WHY I AM GLAD HALLOWEEN IS OVER

If it's late at night. There is a creepy, rhythmic noise. I am afraid to move.

Phil is safe, asleep in bed. Elizabeth is safe downstairs, and is no help at all, and so I sit there for a long time, motionless, not wanting the whatever-it-is to know I exist.

And then Pika wakes up. The creepy noise stops. Do you know what happens when I cat snores in a pumpkin? IT ECHOES! It echoes in a very creepy way. The pumpkin is now in the basement, in a box, where I can't see it--or hear it, either.

KRAMER'S JAIL TIME ROOMMATE

I call Kramer the "Bad Barker." His mission in life is to sit by the front window and protect the neighborhood from everything, including leaves blown by the wind. In fact, he protects the neighborhood from the neighbors. He gets so upset he nearly tears the blinds off the windows. When he goes wild like that he has to have a time out. "Time-out," is the crate we use to take the cats to the Vet.

Kramer had lots of time out's today. When I went to let him out once, I saw an annoyed looking Pika in there. I knew I had put Kramer in there but he was nowhere to be found. And then...all of a sudden, he popped out! And nearly knocked me over getting out of there. Pika wasn't too happy about the whole episode either.

You'd think either she would quit having naps in there or he would quit barking so he didn't have to go to time out. Not so, they are both slow learners--just like so many of us.

I'm not naming names but SOMEONE hates stacks of paper that multiply like rabbits and yet...that someone keeps writing and running things off on the printer and copying recipes that someone has no intent of cooking/baking, etc. and the paper piles up. We should stuff it all in the Time-out box so Pika and Kramer would have something to read while they are waiting for their release.

THE CAT EATING PUMPKIN

Oh, lookie, the Great Pumpkin is back. I'll just smell him to make sure he's the real thing.I better smell everything, while I'm at it.Hey, did anyone over there see when the great pumpkin came back?

He brought Ghostie with him. I don't much like Ghostie, he's a cheerful sot, way too cheerful and stands way too tall. He annoys me in a ghostly, cheerful, tall, sort of way.Kramer, are you down there? The Great Pumpkin came back along with annoying Ghostie but you are not invited to the party. Ha! That's how much you know. I am the party. I am a party animal. You are just a squinty, annoying cat. I will not even look at you until you apologize for wearing my handsome, manly devil costume. See me ignoring you? See? Well, all-rightie-then, if you're going to be that way, see if I care. I'll just see what is in the pumpkin.

Oof! It's kind of a tight fit, but I can do it because I'm pretty. Not squinty! Pretty. And pretty darn flexible, too.

And then I turn around a few times and then some more. Aah! This is the perfect spot Until she starts to snore. It echoes. An echoing-snoring-cat-in-a-pumpkin is not any one's idea of great Halloween fun.

A snoring, Halloween-pumpkin-cat is enough to give Kramer the evil eye.

It's all fun and games around here.

BEWARE OF THE RED DEVIL

"My human put me in this disgusting costume and, if you don't mind, I don't want you looking at me." "Did you hear me? I said DON'T LOOK AT ME."

"Wait. Is that the doorbell. I have ta go now and defend the house from evil doorbell ringers. Barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark."

"It was a false alarm. The doorbell was on some stupid TV show. And look at that fool, Pika who got tricked into wearing the costume. Hahahahahaha. I look manly. I look brave. She looks silly. She looks squinty. She needs to give that costume back."

"Wait! Is that the doorbell. Barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark."

BEING PATRIOTIC

This is my house, being patriotic.A close up.Pika, wanting to be patriotic, too.

I'm a good cat. Please admire me.

The bell by the front door.

Not my house. They have the "Don't Tread on Me," flag.

A neighbor of the above house.Down the street and around the corner. Down another street and around another corner.

This has no patriotic value but it's one of my neighbor's little pocket gardens and I wanted you to see it.

It's almost the fourth of July. Have a good one, where ever you are.

1,3000 WORDS IN PICTURES

Pika is sitting on top of the piano, looking upstairs, probably saying, "You are going to get in trouble. Again." "Who? Me? What you talking about?"This was tonight's rug plucking party.

This was yesterday's rug plucking party. Yup, he's in trouble.

Stuffed potatoes on my cookbook blog.

Many wonderful Grandchildren.

DISOBEDIENT PETS

The other night Her Excellency of Mousehole took this picture of Pika. She is curled up in a basket that had held Christmas treats for the neighbors. Pika KNOWS she is not supposed to be on the table but there she was, as if she owned it. The next day here she was again.

Pika! What are you doing on the table?"

Her usual response to my cat-on-the-table hysteria is to run because my hysteria is usually followed by my getting a squirt-bottle of water.

Not this time.

"I am not on the table you silly, loud, hysterical human. I am in a basket. Now go away. You are disturbing my nap."

So I went away--after moving the basket, cat and all, to the floor. I wanted to shake it before setting it down but restrained myself.

I went upstairs and found a huge mess in the bathroom. Kramer had delicatly plucked hundreds of fibers out of the rug. I was so astonished I forgot to take a picture but later took a picture of the garbage can after two hands full of plucked fibers were thrown away. I was up there later and he'd done it again.

The rug will soon be bald. I went downstairs to have a little talk with him. I couldn't bring myself to do it. He looked so forlorn, curled up--not on the beach towel but next to it. And as I turned to leave he made a tiny little dog pouffer and it drove me out of the room and out of the house and I have now applied for citizenship in pet-free countries.

TODAY'S PRAYER-WISH-LIST

This morning I didn't pray beside my bed. I usually do that first thing after I've showered and dressed because that's when I make my bed. If my bed it unmade it means I haven't had my morning prayer. But, today I was going to change the sheets--note "was going to", as in, it didn't happen--and put the down comforter on for the winter. But, it didn't get done so as I was standing in the hall bathroom, un-ugly-ing my face and un-witching my hair I remembered I hadn't prayed. I folded my arms and had prayer, right there in the bathroom.

This is what I asked for: To remember the joy and the peace I felt when I lived with Heavenly Father before this life on earth. I would really like to remember it all but I know that wish can't be granted so I asked just to remember the joy and the peace. And then I asked that I could have that joy and peace with me.

Today was an ordinary day. I felt peace all day. I had a fair amount of joy too, far more than usual. I know there is no way I could have the joy of that I experienced in my pre-earth-life but what I had today was pretty nice.

So, today's plea was a success. Maybe that's all we have to do. Ask. Ask and have faith.

PS Pika, the prayer cat showed up for my prayer this morning. I don't know how she does it. And she had something to say, too.

PPS We just had family prayer as Phil has gone to bed and yes, Pika attended. She meowed, too. it's the only time we ever hear her voice.

SIX WORDS FOR HALLOWEEN CATS

Snoozing, plotting Halloween tricks for midnight.

CATS FOR HALLOWEEN

Halloween must be almost here.

There's a cat asleep in the pumpkin patch.

And this one is dressed up as "Road Kill."

ExCUSe me? You are interrupting my beauty sleep.

Howrude!