Sittin' Ugly Sistahs

Why I Write by Ginger Keller Gannaway

Posted on January 5, 2021 by gingerkellergannaway

In 1968 I got a 3×5 inch red five-year diary with a tiny lock and key to protect all the wisdom and intrigue I would pour onto its pages. Each day of the year was allowed four lines, and profundity like “Today I quit playing paper dolls forever” (first entry) or “Kelly made her confirmation. It lasted 2 and a half hours. But it was comfortable with the new cushioned pews” (last entry) filled its pages.

I was a faithful writer for four years, never neglecting to document a day’s monumental trivia. I hid these pencil-written treasures in the bottom drawer of the heavy blonde oak night table next to my bed. Two years ago I reread my 12-year-old regimented thoughts and found at least three interesting entries over that four year span.

A year before I received my diary, I had tried to write a children’s book. I made up a tale about a rabbit and a crawfish and mailed off this masterpiece to the “Be a Writer!” course advertised in the back of an Archie comic book. The writing professionals sent me a typed letter that proclaimed I had “potential”! They promised me fame and publishing creds if I sent them $50. My dad exposed the company for the scam it was, and in 1967 I decided I should settle for being a world class actress instead of a writer.

Still I kept writing, and in 1971 I traded my red diary for a blue 8×13 ledger that expanded my writing experience. I no longer wrote every day, and a day’s entry could take up four full pages. I obsessed over fights with my sisters and crushes on boys I was terrified to talk to. My ideas danced around philosophical questions like why cousin Gina liked my sister Gayle more than me or who Bobby G. was taking to the homecoming dance. Also, my Barbra Streisand fanaticism screamed from these pages because I always wrote her name in all caps and underlined it.

Despite the banality of what I wrote, I still felt compelled to fill the ledger’s pages and apologized for sometimes letting weeks go by between entries. After the blow of the children’s book writing course, I no longer believed I was a writer; however, I needed to write for my own sanity. When I read To Kill a Mockingbird in ninth grade I loved Scout’s thoughts on being a reader before she went to school: “Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”

When I move my pen across blank pages, ideas often come faster than I can write. Even if I later loathe what I’ve written, I feel stronger and saner. Now that I have the time to write every day, a day is not pointless if I have made time to write something down. Life is somehow easier if I write. It’s my Balm in Gilead, my parade I don’t want people raining on, and the actual rain that washes dust and bird poop off my car.

As much as I hate the word “blog” because it sounds like a portmanteau of “blah” and “slog,” I’ll keep posting essays online because it feels equally right and ugly. I may be vomiting words that are unworthy of others’ attention, but filling pages in notebooks lets me process life’s joys and tragedies. I write for myself for sure, yet pressing the “Publish” button on a wordpress blog gives me a jolt of bravery that I think I’m addicted to.

Some of my journals for the last few years

Holidays

A Generous Spirit

Posted on December 18, 2020December 18, 2020 by Nancy Malcolm

Once upon a time, all I wanted for Christmas was a new car. I believed Santa would grant my wish, I believed in the spirit of Christmas, and I believed I had been a very good girl all year long (my brother would beg to differ).

As a child I wanted all kinds of things, like a red, cowgirl outfit, baby dolls and a bicycle. Although Santa did not always bring what I asked for (the cowgirl outfit), I always had gifts and we always had a tree. Not true for many families these days. There are so many folks in need, working hard to provide for their families. We have only to open our eyes to see the vast opportunities to help others this holiday season. St. Francis of Assisi said, “For it is in giving that we receive.” This sentiment seems, at times, to boggle the mind, but I assure the doubtful, that once you truly give, you will receive the gift. Like the Grinch, your heart will grow three sizes.

Generous people are the ones who give more than is expected of them. And it is not strictly the giving of money or gifts, it could be the gift of time, the gift of help and the gift of a smile or a door held open. Generosity of spirit. Those that have it can’t contain it. A generous spirit can’t stop itself, because to give is to live. The spirit of generosity is a personal trait to be valued and admired, upheld and protected. It is a gift to others and the one to whom it belongs. A cheerful giver has his reward from simply giving. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.(2 Corinthians 9:7)

My Boo is one of the most generous souls I know. One example is that every year he gives a gift to the city workers that pick up trash and recycling in our neighborhood. Last year, he thoughtfully wrote them each a thank you Christmas card and put fifty dollars in each envelope. After that, one of the workers generously rolled up our trash can every week for a month, and honked as he went by. If Boo sees a lemonade stand, he stops for a cup and donation. If he substitutes for someone who has had a particularly hard situation, he will leave them a gift card. He is generous of spirit with all of us and asks nothing for himself.

