The Cat Bible

 

Since I will be at Falls Creek next week with no puter which means no blogging (will I go into withdrawals?!) I might as well get in as many posts as I can.  I’d hate to leave all 5 of my loyal readers with nothing to do but go outside, get some sunshine or interact with real human beings.  Kidding!  Sort of.

I mentioned yesterday that I checked out The Cat Bible from the Metro Public Library.  Let me preface this by saying that I grew up with cats - we had 3 or 4 with the occasional stray.  Still, cats are often characterized as aloof, independent, and moody - which just hasn’t been the case with my feline companions.  Then there was this problem with Lucy using the potty (and I mean #1, not #2) in places other than her litter box, and since the aforementioned problem is the #1 cause of cat owners to abandon their pets, I thought I better do some research and see if indeed the problem is her, or me. 

I say “me” and not “us” because I am in charge of the litter box.  It’s in my bathroom, so my deal.  Not fun, but I get the job done.  So I was completely surprised when Lucy took it upon herself to relieve herself on the rug in front of my shower, twice.  I was revolted, disappointed and perplexed.  She’s trained, is a 4 year old cat, and her box looks clean.

Looks is the operative word I guess.  After some research I found that the problem was two-fold.  One - just cause it looks clean doesn’t mean it is.  Two - cats are creatures of habit.  They pee somewhere once, and will do it again if you don’t completely eradicate the smell.  *Pause - okay this is gross post number two, I am really sorry you guys!*  I did manage to get the cat pee gone for good - see this page for tips on how to get rid of, well, anything. 

Please don’t think I am a crazy cat lady; I’m not - I just want to provide the best home for our little friend and make it pleasant for all.  Also I wanted to know what type of cat I had and all those little fun, nerdy facts that I love.  I’ve learned a lot so far from The Cat Bible.  I know she’s a mutt-kitty, but I have somewhat narrowed her breed(s) down.  Also, I got some great, practical tips on making the litter box situation better, and decided that I will start buying the all-natural, bio-degradable littler not only cause it’s a “green” thing to do, cats like it better.  (Julie, I hope I’ve made you proud!)

Apparently, the head-butting things she does is her way of saying, “you’re my mom.” Wow.  I’m a little flattered.  The book also says that one way a cat shows their affection for you is to show you their butt.  Gross.  Glad she doesn’t like me that much. 

 

All Hail the Drover

 

So if I haven’t already told you, I have an English degree from the University of Science & Arts in Chickasha, OK.   I almost hate telling people what kind of degree I have because it often leads to assumptions of fine-tuned prose complete with grammar that would make my 3rd grade teacher beam with pride.  I wish.  I rely heavily on spell check, and even after all these years, I still spell the same words incorrectly over and over.  Funnily enough, advanced grammar was one of my favorite courses at USAO, taught by the fabulous Dr. Webb.  I admittedly found a measure of joy in diagramming sentences. 

Since I already wrote a post on endorsements, I thought I would take the opportunity to endorse my Alma mater.  To begin with, I had always dreamed of attending the University of Texas (calm down, Okies.)  Growing up in Austin, I loved visiting the campus with its funky coffee shops, rich history, and throngs of pot-smoking college kids.  As a teenager, my friends as I would hang out on the Drag at the UT campus frequenting places like Dobie Mall, Quackenbushes, and Urban Outfitters.  We wanted so badly to be cool.  Actually, those friends are really kind of cool now, while I am not.  Oh well.  I am happy!  Nevertheless, we liked to pretend we were hip, college girls who drank smoothies and wore mary-jane flats, but we were just lowly high school freshmen.  Like we cared. 

So I had my sights set on UT for quite some time with little though to things like tuition and majors.  Most of my pals from Austin didn’t end up going to UT either; they went to more practical, less expensive schools like Southwest Texas University (now called Texas State) in San Marcos. 

When we moved to Oklahoma the summer before my sophomore year, I tried to keep the dream alive.  It was really my sly plan to escape Oklahoma and make it back to my sweet Texas.  God had other plans when he captured my heart a year later and showed me that He had much bigger things in store than I could ever imagine.  He’s always doing that; I just love that about Him!

