Our new cat Rooney is settling in. Ironically, we think that boarding her while we were away last week has helped. While she seemed to enjoy her three-story cat condo with its view of the ocean and several bird feeders, as well as the cat-devoted staff at the feline boarding home, she seemed even happier to be back in her home of only a month. Because she was a stray prior to moving in, perhaps she wasn't sure she was going to be coming back here. But now that she's back, she's finding special places around the house to curl up, including Paul's lap, or the back of the couch in the living room. She has little conversations with us. She's become one of the family, learning our routines. Once more a little animal inhabits our house.

No longer empty,
this house where a cat awaits
our nightly return.