather gene.

Martha, those are big birds to get 75 - 100 roosting together.

Carmac, hope you are well rested and ready for the twins

I have been cheering on all you busy people today (and wondering if I could have stood your pace) and have really enjoyed my very quiet sunny peaceful time which started with cheery greetings from Oregon, peeking in the village, real coffee, Vienna Concert, fruit, nuts and nibbles, haggis, and now I am blissed/blessed by watching 'Lewis', early night and content. Good beginning. I hope you all go to bed feeling very satisfied about part or all of the day and excited about the future, you just NEVER know what lovely things might turn up right out of the blue, I certainly did not expect my overshoot of fireworks.

Ones for the New Year

What did the grape say when the elephant stood on it?

What does Santa suffer from is he gets stuck in a chimney?

Answers later.

No 2, Claustrophobia or is that too eaasy?Anne. like your No: one

We are on the ball tonight
1 - He said nothing just gave a little wine.

2 - Claustrophobia.

Well done.

Derek

NUPHAR Good to read that your new year has started well and brought you contentment. Long may it continue.

Branches gone at Martin Mere. Two beaver swimming lengths.
Quiet at Caerlaverock.

Hi Nan Have you recovered from your nine for lunch? Hope you are having a rest.

Carol think I dozed off listening to the Vienna Philharmonic
Just had my friend on saying how much she enjoyed her meal and the children's company. The three year old was sitting beside her at the table and they got on really well together.

SEE FFRC

NAN Nothing wrong with a doze

A mouse scurrying around at Caerlaverock.
Badger on the bank.

FFRC, Brilliant. They managed to sell every square of floor before Carrie arrived to tell Jacci.

Beaver out on the bank.

Can't get Hellgate cam, but the horses are out grazing at Dunrovin.

Watched the surprise for Jacci. That was fantastic gesture from all the chatters.
Mrs Esse

Well being up until after midnight with poor Sponge cat (he was hiding under the coffee table) has caught up with me. see you tomorrow.

Evening greetings to the village - I hope everyone is having a good start to 2012

Sleep well Kath

Ohhh...heavy snow So glad we got out today CalMac have just warned of probably ferry cancellations Tues/Wed due to next set of gales

Oh well. Snow we can cope with (will send some to Phyl in a big parcel) More gales normal for this time of year. I am still optimistic about this year's being miles better than 2011

Goodnight Kath, sleep well (missed your going while I was still typing)

KATH Good night Sleep well

Aww...getting dark at Dunedin but male osprey still standing guard on perch This is going to be a wonderful camera/camera set to watch in coming months

Thank you again, Alan, for heads-up on this one

Anne - will gladly take the snow. We had 7C today - birds and squirrels were enjoying the warm weather.

Kath Sleep well.

Anne Sorry to hear that the weather not getting any better yet. Did you manage to see how much damage was done last week, hopefully not much.
Mrs Esse

Night Kath, sleep well.
Hello Phyl, hope you have had a good start to 2012.

Hello Nan - has been a lovely day. We went for a walk around the island and watched the ducks playing in the cove.

Anne Good to see that Bitsy is still there. Have you seen the Badger lately?
Mrs Esse

Fox briefly at Caerlaverock
Beaver still swimming lengths.

Happy Day....that is generic for having a happy day each and every day for this coming year. This is a renewal of faith in goodness. FFRC bloggers are an example of that. And here. Must try to remember today and that there is always goodness and light to counter the dark times. Hard to remember when you are in the middle of it.

Didn't go to bed until 3:30 in the morning. The fireworks just kept coming and booming and bombing. No gift of light like Nuphar got, only noise. Kept the tv blaring downstairs and actually turned the radio on full blast upstairs with jazz horns and drums going strong. It really did help, in the past I used classical but not raucous enough, I guess. I did get by with only giving Rosie 1/2 a tablet for sedation and while both dogs did rise up several times, it was easy to get them to settle back down. Glad the night is over.

It has been nice enough today for me to have my sliding door open to the deck and let fresh, crisp air into the house. Dogs loved coming and going at will. Had planned on going to get some pansies to plant today, keep saying I am going to do that, but I need to get some things done here.

I knit through the midnight bells and bombs. I have about half of my first sleeve done. Yeah. It is so much fun to do. I love the way the yarn is knitting up to gauge, it is so soft. It is a good way to start the year with something new that will get done.

Sad to read about the crane. I will keep my fingers crossed the Federal Gov will follow their own laws and prosecute. The consequences are heavy on federally protected species.