I began applying to colleges my senior year of high school (yes this was back in the day when you waited til your senior year to do that….what is it now, the 8th grade?!) and unfortunately, I had not applied myself very well in my studies while at Ryan High School.  Since school was so incredibly boring, I immersed myself in church and got by doing what I needed to do at school.  Hindsight in 20/20.  I do wish I had made a tad more effort, but what does that matter now?!  My GPA wasn’t great enough to warrant any fabulous scholarships so I soon found myself destined for USAO in Chickasha with a theater scholarship.

What’s laughable about this is that I had never been in a play except for some skits at church.  It was so long ago, that part is kind of a blur to me.  I was just happy to be moving out on my own!  After a few years of messing around and trying various majors, I finally settled down in an English major, where I should have been all along.  I took to it like a duck to water. 

USAO is a small school, though growing nestled in a country town.  It’s like a town within a town.  I have to say that I feel like I received a stellar education.  Since my first few years were spent trying virtually every kind of class the school has to offer, I can tell you personally that every department is equipped with absolutely brilliant professors.  The majority of mine were PhDs.  Not only that, I was often in classes with less than 20 people, and my professors knew my name - which wasn’t always a positive thing, especially when I knew I had written a paper over a book I completely skimmed. 

My English classes, especially Shakespeare, Advanced Composition, Advanced Grammar, and all my comp courses with Dr. Brown were amazing and challenging.  I loved working in the writing lab . . . “For the last time, I will NOT write your paper!”  I loved chatting mindlessly with Dr. Frankland who was strange and cool and brilliant.  I miss it.  I miss the feeling of always moving towards a goal - graduation, yet in my case, never really wanting to get there and being completely sad when I did.  In fact, had it not been for moving to Tennessee I might have just gone to school forever.

What’s ironic is that when I did graduate, I did not get to walk.  I registered too late for the actual ceremony.  Other people were more upset about it than I was.  I guess I thought to myself, “I really didn’t want to graduate anyway.”  So not walking across that stage was a good thing. 

Here I am 6 years later actually using my degree to make a living.  I have to give my props to the USAO English department for not only providing me with the tools to make a living out of something I love, but to have the guts to pursue it. 

Yes, I know - this post is brimming over with cheese - deal with it! 

 

 

Endorsements

My good friend Mandy had a post a while ago with a list of things she fancies, and since she copied that idea from another blogger, I have no qualms about copying her either.

As if you care, but here are a few things/people/places in random order which I could possibly live without but certainly wouldn’t want to:

*Pico de gallo, salsa, and tortillas.  I wouldn’t call myself a connoisseur of fine Mexican-American dining, but I sure do appreciate it!  One of my favorite place here in OKC is Ted’s Escandido.  I really measure a great restaurant by the aforementioned 3 items - pico, salsa, and tortillas.  If they can get those right, good food is sure to follow.  The menu at Ted’s is pretty extensive with some outrageously good items not found at all Mexican restaurants like the tacos al carbon and their spinach enchiladas.  Unfortunately, the original cafe on NW 68th is cramped and the wait is usually really long.  The portions are also way too big, so splitting a meal is highly encouraged!  Ole!

*My cat.  Ever since we gave our beloved Summer (our official first child ) up for adoption before moving to Tennessee in 2003, we have missed having a feline friend in the house.  A little over 2 months ago now, little Lucy came to live with us, much to the delight of Jonah who has never had a pet except for a stinky, boring hermit crab - which died.  Lucy is funny because she has a distinctly different relationship with each one of us.  When it’s just me and her, she is my little shadow.  She likes to jump up on the back of my office chair while I’m typing and gently head-butt me.  I love it.  She’s the cuddliest (is that a word?) little thing when it’s just the two of us and especially if I’m not feeling well. With Jason she is very talkative and winds around his legs in all-out kitty worship of her master.  He’s the one who feeds her every morning or evening, whenever her bowl is empty. I swear they have Jason-Lucy conversations down in the kitchen.  With Jonah it is a slowly growing relationship in which she mostly tolerates him.  He is wild about her, and she deals with his bouncing, unpredictable energy.  He is slowly learning that she does not enjoy games of chase-the-cat. 

*My church.  I just think it’s great, and I absolutely love the people there.  I go up to volunteer twice a week, and those are honestly two of my favorite days of the week.  There is a real love for God and a desire to serve others in that place.  I am excited to see what God has up His Holy sleeve.

