17 June 1994, I pulled into a hilltop driveway of a house on the southwest corner of Whipp Road and Seton Hill Street, responding to an ad for free kittens. As I looked over the kittens, the Centerville HS band mom said, “I think that little fellow likes you.”

So, I left the home with my first pet as an adult. I was to later learn the kitten was a girl, not a boy. But, oh, the stories that commenced from that introduction.

My friend, Susan Cook, a fellow music teacher and phenomenal clarinetist added some ribbons to the straw bonnet she’d purchased for Logan (formerly known as Mister Logan until I learned her true gender identity) to wear on walks. Okay… walks. I didn’t know that most folks don’t walk cats and it never occurred to me that I’d not seen others walking cats.

On 4 July1994, Logan spent the entire day with me, celebrating The Fourth of July, even riding with the community band on the parade float, sleeping in Susan’s lap. Susan captured some photos on my camera and one on her own camera that I had not seen until today!

Wednesday evening, 9 February, while celebrating Mama Kay’s birthday, I described Logan wearing her straw hat and pulled up two photos to show.

Now, Susan and I always thought it was cool that we both had Aunt Bettys – both had the last name, Green, and each Aunt Betty is an artist. We also had cousins named Kim and Jill.

Today, I received the best surprise in the mail.

Susan’s Aunt Betty sent me a watercolor of the photograph Susan took, twenty-eight years ago! It is so doggone great!

I really do have a kick-ass cool life!