This, that, and a birthday cat?

A few days before the girl’s birthdays a cat appeared at our house. She's a brown adult tabby and as far as we can tell, not pregnant. She is declawed and very sweet. She has been spending the majority of this past week at our neighbors which pacifies Coco, intrigues Eddie, and satisfies the neighbor kids whose mom is allergic to cats. Our girls, the oldest in particular, thought she was an answer to prayer. She has wanted a cat of her own for awhile now. So we've named her Eloise, our neighbors call her Ellie. Coco calls her "that other thing eating my food". (Yes I know cat speak :-) Eddie calls it a toy. The emperor calls it "that cat that has another home beside ours."


So Friday I intend to take her to find out if she has a microchip and if she's on the lost list at the local shelter.

As for the girls we did celebrate birthdays watching Alice in Wonderland - 3D, piercing their ears at Claire’s' watching New Moon and eating a cake that flopped before having pizza and a store bought replacement cake. Yummy.
I'm fantasizing about turning the play-yard into a miniature Manito Park. My mind is going wild with passion about a perennial and annual flower garden and a pergola. It might satisfy my wandering looking elsewhere for beauty and joy- cabin seeking self - cause it's already here at home.

Ahh, what a nice break from a discontent 13 year old daughter. What to do with a child who doesn’t know what makes herself happy?????

I'm finally catching up at work and have a workshop to attend tomorrow called "Having Difficult Conversations." Somehow I think it's timely and hopefully insightful.