Zoey back in 2008 with kitten, Rolz. Happy Mother’s Day to her, too, because she’s a mom, too!

Mom. Three little letters, but three little letters that are unique in meaning to all of us. For me, I’m a mom to my sons, Chris and Joe. I’m a daughter to my mom, and a step-mom to Dan’s kids – Crystal, Michael, and Jackie, as well as a daughter-in-law to his mom. I’m also a mother-in-law to Chris’s husband, Jason, and I’m a grandma to not only their dogs Rick and Rocco, and cat Rose, but a first-time grandma to their adopted son, Calvin. And, of course, I’m a cat mom to my gang – Zee, Zoey, Mia, Peanut, Rolz, Kizmet, Jazmine, and our newest feline family member, Shadow.

Through all these roles, there have been good times and bad. Highs, lows, ups, and downs. That’s what life is – a kaleidoscope quilt built of memories and relationships. Whatever the day is for you, I hope you make the best of it. For me, I’ll be spending some masked time with my grandson and I can’t wait. Take care everyone and I hope you enjoy my Mother’s Day photos.  

Christmas with my boys – Chris and Joe.

Enjoying summer vacation with Crystal and Jackie in Key West.

Me and my beautiful mom.

Hanging out at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood a couple of years ago with my step-son Michael who was visiting from Boston. I was made fun of for being a Dolphin Fan, but we won the game the next day against the Patriots!

Me with Chris, Jason, and my grand-dogs, Rick and Rocco.

Celebrating Mother’s Day a few years ago with Dan’s mom, Dotty, along with Jackie.

One of my all-time favorite pictures that truly represents the bond between me and my cats. This was all seven before we added Shadow to the mix.

Can’t forget my newest feline sweetie to capture my heart this Mother’s Day – Shadow.

My favorite mom role? Being grandma to my first grandson, precious Calvin.

It’s a Blog Hop!

Happy 1st birthday dear Shadow!

The new journey started on November 8th, 2019, at 5:45 a.m. I know this because that’s 10 minutes after my then seven cats began the unnecessary preamble of meows and paw pats to my face to get me out of bed at 5:35 a.m. to feed them breakfast. It takes me about 10 minutes to accommodate the individual feeding needs of each of them before I plunk their bowls on the floor and move on to my next task of servitude, scooping their litter boxes and bringing the bagged contents to the trash bin in the garage. Read more

I shared this graphic a couple of weeks ago on a Friday but it remains true to the landscape of COVID-19. Just what day is it anymore?

The dichotomy is interesting and not one I’m entirely capable of expressing or even understanding. I’m living in the present, going through the motions of life, but somehow, I’m detached from it all, as if perhaps it’s happening to someone else as I watch it from the sidelines. Each day runs into the next with no real beginning or end, time seemingly defined by body counts, not days, with the only real marker of time the loud and persistent daily reminders from my cats who demand meals with regularity, showing no regard for my malaise or inability to comprehend the newly defined COVID-19 landscape all around me. Read more

Happy 12th birthday to my favorite wild kitty!

Bengal cats, the result of a cross between a wild Asian leopard cat and a domestic cat are known for many things, most noticeably their speckled, marbled, or spotted coats that give them that distinctly wild look. They are also great jumpers and climbers – so much so, they can jump up to three times their height in a single leap, boldly letting you know as they do, because they are also quite loud and chatty as a breed. Zoey, our Bengal, who is celebrating her 12th birthday today does not disappoint the breed – even with her officially being a senior cat, she shows no signs of letting up, down or quieting her true nature.

Case in point – due to several cats of ours that can’t seem to behave, witnessed by the territorial marking on our bed of late, our bedroom is now off-limits with the door shut. However, because we live in Florida and we need to run the air conditioner, we are forced to keep the door open so the air unit can properly function. Our solution – a very tall, 6-foot-high, wicker divider we bought to place in front of the open door to allow the air to circulate but to keep uninvited feline guests out.

With Zoey that door didn’t have a chance in heck of winning…

Zoey’s response to that? A rather loud and dramatic guttural meow she bleats while jumping over the wicker gate in one fell swoop to the other side. “Senior cat? Ha,” says Zoey, as the other cats look at her from the other side of the wicker contraption, marveling at her accomplishment.

What can I say? She’s my girl and she’s been loud and dramatic ever since we got her as a tiny kitten who fit in the palm of my hand. I love her to pieces and wouldn’t have her any other way. Okay, maybe she could lower the decibel at bit at 5:00 a.m. in the morning when she starts to rouse to demand breakfast, but other than that…

Happy Birthday, Zoey – I love you today and every day!

Happy Birthday, Zoey! I love you so much and wishes for many, many more!

Staying in and working from home is becoming the new normal for many of us.

Like many, I’ve had to reinvent myself numerous times. I’ve been a child of divorce and a child who was bullied. I’ve been divorced myself, resulting in me being a single mom of two boys, struggling to keep us afloat. I’ve also been unemployed several times over the years, wondering how I’d ever pay my bills – all circumstances giving me the resilience and fortitude to survive. With the coronavirus epidemic, I’m reinventing myself again, only this time it’s not just me, it’s the whole world reinventing themselves and the planet we live in. Read more