secondhand pets
My Crew AnD MY INSPIRATION
My crew is waiting for this next book—and drooling with anticipation! Secondhand pets have enriched our lives and each one has a unique story that needs telling.
This book is nearing completion and I’m scouting for an agent.
All awesome—mostly secondhand—these guys are my inspiration. And when I’m feeling stressed, I simply place a warm cat on my chest to make it all better!
CHLOE, our mostly black “kuro-neko” who magically appeared each day on our back deck for a bowl of premium kibble. I learned she lived down the street in an outdoor “cat-hut” with her siblings. So when the family moved to Florida and wasn’t taking her, I “catnapped” her to save her from relocation to a barn to work as a “barn-cat.”
SUSHI, the “spirit cat” who came into our lives soon after the death of our beloved CATZILLA. She appeared in a posting for a local rescue group and as I always claim, “It was meant to be.” So during the Pandemic, she was handed over into our kitchen in a carrier! She’s got so many traits that remind us of CATZILLA (especially being noisy).
CATZILLA, speaking of the late great one . . . he was overloaded with personality! So dog-like, he greeted us at the door upon our arrival. He would poke his head into everything I unloaded into the kitchen and investigate what was in the bags . . . oh, did I mention how noisy he was? He was our “noise-boy” and we talked back and forth throughout the day.
THOR, the cockatiel formerly known as “Sunshine.” He was a secondhand pet and when he moved into our kitchen he got a name-change and an open cage door! Always perched atop his cage he had something to mumble about and when Don pulled into the back driveway, he began dancing and shrieking, “Dad’s home! Dad’s home!”
ZULA, not quite the Abyssinian she was alleged to be. Zula was our disgruntled-looking background cat. Her “resting face” was a perpetual scowl. But we loved her to the end. Starting out with our son Paul, she traded up to us—a smart move!
LOUISE, a true intervention/rescue. She was a breeder pit-bull who was part of a dog ring operating in our son’s building. I stopped at his apartment often and would look out onto a dog-run alongside his building. There were always puppies and two bitches we affectionately called THELMA and LOUISE. One day the dogs got loose They were all rounded up except for LOUISE. She hid in the woods and only showed up when the coast was clear. We took her off to a spay-and-neuter clinic for a package deal and then found her a new home. Our good deed.