*Blogs.  Love em’.  I am a tad addicted to them.  I have 4 that I check daily. It’s become as part of my morning routine as a cup of coffee and the morning news.  I love my own blog too.  I feel honored that people take the time to stop and read my blatherings.  I don’t really know what to hope for in all of it, maybe that someone can relate or feel encouraged or giggle.  Everyone (well I think so anyway) wants to feel like they can relate to someone else.  We were created for relationship, after all.

*Lip Balm.  I have about 10 different kinds.  My recent favorite is from Sephora, and thanks to my youngest sis who works at one in Dallas, Texas.  It’s made by Hershey and includes great, natural ingredients like olive oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter.  I have the chocolate and almond flavors.  My word, they’re wonderful! 

*The cable Music stations that came with the digital box.  Since getting the digital box, we have 50 or so more channels including the music stations.  We are currently without a stereo (I can see Jason shuddering in his cubicle, sorry honey!) so this is a good alternative for now.  My favorite stations at the moment are the Adult Top 40, 80s, and 90s.  I like to kick it old school. 

I Will Have my Cake . . . and Eat it Too!

 

So I’m 29 today.  It kind of feels like an un-birthday.  I mean I’m not really in my twenties so much any more and I’m not 30 yet.  Stuck between two worlds.  I had just turned 22 when I got married and Jason was 29.  I had Jonah when I was 25 . . . I feel like should be 30 by now! 

While many women (and men too) loathe the approach of the big 3-0, I am actually looking forward to it.  They say (whoever “they” is) that 30 is the new 20.  I don’t know about that, but since I was a kid, I always though that 30 was a great age.  The prime of life!  Maybe this is because I had a young mom.  Only 18 when she married my dad and 20 when she had me . . . we grew up together a little.  I was sure I had the coolest mom ever, especially when I was 10.   She had just turned 30 and she dressed cool, listened to cool music, and always had fabulous makeup and hair.  She was energetic!  For having three kids, my mom was non-stop.  She was constantly volunteering at our schools, vice president of the PTA, played co-ed volleyball with my dad, did aerobics every day (Sweatin’ to the Oldies baby!), maintained our huge garden, and somehow managed to stay sane withe 3 daughters and a host of pets.  Now that I think about it, maybe my mom had hidden superpowers.

While I will inevitably not be as cool or energetic (or thin for that matter) as my mother was at 30, I still think this next decade of my life holds a lot of promise!  So, here’s to 29 - my last year as a 20-something . . .

Okie is as Okie Does

I wondered today if all states in the Union have such a distinctive mark on their citizens like Oklahoma and Texas do?  I was raised in the heart of Texas and taught from a very young age to love Texas, to be fiercely proud.  I mean, it was almost its own country after all!

I remember having a 45″ (ahem, a record/lp for you young’uns) of Deep in the Heart of Texas on it.  I remember being so proud that Bluebonnets grew in our front yard and convincing my younger sister, Heather, that she was going to get arrested for picking them since they were the state flower. 

I think I was more Texan than American.  Seriously!

I moved to Oklahoma after the 9th grade.  My dad is a born and bred Okie and my mom a Texan.  My dad hails from the excruciatingly small town of Ryan, Oklahoma.  We moved to Podunk to be closer to family and all, and at the time, I thought in order to destroy my entire life.  Teenage drama!  So I wondered today, when was it that I became an Okie?  Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Texas and will never, yes you heard me right neverbecome a fan of OU or OSU.  I just can’t go that far.  Still, I know that I am just as Okie as anyone else no matter how far I go.

Here is a list of my reflections on what makes someone an Okie - feel free to chime in!

