It Was Still September In Luminous

   A little overlap from the previous chapter:

            It was nearly evening. I said, “hello Raven. I’m back.” 
            And just as magically as he had disappeared, he reappeared. I found it better just then to refer to Raven as he. He just seemed more like a knight than a lady, or a neuter!
            So, as the sun slid down over the severely beautiful Texas landscape, once more the side of Raven opened showing his interior. I glanced back at Mike and Dr. Brown and decided to step inside.
            It was a little awkward. There was a flattened area to clamber over and then I sort of plopped inside feet first, landing on a slightly yielding softly lit surface.
            When I looked around I was shocked utterly to see that the inside was much larger than the outside would have indicated. It was a huge low room. There were chairs and other bits of furniture of a rather rounded organic looking style. There was a large screen up at the nose of the huge ovoid room. I felt as if I had dropped into a dimensional shift somehow. 
            “Hello, Jenae. Welcome,” the soft internal voice said.
            “We are both here,” it continued.
            “Yes,” I said, “we are both here.”
            “No, there is a third, Jenae. The pilot and designer who perished is here also. Only his body died.”

          Yes, it was still September in Luminous Texas.                 As I sat in my ship’s living mindscape, my own mind wandered. I thought of foolish Ellis Roberts. I thought of the secret hangar at the plant, in the biggest building in the world.

         I thought of getting out as secretly as I could manage and the long, long bus ride into Luminous, a location based on a one word hint from Ellis.

            It had only been a few days, but it seemed like history to me now. I thought of Toni, and No. 7 and Maria running her little restaurant, the only lively spot in town.
            And then, everything that had happened since to lead me to sitting here in this seat at this time. Raven. Raven waiting. The living ship.
            I wondered if anyone was searching for me after all.
            I allowed myself to think of home. My Levi, not knowing where I was. My children, with an absent mother. I thought of how Christmas would be without me. I thought of the house darkened. Would there be a tree and presents for my children? Christmas is mostly something done by mothers for their children I thought. How would I ever mend this?
            Thinking much too specifically about a location and a day did it. My heart broke and I wept as I had not wept up until this point.
            Hector Brown, the doctor, had told me to really watch my thoughts. He was right.
            When I opened my eyes again I looked out upon a dark scene. It was my own backyard in Milltown. The tears on my face dried as I gaped, trying to ascertain what had just happened. The house was dark. I didn’t see any lights on at all. I wondered where everyone was. I hardly had time to wonder.
            While I was still staring, and not having learned my lesson yet, I wondered what was going on back at Mike’s ranch house. What must they be thinking. Raven had flown right in front of their eyes! I tried to picture what that might have looked like.
            As moments before, picturing Mike and Hector seeing Raven gone out there in the evening in front of the house did it.
            I was there again, as if I had never left. Very carefully, I told Raven that I was getting out now and the side opened smoothly. I climbed back out onto the rough lawn.
            The mental whiplash was real. I stood there staring at Mike and Dr. Brown with my mouth open.
            “What happened? You kinda winked out for about a minute or a little less,” said Hector Brown.
            I had to answer, so I said, “you were right about thought discipline. I thought of home too clearly and I was only there long enough to see my house from the lawn. It was travel at the speed of thought for sure.         
            “Then I started picturing what it must look like when I vanished, to you two and wham-o I was back right here.  It’s the picturing in your mind that does it!”
            I looked from face to face.
            I was frankly terrified. This was not something I was prepared to continue.
            “Ah, um, I’m not getting in there again,” I told them. “Sorry, Raven,” I added ship-ward. There was no answer from Raven.
            “Also, I’m going home. I don’t care what anybody thinks. I’ll ride the bus out of Luminous just the same way I got here,” I added, getting happier the more I thought about it.
            “And what’s more, I bequeath Raven to you guys. I’m sure you can figure out a way to communicate with him, once he stops pouting,” I told them.
            “Raven, I want you to help Mike Flores and Dr. Hector Brown. Do whatever they want you to!”  I hoped that would work.
            “Alright Jenae,” said Mike. “I’ll drive you back into Luminous in the morning. I think you will be alright on the bus and by the time you get up there to home, nobody will be looking for you because they will be too busy hiding.”
            “It’s a bit of a risk still,” said Hector. “Are you sure?”
            “I’m sure. I brought you the photos. I think I’ve done what I could to help. My part of this whole thing is over, I so hope. It’s your baby now,” I was really looking forward to that bus ride now that I had made up my mind.
            In the morning, Lisa made breakfast. Something with chorizo and eggs, and muffins for a change.
            We put my luggage into the Dr.’s Land Rover and drove the few miles back into town.
            I said my goodbyes to Maria, thanking her for letting me play waitress and being so kind to me. She looked a little sad, but wished me well and said to come back any time at all.
            I went back to the motel, unit No. 7, and got my hat which was the only thing I had left there. I went into the office to talk to Toni and told her I was leaving, gave her the key and thanked her also.
            “Goodbye Mrs. Renton,” she said, clearly confused and curious about what I had been up to.
            Mike and I parked on the other side of the highway through town by the gas station to wait for the bus.
            “You know, I really like Luminous,” I told him. “If I had another life, I wouldn’t mind it being right here. In fact, if things don’t go well up north, you might see all four of us some day.”
            We sat there just waiting for a few minutes in companionable silence.
            “Well, Jenae, I sure hope it all goes smoothly, and that nobody hassles you over this escapade. I think it will be okay once Hector spreads the news around, which, by the way, he is busily doing as we speak.”
            “It was good to get to know you and the doctor a little bit,” I said. “I will miss both of you, and Maria and Toni and even old Lucy, though I do wonder what her game is!’ I laughed.
            The bus rolled up. We got out and Mike grabbed my two bags. The same driver opened the bottom compartment and Mike stuffed my things in there.
            “Take care, Jenae,” Mike said with a little smile.
            “You too, Mike,” I answered. “Thank you for everything.’
            He winked and grinned and I climbed up into the bus, prepared for a long sleepy ride.
            I settled into a seat on the shadiest side of the aisle about halfway to the back, and pulled my hat down over my eyes, to rest for a few minutes while we got on out of Luminous, Texas, a fine town in my opinion.