This holiday season, I hope we all take time to give. “No one has ever become poor by giving.”(Anne Frank) Even small things may be big to someone else. You just never know what a smile might do. Be generous with yours.

And I will leave you with one more quote by John Wesley,

“Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

Merry Christmas from the Sittin’ugly Sistahs!

Boo, Relationships

Vegetables, Granny Style

Posted on December 2, 2020December 2, 2020 by Nancy Malcolm

Scott eating

Most Sundays after Church, before the Pandemic, we would go to Luby’s, a Texas traditional cafeteria. And almost every Sunday I would marvel at the colors and textures on Boo’s plate.

Strangely, chicken fried steak, cream gravy, fried okra, mashed potatoes, and a roll are all in the same color family…beige. Of course, okra is green, but the outside is fried and therefore a brownish beige color, too. There is no pop of color, nothing with a stalk and no variety unless macaroni and cheese or corn is swapped for the usuals. But, the colors are the same: beige, brown and blah.

I used to lament about his choices, calling him out for choosing nothing green. I’ve lectured on the health benefits of vegetables and I have prepared every root, tuber, flower, bulb, seed, leaf and stem known to man. “You need your greens!” I preach.

“Granny used to cut up my vegetables so fine she could hide them in my mashed potatoes and gravy,” he said.

“Really?”

Laughing, Boo said, “No, not really! Granny never made me eat vegetables. She loved me.”

Some culinary experiments go over better than others. Cauliflower rice, broccoli slaw, and butternut squash was a big thumbs down. Creamed spinach, creamed corn or green bean casserole was a thumbs up. If I ask which vegetable he wants with dinner, it’s always the same answer, “Just open a can of green beans.” At dinner, he will proudly count out 4-6 green beans and smile, “See? I like green vegetables.”

“Remember last time we went to Costco, and I insisted we get the twelve can box of green beans? I’m practically veterinarian,” he said.

“Boo, it’s vegetarian, and no you’re not,” I countered.

“Don’t be snippy,” he said and added, “I like broccoli rice casserole. It’s chocked full of broccoli and healthy stuff.”

Of course he does. BRC is chocked full of cream of mushroom soup and cheese, and not even real cheese at that… Cheese Whiz! Boo’s list of vegetables all includes words like creamed, au gratin or cheese sauce. He tries to say fried zucchini and french fries are true vegetables. He insists guacamole is a superfood and when he gets black olives on his meat-lovers pizza he is boastful for days.

“A man your age should eat vegetables without having to hide them in his mashed potatoes,” I say.

I felt him roll his eyes.

“You’re trying to kill me,” he said. “Remember the time you brought home grapefruit and tried to make me eat it at breakfast? You know it doesn’t mix with my meds.”

“That was an accident. I didn’t mean to. I just want you to eat more fruits and vegetables so you can live a long and healthy life. I love you, Boo.”

“Promise me you’ll try to eat more greens?” I asked. “You know, greens without a fried outer covering or smothered in cheese sauce?”

“OK, but you’re asking a lot,” and as he walked away I heard,

“I wish Granny was here.”

Grandmother, Relationships

Martha Margaretha

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Nancy Malcolm

Growing up, everything I knew about beauty I learned from Grandma. She was my source of information on becoming a woman, wife and mother. Because my mother was deceased, I had no one to teach me the basics except Grandma and sometimes my dad, which as you might expect, was not always on point.

Grandma was raised on a dirt farm in Kansas. They were so poor that her parents sent the last two siblings to live with another family because they could not feed them all. She was only able to complete the 3rd grade because everyone was needed on the farm. Grandma told me once that she did not remember laughing as a child. “There was nothing to laugh about,” she said. “We worked from sunup to sun down.” And so my grandma, Martha Margaretha, was a serious, no nonsense kind of gal most of the time, but there was a little girl inside who longed to have fun and feel carefree.

Grandma was a wonderfully accomplished seamstress and made all of her clothes, even slips, bathrobes and nightgowns. She also made all of my clothes until I was old enough to sew for myself. She made my Barbies the most fabulous ensembles! I distinctly remember Barbie having a dress out of the same fabric as Grandmas, and even a fully lined coat, complete with bound buttonholes. Barbie never lacked for functional yet stylish outfits and neither did I. Grandma had an eye for pattern, texture, design and she could easily visualize how our dresses would turn out, while working tirelessly to make it come together.