1. Eye-witnessed, heard, or have been victimized by a tornado.  I wasn’t even an Okie when this first happened to me; I was a Texan visiting Okies!  I was seven and had to huddle in the cellar (and if you’ve been in a cellar you know that they are dark, damp, scary places with daddy-long-legs lurking everywhere!) When it was over it had blown my Nanny’s screen door off, and we went inside and watched The Muppet Show.
2. In conjunction with #1 - during the spring and summer months, you plan on not watching any actual television on the prime-time stations because you know it will be nothing but tornado coverage.  Even if the danged tornado is 150 miles away, the weather guys feel the need to cover it minute by minute, including size of hailstones, wind sheer and velocity.  No need to watch a discovery channel special on tornadoes - just turn on the news on any given early evening or 3am. 
3. Bad Hair - this is also related to #s 1 and 2.  With all this wind, there’s just not much point.  I see a lot of bad hair, mine included.  It will look cute inside, and that’s about it.  And if the wind doesn’t get it, the heat will.
4. Going to a fish fry.  This is an Okie summer tradition and one that I love.  All you need is catfish, okra, french fries, lemon, and possibly tartar sauce and ketchup.  Yum! 
5. Waving.  Everyone here waves.  Do you know em?  Probably not.  Should you wave?  Definitely.  It’s something I have grown to love about this state.  People are generally just really friendly.  In fact, I went walking in the neighborhood this morning and in the process was waved at and/or I waved to about 15 people.  No idea who any of them were, but it sure made my morning better!
6. The dreaded 4-Way stop.  This is where Okie friendliness takes a turn for the worse.  If you’re not careful, you may be locked into a wave-war at a 4-way-stop.  “No you go on!”  “No - it’s your turn!”  “No, go ahead..”  Will someone please just go?  Jason says I need to be a more aggressive driver.
7. Sonic.  Now Sonics are in many parts of the country, but they are an Okie in origin and permeate the Oklahoma countryside. Even the smallest towns have a Sonic.  They make the best Cherry Cokes on earth, their ice is perfect, and I love, LOVE a chili-cheese-coney. 
8. Noodling.  I am not sure on this, but I am pretty sure this if not uniquely Okie it must be an Okie original.  No fishing pole?  No net?  Who needs it?!  Just stick your arm in a huge, grotesque catfish mouth and let it clamp down!  There you go - noodling.  I am sad to say that my own father has partaken of this craziness. 

Well, that’s all for now folks!

You’re Doing Fine Oklahoma.  Oklahoma, Okay!

Summer, Summer, Summertime . . .

It goes without saying that things have been crazy ’round here.  Why is it that I always think, “Ah, summer.  When summer comes I will be able to relax.  When summer comes I can have more free time.  When . . .”  Who told me these lies about the summer?!  So far it has been nothing but pure craziness! 

Jonah is out of school until August (and the end of August at that!)  I think I am getting a tic or the shakes -  I miss my 2 days a week of freedom that much.  Thank you Lord for an awesome mother-in-law who has been taking him off of my hands almost every Thursday.  I wonder if she sees the desperation in my eyes?  I try to disguise the overwhelming sense of glee I have when dropping him off. 

Before you write me off as a bad mom let me tell ya, spending all day, every day with a 3 year old boy is rough going.  He is like an unstoppable ball of energy that has literally been bouncing off my walls.  In fact, he bounced right down the stairs and into the wall yesterday.  The right side of his face is only slightly bruised.  Also, he whines so much that I am losing the ability to differentiate between his speaking voice and whining.  I am afraid that I have asked him to stop whining only to realize that he was just speaking.  Ugh.  Here comes a wave of guilt!

It also goes without saying that I love my child with my whole heart.  Yet he is so much cuter lately when he’s sleeping - not yelling or begging or injuring himself or driving me to the brink of insanity - just peacefully lying there like a little cherub. 

So where was I going with all this?  Oh yes, the myth of the lazy summer.  I had to drag my datebook back out.  Really.  It’s mostly fun stuff we’re committed to, bur sheesh.  I need a nap.  I guess I am still holding onto my childhood memories of summer days filled with absolutely nothing to do but staying out of my mother’s hair.  She would have locked us outside all day if she could.  I can’t say that I blame her.  If we were indoors we were generally causing trouble - fighting or making a mess or fighting.

In other news, Jason is 36 today.  He tried to be depressed but I made him a fabulous cake and his co-workers laid out a spread of delectable goodies to munch on.  How could he be sad with so much food to partake of?! 

Next Wednesday is my 29th birthday.  I’m pretty indifferent about it.  I’ll be more excited to turn 30. 

Rock Me Amadeus

Old school.  That’s how we kick it in the Z household.  So much so that we did something this morning that neither of us had done for a very long time.  We called into a radio show.  We are now unabashed, true fans as Jason publicly declared his love on the air for 96.9 Bob FM. 