We need to get together to defend the wolves here in Oregon and the rest of the West. If you are interested go to Defenders of Wildlife website. While I understand the position of the stock ranchers, my family were ranchers for decades in the old Oregon, I also understand the place the wolves have in the ecosystem. The ranchers don't ever talk about the fact they are leasing grazing rights from the federal government where the wolves and livestock cross paths. And, because of the grazing these huge herds are degrading the grasslands and damaging the environment. It is a fight that has gone on since the first settlers came to the west. Primarily it was between the sheep ranchers and the cattle ranchers, fencing or not, sheep grazing closer than cattle, water rights. Now it is everyone against the wolves. Off soap box.

Here is something you might have fun doing. It is a robotic play cam with cats at the Oregon Humane Society webcam sight. It is fun. I have gone on and played with the cats. They don't always have cats in there and of course, it is on my time zone, but check it out.

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Hugs to everyone. I must get something accomplished today.

Anne will look forward to seeng the videos of Bitsy.

Mrs Esse - stopped putting food out for the badger because the fox always seemed to get there first to snaffle it Then realised that with the number and variety of birdlife that visit here...perhaps a fox should not be encouraged. Short answer: no, not seen - or photographed - the badger for several weeks now. Pine martens still come every night. And - a great number of healthy red squirrels visit during the day

I suppose the music is over now??

Pity: I enjoyed the choir, whether just listening or trying to join in. Thank you Pete for those fun times (Thinks: what next excuse can we promote for return to singing??)

Feeling tired so I'm going to have an early night.
Wonder if Sandy got to see the starlings. If the weather was the same as here, she would have got very wet.
Goodnight all.
Mrs Esse

Skay - so sorry you did not escape the fireworks We were lucky. Will certainly now look up Defenders of Wildlife

One of the greatest joys, for me, about having landed here (by accident) has been exposure to others' concerns about the threats to wildlife where they live - and which I could never have known about without this place. Here, I and you all, can share and do what little we can. The least is reading the links that others share with us

We will get there...as will some (sadly, not all) of our wildlife friends ...as long as we have a place to go and a space to breathe and the grace to care (and shout, loudly)

So many #6-05 in this world. Let's help all the rest

Sleep well Mrs Esse

Mrs Esse, pleasant dreams.
Skay had a look at the kitty cam, could be fun. No one around just now. You are really getting along with your new sweater. I must start the baby shawl, have knitted a supply of scarves if anyone comes looking for them so will get on with the other things I have to do.

SKAY I thoroughly enjoyed your post and the background to the defence of the wolves. I can feel the excitement and pleasure in the knitting of your new sweater.

MRS ESSE Good night Sleep well.

Carmac--Susan and I were both cooking black eyed peas. They were delicious, especially with cornbread, turnip greens and tomatoes. The musical group we did not cook, however. We have laws against things like that here.

So far it has been a quiet, happy day here. I hope that this bodes well for the year for all of us.

Martha I am relieved that it was the edible BEP you had.
Happy New year to you Susan& Skay...all the very best wishes for 2012.
( I don't know where the bell is hiding.. .... )

Goodnight to you all,have a fine sleep and wake up feeling fresh as a

Martha good to hear you are having a pleasant day. long may it continue.
Carmac have a lovely time with the twins when they arrive tomorrow.
I am going to head for bed and read for a while

gna

Thanks for the good wishes! I really think 2012 will be a good year for me. I feel like I have a fresh start, after getting through all my treatments and getting through my first holiday season without my Dad. I feel very strong and hopeful. I wrote a couple of waltzes right before Christmas and I want to write a lot of new things this year. I have just been looking into finally getting software to create professional music manuscripts rather than the hand-written manuscripts I've always done. Of course, I just broke the audio portion of my laptop yesterday! (Headphone jack broke off with the tip of the jack jammed into the computer.) I am heading to the Apple store tomorrow, I have an appointment at the "Genius Bar" at 10:15 AM. I may have to leave the laptop there for repairs. I KNOW I will be tempted to buy an iPad or a new Mac (mine is about 3 years old now, and my operating system is too old to accept the latest music manuscript software, or even the latest iTunes update, for that matter.) Can't do it, though. I will need to wait and see if I get a decent tax refund... Anyway, I'm just glad I have tomorrow off (the office is closed) so I can try to get this sorted.
I was successful in one of my New Year's resolutions, which was to get my bird feeders cleaned and refilled. (I had neglected them for MONTHS, except for the hummingbird nectar.) Now I await the return of the blue jays and finches....
Skay, thanks for the link to the Humane Society cam. I started looking at all the kitties up for adoption from the latest investigation case and I wish I could adopt a couple of them! I hope they all find good homes.