KARMEL..Book 2

December 24-It is Christmas Eve. Mom and I are snoozing. We have had a busy afternoon and evening. Becki, Brian, and girls came up, and they had Christmas things to open,and lots of neat snacks to eat. There was lots of noise and laughing. I laid up on the back of the couch and watched. I mainly stay out of the way, so I don't get stepped on. I get plenty of petting and love, so I don't mind being ignored when there is excitement. They all left around 6:00, and then there was just me and Mom. This is my favorite time. Just Mom snoozing in her chair, and me snoozing in her lap, dreaming about happy times.

January 13, 2000... My, but that is a big important sounding year! I haven't had much opportunity to talk in my journal. Christmas evening, Mom and Brian's Mom went to Christmas dinner with family. I stayed home, and watched stuff of course. Mom turned off all the pretty lights in the house. It isn't any fun to pull stuff of the Christmas tree if there aren't any lights to sparkle and shine on stuff.

After Christmas came New Years, and we slept through it, I guess. But it happened anyhow, and now it is a New Year. Mom said the only Resolution she was going to make was to try not to "procrastinate" so much. I don't know what that is, but I hope she is successful. I will help her if I can. We have to take care of each other!

February 17-Mom is UP TO SOMETHING! I can tell. She was telling Neighbor Tammy about letting me in and out of the house! I'll bet she is going someplace for a while again! I think she is going someplace with Becki and Grandkids, and they are meeting Pat and Brenda and Grandkids. I heard her telling Neighbor that she was going on three trips this year. I am getting used to her going places, as long as she comes home! But I am staying close to her these days before she leaves, and I lay on her lap, and we snooze in Dear's big chair. It is nice, and I feel safe.

When she is gone, I sit on my shelf in the bedroom window and watch the driveway for her to come home. Sometimes she comes in real quiet and catches me snoozing on the couch, or laying in front of the TV on the rug. She leaves the music channel on for me and I can watch the pictures. I hope she has a good time, and comes back safe and sound to me.

March 19, 2000-Well, Mom went to a place called "Disneyland" with Becki and Grandkids. They had a great time. Mom promised me she won't go anywhere until May, whenever that is. Then she is going to visit her sisters.

I am sad. There is only Ms. Marble left out of all my friends. I haven't seen Bob all week. Mom said she thinks he wandered off and died, like my Mama did. Ms. Marble looks like she may be going to have some little ones. If she does, I hope they live. She is all alone, and she won't let Mom pet her, or rub her ears or anything. If she had some little ones that lived, she would have some company. Mom said she wouldn't get any more cats. But she may change her mind if Ms. Marble dies. She is old.

The weather has been really cold and wet. I don't spend much time outside. I wish it would warm up. I miss laying out on the picnic table in the sun.

March 25-Well, I am happy!!! Mom and I went out to check Ms. Marble's food, and guess who came bouncing in all smiles! BOB!!! Ms. Marble was so glad to see him, and so was I. We all touched noses, and then he came over and looked up at Mom, and she petted him and rubbed his ears, and he grinned at her and closed his eyes like he does. She was glad to see him! I stayed outside for a while after Mom went back in the house, and we all just sat together. He had nothing to say about where he had been. But I am just glad he is Home safe, and so is Ms. Marble.

April 28-A good thing happened and a bad thing happened this month. The good thing is that Ms. Marble had 4 little kitties. Mom says she thinks there are 3 boys and a girl. She says one looks just like me, but we all know they aren't mine, because I had that operation when I was little. I hope they live.

The bad thing was really scary for me. I can't remember being so scared! I was sitting on the porch rail under the kitchen window, having a little snooze when here came Neighbor Tammy and her little boy, Chris. He has always been my friend. Sometimes we would sit on the couch together and I would let him pet me. Anyhow, the Dogs, Pepper and Reggie were there too. I just looked at them, and then started to snooze again. They never bothered me. Tammy went inside with Mom.

