Welcome, Sammy...

My granddaughter, Julie, turned 11 last March.  One of her schoolmates presented her with a "belated" birthday gift in April...a darling gray, tiger-striped kitten.  Julie has always been somewhat "fearful" of furry, 4-legged animals...mind you, she'll pet a damn snake, but a kitten or puppy can turn her into a wimp in seconds.

However, Julie "wanted" this kitten and, since my daughter works full-time and couldn't be home to "train" the little guy, it was decided that I would keep the kitten for 2 weeks.

It's almost a year later...Julie turned 12 this month, Sammy's about a year old...and Sammy still lives with me.  He was potty trained from the beginning, but Julie is still afraid of him.  In her defense, I have to admit, Sammy is a bit on the "wild side."  He can be loving and cuddly when HE feels like it, or he'll swipe at you with claws extended if you want to pet him and he's not in the mood.  He likes to bite, too...just because...he thinks he's playing.  And God forbid, don't tell him, "No," or he'll launch himself at you in protest.

But, we get along fairly well, pain in the ass that he is.

2011~2012...the "Un-Winter"

Here it is...March 19, 2012...there's not a chunk of dirty snow or ice to be found anywhere!  That's very unusual for this time of year, here in central New York.  I remember winters past when we've had St. Patrick's Day blizzards, two or three years in a row.  Not this year!  It was such a mild winter, I only had to shovel four times...two times in the same day...then it melted away.  (I should mention here, I mowed the lawn in November...that's a first!)

And we're enjoying such mild temperatures.  Yesterday, the slope by the college was filled with students lying in the sun!  In my 71 years, there has never been a winter like this...hence, the "UN-WINTER."

Today is no exception...it's beautiful!  The sun is bright, the sky is blue and there are birds chirping happily outside my window.   Who could ask for a lovelier day!