This & cat

Pogo, my older cat, has claimed the top of the printer as his napping place. He thinks I neglect him. Not true! .... Well, maybe. Pogo manages to squeeze his Wilt Chamberlain body into the space, but the tiny area makes bathing nearly impossible. Finally, after a quick tongue stroke on tail, he gives up and heads for "bedder" places.

Pogo owns several annoying habits. If I am anywhere near the kitchen, he magically appears and, at the top of his ample voice, lets me know he is starving. Mind you, he is starving about eight times a day.

Pogo also jumps into the refrigerator every time the door is opened. Sometimes he jumps right back out, sometimes I have to physically drag him out. A full lower shelf has taken care of that problem.

Pogo has some quirky moments, too. He loves my friend, Connie. When she comes to clean, he heads straight to her purse. Before you know it, his head has disappeared into its depths. After a few seconds, he is rolling in ecstacy like a colt in a meadow of fresh clover. He reacts to her scent as he does to catnip.

Pogo also has a relationship with wet towels. A damp towel on the floor is an invitation to roll and roll and then clean himself from head to tail.

My other boy is Satchmo. If Pogo is Wilt Chamberlain, then Momo is a chunky Spud Webb. He seldom talks and waddles when he walks. He never seems in a hurry and pokes me with his paw if he is feeling neglected.

Momo does have his moments. Like spending a good minute preparing the cat box to poop and then another two or three minutes afterward making sure he has it covered. Does his fastidiousness indicate a fussy neat freak like Felix Unger?

Because Momo is solid black, he has a body heat problem. To find relief, he lies on his back spreadeagle. At night from atop the cat tree, you sometimes can hear him snore.

At times I get a bit annoyed with the boys, but nothing beats a cat or two on a cold winter's night or an afternoon on the couch with a blanket and a good game on TV -- one of life's little pleasures.

So, here's to the new year.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back,
The sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rain fall soft upon your fields.

Make the most of today, for yesterday is no longer here and tomorrow never comes.

I will never forget you, my friend. You always will be in my heart.

The mailman took a holiday.

Later.