August 3 A Day of Arrivals

We left Rafina early Friday morning to pick up my daughter, Kathy from the airport. She has come to spend her three week vacation with me in Greece. The plane was on time and after she had collected her baggage we had a snack and came to the house in Athens. When we arrived we discovered Theodosia's cat, that has been waddling around with a huge belly for the last couple of weeks, was beginning to give birth. So while I helped Kathy get settled, Theodosia played midwife. When I checked in at the birthing room a couple hours later, there was one kitten. Two hours later there were six! I said to Theodosia I told you so. I had been predicting six kittens but Theodosia said none of her cats had more than three or four kittens and certainly not for a first litter.

We had supper and talked about how Kathy could find a place to ride horses while here in Greece. Theodosia knows nothing of horses in Athens, but for Kathy she is happy to help her find some. When I went upstairs next I looked in on the squirming kittens. What? There were seven! One yellow one only half dried, and then I saw another just born and as I watched, another!! Nine! Theodosia came rushing in to resume her midwife role.

Later in the evening we all went to say goodnight to the cat and kittens. It was hard to see them as they laid on top of each other in a pile. We counted six dark ones and four yellow. That can't be right. We counted again. Sure enough. There were ten. The latest arrival was conspicuous for a white collar, the only one so marked. News of the cat who had ten kittens went around the circle of family and friends like lightening. Who could believe it! There is nothing like new babies to make one reflect on how amazing life is. Where once there was one cat, now there are eleven!