Dear Mom, it’s 2024

It’s been about 4 ½ months since I saw you.

I still often think to myself “my mom would love this”, but I catch myself before I get the words out. I guess that is a start. I know you wouldn’t want any of us to be sad. But some days, it hits me from out of the blue.

I am sure you can see from Heaven, that Milo crossed the rainbow bridge a few months ago. That little guy LOVED his Grammie.

A month ago, we adopted a new kitty. The first thing I know you would have said is “look at those eyes!”

Marco Francisco!

He’s a skittish little guy, but he is making progress in the past month since he came home. “Kitten steps” haha. They said he was 1-2 years old but he is way too rambunctious to be 2. He is still growing up and a rowdy teenager.

Molly tolerates him most of the time, except when he tries to pounce her. You would be proud of your grandkitty sticking up for herself!! It’s funny because Marco backs down like a scolded puppy. But we did catch them laying near each other, and Molly groomed him this morning.

Another success!

It felt so amazing to rescue him from the animal control. He is very curious and very talkative. He also is silly and makes us smile.

You would enjoy talking about the weather we’ve been having. Every few days is a weird wind storm with deluges of rain and one real snowfall. It melted next day but it was pretty. I do miss sending you pics.

Marco napping after watching the snow fall

We missed you over the holidays. But we were able to all come together for Thanksgiving at S&D’s house, and brunch on Christmas Eve in Wallyworld.

Of course, we missed your stuffing, and Christmas cookie extravaganza!! Nobody makes them like you do.

Well it’s now 2024 and there are so many other things I want to tell you. I hope that somehow, you can hear me or my guardian angels can pass it along.

We love you and hope you are at peace and with the twins, daddy, and everyone else in Heaven. I love you and miss you. (And if you are able, I’d love to see you in my dreams!)

All my love, your youngest and coolest daughter❤️

Seven Ways Your Cat Lets You Know that You’re an Inferior Being

There’s a saying that dogs have owners, cats have staff.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of sharing your home with a member of the domestic feline species, let me share a few secrets with the non-cat-people of the world.

7. We clean up their poo and pee.

I sometimes wonder, if Aliens ever decided to visit Earth, what would they think about this practice? Who is really in charge here? It’s especially humbling when they watch you clean the litter box, only to instantly christen the new litter. Of course, once they’re in their box, doing their thing, they don’t want you to look at them.

Six Things Cats would rather Do than Use their Cat Stuff

We’ve all been there. We buy toys for our cats, and they end up playing with the wrapper more than the toy itself. Much like kids who love to play with boxes than the thing that was in the box, cats seem to find a way to make mundane things exciting.

Here’s a sampling of things I’ve caught my cats doing, instead of playing with the manufactured toys or using store-bought “cat stuff”.

1. They watch television.

Mackenzie (RIP) watching ESPN.

“Friendship isn’t about whom you have known the longest…”

As a former journalism and acting student, I have a habit of observing people. Their interactions with others, behaviors in various types of public places, how they appear to relate to some people but not others.

Friendship is a funny thing. It doesn’t often make sense. I’ve read about unlikely friendships in the media, and I’ve witnessed it in my own life. I’ve also, with great curiosity, love seeing unlikely friendships among animals. A tiger with a parrot. An elephant with a dog. A cat in a shark suit riding a roomba chasing a duck (sorry, I had to include that, it’s quite possibly one of the cutest things I have ever seen!!)

Friendship among cats is not always easy.

Do I know you?

The Joy of Nature Continues

I had a few doctor appointments earlier this week. and I came out of the appointments with another cocktail of antibiotics and plans for another sinus surgery.

I should be a pro at this sort of thing, but it’s It’s never fun when I don’t score well on my medical tests. I try not get emotional, but sometimes, you do need to feel and to let it out, so you can move on. Over the years, I have developed many coping mechanisms, and as I’ve said before, one thing that really gives me joy is Nature.

The Cherry tree in the front yard grows such gorgeous blossoms. It was the first thing we ever planted ourselves. In just six years, it’s survived several hurricanes, half a dozen blizzards, and any other number of weather events typical of New England.