I stumbled upon your tumblr and I am so THANKFUL for the subtitles to Detective Anna. I have been inlove with the show since I first watched it on Amazon and its subtitles were crap. Thank you.
aww, you're welcome! i wish i knew how to reach more people - there seems to be a lot more DA fans out there than on tumblr...
Let me add my HUGE thank you as well for your generous subbing talents. Your subtitles have made ALL the difference. I thought Iâd have to wait years before StarMedia or whoever is supposed to do it got around to us overseas fans!!!! Now Iâm so looking forward to enjoying AD2 (which, from what I hear, now needs a season 3!!!LOL). Again, much gratitude from a number of us non-Russian speaking fans!!!! Best wishes!
Katherine Kellgren: A Homage to the âDameâ of Audio
A few weeks ago, I penned a memorial ode to a great actor who brought books alive on long commutes. If you are an audio fan of Lady Georgiana Rannoch, then you have heard her dulcet tones and will probably miss her too. Please stop by for a quick read.Â
Itâs definitely been awhile since Iâve been here.  Too busy traveling in other parts of my life. But Iâm back and already running.  I just posted on Mystery Playground about a favorite vice of mine, British programs!!!! Please stop by and give it a read (as well as the lovely other blogs on Mystery Playground). Comments are good too. You can get there by clicking here.Â
WALDO: A Turkey Tale for All Ages and All Year Round
Based on a True StoryÂ
Hello!
Just in time for Thanksgiving, but with a timeless theme and message, the tale of Waldo and his adventures (blogged here a year ago) is out on Amazon and Kindle. It is based  on a true story  that happened a few years ago here in Northern Ohio. All profits will go to benefit local animal welfare organizations. Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are and may your kindest dreams and wishes come true!Â
The Annual Pumpkin Cookie Spree: Caramel Stuffed Cheesecake Pumpkin Bites
Ah Fall! Is there any other season so fondly anticipated? Warm cider, caramel apples, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg spicing the air. Or was that the Pumpkin Spice Glade? In any event, itâs just easier to go with it. So sit back, light the vanilla pound cake candle and pass the Pumpkin Spice Latte! Itâs on.
Now, I never thought Iâd get tired of making pumpkin treats, but after the last recipe of pumpkin cookies last year, I was just...well...bored.... I mean, no matter how popular they are, how many pumpkin spice cookies with browned butter glaze can one make? So after trolling Pinterest and my favorite Facebook sites, I thought about mini-cheesecakes. If vanilla wafers and oreos can be used as the cheesecake base in a mini pan, why not pumpkin cookies? I could feel my excitement grow (yes, Iâm easily amused). Â
First, make the pumpkin cookies (or take them out of the freezer and thaw 5 minutes if you baked ahead). Honestly, no reason not to use one of those pumpkin spice cookie mixes that are readily available this time of year. But if you really want to go scratch, hereâs an easy one from Betty Crocker Iâve used. While the cookies are baking, spray the cupcake/mini pan of your choice.  Set the pan aside.Â
Second, let the just baked pumpkin cookies cool a bit and leave the oven on at  350 (325 if convection). Grab a round cookie/biscuit cutter the size of the bottom of the pan. Cut and place the pumpkin cookie in the bottom of the prepared pan.Â
Take those scraps and crumble them in a bowl for later.Â
Third, time to get stuffed!! For the caramel layer that will be the filling,  I used the caramel cream candy you can  get in bulk at the grocery store. Although you can use any soft candy as filling, I wanted to stick with just three flavors: pumpkin, vanilla cheesecake and caramel. I unwrapped the caramel cream candy and heated them slightly in the microwave so they would flatten nicely on the cookie base.Â
Fourth, the cheesecake layer is a very simple one that can be whipped up in just a few minutes with minimal ingredients. As you will note,  this recipe is taken almost exactly from very best baking. Hey, my philosophy is if itâs simple and it works....well you know:Â
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese, sugar and flour in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Spoon heaping tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into each bake cup.
