Carolyn Holm

One Dog, Two Cats
Grand Ideas
InterSpecies Memos

The Stripey Thing!

Dear Charlie,
I think I know which toy is your favorite.
Love, Carolyn

Mom
THE STRIPEY THING!!!!!!!!!
Charlie

Dear Charlie,
It’s a good one, isn’t it! 
Love, Carolyn

Mom
It’s the BEST!!!!!!! I can run with it, roll with it, fight with it!!!!!
Charlie

Dear Charlie,
I like when you run with one end in your mouth, the rest of it trailing like a long banner flying behind you. 
Love, Carolyn

Mom
Is that great or what!!!!!
Charlie

Dear Charlie,
Your sister never plays with it. Did you tell her not to?
Love, Carolyn

Mom
Elsa and I are REALLY different. She plays with other toys. 
Charlie

Dear Charlie,
She has a lot to chose from. There are toys underfoot all over the house. I have to say, I do regret giving you balls with bells in them. It gets noisy at 4:30 in the morning.
Love, Carolyn

Mom
That’s a great time to play!!!!
Charlie

Dear Charlie,
I’m not wild about you bringing the Stripey Thing in bed with me. And wrestling with it there while I’m trying to sleep.
Love, Carolyn

Mom
It’s play time!!!!! It’s the best way to start the day!!!!!
Charlie

Dear Charlie, 
And you two do all the things… Whacking balls. Wrestling. Doing zoomies. Doing more zoomies. 
Love, Carolyn

Mom
And being chased by Winston.
Charlie

Dear Charlie,
Winston is adjusting. Slowly. Sometimes he’s playing with you. But sometimes he’s too aggressive. He seems to pick on Elsa because she’s shy. I wish he’d stop that. I’m trying to keep an eye on him.
Love, Carolyn

Mom
Don’t worry about Elsa. She’s spicy. She hisses at him to tell him to #@!%! Off.
Charlie

Dear Charlie,
I don’t know where you kids learned to talk like that.
Love, Carolyn

Mom
All cats know that.
Charlie

– 

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Crow Time!

Hey Mom,
The kittens are crazy. They are getting into everything.
Winston

Dear Winston,
You’re right. And it’s making me appreciate you and Poppy all the more. You two are so mature and well behaved!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
I’ve never jumped right into the middle of one of your houseplants!!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Thankfully you didn’t. Charlie just won’t leave that Peace Lily alone. And both of those kids keep climbing right up the window screen. Just because they see a bug outside. That can’t be good for the screens!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
It looks like fun!!!!! I never thought of going up the screens! 
Winston

Dear Winston,
You never did any climbing at all. We figured out that this was because your vision isn’t very good.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
But I can see the crows outside. The kittens like the crows too!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
They’ve already learned to watch for them.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
The crows used to just come every day at 5:00, but today they showed up in the morning!!!! The big crow likes the cheese you put out, but he refuses to share it.
Winston

Dear Winston,
The two smaller crows clearly defer to the big guy. That’s why I call him The Boss. But once in a while he shares some cheese with them.
Love, Carolyn

Mom
The kittens found my crow feathers. Those are my crow feathers.
Winston

Dear Winston,
I’m sure the crows will leave some more feathers for us.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
They probably like watching us. They see cats sitting in the window and they know this is The House of Cats!!!!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
I’m sure they do. Knowing crows, they are probably showing off because they know they have an audience.
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy, Winston, and the kids will raise their paws to salute you!

