an encore can only last so long
eventually the stage is empty.
after an up and down week
bob seger, in today’s paper,
had just the right message.
Sep20
Category Archives: cats
Sep18
encore une fois. (once again)
glenn frey the rocker, (r.i.p.) and the eagles returning for one of many expected encores. 
glenn frey the cat has returned for a very unexpected encore.
his doctor gave him a last minute reprieve
offered him another chance
with new protocols and fingers crossed.
it may not last long
he’s not in pain
and is purring again
so we’ll take it one encore at a time.
he and i were both equally surprised
olive took it all in stride.
glenn still has no idea how big he really is
the lumbering giant
thinks he’s a kitten
knocking over everything in his way
he’s lived at least 3 lives since i’ve known him
that means 6ish still to go
and he’s still not ready to leave the stage for good, just yet.
—
“the encore is the short piece after the program has finished,
where the performer brings out something the audience doesn’t expect.”
-hillary hahn
Sep17
our last day.
we spent our last day together
glenn frey the cat, not the rocker
olive the cat, not the oil
and me.
glenn has taken a turn for the worse
and is quickly slowing down
resting in his favorite place
with olive refusing to leave his side
the three of us
sit in the quiet
just breathing
looking out at the signs
of the seasons changing
taking in the breezes.
i think back to his multiple rescues
his funny, crazy ways
his very loud voice
how i often spelled his name wrong
how he acted tough at first
but was really such a gentle giant
how he tried to camouflage himself in the vines and flowers
how he welcomed another rescue, tiny olive
into our little family.
in the morning
there will be
just two of us left
when we return to this room
as we say farewell
to our sweet friend, glenn frey.
even the flowers are sad.
Sep12
hiding.
someone must have tipped these two off
and told them
that they were going to see the vet today.
“you can keep as quiet as you like,
but one of these days somebody is going to find you.”
― h
― h
Sep8
cat math.
olive and glenn frey
insist on helping me
with the process of
sorting paperwork and doing bills.
they have been training for years
and clearly feel they are financial wizards.
—
“cats can work out mathematically
the exact place to sit that will cause most inconvenience.”
-pam brown
Aug21
mixing it up.
something tells me that
perhaps the wrong cat
drank the rescue remedy calming drops
from the water bowl.
one is facedown in a bowl of seashells
while the other, (my intended target)
is busy outside
standing up on two feet
looking in at me through the window
and meowing loudly.
—
“mixing one’s wines may be a mistake, but old and new wisdom mix admirably.”
-bertolt brecht
Aug11
rockette.
one of my daughter’s long-legged black cats
who i collectively refer to as ‘the nathans,’
enjoying a swing.
as of this posting,
he has never expressed a desire to be a dancer.
—
“just because you have long legs doesn’t mean you’ll be happy as a rockette.”
– nicholas lore
Aug14
always the cat remains a little beyond the limits we try to set for him in our blind folly. – andre norton
i have such a great assistant
nacho the cat not the food
takes his place
plops down
right in the middle
of the stones of lake superior
and
works hard
to help me
solve the puzzle
moving pieces
bumping my hand
meowing bright ideas
then it all just becomes a bit too exhausting
so why move
when you can just flop over
and blend in?
his work is done here.
Jun18
“sometimes it’s best to hide in plain sight.” ― david estes
where’s nacho?
May29
to say what your disguise is would be foolish. john mcAfee
i realized
after leaving this note
just how strong
nacho the cat not the food’s
potato fetish
has become.
when it comes to the point
that i feel the need
to disguise a raw potato
so that he does not sneak off with it
secreting it away
for his eating pleasure
things may have gotten out of hand
and
someone has a problem
but i’m not saying any names.
