Right. So I have been threatening to write something about many topics for quite awhile...not like many people read this with any regularity...thanks, Dad, I think you are the only one!
Anyway, I had the pleasure of visiting my niece...oh, and her parents, this past weekend. Miss Celia Rose has grown into a beautiful young lady who takes my very breath away (stole that from you, Gayle) with her intelligence, wit and charm.
After ridiculous delays at our least favorite airport, Burbank--sadly renamed John Wayne, it's an insult to his memory--Alec and I arrived in San Jose. I had completely forgotten that Celia takes tap and ballet for 3 year-olds on Saturday mornings...and that we would be able to watch! Oh. My. Gosh! She is the most adorable creature on God's green earth! Take a look at some pictures...
That last picture is with Maddie, Celia's oldest friend, with whom she shared Maria, her Nanny when Lisa first went back to work. They get along really well...for 3 year olds...
Alec and Bill went to see a movie after dance class--I forget the name, but that's okay...they don't recommend it.
Saturday night, Alec and I watched Celia and Maddie while Lisa and Bill went to a previous commitment. Maddie's parents had some other plans, so we thought it would be perfect for the girls to play together...Whew! I forgot what it's like to have two 3 year-olds at a time! But we had fun cooking and playing and reading :)
Sunday morning we had a lovely brunch with coffeecake (Yum!) and fruit, eggs, bacon, coffee and juice. Diane, a family friend, was able to join us. We were able to enjoy some great weather in Lisa and Bill's backyard--so great that Lisa and Celia got some planting done--radishes and lettuce mix!
With only a slight delay and NO other difficulties, Alec and I flew back to Burbank. What a great weekend! I look forward to my return in July when Alec and Michael are in New Orleans :)
My next update is on: HORACIO, EL GRANDE GATO ROJO which is the fighting name for Horatio, our big red cat. He's earned it, believe me. Ever since we brought Horatio home in late October, he has been a bundle of energy. At 8 months he is at least 14 lbs, outweighing his "sisters," Maddy and Sophie.
When Horatio first came home, he took instant control over our house and our hearts. He was so unafraid of anything--especially Maddy or Sophie! They have since learned to love (?) him...The best thing was when he would nap on the top of the couch--and roll right off the edge...and then just curl up wherever he landed and go back to sleep. So cute! He has always been very playful, tossing toys up in the air with his paws and catching them.
He is so curious--I have had to stop him from climbing into the hot oven or the burning fireplace! My favorite, though, is when he climbs into the refrigerator. We just let him jump into the lowest shelf on the door and close it...at first we were hoping that it would be enough to dissuade him from doing it again. Unfortunately, I think it intrigued him more...And speaking of the kitchen, he can hear the ice maker from anywhere in the house. When anyone gets ice, he is right there ready to get his piece to bat around on the kitchen floor.
Having added cats to my household as kittens every couple of years, I have noticed the traits each kitten picks up from older cats. For example, Dinah (4/1/98-10/17/2007) used to mirror Maddy's exact position while sleeping. And Sophie, although she never got along with Dinah, picked up some traits from her because of her possessiveness. I have seen Horatio watching Maddy and Sophie as his examples, and have noticed him following them in their behavior patterns and sleep positions and locations. In fact, when we first introduced him to the downstairs (general population), the first thing he did was "steal" Sophie's favorite nap place. But what I love the most is that I see Horatio doing things that we humans do. Horatio has mimicked my sleep positions before. When Maddy sleeps close to me, she sleeps on my pillow. Horatio actually walks across my pillow, turns himself around, and lies down with his head on my pillow, body stretched out along mine. I've also seen him find a fold in a blanket to put his paws under like a pillow the way I do and then lay his head down on it. It's really amazing.
Alec has a great time with him. Horatio will actually jump 4 feet straight up off the floor to grab a swinging toy. He's really fast. He even plays fetch! He will literally bring back a mouse 10 or 15 times to be thrown before giving up and playing with it himself.
He is absolutely a mischief maker! It's virtually impossible to get down the stairs without him underfoot, and walking across the room is like navigating the grasslands for tigers! Every conscious moment is spent terrorizing Maddy or Sophie, who are getting wise to him and less forgiving to his size. He has completely ignored the fact that Maddy and Sophie haven't really been thrilled to have him here. They came around more quickly than I could have imagined, but they still were annoyed to have a rambunctious little punk in their docile lives. He so didn't care. Whether they like it or not, he plops himself down in their space and decides to nap right beside them. They seem to have given up trying to get away from him. It's not worth the effort. He'll just find them again. He's taken over, and they've come to realize that.
He also has discovered some tantalizing joy in sitting on the counters. I think that is really just to antagonize us. He knows he will be sprayed with a water bottle if he gets up there, but he does it anyway, announcing it beforehand with loud mews and cries for attention. Once he's up and about to be sprayed, he winces his eyes in preparation for the water...and once forced down, he gets right back up again...
But he really is the most lovable creature ever. He has always followed Michael everywhere he goes. He likes to lie back in Alec's arms and look at things upside down. And how can you resist that face when you wake up and all 14 lbs are collapsed on your chest and your whole body absorbs the purr that escapes through his smiling face? When he sees that you are awake he rushes to your face and collides cheek to cheek with you because he's so happy to see you. It just makes up for any mischief that goes on in the day...
And then he lopes across the room, his tail curving down till it hits the ground then back up again like a lion walking across the plains...he is truly a gorgeous creature, fully aware that this is his kingdom and he is the king.
