That's Bill, the 19 year old wonder caton the right. He's the best. I've been telling him how sexy he is for at least 18 1/2 years, and he knows it!!

Once I had 10 cats. I was prepared to spend my life with cats - no men, no kids, no nothin' but kitties! It was crazy. I had found them all, except for three who had been brought to me in emergency situations (Bill was one of them). With the rescues, I had a total of 6. I had the males neutered, thinking I had time to have the females spayed. No one told me male cats are still potent for days after their procedure. Thus, there were kittens. Most of them found great homes, but 4 kept me as their grandma.

Years later, I found homes for many of my brood, and the older (Bubbah - 22, Fairfield - 22, Zoiky - 15) and unhealthy cats (Tyler Anne, 6 - kidney disease) passed away over time. Now Bill is my only cat. He's sweet and he loves to eat. He likes it when I hold him near my tummy - he knows there's a baby coming. It makes him very happy to be the only kitty in my life, and he tries to tolerate Jane, my dog.


That's her. She's a beauty. She's also 15 years old. Hasn't got a clue that she's a senior. Eats like a warthog and runs the house. Bullies Bill (and me, and her papa too). She is the love of my life.

I found Jane in 1991. I was living in Brooklyn, out near Coney Island at the time. A friend and I decided to get tickets for a Janes Addiction concert that was happening. She decided to drive through the projects to head to the city.

Ahead of us a little was a large Hispanic family, all dressed up, coming home from church, being followed by this straggly puppy dog that looked like a tiny bear cub. The kids were playing with her and she just kind of melted my heart. I asked my friend to stop the car, and I rolled down the window. I asked the family if the dog was theirs, and they said no, that she had been following them for about 6 blocks. They were afraid to keep a dog in their building because of pit bulls in the area, but they were going to feed her. I opened the car door to see if she would let me approach her, and she did the most extraordinary thing. She jumped into the car. Went right to the back seat. And fell fast asleep!!

The family was hysterical laughing. They told me I was clearly going to be her mama, and I better get used to it. Thanks alot I said, climbing back in the car.

We took her directly over to a vet I knew worked on Sundays and had helped me in the past with strays. He took one look at her and told me the kindest thing to do for her would be to put her to sleep.

What??

This little monkey had survived the beaches of Coney Island with mange. I told him, look, just give her an overdose of antibiotics. I'll take her home and watch over her. If she pulls through, then we'll treat the mange. He finally agreed. It was a terrible night. She was suffering with her medication, but in the morning, she was so much better and even cuter than she'd been the day before.

I lived in an apartment on the beach. It was the second floor of a house, and I had a little balcony. Next to my balcony and apartment lived a woman named Evelyn with her daughter, a cute little girl. Jane loved to be on the balcony. Then one day I didn't hear her out there, and when I went to see what she'd gotten into, she was gone. I panicked. I thought she'd jumped and was back on the beach. She'd only been out of my sight for a minute! Then I heard a knock on the door and ran. It was Evelyn. She just looked at me and gave me a "come with me" gesture with her head.

There was her daughter, taking a nap in bed. And who was next to her? Fast asleep? Yup. Jane. Evelyn and I were hysterical laughing. We left the two girls there (the mange was nearly gone by this time, totally safe) until they awoke later in the afternoon.

Everynight when I come home from work I tell Jane to say hi to the baby. She barks at me and then she licks my belly. She's amazing!

That's all for now. I was just thinking about my Bill and my Jane...wanted to share a bit with you.

Talk to you later.