In The Keys
I took Tom and Binky fishing near Moser's Channel for the park's seventeenth annual fishing tournament. Binky caught a big French grunt. He won a fishing trophy in the grunt category. At the annual park party, he and others received their lovely awards and trophies. Of course, the live music was excellent as was the food and drink. This year's theme was celebrating everyone's birthday all on the same day, the day of the party. A birthday cake contest proved very popular and loads of fun. The party marked what is best about Gulfstream park headed by Frank and Roseanne and celebrating friendship, family values, community, and just plain neighborhood fun. We even were treated to bagpipe music from Dave. The park party was a huge success.

Jeff and I made several reef trips to Sombrero Reef and other spots. We snorkeled and generally had too much fun in the sun. We used our new snorkeling kits, cooler, ice jug, and reusable ice cubes. What they won't think up next, huh? We also visited Rachael Keys and bank, Molasses Keys, and did the Sister's Creek/Boot Harbor tour several times. Just off Sombrero Reef, Jeff and John lots of fish adding up to almost thirty pounds filleted. Jeff caught a huge yellowtail and group. The fish were bigger than our cooler.

I enjoyed a visit from my oldest son, Jeff, his wife, Jessica, and two of four of my grandchildren, Alexis and Hunter. We visited many different places including Anne's Beach. This spot had a boardwalk that transversed the entire beach with alcoves with picnic tables and access to the various parts of the beach. There are two parking lots at both ends. This is an excellent Keys beach. I fixed my famous chili, beef stew, and chicken stew each twice over. Not only did I and my family enjoy the great crock-pot cooked food, but many friends enjoyed the delicacies as well. All in all, we had a wonderful month of fun and sun in the Keys.

Guest Meows!
This is Larry for Ariel. She and her two cats, Atom and Emily, gave us some wonderful Cat Chat articles this month. [Harry is at Rainbo Bridge now.] We are gratified that we can offer this regular article about some wonderful cats and their human beans with visits by a dragon! Please visit the Memorial Page for Ariel's mother. Click the cat wagging its tail graphic to visit their net home. Thank you. Now here is Chester, Atom, and Emily with Cat Chat:


Cat Chat 02-07-01
In Memoriam

Atom: Chester, where's Harry? Me habn't seed him fur a long time now--maybe a whole day! Me sorta sees him, but he's not da same atall. He's like dar and not dar at da same time. Yous nose what me means?

Chester: Harry's gone, Atom.

Atom: Gone where? Did he go outside and find da flection world? When's he comin' back?

Chester: No, he went to Rainbow Bridge. He's here in spirit, but he won't be back. Not like he was anyway.

Atom: What's Rainbow Bridge? What does yous mean, he won't be back like he was?

Emily: Rainbow Bridge is where all kitties go when their time here on dis earth here is ober. Well, not jus kitties. All nanimals what lubed a hooman bean. He'll visit us as an angel kitty now, but mostly he's there.

Atom: Me don't unnerstan! Did he leave cause ub me? Me neber meaned to hurt him or make him unhappy! Me were jus pwaying! Tell Harry to come back, Chester. Me promise me'll not do nuttin bad atall! Me miss him an wants to sees him. (sniff)

Chester: We all miss him, Atom. That's why the Moms were crying so hard yesterday. But it's not your fault, he didn't leave because of you. It was just his time is all.

Atom: But why? Me didn't nose dat dar is a time what we has. Me still don't unnerstan.

Emily: See, Atom, Harry was old an furry sick. Yous nosed dat. After kitties live a long time an or ifn day gets real sick, God decides it's time fur dem to go home. Dat's when day goes to Rainbow Bridge. Dar day is happy and healthy again, an can run round and play and prowl and sit in da sun and lots ub stuffers like dat.

Atom: But he can't come back home?

Chester: Only as an angel, Atom. We'll see him sometimes, just like Harry saw Peanut Butter. Now he's with Peanut Butter. That's his brother, you know. He went to Rainbow Bridge years ago. I don't remember him, but Emily does.

Emily: Peanut was a furry sweet kitty. Eberybody lubed him. I heared Mom and Harry talk bout how much all da oder cats lubed him, cause he was so sweet. He was da only kitty Harry eber slept wid. But he got real sick and God decided it was time fur him to go to Rainbow Bridge and he's been waitin dar fur Harry eber since. Cept sometime he's come an talked to Harry.

Atom: Me's heared Harry talking to Peanut Butter lots here lately, but me couldn't see Peanut Butter nor heared what day said.

