Ode to Boo

It's a dreary, grey, dripping wet afternoon here. Natural light, come back. Texas is weird like that. The cats have been napping lazily all day. They certainly have the right idea. They have been a constant source of companionship for me these months, when I am usually home for half a day. Especially Snorri (Boyd had his turn late last year), who has grown into a half-sized, ever-playful kitty. I've been calling him Boo as of late. I love that he is still small. It fulfills my wacky desire for a perpetual kitten. I love that he is a downy soft white with large orange patches of fur, which is funny, because I thought he was one of the uglier kittens at the shelter when I was first choosing one out. He looks fabulously contrasty on our dark blue bathroom mat and on our wood floors. I never thought I would enjoy having a pet so much. The only pet I had before (besides roommate ones) was a beagle when I was about 10 or 12. Half the time of I was afraid of it chasing me around the yard and nipping at me. And he was so stinky, as outside dogs can be. Spud met a sad end one scorching summer a few years later when he knocked over his water bowl and the heat got the best of him. We grieved for a bit, but even my mother was openly relieved about not having to scoop poop every day anymore. That is my least favorite chore by far, but it's still very doable because it is contained a box. Besides that and needing to sweep up wisps of hair every other day, I can enjoy picking up a soft, warm, cuddle-monster whenever I like. Bonus: when we lay on the couch, Snorri will jump up and make himself comfortable on top of one or both of us. He is fair like that. And there are few grown things cuter than a sleepy, cozy cat. They are an animal of beauty! I find myself constantly entertained by their graceful (and sometimes not so graceful) movements and positions. I am also careful to refrain from gushing about them to guests and friends, yet it is somewhat unnerving to find myself acting like a new parent might. My cats, my husband, and a humble abode, what more could I want in a home?

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