One year with my kitters

It's hard to believe that one year ago I carried two kittens home from the Shelby Humane Society in Columbiana. They cried and both crapped in their cardboard boxes on the way home and I thought it was funny how Maddy Lou, then tragically named Bertha by the SHS staff, hissed at Gus for the first few hours. They warmed up to me and each other by that first evening and it's hard to ever imagine my life without them. My apartment living ceased to be lonely and in their resting and playing hours, they have brought me immeasurable joy.

Maddy has learned to climb to the top of my bookshelf and Gus just looks up in amazement and jealousy. Being slightly crossed-eyed all he can do is look up at her and meow. It's sad and funny at the same time. He's longer than her now, but she's wider than him (sorry girl, I feel your pain). They still try to sleep in the same small bed together, still eat out of the same bowl (even when both bowls are full) and still clean each other. They are the most loving animals I have ever known toward me and one another and I really am grateful for my striped duo.

Here are some other interesting recent stories about the animal world:

* For the first time a beagle won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. My best friend Clare has three beagles and her dad has one so we there was a flurry of congratulatory phone calls, text messages and e-mails. His name is Uno and he's quite the beauty. I hope somewhere Charles Schultz is smiling as much as I am about this win.

* A woman lost her title of mayor of Texas town over the love of a dog. I think her heart was in the right place and I believe her side of this bizarre story.

* A dog in Montana showed her smarts and saved the lives of her nine puppies by finding human help and safe shelter for them an unlikely place. Walt Disney couldn't have scripted a better an rescue story. I hope and predict all of Amber's puppies get loving homes in my parents' adopted home state.