... And Some Things Do

Like people you haven't heard from in years showing up on your Facebook page. But that's definitely a change for the better.

So maybe you caught the subtle reference in the last post to the "new addition" to my household. And maybe you thought "wow, she complained about six weeks without Snickers bars, but she managed to be pregnant and never said a word?" Oh, hell, no. Not even close.

Earlier this month, I began volunteering at the House of Mews, which bills itself as the "oldest legal cathouse in Memphis, Tennessee." It's a no-kill shelter for wayward felines (male and female), including Penny (see picture), a rather large tortoiseshell with a penchant for unladylike postures. Apparently, new volunteers are immediately fitted with a unique tracking device: in a voice only cats can hear, it whispers "if you follow me home, I'll keep you." Fortunately, this device only activates outside the store, lest the unsuspecting volunteer find herself at the head of a Pied Piperesque train approximately 100 four-legged cars long.

The purpose of the device is to help any stray cats not fortunate enough to have landed themselves at HOM to locate cat-lovers like me who will give them an equally loving, and slightly less crowded, home. And it worked perfectly: two days later, I had not one, but TWO stray kitties try to follow me home. The larger of the two, sadly, I could only supply with food and some petting, and hopefully she will find an equally soft-hearted fool elsewhere on my block. The smaller of the two, however, scored the grand prize: deluxe overnight accommodations in my bathroom, a trip to the vet's office (more on that later), and an assortment of kitten chow and cute pink play toys. Congratulations, mom, it's a girl. Six months young, four pounds small, and spring-loaded like only a kitten can be.