Chester: I think Peanut and Harry were talking about how they would be together soon. Harry knew it was getting close to time.

Atom: But it's not fair! Me's hardly gots to nose him. Me nose he doesn't like me furry much, but me lubs him an wants to get to nose him better now dat me's growin up. Can me goes to Rainbow Bridge an sees him?

Emily: No, Atom, yous hab to pass on and become an angel kitty to goes to Rainbow Bridge. Yous is still little an has lots an lots ub time to spend here growin an playin an looking after da Moms. I has to stay here too. Not dat I doesn't want to stay here in our cozy home wid da Moms. But I is stuck wid yous, monster kitten!

Atom: Me tawt we's were getting long purrty well, me tawt. Me's learnin all da cat trick from yous. Me was from Harry too, but den he started getting all sleepin alla time an not fun. Is dat what happens when yous gets sick?

Chester: Yes, that's what happens. I think if Harry had been younger when you came you two might have been good friends. He loved to play and run around the house. He and Em played Meow and Chase every day before he got sick.

Emily: Meow and Chase was a good game! We habed lotsa fun playin dat. Harry, he was furry nice to me when I come to da house to lib. He alays liked me. Peanut Butter were sweet, like I said, but he were kinda lazy an didn't want to play hardly at all, so Harry was happy to hab someone to play wid. It were sad when Peanut went to Rainbow Bridge before him. Harry looked all ober da house fur days an months. Peanut would come see him, but it weren't da same, jus like it is wid Harry now.

Atom: Tell me more bout Harry when before he were fun an not sick, pwease?

Chester: Well, I know a few things, and he told us lots of stories. He loved to lay out on the cement porch at our old house and watch the birds and squirrels. And he'd hunt the little mole-creatures that dug up the lawn all the time, and always brought Mom part of his treasure as a gift. She praised him up and down when he did that. And he chased all the mean cats away. He beat up that old white tom lots of times. He was the king of the yard, for sure!

Emily: Yeah, he purrtected our territory real good. I member when he used to hunt too, but that was long an long ago. I tell you one ub da tings he did best was be fussy at feedin time. He made sure he had jus what he wanted. He really trained the Moms good. He was da best bean trainer eber, I tink.

Chester: I think you're probably right. Although he learned a lot from Miss Priss, from what I hear. Still, he was always an in charge kind of kitty. From the stories he's told, he was a lot like you when he was young, Atom. Very crazy and wild. He would jump at shadows and got banned from the bedroom of the roommates Mom and the unhusband lived with for a while because he ran across the face of the man roommate with all his claws out while the man was asleep! Heehee! After that he was Mom's cat and no one else's. He wouldn't even let the unhusband pet him at all until he was 12 or so. I guess he knew the unhusband was good for nothing. But as he got older, he'd allow the unhusband to pet him some. He told me once that the unhusband would say to Mom: "You love that cat more than me!" and of course she did. Harry was her very special friend. He slept by her pillow every night for more than 22 years, except when she went on vacation or a few times when he decided to sleep somewhere else for a while. Mom figures that in all the time she and Harry were together, there might be a year's worth of days that they didn't sleep together. I know Mom is really sad not to have him there by her pillow anymore.

Emily: Harry tol me to try to keep Mom eggstra company, an I needs da eggstra company too, cause I miss him. I slept wid her during her nap, but I can't sleep right next to her pillow. She moves round too much! But I's tryin to be here fur her an Mom2, an day's being eggstra sweet to me too. An to Atom, eben doe he don't deserbe it!

Atom: Me does too! Me's a good kitten. Me's alays slept on Mom's feet, an lub her all ober when she wakes up. An me lubs all ober Mom2 wheneber she's in da bafroom or in her office. But me doesn't tink me can do fur da Moms what Harry did do. He were special, me meow!

Chester: He was indeed, and we'll all miss him. No one can take his place. But we can remember him and what a great kitty he was and talk about him. But mostly I think what he would want is for all of us to be happy together, and be happy for him, because he's in such a good happy place now, not sick or anything anymore. And he'll be waiting for us when we go to Rainbow Bridge.

Atom: Eben fur me?

Chester: Yes, even for you, Atom. Even if he wasn't too crazy about you when he was here, he'll know about all the love you give to the Mom's, and what good cat you'll get to be--and you will, I'm sure. And when your time comes he'll be waiting for you, just like he's waiting for all of us.

Atom: Well, me guess dat's ok, den. But me still wisht he were still here.