Fifth, bake for 15 to 17 minutes (regular oven) or until just set and not browned (convection oven maybe 12 mins). The cheesecake might split a bit due to the caramel filling, but donât panic.Â
Sixth, set the pan on the wire rack to cool. While still warm, top cheesecakes with the remaining crumbled pumpkin morsels. IÂ also threw in some of those little caramel nuggets on top. They fit in nicely with the nugget center.Â
Seventh, after a couple of minutes, gently scoot a small plastic knife or metal spatula and around each mini cheesecake to loosen from the pan. Wait until almost cool and remove the cheesecakes to the wire rack.Â
Hello Happy Bakers!  Iâve been slow out of the start in 2016, but Iâm hoping to make up for it. Now I know March was soooo last month, but give a girl a break. While everyone else was moaning about their âbroken bracketsâ, I got back to baking. Above is a tray for the hospice. The tray included my resurrected Triple Sweet Toasted Marshmallow Drops  (See âCookie Rescue: From Cupcakes to Cookiesâ), Buttery Toffee Almond squares (See âNutty Moments: Almond Flour -Cookie Successâ), St Pattyâs Mint Brownies,  and White Chocolate Banana Cream Cookies with Cinnamon Pecans. I like variety.
The mint Brownies were silly easy. Just use your favorite brownie recipe (mix or scratch) for either an 8x8 or 9x13 pan. Then, get a box of Andre mints (two packs for the 9x13, preferably frozen, easier to  chop). Unwrap and put in a plastic bag and chop/pound until you get small pieces (You could use a food processor , but pulse it and stop before you get mint dust!). Mix the chopped mints into the brownie batter and spread into a sprayed (or Silpat or parchment paper lined) pan. Just bake at 350 according to your recipe or on the box. I drizzled green-tinted white chocolate on top. I also made an âadultâ version for work and meetings called Irish Cream brownies which is just regular brownies with a ÂŒ to Âœ cup of, you got it, Irish Creme liquor (I used Baileyâs but any will work). I am pretty sure the old tale is true that the liquor bakes out, but I did warn my colleagues just in case. No one seemed to mindâŠ
The recipe below for the White Chocolate Banana Cream Cookies with Cinnamon Pecans was blatantly borrowed with delight from the  Picky-Palate . I may have mentioned PP is one of my favorites websites and I borrow from there a lot!! Glad she doesnât charge interest. :) PP describes it as a Banana Bread Cinnamon Party in your mouth and itâs true! I modified the original recipe by using a yellow cake mix (as noted) instead of making the dough from scratch. Otherwise, the  recipe is the same. The Cinnamon Pecans are ambrosia on their own! I might just make a batch of these for a party or maybe Book Club!!.
Cinnamon Toasted Pecans
1   œ cups Pecan   Halves
œ   cup granulated   sugar
1   teaspoon ground   cinnamon
2 Â Â tablespoons water
Cookie Dough
1   stick unsalted   butter, softened
œ   cup granulated   sugar**
œ   cup light   brown sugar, packed
1 Â Â large egg
œ   teaspoon pure   vanilla extract
2   medium very   ripe bananas (I used 3 thawed ones cuz they were small)
1   œ cups all   purpose flour**
œ   teaspoon baking   soda**
œ   teaspoon kosher   salt**
1   œ cups white   chocolate chips
**You may substitute a cake mix (yellow or be creative) for the starred ingredients. If you do use a cake mix, ignore step 2 below, just add the vanilla, butter, mashed bananas, brown sugar and egg to the cake mix and stir/mix well then continue on with step 3! Also, if  the dough is too moist to scoop (happens with bananas), chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so or even overnight. Just remember they may take a bit longer in the oven because the dough is not room temperature.
Directions
1.   Place Pecan Halves into a medium non stick skillet over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and water until combined. Stir and let pecans bubble cook for about 5 minutes. Mixture will become thick. Pour pecans onto parchment paper/Silpat  to cool for at least 15 minutes before adding to cookie dough (will stick if not parchment or silicone!!).
2. Â Â To prepare cookie dough, cream butter and sugars into a large mixing bowl. Add egg and vanilla mixing to combine. Mash bananas and add them to the bowl, stirring. Add flour, baking soda, and salt.**
3. Â Â Â Add white chocolate chips and keep stirring. Place cinnamon toasted pecans into a large ziploc and crush. Careful not to crush too much, you donât want dust. Leave some chunks! Add to bowl and mix to combine.
4. Â Â With a medium cookie scoop, place dough onto a large baking sheet lined with a silpat liner or parchment paper. Leave a good inch and a half between each cookie.
5.    Bake at 350 degrees for 15-16 minutes until golden brown. You want these to bake longer  if you like âdrierâ cookies. But beware, the cookies may be done, but still look moist due to the banana. So be careful not to overbake unless thatâs how you like them! Let cool on baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. ENJOY!!!!
