We visited my sister down in Auburn yesterday. Lydia’s cousin, Elizabeth, has these excellent crayons that are mostly encased in plastic. Lydia was unamused with the unbreakable nature of the crayons and spent five minutes unsuccessfully trying to take them apart.
Sam and I have colds and are feeling a bit under the weather. Lydia is wandering around the house wearing her “cleaning gloves” and refusing to take them off even to eat her cheese. Then there’s Renton, recently drunk from a vet visit, rolling around on the floor and trying unsuccessfully to jump onto the couch.
All of this is very loud.
I am just thankful it is a Saturday.
It feels good to say, “my children.”
Over the past few years the soil around our house foundation settled, which created an annoying cave underneath our sidewalk and front porch. We’ve been meaning to get it filled back in, but it’s in a tricky spot so we still have our cave.
The cave now harbors a mama cat and six (at least) itty bitty baby kitties. Ohhh, how cute they are! Both Hermione and Renton have been watching them — thankfully without having a fit. They roll around and tackle each other, bat at our many weeds, check our our irrigation system, and prance around on our porch.
I am trying to not feel responsible for these cats, but oh, what shall I do with them? The life of a stray is so hard.
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.
I give you The Tree, 2009:
Lights: 2600 total, tied for last year
Lydia: surprisingly has shown a healthy respect for the tree thus far; she knows not to touch it — she just gets a kick out of naming what all the ornaments are
Cats: had been at their BEST behavior until the first presents went under the tree; I caught Renton in the act of chewing ribbon not ten minutes after I finished wrapping
Happy First Birthday, Elizabeth!
This time last year, I was fretting about Renton and his constipation, wondering who was going to take him to the vet — unaware of your mother’s caterwauling. 
Get your hands up!
