Introducing... my new friend, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds!

I couldn't go one more day without a cat in my house.  After sharing my entire adult life with the coolest cat in the world, I really felt that cat-shaped absence.  You know, once you love, you want to love again, that kind of thing.  I need the feline muse.  I need the cat on my lap or sprawled on my desk. 

I miss Nigel.  I always will.  He was one in a million.  So I went looking for the other one.

She's 6 months old and had been at the shelter for two months.  We brought our dog to meet her, and she didn't run in fear when she saw him.  Heck, there are people who run in fear when faced with 20lbs worth of snorting Pug.

In keeping up our tradition of house pets having either book/movie names, or rockstar/song related names, we have named her Lucy, as in, In The Sky With Diamonds.  

She's ultra-girly, killer cute, and very talkative with her little squeaky inquisitive voice.  She kisses our knuckles with her sandpaper tongue and purrs much louder than you'd expect out of such a tiny cat.  Her fur is so soft it's unbelievable.

After about 24 hours in our house, she's getting comfortable.  

She's blending in, you know, becoming part of the scenery around here.  She has a lot of little places to slink into and explore.  I didn't vacuum before she got here.  She's finding all the dust monsters.  

She's very agile and lithe, especially after Nigel's last couple years of cat-retirement.  With dainty little leaps she's on the windowsill or up on a chair.  I put a bell on her collar so I can hear where she is.  I can see why the tabby colouring is so common to cats- it's very good camouflage!

She is so petite, and has the most beautiful fluffy tail.  She's got that crinkly ruffle of fur on her chest and cheeks, and little tufts in her perfect ears, but THAT TAIL.  It's longer than her whole body.

And so expressive!  She makes shapes and exclamation points with her tail!  

She's a good schmaechler.  Cuddling and snuggling is an important part of a cat's job around here.

The Pug is quite obsessed with her.  He really needed another critter friend.  He wants to lick her ears and play with her.  She's not so totally into him, yet.  I figure it's only a matter of time before they're pals.  Of course she'll have to swat him once or twice.  It's what cats do.

As soon as Lucy figures out that Dobby is a professional cuddler and foot warmer, she'll be curling that magnificent tail around him for a snooze in the sun.  

I'm in love again.  And it feels so good!