Succinctly Yours Week 221: To Climb or Not to Cl…Nope. There is No Question

Hooray for Succinctly Yours, a weekly meme set up by Grandma of Grandma’s Goulash. Grandma posts a photo each Sunday for us to cultivate a story of 140 words or 140 characters or fewer to go with it. The bonus word this week was “jumble.” Try it! You might find, as I did, that it grows on you.

Small tree, or a huge nest? Smedley’s mind was a jumble of possibilities.   61

Juniperus communis, or chinensis? Smedley’s mind was all in a jumble. Because everyone knows communis makes a better cat box.  104

Smedley, like Edward Scissorhands, was a real topiary aficionado. His creations were merely a little more…jumbled.   99

Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence. ~A Separate Peace by John Knowles

When It Really Is Unlucky to Have a Black Cat

It’s been a while since I’ve been on blogs. Part of the reason is that I’ve been even more overwhelmed than usual lately. The other reason is that I’ve had a horrible bout of writer’s block ever since our beloved little Catsby passed after an unexpected diagnosis of congestive heart failure a couple of weeks ago. It’s amazing to me how empty my lap feels now when I write.

I really didn’t want a cat at the time we found him living under a concrete bench in the yard a couple of years ago. Not only was I just not a cat person, I thought I was too busy. My social life is fuller than it’s been since I met my former husband over thirty years ago, and I won’t apologize for that. I’ve earned it. 

And Catsby had some abandonment issues. At first I complained about how needy he was, but it turns out his constant presence is what I miss most. It was endearing that he adored being with loved ones so much.

Once when I went in the closet and saw his tail protruding slightly from under the clothing, I impulsively said (in a peekaboo voice), “I wonder where our dear little kitty could be?!”

When he popped out and exclaimed, “MeOW!” it sounded for all the world like, “Here I am!”

That was our Catsby. That goofy critter converted a family of dog people into dog AND cat people. 

That's what made him The Great Catsby.

I can’t tell you how much your kind words meant to me during that time and still mean to me. Also—a block-shattering bit of good news—my NYMB…On Being a Woman story, “Worse Than Zombie Warts” will be featured on www.laughuntilyoupee.com this coming Friday. I’d appreciate it if you’d consider coming back and leaving a comment over there, and as always, thank you so much!

 Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with. ~Mark Twain

Succinctly Yours Week 208: Backyard Drama

It’s time again for Succinctly Yours, a delightful meme offered courtesy of Grandma’s Goulash. We are invited to play with the photo to create a story of 140 words or 140 characters or fewer. The bonus word this week was “disdain.”

Scampy was terrified of doves—strutting around the yard the way they did, like they owned the place! And Lily viewed squirrels with distain. Those nuts!  123

Squirrleo and Doviette’s love was forbidden. Both sides would look on the union with disdain. So they squirrelled away moments to coo to each other behind the lilacs. 139

I’ve been struggling with more than the meme this week as our beloved Catsby is very slowly going downhill. The vet says there is no effective treatment and he won't recover, so we are making him as comfortable and happy as possible and hoping we will always choose the course of action that he would choose for himself. Right now I'm grateful he still obviously enjoys life, looking out the back door and "barking" at scenes much like the one pictured above. Again, I thank you for your good thoughts!

Animals have come to mean so much in our lives. We live in a fragmented and disconnected culture. Politics are ugly, religion is struggling, technology is stressful, and the economy is unfortunate. What’s one thing that we have in our lives that we can depend on? A dog or a cat loving us unconditionally every day, very faithfully. ~Jon Katz

Succinctly Yours Week 205: Meoooops

Thank you to Grandma’s Goulash for hosting Succinctly Yours, a delightful little meme in which we scratch out a story of 140 words or 140 characters or fewer to accompany Grandma’s photo. The bonus word this week was “ideal.”

It wasn’t the ideal swimming pool, but swimming wasn’t their ideal activity, either.  72

“Take a skinny dip wiz me, ma petite chaton,” Meowrice purred. “I do not know,” Mewsette hung back. “Zees ees not my ideal—dipping wiz zee floating June bugs!”  132

Oh, how they loved their bouncy house! Until the next day, when they found out why inflatables aren’t ideal homes for cats.  102

Jim:  Uh, believe it or not, Kevin, firecrackers are in the 'Don’t' column.

Kevin:  So, you’re going to provide them, then?

Jim:  No, this is a firecracker-free wedding.

Kevin:  Oh, what the hell?
~“Niagara.” The Office. NBC. 04 June, 2005. Television.

Succinctly Yours Week 197: Not the Brightest Apple in the Barrel

Thank you to Grandma’s Goulash for hosting Succinctly Yours! The purpose of this charming meme is to dip into the recesses of our creativity to retrieve a story of 140 words or 140 characters or fewer. The bonus word this week was “echo.”

The horror of Al's New Year's Eve party would echo for years. The decorations were sad, only the cat showed up, and bobbing for apples after 6 zombie shots was a bad idea. 140

Al’s New Year’s Eve activity was seeing whether apples echo. They don’t, but the fallout from viral online photos does.  100

Q: What do you call a guy with his head in a barrel of apples? A: Bob.  54

Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things. ~Ray Bradbury