Martha had two main rules on beauty: Always wear lipstick and always wear earbobs or ear screws, as she called them. In Grandma’s bedroom, on her dresser, was a tray that held her cherished personal items. There was a comb, brush and mirror set that I always remember her using. She wore Lady Esther loose face powder, and kept the box front and center. If I close my eyes I can smell the sweet fragrance and remember the way Grandma’s face felt so soft when I hugged and kissed her. She always smelled of this face powder and I think to this day I would know it, if I were lucky enough to breathe in that precious scent. The fluffy, round puff sat on top of this all important powder and next to it was her lipstick.

The dresser top was balanced with a simple jewelry box. The kind that opened up and the top folded back revealing a bottom section. Grandma had a large collection of earbobs, necklaces and brooches, most of which came from us, for Christmas or birthdays. She also had a small little cameo that she pinned on for special occasions. I would always ask to look through her jewelry box and try on these simple, yet glamorous pieces. Grandma truly believed in accessories, and although coming from humble beginnings, she wanted to look her best. It was very important to her.

With her beautiful silver gray hair, smart clothing, ear screws and lipstick, Martha always looked ‘put together’. No matter how poor you are, you can be clean and neat...a Martha mantra for sure. Everywhere she went, she would be complimented on her neat appearance, even winning Valentine Queen at her nursing home. Grandma lived well into her 101st year on this earth. I remember once, while visiting her in ‘the home’, one of the caregivers gave her a compliment, which made her proud, yet shy. After the worker left, Grandma turned to me and said, “It’s almost a curse to be so beautiful”, then she laughed and patted my hand.

My dad made sure she was always taken care of and able to live comfortably, and so the former Valentine Queen was content and loved. I know even now, as she sits playing Canasta in heaven, she’s looking all done up…lipstick, ear screws and that wonderful face powder. We would expect nothing less from Martha Margaretha.

As CoCo Chanel once said, “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.”

I think Grandma knew that too.

Friendship, Relationships

When Sidewalks Talk

Posted on November 17, 2020 by gingerkellergannaway

When Sidewalks Talk by Ginger Keller Gannaway

Even while we isolate and avoid close contact, some people send messages in nontraditional ways. Whether it’s scratched on wet cement or drawn with colored chalk, people express themselves.

During my neighborhood walks, I started noticing the sidewalks. First, I saw the writing in the scratched initials or names that said, “I was here.”

Sometimes the message was angry.

I loved one section of a child’s footprints. Was this accidental or intentional? I imagined a mischievous kid being told by a harried mother, “Get up in your car seat.” The three-year-old makes a wild dash down the wet cement while his mom deals with her fussy eight-month-old. The kid gets in a two yard run before, “I said ‘Get in!’” pulls him back to the car.

We are allowed to change our minds, even on cement.

During the spring of the pandemic, chalk artists shared their whimsical renditions of Disney characters, and they did not mind that a short rain would wash it all away.

Now more than ever we need to look for life’s artistic touches in unexpected places. It’s proof of the creativity and goodness among us. Sidewalk messages feel like hope to me. They communicate feelings and ideas even during a pandemic. I search for these symbols etched in concrete. I feel connected to others, even if I never see who sent the message.

Boo, Relationships

Talking Up A Storm

Posted on November 5, 2020November 5, 2020 by Nancy Malcolm

“Hi Babe, how was the fishing?”

“Good.” (1)

“Did you catch anything?”

“Three bass and a catfish.” (5)

“Did y’all have fun? What else did you do?”

“Yep. Just fished.” (3)

Wait time……

“Got a burger coming home.” (5)

Or here’s another scenario:

Me: “What did the doctor say?

Boo: “Not much. I’m good.” (4)

And another…

“What all did your brother have to say?” I asked Boo this after a twenty minute animated conversation on his phone.

“They’re good.” (2)

Wait time….

“It rained.” (2)

I get that in some cases it is my fault for asking questions that could be answered with a yes or no. Sometimes, I try adding “what else?” or “tell me more.”

Me. “The kids want to know what you want for your birthday.”

Boo. “Underwear or socks.” (3)

Me. “They can’t all get you underwear and socks. Isn’t there anything else you need or just want?”

