An Afternoon With My Boy

I've been back in school since the beginning of September, back to the grind. Classes and work and reading and essays...I get overwhelmed, easily. Today I got out of school earlier than usual (well, actually I decided not to attend my last class because I did well on the first test and figured I could use a little extra time to relax). My nose has been stuffed up for two days, and I was just feeling a little down. I came home to a quiet house that was empty, except for my black kitty slinking around. He met me at the door and seemed so happy that I had come home just to keep him company.

He rubbed up against my calves and dipped his nose up towards mine as I bent over. It is so nice to have a kitty to come home to. I seriously think if he hadn't of been there, my afternoon would have been completely different--not as good. I dragged his felt ribbon toy around the house as he chased after me, and tousled it around in his belly as he batted it with all fours in the air.

I had wanted to do some writing before I went to my toil job. I'm taking a fiction writing class this semester, and we're just working on one piece all semester long. We workshop one student's piece each week, and other than that, all my professor asks of us is to sit down and write five times a week. It's easier said than done. It's hard to just sit down and write--it takes leaving that world around you and pushing it off to the side. It is usually easiest for me to do this late at night. A lot of writers say the early morning is good, too, but I wouldn't know. I freaking despise most people's idea of morning. My idea of morning is noon.

But today, the afternoon was a perfect time to sit down at the kitchen table with my pink laptop and write. Duncan sat right next to me the whole time, and that just made the afternoon better somehow. I miss him when I go off to work or school; being at home most of the day writing would be perfect. He could be there helping me.


This cat's name is Adrian; she is about two years old and gets along with other kitties. I've visited her on a few occasions, and she is extremely sweet and affectionate. As of about a month ago she was being kept at the Petco in Norwood, MA, which is right off of I-95, in a room off to the side where Friends of the Plymouth Pound keep some of the cats their shelter has taken in. She has been in a shelter for many months and deserves a loving, forever home!

Click here to learn more about Adrian.

Cats For Your Health

I read an article a few months ago (where--I don't remember) about a research study done over a period of time with some participants who had cats, dogs, or even fish in their household and others that did not. I don't remember the specifics, but the results suggested that pets are good for our health. This is no surprise to me—we don't need researchers to tell us how happy our animals make us. And isn't happiness one of the best things for our health?

I've been thinking over the past few days--what is it about our animals that make us so happy? Here's my list so far. Please add to it!

1. Waiting at the Door—No matter how long of a day I’ve had, there is nothing better than coming home to a kitty. Recently, Duncan had a kitty play date with my neighbor’s cats. She said, “I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have cats to come home to.” It’s so true. Duncan gives me something to look forward to all day.

2. They Remind Us to “Slow Down!”—Sometimes I feel like I’m always on the go, and there is always something I need to accomplish. It’s not always easy to slow down and enjoy a minute here and there. But my cat helps me do this. When he’s sitting on his favorite cushion, simply enjoying the peace and quiet, this reminds me I can do that, too! I can have fun doing nothing, sometimes.

3. Your Unique Kitty—No two kitties are exactly the same. There is always at least one thing about a cat that stands out and is different from other cats. My childhood cat’s famous trait was that he drooled in the midst of a patting session. Duncan plays fetch…like a dog, but only with his special mice (and not the twenty other mice we have purchased for him). What is your kitty’s unique trait or talent?

4. They Make Us Laugh—Whether they are jumping ten feet in the air to catch the dangling toy or rolling on their backs with their bent paws in the air, you can’t help but crack a smile. My cat sometimes leaves his tongue hanging out his mouth just a tiny bit; this gets me every time.

5. Kitty Love—Cats are not just our pets, they become part of the family. We spend so much time with our cats that they become our friend and companion. You feel like you know them,and they know you.