All of a sudden, whoosh!!! Chris had picked up Mom's mud scraper and was hitting at me with it! The Dogs got all excited and barked and jumped at me and growled, and he kept hitting at me. I tried to make myself real small, but all my hair stood on end, I was so scared! Chris was my friend...why was he doing this, and getting the Dogs all excited. I was so scared, I couldn't move! All of a sudden, here came Mom out of the house with Tammy right behind her. She yelled at the Dogs, and they ran off the porch. She grabbed Chris and took the scraper away from him and said "What are you doing!" She was really mad. He just looked at her and smiled. Tammy grabbed him and spanked his bottom. Mom opened the door and said for me to come in the house. Boy, did I get down from there fast, and ran into the house and hid under Dear's chair. Chris came into the house with Tammy, and Mom asked him why he did that to me. He is only 3, but I felt so bad. He was my friend, but not any more. He just kept smiling except when his mom swatted him. Mom told him she was real disappointed in him, and that I probably wouldn't be friends with him any more. I hid under the chair until after they left, then I got up in Mom's lap where I felt safe.

Mom told Neighbor Tammy that when she comes down to take care of me when Mom's gone, she should just let me out then let me back in, and not go away and leave me outside alone. She told Tammy that if I had jumped down and tried to get to the garage, where I could be safe, the Dogs were so excited they would have chased me and caught me. That scared me even more!

The next day, Mom and I were out at the shop, and I was watching her work on the lawnmower. Here came Reggie down the driveway. I hid in the shop. Mom told him to go home, but he just stood there and sniffed the air and went up to the porch and sniffed around, then came back to Mom. She pointed up the driveway, and said "Get home!!!" He went! I peeked around the door, and when I saw him go, I ran real fast under the car, and Mom came after me and let me in the house. I guess I can't call him a friend either, for a while, anyhow. I know he was looking for me!

May 23-Mom went on her trip to see her sisters, and I guess she had a good time. Tammy came down and saw to me, and it was fine. I am glad Mom is home, though. I always like to stay close when she first comes home so that I know she is really here, and I am not dreaming.

Ms. Marble only has two little ones left. The little yellow one and the little gray one died. The two that are left are marbled like she is. Mom says they are both boys. Tammy's cat "Lucky" has been coming down and visiting us since the weather is nice. He and I lay out on the picnic table and snooze. I haven't seen much of Reggie and Pepper lately. Chris came down with Tammy, and he hit me with a stick. He got spanked again. He is turning into a mean little kid. I am staying away from him. That is probably why Lucky comes down here, to get away from him. Mom says he is going through a stage. Well, I am laying low until he gets through it!

August 2-I haven't written in my journal for quite a while. I didn't realize it had been so long. Life has been pretty uneventful. Mom's Big Boys and their families didn't come this summer. Time goes by so fast. It has been really hot for a while now, and I have been spending a lot of time laying around outside with my friend Lucky, and Ms. Marble and Bob. Pepper and Reggie disappeared. They haven't been around for a couple of weeks. I don't miss them, because they were getting so mean with us. They had attacked Ms. Marble's little yellow kitten a while back, and if it hadn't been for Mom and Neighbor Tammy, I think they would have killed it. But Mom and Tammy rescued it. Of course it died a week or so later, but still, they were getting to be mean dogs.I don't miss them.

August 14-I am being watchful with Mom, because I feel I should protect her from harm. The other day, I was out in the grass with my friends and I heard voices at the front of the house. Someone had come to visit, and I wasn't there to check them out! Well, I ran as fast as I could over to the porch, and there were small people there with Mom! One was Jessica, Tammy's girl. But the other two were STRANGERS! Well, I guess you know I really looked them over, and smelled their legs and feet, and looked into their faces. I decided they were all right, but I sat at Mom's side until they left. Mom said the little boy was "Bubba", and the girl was "Justine". I will remember them next time they come over.

