A bit of an update

For my few regular readers, I just wanted to say that I've not posted much here lately because of some family problems. My daughter-in-law is expecting a baby, as most of you know, but she has been having pre-term contractions almost continually for the past few weeks. She has been in and out of the hospital for this, and she was in the hospital last night. The doctors gave her some IV fluids because she is dehydrated and has low amniotic fluid in spite of her drinking a minimum of 80 oz. of fluids daily. She is just at 34 weeks, so if the baby came early, there would be no overt danger, but it's not advisable. This has been a concern lately, of course, so I've not had any good ideas for this blog. I'll come up with something soon to write about, but for now I just wanted to apprise my regular readers of the reason for my 'absence.'

Cats

What is it about cats that makes a cat lover love them so much? They're not as loyal as dogs, although mine are quite loyal to me, in their little cat way. They don't guard your house or property like a good dog does, although I knew of one cat who actually guarded his mistress' home--he would pounce on everyone who came in the door (he was kept inside all the time), and growl at them until his mistress told him the visitor was a friend. But what makes cats so lovable to some people? I mean, just look at that face! What's not to love? Ancient Egyptians worshiped them as gods, and even mummified them and buried them in their own cemeteries. Humans have found cats to be invaluable at keeping small rodents out of their corn and houses, and so have kept them around. Mine do a fair job of that, but I feed them too regularly for them to do more than just play with any rodent they find and bring inside to show to me. The cat in the picture is my youngest cat of the five I currently have. His name is "Little Hisser," so named by my husband because he hisses at everyone and anyone who tries to pet him, except when he wants to be petted. He is not a lap cat, but will allow me to pick him up and hold him for a minute and stroke him--usually in the late afternoons when he is tired from playing all day and is ready for some mothering and food. But even then, he doesn't want to be touched for more than a minute or two. He is the sweetest little thing, and I'm glad I let my daughter talk me into taking him. He was a rescue cat, and the runt of his litter. He is still small, even though he had his first birthday last May, and because of that I am very protective of him. As far as I am concerned, just owning one or more of these "little purr boxes" is worth the care and worry because of the smile they always bring to my face when I see them. Just holding one will bring your blood pressure down, too, which is a great "side effect" of having these little creatures around. Cats really know how to get the most out of life. They sleep most of the day, usually in a sunny spot on the carpet or window sill, and they are always up for a game of "catch the string." I love watching my cats when they are outside. They are just like little lions or leopards the way they slink through the grass from bush to tree while they play at stalking the many rabbits around my place. The rabbits, except for their babies, are bigger than the cats, so the rabbits are in no danger from the cats. They are so serious about their business, but leave it so completely and quickly when their "prey" gets away. How many times do I pout and fume because something I wanted was out of my reach, instead of moving on to another joy of life?