The boy’s groomer noticed a small rash by Andy’s left arm yesterday when trimming him. The rims of his ears, too, were red. When I learned about this, I made an appointment with Andy’s veterinarian. I’m a mother hen when it comes to the boys’ health.

It turned out his vital signs are all OK, and his veterinarian feels the redness is an allergic reaction to the cat shampoo or something in his environment. He doesn’t have feline acne…! The “rash” he feels may have happened when grooming himself. Anyway, all I need do is watch it to make sure he’s healing without any infection.

Andy and Dougy are delighted to be together again, I noticed. They’ve been sniffing and rubbing against each other since Andy and I got back.

“Where you been, brother?” “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you!” Sniff-sniff!

Andy, incidentally, was very wary and hard to catch this morning, but was a very good boy at the veterinarian’s. The whole time we waited (the veterinarian had an emergency surgery), Andy kneaded the blanket in the carrier and purred with his eyes closed!

A small price to pay for peace of mind!

This afternoon, I’m driving a veteran down to the Veterans Affairs Office in the next town. This is the fourth time I’ve driven someone somewhere. It’s part of my RSVP volunteer activities.

The bus that usually is available to take people to appointments is headed to Hot Springs, SD, today, so they needed a volunteer to take this fellow to his in the next town. It’s interesting and fun! Plus I get out of town for a bit, my car gets a few highway miles on it, and someone else gets a free ride someplace they needed to go.