Household Politics

Dear Mom,
I’m so excited about the kittens!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You’ve been a good girl about trying to control your excitement. For the most part. But honey, when you get carried away, it alarms them.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
They aren’t afraid of me! 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
No, they aren’t afraid. But when you bark, it alarms them and they take off. So maybe, less barking.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’m so glad you are letting them out of the bathroom all the time now, instead of just a little bit at a time.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
They needed that time in the bathroom to get used to this huge change in their life. Now, this week they are getting used to our house. And used to you and Winston.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Now that they are out, we need to take their pictures! Can we take a picture of me with the babies?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That’s sweet, honey, but these guys are not ready to hold still for a photo. Maybe next week.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Ok. Now they need names!!!!! 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
They have names, sweetie. Charlie and Elsa!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Are they writing to you?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
No, not yet. Remember, they are babies. Too young to expect literacy.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
They are WILD early in the morning!!!!! They like to play at 4:30!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
This morning they attacked my feet. I would rather be sleeping at that hour, not waking suddenly to an attack. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Winston is getting used to finding them on your bed. But he’s not happy about it.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
He thinks he owns the bed. But last night he seemed ok with sharing. I think we’re making progress on that score. But it’s all a balancing act. Household politics.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
He follows them around.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
He acts like he thinks he’s the Hall Monitor. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Sometimes he chases them. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I think he’s chasing them out of the furnace room when he finds them using the litter boxes in there. That is problematic, but so far, they don’t seem too upset by that. They love running up and down those stairs, and maybe it’s even more fun when he’s chasing them. It’s all very exciting. But I still need to keep an eye on Winston. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
He has someone to do zoomies with! They are all wild together!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You can do zoomies too, if you refrain from the barking and lunging.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’m not sure I can do that. Barking just explodes out of me.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
At least you are all getting along. For the most part. Though Elsa is still shy. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
But she’s spicy!!!!! She hisses at me if she thinks I’m too close!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
So maybe give her a little space. You don’t need to get up into everyone’s business!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Charlie lets me lick his business.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Ok, well, this is where dogs and I don’t see eye to eye.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Or eye to butt.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Ok, that’s enough. 
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy and Winston will raise their paws to salute you!

Newcomers!

Mom,
WHO IS IN THE BATHROOM??????????!!!!!!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
We’re adding to the pack!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
??????????
Winston

Dear Winston,
We’ve adopted two kittens!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Why????????
Winston

Dear Winston,
Now that Puffin is gone, we have an opening for a cat. Or two. Think of it – you’ll have friends to do zoomies with!
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
So just like that, you bring in a couple of strange cats?
Winston

Dear Winston,
Kittens. And they won’t be strange for long. They will be part of our Pack!
Love, Carolyn 

Hey Mom,
Those two sure make a lot of noise in the bathroom.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Like they are moving furniture! That’s the scratching post they are pushing around.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Their feet are making a lot of running noises.
Winston,

Dear Winston,
I don’t know how two small animals with soft little paws can pound the floor so loudly. You’d think they were scampering around in boots.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Poppy and I want to know when are we going to meet them.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Soon. I’ve been keeping them isolated for a several days so they can get used to their new situation. The brother is a real party guy, but his sister is quite shy. She needs more time than he does. 
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
They don’t sound shy.
Winston

Dear Winston,
They’re having a good time in there. But I wish they would stop playing in the litterbox. They are getting litter all over the floor.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
They are banging dishes around too.
Winston

Dear Winston,
I think that’s when they crash into their food dishes. And I wish they would stop playing in the water bowl. I have to clean up the swamp every time I go in there. 
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
They go all quiet when you go in.
Winston

Dear Winston,
You’re right! When I open the door, they freeze and stare at me.
Love, Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Poppy has been going on and on with her Cat Voice outside the door.
Winston

Dear Winston,
She is dying to meet them and lick them, but she needs to dial it down a bit. I’ve had to keep her away from that door, so she won’t alarm those kids with her singing! 
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Are they going to eat my food?
Winston

Dear Winston,
No sweetie, your food is in your Chip Feeder. It won’t open for anyone else.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
They’ll probably break it, like Puffin did.
Winston

Dear Winston,
We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy and Winston will raise their paws to salute you!

Social

Dear Mom,
Who is coming to join us on our walk today?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Today it’s just you and me, but tomorrow Valerie will be joining us!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
When one of your friends comes along, the two of you talk and talk and laugh and laugh and talk and talk and no one talks to me.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That’s not true. All my friends talk with you. And even when it’s just you and me, as we walk around the neighborhood, you know we stop to talk to our neighbors. Such a social activity! And most of them love to talk to you.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Some of them have treats! That’s even more social!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
They do. We all know that the well-behaved dog is the dog who knows which pocket holds the treats.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Your left pocket.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That’s right! What a smart well-behaved dog!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
And I have to sit nicely to get one.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That works every time, doesn’t it?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
There’s just one house on our neighborhood walk that I don’t like. The one with the noisy little Bichon.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
We have to walk past that gate really fast, don’t we, just to get away from all the screaming.
Love, Carolyn 

Dear Mom,
Why does he scream like that?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Good question, because it’s interesting, it’s only from that side of the gate. When he meets us outside of his yard, he is sweet and calm. So I guess the screaming is territorial. And, sweetie, you do that too. Not as high-pitched a scream, but you run up to our gate to go completely berserk, barking wildly at passing dogs.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Not all dogs. I don’t go berserk when Spencer trots by. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You used to have a big crush on Spencer, didn’t you. He wasn’t having it, but you two are on good terms now.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I don’t bark at Rusty. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Sweet Rusty! He has a reputation for not always getting along with other dogs, but you two are quite friendly.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
The three small dogs from around the corner are almost as insane as the Bichon, so I have to challenge them the moment I smell them coming.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
And they sure go nuts when we walk by their house. But you really don’t need to challenge them. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Of course I do!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You could just give them an insolent stare.
Love, Carolyn 

