Here on the flatlands the days are getting longer, the temperatures milder, and our three cats are showing signs of spring fever.  Even bulky old Panda.  None of our cats are purebreds, but a predominant breed is evident in each by their size, shape, coat and temperament.  Panda is an all black Maine Coon cat.  We consider her to be the same age as our oldest grandchild, meaning that both Nathan and Panda will be 11 in July.  Young boy, old cat.

Panda is accustomed to the slow pace of a home occupied by seniors, but she has been around when all four of our grandchildren were tots and has grown accustomed to their antics, too.  The seniors in this household have occasional and unpredictable bursts of energy, often leading to shrieks and/or bellows and hurried footsteps.  Panda has seen it all and doesn’t blink an eye.  She has lived with us in three different houses and thoroughly explored every nook and cranny of each house and yard.

Angus came along two and a half years ago, an all black kitten with definite Siamese characteristics.  He has grown to a hefty size.  Last fall a half starved creamy white kitten showed up on our doorstep and asked to be allowed in.  We think his mother was a stray that was occasionally seen by the children on the farm yard next door.  They left food for that cat, but could never get close to it.  What gave this kitten the courage to so boldly walk into our lives?

At first the kitten would go back to that farm yard for the day, but always came back at night.  In the almost dark house, we would see this little white shape moving silently from place to place and called him Spooky.  That didn’t seem quite right, so now he is Pookie.  As he grows, his colouring becomes more defined and he is a flame point siamese.  He and Angus will get into the most vicious squabbles, then a few minutes later will be curled up together in a chair.  Panda has made both of the newcomers understand that she wants no part of their antics.

I am older than the last time I wrote.  Seriously.  As of yesterday I am 71 years old.  I feel I am on a fast moving conveyor to my final destination, with no option to step off for a rest or to slow it down.  I don’t feel much trepidation about arriving at the end of the line, but there are so many things I want to do before I get there.  One of them is to put into writing some of the things that I have learned along the way that might be helpful to others on this journey through life.

This blog is a warmup exercise for the more extensive writing projects I have in mind.  I am thankful to have gone to school when they still taught grammar.  But I am realizing more and more that writing a coherent sentence is not always the same as effective communication.

I am also a bookkeeper, so between that and my writing I spend a large part of my time in front of a computer.  Both can become quite stressful at times.  Then a cat comes along and rubs against my legs.  Or Panda will just come and sit on the floor near me, waiting for me to notice.  It is a great stress reliever to then get up and spend a few minutes combing Panda or providing whatever attention one of the cats feels in need of.  Now that spring is getting closer, it seems that they mostly need to be let out or let in.  It seems that a cat is always on the wrong side of a door.