Shadow

I have a new best friend. We have a tough relationship, mostly because I'm partially allergic to her. I put up with the minor sniffles and occasional tingly hands, though, because of our true and deep connection.

Shadow, the Kummerers' cat, hangs out with me when I'm not working or taking public transportation to and from work. Some mornings she kindly wakes me up by jumping on my bed and meowing/screaming in my face. This continues until I pet her. She then follows me around the house as I get ready for work, meowing and generally demanding attention. When I get home from work, she greets me with more meowing and jumps up on the stool next to me while I eat some dinner, then follows me upstairs.

When I indulge her, I either sneeze or my hands get itchy and tingly after a while. I tell her I need to stop for my own survival, and this causes her to pout and meow more. If I am getting ready to sleep, she will prance up and down the bed (okay, hobbles...she's got a bad hip), first meowing in my face, then turning so her butt is to me.

Today, I had a breakthrough with Shadow, though. She did her march on top of me and meow loudly routine until I got out of bed, but then I sat at my desk to journal and she promptly hushed up until I finished. Clearly she understands the importance of my Morning Pages (the several pages of nonsense I put on paper before writing anything worth showing anyone). I guess we have each other trained.

As you can tell, we have a pretty solid relationship. She attention-seeks, I grant attention and enable her princess ways. But I am also getting something out of this: a new respect for anyone who is friends with me. Because Shadow is clearly my spirit animal: greedily whining for attention, then making you think she deserves it for some strange reason. Also, she's not that great at hygiene and she loves taking naps.

Shadow lounging on the deck.