Makes 2 dozen or so cookies depending on size! Cake mix made almost 3 dozen. They do keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days and do freeze well if double bagged. They may be a little moister from the freezer when thawed, but still delicious!
Poor Short Term Memory Linked to Inability to Ignore Distractions
A new study by Simon Fraser University researchers has found that differences in an individualâs working memory capacity correlate with the brainâs ability to actively ignore distraction.
The distinctive troughs and crests of the human brain are not present in most animals; highly folded brains are seen only in a handful of species, including some primates, dolphins, elephants and pigs. In humans, folding begins in fetal brains around the 20th week of gestation and is completed only when the child is about a year and a half.
Why the brain is folded can be rationalized easily from an evolutionary perspective; folded brains likely evolved to fit a large cortex into a small volume with the benefit of reducing neuronal wiring length and improving cognitive function.
Less understood is how the brain folds. Several hypotheses have been proposed but none have been directly used to make testable predictions. Now, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences collaborating with scientists in Finland and France have shown that while many molecular processes are important in determining cellular events, what ultimately causes the brain to fold is a simple mechanical instability associated with buckling.
You might not need to remember those complicated e-mail and bank account passwords for much longer. According to a new study, the way your brain responds to certain words could be used to replace passwords.
In âBrainprint,â a newly published study in academic journal Neurocomputing, Â researchers from Binghamton University observed the brain signals of 45 volunteers as they read a list of 75 acronyms, such as FBI and DVD. They recorded the brainâs reaction to each group of letters, focusing on the part of the brain associated with reading and recognizing words, and found that participantsâ brains reacted differently to each acronym, enough that a computer system was able to identify each volunteer with 94 percent accuracy. The results suggest that brainwaves could be used by security systems to verify a personâs identity.
According to Sarah Laszlo, assistant professor of psychology and linguistics at Binghamton University and co-author of âBrainprint,â brain biometrics are appealing because they are cancellable and cannot be stolen by malicious means the way a finger or retina can.
âIf someoneâs fingerprint is stolen, that person canât just grow a new finger to replace the compromised fingerprint â the fingerprint for that person is compromised forever. Â Fingerprints are ânon-cancellable.â Brainprints, on the other hand, are potentially cancellable. Â So, in the unlikely event that attackers were actually able to steal a brainprint from an authorized user, the authorized user could then âresetâ their brainprint,â Laszlo said.
Zhanpeng Jin, assistant professor at Binghamton Universityâs departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, doesnât see brainprint as the kind of system that would be mass-produced for low security applications (at least in the near future) but it could have important security applications.
âWe tend to see the applications of this system as being more along the lines of high-security physical locations, like the Pentagon or Air Force Labs, where there arenât that many users that are authorized to enter, and those users donât need to constantly be authorizing the way that a consumer might need to authorize into their phone or computer,â Jin said.
House of 8 Orchids by James Thayer: Mayhem in 1930âČs China
Although I usually read and review mysteries, I was given an advance copy of this action/adventure romp at Bouchercon last year (Mystery Writers/Fan convention) and asked to do a review. The book reads more like a movie, but it did make a long plane ride pass quite quickly. See my fuller review on Mysteryplayground.net .Â
Malice is definitely afoot in, at, and about the Palace in this 9th outing of Rhys Bowenâs bestselling Royal Spyness series.  Read my full review of this delightful romp through history and find out what a Spotted Dick really looks like at http://www.mysteryplayground.net/2015/11/malice-in-palace-with-georgies-hot.html . See you there!!
Based on a True Story that happened November 2014 â February 2015 in a small town on a Great Lake
Prologue
           The school kids started referring to him as Waldo. They often saw him trotting along some fence on frosty winter mornings as they waited for their bus near the local YMCA. âWhereâs Waldo today?â theyâd asked and so the name stuck. Waldo had become a local celebrity by then with sightings in and around the lakefront neighborhood. It was never clear how he survived such a harsh winter. But residents reported that the neighborhood cats and wild birds seemed to be eating more food than usual. How Waldo might have found that food or knew where to shelter was another mystery. My bet is on the Cat. But Iâm getting ahead of myself.  I suppose the most logical place to start this story is in the middle.
