The rain started last night around 12:30. I could hear drops hitting the window air conditioner in my bedroom. I like the sound of a gentle rain.

It wasn’t a great night as I was up three times with Miss Gracie and her upset stomach. I had to go downstairs and let her out so she could graze. It was still raining, but when Gracie came back inside, she wasn’t too wet so the rain was light. We both finally fell asleep around 2:30. Fern woke me up about an hour later with her caterwauling, something she never does. I called and she came upstairs, got petted and then settled in beside me. Around nine she started her caterwauling again. That is so unlike Fern I was worried and got up for good wondering if something was wrong. I checked her and she seemed fine. I checked Maddie and she was fine. When I put food in the cat dish, Fern immediately chowed down and then daintily drank a lot of water. I guess the second round of noise was because she was hungry and thirsty. That is one entitled animal.

I wonder about people who don’t like animals. I figure they are missing an integral part of their DNA. All my life I have lived with a pet, even in Africa. I can’t imagine my house without one. It would be a lonely place. Who would I talk to? Gracie cocks her head when I talk to her so I know she’s listening. When she doesn’t get what she wants, she grumbles back to me, but I don’t really want to know what she has to say. She’s usually not happy. Cats meow at the slightest provocation. If my two talked, I suspect Fern would be pushy and aggravating. Maddie would be laid back but tough when she needed to be.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be like Doctor Doolittle and talk to the animals, but lots of times now I don’t even want to talk to people. I can’t imagine adding animals to the mix.