Emily: Alla us does. But we'll be ok. An we'll be busy too, cause we has to help Mom make a memorial page fur him. An yous is gonna hab to take his place doin da column wid us now alla time. Dat's da way tings work. People we lub goes on to Rainbow Bridge fore us, but here life goes on. But fore it does, I wanna ask alla da beans an kitties what read our column to say goodbye to Harry in dar own special way. An member dat he's not really gone. He's here wid us...alays.


Cat Chat 02-17-01
Atom's Big Adventure

Chester: Things are sure different without Harry here in the fur. We're adjusting, and getting along ok, but it's not the same. Harry comes by to see us some, but he mostly talks to Emily. They were such good friends when he was in the fur, and I know they miss each other.

Emily: Yeah, I sure do miss da ole fella. But like Chester said, he comes an talks to me. He says he's fine an happy an feels like a kitten agin. He says it was such a happy reunion when he crossed Rainbow Bridge. Peanut Butter was there waiting fur him, just like he alays said he would be, an Miss Priss come up and met him too, an didn't eben hiss an paw whap him like she used to. At Rainbow Bridge dar isn't any real fightin, cause eberyone is so happy, but Harry and Miss Priss hab bin play fightin, an Tinker an Fuzzy Bear an Captain Beyond an eben Harry an Peanut Butter's cat mommy Princess are all dar. It tooked him a few days to find Mom2's Bootsie, cause she didn't nose him an wasn't round to greet him, but he says dat da pitchur dat Mom gab him was what made him able to find her. She's libin wid a sweet angel bean an says dat she's tinkin ub her Mom, dat's our Mom2, alla time, an can hear wheneber Mom2 talks to her and tinks bout her. Harry says dat Rainbow Bridge is jus as nice as Peanut Butter said it was, wid lots ub yummy food and tings to chase an grass an sunshine an doors are neber closed an day can go in an out as much as day want. Harry an Peanut are so furry happy to sleep togeder in da sunshine agin.

Atom: Me's gwad Harry be happy and feeling good an stuffers. But me still wisht he were here. Tings is getting furry different round here since he left. Fur one ting, Emily hab asolutly tooked ober da house! She tinks she run eberyting now! She eben tooked ober Mom2's bedroom, what we was neber loud in before, but Em figgered out a way to get in eben wid da door closed!

Emily: Harry tol me I was da top cat now an I habed to make sure to keep eberting under control, an also to make sure da Moms is tooked care ub. So I am. Dat's how tings are when da kitty what's been in da house longest goes to Rainbow Bridge. Da next oldest kitty takes ober.

Chester: Wait a second. Wasn't Miss Priss the oldest cat in the house when Harry took over?

Emily: Well, yeah, an day had a few discussions bout dat. Day discussed it bout ebery day. But Harry were determined dat he was king, eben doe she said she was queen. So day jus kept discussin an neber really decided atall. But dis is different here, cause I is da undisputed Queen ub da house. I alays hab bin, an now I's Queen Boss!

Chester: What about me and Atom? Don't we have a say in this?

Emily: Dis isn't no democracy like silly beans hab. Dis is day way tings is an alays hab been. Sides, you an Atom is too young to be boss, specially Atom!

Atom: Me's could be a good boss! Me's bossy nuff fur alla yous. Me's da king now, me is!

Emily: (whap) Yous isn't eben a prince, little monster. Sides, yous a chicken.

Atom: Is not!

Emily: Are too!

Chester: Ok, ok, enough of that! I guess we'll just have to accept that Emily is the boss, if Harry told her to be the boss. But I don't understand, Em, how you figured out how to get into Mom2's bedroom all of a sudden.

Emily: Oh, it were easy. See Harry, he said Mom2 needed lots ub eggstra lubing, an he noticed, now dat he's an angel kitty, dat da bedroom door don't quite latch tight. Now, I is a purrty strong kitty...

Atom: Me's found dat out da hard way!

Emily: Heehee! Well, all I has to do is butt my head hard gainst da door an it comes right open. Mom2 tried to shoo me out at first, but finally when she founded out dat she couldn't keep me out she gaved up. So now I can go in dar anytime I wants to, an I lays on da big pillow on her bed, an in dis special warm place under her bed too. But she likes to sleep lone fur some reason, so wheneber she is getting ready to go to bed I gets up an leabs. Den when Mom goes to bed I goes and helps her fall asleep an den decides where I wasn't to sleep da rest ub da night.

Atom: Me runs into Mom2's bedroom when da door be open an steals her slippers. An she chases me, only she don't chase furry fast, an Mom usually hab to find me an da show an take it away from me. Dat's da funest game!! Heehee!

