Colds, Cats, and Welcome Holidays by Liz Flaherty

Good morning! I'm not feeling well right now--only a cold, but I haven't had one in quite some time and I am whining up a storm. Which doesn't help, in case anyone wants to try it. Save the limited breath allowed by having a cold for complaining about other things. It's cold this morning, for one thing. 

I also had a laugh this morning already. Our cats live on our front porch. They have a nice house there, a watering thingy, and that's where we feed them. They get dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening, with an occasional snack in between. They are fairly old and grumpy and set in their ways--not unlike the people they own--and they only like certain foods. They want pate, for one thing, not shreds or chunks that actually look like food. The worse it looks coming out of the can, the better. 

They also, I assume because their teeth are as old as they are, have become discriminating in their dry food choices. They only want the stuff that has tender centers. Which I can't always find. When I can't, then I get them a small bag of something else. I hide the label and everything, but they know. They know. 

So, this morning, when I already feel like hammered sh...well, feel pretty crummy, I couldn't get the front door open to feed them because--did I mention it was cold? Yeah, the storm door was frozen shut. So I took their food around to the front porch, mincing my way through the snow on the grass because I'm afraid of falling, and poured an extra-generous portion of dry food onto their plate. They fell on it like starving lemmings. I petted them and left them to their breakfast. 

However, when I walked back around to the back door, they followed me. All three of them, with accusation in every step. I looked over my shoulder, told them to go clean their plate, and hurried into the house without meeting their eyes. 

Seriously. I couldn't meet their eyes because I knew I'd disappointed them. My kids are probably wondering where this sensitive person was while they were growing up. 

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you and your families and friends have a wonderful holiday. And, speaking of holidays...

This year, for the first time ever, the Window Over the Sink is going to open every

day between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve with holiday posts. I hope you'll stop in every day and make the visitors welcome. There will be old favorites--Debby, Joe, and Charley will be here--plus a host of writer friends. I am kind of excited about it. 

Have a great week and a great Thanksgiving. Even from my position of leaned back in the recliner more often than not, I'm eager for the season we're entering. For the fun and decorations and sharing and food. Oh, yes, food. Let us be joyful. 

Be nice to somebody.