Suzy Had Been Trying To Get Through

 

            
            She was being pretty aggressive for a chicken-cat. She was up on the mouse-hand side of the desk top imperiling cups of coffee and such. As a final gambit there was a bunch of head butting. Ever notice how they get their point across by the power of the butting?
            “What in the world is pulling your tail, Suzy,” said I. Two green eyes looked rather archly back at me.
            “What have you been doing all day?” Suzy asked.
            “I was working,” I reminded her, somewhat defensively.
            “It didn’t look like work. You stayed right in that chair, and I might add, ignored me for the most part,” said Suz. “Some people were actually outside cutting firewood!”
            “Suzy, we have no place to burn wood, don’t be silly!”
            “I still say you were fooling around!” she said next.
            “You’ve been around, Suzy. You know darn well that a lot of work is done in a chair and on a keyboard. That’s what I was doing. I don’t mess around playing games!” said I.
            “Prove it,” said Suzy. “What’s the big important thing you were working on to the neglect of your cats?”
            Willie started paying attention about then. He rolled over onto his paws and said, “that’s right! Say, what have you gotten done today anyhow?

            (You see how it is with these two house lions. Always with the opinions and neediness!)
            “You cats know darn well what I was doing.  This is pretended injury. Your little fuzzy needs are all always attended to. Sorry if I wasn’t very entertaining today.
            “I write stories you two, sometimes about you two!  How about that,” I was laughing.
            “That sounds sinister,” said Willie, looking concerned for his dignity I suppose.
            “There is an easy fix,” said Suzy. “Just show us what you have been doing, if you can!”
            “Oh, I can! I’ve been busy jumping through software hoops at KDP publishing, which is just really Amazon. I can’t display the whole word file, you silly things. But I can give you a preview of the book.
            “This is how it will look when it comes out,” I announced.