Chester: Yeah, you're really getting full of yourself lately. You've been running around like a mad cat and getting away with murder!

Atom: Yeah, me nose! Heehee! Me's only habed cage time oncet since Harry went to Rainbow Bridge, an dat was fur knocking ober da vase ub flawrs dat Mom got fur Mom2. Me didn't nose it would get me all wet! Me jus wanted to pway wid da flawrs. Me likes flaws, an dar isn't any left on da deck. Boy, did Mom get mad! She chased me all ober da house wid da squirt bottle an got me all wetter an den caught me an put me in da cage fur long an long. Me neber tawt me'd get let out! Me tawt me'd get cage time fur sumtin else what me did, but me didn't an me doesn't quite unnerstan why. Not dat me minds! It's jus strange is all.

Emily: Yous mean when yous slipped outta da deck when Grandpa bean opened da door an was outside fur four hours before da Mom's realized you wasn't just sleepin somewheres? I doesn't nose how yous got away wid dat eider! Course, da Moms woulda figgered it out sooner ifn day hadn't been asleep mosta da time yous was gone.

Chester: You shouldn't have done that, you know. It's dangerous out there!

Atom: Oooo! But it were such sceery fun! All da neat smells an da wind an da sounds an stuffers! I pwayed wid da leabs an splored all round under da cars an round da trailer an looked at da bid water what is at da bottom ub da yard. Me neber got dat fur before! It was real sceery an me didn't stay down dar furry long atall! But after while it gots more sceery dan fun. Dis big monster ting come roarin dawn da driveway what was way bigger dan da Moms' cars...

Chester: That was the neighbors' truck, silly!

Atom: Well, it were sceery! An den dat cat from da flection world come into da yard! An dat was special sceery. Me hissed at it an it meowed an me wanted to run back on da deck but me couldn't cause da door were closeded. So me hid under da stairs an dar was a place where me could squeeze alla way under da deck.

Emily: You're lucky the big white tom didn't come by. He woulda killed yous! I's big an strong an he won't try to mess wid me. I jus stay at da top ub da stairs an he nose it's not his territory an won't come up. But he an Harry usta fight alla time, an sometime Harry got hurt. Yous such a little sceerdy cat wid no muscle atall, dat tom would eat yous up!

Atom: Oh! Oh! Me doesn't wants to get eated up! Me's seed dat tom an he be da sceeriest kitty me eber seed. Me's gwad he didn't come by too! So anyways, doe, me was stuck outside an no ways to gets back in an it were getting dark an it weren't no fun much atall anymore. Cept as it got dark an cool tings started to smell different an tings moobed in da leabs an den me comeded out an vestigated some, but den me went an hid agin cause it were jus too sceery. An den me heard da Moms' callin an den me were really sceered, cause me nosed me was in big nig trouble! But finally me poked my head outta from under da steps an Mom2 said yous get your butt in here! an me runned up da stairs lickety split. Me didn't care ifn me got cage time. Me wanted to come in. But da Moms, day was really strange, cause day talked all mad sorta, but huggeded me an helded me an kisseded me an gave me yummy food to eat. An half da time day was talking mean an da oder half day was talking sweet. It were da strangest ting day eber done, an day does some strange tings, me meow! An me didn't get no cage time atall!

Chester: They were scared for you and relieved that you were ok, even though they were mad that you ran out. They get mad at you sometimes because you get so crazy, but they love you and don't want you to get hurt. That's why they don't want you to go out, and that's why they acted so strange. I heard they saying they didn't know whether to hug you or smack you. They were so upset!

Atom: Me didn't means to make dem upset. Me jus wanted to hab fun. Me wished me could go in an out an in an out when me want to.

Emily: I wisht dat too. But den I tink, ifn we had a cat door on da deck like I'd wanta hab, da freeloaders could come in wheneber day wanted to too, an dat wouldn't be good atall!

Atom: No, dat would be turrbil! Oh, well. It were a fun venture, anyways. Next time me will be sure da Moms isn't asleep when me slips out so me won't get stuck.

Emily: Yous better not try dat agin! Dat tom will get you fur sure! What's dat, Harry? Oh. Harry says you better not do it neider. He says you better be a good boy an not get da Moms all upset again.

Atom: He does not! Yous makin dat up!

Emily: Am not! He's right here! Don't yous sees him?

Atom: Yeah, but...ok. Ifn Harry says so, me'll try to be good. But me's don't nose ifn me can stay good alays.

Chester: I think if you were good always the Moms would die of shock. Heehee!


