Brand Spanking New & Shiny!

🎇 2025🎇

Even the cats can feel it. Change is coming. Well, change is always coming. But still!

It was a green winter so far. No Christmas snow this year. In fact, it was wetter than usual. It doesn’t have much impact on the lives of house lions, but they do notice that the light is dim and stays the same all day until night falls.

Suzy was feeling a little foolish after being so easily panicked by her little buddy, Charley. She knew she should know better. She gazed out of her favorite window, focusing on the falling raindrops. A little sunshine would have felt good about then.

She felt like talking to Toots suddenly.

Suzy concentrated on her purring, getting it just right. Then, “hey, Toots, are you there? Doing anything that can’t wait?”

“Not so much, Suzy. How’s every little thing up in the wetlands?”

“Very very wet, Toots. I think I might grow moss, even in the house here. I’m just feeling chatty. Charley made a terrible fool of me last night.”

“I was just happy that she was speaking to me,” said Suzy. “She’s usually a little grumpy.”

“Oh, well. Good thing I wasn’t there. There might have been a hearty CatSlap™ if I could have caught the little stinker.

“More importantly, tonight is the last night of this year. It’s about to be folded and put away into the history file. Maybe we should do something to celebrate,” remarked Toots.

“It seems strange to me to celebrate the end of the year. Was it not a good year? Maybe we should be mourning its passing,” said Suzy. “I thought it was a good year, mostly.”

“I think it’s mostly in hopes that the next one will be even better,” admitted Toots.        

“You know, now that I think about it, I remember the excitement last year. How could I forget? I think part of the reason for so many fireworks is that we live too close to Boom City, out on the Res. It went on all night,” said Suzy. “I can’t explain Boom City, Toots. It’s just some kind of outdoor venue for buying fireworks. Sounds dangerous to me.”

“It’s so noisy, no wonder they stay up all night eating and drinking stuff and talking,” continued Suzy.

“I bet we could have a PurrParty,™ for the new year,” said Toots.

“You think so?” wondered Suzy.

“Yeah, we’ll send out one of those Six Degrees of Separation invitation broadcasts, and just see who we get!”

“Oh, we’ve never tried that!” said Suzy. “I’m excited!” But she was giggling too.

“OK. OK. We’ve got to have a reason for this party,” said Toots. “Like wishes for the new year! What do you want the most to happen in the next 365 days!”

“Yeah! That’s good!” said Suzy. “Let’s do it!”

So, they did! They sent out the call! Then they waited.

(Suzy could already hear explosions, and it wasn’t even 6PM yet!)

(Toots, thought she heard some too!)

Mr. Baby Sir must have heard the call first, because he wandered into the front room where Suzy was gazing into the reflection in the glass where she could just barely see Toots looking back at her.

“What was that all about?” Mr. Baby Sir said sleepily. “Somebody rang, man..”

“You’re supposed to come up with a wish for the new year!” crowed Suzy!

“Hm. I wish, she’d, just let me live my own life, man!” said Mr. Baby. “No more leash! Freedom! Isn’t that what life in America is supposed to be about?”

“Oh yes, of course. Come up here where you can see the glass. If we look sharply, we can see the other cats in it!” So he hopped up with Suzy.

In the glass they began to see a big tabby Tom cat. He seemed a little surprised, or maybe confused. He looked into his window where he could see the party gathering.

“Hi! Who are you?” said Toots and Suzy as one.

“He calls me Buddy,” said Buddy. “Why are we having this meeting?”

“It’s a New Year’s Party,” said Suzy. “You’re supposed to give your wish for the new year!”

“Well, for myself, I just wish that old Skinnies would stop calling me a marshmallow and a big wimp! What he doesn’t know is that I am the Home Guardian! While he is out bludging lunch or chatting up the ladies, I am here, at my duty station! He and She depend on me, whether they know it or not!” Then he kind of hung around to see who else appeared.

Next, Sammie stuck her head into the vibe, and they asked her what her wish for the next year was. Now, Sammie is a thinker, so she thought for a few minutes. Then, she said, “I wish cats everywhere were as well cared for and well loved as we are here! That’s the best wish I can think of right now.” No one could imagine anything better than that wish!

Then Willie heard the calling. He knew about the reflection in the window thing, so he  hopped up there too. He had also heard the others talking about their wishes for the new year, and he had been thinking and preparing his answer.

“I wish that our people, those big sillies who love us, would have a safe and healthy year next year. I wish that they would grow a year younger, and that all their lab results would be perfect!” pronounced Willie seriously. There were many purrs and meows of agreement.

“Oh, I wish that I had thought of that,” said Winchester, suddenly appearing in the glass. “That’s just plain wonderful and kind. I also wish that Gravy would stop sitting on me!”

“Welcome, who are you?” said Toots, since she didn’t know. “Whose cat are you?”

“She calls me Winny, ma’am. I am the head cat at the granddaughter’s house. Gravy is my very fat housemate!"

“New cats are always welcome to the PurrParty™!” said Toots. Winny thanked her graciously.

A few others heard the call and chimed in. Quite a crowd actually.  But, finally, cats started to get sleepy, in spite of fireworks and loud booms, and they began to wander off. But, it seemed to Suzy and Toots, those party planners, that they hadn’t heard from someone quite close to home yet. It was Charley of course. They hadn’t heard a peep out of Charley.

So, Suzy and Willie went looking for her, just to make sure she was OK.

They found her sleeping on the first step of the basement stairs, curled up like a little black and white lump.

“Hey, Charley, wake up! Tell us your wish for the new year! You missed the PurrParty™!” said Willie.

“Oh,” said Charley. “Um. How about this!? I wish that everyone else’s wishes for the new year would all come true!”

“Good job, Charley!” They both told her, then let her go back to sleep.

Then they wandered off to the back porch where they could see if there were any fireworks in their own alley or in the sky overhead.

 

Happy New Year!

!*2025*!

Mrrrt!

Are you ready?  lol!