In The Keys
We've been extremely busy having boat adventures and enjoying all the fun with our multitude of friends. We've been to Sombrero Reef numerous times with many different people and really enjoyed the sights, snorkeling, and sunshine. Also, we have done the Boot Key Harbor, Sister's Creek, and various canals tour several times. This tour is always entertaining. You can see yachts, homes, beaches, boats, manatees, porpoise, birds, and so much more. The water clarity and temperature gets better every day. The sunrises, sunsets, and moonrises are unrivaled. At John Sawyer Bank and Rachel Bank, we saw fifteen stingrays flying in formation as if in the air. A large turtle swam with the boat for a while. Silvery fish were everywhere like a cloud with fish jumping out of the water and flying through the air. We really had fun exploring the islands. East Bahia Honda was unapproachable due to brown, shallow water. The Molasses Keys were a veritable paradise with beach, sand, clear water, warm sunshine, and just too much fun. Money Keys were full of trees, bushes, and palms. One of the islands was a private one with a dock, house, and all that. The best was the smaller middle island of the Molasses Keys. I will be going back there often. Lots of people wade, snorkel, fish, sunbathe, and explore this island. This paradise we live and play continue to amaze and impress me. We live in marvelous times, I think.

The boat's steering wheel broke loose from its bracket. Armed with sage advice, I tried to get the wheel off to fix it. We hammered, yanked, pounded, and did everything, but the dang thing wouldn't come off. So we will have to wait for the annual maintenance to fix it along with motor things, bottom paint, and deck repairs. I stepped on the sun shower nozzle and broke. It still works, but not as well. I thought about replacing just the nozzle, but it costs about as much as the whole thing. The hinges on my fifty-pound built-in ice chest broke. I replaced them myself. I don't often do my own repairs, as I am not good at it at all. As you can tell, I really like my boat, and it is in constant use.

Jeff, my son, is back with his family now. I really enjoyed his visit. He got his GED and learned a lot of things. He worked for a while at Subway, until the other help was a problem. His vet experience helped a number of pets in the park. He will most likely go to vet college in Denver, while his wife will go for a teaching or nursing career. While he was getting his GED in Key West, I was baking  in the sun at Clarence S. Higgs beach. I really enjoyed the people, the sights, and the hot sunshine. I forgot my sun block, and I subsequently peeled even though I did not burn. I went back to Key West for a doctor's appointment. I have had guests one after another, my brother, my son, his wife, two of his four children, old friends from Tampa, and soon my mother. I wonder what new friend or family will be visiting next?

Guest Meows!
This is Larry for Ariel. She and her three cats, Atom, Dinky, and Emily, gave us some wonderful Cat Chat articles this month. [Harry is at Rainbo Bridge now.] We are gratified that we can offer this regular article about some wonderful cats and their human beans with visits by a dragon! Please visit the Memorial Page for Ariel's mother. Click the cat wagging its tail graphic to visit their net home. Thank you. Now here is Chester the dragon, Atom, Dinky, and Emily with Cat Chat:

Cat Chat 03-03-01
Da Windy Days

Emily: We hab had some horrible cold nasty windy days da last two days. I tawt da roof were gonna blow offen da trailer! It whipped and whirled and yowled and was furry sceery. I wouldn't eben stick my nose out da door da first day. I nosed it weren't fit fur no kitty nor bean out dar in dat nasty stuffers!

Atom: It were furry sceery an citin! Dar was all kindsa noises all ober da house. Me heared lotsa noisy stuffers comin outta da ting what is up over da stove. It rattled an clattled an made all kindsa racket! Me runned all ober da house alla day long tryin to figger out what were goin on. Mom, she openeded da door to da deck an me went out dar wid her, an stuffers were moofin like crazy! Me neber seed nuttin like it fore! It were fun to watch, but only long as Mom stayed out dar wid me. Den me runneded right back inside. It were too sceery to be out dar alone.

Emily: Dar was no way I was eben goin out on da deck! I's smarter dan dat! I lookeded outta da kitchen window an peeked outta da door oncet an I saw all dem trees whippin round like somtin huge were shakin alla dem an I nosed in da house were da only safe place to be.