Mom and I went into the house, and she sat in the recliner with her coffee. I like to sit on her lap, but she jumps up too much, so I just lay on the couch beside her. She rubbed my ears, and told me I was a good boy, so I didn't feel so bad about not being there when strangers came. I try to be responsible, and be a good "Watch-Cat". Just as long as I please Mom. That's what makes me proud.

August 25-Well,I had another trip in a pillow-case. I had to have my annual stick, and "look-over" by the Cat-Doctor. We had to wait, so Mom let me stick my head out of the pillow-case and look around. There were some other people there with their cats. One lady had a little cat in a cage. It just laid there. Mom said it was real sick. They took it back to the Cat-Doctor, and later the lady left without it. She was crying. It was sad. I am glad Mom takes good care of me, and sees that I get my "sticks and stuff" when I am supposed to. I behaved well, and let the Doctor look into my ears, and eyes and my teeth. She said I was a little overweight. Then she stuck me with the sharp thing. She said I was a very well-behaved cat. I felt proud. Mom opened the pillow-case, and I went in. She fastened the end shut, then I felt us going in the car, and all of a sudden there I was back home! All set for another year. They gave her some worm medicine for me, whatever that is, and it tastes yucky. But Mom says it is good for me, so I swallowed it. She told me I was a really good boy at the Doctor's and that she was proud of me. That made me feel good!

September 5-It is getting close to time for Mom to go on her trip to Nebraska. I am sticking close to her until she goes, because I miss her when she is gone. Neighbor Tammy comes down and takes care of our food and water, and gives me my treat, but it's not the same. She pets me and talks to me, which is nice, and I appreciate her. But I miss my Mom. I am always glad when she comes home.

October 27-My goodness the time goes by so fast as I get older! Mom went to Nebraska, and I guess she had a good time. She spent lots of time on the telephone when she got back, telling people about it. The day before she left, she went into town and brought home a little lady who was going with her. This little lady was called Helen, and her Dear and my Dear had been on this ship together. Her Dear had died, too. So she and Mom sat up all night and Mom showed her stuff on the computer. They left about 4am. Then I was alone. I ran around the house a bit, and ran up and down the piano keys, but there was no one to holler at me, so I took a nap until Tammy came.

After Mom came back, Sharon came up from Texas to visit her Kids and Grandkids, and spent a couple of days with us. I could smell Chipper on her shoes. I have developed a love of shoes! Mom thinks it's funny. I like to shove my head inside a shoe, and I can smell all kinds of wonderful smells where that shoe has been. Mom says "Look at that silly old cat!" and laughs, but if she could smell all the neat smells I can smell, she might stick her head inside a shoe. Then I would laugh!

Fall is here. Mom says you can tell because the leaves are falling, and the rain is falling. I like to run in the leaves. They make a swell sound, and blow around.Miss Marble and I are alone, again. Bob is gone. I don't know where he went. Last time we thought he was dead, but he showed up. Maybe he will just show up again. Mom says she hasn't smelled him around here, so maybe he went somewhere for a visit. I don't know exactly what she means by that. But Miss Marble and I sit out on the porch, or on the back steps, and snooze, while it is still warm enough. This winter, she will move under the house and snooze up on top of the furnace, where it is snuggy, and I will stay indoors and dream of Spring. But first there is Christmas, and all those shiny things.........!

November 16-Well, Mom did it again! Scared me. She was having trouble breathing again, so she called Becki, and Becki came and took her down to the highway someplace where the big truck with all the lights took her away. They call it an Ambulance. Well, the last time I heard about the Ambulance, was when Dear went away and didn't come back! Mom petted me, and told me she would be back. This happened at 1 in the morning, and I was nervous. I waited and waited. I sat on my shelf and watched out the window.

