Jay J's New Friends

Last week we made our every 6-week trek to Maple Valley to see Lesa for haircuts. Jay J came along since it was such a beautiful day, and since, as far as we know, he'd never been to Maple Valley.

Tanner, Lesa's son, came home from a muddy adventure on a nearby trail and parked his quad on the back lawn. He forgot to close the gate and the neighbor's menagerie of critters filed through the open fence, one by one, to explore Lesa's back yard. There were 2 llamas, 4 sheep, a few goats, and maybe a horse or two. Suffice it to say, Jay J was in 7th Heaven. If you look closely in the foreground, you'll see Jay J watching the parade. The critters were all very friendly and quite curious about Mr. Iggy!

Jay's Leg

JayJ's leg was x-rayed today and found to be in tip top shape. The vet clinic was very happy to see him. He is known as the "bagel thief" there because when he was post-surgery 7 weeks ago he snatched a bagel from the hand of the vet. That's our JayJ...always hungry. Kathy and Jay celebrated his leg healing by talking a walk around the neighborhood. He is very excited today.

Bea is over her GI distress (think vet bill) and watching Jay like a hawk. They continue to play like young best friends, with the occasional high-pitched holler coming from Jay. Bea always wins. Bea has become fascinated with water dripping from the faucet, and sometimes when Aunt Peg has had enough of Bea, she sets Bea on the bathroom counter and lets the faucet water drip. That holds Bea's attention for several minutes and all is calm in the house.

Taylor is almost 2 weeks post-dental surgery and seems to be feeling better. She is more confident due I think to being out of pain. Eventually she may fight with Jay a little more, establishing some dominance. Let's hope so.

We're having a family meeting this weekend to discuss the Visa charge card and the balance that all of the babies have managed to rack up on it. We will take an inventory of their marketable skills.

A Jay Day

Jay had another great day today. He got to ride in the front seat of the car on Peggy's lap. He watched Project Runway. He fell asleep in his snuggle sack. The latte stand had a treat ready for him. He didn't get in trouble for ripping up his bed. Who could ask for a better day than this?

Taylor goes to the dentist

As you know, 10 year old Taylor Mae is my soulmate. We simply "get" each other at a level that is exceptional. We laugh at the same things. We love the same chair. It's all there.

Taylor went to the vet today to get her teeth cleaned, and had 4 extractions. The vet assistant said that Taylor was a very good kitty, a judgement that means nothing to Taylor. She is a little out of it tonight, wandering around aimlessly, dreaming up conspiracy theories, and humming Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. She will be more herself soon, once the medication wears off.

Bea is very worried about her and lies flat in the hallway outside the room where Taylor has holed up. This is Bea's very first experience with worrying about someone else and it is profound for her. Bea is growing up and it's as bad for her as it was for us. She is stunned by the enormity of her experience and has abandoned her squeaky stuffed cow chew toy and thousands of neon green balls that decorate the floor. She wants to form a "rap group" for kitties who discover one day that they are not the center of everything.

Jay, on the other hand, is not having a transactional or reflective experience. Instead, he licks our faces and rolls over on his back to be scratched. He leaves the grief to the cats.