            “I guess that’s OK,” said Suzy. “It looks like Tintin should be around in those trees somewhere.” She lounged off, sniggering at her own cultural awareness.
            “That’s probably a good thing,” said Willie, rolling back over and placing his paws in their super-cute posture. “Maybe someday you’ll sell a pile of books like what’s her name and get us out of this whack-o climate!”
            “Sure, Willie. Why not? I’ve actually heard of crazier dreams.”
            “By the way, Willie my boy, where would you like to be if you could be anywhere?”
            Looking back at me, sighting over the landscape of his belly, he took a moment for thought.
            “Well, Boss, someplace like those photos of Arizona that you are always posting. A place where I could be outside at least half of the day. Somewhere safe and warm. No mean animals, no careless drivers. Mostly dry weather. I am tired of looking at rain and clouds.”
            “Ah, my dumpling, we all have our ideas of Heaven, don’t we?” I said to the little dreamer.
            “Do you think I’m being unrealistic?” asked Willie.
            “Not entirely, but you do ask quite a lot, for a house lion,” I told him. “Do you and Suzy discuss this privately?”
            “A little. She is jealous of Toots, who doesn’t have to look at rain and clouds every day.”
            “I guess they are bound to compare notes,” said I.
            “So, what about you? What do you want?” he said drowsily.
            “Oh, Cat Dude, the same things I always want,” I said.
            “That’s a little enigmatic,” he said. “Can you be more specific?”
            “None of your business, Wilfred! Go to sleep, silly lion!” I said rather fondly.
            And he did!  He went right back to sleep!

            Then I went out to wash some dishes and make coffee.

            "Honestly, Willie, is world peace and brotherhood too much to ask?"

A Message From Maeve!

 

🎈!*Evermore!*!

All Readers * All Commenters * All Lurkers

Welcome!
To A Bit of a Virtual Celebration!
 
Incredibly enough, today is the occasion of the MEOW’S 1000^th post. 'Tis a wonderment!
How things change!
Our first post was merely a photo of Willie looking back at the photographer.

March 14, 2021.

And then, trading remarks became so much fun, that it grew and developed.

No one is more surprised than me at what we have made together.

😹We invited all the cats.🐈

Sammie and Toots

Suzy and Willie

Buddy and Skinnies

Louise

Storm!

Mr. Baby Sir and Charley

We expect to see Ralph and Ramona, Twigg and Cherry

Berry and Bob

Millicent will write it up for the paper's society page! lol!

I'm pretty sure Thaga and Ooog will bring a 

massive cake and homemade hooch!

We're hoping to see Maurice and Sleeky Sue,

if they can take time away from the ice cream shop for a trip to the MEOW!

Look Out!

There will be coffee too.

 

Please do comment, make suggestions, invite further characters

or whatever strikes your fancy!

Worth*Every*Cent!

Many thanks to LoneStar, co-Meowderator!

One Day Very Early in Spring

 

On location at Ralph's favorite fishing spot.