Chester: It was something, alright! And cold too! I stuck my nose out of the door to the deck and it was even breezy out there, even with all the glass, and so so cold there was no way in the world I was going to go out there. I think it was colder than any other day I've ever seen. I like to go lie on the daybed when it's not too cold out on the deck. I even pull the quilts up over me if it's a little chilly. But not that day! No amount of quilts would keep me warm out there. The next day wasn't quite as cold, but still really windy and still too cold to go out on the deck.

Emily: Boy, yous gots dat right! I bin round lots longer dan yous, an eben wid snow and freezing rain an stuff it wasn't as cold, I tink, as it were, specially da first day. Da Moms wouldn't go out eider. Day looked out a bit, an Mom looked round real good, she said so as to make sure none ub da big trees was bout to fall on da trailer, but da all seemed to be fine. So day both stayed in da house two whole days.

Atom: Well but dat's not unoosal. Day stay in da house fur days lotsa da times.

Chester: True, but that's only because they don't have any reason to go out. Mom needed to go to the store the second day, and Mom2 was supposed to go to the dentist, I think, but they didn't even want to go out, so Mom made do with what she had and Mom2 rescheduled her appointment. Mom2 said there was frozen white stuff on the cars when she first got up, but by the time Mom got up the wind had blown it all off or something. It sure didn't melt, I don't think. It was too cold for anything to melt!

Atom: Me didn't sees no white stuffers, but it were so cold an sceery when Mom2 first got up dat dar were no way me was eben getting near dat door. It were jus too much. It were sunnier when Mom got up an dat made it a liddle better so as me dared to go out on da deck wid Mom. But da second day dat crazy Grandpa bean come ober. Mom, she were jus palled. She said Daddy, what is yous doin out in dis turrble stuffers? An he say it's not turrble out dar, it's all bright an sunny-like. An Mom says it were 20 degrees below. Me doesn't nose below what, but me figger dat must mean it's eggstra furry cold. An dar was Grandpa bean wid nuttin on but a thin shirt an a liddle jacket like normal beans wear when it's jus a liddle cool out. An Mom, she jus shook her head at her crazy Daddy, cause da cold jus didn't seem to boder him atall.

Emily: Grandpa is crazy! He's alays not wearing enuff stuffers to be warm an ifn Mom says something he jus says oh it's not furry cold! An sides, I hates to wear an overcoat. Mom thinks he's gonna freeze hisself an get sick, but he neber seem to. Mom tinks he's crazy, she does. Course, he tinks she's crazy too cause ub all da stuffers all ober da house an cause Mom is alays doing silly stuffers wid her hair, so I guess dat makes dem eben. Heehee!

Chester: Mom is a bit eccentric. In fact both the Moms are. But they are sure the best Moms any kitty of dragon could have, and even if Mom and Grandpa think each other are a bit nuts, they love each other a whole lot. They just kind of shake their heads at each other's eccentricities. But I sure think Grandpa was nuts to be out in that awful wind with no warm clothes on! He must have extra warm blood, or else he just doesn't care. He is a funny fellow.

Emily: Mom says when Grandpa was little him and his fambly used to sleep on this screened-in sleepin porch all year round. In da wintertime he would wake up sometime an dar would be snow on da blankets. I guess maybe growin up like dat he got used to da cold.

Chester: That may be it, but I know I'll never get used to it, especially not windy cold like that!

Atom: Well, me hopes we doesn't neber hab windy cold like dat agin. Me were in Mom2's offices an she were lisnen to da news, see, an dis ole man bean he were sayin how in alla his 80 years he neber seed anytin like dat eber before. So maybe it will neber happen agin, too. Don't yous tink?

Emily: I sure hope so! It was jus too sceery and way way too cold. I'd most rather hab snow den dat. Well, not furry much, but most. I called to Harry alla both days to come an talk to me cause I were sceered, but he wouldn't answer or come see me atall!

Chester: You know Harry hated storms of any sort. I doubt he's changed his mind about that now that he's an angel kitty.

Atom: Me sure wouldn't. Me would hab fur radder bin up at Rainbow Bridge dosse days, cept it were sorts citin too. But it don't storm up at Rainbow Bridge, do it?

