July 1, 2008

Hi Daniel and Andrew,

I got home yesterday afternoon and who is laying at the top of the stairs, looking down at me? Miss Bessie! "Hi, Bessalah!"

She followed me into our bedroom, where she obviously knew that Ginger was under the bed (even though I couldn't see Ginger through the bed-skirt). Following took place:

Bessie, bounding over and crouching down: "Hi, coo-ee, wanna come out and play, huh?"
Ginger: "Growwwwwwwwwwwwwwwl."
Bessie: "Ok-ay, then, I'll just wait here for you to change your mind" (And proceeded to lie down right there.) "Hmmmmmmm, hmmmm, I'll just toddle off to the corner here and stick my head under, see what gives."
Ginger: "Hissssssss."
Bessie: "Geez, I'll just walk around to the other side of the bed and try again."
Ginger: "Hisssssss."
Bessie: "Oh, up yours, I'm outa here."

During the course of the late afternoon/early evening they all seemed to be able to at least avoid outright altercation, so we decided to let Bessie be free that night. Here's what occurred:

9:15p.m. I went to bed, being somewhat sleep deprived of late. All quiet.
11:30p.m. Woke up, realizing A/N not in bed; bathroom light still on. He had fallen asleep in the recliner. He came to bed and we fell back asleep.
About Midnight: Ginger threw up on our bedroom carpet (a hairball). I got up and cleaned it up, went back to sleep.
About 1:00a.m. Cinnamon(!) and Bessie yowling. Bessie chases Cinnamon(!!) down the stairs, with me following in order to stop any outright fight. Bessie comes charging back up the stairs. I fall back into bed, again.
About 3:00a.m. A/N having a bad dream, his cries wake me up, I rub his back to get him out of it; we fall back asleep.
5:30a.m. My alarm goes off. Ginger on the bed, Bessie just outside our bedroom; Ginger growls. Nothing happens.
I get up, sweep the bathroom floor, give all three cats fresh water and food (Bessie's is the only bowl that has been completely emptied of food. Question is, who's doing the eating from it, since Bessie seems to prefer to eat from their bowls!).
I get out of the shower, walk to the guest bedroom to get my clothes, see through the bathroom door that Bessie is in their litter-box, doing her thing! I said to A/N that he would probably find her litter-box to be pristine…..yup!

Bessie checks us out in the bathroom. I turn on the tap for her, she wants to use "our" sink, which the other cats know not to do. She is unfazed when moved out.

I start to make our bed, Bessie gets on and proceeds to start playing. She has not learned one of the ground rules of our house: cats wait until I've finished making the bed before they get on it!

A/N said at one point this morning, "Ginger and Cinnamon must hate the sound of that bell!"

Note to Daniel: If I don't get to win "Pinch, punch" today, I'M GONNA KEEPA YOUR CAT!!!