Boo. “Gift card?” (2)

Me. “To where?”

Boo. “Anywhere is fine.” (3)

Me. “Really?”

Boo. “No.” (1)

Wait time….

Boo. “Home Depot or Academy.” (4)

*(I could have answered that question myself, but I was hoping maybe he would branch out on ideas, although sometimes he does say Red Lobster.)

It’s not always like this. Sometimes I can ask a simple question and he will go on and on with elaboration, facial expressions and hand jesters. It just depends on the topic, time of day or whether CNN is on.

Boo is the strong, silent type until he’s ready to share. He’s really a deep thinker, but he rarely expresses his thoughts unless the spirit moves him, and when it does, I see a whole different side of Boo. He’ll talk up a storm, and I’ll get a glimpse into that steel-trap mind and heart of gold. Any newsworthy topic, discussion of grandchildren or sports will have him chatting for minutes at a time. He’s practically loquacious.

But until then…we’ll share our peaceful silence.

That’s just Boo. (3)

Fears and Worries

Spooky Street by Ginger Keller Gannaway

Posted on October 29, 2020 by gingerkellergannaway

Spooky Street

As the sun rises, I walk down a quiet shady street. No sidewalks – a long road with eerie undertones.

When I first discovered this spooky street, I saw no one out so early in the morning. I passed double-wide trailers with front porches that were permanently planted in large lots. Most yards were mowed and cared for while a few looked like a dumping ground for Frankenstein cars and forgotten toys. A house and a two-story duplex broke up the pattern of mobile homes. One residence had a rusted bike mailbox stand with several vintage cars parked in its side yard. Another place had a huge unhealthy palm tree that looked like a Dr. Seuss drawing and a yard crowded with cacti and tired metal chairs. Near the end of the street a poop-brown trailer had a “Zombie Crossing” sign in a window. Next to that dwelling was the huge Boo Radley house that looked abandoned. It lurked on a deep long lot behind a slanted chainlink fence with several crooked trees and an abundance of trash in the yard.

For weeks, I saw no people during my walks. Each residence had between two and seven vehicles parked on its property, so I assumed they held multiple families. I guessed at the trailers’ secrets. Why was no one ever outside in the mornings? Drug dens or meth labs? Late night partiers? Werewolves, vampires, or aliens? (zombies were too obvious a guess).

The first human I saw during my walk was a skeletal old woman wearing a loose house dress who appeared behind her screen door. She glared at me before slinking away and slowly closing her front door. The next week I spotted a young woman carrying a lunch box and purse heading to her car. She saw me and hurried back into her house. Had she forgotten something, or did she not want to blow her undercover CIA assassin disguise?

As I made up backstories for the street’s assorted residents, I pushed down my nervousness of walking alone on an empty street. Then one morning a dusty & battered brown pick-up clunked onto the street as I moved onto the street’s grassy shoulder. The driver slowed to a crawl and stopped next to me. His window creeped down, and he brushed dirty fingernails through a scraggly grey and brown beard that touched the top of a faded flannel shirt collar. “Need a ride?” he said.

I gave him my best fake smile. “No thanks.”

He nodded, said, “OK,” and drove down the road like a person with no place to go.

I called Gary as soon as the truck was two houses away. “Listen up. I’m on the Spooky Street and some guy in a truck tried to give me a ride. Keep talking to me until I get to a busier street. Ok?” My husband’s voice calmed me down as I walked and talked. When I was almost at the Radley house, I noticed that the old truck had backed into the driveway of the neighboring trailer. The man was still sitting in the truck, smoking a cigarette. I walked faster and made it to a street with sidewalks.

“You alright?” said Gary. “Still there?”

I nodded and whispered into the phone, “ I think so.”

I’m 87% sure my fears are wasted on the Spooky Street. The brown truck guy is more quirky then threatening. A month later developers tore down and hauled off the Boo Radley house. Four small modern homes of different colors with garages and private yards now take up the huge lot. The slate blue, whisper grey, smooth olive, and eggshell white houses look out of place on the Spooky Street, and the stray cats who once roamed that area have moved across the street.

I think FDR was right about being afraid: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” And I like the lyrics of the “Ghostbusters” song. These days I need to face my fears, keep walking forward, and stay connected to those who love me most.

Boo, Family, Relationships

Boo’s 20/20

Posted on October 22, 2020May 16, 2021 by Nancy Malcolm

Boo’s 20/20 by: Nancy Malcolm

“Your driving scares me!” I said. “Did you see that car?” And I threw my arm across his chest in a move I used when the kids were little.