Emily: No, it neber storm dere atall. Da weader is alays bootiful. Dat's what Peanut Butter alays tol Harry, an dat's what Harry's bin telling me too. Anyways, Harry, he finally come to see me after all da wind stopped blowing an I yelled at him good fur not comin an not making me feel better an he said but Em, yous nose da Moms wouldn't let nuttin happen to yous, an sides I couldn't hear yous ober alla dat wind an sides dat dar were no way I woulda left da nice sunshiny warmth fur da nasty stuffer yous was habin down here. So yous right bout him not changing his mind bout storms, Chester. Only I tink he really could hear me, he jus wouldn't come.

Atom: Maybe its hard fur angel kitties to come bisit when da weader be so nasty. Maybe it woulda blowed him round an stuffers. It sure bout knocked Mom2 offen her feet when she did try to go outside, an an angel kitty hab to weigh lots less dan Mom2--less eben dan Harry did before he left.

Emily: Yous hab a point dar, little monster. I most tink yous might be growin up an getting a little smart! Claws an tails, I neber tawt I'd eber say dat bout yous!!

Chester: I have to admit, he is getting smarter. At least he didn't go running out to the deck except when Mom was out there with him. He wouldn't have had the sense not to go out like that a few months ago. I think he's starting to grow up!

Atom: Yeah, me's gettin all big an growed up! Me's a furroshous kitty cat, me is!

Emily: Cept when yous a sceerdy cat! Heehee! An yous'll neber be as furroshous as me. I's da Queen.

Atom: Well, yous was a sceerdy cat too during da windy storm!

Emily: Dat's different. Dat's jus good sense, is all.

Chester: We all showed good sense those two awful days. Expect for Grandpa bean! Teehee! But I think Spring is almost here now. I can't wait!

Emily: Me eider!

Atom: What's Spring?

Emily: Yous'll see.

Cat Chat 03-10-01
Harry's New House

Atom: Eeemmmmmmm!! Yous promised me yous was gonna tell me more stories bout Harry fureber ago, an me habn't heard anoder one since!

Emily: Cheese whiskers, monster kitten! What make yous tink I'd keep any promises to yous? Yous is jus a pain in da butt mosta da time! Sides, we had to talk bout the windy wind last week.

Chester: I'd like to hear more about Harry, Em. You did say you'd tell us more.

Emily: (sigh) Ok, Chester, since you asked, I guess I can tell you some more stuffers bout Harry. Let's see, last time we was talking bout Harry in da house what Mom an da unhusband shared wid da oder beans, right?

Atom: Yeah, dat's where yous left offen! Is dar more stories bout Harry dar at dat house?

Emily: Well, not so much stories as what happened dar. See, like I tol yous last time, dar was lots of kitties at dat house. Kitties comed and kitties went dar. Mom and da oder lady bean tooked in lotsa kitties, an gabe a lot to good homes too. I furgot to tell yous dat da oder lady was owned by a kitty named Boo, along wid all da oders. Well, she gots her anoder kitten what she named Munchkin, an Munchkin had kittens, an Mom and da oder lady found good good homes fur da kittens when day was old enuff. One ub dem was a birthday present fur Grandpa bean. He called her Felicia an day lubed each da oder bunches an bunches. But when Felicia were about 13 years old she died all sudden. Grandpa were all broke up an upset. But she libed a good life fore dat, an ub course she's at Rainbow Bridge waitin fur him. But I's getting ahead ub myself.

Chester: What does all this have to do with Harry?

Emily: I's getting to dat. Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. Like I was saying, kitties comed, but more kitties goed, mostly to oder good homes what didn't hab so many kitties. But Fred Purrbox, who were neber furry smart an were a few niblets sort ub a bowl, he got runded ober by a nasty car. It was strange too, cause he'd libed dar next to dat road fur a long while, but one day I guess he just tooked a stupid chance what he shouldn't hab done. But alla oder kitties was jus fine. So, after dat an alla da oder kitties what got oder homes, all dat were left at da big house were Harry an Peanut an Miss Priss an Misha an Boo an Munchkin an Tinker.

Chester: That's only seven cats. I guess Mom and the other lady must have found lots of good cat homes with all the taking in and Munchkin having kittens. Was Munchkin the only cat to have kittens there?

