I grew up with a cat. Well, a few cats. There was Jingle, the Siamese, Tiger, a scrappy gray tabby, Dusty, a sweetheart of an orange tabby, and Salem, a never-quite-tame but never-bad-luck midnight black wild thing. I also had a bird named Bluebird (yes, I came up with that), a hamster named Rosie, and a goldfish named Lucy.
My point is this: I’m a pet person.
I’ve always had a pet. I don’t know what a house without its resident animal sidekick would be like. Quieter, probably. Less prone to furry tumbleweeds. But also, a little more lonely. A little less lively. At least, that’s how I’d feel about it. I’ve loved all my pets, and I’m lucky now to have Annie, our crazy perpetual puppy…
…and Gatsby, our sweet old gentleman.
Gatsby’s a Maine Coon, and he’s been with me since college. He’s a big cuddly lump who purrs loud, adores sleeping in the laundry baskets, and loves to watch the birds. You know, from his comfy perch inside of the house. Or on TV.
Annie’s an Australian Shepherd with a quick mind, boundless energy, and a deep and abiding love for her human. Yes, just the one. And it’s Graham, not me. But we should all find someone who loves us as much as she loves him.
They both get plenty of snuggles, but I’ll give them a little extra today. They’re animals, so they’ll have no idea why. But they’ll love it nonetheless. And they absolutely deserve it. 😊
A Virginia Writer's Diary 
Annie looks like you gave her a Pebbles hair-do–is that her other ear cocked? Cute! I better go give Abby and Steffi an extra ear rub. It’s been windy, pollen-infested, and cold outside lately and Beyonce is miffed that I have not been sitting outside, or maybe it was because I did not wish her Happy National Pet Day this morning. 🙂
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I think it’s the angle of the picture, and I hadn’t even noticed. Now I’ll see it every time. 🙂 One ear tends to usually be up, and the other a little more down. I hope the weather was better today! 62 and sunny here, but I think it’s supposed to cool down again.
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Australian Shepherds are fantastic dogs! 🙂
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Yes, they are!
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wow, your pets are gorgeous 😍
Happy National Pet Day💕
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Thank you! I think so, too. 🙂
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Give my love to Annie!! She’s adorable!! And Gatsby too… He reminded me of the book “The Great Gatsby”… 😉
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Will do! 🙂 They’re both such sweethearts, and yes, very adorable.
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You’re right about what it’s like without pets. After our old dog die, who we got when I was a kid, I was utterly heartbroken. I still start to cry just at the thought of him now, about ten years after he left us. The time in between was definitely quiet and weird and I didn’t like it. But it wasn’t long at all before a cat adopted us, and I can’t help but think it was fateful timing. As much as he’s very much a man of leisure who will only let you be around him when he says so, he still gives us some structure, a reason to “aww”, a reason to marvel and feel connected and all that good stuff that comes with it.
Give Annie and Gatsby (if he allows it) lots of cuddles! xxxx
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I love that a cat adopted you – that’s absolutely how it works. I brought Gatsby home, but it wasn’t until HE chose me, too, that he settled in. And losing a pet is so hard. Pets just fill spaces in your heart that you didn’t even know you had.
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