Once upon a time, in a neighborhood not too far away, a Turkey was stuck in a treeâŠ
âWhat do I do now?â Waldo thought, clinging desperately to the thin branch. He leaned his round body unsteadily against the dying leaves on another branch and looked down at the small group gathered at the base of the oak. They were looking back up at him. Expectantly. A shaky warble escaped his throat as he finally realized what Cow could never bring herself to tell him. That he was never going to be a pet. That he was going to be⊠He couldnât finish the thought. Too horrible. He so wanted to fly down, find food and a warm place to sleep. But he knew now he couldnât. No matter how hungry, cold, or tired he got, he must definitely, absolutely, not go back  down. At least, not now. He finally understood Cowâs last warning and the âunintended consequencesâ that came with wishes. In this case, those unintended consequences included a wishbone and a plate of stuffing. He remembered her warning not to get caught.  He had a feeling, yes, a very strong feeling now, that Cow had been right. That his life depended on it. He clung on tighter and waited.
Based on a True Story that happened November 2014 â February 2015 in a small town on a Great Lake
 Prologue
           The school kids started referring to him as Waldo. They often saw him trotting along some fence on frosty winter mornings as they waited for their bus near the local YMCA. âWhereâs Waldo today?â theyâd asked and so the name stuck. Waldo had become a local celebrity by then with sightings in and around the lakefront neighborhood. It was never clear how he survived such a harsh winter. But residents reported that the neighborhood cats and wild birds seemed to be eating more food than usual. How Waldo might have found that food or knew where to shelter was another mystery. My bet is on the Cat. But Iâm getting ahead of myself.  I suppose the most logical place to start this story is in the middle.
Once upon a time, in a neighborhood not too far away, a Turkey was stuck in a treeâŠ
âWhat do I do now?â Waldo thought, clinging desperately to the thin branch. He leaned his round body unsteadily against the dying leaves on another branch and looked down at the small group gathered at the base of the oak. They were looking back up at him. Expectantly. A shaky warble escaped his throat as he finally realized what Cow could never bring herself to tell him. That he was never going to be a pet. That he was going to be⊠He couldnât finish the thought. Too horrible. He so wanted to fly down, find food and a warm place to sleep. But he knew now he couldnât. No matter how hungry, cold, or tired he got, he must definitely, absolutely, not go back  down. At least, not now. He finally understood Cowâs last warning and the âunintended consequencesâ that came with wishes. In this case, those unintended consequences included a wishbone and a plate of stuffing. He remembered her warning not to get caught.  He had a feeling, yes, a very strong feeling now, that Cow had been right. That his life depended on it. He clung on tighter and waited.
Late November 2014 â Just Before ThanksgivingÂ
Heâd started life on a local farm where he had all the food, playmates and soft warm sleeping places heâd wanted.  Heâd grown into quite a top Turkey, at least Farmer mom said so. He was always the biggest whenever she weighed him which was nearly everyday now. He told Cow that Farmer mom must love him a lot to show him such attention. Cow just sighed and shook her large head slowly. He always thought Cow wanted to tell him something, but didnât quite have the heart to do it.   She was always patient with him though.  When he said things like how he yearned to get out of his fenced-in yard and explore the meadow or that he wished  for adventure,  sheâd just look at him with her great brown eyes and firmly, but kindly, tell him that wishes were unpredictable things. They came with unintended consequences.  He wasnât sure what âunintended consequencesâ were, but if anyone should know, it was Cow. Sheâd been around the milking block for a long time. She told him once about one farm in particular that she called âhomeâ.  âHomeâ  apparently was where you felt  safe and secure and content. Heâd thought about it and decided heâd never quite felt that way here at the farm, though Farmer mom was nice. There was always an expectant impatient buzz in the air. Or maybe it was just his restless nature. Â