Dear Mom,
No, they are too annoying. And Rosie is another one. She can be annoying too, so I bark at her.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Rosie is not as territorial as the Bichon. She doesn’t scream. She just barks at us from their front porch. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
No one beats the Bichon for screaming.
XOXO Poppy

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy and Winston will raise their paws to salute you!

Airplane Ears

Dear Winston
I don’t know another cat who wears his ears in Airplane Ears position so much of the time. Cats generally do that just while listening to something behind them. You do it most of the time!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Airplane Ears????????
Winston

Dear Winston,
Yes, ears askew. And with your dark mask, you look wild and mysterious. You’ll leave people asking “Who was that masked cat?????”
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
???????
Winston

Dear Winston,
Sorry, I’m just kidding around. I like your masked bandit look. And the airplane ears. It fits your spooky disposition.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Poppy says I’m crazy spooky, but she loves it.
Winston

Dear Winston,
She does, doesn’t she! When you get startled and go racing out of the room, she takes off hot on your heels.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
We do zoomies together!!!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Sometimes you cross the line though. Yesterday when I simply picked up a pillow on my bed, you EXPLODED. You shot straight up in the air and landed in a loud crash on the floor. What on earth makes you do that!
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
You looked like you were going to throw the pillow at me!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Have I EVER done anything like that?
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
You could. It’s not impossible.
Love, Winston

Dear Winston,
Why on earth would I want to do that to you?
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
I don’t know! That’s what makes it scary.
Winston

Dear Winston,
I think you just like being spooked.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
IT’S SO MUCH FUN!!!!!
Winston

Dear Winston,
When I adopted you, maybe I should have told the rescue group that I wanted a normal cat. 
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
I’m not normal?
Winston

Dear Winston,
You are not, really, but you are much more interesting. Airplane ears, crossed eyes, that dark mask. How many people live with a cat who looks like he’s about to shoplift cigarettes from the corner convenience store?
Love, Carolyn

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy and Winston will raise their paws to salute you!

Sugarface

Dear Poppy
You didn’t greet me when I came in the door!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I didn’t know you were home.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Didn’t you hear me?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I was asleep.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I wonder if you have lost some of your hearing?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’m sure I’ll find it.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I like your Can-Do attitude. But this isn’t that kind of lost. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Not like when you misplaced your dark glasses?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Well, no sweetie. I’m talking about your hearing. You might be getting a little bit deaf.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Deaf???!!! You mean like Molly?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Well, yes, like Molly. When she got old she was deaf as a post. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
And I’m like Molly? Will I have a post? Am I old?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You’re eleven now. That’s not as old as Molly was when you knew her, but you are getting on in years. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Getting on my ears?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
No sweetie, just getting older. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Am I going to get sick like Puffin? 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
No honey, you are nice and healthy. Puffin was much older! But you are sporting a new look. You’ve definitely got a sugarface now!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Today you aren’t making any sense. Sugarface???????
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Sugarface is a sweet way to describe an old dog’s face becoming white. I can see it around your eyes and mouth.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
It’s sweet?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Good pun, right?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Now I really don’t understand you.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I’m sorry. Let’s start over. I’m noticing you seem to have trouble hearing me sometimes. So I’m glad you know the hand signals for all the important things.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
What are the important things?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Sit, Down, Come Along, Come Here, and Stop Fooling Around And Come Here RIGHT NOW. Those are all important to communicate.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
And I know all the hand signals!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Yes you do. Ever since I had an elderly dog, years ago, who became deaf, I’ve taught each dog since with hand signals. When Molly got old, and couldn’t hear a thing, I was glad I did that.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
There’s one more signal. The pointing one.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Oh yes, when I point to you, and you know it means “I’m leaving now, you are going to stay, and I promise I’ll come back.” 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
That’s a long string of words for one pointing finger.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
But you know what those words mean, so you don’t even follow me to the door.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Often you say one more thing.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I do?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
You say “Puffin is in charge.” Or, “Poppy is in charge.” But you don’t usually say Winston is in charge.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
He’s not really a take charge kind of guy.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Now that Puffin is gone, that means I’m always in charge! 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
I just hope this doesn’t go to your head.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
To my head? Now you aren’t making sense. Again.
XOXO Poppy

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy and Winston will raise their paws to salute you!

