It is time for a critter check-up. I mentioned a couple of days ago that we finally got Morris buried. I shouldn’t say “we” because Jonathan did the work and Becky did the finishing touches while I visited with our company. I’m finding that as I grow older it isn’t so bad to “sit out” some of the things going on. I seem to remember my grandmother and mother doing the same thing. I’m never sure if we’re being smart or lazy but this past year has been an eye-opener. Some things just don’t have to be done……yesterday.

I think Rocky’s usual remark as I tried to employ him into some of my hair-brained ideas has taken root. It was always the same, “Is this something that has to be done in the next five minutes?” I always admired Rocky’s laid-back attitude about almost everything. We never had a fire very close so I don’t know if he’d hurry up for that or not but it always got my attention that I should wait until the time was better.

Napoleon has lost all of his beautiful eye-feathers and looks pretty ordinary now. He travels the neighborhood but for the most part he stays close enough I can see him or he comes running when I clank a spoon on an empty jelly jar to call the kitties to supper. It is a ritual that sets all the neighborhood dogs to barking when they hear that sharp clanking noise and the kits are so well trained they come to the garage knowing exactly what they will find…..me putting feed out and shutting them in for the night.

Lovey, the blue Russian stays around the house more than Callie or Chevy. She is the most interested in eating…..in fact, I’m afraid she is almost a glutton. They always have dry food and water in bowls but they only get canned food each morning and night. Lovey has a way of reaching over half-way across the plastic ice-cream lid I feed them on. She hurriedly eats some of Callie’s and Chevy’s space and then she has hers underneath that she backs up and eats.

It isn’t polite but the other two apparently don’t mind as they often walk away before the lid is empty. The ice-cream lid? I found they work very well…..I have a stack of them from past emptied cartons and I can throw them away after a time or two so they don’t grow colored looking goo in them.

Back to Napoleon. He quit roosting in our big oak early summer and went back to his first tree when he came to visit Becky. He stayed there until the past month or so and now is roosting across the road down in the timber. For reasons known only to him he “sleeps around” but always comes for supper at Esther’s house. I look for him every evening before his bedtime and he dines on dry cat food, hot dog buns and whatever “sweet” thing I have on hand. This week he has been having Sour Cream Bundt Cake. He loves sweets.

Time for my lunch, I made myself hungry. I’ll tell you about Mandy, Sassy and the stray kitties some other time. Have you talked with your dog or cat today? They love to hear what you have to say. Petting is good but they really, really would rather have you talk to them. It perks them up like it does me when I decide to have a bowl of ice-cream. It’s just something we all need everyday. Good ol’ comfort food and some petting and talking.

Right now Sassy is sleeping on the desk between me and the monitor. You will always find her close to wherever I am…….she’s a mama’s girl and interested in everything I do…it’s nice to have her company. As cat lover’s know, they have our schedules down pat and the sounds we make, the movements…….all are “cat”aloged so they never miss out on anything that might be interesting to them.

I’m thinking it would be nice if we were that tuned in to God so He could enjoy our company as we enjoy our pets. We know He takes pleasure in His children and we take pleasure in Him……maybe that’s where the whole “pet” idea came from.

I like to think so………

Essentially Esther