The topic today is What Would You Bring Back?  Jason excitedly dialed the station’s # with his answer ready.  I love my husband; he’s hilarious.  As you may (or may not) know, Jason is an old DJ - having worked for KOKF 91FM for about 15 years.  He still loves it.  So Jason’s answer was Marathon Bars 

I admit, I’d never heard of one of these, but I am 7 years younger than my hubby.  Jason asked me, “So what do you wish they would bring back?”  My answer, “Honey, I’m too young to miss anything.”

Jason’s second answer during his on-air foray was The Guitar Solo.  Ah, good call honey.  I may be young, but this I know to be true.  I am happy to report that Jason’s comment resulted in a tailspin of conversation by the morning show hosts that has become the hot topic of the morning. 

My favorite guitar solos? 

1. Hotel California - Eagles
2. Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
3. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
4. Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan
5. Barracuda - Heart   ( CHICKS WITH GUITARS RULE!!!!)

Ah, what a great morning. 

 

Manliness

I have a new favorite morning show.  It’s admittedly sort of a guilty pleasure.  It’s not (GASP!) on one of the Christian stations.  Truth be told, the morning shows on the CCM stations here just…well, they suck.  Sorry, there’s no other way to put it.  So while driving Jason to work one morning we began flipping channels and came across the heavenly sounds of rock-n-roll.  Oh yes, the good stuff.  In my opinion, 7:30am is the perfect time for a little Bon Jovi. 

We’ve been hooked ever since. 

Not only is the music great on 96.9 Bob FM(they play what they want, and they have great taste!) The DJs are awesome, and 9 times out of 10, the morning show - hosted by Stacy, Ron, and Phil - will have us laughing.  It’s actually pretty clean too, which is always a plus. 

This morning the topic was “Things every man should know how to do”   The phone calls were pretty funny.  One guy mentioned changing a diaper (without throwing up) amen.  An 11 year old boy called in to say that every guy should know at least two dances, one fast and one slow. Wow, casanova at 11!

Well this got me thinking of my own list….I’ll just share 10 of my top things that I think every man should know.  Please comment with a few of your own!

1. Cook - at least something.  I am the main cook in my house, but over the last 7 years I have been away occasionally leaving Jason to fend for himself.  Now while my man may not be Top Chef material, he can whip up a decent meal - even if his “fancy” ingredient is usually always ketchup. 
2.  Build an indoor fort - with pillows and old sheets.  Jason did this with Jonah for the first time over Memorial day weekend.  I am pretty sure he went up about a hundred points on the coolness level with Jonah.  Plus, he actually slept in it with Jonah too - 50 bonus points just for that!
3. Fix the toilet.  There are some things I know how to do but would rather die than do.  This is one of them. 
4. Properly hook up a stereo system/DVD player/Cable modem, etc…  Some women are very technical; I am not.  I thank God that Jason is.  What takes him 10 minutes to assemble will take me 10 days, or more.
5. Teach a little boy how to pee standing up.  Yes this applies to men with sons, but it could also apply to helping out a little brother or nephew.  When Jonah really started getting the hang of potty training, I just handed the reins over to Jason.  I just couldn’t stomach the idea of Jonah sitting down to pee.  It just doesn’t look right, and it’s a sure-fire mess. 
6. Know how to count down pushes during labor.  This skill is an absolute must if you plan on being in the delivery room (and I mean a traditional birth versus a C-section) Pushing the baby out can be likened to an olympic sport - it sure felt like one anyway, and a great cheerleader was highly appreciated!
7. Be able to change the oil in the car.  This skill is both useful, money-saving, and sexy too.  Jason says it’s not that big of a deal, really.  I think it’s likened to me makng a restaraunt-quality meal from scratch.  You could just go and eat at the restaurant, but how cool are you if you can make it at home?  And you can tip your woman (or man if he’s the cook - with a kiss!)
8. Catch a baseball.   It seems that just about every dad I know, regardless of athletic ability, wants to teach his child to play catch.  So actually being able to catch the ball is pretty important. 
9. Read bedtime stories with all the cool voices.  In our home, Jason is in charge of bed-time.  This is one of Jonah’s favorite parts of the day because it means Daddy will read a story, any story and makeup cool voices for all of the characters. 
10. Every man should know when and why to give flowers.  Hint, hint.  Not all women like flowers, but most seem to.  I like them any old time, preferably not  for a special occasion.  Suprise me!  Wal-mart flowers are perfectly acceptable. 
11. Okay so I made 11 instead of 10, get over it!  #11 is Pray with and for his family.  I used to have one of those bumper stickers that read “Real Men Love Jesus”.  I find that nothing is more irresitable that a man who takes family matters to the father, who cares enough to pray over the needs of his family.  In my expereince, a man submitted to God loves more deeply, listens more intently, and serves unselfishly. What’s more manly than that?!