🌳🦈🌲

            The weather was changing up in the great forest. The days were getting a little longer bit by bit. The snow was just about gone except further uphill, where it never goes away entirely.
            Many aerial courtships were being conducted among the feathered souls. Life was beginning again among the land borne also. It was that time of year!
            Hungry black bears woke and got busy foraging.
            Cherry was working on being three years old soon. Even among daughters who stay strictly on the earth, it’s a busy time of life.
            But besides the ability to go airborne when she felt like it, Cherry had discovered another ability. She could call animals. They would come to her if she called them, in case she wanted to play with a rabbit, or a mountain beaver. Or a wild turkey.
            Even though these were not what Lewis called talking animals, IIRC, Cherry could talk with them. In fact, they did unburden their hearts to her somehow.
            You may perhaps picture her there, just outside the main Home Clearing, holding court in a sense. If anything, she had become lighter in color as she grew older. Her locks were that color treasured by bottle blonds everywhere. Pure shining platinum. She almost glowed when in shadow. Her eyes were blue, and she was a little chubby.
            Twigg and the cats were on a greater adventure of some kind, leaving Cherry to her own resources. Ramona was doing something that required her moving in and out of the cave. Ralph was fishing or something.
            No one had eyes on Cherry.
            She wandered among the huckleberry bushes and Oregon grape before settling down to sit on a small bit of deadfall of some kind.
            “Rabbit children, come and play,” said Cherry. Two of last year’s Cottontails came hesitantly forward. When they set eyes on her, they relaxed and smiled bunny smiles, because, like Ralph, she had that way of reassuring creatures just by her presence.
            “Let’s see if coyote wants to play,” said Cherry. Coyote came also. Now, you might worry that he would eat the rabbits. But that sort of thing didn’t happen in Cherry’s presence.
            “I’m going to the river, you can come too,” she said, and they followed her, two rabbits and a yearling coyote pup. She was thinking that maybe she would find her father down by the river, fishing. Or maybe they would just splash around right on the edge of the water. It was a pleasant walk.
            But facing Cherry in the path, blocking the way, was a strange animal. He was dark and shaggy. He had small horns and a long beard. His eyes were hard and obscure. His voice was loud and unpleasant. He frightened her playmates away. She faced him alone.
            “So, Cherry, why have you called me?” said the goat.
            “Did not call you,” said she, stalwartly.  He faded a bit. He also shrank down to about half his previous size.
            “Call me back, I have gifts and treasures,” pled the goat. All that was visible of him then were his yellow eyes in the forest dimness.
            “Go away,” said Cherry. So, he vanished. This was not lost on Cherry, she would remember.
            The next moment, Cherry heard Ramona calling her, so she turned around and went to her mother.
            “Hi, mommy,” said Cherry. “I was playing with rabbits and a coyote.”
            “Hi, baby, did you have fun?” queried Ramona with a smile at the little shining soul.
            “Yes, mommy,” said Cherry and the day continued in its normal way.
            Ramona built up her fire, because evening would be coming, and it would be chilly. Twigg and Bob and Berry came back from following Ralph around.
            Ralph showed up dripping wet with a sapling strung through a bunch of fish’s gills.
            They all gathered around the fire to watch Ramona clean and cook the fish on her big flat sheet pan.
            Ralph held little Cherry on his lap and helped her with her fish dinner because she was still very young and needed a little help.

What Kind of Love is This?

 

Ahavah (אַהֲבָה)

 
            For some deeply internal reason, the word has been in my mind day and night for several days. When I awaken, I say it. “Ahavah.” Also, as I am drifting off to sleep, I am tasting the word in my mouth. I began to get curious about this phenomenon.
            So, in looking it up, I found that almost all search engine references were to a cosmetic company in Israel using Dead Sea minerals to make their products. Not what I was looking for, though I am sure it’s very good stuff.
 

I Give, Therefore I Love

            Since it is a Hebrew word, I naturally ended up at Chabad.org, to check out the official meaning.

The Jewish tradition has a lot to say about love. Love of G‑d, love of one’s neighbor, love of the stranger and the dispossessed, love of oneself, and of course, romantic love.
 
As different as these loves may be, they are all called by the same name, alerting us to the fact that love is multifaceted and complex, not just the stuff of fairy tales or happy endings of Hollywood.
 
The Hebrew word for love is ahavah, which is rooted in the more molecular word hav,1 which means to give, revealing that, according to Judaism, giving is at the root of love.

The article is worth reading.
 
It’s interesting that Greek divides all the loves up and gives them different words. Then there is English. We have lots of words too.
 
            All of this led me back around to John 14, in which Jesus says:

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

          So, also interestingly, behavior leads feelings of love. In a way that is very merciful, because in a way, it’s more doable that trying to feel something. We can act out of obedience, promise, or maybe duty. Then, the feelings come along behind.  That’s neat.
            Why has this word visited me? Perhaps I am being instructed to keep on keeping on, not to grow weary. 

Once Upon A Time

 

          One time there was a music promoter. He was not great. Nor was he well known. For the record, his name was Mitchell Kernwald. He was often called M.K., and he liked it that way. Crisp and direct, he thought.

