Carolyn Holm

Dear Poppy,
Louis was in the garden again this evening. I saw him slip out the gate just as we were coming down the stairs.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
That’s every night this week!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
He must be after the Meadow Mice. I haven’t seen them lately, but someone mouse-sized jumped out of the compost barrel the other day. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
But Louis is coming into OUR YARD.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I know you think it’s outrageous. You put on quite a show the first night he was here. I thought you had cornered a raccoon. You were shrieking, honey, like you were terrified. I was surprised when I went to investigate and found it was just sweet Louis.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
That’s a little embarrassing. But I was so startled to find him there. And you have to admit, he really is a huge cat.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You should be embarrassed. Especially because you’ve met him before. On our walks. For heaven’s sake, he’s a neighbor. Everyone on the street knows Louis. I do worry about him, though, being so much out and about. With so many coyotes around here, he’s living dangerously.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’d forgotten that I’d met him. I’m sorry I screamed at him. I’d cornered him at the back gate and he couldn’t get out of the garden.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Louis looked at you like he thought you were nuts. You were going completely berserk. I had to take you across the garden, tie you up, and then go back and open the gate for him. All things considered, he was very dignified and polite about the whole thing.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Then he came back the next night! Calmly sitting by the roses.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
He looked magnificent there, didn’t he! Such a gorgeous, enormous golden cat, sitting there in the fading evening light. And I was so proud of you. You didn’t even bark. You just sat down and looked intently at him.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Should we tell Puffin that Louis has been coming by?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Maybe not. He’s been touchy about the idea of invading cats ever since last year when that ginger cat peered in at us through the patio window. And ran away when Puffin yowled and hissed at him.  He regards that rout as one of his major triumphs.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Puffin still checks that door every night at about 9:00. Looking for that cheeky cat to return. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
So let’s not tell him about Louis. The thought of another invader would just make Puffin anxious. Cats are so territorial.
Love, Carolyn

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