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Hi Friends, I hope you are doing amazingly well amid the wild world we call home lately.  Are you excited for Thanksgiving 2020?  Is your Thanksgiving going to be different than previous years due to plague-2020?  Thanksgiving 2020 prep in our house is underway, at least mentally.  We are tossing around options. Growing up in Oregon, November weather was cool, damp and cloudy with big, bright leaves everywhere.  Being inside while a hot, appetizing meal was brewing appealed to all.  The smell of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (pardon the cliche), bubbling in juicy fat was and still is my favorite part of Thanksgiving.  This may be the first year we don’t wrangle a heavy, slippery, cold turkey into a plastic bag since first doing so 30 years ago. Has traditional Thanksgiving — turkey, stuffing, squash casserole, sweet potato/pumpkin pie, green beans, mac and cheese (if in the south), etc. waned in your house over the past ten or so years? I’ve tried to preserve traditional aspects of Thanksgiving but this year may be different and it really has nothing to do with plague-2020.  It has more do with reflecting on complaints over recent years: “I don’t like turkey” “Can we have sushi on Thanksgiving?” “Gravy is disgusting” “If Thanksgiving food is so good why do we only cook it 1x a year?” “Who wants to be told what to cook on a particular day?” There’s no denying Thanksgiving menu opposition exists for a lot of people, not just the Sweeneys.  But, it’s turkey day tradition and it makes me sad to think about not eating turkey (I do like it) on Thanksgiving.  My personal pet peeve is not with Thanksgiving’s menu.  My qualm is with the labor intense kitchen duty from, say, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. So as of today, our plan is…drum roll…cater Thanksgiving dinner for the first time with Fox Bros.!  Check their menu out here FoxBros .  Thanksgiving will basically be a mirror-menu image of previous years.  But our experience using Fox Bros in the past makes us certain that everything (especially a smoked turkey!) will taste delicious and more.  Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme wafting through the house all day will be missed but when the turkey arrives, presto, turkey aroma.  “Arrives” versus “it’s ready” may not smell heavenly, but to this cook the sound of those words more than pleases. Happy planning and thank you for stopping by! Love, Shelley

Hi Everyone, How was your Halloween-2020?  Did you enjoy plenty of decked-out costumes, junk candy, and entertainment?  If you live in Georgia, like we do, Halloween is almost always a sunny, warm, beautiful day.  Halloween-2020 fit that description precisely, thus plenty of amusement was had by most. As planned, Triangle Park et al. dressed up and headed to La Tavola in Virginia Highlands to celebrate Diana’s 23rd birthday.  Jeff and I brought sweet, baby Diana (9 lbs.1 oz.) home from the hospital on Halloween night (1997).  For 23 years it has been basically second nature to celebrate her birthday from October 29 – 31.  Halloween is the finale. We all costumed up and prepped for a pic party before heading to dinner.  It’s all about the pics, right? Joey dressed as the infamous pizza-reviewer, pop culture guru, and founder of Bartsool Sports, Dave Portnoy.  Which, naturally, meant Savanna would be a delicious-looking slice of pepporoni pizza pie.  Joey had the pleasure of reviewing her.  If you’re thinking: omg, why wouldn’t he give her a TEN (10!!)?  You’re not alone, I thought that too.  Apparently, you have to know more about Dave Portnoy to understand the reasoning. 8! This pizza is spicey and pricey. Sav and Joe were hilarious and educational!  I had no idea [prior to Halloween-2020] who the heck Dave Portnoy was.  Pop culture guru?  But now I know and I want to give a shout out and thank Dave Portnoy for reposting Sav and Joe on his Instagram feed.  Check it out here! Next is the birthday girl, Diana, as Elle Woods.  Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde hit us as perfect choice for Dan (Shrewd, blonde, pretty-in-pink, law school, etc.).  The only piece that didn’t squeeze together is that Reese is 5’1 and Diana is 5’9 ½ (plus heels).  But, the waiter, Thomas, saved the night.  He guessed that she was Paris Hilton.  That worked (IMHO).  I mean, having to x-out the lawschool part was costume-crucifying…but survivable. Then came candy at the end of the night.  Diana picked out our assortment this year. Other than Smarties and Fun Dip, I don’t eat candy, candy bars, etc. Not a fan. Somehow my brain turned off when everyone was gone or asleep. Into my stomach went a Tootsie Pop (ew), Whoppers, and a Kitkat.  Why does Halloween taste like it’s been laced with wax these days?   Never again. We had lots of laughs and cheers on Halloween-2020.  We even stopped by a friends house and trick-or-treated and we voted for: Best executed costume Funniest costume Every single one of us got one vote for best executed.  Sav and Joe got funniest.  I think the funniest thing is that we all tied for the first category. One thing is for sure, there was plenty of amusement to go around just by looking at each other. Thankfully, nothing scared us…for a change. Thanks for stopping by! Love, Shelley

