Cat Convo: Goodbye Arna & 2016

Dear Readers,

2016 has been a year of changes, some change presented, some change chased and some change reluctantly accepted.

 

My sentient Rainbow Hill which freely roams the space-time continuum has undergone a great deal of character growth and been surprised by many plot twists over the last few months.

2017 looks very exciting. There will be a lot of Cat Convos, mythology, writing and magnificent tangents.

First though, in a special Cat Convo, a sadly accepted change:

Arna, our beloved companion of fourteen and a half years passed away on December 20th.

Loki: Is she really gone?

Hiyu: I miss her.

Kuri: I miss her more.

Loki: Remember when we were kittens and she used to chase us?

Kuri: Yeah, until you jumped on her back and rode her piggyback up the stairs.

Hiyu: I wish we had a picture of that.

Kuri: The humans weren’t fast enough to catch that one, but we have a lot of other great pictures to remember her by.

 

Hiyu: I love how she used to lick the top of my head. All I had to do was give her a gentle head butt.

Loki: Remember how she used to steal our food before it was served on top of a box.

Hiyu: That’s because you kept stealing her food.

Kuri: She’s not here to protect us anymore.

Hiyu: She was good at that.

Kuri: Who’s going to stop all those people and things from getting up the hill?

Loki: What if all those delivery and mail people get in the house?

Hiyu: Don’t forget about the school buses and trucks.

Hiyu: Remember how she’d come in from a snowy walk? She’d be cold and happy and would let us groom all the extra snow off her.

Loki: Yeah, and she’d come back in spring covered with pollen and fresh green smells.

Hiyu: She was a great dog.

Kuri: All those memories…

Loki: All those good times…

Hiyu: We’ll miss her.

Me: We certainly will.

~lisa

Arna in Alicia’s car

Just the three of us now…

 

Cat Convo Friday

Kuri: Where have you been?

Me: Traveling. You had exemplary care.

Kuri: You left. Then you came back and then you left again.

Me: I picked up some wonderful stories, some great new mythologies, and some fantastic pictures.

Hiyu: You didn’t have our permission.

Loki: What’s more fantastic than us?

Me: You’re all fantastic.

Hiyu: The dog isn’t well and you left for almost a whole month.

Kuri: I’m glad your laptop broke. That’ll teach you.

Loki: I’m not glad. I like to snuggle with the laptop. It’s warm.

Me: I’m back now. Laptop is being fixed. Dog is being taken care of.

Hiyu: I think she’s really sick.

Me: I know.

Loki: Where did you go?

Me: Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Palm Desert, New York City.

Loki: Why?

Me: One has to live life if one wants to write about it.

Loki: So where are all the pictures?

Me: After I get the laptop fixed. Then I will have lots of stories to tell.

Hiyu: What about the dog?

Me: She’s very old. She’s my top priority now.

Hiyu: That’s fair. For now.

Me: Thank you.

Kuri: I’m glad you’re back.

Loki: Me too.

Me: And I’m glad to be back.

~lisa

 

Cat Convos Friday

Weekends are always an interesting time at the Rainbow Hill. The dialogue has been translated for those not fluent in meow.

Kuri: Good morning! Good morning! GOOD MORNING!

Hiyu: This way to the kitchen!

Kuri: We know you’re awake. We heard your phone chime.

Me: It was a text message.

Hiyu: Whatever. Doesn’t matter to us what it was.

Loki: Come on, already.

Me: Look guys, it’s the weekend.

Kuri jumps on the bed and stalks over to sit on my chest. He’s a big cat. Kuri stares down at me and brings his nose down to touch mine.

Kuri: Time to get up now!

Loki: Yeah, we heard the phone. You can’t sleep until you feed us.

Hiyu jumps to the top of the tall dresser and stares down at the bed. Kuri bumps his forehead into mine. Kuri: Get up already.

Me: Weekend, guys. We don’t get up at five on weekends.

Kuri: Already a weekend? I like weekends. That means we get catnip today.

Me: Only if you let me sleep.

Loki stomps over Arna, our ancient, ailing dachshund.

Loki: Look, even the dog is awake. Time to get up.

Hiyu runs down the hall: This way. This way. Now. Now.

Arna gives me a sigh which means: Give them what they want, so I can go back to sleep. Please?

Loki gives me an evil grin, Kuri again butts his forehead into mine and Hiyu calls from the kitchen. I look at Arna and give in.

Me: Okay, I’ll get you guys breakfast, but then I go back to bed.

Kuri and Loki follow me out to the kitchen. Hiyu purrs from his perch on a stool. Kuri exchanges looks with Loki and cocks his head at me.

Kuri: You do know we always win. Right?

I stifle a yawn and nod. I don’t tell them that the dog had the deciding vote. They don’t need to know her sigh holds more sway than all their screaming put together.

~lisa