Cat Chat 02-22-01
Still Missing Harry

Chester: It's been a little over two weeks since Harry passed over Rainbow Bridge, and even though we know he is happy and healthy and fine, and even though he comes to see us sometimes as an angel kitty, it's still hard not to have him here for real. I know I sure miss him a lot. Harry was always my mentor, even if I did try to act like I knew more than he did. I mean, after all, Harry was the first person I saw when I came to life. I really miss talking to him, a whole lot. It was sad to have him so sick, and I wouldn't want him to still be sick and stuff, but I wish there had been a way that he could have gotten better and not gone to Rainbow Bridge. I know that's unrealistic, because we can't undo getting old and people getting sick, but I still wish he were still here.

Emily: I nose jus what yous mean, Chester. I hated to see him so sick an all, and I nose he is so furry much better off at Rainbow Bridge, but I miss him lots. It seems almost like I miss him more dan when he first went. I doesn't nose why. Maybe it's dat it didn't really seem so real at first. Harry comed to see us most ebery day at first, but now he don't come as much. I guess he's real busy splorin stuffers and spending time wid his old friends, but I wisht he'd come ebery day. But eben den, it still isn't da same. I wisht so furry much dat he could be here healthy agin an we could play Meow an Chase. It's bin long an long since he were strong enuff to play dat, only but he'd still do da Meow part. Angel kitties can't play Meow and Chase wid real kitties. Dat don't seem right. I nose it were time fur him to go on to his home at Rainbow Bridge, jus like it were Peanut's time an Miss Priss's time when day left, but it jus don't seem fair. God shouldn't oughta make us lub peoples an den take dem away. We should be able to hab dem wid us always, in da fur an flesh, an or maybe eben all go togeder. Dat would be easier dan dis, I meow!

Chester: I agree, it would be easier, but that's just not the way things work. (sigh) Harry is the first person I every knew who passes over Rainbow Bridge. This is very hard. Does it get easier, I wonder, when you have more people you love pass on?

Emily: I don't tink so, not really. I tink it hurts as much ebery time. Da Moms say dat we get to an age where we spect peoples we lub to pass on, but spectin doesn't make it hurt less. Da only ting dat makes it hurt less atall is knowin dat Harry would jus be so miserable ifn he were still here. But dat don't hep much when I'm missin him.

Atom: Yeah, but me's still little. Me's not specting no one to go to Rainbow Bridge! Me neber eben nosed it happened, really. Me heared yous all talking bout Peanut an stuffers, but me jus didn't nose what dat really meant. Me nose dat Harry really didn't like me much, cause me is jus too rambunshus fur a kitty what was old an sick like him, but me lubed him an wanted so much to get to where we was friends. Now me'll neber get a chance to nose him atall. Dat makes me furry sad. But yous nose what makes me sadder is how much me nose da Moms is missin him. An how much Em is missin him too. Me nose yous looks at where Mom put him in da flawr garden ebery day, Em. Like most you spect him to come out an be ok. But dat's not gonna happen, is it?

Emily: No, it's not. Yes, I looks out dar were I nose he is, only he isn't really dar, I nose. An I nose it makes Mom2 feel real bad when she sees me looking, an I don't want to make her feel bad but I can't hep it. I wants to look, an tink bout alla good times we habed, an wish dat he were here. I gets so lonely widout him lately.

Atom: But yous has me!

Emily: Dat's most worse dan not habin anyone, yous sucha pain in da butt mosta da time! I can't walk in da house widout yous tackin me!

Chester: He just wants to play, Em.

Emily: I nose, an I does play wid him, but he's still a monster kitten. I wisht he'd grow up. An anyways, he couldn't take Harry's place nohow.

Chester: Of course not, no one can. Harry was an extra special kitty, and a good friend to all of us. I know he was Mom's best and only friend for a long time when she still had to put up with that nasty unhusband. Harry told me all about that a lot. He told me that the unhusband would say to her: "You love that cat more than me!" and she'd lie and say of course I don't just so they wouldn't get into a fight, but she did, of course. Who wouldn't love Harry more than that nasty beer drinking man! I know Mom is missing him a lot. I hear her calling in the "come here" meow, hoping one of you cats will come and snuggle. She's doing that more and more.

Emily: I go when I hear her, and try to comfort her, but I needs comfortin too. I mean, it's not dat she doesn't comfort me. She does, a whole lot. But den dat kitten will come up on da bed an I gets mad an hab to leab. I jus can't stand being on da same bed wid him. He's jus too much! So mostly I hangs out wid Mom2 alot alot. I nose she's missin Harry bad too, an feels real bad fur me an does eberyting she can to make me feel better, and I tries to do da same fur her, an fur Mom. But it's all so compelcated and hurtsome.