The sun had almost peaked when the visitors arrived.  Heâd been practicing his flying and had gotten up to the top of the barn. Heâd been careful not to let the farmers know he was such a good flyer or theyâd clip him, so Cow said. Whatever âclippingâ meant. Cow had also suggested he not be such a show-off, but rather keep a low profile. Heâd ignored her on that. Whatâs the point of being the best in the yard if you couldnât boast a little?  Â
From what he understood, the visitors had come to pick out a Turkey to take home.  Heâd seen other visitors choose kittens and puppies from the litters that sometimes appeared in the barn. Cow had told him those people came to âadoptâ one and make the puppy or kitten a part of their family as a âpetâ.  When he saw the visitors, all he could think of was adventure outside his yard. Being a âpetâ hadnât sounded so bad as Cow had described it. At least heâd be out off this pen! He ignored Cowâs anxious plea to run and hide when the visitors came.  Instead, feeling plump and confident, he puffed himself out and strutted close so the visitors noticed him.  The two younger male visitors in the group seemed to especially like him. Pick me! He warbled proudly. And so they did.  Â
As he was shuffled into a wire crate and lifted into what Cow called a âcarâ, Cow sauntered over to the edge of the fence separating her area from his yard. She got as close as she could. He yelled to her that heâd come back to visit soon and tell her all about his adventures beyond the farm.  But Cow just looked at him with those big benevolent orbs, now wet.   Heâd never seen her look so sad. As he drove away, she gave him a last distressing moo. He wasnât sure he heard right over the car noise, but he thought sheâd said âdonât get caught, keep flyingâ and âask a cat for helpâ.  What? Caught?  Ask a cat? What did that mean?  He didnât understand. More so, he was a little miffed she didnât seem happier for him. Maybe sheâd been jealous.Â
When he finally arrived at his new âfarmâ, it was nothing like he expected. It was smaller than the old farm. Could four people really live here?  No pasture or meadow, and no other animals he could see. Well, no, there was a Cat sitting on the porch staring at him. Cats. He never quite trusted them. They always seemed a bit too smug. Like they knew a special secret.  This one had that same look. Even if Cow had said to âask the Catâ , he didnât know what to ask or that heâd believe the answer so he just stared back. Cat yawned, shook her tiger head and moved off. He looked around through the cage. There were a lot more houses here, packed close together. It reminded him of the chicken coops stacked side by side with little space between.Â
 One of the young males lifted the cage out of the car and carried it around the house. He put it down in the back on the grass.  There were trees here. Big trees.  Much bigger than at the farm. But no barn? Where was he supposed to sleep when it rained? Or snowed? Surely they werenât going to keep him in this cage out here. Heâd freeze.  Is this how âpetsâ were kept?  He shivered. Had he been wrong? He pushed aside the negative thoughts. No, this was going to be fun. He was finally out of his yard. This is what heâd wished for. Wished. What had Cow said about wishes? Unintended consequences. Whatever those were. Maybe Cow was wrong this time. Maybe.Â
As he sat in the cage, Cat strolled closer and sat down. She still seemed a bit self-satisfied, but also a bit, pitying? Why would Cat pity him? As she looked questioningly at him, he decided to speak. She hissed in surprise. She obviously wasnât used to Turkeys talking Cat. Cow had taught him how when the old farm tomcats got too mean when he was young. Cats befriended those who spoke their language Cow explained. It was seen as a sign of respect. Most  donât ever try to understand Cats so Cats donât bother with them.   Â
Catâs manner visibly changed when he spoke. She relaxed and lost the condescending attitude. She stared straight back at him when she replied, but her softly mewed words were not what he was expecting. Â âHope those wings work giblet-brain. Be ready to use them.â She then trotted off after a few falling leaves before he could respond. Â
He was puzzled. Despite her sarcastic tone, sheâd sounded quite sincere. But he wasnât  ready to accept anything negative about his wish yet.  And despite what Cow had said, he still wasnât quite sure about Cats. They were always playing games. He decided to ignore Cat for now. At least he would try. But despite his best efforts, his unease grew. Maybe he shouldnât have wished so hard or been such a, what did goat call him? A braggart. Or as goat had put it âbraaaaaaaaggartâ. Goats were silly too though. And mean.
