Perhaps the event in Pocatello that will have the most lasting impact on our family is the introduction of Ginger.
During our last week at Cowboy RV, a sweet little orange kitten emerged from a shrub and came to reside outside our camper door. I couldn’t resist giving it a bit to eat and a soft spot to sleep, and before we realized it she had worked her way into hearts. Brad was not thrilled with this evolution, even though it was clear to him from the moment she showed up. We had a few days that were tense and difficult as the girls and I slowly and painfully convinced him that even though adopting Ginger was a horrible idea, he loves us so much that we could do it anyway.
We were definitely not letting her sleep in a box under our trailer with a soft, old T-shirt. She’s Not Our Cat!
We didn’t give her a saucer of milk each day or any small food scraps. She’s Not Our Cat.
We would never dream of calling her Ginger, and spending serious cuddle time napping in the hammock with her. She was Not Our Cat.
I helped the girls to create a very compelling persuasive presentation as to why we should adopt the kitten. (We had already tried taking her to 2 different animal shelters and confirmed that she was not micro-chipped or listed as missing.)
Even as poignant as the pitch for adoption was, Brad’s nerves of steel held fast: We are not going to travel with a pet.
Brad and I had a difficult conversation later that night. He told the girls about it the next day, the day before we were set to leave Pocatello.
That night, she got to sleep inside. Maybe the girls weren’t the only ones who were excited.
