Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Nora
I’ve been having trouble writing lately. My muse is still musing, my pencils are all sharp, my keyboard is working properly. I'm hammering away at my story slowly but surely, however, I keep having this feeling that someone is trying to sabotage me.
What do you think?
Do I have a problem?
Is some nefarious force at work?
I was so devastated after the loss of our last cat (the second loss in two years) that my husband said no more cats. I reluctantly agreed and settled into a cat free existence. I had my dogs, but it’s not quite the same as having a cat, you know? I got used to sitting in my chair without company, sleeping with no one on the foot of the bed. Then last year, two years after the cat ban, my husband called me to the computer. “You’re getting a cat for Mother’s Day,” he announced gruffly. “This is the cat.” Need I say that I got misty? My husband is not a cat person, and he could have lived the rest of his life cat free. He chose not to--for me--and I hadn't even whined.
There on the screen was Nora (she came with the perfect romance writer’s cat name, don’t you think?) I’ve always been a fan of Siamese and Nora is a Norwegian Forest Cat. My mother once had a Norwegian Forest Cat named Fang who used to terrorize the contractors building her house by mounting surprise attacks. I looked at my husband and asked, “Why this cat?” It wasn’t like she was close. She lived in a shelter almost 300 miles away, in a different state. “She has a kind face,” he replied. “Okay,” says I, remembering Fang, but keeping my thoughts to myself.
The rescue agency from which we got Nora made trips to Reno to adopt out their cats. We picked up Nora on Father’s Day and took her home. She has transformed our rather mundane home life, attacking the wienie dog and helping me write. She sits with my husband, who adores her, while he does his crossword puzzles. All pencils in the world must die, and Nora sees to it that his crossword pencil gets a work out.
If you are ever in the market for a pet, I highly recommend checking out the local rescue societies. Nora came from the Plumas Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Box 125 Quincy CA 95971 Phone: (530) 283-5433, a society that only rescues from pounds. My husband found her on www.petfinder.com .
And just in case you haven’t seen enough Nora, here’s some more.
»
OMG
Nora is adorable!!! what a character!
We also adopted our two monsters, uh, cats (Buffy and Willow), from the SPCA -- they had a rough time of it and had been in the SPCA cages for 3 months when we adopted them. They were clearly traumatized, and while Buffy has become a very cuddly house kitty, Willow is just starting to trust us and become more affectionate. Neither one can really be picked up and held, they don't like being restrained in any way, but they both like petting and playing, and yes, they are great footwarmers. ;)
So I second your motion to adopt animals... they change your life, all for the better!
Sam
Nora is a Sweetie
As I am typing this I have a black and white cat helping me. She and her sister were adopted from the Calgary Humane society 10 years ago. Then a couple of years ago we found a little brother for them on my sister's farm. I can't imagine a cat free household-it would be a cat hair free place but what fun is that.
Jeannie I received your book Cop on Loan on Friday and had it read by Saturday at noon. What a great story. I loved Muttzilla and Ghengis Khat. They added lots to the book. Thank you so much for the autographed copy.
What a great mental
What a great mental image--typing with the cat helping you. I do draw the line at letting Nora help me type, although sometimes she tries to move the laptop off my lap so that she can sit there.
I'm so glad you enjoyed Cop On Loan.
Sam, I remember when you adopted
Sam, I remember when you adopted your girls. I'm glad to hear that Willow is beginning to trust. I had a kitty in college that was wild when I got her. Eventually we became very close, but she was afraid of other people for a long time.
Awwww!
Hubby deserves big kudos!! And Nora is a cutie!! We can't have cats because kiddos have asthma.
I agree
I meant to put it in before your husband is do sweet to consider your wants and Nora seems to have found two loving people to live with.
Kaelee
It was so much fun watching my non-cat guy fall in love with a cat.
Chelle,
Thank goodness for Possum :) I bet she's getting big now.
Jimi Cheezsteak
That is the name of our cat. Unfortunately, there aren't any photos because if you were to look up "scairdy cat" in the dictionary, there would be a line drawing of our Jimi.
He's almost 7 now and we got him from a pet store that was being forced to close their doors for their mistreatment of animals. He's never recovered fully from those first few weeks there.
If my husband sneezes, even if Jimi is in the next room, he will run downstairs.
He doesn't particularly like to be rubbed or patted but my son can grab him, force him to sit with him and, eventually, Jimi will fall asleep on his stomach. Unless my husband sneezes again!
I wish he were the kind of cat that liked to cuddle but he isn't. He's not completely anti-social though because if we're settled (eating or watching TV) he'll come into the same room with us. He just doesn't want to sit WITH us.
Nora is the name I had planned for my next cat!
ani
Ani
Nora is a great cat name--I highly recommend it. Nora generally sits with us--on the arm of the chair or the back of the chair. She's never far away, but it took some time before she trusted us enough to sit on our laps. Now she demands her attention. (Get that laptop off your lap. I'm getting on...)
Congratulations on giving Jimi a good home.
Aww....
What a sweet gesture for your husband to make!! I admit I am not in any way shape or form a cat person, but those photos are precious!
Okay, let's face it, I'm not an animal person. Aside from being allergic to most cats and many dogs, I just don't have that gene that makes me want anything to do with animals. But I so respect people who are (Hubby's whole family has pets. Multiple pets each!) And to adopt one from a shelter is just so special and wonderful. Kudos to all of you who have added furry creatures to your family!
Hi Cathy
There's nothing wrong with not being an animal person. My heroine in The Brother Returns never had a pet and saw no reason to get one. I understood her motives perfectly and she is to this day my fave.
Agreeing again
I think it's much better to KNOW you aren't an animal person than to get an animal and then not take care of it correctly, or let it loose, etc as so many people do, unfortunately. So kudos for that, Cathy. ;)
Sam
Adorable kitty! I love my
Adorable kitty! I love my cat, even though he's a devil in disguise.
J.K. Coi
Immortals To Die For
www.jkcoi.com
Hey J.K.--Isn't funny how
Hey J.K.--Isn't funny how many cats are indeed devils in disguise?
I love cats! Nora is
I love cats! Nora is adorable.
Thank you, Estella. :)
Thank you, Estella. :)
AWWwww....
Jeannie, thanks for sharing that story and the terrific photos--my kids are loving Nora :) Be sure to give us some updates from time to time ;)
Completely off topic, Karen's new cover is just staring me in the face... mmm...
I want to know how Karen
I want to know how Karen keeps scoring these ab guys! Although Sam's Pick Me Up had some great abs, too. Yowza!
And Fedora, I will give the occasional Nora update. :)