As many of you might know, I lived in Sri Lanka for 14 years. From 2002-2016. This week, over 100,000 people protested there and have forced the corrupt president, his corrupt family and his corrupt cabinet to hide, resign, and flee out of Sri Lanka.
It has killed me to see the corrupt government of Sri Lanka take that small island country down the toilet. It was my adopted country. I still have friends there. My “adopted” son who lived and worked with me for 14 years still lives there and is struggling through the chaos (think no fuel, power cuts, food’s scarce – no rice!). I still have connections there. Strong ones. Like ones I’ve developed here in Lake County.
With the Jan. 6 hearings going on, showing all the nastiness that happened before, during and after Jan. 6, I have the sinking feeling of my country being divided. But this is not a political column. I leave that to others who are more knowledgeable. This column is supposed to be fun!
Cats are fun. I have three cats. I’m normally a dog person but after my darling dog, Toby, died, two cats meowed (separately) at my door hoping I was the meal ticket they were looking for. Both were strays; Sox, a tabby, and Noodle a pure white cat with paws that look like baseball mitts. Turns out Noodle was pregnant and during the beginning of the pandemic she birthed five babies in the pink suitcase I used when I moved from Sri Lanka. I put photos and short videos up of the four surviving babies and was able to adopt out all but one. All are polydactyl white kitties like their mom (think toes, toes, toes) except Moony who now lives in Lakeport. Claire was left behind and is just the sweetest being ever.
While waiting to be let inside the vet building (a procedure they started during COVID), I checked my Sri Lankan sources on the latest happenings there. The president hadn’t resigned but the collective population of the country is holding their breath that he does so while he’s in the Maldives. Protesting won’t stop until there’s an entire government turnover. It wasn’t easy for the president to flee to the Maldives as no airline would allow it, so he fled on a military plane, but protestors there made him fly to Singapore (as a visitor). Apparently he wanted to come to the U.S. and was denied a visa. Thank goodness, we have enough crooks here.
Other than Noodle trying to slowly escape from the cat carrier in the vet room, mother and daughter were super. No crying when they got their shots. The only one crying was me, when I saw the bill. I could have gone to Europe on what it cost to update the girls’ health. A friend who isn’t rich at all, thinks he wants a kitten. I’ll show him the vet bill and ask if he’s sure.
I’m committed to them. I budget for them and even though Noodle pees on my bed when I’m sound asleep and then takes off like a jet (leaving me to wash the bedding), I still love her. Fortunately for Noodle she doesn’t do it very often. I’ve tried everything suggested; drugs, UTI testing, a calming atomizer, shouting, cajoling, begging, adding an additional kitty litter box, loving. Nope. I think she just becomes jealous every now and then. Jealous that her daughter sleeps by my side.
What’s a girl to do? I’ll continue to love Noodle, let her outside more often and stuff the desire to learn taxidermy for the day when she pees on my head. Cool dude Sox thinks he’s my “laptop” while I’m writing. And Claire…well, sweet is sweet.
Sri Lanka…it will thrive again. And Lake County…home sweet home.
Lucy Llewellyn Byard is currently a freelance journalist for the Record-Bee. You can email her at lucywgtd@gmail.com
