OUR "CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL"

Just as probably most of you, we live with lots of creatures (mostly small.)  Let me tell you about ours.

SuZee

As I've mentioned before, we live with a sophisticated and beautiful Siamese cat named SuZee.  She was born in a barn, the only survivor of a fox attack.

She is an indoor cat because if we let her out someone would steal her.

Siamese cats were once raised to guard queens and their jewels, and SuZee fulfills those inherited duties by laying in the doorway of Elaine's bedroom at night to make sure nobody bothers her as she sleeps.

She doesn't like intruders in our domain and runs to hide until the interlopers leave the premises.

However, she loves our wonderful helper, Kathy and pouts until she shows up each day.

COOKIE

I've mentioned the little creature that lives under the side boards of my bathroom.  I named her Cookie just for fun, after a North-end New Bedford girl who tried unsuccessfully to steal me away from my beloved Elaine. 

She sees or hears me come into the bathroom, usually at 3 AM.  At which times she stays quietly near me as if to say "Hello again, Mr. Joe."

She waits quietly until she hears the flow of liquids and then she swirls round and round in a little dance and runs back home without even saying "Good Night, Mr. Joe." I don't mind. I just hope that some unthinking bathroom cleaner doesn't squash her.

MICE

I'm sure they are in residence, but they must be scared of SuZee and keep hidden.  You can sometimes hear some scurrying but they don't make an appearance.

Last year I found a mice nest in the garage.  SuZee doesn't go out there.

Shortly after she entered our family, SuZee caught a mouse that she proudly showed to us.  She hasn't had to catch one since.

BIRDS

So far this (so-called) Spring, we have only seen Sparrows and Blue Jays.  The Cardinals went away somewhere and we've only seen one Robin - over a month ago.

Later we will see Juncos, Humming Birds and Blue Birds.  At least that's what I'm hoping.

Kathy keeps a hanging feeder filled and if it starts to get low the Blue Jays start to raise hell.

SQUIRRELS

Grey squirrels are in abundance around here.  One has a tail that looks like a feather and he mutters curses at us if we don't throw a few slices of bread at him from time to time.

ANTS

I know, everybody has ants.  As I sit here, a few of the little rascals are peeking out from under my mouse pad.  Where do they come from? Parthenogenesis? 

THE BORROWERS

Last, but not least, "The Borrowers" live in our house.  These are little leprechaun-like creatures that have learned from Lamont Cranston how to "cloud men's minds," to make sure they remain unobserved.

They have fun hiding your cellphone or your keys.  In fact, anything of value is "fair game" to them.  Another favorite acquisition is a pair of reading glasses.  They know that the owner will have an impossible search for them.  This makes the little creatures cackle with glee.

In time, when the fun has gotten stale, they lay the missing items back where the owner left them, causing the owner to shake his or her head in confusion; thus resulting in even more laughter by the little guys.

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