CAT LADY

I am a person who enjoys animals, all kinds of animals. I love dogs but do not want to be tied down with the care of one. I fulfill my dog craving by visiting Pebble Creek. I have kept cats around since I had a home built in BZ Corner. My recent cats were Teach and Latch but Latch disappeared early on. Since then Teach has become somewhat needy. She has been bored with winter confining her indoors. She sleeps 18 hours out of 24. I needed to do something. A solution presented its self. Heather got a cat for the girls but then decided not to keep it, so tadaaa, Woolena came to live with us. Teach was miffed that I would dare to bring this little interloper into her domaine. For five days she would not look at me. To make a long story short, Teach and Woolena have become best buddies and are so comical they keep me laughing. To my family I have become, “The Cat Lady.”

I try to be a responsible pet owner so I build cat forts and move them around the house. My latest fort is a double decker which Teach and Woolena play in constantly. Does that make me a “Cat Lady,” I ask. I gave the cats a sheet of bubble wrap which has become Woolena’s favorite past time. She searches for the bubbles that still have air in them so she can pop them.

My first cat fort. I had no idea the cats would love it so

I get a kick out of Woolena, who is so full of energy

One day Taylor brought an abandoned German Shepherd home until he had a chance to find a home for it. It was the cutiest little thing, but not in Teaches eyes. The puppy wanted to play with Woolena and she was curious about the puppy a well. Teach had other ideas, however, thinking the puppy a threat to Woolena. I couldn’t believe it, Teach, who is a very gentle cat ordinarily, got herself between Woolena and the dog and became a whirling, hissing, flying ball of fur and lit into the poor dog. There is more to Teach than meets the eye, apparently. That was the second time she came between Woolena and a dog. I think both times the dogs were just trying to be friendly.

LIFE BEYOND CATS:

Last Sunday we celebrated the feast of Epiphany, the coming of the three kings to see baby Jesus and bring him gifts. Many hispanic families still celebrate that tradition, one of the oldest in Mexico. Two of our hispanic Sunday school teachers celebrated the “Feast of the Three Kings” with their students and invited all the pre-confirmation classes. It was great fun to share this hispanic tradition. The Aztec country celebrates this day by adding figurines of the Three Wise Men to the nativity on January 5. The following day, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar will have left gifts next to the shoes the kids put out the night before. The celebration also includes an oval-shaped cake known as Rosca de Reyes or Kings’ cake. For some, the Christmas holidays end after December 25, but in Mexico, the celebration continues through January 6, Dia de Reyes, Three Kings Day. In some parts of the world, this day is known as Epiphany. We Catholics consider the Christmas season over after the Epiphany, for which there is a special Mass. Modern hispanics put baby Jesus the cakes and those lucky enough to get one receive many gifts from God.

Thank you Soila and Laura for inviting us to your ‘Three Kings,” celebration.

Each student cut their own piece of cake, more of a bread actually.

Group photo of the students although some of them had already returned to their classrooms. It amazes me that each student got a cut of the cakes and the pieces were huge. Latah is not in this photo.

Not long ago Judy sent me a photo of a 1500 piece puzzle she had just completed. Judy and Rosemary, if not the queens of puzzles, are the top princesses for sure. Actually, they may be queens and that fact hasn’t gone public yet.

You amaze me, Judy. Looking at the puzzle closely I see the 1500 pieces are about the same size and shape.

Seeing Judy’s puzzles reminded me that Rosemary had given me a 550 piece puzzle months ago. It has a picture of Christmas Cat Stamps. Being a Christmas theme I put it away. Judy’s puzzle reminded me of it so, being Christmas, I went to work. The puzzle was very fun to do but it did not help dissolve my family’s image of me as, “The Cat Lady,”

Latah finished the puzzle and placed the last piece.

Last, but certainly not least:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEAGAN

Teagan’s 15th birthday was Sunday. She celebrated the event skiing on Mt Hood with 4 of her school friends. Getting home late she enjoyed birthday cakes with her mom and sister.