Martin borrowed a box of nails from a neighbor who moved away after the loan.  He promised to replace the nails, “as soon as possible.”  Martin’s roommate, Jack, said, “don’t worry about it.  A box of nails isn’t worth much.  Besides, they moved away and have probably forgotten all about the nails.” Martin’s mind sped around his head worrying about his nail-debt.  Martin was a man of his word.  At night, he tossed and turned in bed assuming that his old neighbor regarded him as a thief, a good-for-nothing moocher, and a liar. I have to replace the nails, I must replace the nails, was a never-ending nag in Martin’s psyche.  He heard it while he sipped his morning coffee, as he listened to music on the way to work, riding in elevators, shopping at the grocery store, shaving, bathing, everywhere he went his consciousness nagged him to replace the nails. If Martin gave himself a mental break it was only to google possibilities of where his neighbors may have moved, or to stalk Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter looking for any clue of where a person who once lived at 4782 Wilshire Way, #4 Edmonton, NV, might have relocated. Martin white-knuckled his car steering wheel as he drove up and down every road, complex parking lot and subdivision within hundreds of miles looking for the car that used to park in #4, beside his car.  He asked strangers if they knew of anyone who recently moved in.  He always carried the nails in case he got lucky.  Martin placed an ad on Craig’s List: Desperate to repay a box of nails to a former neighbor: 4782… Sarcastic responses poured: “I’ll nail you down,” “You nailed it, call Trixie for a good time,” “I got your nails.” Martin stopped going out with friends.  He spent most of his time alone in his room.  His roommate, Jack, moved out and would check in with him through texts and phone calls but Martin ignored them.  Martin expanded his geographical search but it didn’t do him much good because there was only a scattering of farm houses beyond the hundreds of miles he searched.  He checked out every farm house to no avail. Martin stopped looking. Eighteen months later, after a sleepless night of tossing, turning and nagging himself, Martin awoke defeated.  As he sipped coffee on his sofa he heard light, fingernail taps on his aluminum door.  Jack was the only person who ever stopped by but Martin was certain the light taps weren’t coming from him.  Jack always banged with his whole arm.  Martin decided not to answer the door.  His disheveled, unruly hair, worn boxers, and whitish-gray t-shirt was too alarming, even for a stranger. Tap, tap, TAP, tap, tap, TAP, turned urgent, as though the tapper knew Martin was inside.  Whoever it was persisted.  Running his fingers through his hair, pulling his t-shirt down to shade his shorts he peered through the peephole.  The tapper was Martin’s old neighbor, the one he owed the nails to. “I want my nails.  Jack says you’re trying to replace the nails you borrowed from me.  Martin?  It’s me, Nell.  I know you’re in there.  I can see your car down below.”  Tap, tap, TAP.  Martin tore off his shirt and ran to the bedroom to put on clean clothes. He opened the door with the box of small nails in his hand.  She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Martin handed her the box of nails.  “I was hoping you’d be home,” she said. The end.

