Can Anything Else go Wrong????? and Cat Toys.

A better question is, could I care less that everything has gone wrong so far?

Lets just say that I've been walking funny lately because I feel like I've been prison loved by life (not that there's anything wrong with a little prison love now and then.) ;)

Here's the cool thing. I did a little life simplification, spent a little really cool time with my wife, did 10 things for other people that I didn't have to and they weren't expecting, and I played with my cats as much as is humanly possible in the last 8 days. The end result is that I could care less how things are going in other parts of my life. I've done all I can to make those things come out right. I am continuing to do all I can. I've finally got a little grounding and that makes me feel like I can deal with it all.

Thanks to all the people in my life that have knowingly or not knowingly helped me turn things around. If you're reading this, then you probably contributed. The little things pulled me through.

On another note, if you've got cats that are very playful, let me suggest a toy. As you may know, Gracie and Mao (now about 15 months old) are two of the most playful kittens in the entire world. We just raise them that way. With me in the house, pretty much anytime is play time (that goes for humans too). It was Laura's birthday last week and she got some of those mylar helium balloons. They had a long ribbon on them and a heart shaped plastic thing at the end that keeps them from flying away.

When they first came in the house, Gracie and Mao's eye's got HUGE! Neither one could contain themselves. They were both spinning circles beneath the balloons, looking up at them and meowing their fool heads off. We let the balloons loose and sat back to watch the hyjinks.

Mao jumped up on furniture and dove off it to try to get to his balloon. He ran and jumped and did everything he could to get to it with no avail. Gracie kind of sat back and watched this. She took a more cerebrial approach (as always). After one attempted jump (she missed by 2'), she stood next to the plastic weight and stepped on the ribbon. She took another step, pressing the ribbon down again with her front paws. She then walked across the living room, stepping on the ribbin each time. The balloon got lower and lower and lower. Mao went nuts. She stood on the ribbon while Mao jumped and batted at the balloon. He had a great time!!!

After 20 minutes, he finally got tired and went off to watch birds. Gracie then proceeded to play punching bag with her balloon for quite some time. She'd let it fly up, then trap it again. She grabbed the ribbon and ran around the house with the ballooon trailing after her. This drove Mao into play-frenzie #2. He Chased after the balloon, trying to jump and grab it as Gracie did laps around the kitchen. He finally launched off the table and grabbed it mid air. He landed ontop of it on the floor and it kind of bounced him off. He was stunned momentarily before he got up and took up the chase again.

Eventually Laura and I went off to do other things. The cats slept well that night. One balloon survived the night. It survived the next night too. and the next. It took a full week before the last balloon was punctured.

Now the cats are waiting for us to bring home another balloon for them to play with. I may get them a regular balloon just to see what they do when they pop it.

Sorry for babbling on so long about the kittens. They're great and a perfect source of happiness for me.

Pete