Thirty Days of Mr. Rogers ... Day Ten

Mr. Rogers said, "My own friend and companion, when I was little and didn't yet have a sister, was Mitzi, a brown, wire-haired mongrel.  We played and had long 'conversations' during which she heard many of my secrets and shared my joys and sadnesses.  We ran in the fields and huddled together through thunderstorms.

Ruby is almost always nearby ... her favorite place to be is with her people.

"I gave a great deal of myself to Mitzi, and she faithfully reflected that self back to me, helping me learn more about who I was and, in those early days, what I was feeling.  When she died, she went on teaching me -- about loss and grief ... and about the renewal of hope and joy."

Our grandson stayed with us over the weekend.

Me:  When I was nine, we got a cat ... a Siamese cat that my mother named Willie.  Until that time, I was too allergic to cats for my parents to even think about having one.  I could have limited contact with Willie, as long as I didn't put him anywhere near my face, washed my hands a LOT, and never, ever, touched my eyes.  When Willie died of heart failure at the tender age of three or four, we got another Siamese cat ... Wendy.  Wendy was tiny, generally weighing in just under six pounds, but she was fierce.  Loving to those that she considered family, she would threaten and bite anyone else.  (Her bad behavior at the vet's office was legendary.)  She lived to be 19 ... everyone in our family and all of our friends at the time have stories of specific instances about how Wendy ruled the household with her iron, velvet paws (and teeth!)

My children never had a day of their lives here without either a cat or a dog in the family.  My husband grew up without pets, but he quickly adapted to my need for them and it didn't take long for him to become almost as much of an animal lover as I am.  Pets teach so much ... they give us someone play with, to talk to, to share our secrets, to cry with, and so much more.  

Believe it or not, I am still allergic to cats to a degree.  I still have to be careful about washing my hands after handling any of the cats, and I try to never touch my eyes.  It's a small price to pay for the love and companionship that my critters give to me every day.

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During the month of November, I plan to share wisdom from Mr. Rogers with you each day (from the book "The World According to Mr. Rogers") ... Mr. Rogers's words accompanied by everyday images from life here at Hartwood Manor ... this place that I am blessed to call HOME.