Sixty of my internet friends, the ones who comforted me and grieved with me when I lost my Charlie, decided to get together a care package for me and the MEOW Shelter kitties! They had followed the events of the shelter all summer, as medical expenses were high for several kitties' unusual problems that cropped up, as well as Charlie's surgery and later his death.

They used the community bulletin board at AcmePet (We normally frequent the Cat bulletin board, rather than the Community one...so I was never aware of their postings, to plan the surprise.) Yet, to be safe, they used "code" words to keep each other informed and coordinate the plan.

The project became Flight #908 with Tally as the Pilot, and CatladyDi as the co-pilot.

The gifts, cards, letters, family photos, and gifts to the kitties, were all shipped to the Pilot, and then sent together as one big gift to me, on the other side of the nation! There were gifts from all over the states, as well as South Africa, Germany, Ireland.......

They called these items the "baggage". While coordinating these plans for 2 weeks, they made it in to a party! The Pilot and Co-Pilot ended up partying so much in the plane's lounge, (pour me another one, barkeep!) that the cats they brought along with them, ended up having to fly the plane!

An elephant blocked the ramp for quite some time, and they finally pushed it on inside....

A camel fell in love with Naf....drooling all over her and I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL!!!

They had lots of wonderful things to eat, like Amaretto Cheesecake, and PLENTY of chocolate.

Of course, there was entertainment too, like the Chippendale dancers.......

........as well as a lot of line-dancing in the aisles.

I heard that 12 kittens were born during the flight, and someone's nasty spiders got loose and wreaked havoc!

Well, let's just say, a good time was had by all!

They knew the exact day and time I was to receive the package, and they all sat waiting at their computers...to hear my response!

.......meanwhile......

On my end, on that fateful September morning.....

I got up and headed for my computer, before my first cup of coffee, (of course, as I am addicted to the internet.)

To my dismay, my phone had been disconnected! My husband had procrastinated paying the phone bill!

I raced over to my next door neighbor's back door, and called hubby at work to tell him to FIX IT!!!!!!!!!

I came back over to the house and was mourning my internet loss, when I heard a man yelling from the front of my house, "FED EX!!" (you may remember, I have no front door....I enclosed my front porch with lattice so the kitties could use the porch, but I don't know how to install a door!)

I peered thru the lattice to see a man with a big, big box. He wanted me to sign for it. I tried to stick my hand thru the lattice.....he said rather disgustedly, "You can't do that, lady. And why don't you have a front door????"

I hated to walk out front in my bathrobe, so he agreed to bring it around to the back. I said to him, "Who's it from, anyway?" And he said, "Acmepet bulletin board".

I thought, "Acmepet bulletin board????....must be from *a* bulletin board pal of mine from Acmepet...."

When I got the box (and was it *heavy*!!) inside, and opened it, I saw rainbows, and stars, and confetti, and brightly colored tissue paper in every shade of the rainbow. Then I saw a big stack of letters and cards all tied up with a gossamer ribbon.

It suddenly dawned on me that this package was from a BUNCH of people! Tears sprung to my eyes, and immediately the song, "I believe there are angels among us" came to my mind and played in my heart.

Upon further inspection, hidden under a layer of tissue paper, were beautifully wrapped gifts as well. Gifts for me, and toys and catnip and afgans for the MEOW kitties.

Never in my life have I ever felt so much love. It is a gesture from my friends that I will treasure for the rest of my life! It boosted my spirits, after my depression about Charlie, and gave me the enthusiasm to keep rescuing kitties, even though it is sometimes so heart breaking.

I was so frustrated that I couldn't get on the net to exclaim my surprise, when lo and behold, the phone line was hooked back up! I couldn't get on line fast enough!

I posted on the Cat board, and they all cheered, and posted how excited they were, too!!!

Flight #908....a day.....my friends.....I will remember forever.

This is a photo of the cards and packages. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.