Call me Mickey

I thought you might like a laugh today. Here I am coming back from cross walk duty. Remember when I was complaining that this dumb uniform was too big? Well, during this season I've got under that overcoat, a muffler, a uniform jacket, a uniform vest, uniform pants, a white shirt, a knitted vest, a tie, PAJAMAS, leg warmers, socks, boots and two pairs of gloves. (plus the cute hat.) I'm carrying a whistle, a badge, a cell phone and a crosswalk flag. With all these clothes I'm weighted down and ROLLING to the crosswalk! I guess I'm happy the uniform is still too big because it is REALLY cold and I need all the layers I can get. However, the huge gloves do remind me a bit of Mickey Mouse....

*****

1999 and our New Year's card featured two new members to our family. The black and white kitty was Zorro and he showed up in the empty lot next to us one night as a kitten that could hardly walk. I even tracked down the child who had picked him up at the school and left him near my house and I was so furious. I think the neighborhood kids think if there is a stray cat that they should take it to Tanya which is NOT in my plans. But giving the kitty back would just mean that it got thrown out somewhere else so we kept it.

Not more than a month later I spotted Velvet in the forest (along with an empty tuna fish can). Within a few hours Vel had sought warmth and shelter on our porch on top of garden slippers. I ran away from home and Tetsu had to meet me in the middle of the day to plan what to do.

"Okay. Stay away from the house all day and if the kitty is still there tonight then we'll take him in."

You know the rest of the story. Vel is still with us today!

So the Watanabe family each had an animal to love and carry around that year. Shoko looks very uncomfortable!