 

If it Ain’t Broke

Don’t “fix” it.  Period.

You might say I’m a little peeved, or miffed.  Whatever, I’m just annoyed.  What’s brought on all this upset?  A movie.  A movie I had been looking forward to seeing for several months.  One that I had worked up in my mind.  I should know better than to have lofty expectations, especially if it has anything to do with the entertainment industry.  Nine times out of ten, there is a “target” audience.  There’s money to be made.  The integrity of a story is really just not up on the list of priorities when it comes to making a movie.  At least, that’s what I took away from seeing The second installment of The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian.

First off, had I had any clue as to how violent this one was, I would not  have taken Jonah.  I have read the books, and I thought I knew what to expect.  While Jonah was pretty distracted, and pretty bored throughout the film.  I was pretty surprised at how much they focused on the battles and less on the children, their journey, and Aslan. 

While I realize there are many who did not care for the first one as much, I loved it.  It stuck to the story, which was what I just loved about it, and did not spell everything out for you.  There was something left to the imagination.  Not so in Caspian.  Oh, the director and writers had plenty of imagination, so much that they added completely new things to the story!  I caught myself several times leaning over to Jason to say, “I don’t remember that…” or “But what about….” or “What is this?!” 

Before I go on I must say that they did get some things right.  Many of the new Narnia characters like Reepicheep, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, Miraz, and Caspian were spot on.  Reepicheep was about the only character Jonah cared about at all.  He was depicted exactly as he is in the books - full of bravery, honor, and pride - and so very cute. Parts of the movie stick very well to the book and they managed to get across some poignant lines and themes, but still . . .

C.S. Lewis was a master wordsmith.  When reading any of his stories there always seems to be a sense of delayed gratification, a need to trust the author.  While Lucy longs to wait for a go to Aslan (who she knows can help them) but gives in to Peter and then Caspian - two headstrong, prideful guys who frankly get tired of waiting and decide to strike out on their own, utilizing their own hasty plans, much to the detriment of the others.  This theme of seeking out Aslan/patience/trust is kind of muddled as the movie itself pushes past some subtle and - in my opinion- essential themes and poignant pieces of dialogue to get to “more exciting” things like battles, flashy animation, oh - and a made up romance. 

It just seems like that the makers of Caspian underestimated their audience.  It’s like offering boxed mac and cheese to a Food & Wine critic. 

So I’ll quit griping.  It looks like they’ll make The Voyage of the Dawn Treader too - let’s hope they get that one right! 

I’m Growling at that Cat in the Mirror

The title….think Michael Jackson….anyway, I love song titles.  And I’m not growling at the cat in the mirror, but Lucy is.  I forgot how extremely territorial felines can be when it comes to “their”people.  We were reminded of this last week when one og the neighborhood cats came a courtin’ at our patio door, only to be met with Lucy looking like a she-devil with fangs bared and hair raised.  It was really impressive.  That cat hasn’t come back yet.  She’s like a guard-kitty. 

The home that we rent was built in the 80s as evidenced by the wetbar and a whole wall, yes a wall, of mirror in the living room.  Also the laundry room/closet doors are mirrors.  Apparently, Lucy didn’t notice til this weekend.  We were chilling in the living room when we suddenly heard a familiar growl and hissing.  We assumed that the male cat had returned only to be spurned again.  But, no.  She was hissing and growling at herself….her own reflection in the wall-mirror.  We had a good laugh while she stared the “other cat” down for a good half hour.

Now this has been a daily occurrence for well over a week.  I try to imagine what she’s thinking.  “How does that cat do it?  It copies my every move.  I’ll get her this time!”  I’ll keep trying to get it on video so you can see it for yourself.  Although, I think she’s starting to soften up a bit towards the mystery cat;

I caught her snuggling with the mirror upstairs this morning.