Finally a little silver truck pulled down the driveway. It was Brian, bringing Mom home. Boy was I glad to see her! She said she was all right. She had an infection, whatever that is. I have stayed pretty close to her since she got home. I hope she stays well. She told me she was going to get to eat three Thanksgiving dinners this year, whatever that is! One at Church, one down at Brian's Mom's, and one here at home. Sounds like an awful lot of food to me, but she seems real happy about it.

December 19- MOM did it again!!!! Becki came and took her to the hospital last Friday morning early, and she stayed until Monday evening! I was really starting to worry. But they took real good care of her and sent her home in real good shape. She said she got lots of "sticks" and has some new pills to take and stuff, but she is strong, and I know she can handle it.

December 22- Here it is Christmas again! Mom has all the shiny stuff out on the tree, and lots of lights blinking. She doesn't put anything too much where I can get at it, though. I am too big to try and climb the tree, so I just look at it. It is pretty. I hear that Son Pat will be up after Christmas. I hope they bring Scruffy. Last time she was here, she hardly even looked at me. Maybe I scare her, because I am so big and strong! Anyhow, there will be lots of excitement around here from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day, and then Mom and I will be alone together, and I can lay in her lap while she puts her feet up and relaxes, and we will snooze and dream of other days.

January 25- Well, we are into the New Year. We had a nice time with Pat and Brenda and Grandkids and new Great-grandson Cameron! Scruffy and I got along fine. Joanne and Symone were here from Portland for a few days, too. Of course, Brian and Becki and Grand-kids were here. Now Mom and I are alone again. She is busy running around, and I am catching up on my naps. Now everybody has "colds". That is the runny nose-sniffly thing that Mom has to watch out for. She is being careful, and talking to the Dr. like she is supposed to. Miss Marble and I haven't been doing much outside. The weather is too cold and wet. She sits on the furnace under the house, and I stay indoors. When I go out and the sun is shining, we find a place out of the wind where we can sit and share our thoughts. Sometimes Lucky comes down from Neighbor Tammi's and we reflect together. My life is good. Mom is very content, and seems to have a lot of fun doing stuff. I don't do a lot of stuff. I chased a paper tube around the bathtub the other day. That was fun, but I got tired and had to go take a nap. Mom read someplace that cats sleep 18 hours out of the 24. I don't know what that meant, but every time she says it everybody looks at me and laughs. I guess it is a funny thing?

May 13-I am sorry I haven't been writing in my Journal for so long. My life has been going along without too much excitement until about 2 weeks ago. Then I had enough to take up two of my lives, I do believe! I was outside, wandering around, and all of a sudden a swift storm dumped a million little icy cold beads on me, and I was scared! I ran in under the blackberry vines to get away from them, and there was a mean old tom-cat who had been wooing Ms. Marble! Well, he started to fight with me, and he bit me and clawed at me, and I ran farther into the vines, and got away from him. I could hear Mom calling me, but I was afraid to come out until I was sure he was gone!

I waited a while, then Mom called me again. I sneaked out into the open, and he was gone. Well, I sure wanted to dash to the House, but I could barely walk, and I was soaking wet. I crawled up the steps, and Mom picked me up and held me close. I couldn't help but cry, I hurt so bad. She got a towel, and dried me off, and then put me down by the warm air thing, and covered me with the towel. Boy, that warmth felt good. After a couple of days of me moving very slowly, she took me on her lap and looked me over real careful. That's when she saw I had deep bites, clear through my skin. She put me in the pillowcase, and took me to where I get my "sticks". Then she LEFT ME THERE!!!!! Well, I was scared, and they put me in a wire box, and stuck me with a sharp thing. The next thing I knew, I was in the wire box, all the fur was gone down my side, and I had two little green pipes sticking out of my skin. Then a girl came with the pillow case, and put me back in it. Now what? When she carried me into the other room, I heard Mom's voice saying "There's my sweet boy". I was so glad to hear her, I purred and purred. The next thing I knew, we were in the car, and then we were Home, and I came out of the pillow case and I was on the Couch!