“My eyes are perfect,” Boo declared. “It’s you I worry about.”

“Maybe you need your eyes checked. When was the last time you had an eye exam?”

“5th grade, by the school nurse. I aced it!” Holding one hand over his left eye.

“I’m sure your school nurse was a lovely person and took her job seriously, but you have not had your eyes checked since elementary school?”

“I don’t need to. I can see perfectly.”

Needless to say, I did not trust Boo’s last eye ‘exam’ as the current state of his eyesight. As with most of Boo’s health care, I felt the need to lecture (that’s a harsh word) on the value of healthy eyes as we age. You know, cataracts, glaucoma, and basic vision. An eye exam can also warn of diabetes, high cholesterol, or other problems.

“Don’t worry about me, my eyes are x-ray vision!” he said. “Like Superman.”

“Well, if you don’t believe me, ask your doctor at next week’s annual exam. See what he says.” I was feeling smug that his doctor would agree with me and send him right away for an eye exam but sometimes I don’t trust Boo to ask his doctor the right questions.

When it came time for Boo to go, I handed him a slip of paper with three concerns to ask his doctor, just to ease my mind.

Do I need a flu shot and a pneumonia shot?

Check the mole behind ear that looks funny

Eye exam

According to Boo, his doctor, too, was a little surprised he had never had a real eye exam.

“So what did the doctor say?” I asked.

“He asked me if I was having any problems.”

“What did you say?” I prodded.

“I said no. Then he asked me if anything was blurry far away or close up?”

“And?”

“I said no. Then he asked me why I wanted my eyes checked, and I said my wife thinks I need to.”

“What did he say then?” I asked.

“Oh. Ok.”

The next week, Boo got his eyes examined, dilated and checked by a trained ophthalmologist, not a school nurse, and he came out with flying colors.

“You seem disappointed that I am truly perfect in every way.”

Maybe I was, just a little. With Boo, I do worry about his health. I’m glad to know he is now up to date on his flu shot, eye exam, colonoscopy and dental cleanings. I’m still working on his nutrition, though. His stash of candy and treats rival the grocery store check-out line, and his addiction to licorice is worthy of a 12-step program.

But, one thing at a time. I’m proud of him for all he’s done and for now I will stay quiet and stop being Nurse Nancy.

First the eyes….next the Twizzlers.

Aging, Grandmother

Technology: “Crooked as a Barrel of Snakes” by Ginger Keller Gannaway

Posted on October 17, 2020 by gingerkellergannaway

Technology: “Crooked as a Barrel of Snakes!”

Grandma Keller had a nickel slot machine in the hall next to the front door of her home. Several times a day she’d use her walker to reach a stool set in front of the machine and feed it nickels from a metal cup she held.

The machine was green and spun pictures of cherries, oranges, plums, bells, and bars for the chance to win the $7.50 jackpot. You could win five nickels for two cherries or a cherry and a bar. The machine never hit the jackpot, and 18 nickels (for three bells) was the most it ever paid out. Like other one-armed bandits, it was programed to keep you playing without emptying its whole stash of coins.

Grandma loved to gamble! From betting on the horses at the New Orleans Fairgrounds to playing poker or bouree with her lady friends, she loved games of chance when money was at stake. And like most of us, she hated to lose. After depleting her cup of nickels at the slot machine, she’d mutter, “Crooked as a barrel of snakes,” before she’d limp back to her favorite arm chair in the living room or her large wooden rocking chair on the front porch. Then she could let a cup of coffee or a Salty Dog (depending on the time of day) help her forget her losses.

For me, dealing with technology is like pulling that slot machine’s long metal arm and hoping my nickel was not used in vain. When I try to reformat a document or navigate a spreadsheet, my head watches those wheels of cherries, plums, and oranges spin. Will my revised document look centered and pleasing to the eye? Will my saved numbers on my spreadsheet make it to my employer correctly? Who knows? Your guess is as good as mine.

At times the document I spent seventy minutes working on disappears, or the info I emailed to work gets me a reply that explains how I entered information incorrectly.

I’m not a total idiot. Before I retired from full time teaching, I managed my online grade book, and most of my assignments were linked to class calendars. However, I could no way navigate the current issues of a virtual classroom! When I successfully shared my screen during a Zoom meeting with some student teachers I work with, a twenty-one year old had to remind me, “Ms. Gannaway, your mic is on mute again.”

