Ponder this question for today. Write it down in a journal to pass on to family members once you're gone.
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Have a great day.
2/3/2010: There are 26 letters of the alphabet. This month, let’s take the first 26 days, and choose a word/words to describe something about you to fit the day’s letter. Today is C.
For me, C would have to stand for cat-lover! My kids were grateful for this, especially my middle son, who brought home his fair-share of kittens. I couldn’t resist, and they knew it.
I even was a “cat lady” at one time. You know how dreaded that description is. Anyone looking to give their cat a new home and lucky enough to find one of my neighbors, always found my doorstep. I’d debate it, “I really can’t take in another cat,” I’d say, and my kids would whine and cry, “Oh please, please, mom! If we don’t take it, what will happen to it!?”
At one time, we’ve had almost a dozen … when we’ve had kittens. And we had several sets from time to time as we wanted the children to witness the wonder of birth. We always kept them till mama cat weaned them, and then found new homes for each and every one. We even had one stray which we took in ONLY till she had, and weaned, her kittens.
My first kitten was when I got married. She was a “secret” kitten, because we were not allowed to have pets. I’ll never forget when we bought a new mattress, because we inherited an old one from my in-laws upon marriage. It had a hole in the bottom, and my little “secret” just happened to climb up and into that hole the same day that they delivered the new mattress, and took out our old one. Along with my “secret”! (Yes! We discovered it before they got out of the building and rescued her.)
My middle son developed asthma when he was about 5 or so. Our “secret” had to go … and my parents luckily took her. My dad, who did not like cats, fell in love with her, and she lived with them till death.
My dad grew up in a time where cats were kept on the farm … to catch mice. If you had new kittens, you put them in a sack and dropped them over the bridge into the water below, unless you needed a new one. They served one purpose.
Throughout my life, I’ve had many wonderful cats. Some of the names, as I can’t remember them all, and some received more permanent names upon adoption of other families, were: Whisper, Bud, Baby, Honey, Maynard, Little Bit, Sugar, Scooter and Holly. They all come with a story, of course. But that’s not for today.
And, of course, no cat-lover would forget their most recent experience with a cat. A cat named Sammy.
Sammy was a stray as well. He came into life about 5 years ago, and walked out about the same way. He left one morning right before Thanksgiving, and never came home. But, that happens to outdoor cats, and he loved the outdoors. It’s a fact of life that I always preached to my kids. You don’t always get to choose your cat. Mostly, the stray ones choose you.
Even though he’s gone now, I will probably NOT take in another stray. They are so cute as kittens, but they grow up to be cats. And while I still love them, the expense of keeping them is so great today. Vets have been replaced by animal hospitals with increasingly high costs. I never thought I’d see the day where you needed insurance to keep a pet. But, it’s here.
So even though I am currently cat-less, I still love the furry little creatures. But should my heart yearn for a good stroking of fur, I’ll remain cat-less for at least now … and head to a pet store to satisfy my needs.
Check out my website at:
http://www.easyaspiedailygraphics.com/ (3 new free graphics each day) and my other blog at:
http://homespungraphics.blogspot.com/.
Ponder this question for today. Write it down in a journal to pass on to family members once you're gone. 