Adieu Puffin

As we sadly reported last week, our dear old friend and senior cat passed away on May 7, age sixteen, after a difficult decline – first with the onset of diabetes, and then with a nasty tumor in his cheek. One year ago he weighed fourteen pounds. At the end of his journey he weighed only eight pounds, weak and barely chatty.

Still our guy remained relatively cheerful. He seemed to appreciate the things we did to make things easier. Like moving the litterbox from a location involving stairs, to a bathroom just down the hall. Raising the thermostat so he could get some extra heat. And allowing him to move into Poppy’s living room bed, so he didn’t need to jump or climb up to the cat beds. Poppy had mixed feelings about this, but she accepted it, and they even shared the bed on occasion, both curled up and sound asleep together. They knew they were pack mates.

Most of our readers have no idea what Puffin was like as a kitten. He was the wildest, most destructive youngster of any species that we had ever known. He destroyed two phone chargers and a laptop charger. He chewed through shoe laces and chewed on houseplants. He went up the Christmas tree, and he took out a five-foot Ficus tree, bringing the whole planter down, so there was dirt everywhere. Some of his antics got expensive. I don’t know anyone else who had to run to the emergency vet at 11:00PM on a Sunday night because their cat ate a needle and thread. He was determined to snag our goldfish, his batting paw immersed up to his shoulder in the fish tank. The day finally came when we got home to find the tank’s plants on the kitchen floor, surrounding the very sad-looking dead goldfish. Toilets were another fascinating water feature. (Aren’t cats supposed to be water averse?) When he heard a toilet flush he came running. He wanted to “catch” whatever he saw in the swirling water. (Yes, that too.)

How did this wild rascal become such a staid gentleman when he grew up? This chaotic creature become the guy who insisted upon The Schedule. And how did we know he was French? On one hand, his actual origins were far from posh. When he was a tiny kitten he was plucked from the gutter in LA’s South Central, covered with fleas and sporting a gut full of parasites. Not the elegant cat we have come to know and love. But, French? Well, on the other hand, Los Angeles historically had an active French community. So who knows. 

Meanwhile Puffin was a very chatty cat. He had something to say about everything. And he always greeted us with a polite meow when he walked into the room. It was so much like the lovely habit the French have of entering a shop saying “Bonjour, Madame” that we looked at each other and said “He is so French.” He made that even more apparent with his appreciation of order. One needed to do things correctly. He’s the guy who would have looked at a cheese platter and remark that it had the wrong Camembert. (My apologies to those who are actually French.)

We all know that M. Le Poufin lived for food. We got an automatic feeder for his breakfast, because he insisted on waking us at 5:30 in the morning. And we had a lot of drama about the rest of the dining arrangements. Because Puffin kept stealing Winston’s food, we had to get microchip feeders, that only opened for the programmed chip. Undeterred, he started trying to break into Winston’s, and finally wrestled it off the cabinet where the cats had their meals, sending it crashing to the floor. When that feeder was replaced, we duct-taped the new one to a heavy marble tile that couldn’t be budged off the cabinet. 

Puffin’s automatic feeder is now retired, and his fancy food has been given away. His ”prey” on a wand is still lying on the fireplace mantle (everyone keeps cat toys on their mantle, right?) ready for the evening games that are now finished because Winston doesn’t understand the point of it. And now our Puffin lies buried between a rose bush and a hydrangea. And we miss him dearly. 

So we’ll send him off now with a classic Puffin post, “The Birder” from May 14, 2021.

Cher Madame,
There is a book on the windowsill that is all about les snacks. Why does Madame require this book?
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I don’t know of any such book, sweetie.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Mais oui, Madame has opened the book many times and exclaimed over the snacks there. 
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I am completely mystified.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
And yet Madame does not herself eat these delectable snacks.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I wish I knew what is going on in your little head.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Toujours le sarcasm. Mais this petit cat knows of the Chickadees, Les House Finches, Les Towhees, Les Blue Jays, tous les birds that Madame exclaims over.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
The bird book? You are talking about the BIRD BOOK? Dear god, Puffin. Snacks? Really?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This pauvre petit cat must watch them through the window, while they cavort around the feeder. Like they are having a big party. Et moi, I am on le diet and not allowed outside to snag a bird or two. Or three.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I’m sure you would catch them if you were outside. You would be a competent birder. But it’s not going to happen.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This petit cat once caught and devoured a Chickadee. C’était heavenly.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I remember that incident. The poor bird came in through an open window. I found feathers everywhere, and then the little curled feet. You ate pretty much everything else. What a grisly meal.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Il faut dire, we cats do not comment upon Madame’s strange eating habits. Disgusting foods like the cucumber. Les tomatoes. Worst of all, l’orange.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I hate to admit it but you have a point. I was rude to call it grisly. It is simply a different culinary tradition. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
May I also point out to Madame that in France songbirds are considered a delicacy.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
But not chewed up raw on my carpet.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Toujours le sarcasm.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Adieu Puffin!
With love, Carolyn