I felt better, but I still hurt. Three days later, here came Mom with the pillow case again. I was not happy. This time, she LEFT ME there again, but they took the little green pipes out of my side. I laid in the little cage, and snoozed for a while. Then it seemed that Mom had been gone for a long time, and I started to get worried, again. Finally I heard her voice in the other room, and when the girl came with my pillow case, I almost jumped in all by myself. I am very careful now. When I go outside, I watch for that mean cat. I haven't seen him lately, but you never know.

Two other things have happened lately. Mom's Boy Michael, and Sharon and Chips came down for an overnight. Chips and I remembered each other, and it was good. They will be down again later for a longer visit.

I don't think I wrote in here about Mel. Mel is now an airline hostess with NW Airlines, whatever that is. I heard her tell Mom that it was like being on a permanent vacation. Her friend Marschal graduated from College this month, and he wants to be a forensic scientist. More big words I don't understand. I like Marschal. He is kind to me and likes dogs and cats real well. He and Mel are getting married next year. Even if I am invited to the wedding, I won't go. I don't want any more pillow case travel for a long, long time!

July 5- I have really been bad about keeping my journal up. Chips was with us for 10 days, while Michael and Sharon went up to Alaska to visit Sharon's Boy Kurt and his family. He is in the Air Force, Mom said.They live in Anchorage, whatever that is.Chip missed his Mom and Pop. He wasn't much interested in me, nor I him. I am very careful about my relations any more. We passed each other in the hall, but didn't sit and chat.

Ms. Marble's kittens are still alive! Mom says she can pick up the little girl, and pet her, but the little boy one is more timid.Ms Marble is really taking good care of them! Mom has been really busy going from here to there and back. She is busy with her little jobs she does.But I don't mind, I just lay on my shelf and look out the window and snooze. She doesn't like for me to be outside when she is gone, and considering what has happened to me lately, I don't want to be outside anyhow!

August 21- My but the time really flies! We have been having some really hot weather, but today it rained! Mom spent a few days staying with an older lady, while her daughter went to a meeting. Neighbor Tammy came down and took care of us, as usual. I was glad when Mom came home. We have had Grandkid Molly up here a few times for overnights, and Mom and Becki, Mandy, Megan and Molly went overnight camping once. Mom says she is going to Reunion in two weeks. I heard her talking to Becki about it. She will be gone 4 days. I am used to this now, after all these years, but I miss her, and I am glad when she comes home.
Ms. Marble still has her two kittens. The little boy is timid like his mama, and larger than his sister. She is small, but she lets Mom pet her. Mom calls her Miss Emily. I guess Mom is going to take her in a pillowcase one of these days soon, and she will get sticks, and be "looked over".I have played with them some, but they are quick and little, and I don't want to hurt them. Mom says I have to go in the pillowcase too, for a booster. I don't mind, as long as she doesn't leave me there!

September 9- Time is sure flying by! Much has happened these past few weeks. Mom's girl Becki had a surgery at the end of August, and came to stay at our home for a few days before going to her home. Well, I guess the surgery was more than what they expected, because Mom told Tammy she was in there for 6 hrs., whatever that means, and they found some bad things and took them out. If they hadn't found them she might have died! Becki was to go home the morning of the 3rd, and Mom was going on her trip that afternoon. I sat with Becki a lot to comfort her, and make her feel better. I noticed she had a lot of little red bandages on her tummy, but no green tubes like I had! I also sat on Mom's bed and watched her pack her little bag. I was resigned to being alone for 4 days except when Tammy would come down and give me my treat.
Well, Becki had some real bad times, and some medicine they gave her made her yell and scream and see things that weren't there! I was scared, and I hid. Well, they gave her some other medicine, and she calmed right down, and was OK except she still really hurt a lot. Then I heard Mom say "I'm not going!" Becki said she should but Mom said all she would do was worry, and there was no point to going, if she was just going to worry! Well, I was pretty happy to hear that, I'll tell you. Becki told Brian she was sorry for Mom to miss her trip, but she was glad she didn't go. So Becki stayed with us until Saturday, and then Mom took her home. After Becki was gone, I laid on Mom's lap, and she rubbed my ears, and we had some quiet time together. It was nice, just the two of us sitting in Dear's chair, snoozing.

