Category Archives: animals

It’s A Guy Thing Right?? I Won’t Try to Understand

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Jean Claude Giving Instructions

When author John Gray pioneered the whole “Men Are from Mars” thing, I’m sure he didn’t have cats in mind. Still Jean Claude, the male Bombay cat, is decidedly male. Going to his chair at night, retreating to his cave – and just in general while a true gentleman acts like a dude, truly. If there is no food in his bowl he is in your face, agressively looking in your eyes. When a stranger comes to the door he growls like a dog. He is very protective of CCL and me. He enjoys his solitude and will sit on the lawn in my backyard quietly watching the birds. Roxie, of course, ( a true [priss puss) just runs wild. Jean Claude doesn’t chase after the birds, he’s too cool for that but he has been known to get really wacky when exposed to large quantitites of catnip – I guess a bourbon won’t do.*

*no we do not give the cats liquor

Purr-fection

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Roxie Practices Her Balancing Act Atop Jean Claude's Back

I’m watching an old re-run of “Monk,” the detective so wonderfully portrayed by actor Tony Shaloub, who had a keen sense of perfection. We are all in some ways victims of our need to be perfect. Of course nothing is perfect except God. But we have moments so close, Ah so much to live for, experience, enjoy and share. For me it’s those just right summer days, time spent with friends and family, a hug, sharing a joke with a good friend, a summer night outdoor jazz concert, great co-workers, that last bit of a chocolate shake and of course watching Roxie and Jean Claude romp outdoors…those moments so precious…so great -full. Let me your idea of perfecction (sp).

Roxie’s Prissy, Pissy ,Protest

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Don’t read this is you have qualms about cats…ah..habits. Tuesday morning, Miss Roxie, the Japanese bobtail, peed on my comforter. Then she peed on my spread. Naturally, I became quite angry and then I was concerned. Another urinary tract infection?? Naw… She was clearly just pissed. The solution …another litter box…there are now two litter boxes in my basement. Roxie is again content. There is peace.

A Drink From A Certain Fountain

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There is an old “Twilight Zone” episode, “A Drink From A Certain Fountain” in which a man wishing to impress his younger wife takes a youth enhancing drug to most interesting consequences. Recently I had the opportunity to visit with friends, there was wine but also afterwards it felt like I had been slipped a mental “Mickey.” Dizzy and a bit disoriented I went to CCL’s house where I took a quick nap. Still, today trying to regain my composure. I guess the lesson is to always be careful from whose cup you drink. Encouragement, mental support and love are served up by friends but not always As humans we sometimes serve up confusion, discouragement, complaint and maybe envy. Always forgivenss is the answer – then it is also up to us to whether we want to take what someone suggests or infers about us with a grain of salt.

Cats & Kids

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As I write this, the voices of Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Hepburn yelling in the background in a key scene from “Suddenly Last Summer”  from my television  along with the chirping of birds outside. Jean Claude is resting on top of an arm chair downstairs watching the world. Roxie is watching the movie.

It’s been a long rough week,  work is real work and also  just finished  up a project with some young people and a close friend.  Last night some chaos as some young men who were not part of the team project showed up with swagger, brash and foul mouths.  The leaders of the team including one young woman calmed things down.   Afterwards I spoke with the young woman, so unsure, feeling the need to apologize because she is a leader, a star.  It saddened me and we discussed the incident and her need to apologize when I drove her home.    She felt a little better and I hope better about herself and her right to celebrate her achievements.

In another old favorite “All About Eve”   in that beautiful script by Jospeh Mankiewich script George Saunders tells  Ann Baxter “The Eve” character “We are all equipped with little horns to blow on about our triumphs.”   Just ask Roxie