Special thanks to Cathie Raub who took such good care of Puffin at the end when I had to be away.

The Rumor

A note to our readers,
We are sad to share that our dear Puffin passed away on May 7. He was so very sick, but at least he did not appear to be in pain. He will be greatly missed, not only in our pack at home, but also in this blog. There will be more about him here soon.
Carolyn

Hey Mom,
Before he died, Puffin told me about the predators.
Winston

Dear Winston,
No, not that again. Sweetie, years ago we had an anxious dog who made up that rumor.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
What rumor?
Winston

Dear Winston
The one Puffin told you. That when I’m away, and you are being taken care of by a sitter, it means predators probably ate me.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
How do you know exactly what he told me?!
Winston

Dear Winston,
Because over the years it keeps coming up. Molly told it to Mia, and Mia told it to Puffin, and now Puffin told you. Just because I had to be out of town for a few days. 
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Predators didn’t go after you?
Winston

Dear Winston,
No sweetie. That has never been a problem. It is classic disinformation.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
Puffin seemed pretty sure about it.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Puffin always seemed pretty sure about a lot of things.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
He also said he owned you. That’s why I’ve never been able to sleep with you if he was there first.
Winston

Dear Winston,
He was just saying that. Hoping you would buy it.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
So, who owns you?
Winston

Dear Winston,
No one does. We’re one big happy Pack.
Love, Carolyn

Mom,
And like Puffin said, our Pack is safe because the predators don’t dare come into our house.
Winston

Dear Winston,
That little dog Molly has had a long reach. Her rumor will always be with us.
Love, Carolyn

– 

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The Invalid

Cher Madame,
This petit cat is offended.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Now what?
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Il faut dire, something said by Madame. About this petit cat. Something offensive.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I would not say something offensive about you! 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
Madame called this petit cat a “poor old guy”.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
It was said with love, sweetie! I’m sorry. It just slipped out when I saw that you had drooled blood again all over your lovely white paw.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This petit cat does not do the drool.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
In that case we’ll just assume the bloody mess got on your foot by some unknown process.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The foot is almost white again.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin
I love that as sick as you are, you are trying to keep yourself up.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The face cleaning has been helpful. Madame has been very kind to wash the face of this petit cat.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Being sick makes it hard to look your best. And that tumor in your cheek sure does make a mess.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
I don’t want Poppy to clean me though. She will not stop licking me.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I understand. I’ve been trying to keep her away from you.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This petit cat appreciates Madame’s daily grooming.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I know you do. You like the treats that go along with it. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The treats are lovely. Madame is quite generous with the treats.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Lately that’s the only thing you will eat. 
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
I lick a bit of the salmon pâte.
Regards, M. Le Poufin 

Dear Puffin,
Just a tiny bit. But not enough. You seem to be living on air.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This is an exaggeration. Madame gets carried away.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
Sweetie, you’ve lost so much weight. You’re not our fat and sassy Puffin any more! You are down from 13 pounds to 8.6 pounds. It breaks my heart to look at you. Your bones are showing. And all you do now is sleep. My sweet old invalid.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
The Poppy keeps taking the bed.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
I have to say, it is her bed, sweetie. But it’s a good place for you to be spending your time. She’s just going to have to share it with you. She has other beds. This house is full of animal beds.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
This one is in the living room.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
That’s a good central place, isn’t it! That’s why it is a popular bed.
Love, Carolyn
 
Cher Madame,
When this petit cat steps away, Poppy tries to reclaim the bed.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

Dear Puffin,
But this morning when she took over the bed, you surprised her by crawling in with her! I’m glad you two could share it.
Love, Carolyn

Cher Madame,
It’s a cat bed now. This petit cat was just waiting patiently for that mutt to vacate.
Regards, M. Le Poufin

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy, Puffin and Winston will raise their paws to salute you!