Fishing

Dear Diary, Sure do like that there are more sunny days now. Warmth is my friend. And when the air is warm, with the bright sky heating my black back, I am content. The fish seem to like the bright sky also, as they swim closer to the top of their pond. Which then allows me to partake in one of my favorite activities -- fishing. Don't know what's with the outside cats, as all they use the fish pond for is drinking. Me, I like to fish. How can a cat resist putting his paw in when one of those bright, sleek bodies comes close? I've never actually caught a fish. They move quickly, darting away before my paw touches the water. But I like trying. And I think the fish like me trying. What else do they have to do all day? When it is cold and gray outside, they don't come to the top of the water. I hadn't seen them since before the ice came. I'm glad they came back. There are so many more of them than there were before. More chance for me to catch one. Life is good when the sky is bright and fish swim near the top of the water.

Dear Diary, I sure do like that the days have more light now and sometimes they have sun. When there is sun, I like to sit out near this stack of barrels and watch the birds. Lots of birds come to these barrels. I think my lady's man puts food on top to bring the birds to the barrels. I don't understand why he does that cause he never hangs out here to catch the birds, which is what I'd like to do. Sometimes a bird flies down to where I am, but I haven't caught one in a long time. The man child somehow always knows when I catch a bird and he makes me let it go. Humans simply don't know how to have fun.

The picture of Calimom was taken several days ago. She was very fat then but now she is not fat. She has moved into the blue cat house outside my house door and she has a very small thing in there with her that kind of looks like a cat. There used to be more small things, but they stopped moving and I think the humans took them away.

I visit with several of the outside cats when I leave the house. Of course, there's my dad. He's got marks all over his nose from fighting with the other big boys. I'm not too familiar with the yellow cat behind him in the picture. That guy just showed up one day and my lady calls him Fourman. The gray and white cat also behind my dad is Butch. He's got a bad hip and limps. He's not a friend to anyone except maybe Baby Biscuit. He bites her neck all the time and gets on top of her.

That white cat in the front of the next picture has been sneaking into the house. Her name is Charlie. When the humans come and go they don't always pay attention to a possible sneaky cat. Even though Babbette hisses and slaps at Charlie, Charlie keeps coming back in. It's the food she's after. Don't know why she is so skinny. She's always hungry. None of the other cats are a skinny as she is. Most of the outside cats are afraid to come into the house. They gather at the door, but don't try to get in. Don't know what made Charlie decide to break the taboo and cross the threshold. My lady lets her eat a little and then puts her back outside. Which is a very good thing. There is not room in this house for another cat to move in.

Dear Diary, No more birds in the house. My lady's man took them outside and put them, cage and all, inside the big cage with the other doves. Said they made too much noise. Said they made too much mess. So now when I want to see the doves I have to sit outside with the poor cats. Speaking of the poor cats, Golden Boy has been gone for a while now. Yesterday the man child said he found him under the bridge. Said he was just laying there and that it looked as if he had been there for some time. Well, I'm not going to visit him there. Under the bridge is where the water runs and bad things happen and I don't know why Golden Boy would want to stay there. He should come back and stay with us behind the house. Maybe he's just feeling put out because he used to be the only golden cat and now there are lots of other golden cats around. Oh well, he can stay there if he wants.

The sun is shining today and I may just take a stroll outside later. I like warm, sunny days.