For me, today is one of those days that simply comes at you out of the blue. I had my tutoring student today, which was normal and expected. However, before my student arrived, my housemate got a call that a friend of hers was coming up this way to meet her cousin for a visit today. She wanted to visit with my housemate too while she was here. That sounded like a good idea. She was going to bring her pug with her. Okay, getting a little more interesting, considering this is a residence with eight cats. Of course, I'm used to dogs of all kinds and have a way with pretty much all kinds of animals in the world, including sheep, goats, and llamas (oh my!). My cats, however, are clueless what is about to happen, and I have no way to prepare them really.
Fast forward a bit... Instead of the friend meeting her cousin up here somewhere, they are all here at the house of eight cats. The couple with their precocious three-year-old girl, the friend with her pug, who doesn't like the heat. The little girl was inside with me for a while, even though I just met them all seconds beforehand. Cute little girl. We chatted for about ten minutes while I distracted her from hunting down every cat in the house. All except Pixie, my little social butterfly, and periodic cameo appearances by Li'l Grey, who is really unsure what to make of the pug, the cats are nowhere to be seen. I am certain that being found by anyone or anything, particularly a dog, was not on their agendas for the day. Taz made a quick cameo appearance before escaping to her hiding place on the lounge in the library, where she can hide behind a comforter and pretend she's a chameleon.
Oh, and speaking of chameleons, there is a baby lizard (not a chameleon) lose in the library. It came in the other day. I tried to hoosh it back out to no avail, so we've added a critter to the household. Li'l was watching it closely under the lounge last night. It won't live long if it doesn't get food and water. If I manage to catch it, I'll set it free, but it seemed determined to get out of the hot sun (Really? It's a freaking lizard for heaven's sake!).
Anyway, back to the tale for the day... This one ends for now with a dog sitting on my feet. Wait a minute. Where have I heard that one before? Oh yeah, on a plane from Atlanta to Orlando, where there is a convention for the blind, and the seeing eye dog that has been assigned to my row is lying on my feet instead of his person's feet. You can't blame Fred though. He was nervous, and I am the animal whisperer after all. I've been told many times, rather accusingly I might add, that other people's dogs and cats love me better than they love their own people. I know better, of course. I'm just the well-loved babysitter. Not the real deal, but fun in a pinch. That's why I'm a good nanny too.
So the family is gone now. My housemate and her friend have gone out to eat. Me, Sarah (the pug), 7 of 8 cats, and a lizard are left in the house. It's perfectly peaceful here once again, even if a little different population than the one we had when we last left our heroine.
P.S. I can see another Slices of My Life title down the road. First published was So Far. I'm working now on Still Standing, but I have to be truly standing before I finish that one. After that will be A Broad Abroad, which will regale my readers of my life abroad. That will be followed by Confessions of an Animal Whisperer, so stay tuned, as my life and the tales/tails unfurl.
Beth Mitchum is the author of seven novels, two collections of poetry, one collection of biographical essays, one collection of spiritual essays, and one music CD. She is also the editor and contributing poet in the Sappho's Corner Poetry Series, which now includes: Tulips Touching, Wet Violets, and Roses Read. All of her works are available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, BethMitchum.com, BookshopWithoutBorders.com, and numerous other online bookstores. They are also available by special order through nearly any independent book store. Go to http://bethmitchum.com for more information or to her author page at Amazon.com. First chapters of her novels and memoirs are available at bethmitchum.com. Beth is also the founder and senior editor for UltraVioletLove Publishing and the many websites run by this entity.
No comments:
Post a Comment