Emily: Yes, but Mom an da oder lady tooked in oder kittens what had no home an den found dem new homes. I doesn't nose why Mom didn't go an find yous a good home, monster kitten!

Atom: Why? What does yous mean? Me hab a good home!

Emily: I means in some oder house, fuzzhead!

Atom: But den yous wouldn't hab no one to pway wid! We has fun, doesn't we? Me tinks we does.

Emily: Well, maybe sometime when yous not too noxious. But sometime yous jus get on my nerbes!

Chester: He's outgrowing that, though, Em. He's not nearly as annoying as he used to be. Besides, I'd miss the little fellow if he wasn't here. Now, you were supposed to be telling us about Harry.

Emily: OK! OK! Cheese whiskers! Well, after a while, da roommate beans decided to moof to anoder place on dar own, an Mom an da unhusband couldn't afford da big house by demselfes. Da roommates tooked Boo an Munchkin an da two doggies wid dem. An Mom looked fur dem anoder place to lib. Grandpa bean found da trailer what I first libed in an heped Mom an da unhusband put enuff money togeder to buy it. So Mom an da unhusband moofed too, wid Harry an Peanut an Miss Priss an Tinker an dis oder kitten what were real wild an what day hadn't found a home fur yet. Well, soon as day moofed in, da wild kitten jus tooked off, an Mom neber could find it eber. An not too long after dat Misha jus disappeared. Mom looked eberywhere, but she neber found Misha live nor dead. Misha were a few niblets short ub a bowl too, so he mighta jus got losted an tooked in by someone else. Dat's what Mom hopes anyway. So dat only left Miss Priss an Peanut an Harry an Tinker in da house an dat suited Harry jus fine.

Atom: Mom sure lost a buncha kitties from moofin! Maybe she shouldn't had moofed an day'd all be round, yous tink?

Emily: Well, maybe, but mosta dem would hab gone to Rainbow Bridge by now anyways, cause day was mostly lots oder dan Harry an Peanut.

Chester: Some kitties just don't take well to moving. Some of them do go find their own homes. I guess they get mad about being taken from their old homes and decide to find better humans to own. Although I don't see how any kitty or dragon could find a better human than Mom to own.

Atom: Me neider!

Emily: Mom is a purrty good Mom fur sure. Well, anyways, Tinker, he lubed da new place an decided dat he were gonna be an outside kitty most alla time, an only comed in when it were feedin time or real real cold. An dat made Harry eben happier, cause dat meant he could be king ub da house. Peanut didn't care a bit bout bein king. He were a furry laid back kitty. But Miss Priss, she was da oldest an she was determined dat she was da Queen an da head cat in da house. So she an Harry fought ober it most ebery day. Mom says dat fur would fly sometime, day would fight so bad. Neider one ub dem eber gab up. Da only ting da didn't fight bout was da sleepin spot at night, cause Harry slept by Mom's pillow jus like in da big house, and Miss Priss slept by da unhusband's feet like before, an clawed dem feets ifn he moofed, an Peanut slept beside da unhusband, and Tinker, when it were so cold he wanted to sleep inside, he slept by Mom's side an pinned down da blankets. He were a big big kitty.

Atom: Bigger den yous? Me didn't tink any kitty could be bigger dan yous! Heehee!

Emily: Hiispiiiittt! Nasty kitten! Yes, way bigger den me. He were real tall an long. An he hunted alla time. Harry hunted den too. He would go out ebery day an patrol da territory, from da creek alla way to da trailers behind us, an from da fence to da field ober past da briars. An he alays brought Mom home some piece ub da mousie or mole what he caught, an Mom would tell him he were a mighty hunter. An Harry got big an sleek an fat. He would chase any doggie stupid enuff to come round right outta da yard, and any cat too! He fought an chased off lotsa freeloadin cats. Da only cat he could neber get rid ub was dat big white tom what is still round. Dat cat is one think-headed nasty ting, I meow! Sometime Harry got hurt from fightin him an Mom would hab to take him to da vet bean, but it neber stopped Harry from fightin dat cat agin.

Chester: You'd think Harry would give up after a while. Going to the vet isn't fun.

