Good thing I closed the cover of the laptop when I shut it down last night. This morning it is surrounded by dried muddy cat paw prints and as I opened it up, I noticed one trail of prints right across the top.

Misty has been reading over my shoulder, I think, when I read Sue's journal (q.v. to the left) and has learned a few things from Spots, Sue's mostly black cat. She has taken to marching across the keyboard, rubbing against the monitor, and generally making herself a nuisance while I'm writing.

Fast reflexes have saved me more than once from having to re-write the whole thing. To divert her attention this morning I've opened up an empty shoe box and she's trying to fit into it. The box will amuse her for a bit.

If you've been keeping me company a while, you'll remember that Callie likes to bring in leaves from the fruitless pear tree outside my window. She always chooses perfect leaves; usually they are reddish orange. One by one she brings them across the roof and in through the dormer window cat door.

This morning there were six of them, spaced evenly from cat door to my beddside, puncture holes from fangs quite plain to see; other than that not at all mangled.

I much prefer a gift of leaves to her sister's gifts of mice, dead or alive, though it can startle me to get out of bed in the dark of the night and step on a wet leaf. Aaargh! What is that? is my reaction.

If it isn't furry and bleeding, I ignore it until morning.

Still raining lightly. Coffee is brewed; I can smell it all the way upstairs. Hope your day is bright and beautiful.