Home for the Holidays - A Brief Respite from Sadness

 

My house, all decorated and lit up--home for the holidays

        My heart is broken.

When President Obama uttered those words, I thought he could not have better described how I felt when I heard about the massacre at Newtown, Connecticut.  

I was stunned and horrified.  I cried and even now well up everytime I  hear someone from the town being interviewed or see an image of a funeral for one of the children or hear about the heroism of one of the staff who so selflessly gave their life to help stop what they clearly knew was about to occur. 

Our Christmas--our holiday season--is tainted this year by the act of one man, and I am struggling to return to some sense of calm, some sense of joy. 

Hot Blogging with Chuck is usually about Chuck and his antics.  

So I will briefly push aside my grief and my anger and tell a little story . . .

This year we are home for the holidays.  And even though Chuck is a cat, a rascal cat, he takes the time every year to draw up his list of what he wants from Santa Claus, hoping against hope that Santa will grant his wish.

Now, knowing Chuck the way you do--if you are a faithful reader of this blog--his wants usually include food -- SNACKS -- and last Christmas he was over the moon with happiness when Santa slid down the chimney and brought a box filled with bags of Temptations, which are Chuck’s favorite SNACK.

But since then, Chuck has put on the pounds, and Bob and I have tried (a bit in vain I have to admit) to put Chuck on a diet.  We’ve tried to limit the SNACKS on a daily basis.  Portion them out, so to speak.  

It’s not been easy for Chuckie has a bit of a homing device imbedded inside his system. He seems to be able to detect a SNACK anywhere in the house being given out to any cat.  
So, for example, if his sister Ella wants a SNACK or Jack or Molly or Stanley (his older cat brother) and Chuck is in another part of the house, somehow Chuck, with the help if his extra sensory sonar, is there across the house in a flash.  And how can I deny my rascal cat??

Anyway, this Christmas we told Chuck that SNACKS were off the list of possibilities from Santa.  He had to come up with another idea.  

Oh yeah, he pouted for a bit but then . . . his eyes kind of glowed . . . and he found a picture in a magazine of what he wanted.

Besides eating SNACKS and playing, Chuck loves to nap.  Usually he naps on the rug at the top of the stairs.  All sprawled out.  On his back, his paws positioned in a weird kind of yoga pose.  Actually he looks like he’s meditating. 

Chuck decided he wanted his own comfy bed.

When he's not on the rug, Chuck shares a chaise lounge with his older cat brother Stanley.

And not only did he pick out his bed, but he pointed where he wanted the bed placed . . . right near one of our heaters in the room where I do most of my writing.  

Chuck's Christmas present

This kid is so SPOILED.

Well, as you can see by the photo above, Chuck got his wish.  No, we didn’t wrap the bed in wrapping paper and put it under the tree.  Bob and I aren’t that crazy, but we did find a big basket and fill it with a comfy pillow-like substance that cats love and then--just as Chuck desired--we placed the basket underneath my Colonial desk, near a heater.  

Well, the kid jumped in and snuggled and purred because he got his heart’s desire.

This is Chuck's initial look of "What do we have here?"

But then he settled in and got nice and comfy.

Everything was fine until Chuck left his bed to get a snack.  Immediately, Ella popped over and began sniffing around.  

Home for the holidays and everything seemed okay again for the moment.

For the moment I forgot my sadness.

From our house to your house, I wish you small moments of joy such as these as you move through this holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

        My paranormal romance, Wild Point Island, is now available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.  It is part romance, part mystery, and part adventure.