Hi Friends, Are you excited for Halloween-2020?  Or…has 2020 scared you enough already?  Triangle Park is really excited for Halloween-2020.  In fact, we get excited about anything that gets our mind off of local and national news these days.  But this year we are especially excited for Halloween-2020 because that is the day we are celebrating Diana’s 23rd birthday (October 29). We are headed to one of our favorite restaurants with Savanna and Joey and we are dressing in Halloween costumes! Stipulation No. 1 for celebrating a birthday on Halloween night: You must, must, must wear a Halloween costume Who would plan a dinner party on Halloween and not require costumes?  Exactly, no one would. We vacillated over whether to wear a silly costume, scary costume, clever costume, etc. for the last week or so.  Sure, you can go to Target and pull a polyester ensemble of: A piece of pizza A hot dog Peanut butter and jelly sandwich Superhero, etc. off the rack but that’s too easy.  Good costumes require at least [a little thought] and creativity. Here’s what we’ve come up with to date: The birthday girl (Diana) is planning to go as:  Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)  Diana has spent the last several months studying for and taking the LSAT.  In the meantime, she is completing her last semester at GA Tech and working part-time for Alston & Bird.  Point being:  Diana is working her booty off and needs to have some chill-lax birthday fun.  Dressing up as Elle Woods takes the edge off of law school prep persnicketiness and D will rock a tight, pink dress. Savanna and Joey have yet to decide their ensembles.  What do you think about them dressing as a Bride and Groom?  What a great way to reminisce about a really, really good time with family and friends in what could be the last “normal” year of the century: 2019.  Or, what about a bottle of wine and a piece of cheese?  I have that costume!  Jeff and I did that a few years back.  Does anyone out there have suggestions for Sav and Joe? I, the mom/matriarch/old lady, whatever have decided to dress up as a Pan Am flight attendant.  Remember Pan Am?  Do you remember the beautiful building at the end of Park Avenue with [Pan Am] gracing the top?  Back in the day, Pan Am could and would get you speedily to Europe through NYC.  Also, back in the day, being a flight attendant was a big deal (maybe it still is, I’m not sure).  There was a time, albeit fleeting, that I dreamed of being a flight attendant.  Turned out that travelling as a passenger was just as dreamy (maybe more?). Have you guessed what Jeff will dress as?  No, not a captain.  Though I thought that was a good idea, he didn’t like it.  Jeff will be a handsome, 1960s/70s businessman/traveller.  Remember the old 1960s cliches:  Fedora, briefcase, coat, tie clip, paper ticket, slicked back hair?  Jeff is going to seamlessly pull this one off and rock the businessman/traveller get-up. I hope some or all of you are planning Halloween fun!  Let’s all share photos after the fact. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley Cat Update: I’m cat sitting my grand-cat for a couple days.  Archie is an utterly loving, smart, playful, precious boy.  What a joy these to feline siblings have been for both Sav and Joe and my whole family. Archie perched on a gift from Gramma as he looks on to Peachtree, this morning. Archie in his favorite bed this morning. Purrl was sound asleep when this irresistable pic was taken Purrl is very affectionate in the morning. Last Blog

Hi Y’all, How are you doing?  Can you believe all the election fuss?  Has society gone mad and forgotten what is really important in life: Plants and Cats?  Astonishingly, Plants and Cats have been sidelined by 2020 political silliness.  Who knew!  Joking aside, Plants and Cats are a wonderful hobby and distraction amid the madness of late. African Violets have become a love of mine. They are: Easy to transplant Simple to propagate Beautiful to look at Fun to touch, and They bloom again and again These are my African Violet babies: Grandparent plant right, offspring left, grandbaby top I brought the plant on the right home last summer.  The plant to the left and the small one above both came to be from a single leaf that I clipped from the original plant (right).  Propagating is so easy!  Just snip a healthy, mature leaf with about a two inch stem and plant the tip in African Violet soil.  After a couple of weeks a small plant will sprout and after a month or two you’ll have a beautiful bloom. The flowers stay healthy and colorful for several weeks.  As long as they have plenty of light they will thrive, bloom and rebloom.  Healthy leaves like the ones in the photos have tiny hairs, almost like fur, and are fun to “pet.”  Even when the plant is between blooms the leaves remain lush.  The bloom on the original plant (right) is it’s third blossom.  With proper care and attention African Violets are a labor of love that keeps on giving back, almost like a real pet. And speaking of Pets!  Another way to drown out craziness of late is by relishing the beauty, kindness and preciousness of cats.  — Well, UK travel might supersede Cats and Plants but that just isn’t in the cards right now. If we are on the front porch she’ll sneak out to say hi from time to time Purrl is an indoor/outdoor girl. She’s quite nocturnal, preferring to explore outdoors after the sun fully sets.  As soon as it’s dark, we’ll hear a “mew, mew” queue and will let her out.  After about four or five hours, she’s ready to come back in with a hearty appetite.  She always heads straight through her private cat door to the basement where she eats and sleeps in a comfortable, suitably-designed “cat-condo” until the routine repeats. Purrl is a purrfect blessing for drowning out political chitter-chatter nonsense.  Especially since we know she doesn’t give a turd what the outcome is.  And the plants don’t give a f…lower either. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley HAPPY HALLOWEEN This gruesome looking ghost graces our front door.  The other day, the wind blew him around and he was gazing into our home.  SPOOOKY!

