Pounce – Boo-Boo Kitty

Ursus – I misbehaved and put myself in time out.

My late father, Rockwell Maxwell used to make a comment: “I don’t care if there is a joke at my expense as long as it makes someone smile.”

I decided to devote this editorial to what makes me smile. This includes two- and four-legged animals.

Whenever I visit the Massopusts, the first thing I say is: “Okay, where are they?” They, being the animals. Pounce or Boo-Boo Kitty as she is sometimes known, likes to flip over to expose her belly to show her 6 year old spay scar. I blame Paul for this, since he’s the one that got her started with: “Show me your boo-boo!” That scar is her sympathy trademark. See that look in her eye

. It makes me smile.

Now, let’s talk about the one on the right: a.k.a. General Ursus. He’s the new kid on the block. He’s a pug, but I think he is part bull, because every time he sees me with my red silk bag, he attacks it like a bull going after the matador’s red cloth.

He’s very energetic and loves to run around like a maniac and then will suddenly stop right in front of me. As I reach  out to pick him up, he starts to run around before I can get to him.

One day, like a fool, I started to run after him and I fell. The picture that I took of him was after the fall. He felt sorry for me, and that was the picture that I took when he put himself on punishment.

Whenever I need to put myself in a good mood, I look at my cell phone and bring up the pictures+ of Boo-Boo Kitty and Ursus.

Whenever I meet a fellow animal lover, I show them photos of 4 animals in my cell phone. None of them are mine. I do have 4 dogs which I call the lazy people’s dogs. They require 4 D batteries,  which  gives them the appearance of breathing while sleeping. Their upkeep is very inexpensive.   –C.M.

Stress relief for me is swimming. If I’m stressed out, I pack my bathing suit and go swimming at the YMCA. In the summer, I sometimes go to the shore. Just sitting on the beach relaxes me. (And swimming in the ocean) There is something about the ocean or water for that matter that soothes me.

Back when was 18 years old, I took a Life-Saving Class. Although I never used it, we spent 5 weeks on defenses and releases. It got to the point that  anyone who jumped on me in the water – I was able to get them off. This was a confidence builder.

Also – the water is the only place where I’m graceful.  –K.M.

This is our stress relievers. So what’s yours?