The monster under the bed might be real.

It's been a stress full week. I'll address that in another post. Today I want to share some ways to stay sane that work for me and tell a funny story-at least to me.

First, sanity aids.

1. Watch birds.
2. Watch the sunrise
3. Watch the sun set
4. Watch the above happen over water.
5. Sit next to the ocean and listen to the waves.
6. Listen to favorite music (Vivaldi-Irish jigs.)
7. Watch the light change on mountains.
8. Listen to and watch small children play and laugh-or kittens and puppies.
9. Write-lists, poetry, anything you want.
10. Love someone
11. Be loved
12. Pray

Jaws and Soraya

My sister Susie had a cat named Jaws. I've written about Jaws the terror, who would come into the bathroom and flush the toilet while you were in a hot shower, causing a burst of ice cold water to shock you into consciousness. I really think that cat enjoyed the screams. She also loved to raid the refrigerator and abscond with any baked goods left around.

When Jaws behaviour became suddenly worse, Susie didn't think too much of it, a little hissing and loud meoooowers, were not end of the world, or missing the cat box. However, after Jaws decided the trick of the day was to pee on her feet, several times, Susie decided she had to do something. It was time for a trip to the vet.

After the marathon event that revolved around shoving Jaws into the cat carrier, they were off to the vet, Susie thankful that travel did not involve public transportation due to the tortured cat screams coming from transport. It sounded more like a wounded lion than a small cat.

Once Susie and Jaws made it back to the exam room, not without stirring up every other animal in the waiting room, the exam began.

After a few moments of examining an extremely docile black cat, the vet looked up.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

A shocked Susan snapped back, "Of course not. And if I were, I certainly would not come to a vet for the diagnosis." She grabbed the carrier, shoved Jaws in and bolted out of the office.

On the way home curiosity overcame anger and Susie stopped by a drug store to make a small purchase.

At home later, the pregnancy test was positive. After a visit to her OB/Gyn, she found out she was four months pregnant. Jaws and the vet turned out to be great diagnosticians. Five months later Soraya was born, every bit as strong a personality as her mother and Jaws the cat.

Jaws is gone but never forgotten, his skill as a diagnostician will always be remembered, as will his toilet flushing skill.