Emily: Harry neber gibed up on nuttin! He was King an dat were dat! An dat's all I's gonna tell yous fur now, cause I's tired ub talking.

Atom: Awwwwww! Yous stopping in da middle ub da story! Yous jus barely started talking bout Harry!

Emily: Well, maybe ifn yous a good kitten an ask real nice I'll tell yous more anoder time.

Atom: Chester! Make her tell us more!

Chester: I want to know more too, but this column is getting too long anyway. Besides, it will be nice to have more stories to look forward to later.

Atom: Sheesh! OK. Well, ifn yous not gonna tell us no more me's gonna go out on da deck. Tank you furry much fur telling us some bout Harry an da oder kitties, Emily.

Emily: (taken aback) Yous welcome, Atom. Wow! Chester, he's bein polite! I neber tawt I'd see da day!

Chester: Yes, he's going to be a good cat I think. Thank you, Em. Maybe you can tell us more next week.

Emily: Maybe, ifn nothing citin happens to talk bout! Heehee!

Cat Chat 03-21-01
The New Arrival

Chester: Boy, if Harry weren't at Rainbow Bridge he'd have had a heart attack this week for sure. The goings on around here have been more than the old fellow could take, and I'm not kidding!

Emily: Yous got dat right, Chester! Harry would neber hab lasted troo dis one! Da last one were bad enough-in fact, he were worse, but Harry were a bit stronger when dat happened. Harry's tol me he nosed dis would happen, doe. Mom is jus dat way.

Atom: Yous mean she does dis alla time? Dat's cool!

Emily: Yous tink it's cool cause you like da ting! Yous isn't gonna like ebery one dat come round, I meow!

Atom: Well, but, she isn't gonna do it alla time, is she? Cause dis is da fiost time in my whole life dat dis happened.

Chester: No, she doesn't do it often. This is only the second time I remember-and the first was you! I think she stops at three cats in the house.

Emily: Yeah, well she didn't used to! An I tawt she was stoppin at two cats in da house til she brought in dat Atom monster. Now we hab two Atom monsters!

Atom: He's not an Atom monster! Me's da only Atom monster! Um...me means...oh! Yous! Yous nose what me means. Me's da only Atom, an he's not a monster an neider am me! So dar!

Chester: Admittedly he looks a lot like Atom, but Atom is right, the little critter isn't as monstery as Atom was when he was that little. He's quite a bit calmer, or at least timider. And he sure hasn't been bothering you much, Em. Besides, he's kind of cute.

Atom: Hey, yous neber called me a monster before! Chester, me tawt you liked me!

Chester: I do like you, kid. You've been a bit of a handful, but I like you. I don't mean anything mean by saying you were monstery. It's just you've always been sort of wild, you know.

Emily: Sheesh! Yous like all kittens, Chester. Yous as much ub a soft touch as da Mom's! All I nose is, we didn't need anoder cat!

Chester: Well, that may be true, but at least he's keeping Atom busy. And I do like kitties. They're cute and soft. But this one is a bit afraid of me. I guess I'm bigger than he's used to.

Atom: Oh, he runs from Mom too when she's standin up an he's on da floor. He jus not used to habin people round atall. I likes him lots. He's fun. He wears me out sometime, tho.

Chester: I guess we should explain what happened. Mom went on another of her freeloader catching binges. There was the reflection cat, who we think is really Atom's littermate, and a gray-tailed tom she didn't get last fall, and a new little kitten. Well, Mom got the kitten first, and let him loose on the deck, because she thought she had a home for him. These people that they know had been wanting a kitten. The kitten was real skittish and hid a lot, but really liked being held and baby talked and especially liked the good food. Then Mom caught the gray-tailed tom. He was too wild to let out of the cage, so she just brought the cage onto the deck. Then the next day she took them to the vet. Now, the last time Mom took freeloaders to the vet, he didn't charge her to test them for diseases and neuter them, but this time Mom got a real bad surprise, because the vet changed his mind and charged her, and she doesn't have the money to get neutering and shots for every freeloader that comes around!