 After Cat left, he looked around. He hoped he was going to get out of the cage soon. He needed to stretch his neck and wings. And, well, he needed to âuse the haypileâ as his mom used to say. He was very neat and didnât like to âgoâ where he slept or played or ate. Unlike pig, that guy was disgusting.  He was hungry too. Where was the food? As the minutes passed, it was getting harder to ignore his doubts about becoming a beloved family pet. Â
Finally, the young male unlatched the cage.  By then he was downright grumpy and ran out gobbling excitedly. What a way to treat a pet! After heâd relieved himself turkey-style he went looking for food. Maybe it was closer to the house? Thatâs where it was at the farm. The farm. What would he be doing by now? Cow would already be out in the pasture.  Heâd probably be playing around with friends. No friends here. Just the Cat. Was she a friend?  Cat was sitting on a table watching the birds, her tail clicking in focused concentration. When he got closer she caught sight of him and lightly growled a warning,  âRemember Waldo.â Â
He turned away, but couldnât quite ignore Catâs words this time.  Sheâd called him Waldo. Cow had said that names were very important things to Cats. If they named you, no matter how silly the name, that was a good thing. However, it was never polite to ask their name. If they decided to give it to you that should be considered a great honor and sign of true affection. Thatâs just the way Cats were, Cow said, cocking her head as she said it.  So âWaldoâ couldnât dismiss Cat as being mean or teasing this time. Besides, this was not quite the warm welcome heâd envisioned for being a family pet.  Â
Waldo swallowed hard and eyed the young male  standing  against the house several feet away. The male was impatiently shuffling his feet, arms crossed against the cold and muttering to someone inside.  Waldo decided to venture further out  and look for food.  Heâd taken about 15 steps deeper into the yard when he heard a shout and the sound of pounding feet.  A sudden yank on his tail feathers jerked him back. He turned  his head in anger and pain toward the young male who was now trying  to grab his body. In order to do that though, the young male had to let one hand go on the tail feathers. In that moment,  Waldo felt all his suppressed unease and anxiety rise up. The words of Cow, Cat and his own doubts rushed together. Donât get caught. Use those wings. Not a pet.  He reacted almost instinctively. His wings flew open hitting the young male in the face and sending him backward with a surprised âoomphâ. The wing-hit had forced the young male to let Waldo go.  He was free now, but still not safe. He hesitated a moment, still reluctant to give up his dream. Perhaps they just wanted to feed him or keep him from getting lost? But Waldo heard a loud feline voice almost snarling âFly you fool, Flyâ. He didnât pause again. He opened his wings and ran.Â
His stout body lifted off the ground as he flapped. He made first for the fence, perching unsteadily on a post. He turned and saw the young male heading toward him with the family in tow all talking excitedly. The young male had a surprised and pained look on his face. Â Again, Waldo momentarily doubted his fears, hoping he was wrong. But inside he knew better. Â Cat had come close to the fence too staring up at him incredulously. âWhy did you stop? Keep flying!â Â Her eyes seemed to shout. Â Â
At the same time, the young male reached up to pull Waldo down by his tail. Waldo made his decision. He wasnât sure why he trusted the Cat, but he thought Cow wanted him to. Besides, he wasnât liking this situation at all. He had to admit that his dream was lost. He opened his wings and flapped hard again, trying to get air without his usual run. Higher and higher. He heard them yelling behind him, but kept flapping. Higher and Higher. The oak tree was closest. He stopped on the sturdiest  branch he could find halfway up. He needed to breath and think. âWhat do I do now?â Â
The small group had gathered at the base of the oak. They were staring and pointing up at him. He had so wanted an adventure beyond his little yard. Some adventure. Heâd been better back on the farm. He had no one to blame but himself. Heâd made sure theyâd noticed and picked him, hadnât he?  So here he was, top Turkey, trapped in a tree. He wanted to fly down, look for food, find someplace warm to sleep. But he could hear Cow, and now Cat, telling him no matter how cold, hungry or tired he got, he could absolutely, positively, under no circumstances go back to the people below. His life depended on it.Â
And so he stayed in that tree. For six turnings of the moon and sun. The Cow called these âdaysâ. The weather had mostly held so, when Cat gave the all clear,  he could sneak down to get water and grab a little of the Catâs outdoor food as well as nibble on some of the wayward fruit and fallen nuts in the area. But he always went back to the tree. Although it seemed the young male and the family had mostly lost interest in him, he still didnât feel safe here. Â
Cat told Waldo about nearby places with birdfeeders and outdoor food. Heâd have to be sneaky and not too troublesome or neighbors would think he was a nuisance and run him off. But Cat had also checked out some tree houses and other shelters close too.  Waldo knew he needed to find a place soon. He couldnât spend winter in the tree. So, on the seventh day he left the tree and the young maleâs yard for good. As he took off, Cat watched from the back picnic table flicking her tail in approval. Â
