As soon as I typed this title, I made a face. Ick. But there is a reason I'm sticking with it. Last night I was doing my usual pre-bedtime thing, reading. I'm relaxed, resting heart rate about 60, blood pressure happy, totally absorbed in the book.
Searing pain on my right forearm exploded as a 4 month old kitten hung from it, all front leg claws embedded in my arm. Note to self-next time don't lift the arm. Free from my arm, the little bitty kitty ran for her life while I bled. Add at least 6 new scabs to my body since she has come into my life.
Very few places are left on the extremities of my body scab free. Some of them I deserve.
I forgot how crazy kittens are. Phoebe entered my life 2 months ago and since that time, I have laughed, cussed, and been highly aware of my pain threshold. She has no concept of how much her claws and teeth can hurt. I doubt if she even cares. I have probably told her no less than 934 times that it's a good thing she's cute. And she is.
This morning I put a bunch of lotion on my legs, hands and arms because already it is really dry here from the cold and snow that blasted in last weekend. I became acutely aware of all the bumps (AKA scabs) everywhere on them. I knew I had been wounded many times but not that many. I looked over at the offender who was sweetly watching me while I did this job. How could I not forgive her?
She has definitely done her best to become a critical member of our family after we lost Joseph. She is really good at torturing the dogs, knocking over all the houseplants, pushing down all the rocks in my windowsills while trying to catch and eat the flies that come in in the fall, racing like a rocket from one side of the house to the other for no apparent reason, playing in the yard like it's there only for her personal entertainment and I could go on and on.
She thinks she is a helper, whether in the house or the yard. She is not because I take too many breaks watching and laughing at her. When I was moving some iris plants, she decided to help me dig the holes. I thought she was being thoughtful until she used one of them to poop in. When I was trimming up the asparagus plants for winter, she would hide in them and attack me whenever I'd cut one and then race back to her hiding place. Folding clothes, especially bedding is exercise for both of us. Yeah, it takes me a long time to get anything done. My standards for what folded sheets should look like has dropped. She reminded me that I'm the only one that sees them. She's pretty smart for a little baby kitty.
It took two snow storms in October to get Joseph's sister, Little Zoe to come into the house. She wanted nothing to do with the little thing. Unfortunately for her, Phoebe wants to be her friend more than anything in the whole world. She has been stalking and following Zoe everywhere. There's a lot of those cat noises of displeasure coming out of Zoe but the little kitty has a hard time taking a hint. She is determined to find a way to get Zoe to like her. At least that is my interpretation of it all. In reality, it's probably something entirely different.
So, even though 2020 continues to be the suckiest year ever, I am finding ways to keep my chin up. Phoebe is the ticket to pure entertainment and love. I'd like to thank my evil friend and neighbor, Jody, for tricking me into getting her. Now I just have to remember to get more Bandaids and fresh antibacterial goo for my wounds when I go to town today.