Atom: But Em, yous doesn't hab to leab when me comes up on Mom's bed. Me isn't gonna tack yous dar! Me wants to be sweet an hab a kitty friend. (sniff) Me doesn't wants yous to hates me! (sniff, sob). An me tries to be snuggly sweet to Mom when she calls, only me jus isn't sure what to do! Me jus no good! Me should jus run outta da house an neber come back!

Chester; Atom, no! You're crazy and wild because you're still a kitten, but you're not a bad person. We need you here. I know the Moms would go crazy if you disappeared. Em, you need to stop being so mean to him. You were like him once. Harry told me so. And Harry was like him too. We've got to pull together if we're going to get through this. And I've heard people do get through stuff like this, but it takes a while, sometimes a long while. Please let's all try to love each other!

Emily: I tries, but it's not easy wid dat kitten chasin an tackin me an tryin to grab da Moms tention way from me. I needs all da tention I can gets right now! I'm so mad at God fur making us hurt like dis!

Chester: I know it's not easy, and it's ok to be mad at God. I think we all are, and I think that's normal for people who have had people they love pass on. And I know Atom can be a real pain, but look: he's trying so hard to be like you. You're his role model now. That's why he does the same stuff you do. We all need attention. And Atom, I don't think we're supposed to know what to do. All we can do is the best we can.

Atom: Ok, me won't run way. But maybe, could yous tell me stories bout Harry when he was little like me? An when he was bigger too? Den maybe me'd feel like me nosed him a little.

Emily: Dat's a good idea. We'll tell lots of Harry stories. Mom nose more den me. I'll ask her to tell us some, an den maybe we can talk bout dem here, ok? An I'll try not to be mad at yous alla time, Atom. Only mosta da time!

Atom: Yes, pwease do ast Mom bout Harry. An maybe sometime yous won't be mad at me much atall. Dat would be nice! Emily: I will, an I'll try. Yous stay outta my way more, an I'll try to be nice more, ok? Atom: Ok, me'll try dat. Me bets dat Harry would want us to likes each da oder, doesn't yous tink?

Chester: I'm quite sure of that, Atom.


Cat Chat 02-26-01
In The Beginning

Emily: Well, I talked to Mom a bunch an she tolded me all bout how Harry was borneded an stuffers like dat. Does yous want to hear bout all dat?

Atom: Oh, yes, pwease tell us!

Chester: Yes, I'd very much like to know about Harry before any of us knew him.

Emily: Ok. Well, first off, Mom lived wid da unhusband in a partment up on a hill. Day had lotsa cats--day tooked in ebery stray what come round. Dar was some neighbors, an da had two little kittens what day wasn't takin good care ub. Day had dem in a box outside da partment door, an it were getting cold. So one day Mom decided dat she would take dem kittens an gib dem a real home. Da kittens names was Tinker an Princess, an day was bruder and sister. Mom gots dem all ub dar shots an when it was time day got Tinker noodled...

Chester: You mean neutered?

Emily: Yeah, dat's da word. Yous hab to do dat fur boy kitties earlier dan wid girl kitties. Well, day didn't realize dat eben doe Princess was still furry little, she was mature enuff to hab kittens ub her own. So one day day realized she was pregnant! Day nosed who da daddy kitty was, cause dar was only one tom round. He was a big black tom dat libed down da block, an he was half Siamese.

Atom: What's siam-ease?

Chester: It's a special kind of cat that talks real real loud. A purebred Siamese has special colored fur, but lots of black kitties have some Siamese in them.

Atom: Oh, ok, dat makes sense, me tinks.

Emily: Well, anyways, Princes was a calico, like me, only she had short fur stead ub long bootiful fur like I hab. Now, since dar was so many kitties in sucha little partment. Mom an da unhusband--well, mostly Mom, cause da unhusband neber really did nuttin at all dat was good--made deese boxes sorta like our litterhouse but outta cardboard an cobered in plastic stuffers what is sticky on one side so as day would be purrty an strong too and put towels an blankets inside so as da kitties could hab private places to go. An Mom made one special fur Princess an her kittens. Princess had four kittens. Two was tabbies like her bruder Tinker, an one was all solid orange an one was all solid black. Mom an da unhusband found good homes fur da two tabby kittens when day was old enuff to leab dar moma, but day wanted to keep da orange kitten an da black kitten. Day named da orange one Peanut Butter, cause Mom liked to eat peanuts in da shell what she kept in a jar an Peanut would fish dem out an play wid dem.

