Jigger takes a trip (vacation…part one).

I do love vacation.  I know, I know – who doesn’t love vacation?  The problem is, whenever I come back I have to spend two or three days coming down from the high.  Which mostly is spent wondering how I could convince my parents to just let me live in their motor home full time.  I’m guessing that’s a no-go.  Plus, I really do see the writing on the wall – eventually it might get old.  Still, I’d be willing to try.  It’s just that whole pesky income thing that holds me back.  Like I actually need an income.  People say you can’t win the lottery if you don’t play – well, I’m here to tell you that you also can’t win if you DO play.  At least in my case.

Vacation included seven people – Mom, Dad, me and the Pennsylvania crew of my brother, nephew, niece and pretend-nephew.  Plus three dogs.  And a surprise entry.  So you know the planning was extensive as we were all staying together at a campground in North Myrtle Beach.  And you know how planning sort of overwhelms you – even when you are just plain ready to roll. 

Now, what do most smart, normal, sane people do the day before they leave?  Probably wrap up the little things – last minute packing, last minute grocery shopping, getting gas for the car – stuff like that.  I say ‘probably’ because what we did was, well, not that. 

Instead, after a brief phone call with my mother on the Friday before the Sunday we left – we decided the best way to spend an already busy Saturday was to drive north of Raleigh to deliverance and pick up a kitten.  A brand new kitten.  Who does that? 

Well, just look – and tell me, who wouldn’t?

This is Jigger.  He’s a three month old Flame Tip Siamese bundle of goodness.  Here’s the thing.  There is no such activity as ‘driving to look at….(insert item)’.  Sure, we pretended we were just going to look at Jigger, but he had us at the first purr.  As if to say “Oh, here you are!  I’ve been waiting for you to bring me home!”

So we did.

We drove him back to Raleigh to my house and then my mom drove him back to Pinehurst to their house. 

Wait a minute, you say?  Weren’t you just getting ready to head out on vacation?  Oh fear not – this little guy didn’t know it – but he was getting ready to be introduced to the motor home in a big way.  Yes, he has spent twelve of thirteen days of his new life living in the camper with his new best friends – the collies.

And the rest of us spent these days being reminded of what it’s like to have a kitten.  You forget just how high they can jump (onto every flat surface and many that aren’t quite so flat).  You forget just how cute they are when they sleep (if you can get them to stop moving enough to take a nap).  You forget how curious they are (as he cuddles into an eighty pound collie with all of his two or three pounds of weight).  You forget their climbing abilities (Curtains?  Check.  Human legs?  Check.). You forget that they don’t know that it’s the kitten food they are supposed to eat (as he samples anything he can get his paws on – often directly from some non-guarded plate).  You forget that they have to be, well, reminded to use the kitty litter (he’d actually sign in relief being placed in the box).

And then you remember just how sweet a tiny boy can be.  And how he was just what the doctor ordered to help heal a heart that was broken recently by another cat’s passing.