Emily: She sure doesn't, an there alays seems to be more an more comin round. Well, she brought back the kitten that day an called up the beans what wanted a kitten, but the wife bean said they already had one, and the husband bean said he wanted it, so Mom said well, call me back an let me nose. But he neber called back so I guess da wife bean won dat one! So now Mom was stuck wid a big bill from da vet an a kitten what she really hadn't meant to keep. She brought back da tom too, an let him loose an he tooked off like a rocket an we habn't seed him since. An she kep tryin to call the beans, but day wouldn't neber call back to say dayed take da kitten. An da more Mom held da kitten da more she wanted to keep it, only she was tryin not to tink bout dat. So, after two or three days Mom2 she says, so, you wants to keep da kitten don't yous? An Mom says, well, sorta, but no, cause we don't need anoder cat an I's tryin to get holt ub deese beans. Well, I were reliefed to hear dat, but den Mom2 she said, oh, I nose yous, yous really want to keep da kitten an Mom says but really I habn't been tinkin bout it an Mom2 says well I hab an I been tinkin dat on da one paw, we really doesn't need anoder cat, but one da oder paw, he would be a friend fur Atom and den Atom would leave Emily alone.

Chester: Well, that did happen, for the most part. Anyway, it became a moot point. Whether they wanted to keep the kitten or not, the people didn't want it, so they were stuck with it. And I know that both of the Moms were getting awfully fond of the little thing. Atom was starting to like him too, although at first he was being a scardy cat around him! Heehee! But they started playing and stuff. At first the Moms let the kitten stay on the deck and turned on the heater at night, and Atom stayed out there with him most of the time.

Emily: Yeah, that wasn't too bad, cause den I could just ignore da little monster. But den it started to get really cold and Mom decided well, he's gonna be our cat and it's costing me lotsa cat food money to keep that heater on so it's time fur the kitten to come in.

Atom: That was da fun part, cause den we gots to pway alla time. An he were sceered at foist, but at least he figgered out da litterhouse right away. An in a few days he was splorin round an pwaying real good. He eben figgered out how to climb my big cat tree! It's lotsa fun to hab a friend to pway wid like me an him does, cause Em pways wid me some, but not like dis.

Emily: I'm much too refined to roughhouse like you and that kitten do!

Chester: Yeah right! Teeheehee! I'm seen just how refined you are when you're in a playing mood. Well, anyway, the Moms talked about it a lot and they decided on a name. Sort of. Mom wants to call the kitten Erin, and Mom2 wants to call him Dinky. So he has a real long name: Erin Inky Dinky Doo. That's almost bigger than he is! He's not as little as Atom was when he came to live with us, but he's a really small cat.

Emily: Harry says he has a lot of Siamese in him and he looks a lot like Harry did when Harry was little. He's all long thin legs and a little tiny thin tail. He doesn't have a bootiful tail like I does. But da Moms don't care bout dat an day lubs him an Atom lubs him an Chester lubs him. An I tolerate him long as he don't get nowhere near me!

Atom: Da way yous growls at him alla time me doesn't tink he's gonna boder yous much atall! Yous a big grouch, Em.

Emily: Am not!

Atom: Is too! Yous grouchy alla time!

Chester: You are a bit of a grouch lately, Em.

Emily: Well, what does yous spect, wid nasty weader an nasty kittens an Harry goin to Rainbow Bridge an stuffers! Humph!

Chester: You have a point. Maybe things will seem better in the Spring. It's almost here.

Atom: What is Spring? Yous hab neber tol me! Me wants to nose!

Chester: Heehee, be patient. You and Dinky will see all about what Spring is soon enough.

Atom: Humph! Alays waitin fur sometin! Come on, Dink, let's go pway.

Emily: Good riddance! Dem kittens better grow up fast. I'b habed enuff ub kittens!

Cat Chat 03-28-01
Nasty Weather and Other Stuffers

Emily: Oh! We gots da nastiest wet white stuffers. It were horrible! It were a nice warm springish day--it were most real Spring. An den just obernight alla dis stuffers come down and cobered eberyting! An it were cold cold too!

