Tag: cats

The last of the breakfast eaters

Today’s prompt is How do you define success?

I have anxiety and low standards so:

  • keeping my cats inside (they love to bust out in the warm months)
  • walking my dog before work (not just letting her out in the back)
  • brushing my cats before work (minimum of ten strokes each)
  • having my cats’ favorite canned food well stocked (or stop at ALDI on way home)
  • having my dog’s favorite canned food well stocked (or stop at ALDI on way home)
  • when the water in our fish tanks are crystal clear

I’ll stop there because I’ve just realized how much my pets control not just my definition of personal success but my sanity. I’ve always suspected it, even joked about, but it’s actually true.

You’ve heard the expression “If Momma Ain’t Happy Ain’t Nobody Happy.” In this house, it’s “If Barbara, Tuffy, Two-Spot, Vice President-Elect, Senator Snout and The Debt Collector Ain’t Happy Ain’t Nobody Happy.”

When people go on a vacation or a road trip, I’ve heard them say things like, “It was nice but I couldn’t wait to get home to my dog,” or “I had a great time but I missed my pets.”

You’ll never hear me say that. I have anxiety but I don’t have Stockholm Syndrome.

I need to wrap this up because I have to go to work. I’m happy to say Barbara is fed and walked, the fish are swimming around in their tanks all fancy free and the cats have been groomed and fed. This, along with serving my youngest son a big breakfast (my other kids are breakfast-shunners) before he catches his bus truly helps me walk out the door feeling like I can do my best in the world.

Thanks for reading!

Yours in remembering to pick up fish tank filters from PetSmart,

Connie

Omigosh you won’t believe what these kittens JUST DID!

Boy howdy, these kittens sure are adorable! Not only that, they have secret talents. We caught up with Lieutenant Kitten (the kittens’ leader) and asked her what makes the kittens so special.

“We’re artists,” she said, “and we’ll be performing in the Rockford Fringe Festival!”

Awwwww. Doesn’t that make your HEART MELT?

The lieutenant said her crew of kittens is mostly interested in theatre but they also sing, act, dance and recite poetry.

“Each kitten is poised to share their unique talent,” said the lieutenant. “Just like the humans who will be performing at the Rockford Fringe Festival!”

***

Shame on me (Connie) for using kitten click bait to get you to read this story about the Rockford Fringe Festival. But desperate times call for desperate measures!

***

Shame on me again for using emotional, over-the-top language. These aren’t “desperate times” and I’m not interested in pursuing “desperate measures.” Here’s what I’m interested in: producing this fringe festival!

As you know, the performing arts add so much to a community. Likewise, a healthy, unique and robust community adds so much to its performers. It’s a symbiotic relationship and cultivating it takes some effort.

How can you help?

Click “like” on social media posts. Every time you share, follow, comment, retweet, etc., you are building a robust online community – one like at a time.

Volunteer. You don’t have to commit hours of your time! Simply committing 20 minutes of your time helps immensely! Help us cross our ‘t’s’ and dot our ‘i’s’ by signing up to volunteer.

Submit your idea or script. The shorter the better as that will allow more performers to share their unique talents. The lineup will be announced on or before June 15, 2022 at 11:59 p.m.

Save the date! Got plans for July 9? Unless those plans involve the Rockford Fringe Festival, cancel them immediately and plan on attending the Fringe instead. Thanks for reading! -Connie

Meow! This kitten can’t wait to perform at the Rockford Fringe Festival!