            He loved the music. But he was not a musician. It was all magic to him. A magic which he served as he could and still made enough for a man to live on.
            He was not a joyful man. Not when we first meet him, but he was dedicated. It’s funny/odd when a person stops to think of the literal meaning of dedicated. It doesn’t just mean he spent most of his time dealing with the music, it means set apart or consecrated to a principle or purpose nowadays, or in his case, to the music. At one time it would have meant kept separate for service to a deity.
            He had some business to conduct in a smallish western city, near the coast of a body of water known as a sound. This city was rather near a mountain range. Now, M.K. was from southern California and he was curious about the great forests of the northwestern states. He had never seen them in person. A desire to visit the mighty forest was born in his heart, as he stood in a third story hotel window which faced eastward, toward the mountains and the sunrise. In fact, it rose in his heart like a sort of sunrise.
            Mitchell had flown into the local small airport, a great convenience actually. Then he had taken a cab down to Enterprise and rented a smallish sedan. So, he had wheels at his command. It was a completely standard silver thing.
            The next day was a Sunday. Spring was on the way, and he didn’t feel like flying home yet. No one waited there for him. Not even a cat. He was free to come and go as he wished, if  he wished.
            Just as the sun was rising the next morning, he left his things in the hotel room and went downstairs and out of the lobby to find his ride on the main street through the middle of town. It was odd to him that they didn’t have their own parking lot, but maybe they weren’t that busy.
            He didn’t take a map, but he had his iPhone if he needed help. He felt like just going uphill and seeing what was there.
            There was a two lane highway heading straight east, into the light. He went that way. There wasn’t a lot of traffic. At last, there was a smaller paved road heading northeast. That one looked inviting, so he turned up there. He slowed to about thirty mph and opened the window on the driver’s side just to smell the damp woodsy air.
            Eventually he came to a dirt road on the left side of the pavement. It was a forest road. One of those travel at your own risk unposted things. He made that left hand turn.
            He was on Green Mountain, though he didn’t know it. It was a pretty steep climb, but he kept at it until he found a wide spot where he could park out of the way.
            It was midmorning. The temperature in the lower forties felt cold to his California skin, but he had worn his jacket, so he was OK. There were birds, birds that he couldn’t identify. It was early in the year, but there were some insects, sleepy insects. No flowers yet, so no bees. He wondered if there were bears about. Or deer, or cougars.
            He walked uphill, into the massive Douglas firs. He had flown over Oregon and Northern California, so he had seen the forests from the air, but he had never walked among trees like this. They created their own atmosphere. Among the trunks and underbrush there was a hush almost like being indoors in a cathedral or some other huge body of enclosed air.
            The further he climbed the more mythical the place became. He forgot the rental car, he forgot why he was on this coast, he forgot his prosaic home apartment in hot dry California. He struggled to go higher. At last he was tired and looked about for a place to sit for a rest.
            Ah, there was a fallen tree. Some terrific storm must have taken it over. The root ball pulled up a great chunk of forest earth. So he sat next to the lower end and just looked around himself.
            A very large raven landed on the fallen tree and looked him over, then took off again. He had never been so near a raven before and he was quite enchanted.
            He heard singing! But what singing! It almost stood his hair on end, so unearthly it sounded, but beautifully.      
            Mitchell Kernwald wept. He wept out his barren broken heart. He wept for the beauty of the singing, like some crashing choir of angels. It was both thunder and high sweetness.
            He began to sing with the voices he heard. How could he, not knowing the words they sang? Well, that is just one of the mysteries of this story.
            A Forest Man saw him sitting there. The man he saw was slight, nearly six feet tall, tanned with black hair and in his forties. He was dressed all in fashionable informal clothing, browns and blues and he wore New Balance runners. His eyes were closed, and he was singing.
            Of course, we know who it was who saw him there.
            Ralph sat down beside Mitchell and just waited. While he waited he began to sing also, in his voice so deep that it sounds like a force of nature.
            At last the chorus faded out and M.K. opened his eyes and beheld Ralph sitting beside him. He was delighted. He began laughing, it was so marvelous to see such a being sitting right beside himself.
            “Who was singing?” said Mitchell.
            “Well, me, and my family, and the others scattered throughout the forest,” said Ralph, “we sing together sometimes. I think it was for you this time.
            “It was a song for the healing of broken hearts,” continued Ralph.
            “How can I thank you,” asked our music promoter quite seriously, because he felt reborn.
            “Well, as they used to like to say, just go on your way rejoicing, and being thankful,” said Ralph. “By the way, what’s your name? I find that if I keep a name in mind, it helps that person somehow.”
            So, they made their introductions to each other. Ralph went to join his family somewhere out among the trees. Mitchell walked back out of the deep forest and found his rental car. Then he drove it slowly back into the smallish city, to rejoin his life.
            And he did live happily ever after.

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!