The day I thought would never arrive has arrived - tomorrow I get to go pick up my girlies! It's the first thing I do, before we've done anything else is go get them!

I haven't said anything to La because I don't want him to start looking for them prematurely but he knows something is up because I'm so excited about it! We're packing up most of the stuff we brought with us tonight.

We'd also started to think about the animals we're going to have, most of which won't be right away as I need to improve pasture etc. Chooks will probably be first because they're easy to set up and I've kept them before... some for laying... Favorelles maybe or another French breed. A pair or trio of Alyesbery ducks perhaps and I'd wanted another cat so I'd gotten a paper intending to find a cat that needed a home in a few days.

As it happens we were at a food market (one I'll be returning to as there was some to DIE for cheeses - yummo!) we saw a very small, very rusty bird cage held together with wooden laundry clips. It's eyes were still bluey-green, so maybe 6-7 weeks? Tiny enough to sit in a teacup. Black, fluffy. Panting and flopped on it's side. And a sign that said free. The cage was barely bigger than the kitten and we had to take it apart to get it out.

Apparently their neighbor had taken the rest of them to the pound early on but somehow missed this one who'd been hidden for the past several weeks. They finally spotted him and managed to capture him, giving her the instructions to find him a home or take him to be put down because they weren't going to drive all the way out to the pound again.

Well anyone who reads here knows me enough to guess how this ends. I looked at Nic, Nic looked at me, La chirped "miaow, kitty kitty" and into the car goes the panting, stressed out, thirsty tiny kitten and a cell phone call to the vet later, we're heading down the road. He was dubbed on the spot as "Noir". He went straight to my vet - who good naturedly rolled her eyes, pointed out I have a neon "softie" sign on my forehead and chided me now she wasn't going to be able to get her staff to work since they'd be kitten watching - where he got weighed, wormed, examined, hydrated and fed. He's a tiny little waif but seems to have a determined attitude.

So. Thus begins and ends my search for another cat. Nic, La and I are charmed. Cade thinks he's a mother cat so he's happy as a lark with a kitten. Sierra and Hope will be horrified at the prospect of a bossy cat.

And did I mention I get my babies back TOMORROW?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

*happy happy joy joy dances*