Hi all:

It's been ages since I've posted.  We've been sick with strep three times
(me), croup (Sam), two flus (Fred and I), and a pneumonia (Jane).  I can't
wait until we're all well and can actually leave the house!  Also, some very
intense things for my daughter that required immediate attention.  Who knew
being a parent would turn you inside out like it does??  I've been checking
in every day and sending silent purrs and encouragement to those who need
it.

There has been some cat excitement though.

In all of the ten years that we've had Otis, he's never, before now, brought
anything alive into the house.  Last week, I opened the door and Otis shot
in with a fine healthy vole in his mouth and dropped it on the floor before
ignoring it completely.  The vole spied the hot air register and immediately
dove down it.  EEK!!!!  The slick metal pipe goes straight down about 18
inches or so and then slopes down into the basement to the furnace.  I was
sure that he'd end up getting stuck and frying down there.  A while later we
heard a scurrying and the little guy popped back out of the vent!  Yeah!
Fred trapped him in a yogurt container and released him, unharmed, outside.
It was kind of an ugly creature actually.

Otis has been a total sweetheart as I've been lying in bed sick.  I've been
sitting propped up doing those Sudoku's (addicted) and he's jumped into my
lap and stuck his front legs on either side of my neck and purred and purred
and purred.  He sticks his face within inches of my face so I can't even
focus on him.  He's a good friend.

I've noticed that the universal friendly guesture of slowly closing ones
eyes while looking at a cat doesn't work with Otis.  Chester loves it.  Cats
for adoption at PetSmart love it - they get very interested.  Otis just
stares.  He wants you to stare and stare and stare into his eyes.  Fred says
that Otis is really a d*g.

I had a hot bath today to try to stop the chills.  Otis was sooooo alarmed
that he yowled non-stop, even putting his ears back and almost growling.  I
was actually concerned he was going to hurt me.  He jumped up on the side
and kept dipping his paw in and reaching over to gently scratch my face and
head.  I have a scratch down the front of my nose now.  So much for a
relaxing twenty minutes in the whirlpool tub!  Fred often says that Otis is
a pain too :-)  Which he is until he gets what he wants.

Fred also points out that Chester generally cleans his feet before coming
back in the house, which is true.  Otis *never* cleans his feet.  Then he
waits at the front door until we innocently open it and he shoots in and
takes a detour over the relatively new carpet.  Big muddy foot prints
everywhere.  A circle back around the table just to get as much mud on the
carpet is often in order too.  He has a stunningly bad judgement.

But I love him and his sweet buddy Chester.

Susan M
Otis and Chester