The Wild Cat - Ms. Penelope

My husband and I have always liked animals. We’re not like those 20-cat families. But, we do enjoy our share of 4-legged cuddly furries. My husband in particular is really fond of cats. I like them as well, but the litter box maintenance drives me insane. (I learned this in college.) So, I was pretty certain that we’d never adopt a pet cat. My dear friend Marian, has a sweet and slightly crazy cat named Oswald. I spent several days babysitting Oswald over Thanksgiving break (2009) because she was out of town. I love my dear Marian, so I was happy to do the favor, but I was dreading the litter box smell. The first day to change came and I was greeted so delightfully by Os. He is such a sweet and playful (i.e. crazy) cat that I couldn’t help but play with him for awhile before changing his litter and leaving. When I proceeded to change his box, I noticed that it looked different than any other litter box I’d seen. It also smelled, like… fresh linen. What?!?!? This litter box was a large deep plastic bin with about 10 to 12 lbs of litter in it. The large amount of litter masked the smell of any bodily fluids concealed within. I also noticed that the high walls of the box helped prevent Os from kicking around excess litter on the floor. I was so relieved. Cleaning his box was surprisingly pleasant and so easy! From that moment forward, I pushed myself to think outside the box (lol) about getting a cat.

Days turned into weeks and my husband and I spent more and more time together in front of the TV. We watched a special on Animal Planet on the top breeds of cats. We fell in love with the idea of getting a cat after watching that show. Since I had experienced a change of heart on the litter box issue, we began looking into breeds. Fast forward a month to Friday, January 29, 2010. Our gorgeous Bengal cat, Penelope arrived via Continental Airlines at Reagan National airport.

She is quite the cat. Bengals are known for being very feisty and active. Their ancestors are the Wild African Serval cat and the Asian Leopard. So, I was prepared for a rambunctious pet. My dear husband went out in the snow and ice to grab us BBQ to go yesterday. As I dug into my BBQ chicken salad, my dear Penelope decided she wanted a bite. She walked toward me and of course I pushed her back. She tried again and I pushed her back again. This continued quite a few times. I realized she wasn’t going to let me eat in peace, so I closed the Styrofoam container and went back to reading. Penelope proceeded to chew off the top layer of the Styrofoam container. I was shocked!! I then put the Styrofoam container under my thick winter comforter hoping that’d deter her. She seemed to have let it go for the moment because she began walking to the edge of the bed. She then sunk her teeth into the comforter and began to walk backwards pulling the comforter OFF the bed! Oh my goodness. I was shocked at her strength and persistence. She’s so tiny! As I cracked up at how hilarious this situation was, I also decided the kitchen was a better place for my Styrofoam container. We have a wild cat on our hands! Who’d have thought, she likes BBQ!

She is truly a beautiful cat with a very loving disposition. We’re so excited to have her! Who knows what she’ll show us next!

Tardy Christmas Abduction Story

Yes, this story comes about 30 days late. But, I’m sure you all are wondering how Christmas went with the grandparents. Traditionally, holiday dinners are held at Grandma and Grandpa’s! That’s the way its always been, and always would be (so I thought as a child.) As I got older, I realized that sooner or later, the children and grandchildren would get married and begin to sprout roots in different areas. What I didn’t realize is how this process happens FASTER than you realize. As a newlywed, I was thrilled to learn that my grandparents, after a good 30 minute guilt trip, were willing to push tradition aside, and have Christmas dinner in the DC area with their eldest (and most loved, I’m sure) grandchild…Me.

As Christmas approached I was certain the nervousness would settle in. I didn’t realize just how anxious I’d be! The weeks leading up to my grandparents arrival, I’d made an entire list of all the things I “needed” to be ready for Grandma. This included: a spare blanket, a few more decorative pillows, lots of dust rags, liner for the guest RR shower curtain, a top of the line mixing bowl and roasting pan, as well as a camera to capture all the greatness. With the list prepared, I felt all ready for my beloved granfolk.

A few days before their incoming flight, our area was hit with the largest blizzard this area has seen since 1922. We were buried in snow. It was definitely a winter wonderland, realized. But, it didn’t make for running errands. The city shut down for awhile. Church was even cancelled, and that NEVER happens. Grandma and I were so nervous that their flights were going to be cancelled. Fortunately, by the 22^nd, flights were coming in from most areas as scheduled. Their flight came in slightly late, but with the holiday and weather traffic, it took my grandparents literally ALL day to board, fly, and take a $90 taxi ride to get to our home. They left their home in Houston around 6 a.m. and arrived to my home around 8 p.m. (It’s only a 3 hr flight folks with a 1 hr time difference. Come on!) Very slow indeed, but at least they arrived, safely….without luggage. Yup, that’s right. After all that traveling, their luggage didn’t make it. *Sigh* No worries, it was the Christmas holidays; nothing could get our spirits down!

My grandparents were wiped out and slept well. The 12 hours I spent dusting and cleaning every centimeter of my house paid off, because Grandma’s first words were: “You guys sure have a really nice place!” SCORE! (It makes me very happy to know that my Grandma is pleased with my homemaking skills, because her standards are very high, let me tell you!) We started cooking the very next day. The tree was lined with presents, my Grandpa spent the day chatting it up with my husband. We baked cookies on Christmas Eve, and enjoyed them over hot chocolate while opening a few gifts. It was such a joyous visit. I was so terribly sad to see them go! We took lots of photos because with such a great Christmas with the elders, you just never know which Christmas holiday together will be your last. Sadly though, the camera was abducted from my job a few weeks later. So, I’ll have these memories etched in my memory for years and years to come. Even sweeter.

Next Christmas, who knows…maybe we’ll break tradition again….hmmm, maybe this is the beginning of something new.