1/11/2025
As usual I was up late watching the snow fall, wondering where my free-spirited cat was hanging out, as he would not consider coming inside the warm home or inside his cat home outside, even in the worst snow fall. His food was still in his bowl, as I always put out a midnight snack. How I wish he'd take shelter at home, but he'd rather brave the elements than become a prissy stay-at-home cat. No sir, Alex, a long-haired, wannabe Maine coon, thinks he's the lion king of the neighborhood, master over all the unwanted critters that take shelter in an abandoned house on the far side of the block. His former owner's boyfriend didn't like him, so Alex, then known only as "Cat," roamed freely until the day he came meowing up my sidewalk like he knew this was home. As friendly as he is with me, he demands his freedom. He does sit still long enough for flea and tick treatments and annual trips to the vet, but otherwise this boy is his own cat. Master of his own destiny!
It's funny, but I've never been a cat person, but somehow this little rascal has stolen my heart, and I miss him when he's off on one of forays searching for an unsuspecting field mouse. My neighbor says since Alex has been around here he's not seen one mouse. Alex is well loved, no doubt, and when he's missing for a day or two, we wonder if he's safe or holed up at some other ole lady's digs who felt sorry for his soft-spoken meows and leg hugs. Yes, he's a rascal that one, but I love him.
I have often shared stories about my dogs, my own and later on, my neighbor's dogs, who really loved to hang out with me and go for walks in the snow. Kenya, a beautiful malamute, even loved to dance with me. She'd meet me every evening when I came home after traveling. She guarded me well, and she was a friend who listened well. Her hugs were genuine. As she got older, she got slower, and one day she disappeared. I learned that she had come to say goodbye to me in the morning, then had gone to lie down under the tree where she passed away quietly. I hope she knew I loved her. I still miss her. The neighbors, realizing how much I grieved for her decided to send Shadow, their pit bull, over to brighten up my days. He did, even though when he bounded up the ramp at my place he'd almost knock me down. But, like Kenya, he was always there, watching over me and protecting me. I miss that blunderbuss of a puppy, but he was a kind and loving friend too.
Then there were my two border collies who were dumpster babies who climbed out of the bin and through the hole in the fence of my daughter's yard in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She couldn't keep them, so I became the parent. Those two were my joy, but they could also be mischievous. The rabbit living under the old shed gave them a run for their money every day when we'd go for long walks and runs. They loved the snow and the mud. I remember a few days when I didn't know where they'd gone. I was worried sick, afraid the coyotes had gotten them, but they finally showed up covered in mud but happy and free.
I've been blessed with many furry friends over the long years. Sometimes I think they're the best and truest friends, as their love is unconditional, and they don't mind how long you spend talking and petting them, as long as you share a treat or two. All gone now, except for Alex. But no, my son has a tabby named Mia. She spends most of her days, and nights, on my bed. Yesterday I found her snoozing on my knitting project. That did not end well, but it wasn't her fault, it was mine, so she accepted an alternative blanket. She can be demanding, but she enjoys a good battle with the plush animals that live on my bed.
And so it is. My simple, yet complicated life. I'm grateful for the company and the trust. I never want for laughter either. Lord, watch over all the furry friends tonight in this ice and snow. Keep them warm and loved.
Miss Mia
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