Animals I Like

 

1. Cats.

2. Butterflies.

3. Snakes.

4. Mantises.

5. Magpies.

6. Spiders.

7. Crabs.

8. Frogs.

9. Dragonflies.

10. Elephants.

Porcelain Dolls

 

The dolls were staring at me.

From their place of pride on the shelf, each porcelain doll seemed to be looking directly at me, no matter where in the room I went. It was starting to creep me out, and I hoped the little old lady I was house-sitting for got back from her trip sooner rather than later. She was supposed to be back sometime this afternoon, and had requested that I be here to help her settle back in.

Which really wasn't the big of a deal, except for how I had to be waiting in the room with all the dolls.

"Too many scary movies," I muttered, shaking my head and promising to cut back on how many of those movies I watched. At least the little old lady didn't call this her doll room, and it did have more than one doll in it.

And none of the dolls had moved so much as a hair out of place during the time I'd been watching the house. I'd checked. Repeatedly.

My phone rumbled with the tone I'd set for the little old lady, and I pulled it out to read the message.

With a sigh of relief, I put my phone away and headed for the front door. She's at the light around the corner, and wants help bringing her bags in, I thought.

As my hand turned the knob to open the door, a sound echoed out from the room I'd just left.

"Mama, mama."

"Nope," I hissed under my breath, refusing to turn around and check out the noise. The little old lady could take care of her collection, and find another house-sitter next time she had to leave town.

What To Eat For Dinner

 

1. Leftovers.

2. Spaghetti.

3. Cereal.

4. Eggs and hash browns.

5. Vegetable stir-fry.

6. Tacos.

7. A sandwich.

8. Chicken nuggets and tater tots.

9. French toast with bacon.

10. Fried rice.

Hopes for the Night

 

Rain fell in a staccato outside, each drop punctuated by those that came before and after.

Inside the house, cats were settling down to rest, cozy in their chosen spots.

All was well.

As your eyelids drifted closed after the long day, you couldn't help but hope that sleep would hold you peacefully through the night, then release you refreshed to face the morning light.

It might have been a foolish hope, but you held onto it until conscious thought fled from your grasp.

Names Beginning With C

 

1. Chuck.

2. Cindy.

3. Chester.

4. Celestia.

5. Christine.

6. Conrad.

7. Caitlin.

8. Cynthia.

9. Cleo.

1. Curtis.

No Cat Could Sleep

 

'Twas midnight, and no cat could sleep.

So instead, they roamed the house on double, looking for opportunities to cause trouble.

They knocked books from table, and fished in the tank. They nibbled the bread, and shattered a piggy bank.

The cats, they were noisy, and caused such a clatter. But I was too tired to care about the matter.

And so the cats spent the night climbing the walls, and I tried to sleep in my room down the hall.

To Reread Books

 

1. You don't feel like investing energy into a new, unfamiliar book right now.

2. Because it is fun.

3. Because you'd forgotten you have read it until you're already halfway through.

4. You love the world, and want to visit it again.

5. It could be a way of sharing the stories you loved with the younger members of your family.

6. You'll be avle to laugh at jokes you forgot about.

7. You might pick up foreshadowing that you missed the first time through.

8. Seeing your favorite characters is like visiting an old friend.

9. You'll be able to remember things about the first time you read them.

10. Because you might learn something new.

Sally the Fish

 

There once was a fish named Sally, who lived in a stream in the valley.

Every day, she would swim around and explore. Under rocks, within the roots of plants, everywhere in the stream.

When the sun rose high in the sky, Sally would duck into those shadowy spots where passing birds wouldn't be able to find her.

Life was good.

Then one day, there came a very bad storm.

The stream was flooded in the downpour, and the current ran fast with an iron grip.

Poor Sally got caught out in the current, and was carried all the way downstream to the pond.

Now, Sally was a little stream fish, so the big pond scared her. She kept to the edges closest to her former stream, but the current was too strong for her to make it by upstream.

So, Sally resigned herself to live in the pond.

After a time though, all the things which had scared her about the pond fanded from her mind as she got to know the wonders of the pond.

And though many of the fish in the pind were bigfer than her, they were all very nice to Sally.

And so Sally the fish went from living in the stream to living in the pond.

You Know A Cat Likes You

 

1. You hear purring.

2. When you get home, the cat greets you.

3. You wake up with the cat on your face.

4. When you're trying to work, the cat insists on being there with you.

5. While cooking, the cat watches your every move, but doesn't beg for scraps.

6. Whenever guests come over, the cat avoids them in favor of you.

7. You call the cat's name, and he eventually comes.

8. You try going anywhere without the cat, and he follows you.

9. Without you realizing it, the cat has claimed your lap.

10. The cat lets you trim his nails with little complaint.