Only One Go Around

Though I had just seen her in Japan not two weeks before, I knew Ellie was making a quick trip home for wedding planning.  I really had not intended on joining her, as I knew her sister, Emily, and family on her dad's side, would likely help with all of that.  Yet, as a MOMMA, I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by.  With just a few day's notice, I was able to cash in some air miles, pay $11.50, and I was on my way to Indiana after class last Thursday.   I didn't arrive to Indianapolis until after midnight, and after I picked up my rental car and drove to my friend Susan's (she and her family were my last visitors in China this past June :) it was nearly 1am. Only Mittens the kitty was up and waiting for me!  It was a very short night, and at 6:15am the next morning, Mike treated me to some delicious ginseng tea (also from China) and we spent an hour catching up as dawn was breaking.  You know you are friends for life when you fall in step an...

If you only get one go around, it appears Willis at least gets two... now for the back story. I left for China and Japan very early on December 10th.  Len was home with Willis for the next several days before he left for the Keys. I had my neighbors, Jerry and Joy, coming in to feed and tend to him (and his hair) as Len is highly allergic.  By the time I made it to Beijing and was able to connect with Len, I had been gone for two days.  It seemed that Willis fell apart on Day 1 of my absence. The dern cat. Len reported that he was outside with him the day I left, and everything seemed fine.  However, by that evening he was limping around, carrying his right hind leg.  By the next morning, he hissed at Joy when she came to feed him.  Now, Willis is typically not a hissy cat, so he was clearly out of sorts.  I asked Len if it was possible he had a spider bite or something, but he didn't want to disturb him given that he already was not acting hi...