Cats

For those of you who have read my books, you know that cats have been an important part of my life. When we lived in Florida we had five cats. We currently have two, for a total of seven during our married life (which is going to be twenty-four years this August!). So between all of these cats and others that I've known over the years I thought I pretty much knew about cats. Well, I was wrong!

Last April we acquired our seventh cat. We adopted him from the Humane Society in hopes that he would be a good companion for our, until then, only cat whose name is Punkin. Benny, the new cat, was about five months old when we brought him home and apparently had spent nearly all of his life in the shelter. We had him checked out by the vet. He had a little problem with one eye that required ointment, and he apparently has seasonal allergies as he can sneeze with the best of them. I was quite amazed at the amount of goo that that little cat could produce. Anyway, it wasn't these little problems that made Benny so very different from our other cats. It's the way he behaves. How's that? I'm glad you asked!

Benny will come when you call him; he plays fetch with our son; and he must find a lap to sit on. He's really more like a dog in some respects than a cat and I think it's just the funniest thing! My husband said that perhaps he was accidentally housed in the "dog" section of the shelter while waiting for adoption. Probably not. I'm just thankful that we found the perfect cat for our very active son. The two were made for each other!

Oh, and Benny and Punkin are finally getting along together. It took quite a while before they were able to co-habitate in peace. And now, almost a year after Benny joined our family, they actually play with each other without trying to kill each other. As my grandmother used to say, "It's a wonder thing!"

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Spring?

It's funny how our outlook can change so quickly. Yesterday morning I awoke to the sound of a songbird outside our bedroom window. It was the first songbird I had hear in five months. That coupled with the fact that most of the snow on our roof was gone put a spring in my step. So what if there's still a good three feet of snow on the ground? It'll melt! Surely Spring had sprung! Then it happened.

Last night we got another two inches of snow. Then came the freezing drizzle. I wouldn't really have minded so much, but my husband was driving home in it. Of course I didn't know about the freezing drizzle until after he got home and told me that he had been driving on a sheet of ice for about 30 miles. I'm glad I didn't know until then. It would have destroyed my sleep.

This morning he and I were both a bit on the cantankerous side. But as soon as we started talking about it we both started laughing. What else can you do? We know that in a few weeks the snow really will be gone for good - well, until next winter anyway. The robins will soon be here hunting for worms. The lilacs will bloom and fill the air with their sweet fragrance (a sure sign of Spring). The garden will blossom and the butterflies and hummingbirds will come. For now all we can do is look for the joys in each day, whether they be snowy or not, and look forward to the wonders that come with each season. It sure makes for a brighter day regardless of the weather!

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Word Blocks

Do you ever agonize over your words, trying to find just the right one to put on the page? I know I have. One thing I've found that helps me get past these blocks, and potential work-killers, is to simply let the words come. It may not be the perfect word, but you can then move on with your writing and polish later.

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A Little Bit of This and That

Hello and welcome to my blog! In trying to decide what I'll be writing about in this blog I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to limit myself to one thing or another. Life's full of everyday joys and surprises, and I hope that this blog will be, too!

What has been on my heart lately is encouraging other writers. Sometimes it can be very discouraging, this writing game. Words don't seem to want to come out, or the ones that do just aren't the right ones. What I would say is never give up! I hope to be sharing some encouraging words and tips with you through this blog, along with a little bit of this and that along the way. I hope you enjoy it!

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