Smokey Gets An Upgrade

Yesterday was a good day right out of the gate.

Began with a beautiful moon to feed Claire and Honey under.

And the early sunshine that followed was enjoyed by Claire and Honey all over the property.

Even Blue grabbed some zzzzzzzzzs under her favorite spot of sunshine.

Mittens, a feral Tom who sleeps in the Bunker under JTS,

appears from it each early morning for breakfast with Smokey.

Then, on most days he’s off patrolling his territory.

It seems that male feral cats patrol about 150 acres, while females limit their patrolling to about 40 acres.

https://www.catster.com/guides/how-far-do-feral-cats-roam/

Smokey, a much wiser female, while disappearing for short stints, remains mostly under the protection of JTS in the magical grotto area.

And will enjoy a nap on the front porch in the afternoon sun under the protective eye of the grotto’s magical dragons and elves,

Where she can grab a cuddle on demand,

And dine regularly.

Routine is good. This man likes routine.

Now, it seems that over the last few months, while I toil laboriously in the basement out back, Lisa and Smokey have been bonding more and more in the nice weather since Lisa has joined the ranks of the retired.

Indeed, Smokey has gotten more creative by taking to the higher tree branches to be seen through the higher windows in order to more easily get Lisa’s attention.

Which always does the trick and draws Lisa outside for an extended cuddle.

Now you all know how Smokey abandoned the bunker on Mitten’s arrival on the scene. She went back to sleeping off-site in whatever local barn she first came from. Fair enough. She has the freedom to do what she pleases.

But, when the weather turned colder, I converted Jeter’s old soft beds into a makeshift hut, placing it in the safety of the front porch, which Smokey seemed to enjoy.

And then, as the weather turned wetter and colder, I gerry-rigged a protective shell to keep the body heat in and the wind and rain out. The Bedouins would call it a Buryuut Haja, Arabian for “house of hair”.

Which any man will tell you is all that you need.

And it worked like a charm – and trust me, I know charms – until yesterday.

Lisa waited most of the day, more anxious than usual, for the arrival of the Amazon truck. Now she has been doing a lot of that lately as she fills her new found free time redoing shit around the house that does not need redoing. Fair enough. She has the freedom to do what she pleases.

I get that a lot.

But yesterday, Lisa crossed the line.

A large box was delivered to our front porch with a heavy thump.

Inside was another of Lisa’s latest unilaterally decided upgrades.

But this time it was to Smokey’s perfectly good Buryuut Haja.

Now being a man, I live by the code, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Smokey’s Buryuut Haja was perfectly sound, if aesthetically questionable.

But, without so much as an if you please, Lisa upgraded Smokey’s front porch sleeping quarters to this.

I’m sorry, but this box with a hole has no personality. And it has lost all the protective jagged edges encircling the opening to keep out large predators.

And Jeter’s cushy warm beds are crammed in there like 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag.

It is a total disaster.

But I am not going to make a fuss. I will wait patiently for Smokey to do the right thing and reject this monstrosity, and go back to her barn. At which point I will have the complete satisfaction of declaring, right there on that front porch, hopefully out of the bionic hearing of my ever watchful wife, I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

Being a married male, I have developed the ability to wait forever for my opportunity, any opportunity. And I will. I have stored the jagged plastic cover safely off on the side of the house, so I can wave it around triumphantly when a week or two goes by without Smokey establishing herself in this new, sterile residence. And then I will return it to its glory as part of the Buryuut Haja and store Lisa’s plastic box until some other new feral cat arrives seeking shelter and nourishment at Casa Claire.

Stay tuned.

But until then, I have a new day to attend to. My dormant Catholic genes inform me that it is Good Friday, one of my faith’s holiest days. I will contemplate the crucifiction of Jesus at points throughout the day, and what that concept of his ultimate sacrifice means in the modern world.

No matter what your religious beliefs, or thoughts about Jesus Christ, John 15:13 comes to mind – “greater love has no one than this, that anyone may lay down his life for his friends.”

Historical and/or spiritual, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice.

This ideal rings especially relevant as I also consider that young NYPD officer, Jonathan Diller, who was murdered in our now lawless country. That could have just as easily been my son, Mark, or DIL, Sara, both NYPD Blue. My prayers and thoughts are with his family, a young wife and one year old son. He will be buried as the hero he is, tomorrow.

God bless and protect all first responders and members of the armed services.

Now I am going to go out and check and see if Smokey has slept in her box. And maybe give her and Mittens a cuddle, or at least a petting, along with their breakfast. Then my rounds.

While I contemplate the life and death, and eternal life, of Jesus, I’m going to say a Catholic prayer for the Diller family, and all members of the NYPD family. I still have my union card.

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

I’ll light an intention candle for all those who are suffering today in a more nondenominational and natural approach to all things spiritual. All roads lead to Rome.

But no matter what else we all get up to, religious or basketball, including you, my fine, five readers, let us make today a great one.