My seven cats and four dogs enrich my life. I have to admit only one cat (Cool Hand Luke), a completely black scrawny cat, seeks me out and snuggles up to me occasionally. Maybe, that is because she is the only pet I had before I met my wife over ten years ago. I have always taken care of her. She has a favorite spot in my room, where she curls up by the window on the books I have placed there. When she is not there at night she sleeps on my bed catercorner from me. She does not get along too well with the other cats.
My relationship with the other six cats are all different. Cheyenne, a beautiful long haired cat, usually does not let me pet him. In fact, if I approach him; he goes the opposite way and looks at me with the expression “how dare you go near me.” Jasmine, a tiny delicate female, the mother of four of our cats, does not seek me out but does not object if I pet her.
China, a long haired exotically colored black and white cat is one cool cat, supremely confidently poised cat will, also, not seek me out but certainly not turn down an hug from me. Tiger will also not turn me down. He has the softest fur. Even the vet commented how soft his fur was.
Pumpkin, the only cat from Jasmine’s first litter, is just a nice cat and gets along with all the other cats. And then there is Buttons, somewhat similar in coloring to Tiger. He was the last cat to enter this household. He showed up at our front door. He is about as wild as you can be and still be a domestic cat. He hides under our bed. And usually goes the other way if I dare approach him. That takes care of the cats and now I will talk briefly about our four dogs.
There is Pax, the elder, who is a ninety pound scary dog but a real scaredy cat. He likes the sound of his own voice and will demonstrate that if he runs into the yard and seeks out the furthest right corner of the fence barking every step of the way. He comes up to me if he wants something for he knows I will not ignore him and act quicker than my wife. He is getting up in age–now twelve.
Now there is the golden retriever appropriately named Sweetie. She is very tactile, loves to have something in her mouth and just can not get enough attention. In fact, she will demand it and sit there all day while you pet her. She is the mom of the last two dogs (Pax is the Dad) Tilla and Coco.
Coco is a long haired female who is black with a touch of red in there. She has the most adorable fluffy ears. She likes her privacy. She will often go into the bed room by herself and just stay there for hours. She will lie down there front paws crossed so delicate like completely feminine like.
The last animal I have is Tilla originally called Atilla The Hun and The Olympian. He is the only dog who could jump the fence we had built around a large section of the yard and necessitated us building it even higher. He is lean, aggressive and completely black and the most athletic of our four dogs.
He keeps me company as I watch TV in the evening and then sleeps in the Lazy Boy I vacate when I go to bed. I won his love by giving him a belly rub almost every time he wanted it. He and I have a special relationship. He is the only dog I have given walks. That is a brief description of my relationships I have with my eleven animals. Each one is different.
Tags: Buttons, cats, Cheyenne, China, Coco, Cool Hand Luke, dogs, four dogs, golden retriever, Jasmine, long haired cat, my pets, my relationships with my different animals, my wife, Pax, pets, Pumpkin, seven cats, Sweetie, Tiger, Tilla, Tilla's belly rubs, vet
Posted in animals, local, love, marriage, pets, relationships, time |
My birthday was actually two weeks long this year. My sisters (and their husbands) threw me a birthday bash at a beautiful restaurant with the Susquehanna River in the background. My sister in California arranged her itinerary (she and her husband were going to Spain) to be there. 
The last time were were all together was two summers ago although this time my nephew and wife were there. We were a party of thirteen. I also invited some friends. The weather was perfect (we ate on the deck of the restaurant) and so was the food. We were commemorating my sixty-fifth birthday. My one sister made the same cake my Mom used to make for our birthdays. She went to a lot of trouble for me. I don’t have many relatives but they are scattered from Shore to Shore. Maybe if I make it we will have a seventieth birthday party. We will see.