Barre3 has been my go-to workout place since February of this year, when my best friend Jan introduced me to it. She raved about it and insisted I would love it; she was right!  Keeping fit with Barre3 has been great. Fair warning: I thought I was going to die after my first class. The combination of intense cardio and full-body training was a lot for someone who had never done it before. The instructors always give alternative versions of everything to suit your own needs, but I wanted to push myself. Even after such a difficult first class, I was hooked. The classes work every single part of your body, making it a truly wholistic and comprehensive workout. Combined with attention to stretching and breathwork, the Barre3 classes capture everything you need in a workout, all packed in to 45 or 60 minutes. Barre classes have roots in ballet, which can be seen in a lot of the movements and stretches done throughout the class. I know this may scare some people away, but as someone who has never done ballet and wouldn’t identify as someone who could do ballet, you do not have to be flexible, graceful, etc. to do barre. In fact, I think it’s even better for those people! I can’t touch my toes, but my flexibility has seriously increased (without me really noticing) since I’ve been doing barre regularly. In addition to their superb classes, Barre3 has done a great job of taking precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including limiting class sizes and offering outdoor classes. Everything is thoroughly cleaned, everyone’s temperature is checked, and masks are required when walking around the studio. It’s a very safe place to workout during these times. All in all, I highly recommend Barre3 to anyone interested in working out or trying something new. It’s a fun environment with helpful and enthusiastic people! A Note From Mom: Diana isn’t kidding, I almost died after my SECOND Barre3 class (helllooo glutes and quads).  Keeping fit with Barre3 works for me! Barre and balance go hand in hand Staying Healthy and Fit

Hi Friends, I hope you are doing well.  I hope you are staying healthy and fit as while we claw and climb our way out of 2020.  Have you had a chance to check out a Barre3 studio?  A couple weeks ago I finally got around to taking a class there. I’ve been an exercise enthusiast most of my life.  Anyone remember Spa Lady?? I know, lyao…”spa who??”  Thirty-nine years ago, I joined Spa Lady in Beaverton, Oregon.  They had clubs all over the United States.  So when I moved back to Georgia I was leotarded up and ready to go in a Sandy Springs Spa Lady (lol).  Check this picture out! 1980s-style exercise enthusiasts. No, I’m not in the photo but I might as well be because I looked just like them, hair, leotard, the whole getup.  Not sure where the sweatbands are though.  I always sported one of those, haha. Lately, I’ve become a nomadic exerciser.  You’ll find me staying healthy and fit in several locations: Ansley Golf Club (elliptical machine or spin class) Atlanta Sport & Spine (pilates) Piedmont Fitness Center (Pickleball/Zumba) I tried a Barre class at Piedmont and liked it.  But, until recently I hadn’t found courage and motivation to enter a Barre3 studio.  At 58-years-old, I’m not so “out of it” as to think there are people my age in trendy core studios.  Barre3 bods are young, hip and energized. It turns out, Barre3 was born in Portland, Oregon and it also turns out there are people relatively close to my age in Barre3 studios.  Having grown up in Oregon, that fact assured me I’d not only love a Barre3 workout, I’d feel right at home.  Rest assured, you don’t have to be a former Oregonian or young to feel at home.  Their customer service caters to kindness and professionalism (thank you Meredith/Barre3Buckhead) and the instructors design routines for various abilities (thank you Landis/Barre3Buckhead). But most importantly, you’re there to get fit and that’s exactly what you’ll accomplish Initially, I was concerned about the “no shoes” aspect but ended up surprised that my muscles didn’t tighten later on as they usually do.  These socks:  See here  grip really well and allow the body to work muscles it typically doesn’t use with shoes on. I won’t be divorcing any of my pre-Barre3 hangouts, I’ll be marrying a fourth.  Barre3 Buckhead is by far the most up-to-date and challenging of all four.  I’m not sure how many more years I have left to ballet-away with younger counterparts, but I’m willing to give it my all.  How about you? Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley Check out Barre3 Buckhead here! Owner and instructor of Barre3 Buckhead, Landis Fraser, is welcoming and a supreme instructor Here is Diana’s blog on Barre3: Keeping Fit With Barre3