Atom: Ooo! Me likes doin dat too! Peanuts is fun toys!

Emily: Yeah, I nose you do, silly ting! Anyway, Mom says da black one jus looked like a "Harry" to her so dat's what day called him. Course, yous can't jus call a cat by one name, yous hab to make it fancy. So Harry's real name is Geharis Harrison. "Geharis" is from some old legend dat Mom is crazy bout...

Chester: Geharis is one of the four brothers of Cornwall in Arthurian legend. He was Arthur's half-brother. Mom loves Arthurian legend.

Emily: Show off! Yeah, I guess dat's what she said. An "Harrison" is after dis actor what Mom really likes, his name is Harrison Ford. But day alays mostly jus called him Harry. Mom says dat Harry was mad at da world from da day he were born. She says he was a practicing curmudjohn...

Chester: That's curmudgeon.

Emily: So what? Yous nose what I means, an so does alla beans an kitties reading dis. Anyways, what dat means is he didn't like no one nor nuttin atall eber. Da only bean he liked was Mom an da only kitty he liked, cept fur his mom kitty, was Peanut Butter. Dat is, til long an long later when I come into da house. But dat's way long from what I's telling yous bout now.

Atom: How come he didn't like nobody?

Emily: I doesn't nose. Some kitties is like dat. I's not too fond ub beans nor kitties neider, so I can unnerstand how he felt.

Atom: Me likes most eberybody! Beans is fun. Some ub da freeloader kitties is anoder ting, doe.

Emily: Peanut Butter liked eberybody, but Harry sure didn't! He didn't eben like da unhusband fur years an years. But, so, anyways, when Harry an Peanut was still little kitties Mom an da unhusband moofed into dis big house what day shared wid anoder man and woman bean. Dar was four bedrooms an two baffrooms an two libin rooms an one big big kitchen. But da oder beans, da had cats too, an two dogs too. Mom an da unhusband had Peanut an Harry an Tinker an Princess an Miss Priss an Fred Purrbox an Misha an Captain Beyond an BC. Now, when day moofed, Princess, she jus was not gonna moof wid dem at all! She jus disappeared an Mom called an called an went back to da partments fur weeks an called an Princess neber came at all. An BC, she didn't want to be moofed eider, an da first chance she got she got outta da door an headed back to da partments. Mom says she saw her dar a few weeks later. But still it were a houseful ub cats, cause da oder beans was owned by Boo an Munchkin. Da dogs, day stayed outside in dis big fenced yard dat day had. Poor Captain Beyond, he got feline lukima jus as day were moofin, an he died real real fast. Dis was way back before da vet beans tested fur dat disease an Mom didn't eben nose what were wrong til day tooked him to da vet bean and den it were too late.

Chester: That's terrible! I thought vet doctors knew everything! How could they not know about such a terrible disease!

Emily: Mom says day nosed bout it, but day didn't nose how to test fur it. Tinker got it too, but he got better an libed fur long an long after. As soon as she could Mom had alla da oder kitties tested, dat's when da vet found out how to do it, an Harry turned out dat he had a natural munity to it. An Peanut an Miss Priss an da oders was all ok too, an got dar shots so as day wouldn't get sick, but da vet bean said Harry didn't need da shot, an sure nuff he were fine. Atom: Me hates shots, an hates da vet bean too!

Emily: Me too, but I guess it's better dan getting sick. I heared Harry talk bout da kitties what died from dat nasty lukima an it sound turrible. Anyways, Captain Beyond, he were da head ub da house eben doe he wasn't da oldest nor da biggest kitty. He was jus a feisty fellow--sorta like yous, I guess, Atom. An he jus took ober. But when he went to Rainbow Bridge, Harry decided he was gonna be head ub da house. Only Miss Priss, who was da oldest cat, she decided da same ting, so day fought bout it alla time. Well, bout dis same time, Harry decided he liked da woman bean what day was libin wid. Mom an da unhusband's bed was all cobered wid cats ebery night, so Harry decided he was gonna sleep wid dis oder woman bean. He were only a kitten still, bout Atom's age. An eberyting was fine fur a little while, but Harry were a furry strange kitty. He were eben crazier dan yous is, Atom, when he was young.

Chester: How could he be crazier than Atom? I didn't think any cat could be as crazy as that boy! Heehee!