Chester: It was cold. And silly Grandpa, he just had to come over and try to get Mom's car out of the driveway, even though she wasn't planning to go anywhere. It was still snowing too. Mom told him and told him that her car doesn't go well in the snow, but he wouldn't believe her until he tried. He got it almost to the top of the hill and couldn't get any further. He was slipping and sliding so much when he backed back down the Moms were afraid he was going to hit the trailer! Then he just had to try again. He backed further down the driveway to get a better start, he said. Mom knew it wouldn't work--the further down the worse it is. The Moms finally talked him into pulling the car back where it was parked. I was watching, and he came within about an inch of hitting Mom2's car. They were both about to have heart attacks and real glad when he finally gave up.

Atom: Grandpa do be a silly bean. He jus termined to do stuffers eben doe it's not da smart ting to do. Any kitty would nose dat going out in white stuffers as nasty cold an wet as dat stuffers were not a smart ting to do atall. Dat's da kinda day when all beans oughta jus stay inside. Dat's what day was saying on da TV too. I watcheded it a lot dat day.

Emily: Yous watch TV alla time! Yous'd tink yous was a bean da way you watches TV! I never seed a kitty watch TV like yous does.

Atom: It's fun! Dars all sortsa stuffers moofin round an round. Me lub tryin to chase dem tings on da TV.

Chester: I like TV too, but I think you're missing the point. You're supposed to watch the shows...you know, listen to what they say.

Atom: Me lissens. But it's funner to chase da stuffers! Heehee! But me hearded what dem weader beans was saying when dat nasty white stuffers come down. Day were sayin stay offen da roads less yous hab to go outs. Course Grandpa didn't lissen to dat atall. Since he were out anyways, an his car goes jus fine in da nasty snow stuffers, Mom asted him to get us some cat food, cause day was sayin da snow was gonna snow fur two whole days an we was almost out ub Whiskas. So he went down to da store an got us bunches ub Whiskas, which were real good, cause da TV beans was right. Da snow snowed fur two days and da Moms was stuck.

Emily: Day wouldn't go out in dat stuffers eben ifn da coulda got dar cars out. Day doesn't like drivin in da snow, an I don't blame dem. I doesn't eben like walking in it. I went out early, when it weren't too deep, but by da next day dar was nasty wet snow eberywhere, all deep an thick. Boy, was I mad! I hates it when it's too nasty to go outside. I were stuck in da house wid monster kittens!

Chester: Oh, come on! You spend most of your time sleeping in Mom2's office. Atom and Dinky don't bother you there. Mom2 sees to that, and you growl so much Dinky won't even try to come into the office when your in there.

Emily: Day does too come in, no matter how much I chases dem off! Sometime I can smell dat day's been in dar when I habn't been. Dat's my special place an day shouldn't come in atall, I meow.

Atom: Yous jus a grouch, Em. Yous doesn't own da office. Nor Mom2 eider. She lub us all.

Emily: I do too! Mom2 is my bean! An dat is my office, and da whole house is mine cause I'm da Queen. Yous an you're little monster friend is jus pests is all yous is!

Chester: Emily, you know you play with Atom and talk to him all the time. Plus ever since Dinky got here he and Atom have been spending most of their time together and don't bother you much at all. You just get all grumpy when someone challenges your supremacy. You know you like Atom. You might not like Dinky, but he sure steers clear of you!

Emily: It's my pergatibe to be grumpy, cause I's da Queen an dis is my house! Harry tol me so. I neber asted to hab kittens in da house!

Chester: But the Mom's love them and it makes them happy. I know Harry also told you to make sure the Moms were happy.

Emily: Yeah, well...yeah, he did. An Atom isn't too bad anymore, sometime. But it's still my house!

Atom: Ok, so it's yous's house! Claws an tails! We's not sayin it's not yous's house. But we libs here too, and we owns da Mom's too. Mom is my bean an Mom2 is your bean but day bot lub on us.

Dinky: When do me gets to hab dis be me's house? Me tinks dis be jus fine fur my house. Yous all cin keep da beans. Me habn't no use fur dem cept when day hab chicken to eats.

Emily: Hissspppiiitttt!!! Get away from here yous mini-monster yous! Yous is not loud to talk in our column atall! Yous is a non-bein what shouldn't eben be here atall!

Atom: Hey! Don't hisspit at my toy! He blongs to me! Me'll do da hisspittin ifn dar needs to be any!

