What was lost is now found.

Hi everyone;
We had a minor miracle, here around 10:30 pm on Friday night.
Hobie has been found!
It all started with a phone call at 10:20 pm from a man who lived in a neighborhood across from us and some streets away. He and his wife were out walking, they had seen my sign about Hobie and realized that a cat they had seen that night and the night before looked like Hobie.
He described the cat they saw and it sure sounded like Hobie, but was it really her.
I had to go and find out.
I didn't have much time, as I had to go pick up Christopher from his new job at Chick -fil -a by 11.
A short drive over to the street and I found the house of the caller. I get out and start walking along the side walk and calling Hobie.
No answer.
The man came out (Don Amend) and so I introduced myself and talked to him for a bit. I learned that he and his wife had just seen the cat they called about within the last 15 minutes.
I decided to give it another try and walk back along the sidewalk and towards my car.
A few more calls from me was finally answered by a weak "meow" back from someplace nearby one of the houses.
A few calls from me and a few answering meow cries and a black shadow detached itself from the wall of a house and came towards me and then underneath a truck in the driveway.
It looked and sounded like Hobie, so now I sat down on the driveway and talked to her.
Slowly, tentatively, she came to me and then finally, contact was made with me scratching her had and back and she rubbing against me, purring/meowing.
It was Hobie but good lord was she skinny.
Needing to get her home but not knowing if I could do it by myself I called on Josh and he came over in his car.
More sitting on someones driveway and soon she was up to him and rubbing against him.
Soon Josh had her in his lap and the decision was made for him to get in his car with he holding her while I drove. A short one minute drive and we had her in the house, safe and sound once again.
I then walked back to my car and then over to Chick-Fil-A to get Chris.
Whew; what a night!
Today, (Saturday), Josh took her to a local vets and they checked her out, gave her shots and antibiotics.
Hobie now only weighs 5 pounds and has some scratches on her, but should be good for the long run.We are taking things carefully here with Hobie.
She is still very weak and tired.
I don't think she ate much if anything for the month + 6 days she was gone.
So many things came together to bring her home, I still can't believe it.
To start with; I only put a couple of signs on that street, not really expecting Hobie to be that far in that direction.
The wonderful Amend family, who also have a Beagle, are right next to the telephone pole that has my sign and Hobie ends up practically in their yard.
The call coming to me at the right time and when I was able to react to it in a timely fashion.
My not giving up in calling for her that night and figuring it was a false alarm.
My prayers and the prayers of my family and friends.
All of these circumstances and more, combined to bring Hobie back to that familiar spot in our house.
At 6:20AM this morning, Hobie came into my bedroom and told me it was time to get up and get some breakfest.
Just like she always does.
And life goes on, a little happier now, in Mr. Joes World.
Thanks for reading.
Joe

Vanished....she is not alone

Since Hobie disappeared, I started scanning my local, regional paper for Eastern Baltimore County and was struck by how many pets have gone missing in the past two weeks.
Dogs, Cats and even a grey Parrot, all are listed as lost in the paper.
One dog that was lost, right down the road is a Beagle, with the same disposition as Daisy, "friendly but timid."
Every story you read is heartbreaking and you can read the family grief in the short notices.
"Sorely missed", "Family is heartbroken", "Family is grieving".
This is a sign of what pets have become to us and what pet ownership has evolved into.
It's surely a cold comfort to me to know that I am not alone and I can only hope and pray that all lost pets will find their way home soon.
Thanks for reading;
Mr. Joe