Could It Be?

I'm not sure that Stump and Raggedy Ann might not be one and the same.  Raggedy comes running from the same spot of ground where Stump hangs out and goes back there when she's finished eating.  Maybe it is Stump who, after the kids left home, decided to go out for breakfast every day.  Never having gotten a close look at Stump's ears, it could be I was mistaken.  I haven't seen Turk for awhile now.  Either he's sleeping in or, perhaps because it's fall, he's busy stocking his larder with the dropping acorns that sound like mini-bombs when they hit the truck.  I've got to get to the feed store today.  There's only enough seed for one more meal in the barrel and I'd hate to disappoint squirrels and turkeys tomorrow.  The little birds I meant to be feeding have to settle for the second seating and leftovers.

For years and years in the past, I had only one cat at a time:  Tag Along Too-Loo, Sarah, Annie, then Victor.  I wanted just one so they would bond with me alone, and they certainly did.  It wasn't until I went to get Frank and couldn't leave his sister Pearl behind that I accepted two.  They were supposed to be outside barn cats anyhow.  (Yeah, how'd that work out?)  I found that two could share their affection and then keep each other company.  I could deal with that, so had no problem taking Ralph and Celeste together.  It could be that Celeste would have preferred to be an only child.  Ralph torments his sister.  Celeste will be sleeping in a patch of sunlight on cool days and Ralph gets bored playing alone and will go over and sit on Celeste's head.  If that doesn't get a reaction, he jumps on her body, pulls her tail, or bites her neck.  When she's had enough, she slaps his face and the fight is on.  They tussle and roll on the floor and then race through the house.  She chases him and then he turns and chases her until they're both worn out.  Then they go cuddle together on the bed and take a nap.  I needn't have worried about not getting my share of attention.  They mostly take turns, but sometimes my lap gets pretty full of cats.

A jacket felt good all day, even in bright sunlight.  In the afternoon the sky got dark and a strong wind blew.  It really looked like a storm was brewing, but it came to nothing.  The clouds rolled back, the sun came out, and the wind became a breeze again.  We don't need a calendar to know that fall is here.