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

My oldest son helps me with blog posts, and he tries to remember that patience is a virtue. But I hear his deep sighs and see him comb his hair back with his palm before saying, “Mom, what did we do last time we edited an image?”

Back in the ‘90s someone told me, “Don’t be afraid. You won’t break the computer or permanently lose stuff.” Well, I don’t know about that! I often have no idea whether clicking on a link or pressing a return button will have the result I want. The slot machine gears keep spinning and it’s all a game of chance!

I hate the fear and uncertainty COVID has created in our lives. Yet technology and social media put me on uneven ground years ago. SnapChat made me nervous when those weird animated photos all went away in 24 hours. But it’s also unnerving that FaceBook stuff never goes away.

I don’t understand or trust the Cloud and I wish texting had not become my go-to form of communicating. Since I seldom see people in person, I miss hearing their voices.

I’m still more optimistic than pessimistic, so I’ll pull that cold metal arm that sometimes sticks a bit and trust the technological slot machine of life as I say, “Please, Lord” while I cross my fingers and watch the blur of fruit and accept the whirring, spinning uncertainty of now. I never know when several coins will clatter into the pay-off slot.

Emile is making sure the slot machine is still spinning

Pets, Photography

How To Love A Cat

Posted on October 9, 2020 by Nancy Malcolm

How To Love A Cat by Nancy Malcolm

We filled out mountains of paperwork, completed a background check, paid our fee, did a home-visit to the foster parent and solemnly swore to care for her until the end of time. We knew we would be a good match, but did they?

Emmy Lynn came to us through an adoption agency. She had been born during Hurricane Harvey and transplanted to Austin shortly thereafter. We have always been partial to little black cats, so after our Blackie left this earth, we waited one year to make sure we were ready.

“She’s shy,” the foster parent kept saying, but she also had two other cats and a loud, hyperactive Lab living there, too. We persevered and finally got to hold her for a minute or so before saying yes, we wanted to adopt. A week later, we were bringing her home, where she promptly hid inside our leather couch for two days.

“She’s shy,” we mused.

She finally crept out from the couch and began purring, rubbing our legs, eating, and pooping. Then, over night she began racing around the house, demanding snacks and kicking her litter out of the box.

“Remember, she’s just a kitten,” Boo smiled. “She needs our love and support.”

“I don’t get a minute to myself,” I countered. “She follows me around the house, wanting me to carry her everywhere and is only happy if I sit still and pet her.”

“So?”

“I’m busy,” I retorted. (Busy being retired) “She’s like a toddler.”

In the morning during my sittin ugly time, she would sit on my lap while I did my prayers and daily reader. If I dared to get up for more coffee, she would chew on my Bible and try to bite me when I took it away. Get thee behind me, Satan!

She would race from room to room, jump on counters, and at Christmas she jumped up into the tree trying to bite the lights. At one point, I called the adoption agency behavior hotline. I was anonymous, but I felt ashamed as I kept asking, “Is this normal? I don’t know what to do. I got a water bottle to spritz her when she acts up….”

“Oh No,” she interrupted. “Absolutely no spray bottles!!!”

The hotline worker kept repeating that she is a kitten and simply doing what kittens do. “The only acceptable discipline for her is ‘time-out’, she said.

“How do I do that?”

“You go in another room for a few minutes and she will eventually understand that Mommy will not accept her behavior.”

“Thank you,” I said without meaning it, and I promptly went to my room and shut the door.

The next day, I went to the swanky pet store in our neighborhood and asked for help in keeping this little kitty happy and entertained. Money was no object as I purchased several ‘never fails’ and ‘guaranteed’ toys and gadgets. I vowed to stay calm and renew my patience with this adorable, bad to the bone kitty, and s l o w l y she adjusted to life and we have adjusted to her.

Emmy has charmed the grandkids and trained them to her liking. She will play fetch with her soft felt balls, even bringing them back, and dropping it at my feet. She sleeps with her tongue out and still is the happiest in my arms or on my lap. She sits in the ivy in the front yard and waits for mothers pushing strollers so she can greet the children, and she climbs up between the comforter and sheets on the guest bed to nap when no one is home. If we go out of town, she is always forgiving and charms her sitters with good behavior.

She is delightful, funny, loving and loyal. She’s our little black kitty and this we know to be true…In a perfect world every cat would have a home and every home would have a cat.