“If I had my way, I’d remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead.” -Roald Dahl

Dear Friend of Tux,

There is no denying that summer has hit Ringoes, NJ this year. It is hot and it is humid, and every day Tux hopes that the air conditioning will do its thing in the Community Room that he calls home.

Whether you agree or disagree with renowned author, Roald Dahl,  Tux and I hope that you have managed to remain comfortable and were able to celebrate Independence Day in whatever way was most special for you.

For Tux, the 4th was all about rest and relaxation, as Tabby’s Place was closed to the public in honor of the holiday.

What wasn’t closed for the entire holiday weekend was the door between the Community Room and the Lobby. What do I mean?

The air conditioning unit that cools the Lobby, Community Room, and Office of the Executive Director was not functioning properly, and it was getting a bit too steamy for human and feline comfort. But thanks to you and your unwavering support for Tux, his staff quickly got to work installing unscalable gates in the doorways and a portable AC unit in his Community Room.

The gates allowed for air to flow between the three spaces. It also provided ample time for conversation and mutual sniffing between cats that don’t often get to meet nose to nose.

By Monday evening, after the holiday, the repairs had been made and the gates could come down.

While one might think that high heat and humidity levels would keep feline snuggles to a minimum, such is just not the case in the Community Room of Tabby’s Place. It is the room designed for gathering.

There was one afternoon (during the broken AC days) that I walked into a line-up of cats on a single blanket. They were packed in so snuggly that I had to look from multiple angles to determine the identity of each feline sardine. While Tux was not a part of that particular crowd on that particular afternoon, he was there between his friends on my very next visit.

When I think about it, that is really what so much of summer is often about: family gatherings (big or small), fun adventures with friends, maybe a little travel, enjoying a slower pace, and going with the flow.

Thank you for loving Tux so much, sharing in his relatively calm adventures, and being part of his very special Tabby’s Place family. Even if we don’t get to gather in person, he wants you to know that he feels your love right there by his side each and every day.

Your correspondent,
Lisa