September 12- A terrible thing happened yesterday! Some really bad people flew some airplanes into some big buildings over on the other side of this country! Such a horrible thing to do. I heard Mom talking, and she said many people were killed, and the buildings fell down, and there was fire, and explosions, whatever that is. I don't understand why human people have to be so mean to each other! They have so much, and yet they are always trying to hurt each other. I just don't understand it. I am glad I am just a cat. It hurts my head to try and figure it out. Melissa wasn't flying in her plane when this happened. We are happy she wasn't. She is glad she wasn't. Her crew had to stay where they were for three days before they could fly back to their home airport. Then she flew home here for her days off.She doesn't have to go back to work until the 21st.

March 18, 2002 - I can't believe so much time has gone by since Mom and I wrote in my journal. Many things have happened during this time, and I will try to remember all of them. Becki took Mom to Greendale, Wisconsin, the home of the Reiman Publishing Co. Mom said they had a wonderful time. The weather was lovely, and they saw lots of stuff. Becki took her because she missed her reunion. Mom said it was worth missing the reunion. I guess hardly anyone showed up.

The next thing was Thanksgiving. Mom went to a family Thanksgiving at Brian's aunt's house. (Brian is Becki's "Dear".) I didn't mind. I just snoozed on the back of Dear's chair until she got home.

Then came Christmas! My favorite time of year! I got to bat some shiny balls around, although Mom is getting smart and not putting ones that will break down low. I tried to contain myself, and not do too much damage. I am an adult now, and need to act like one, I guess. But it sure is fun batting those balls around! Mom, Becki, Brian and grandkids came up Christmas Eve, and we had our usual celebration of presents and snacks. I got to play with paper and bows. Mom went to Christmas Day dinner at Brian's brother's house. They don't have any kids, but they have 2 dogs, 4 cats and 2 rabbits living in their home. I wonder what it would be like to have such a bunch here!

Mom took Miss Emily in to the Dr. place in a pillow case and got her "fixed", whatever that is, and got her "sticks". Mom said she was very proud of her because she behaved so well. Just like me, Mom said!

Then came February 2nd!!! That was Mom's 74th birthday, and also the day Marschal and Melissa got married! Such excitement and rushing around. Pat and Brenda came up with Jeni, Jessica and Cameron, and Jessica's boyfriend Chris for the wedding, and Mom went into Portland and brought Joanne and Symone out. Symone was the flower girl. She was so cute! I mainly kept out of the way. There was lots of excitement. Marschal and Melissa went to Disney World for their honeymoon. I don't know what all that means, I think it is a trip people take when they get married so they can rest up after all the excitement.

Melissa has been on leave from her NW Airline all this time, and now she has been hired by Horizon Air. She won't have to be going back and forth to Minneapolis anymore, because Horizon is based here in Portland. Marschal is the manager of the Portland Old Spaghetti Factory Restaurant. She will be based in Portland, so they are happy about that.

Well, that brings everything up to date. Mom has another logger in now, taking out some more timber, so I have to be careful when I am outside in the yard because there are big trucks going in and out. Miss Emily comes in the house sometimes and plays with me, but she seems to prefer being outside. She likes to be petted, though. When spring is here, and it is warm, we will sit outside and enjoy the sun. Mom can sit in her lawn chair, and I will lay on the railing and maybe Miss Emily will join us. Maybe Ms. Marble and Corn (Miss Emily's brother) will join us also. But anyway, we will just be lazy and content, me and Mom.

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