[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Hi Everyone, I hope you are all living lovely and amazing days. There’re so many wonderful things happening lately: for instance cats (and dogs) in our lives.  Save for eating regularily and relieving themselves in appropriate locations, domestic pets haven’t a care in the world.  What a wonderful thing!  Their carefree-ness transfers over to humans quite nicely.  They are warm, calming, and kind — Delicious Distractions: Cats.  What a wonderful thing! If you happened upon this blog it might be because you found it tucked inside of Savanna’s latest:  Archies One Month Update.  Most of you already know that the two of us adopted a brother and sister feline duo in late August. Savanna’s Archie is an indoor, high-rise living, pampered guy who turned out to be beautifully tiger-marked and pleasingly affectionate.  Archie is sweet, goofy, and loving.  I cared for him early on.   I know first-hand how committed he is to those three adjectives.  He stands straight up on his back legs when he wants to get a better look at something.  I never once experienced him playing hard-to-get when it came to up close and personal contact and he won’t turn down a lap nap. Savanna and I desperately wanted Archie and Purll from the moment we saw them inside a small cage near the check out at Petco on Howell Mill Road.  When Savanna peered in Archie’s cage while I shopped for dog treats, I heard her say “he rolled over!”  I knew then and there we had to get both of them out of the cage and home to much fancier feline accommodations.  I mean, “he ROLLED OVER!” Purrl is living a different lifestyle than her brother.  She is [quite] a different cat too.  Purrl takes her time warming up to strangers, enjoys a precise schedule, and is showing promise as a hunter.  She had no trouble figuring out her “cat” door and is adapting [intelligently] to indoor/outdoor accommodations as well as to her giant dog brother, Gus. In regard to Archie, like Savanna, my favorite thing is how much Joey has come to enjoy him.  As for my “favorite” thing about Purrl?  I also love how much Jeff enjoys her…though he’s always been fond of our cats.  I’m also crazy about how beautiful Purrl is.  She has multi-color markings and an irresistable, snow white tummy that never fails to look delicious. Have you ever been asked: are you a dog or cat person?  That question never fails to stump me.  I love both, and horses too. If I absolutely had to choose though, I think I’d be a cat person.  For me, cats are complicated which makes the relationship richer.  When a cat fully trusts you, beautiful hard-to-explain things happen. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley If you’re wondering where “the lady” I’m drawing is.  I had to put her away for a while.  When I began drawing her I thought she was wonderfully beautiful.  Negativity crept in and I started thinking she was “ugly.”  I’ll go back to her when the negative thoughts about her appearance disappear. :-)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”3361″ img_size=”Medium”][vc_single_image image=”3363″ img_size=”Medium”][vc_single_image image=”3365″ img_size=”Medium”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”3367,3365,3364″][vc_single_image image=”3368″ img_size=”Medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] https://iheartcats.com/12-ways-to-ensure-your-cats-happiness/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

I have officially had Archie (Moosh, Arch, Archie boy, Babes, Silly) for one month, give or take.  I could not possibly be more obsessed. Maybe everyone’s obsessed with their own cat, thinking “wow how lucky could I possibly be!” (the same way parents think their child is the best baby to ever grace Earth), but I think Joe and I really lucked out. Our vet has commented on two separate occasions that she’d love to have a cat like ours, and that we really lucked out. So maybe he really is special. Our boy did not have an easy transition to his furever home, which endears us even more to him. He saw three vets within two weeks for a nasty infection and abscess. When Joe and I were on vacation, we received a phone call from my sister letting us know Archie was “bleeding out of his neck.” I’ll save that story for another day, but just know he is now happy and healthy as can be. We already have the sweetest routines. Archie is always waiting for me when I come out of the bedroom each morning around 8:10. He cranes his neck and begs for cuddles. If I didn’t have work to do, I’d probably drown him in kisses each morning. Lately, I’ve also been giving him tiny chicken treats up on his scratching post. When he sees me walking that way he sprints around the corner and cranes his neck for a treat. It would be hard to pick a favorite part about Archie, but I really love how Joe’s affinity for him has grown. Recently, when Joe was relaxing on the couch, he went out of his way to scoop Archie up and bring him over to watch TV (Archie LOVES watching sports). Joe even loves to kiss his sweet head. For someone who didn’t grow up with a pet, I’m really impressed by how much Joe enjoys Arch. Do I think I have the sweetest, cuddliest, smartest, best-smelling, softest kitten on earth? Yes, I do. But you probably think the same about yours. Aren’t cats the best? Savanna Shelley’s Blog about Archie’s sister, Purrl Delicious Distraction: Cats https://iheartcats.com/12-ways-to-ensure-your-cats-happiness/ Beautiful, kind, goofy Archie:

Hi Everyone, If you’re a writing enthusiast like myself, you know how exciting it is to get published.  I’ve had a few successes (apx. 8) but I never cease to get lit up when the next one comes along.  Memoir Mixtapes published Georgia to Oregon, this morning. Writers were asked to draw on a non-fiction memoir relfective of America’s: A Horse with No Name: Read Story And here are some photos from the Georgia to Oregon for a visual: Fluffy in the car The Snake River Bathing beauty Old house in Georgia New house in Oregon Utah, me, Sam and mom Stopping for gas Why won’t any help me find a new name? (Fluffy’s cage behind me) Dad pointing out antelope in Idaho Brad after arriving in Oregon In other news: I’m plugging along with “the lady.”  I received some great advice via Zoom this morning.  This lady needs “background” work and I need to work on my “message.” Thankfully, the honeycomb paper she’s on is very forgiving with charcoal.  But sometimes I can’t get it as dark as I’d like and I’m tempted to throw in some jet black PAINT.  Don’t give up on me, I’m hoping she exudes a “message” before too long. I hope everyone is doing well with your hobbies and loves.  I would love to get together with and or hear from all my friends.  These are lonely isolating times. Thank you for reading! Love, Shelley

Hi Everyone, What is getting you through 2020? Felines and Faith are tried and true in my book. Here’s our new baby girl, Pearl: We brought her home on August 16.  In ten days she’s given all of us great joy, offering a welcome distraction from turbulent times.  Pearl is smart, playful, affectionate and pretty as a picture.  She’s slowly being introduced to the outdoors.  She loves the smell of rosemary and basil and is mesmerized by how many trees can be in a single backyard. This week, she tasted rain water for the first time and felt concrete, firewood, and roof shingles (Gus’ dog house) on the pads of her paws.  All very foreign to her. Indulgment to the max!  She has a furry, brown mouse toy in the basement.  She loves capturing him.  This is good news given our hope is she’ll reduce the chipmunk population around our property.  Pearl has a high rise condo that was custom-created for her at the top of our basement stairs. It’s her official safe space.  Then, there’s the brand new, pink bed upstairs in Diana’s loft that she will enjoy after a nifty cat door is installed from the basement to the main living space…this evening. Peering down from her safe-space condo Does she like her big brother, Gus?  Yes!  She’s crazy about Gus, so long as he abides by her rules.  Gus has a kissing fetish that Pearl is not crazy about.  She’s teaching him to tamp down his enthusiasm, play hard to get.  Gus isn’t too concerned either way: Gus, exhausted after he heard the news of a little sister on board Does she miss her brother, Archie?  Yes, very much.  She cried herself to sleep the first night he was gone.  Even Gus went looking for him in the basement.  The emotional-animal atmosphere made all of us weery. I don’t have to tell you, insane things are going on in the world.  How are you easing the changes in routine, life, etc.?  Having faith in God and cats in our house reminds us to be thankful, not fearful, for the challenges.  They both (Felines and Faith) fill our hearts with love and comfort. Dogs are awesome, no doubt.  But cats are awesome and mysterious… like God.  Faith and Felines are fantastic obsessions.  If you don’t believe me, check out Cats of Instagram . Thank you for reading!  (100-word flash fiction story below) Love, Shelley Tea Time With The King Tea Time With The King

Ivana coined The Donald. Anne coined The King.  Her husband, Tom, would find out soon enough.  He’d have to accept the news, or leave. The King changed Anne’s life.  She relished his love, comfort, abundance, and he relished all that she offered. Tea-time on Tuesday was their favorite alone time.  Chamomile aroma billowed above her cup.  Anne sipped as the King pressed his mouth along her slender fingers on the porcelain.  Both of their hearts sped up.  The King stared passionately into Anne’s eyes.  A trance ensued. Footsteps creaked in the hallway.  The King startled and scampered under the sofa.