"Tanada" wrote in message
...
JHBennett wrote:

To review, I made a plea for help in dealing with a #%^!+=/~! animal
poisoning neighbor and our vulnerable feral cats. The people here were
most
helpful in offering suggestions both in saving the cats (which I'm
terribly
allergic to) and taking vengence upon my scum of the earth neighbor
(although we're moving, I'm planning a fairwell gift that will keep on
giving, a couple of Southern Mulberry trees).
The bad news is that a couple of weeks ago, my 90 year old mother
had a
bad reaction to some new medication and developed a bleeding ulcer. It
was
touch and go, for awhile, but she's better now and back home, though
weak
from the experience. The better news is that one of her nurses in ICU
is
seeking feral cats for their hog farm. And, they want them fertile, so
they
can maintain the population.


Good to hear from you, Jack. I was wondering how you were doing. I'm
sorry to read about your mom, and interested in your solution to your
feral cat "problem." I'm not sure that it would be the solution I would
choose, but you chose what you feel is the best one for your situation.
Are you going to keep any of the ferals, and, if so, are you going to
make their enclosure/palace? How does your mom feel about your
solution, and how is she doing without all the cats around?

Mostly, Pam, she just wants them safely out of the reach of our murderous
neighbor. As it happens, we were talking about it while she was in ICU and
her nurse, Kathy, spoke up and volunteered that she was wanting feral cats
for their farm. She noted that house cats simply don't survive and they
need them to keep the vermin at bay. Apparently they even run off critters
like possum and such. She described how they keep the barns warm during the
winter with heat lamps (infra red, I presume) and the cats apparently love
basking in the warmth with the little piggies. They also put out food for
them. As for water, I suppose if it's available to piglets, the cats can
get to it without any problem. All in all, it sounds very
cushy......perhaps the only thing lacking is a soft pink pillow to lounge
upon, and they might even have that. Mother is happy as a clam about
finding them a good home in the country. The major thing she was concerned
about, regarding moving them to the country, was the care they would receive
on the other end. Kathy, it seems, is the answer to our prayers and is very
much a cat fancier. Their's are reportedly tame enough they will come up to
them as ours do/did. After the ordeal Miss Kitty has been through, I expect
it will be awhile before she gets very trusting and Kathy did report that
she and the black kitten did come up for food, then lit out when she came
near. --JB



I'm surprised that you were able to find some southern Mulberry trees,
as they are illegal to plant in some areas of Texas and New Mexico, due
to the allergen factor.

Ah.... don't actually have the trees on hand yet. The notion is in the
*approved plan* stage and I was hoping to plant them toward the end of
September...about the time we hope to be well on our way out of here. I
take your point about this particular variety being, perchance, illegal in
some places and don't know how successful I'll be in rounding them up.
Could be a challenge... However, I'm not without resources and, if need be,
I might be able to prevail upon a forrester friend with the Department of
Defense--my old haunt. It's become one of those *money is no object*
things, you see and perhaps it might also be a matter of ....
hehehehehehehe... national security ;-) --JB

Whatever solution you find for the neighbor
from hades, good luck with it. Also good luck with the continuing move
to your new house, and please keep us informed about you, your mom, the
ferals, and the neighbor from hades. We care about you and worry about
your mom.

Sending continued purrs and our healing thoughts for your mom and your
allergies,

Pam, Rob, and the NC nine

Thanks, Pam. Much appreciated.
I can tell you one amusing little thing in this whole sordid affair. My
neighbor and I had made an agreement for his buying a property from me on
contract. However, when I discovered what he was doing, I told him to
forget about it and put the place on the open market. The cute part of it
is, he confused my refusal to sell to him on contract--damned if I'd finance
any deal for him--with the idea that I wouldn't sell to him at all.
Accordingly, he plotted to have an out of town relative buy the place.
Clever fellow. Only, I happened to recognize the name of the purchasers and
closed the sale anyway, knowing full well he was going to end up with the
place. Right now, he's strutting around pleased as hell with himself,
believing he pulled one over on me. I'm letting him enjoy his dilusions
since I don't want them to know we've got another place just yet. HOWEVER,
the timeliness of the cash from the sale of that property allowed me to
secure 4-7/8% financing, vice 6-1/4%. It also allowed me to avoid invading
a tax sheltered mutual fund to swing the deal, thus keeping me from paying
substantial taxes and penalties--as well as kicking me into another tax
bracket. Bottom line is, the clever fellow managed to make or save me
something on the order of $35,000, more than if we'd executed the original
deal. Now if only I can get a few other people to outsmart me, with the
same results.....hehehe
I plan to tell him about it at Christmas......he has a heart condition.
Also, as soon as the ground is frozen, my lawyer will advise him to move
his fence off our property, and I'm still trying to have him prosecuted.
Oddly enough, he won't speak to me anymore.
Jack