Emily: Well, he was, Mom says, an Harry tol me it were true. See, Harry would jump at shadows an at nuttin at all. At least when Atom is crazy he's jumpin or runnin round after sometin. But Harry would run round fur no reason at all dat anyone nosed. He's wake up outta a dead sleep an jus take off runnin round da house like a mad doggie! Mom an da oder beans tawt it was real funny, an called him Scary Harry cause ub da way he acted. Well, one night when he was sleepin wid da woman bean roommate an her husband, Harry woked straight up an runneded cross da husband's face wid all his claws out. Da husband bean got real upset, I can tell yous!

Atom: Heehee! Dat's funny! Me can'ts magine Harry doin somtin like dat!

Emily: Well, he did. He was a crazy nutty kitty, he were. The husband bean was so mad dat he said Harry couldn't sleep in da bedroom wid dem anymore. Dat made Harry mad, an he wouldn't talk to da man bean nor da woman bean neider anymore. An he tooked da spot next to Mom's pillow, eben doe Miss Priss tawt it were her place an Harry had to growl at her bout it. But Mom were furry happy dat Harry decided to take dat spot, cause Miss Priss, she purred so loud dat she sounded like an airplane takin off, Mom said. She could hardly sleep from all da purrin noise. An Harry alays purred real real quite. So she an Harry both was both real happy bout da situation, eben if Miss Priss weren't. But Miss Priss decided to take up residence at sleep time at da unhusband's feet, an ifn he moofed his feet and da wasn't under da cobers, she would claw him. Which was just fine wid eberybody but da unhusband! Heehee!

Chester: That's a good story! Did Miss Priss try to take back the spot next to Mom's pillow ever?

Emily: Oh, lotsa times, but when Harry would come up on da bed she alays went down to da unhusband's feet. An when it were winter, she would burrow under da cobers alla way to his feet an den he really had to be careful how he moofed! Mweeheehee!

Atom: Did Harry eber claw anyone's face agin?

Emily: No, not dat Mom can member. But whenever she would turn over to her oder side, he'd walk ober her so as he was always where she was facing him. An he'd snuggle up to her an she'd put her arm round him and day was furry happy. Dat's da way day alays slept, eben after I comed to da house.

Atom: Did he alays sleep dar alla time like he did when I nosed him?

Emily: Yous mean during da day time? No, he slept whereber he wanted, like all kitties do. But lotsa da time he'd sleep wid Peanut Butter. Mom says day would sleep togeder wid dar arms round each oder. Harry lubed Peanut fur sure!

Chester: It's nice to know all that about Harry. Is there any more that Mom told you?

Emily: Oh, lots more, but I think we's run outta column fur dis week, so I guess maybe I oughta save it up fur next time.

Atom: Oh, pwease jus a liddle more!

Chester: No, Em is right, we need to stop fur now. But we'll hear lots more later, right Em?

Emily: We sure will! Harry had lots an lots un ventures. Don't worry, I'll tell yous all bout dem, I will.

Atom: (sigh) Ok, long as yous promised to tell more, me guess me cin wait. A liddle bit anyways.

Cat Chat is © 1999 - 2008, 2009 Ariel, Emily, Atom, Harry, and Chester the Dragon. All rights reserved worldwide. This column may not be reprinted in part or whole without express permission of Ariel.

Poetry Corner
“More Than This” 1.24.01 
by L. E. Shaffer © 2001 L. E. Shaffer

 Where did this world go
Only we can know
Music playing silently
Nothing is there

Ancient times
Tongues speak
Minds in tunes
Play on hallow ground

Aren't we more
Than this swaying
Dancing round fire
Hair wind blown

Sparks fill the air
Night stars bask
In a blood red moon
Pounding of naked feet

Full of strange stupor
This illusion of time
Circles in the wheat
Ashes black and deep

Aren't we more
Than this life
Lived in hoary
Depths of depression

Lost in a world
Where we are known
Silent chats in the air
There is more than this

© 2001 L. E. Shaffer

Hockey Puck
The NHL's Florida Panther, one of my favorite teams, had a winning streak lately. Pavel Bure scored a ton of goals and had an equal number of assists. Mario is still hot as well for the Pens. The NBA's Miami Heat are winning still, and that is a big surprise. The NFL and the XFL are both boring and predictable. The Dolphins are at least entertaining. MLB is in spring training all over Florida and other hot spots. The Marlins are doing well so far. The big news is that NASCAR's premiere driver hit the wall at the Daytona 500 and lost his life needlessly. If he had been wearing the HANS device, he most likely would still be alive. Tiger Woods has yet to win, even though he was leading Dubai until the last. That's the sports rundown!