November 2014Â â February 2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Waldo got used to his outdoor winter life,  but he was growing tired of always hiding.  One day, as he was gnawing on the remains of a bird seed cube that Squirrel had dropped from some nearby feeder, Cat strolled up to him. He wouldnât have survived without Cat. He still didnât know why sheâd helped him so much. Did just learning anotherâs language and understanding their ways mean that much? In any case, he was grateful. Sheâd been his only friend and companion this whole time. Heâd told Cat all about the farm and Cow. Sheâd just listen quietly, saying little. She sat down and spoke to him now though. Her voice was soft, but held some authority.  Like how Cow used to talk to him when she really wanted him to listen. He stopped eating and waited for her to speak.Â
âWaldo, you know you canât stay around here forever. When Spring comes and the snow melts, people will come back outside and play in their yards. They wonât want you around then. They may even think youâre dangerous and take drastic measures to keep you away. You need to find a permanent place to live. A safe place.âÂ
Waldo trusted Cat. He didnât question her concern or her words. âWhat should I do? Where should I fly to?âÂ
Cat shook her head. âYou donât need to fly anywhere. Some people are going to come in a few days and put out a cage for you. I want you to go into the cage. They will take you to a place thatâs safe for you to live.âÂ
Waldo swallowed hard. A Cage? He remembered the last time he was in a cage. His body shook a bit at the unpleasant memory.Â
Cat understood his reluctance. âDonât worry. Itâs not like last time. This time youâll be all right. You have to do this. Cow would want you to.âÂ
Cow. He wondered how Cow was. He had become very fond of Cat,  but he also missed Cow. âAll right. I will. Iâm getting tired of hiding anyway.âÂ
Cat gave a satisfied meow and trotted off.Â
A few days later Waldo saw the people come and lay out the cage with some food inside. He hesitated. No matter how he trusted Cat, he didnât like cages.Â
âThis is it Waldo. This is your time to go.â Cat had silently come up and sat beside him.Â
He knew it was, but he didnât know how to say goodbye to Cat. He tried to express what she had meant to him. âCat, I wouldnât have made it without you. You saved my life and took care of me. Youâve never asked for anything in return and I couldnât repay or thank you enough if I tried. Iâve never asked your name because I know itâs rude to ask, but I want you to know it meant a lot when you named me. You are my true friend and I will miss you .â Â Waldoâs throat felt tight. He realized he was very sad to leave Cat. Â Â
Cat was silent a moment before answering and Waldo swore he heard her sniff. âItâs been fun Waldo. If you get a chance to help another creature out there, do it. Thatâs all the thanks I need.â Catâs usual full voice was oddly thin and strained.Â
Waldo took a deep breath and walked off toward the cage. His steps were heavy and the tightness in his throat and chest had not lightened. After several feet he turned to give one final goodbye wing-wave to his friend. Cat was staring after him. As he turned, she gave him a last deep yowl and scampered away over a fence.  He was some distance from her by that time, but he had heard her clearly. âMy name is Buddhaâ.  At her words, Waldo  felt the tautness in him loosen and a sense of happiness envelope him. He almost ran the last few paces into his new adventure.Â
He liked his new farm immediately. There was no anxious buzz in the air like the old farm.  His new Farm mom was very nice and considerate, having given him his own space at her home. He wouldnât complain again. Except, well, he was a bit lonely. He already missed Cat. But who knows, maybe there were others around he hadnât met yet. After all, heâd just arrived. Farm mom let him outside to roam while it was still light, allowing him to get used to the new place on his own.  There were no fences here, at least none for him. He could wander in the back meadow as he pleased. And he did. As he was coming back to the house, he heard a sound he hadnât heard for a long time. He stopped to listen. There it was again and coming closer, louder. He turned and saw the source running to him as fast as her old legs would carry her. Cow. Too old to give milk anymore and too skinny for anything else, sheâd been retired here too. Waldo tried to speak, but his throat had stiffened up for the second time that day. His mind had also gone mysteriously blank.  In his befuddled state, the only thing he could think to say was âCow, I have so much to tell you.â She mooed softly and nuzzled his neck.  Waldo and Cow were Home.Â
Epilogue            Â
There were several sightings of Waldo in the neighborhood from November 2014 to February 2015. As the frigid winter pressed on, it was thought he might have taken shelter in one of the various tree houses lining the backyards or the back shed at the local YMCA. He had lost weight, and some of his swagger, but he remained looking surprisingly healthy. He had no problem venturing up on backyard decks to eat leftover cat food or wilting pumpkins. No one seemed to complain much as he kept to himself. But it couldnât go on forever.Â
In February 2015, a local non-kill animal society was called to trap Waldo. Perhaps he was just tired of fending for himself in the cold or maybe he was just lonely. In any case, he was safely caught without incident and is now peacefully living out his natural life just a few miles from the farm where he was born. Waldo has indeed found home.
                                                In memory of Buddha - June 2015