Chester: Atom, he's not a toy, he's a kitten.

Atom: Me nose dat! Dat's what makes him sucha good toy! He runs and chases an pways an stuffers. Not like da stuffy ole grump Emily, who'll hardly eben pway paws trew da hangin ting on da bed wid me. She a lazy grump, she is!

Emily: I'm da Queen! Dat's all I hab to be. Ifn yous had to put up wid yous an dat monster kitten friend ub yours you'd be a grump too!

Chester: She'll get in a better mood when Spring is really all the way here and the weather is nice. You know having to stay in the house makes her mad.

Atom: Yous both keep talking bout dis Spring, but I habn't seed it. When is dat spossed to get here, anyways? Da weader hab bin nice somea da time. Is Spring sometin dat come an go an come back gin?

Chester: Well, officially it is here, but that doesn't mean it won't still be cold for a while sometimes. It does sort of come and go and come back, I guess. But pretty soon the weather will be nice and warm, even though it rains sometimes, and the flowers will bloom even more than they have been and the birds will sing and fly around. It won't be long, I think. I think this last messy snow we had is the last we'll get.

Emily: I can't wait til it's really Spring an it's warm an da sun is warm an I can go outside a prowl and lay in da grass an catch mousies! I's sick ub winter.

Atom: Me can't wait eider! Maybe ifn yous get to do alla dat we won't hab to put up wid yous bein a grouch! Heehee!

Emily: Hiisssppiiitt!! Rotten kitten (whap)! I'll get yous I will. (She chases after Atom.)

Atom: Teeheehee!

Chester: (sigh) It will be nice to have Spring here so Emily can have some fun outside. Right, Dinky?

Dinky: Be's dar chicken in dis Spring? Dat's all dat matters is chicken. An pwayin wid Addom.

Chester: Sheesh! Kittens!

Cat Chat is © 1999 - 2008, 2009 Ariel, Emily, Atom, Dinky, Harry, and Chester the Dragon. All rights reserved worldwide. This column may not be reprinted in part or whole without express permission of Ariel.

Poetry Corner
“Untitled” 4.8.01 
by L. E. Shaffer © 2001 L. E. Shaffer

When all else fails
Faith fades away
And darkness falls
Thrill from the moonrise

Glory at the sunrise
Wade through life
And weep no more
Even alone unhappy

Wait upon the sunset
And see a miracle
While the moon
Stares down upon us

Death cannot stalk
Grief won't exist
Depression ebbs
Upon gentle rains

Sprinkled with the stars
With song bursting
At our spirits
Taken flight

While comets streak
Orange burnt sky
And meteors scream
Down to oceanic blue

Nothing good ever dies
No father wants less
Than one greater
Even beyond us all

© 2001 L. E. Shaffer

Hockey Puck
Several sports are ending and many are starting. Of course, the NHL is the best by far in my humble opinion. Although the Florida Panthers disappointed this year, Pavel Bure provided many thrills while leading the league in goals scored. The Stanley Cup playoffs start really soon, and I will be glued to me television for sure. NASCAR is got a long season ahead and the excitement builds over the heated competition among drivers, especially Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. The NBA starts their second season, the playoffs, with the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic both making the cut. Better yet is that Alonzo is health and back! In MLB the Marlins finally won their first game, while the Tampa Bay Devil Rays have done somewhat better but just barely. The XFL is still boring and washed up, and the NFL is dormant thankfully. The PGA saw Tiger win two in a row and close to winning a fourth major. Isn't he amazing? That is our sports wrap-up. I know you all find this extremely helpful and interesting. Smile, now...

Guest Articles
We have several articles by Jackie and Lady Silvereyes Andromeda. As always these articles are copyrighted respective artists listed.

Jackie: I've made a change to my 'flowers' page and now have a new graphic there. It's actually my entry in this month's EWOTW contest (those graphic intensive ladies I may have mentioned before)! :) And, ah yes, I searched the net and found out the going hourly rate for genuine angels (officialy approved, of course) is a few pennies from heaven! :) Sincerely, Jackie -- Dragonfly Landing: Odonata Gallery: Barry's World: [websites no longer exist]