That's Winston, by the way. Of all the kitties here, he is surely the most wonderfulest (don't let his sisters hear that, though). Vintage 2003, and a little touched in the head is he. His grandmother lived at my spouse's place of employment and his mother was found there, under a pallet. Teeny-weeny and starving, a co-worker took her in; when she later had a litter, also kamm Winston.

Don't bother me, I'm sleeping...

Winston likes to be in things. Why for, I know not. The smaller the place, the better.

I fit, yay! I fit, yay!

Additionally, he will insinuate himself into the strangest of places. For example, it was time to clean the oven. I opened it up, went to the counter for the oven cleaner, and...

Did someone say "pizza"? (I swear, he did this himself!)

*Sigh* I have no idea... He is lovable, though.

More Winston

Lovable? I'd love to... Oh, never mind...

Oh, that's Miranda, up there, wondering what is that thing what is breathing her oxygen. Of all the kitties here, she is surely the most wonderfulest (don't let her brother and sister hear that, though). She came here in 1997, as a little bitty. All these years later, she's attained the emotional maturity of an eight-week-old :o)

Here I am. I am the kitty. This is where I belong... (Yes, that's me, in the all-too-common male mode...)

The place for the Miranda-kitty is in her human's lap. She will take every available opportunity to situate herself there, especially just as it's time for the human to visit the bathroom...

My human! Mine, I say!

She may be neurotic, she may be the perpetual kitten, but she is the Miranda, and the Miranda is the bestest thing to be.

More Miranda

Did someone say that there was a full moon out tonight?

The fullest moon belongs to Ariel. Of all the kitties here, she is surely the most wonderfulest (don't let her brother and sister hear that, though). In case you were wondering, she and her sister were, indeed, named for characters in Shakespeare's The Tempest. Miranda was the daughter of Prospero, and Ariel was an air sprite.

Is it safe to come out now?

Ariel was aloof when she first came here. That quickly changed when my spouse arrived. Ariel saw a free human, and pounced before anyone else could claim her.

More Ariel

So here we is, one big happy family.

We love the kitties, oh yes we do! We love the kitties, moo moo moo moo!

More Family Pictures

Well... There is one more. I honestly didn't even remember that we had this picture.

Merlin's mother had taken up residence under a porch belonging to another of my spouse's co-workers, and his wife. Merlin was the last surviving member of one of her litters. Sick with pneumonia and near death, they took him in and nursed him back to health. When they couldn't keep him, he came to live with us.

He was the sweetest, most lovable kitty I've ever known, and am likely to know, ever again. We had three wonderful years with him, but lost him to acute kidney failure. I miss him terribly; I miss the way he would drape himself over my thigh, his big expressive eyes, his dove-like cooing. I miss you, Merly, even as much as you will always be with me.

Merlin, July 2000 - 8 December 2003 Now cracks a noble heart! Goodnight, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. -Hamlet V. ii.