MARLEY: Oh last night was one of the best nights of the year! TBT made a fire in the fireplace! He collects wood stuff all year, cuz it is a cellerybration of the NEW YEAR comin. Iza an Ayla dont like it so much, but I do. It was the first time I seen one.
TBT lighted the fire at 11ty o clock an by the stroke of midnight, it just cooled enough for me to sit on the hearth. An at midnight, he cheered a lot an drank his version of Nip. He had a few treats in his shirt pocket an I got all of them. Then we sat there together enjoyin the warmth. I sat on his lap as the fire died down. An HE reminded me of the kitties who came before. Im pretty sure I heard Iza an Ayla on the stairs listenin too, and I think TBT knew they were there as well. So they heard, even iffen they dint wanna be near the fire.
It was new ta ME about Skeeter an LC. At New Year fires... I mean, TBT has mentioned them before. But He told me new stuff. How He an Skeeter used to sit by the fireplace together, an I curled up on his lap like Skeeter did. Cuz it was warm there, but also cuz it's (apparently) a tradition.
An ya know what? He said this was a good time ta give thanks for the past year. And I AM thankful I came here, cuz I love Ayla an Iza an TBT. I think of my first Mom often, an I hope she doesn't mind that I am happy here. I have been VERY happy here this first year, an I expect I will all the days of my life. If first Mom hadn't had the sneezey fits from me, I would have been happy there too.
But Ayla is the greatest Big Sister one cat could hope for. She is a constant groom, massage, and furlick machine!
Iza is a curious sister, tries to dominate alla time. Ayla helped me learn how ta stand up to her. I mean, Ayla is 4, Iza is 3, an I'm only 1. But I AM a mancat. And Iza DOES take some standin up to. But she is GREAT to play with, and she is never actally mean. She's just SO strong! But so am I, even just being 1. She matches my activity purrfectly though! I play hard with her, too, an SHE loves it. Well, ya know, Iza allus had ta be careful around Ayla, cuz Ayla had "problems". But Ayla is over that, an it is balanced all ways among us. This feels about as purrfect as it can get!
We ALL play THoE back and forth along the hallway and wrassle a lot but (no fur on the floor - we know how to play nice).
After we went to bed (first time in this new year!) we all gathered around TBT. He reminded us of events of the past year. Like Me joining the house in January, our first earthquake, the storm that made tree branches fall down, and friends that went over the Rainbow Bridge last year.
Then Ayla, Iza, and I made our plans about sleeping on or unner the blankies, together or separate, up against TBT or not. A lot depends on the house temperature of course. Then TBT turned off the light and we all settled down for a good night's sleepin.
Life is good.
