I never wanted to be a cat lady (part 2)

Dove and Oliver were undoubtedly cute in those kitten days, to be sure, but they were also monster nightmares for me. They constantly were getting into things they shouldn't. Things were broken or damaged in ways that I had never anticipated. Glass vases, plates, britta filter pitcher, wires, plants, and many more. I frequently was angry at them and then almost immediately also feeling guilty about that anger.

There is something else I should explain. Not too long before getting my kitties, our family dog, Tucker, passed away from some nasty cancer. He was young and it felt like he was unjustly stolen from us. His loss of life was felt quite deeply by us. And for me, I picked him out from the puppies. I lived at home with him for the first four years. He was incredibly sweet and uplifting dog. He always made you feel happier. He had a smiling face. I was grieving over his death when I got my kitties. In some part of my mind, the most wise, safest approach was to not love or have affection for my cats. Then if something bad happened to them, it would be not great loss to me. No great pain to my heart. Seemed like a very good plan at the time.

Wild flowers are lovely and colorful :)

Not sure I will get too much of seeing flowers.

I never wanted to be a cat lady (part 1)

And yet, I guess that's what I have become. But hopefully, it has deeper meaning that it sounds.

I adopted my cats when they were 10 weeks old from a lady who rescued feral cats in Orange County on Halloween in 2010. I thought at the time I was ready for the 'small' increase in responsibility they would bring. I thought it would be nice to have the extra company around. I thought getting two would mean they would need me less because they would have each other. I thought it would be lovely to something/one to cuddle with on the colder days. Oh, I had so many optimistic (and naive) thoughts.

Dove and Oliver. Both their names symbolize peace, a dove and an olive branch. Seemed like a good start. Both kitties were also very friendly. Dove seemed to have no fear and Oliver, while more cautious was also engaging. And so they became mine.

I have a video of when they first stepped out the carrier and into my home. It's pretty cute, though I do notice now that Oliver went straight to scratching the side of the couch. I've the next couple of days, they were typical springing little kitties, bouncing all over the apartment. I remember coming home for lunch to check on them and I think I laid down for a nap. Both kitties found a way to curl up on me. Then they started their motor purring. I think it was the first time I heard them purr. I couldn't decide if it was annoying or comforting. Hey, it was loud and I was trying to nap!

Sunset photos

This one has the moon in the upper left corner.