Anyway, it was my cat Hermia’s 19th birthday yesterday, April 15. Yes, 19. Can you believe it?

I can’t. I was never a cat person. We had them growing up, off and on. Names like Cinders, and Felix, and Truffle (actually I made that last name up). But these cats came and went like roommates in a Brooklyn apartment. I never was that attached to any of them. I got Hermia from a friend who basically said (asked?): “I’m moving into a new place and my new housemate is allergic to cats but it’s only temporary…”

Well, temporary has now turned into 19 years.

Now I can’t imagine my life the last 19 years without her. Basically she and I grew up together. She’s seen me through 3 states, several boyfriends, and all kinds of drama, heartache, success. She’s an odd cat; for most of her life she was pretty darn fat. Obese some might say. She had this belly that hung down and brushed the floor when she walked. And she was a talker– talked all the time as if she were holding a conversation with you.

Me: Hi Hermia, how are you today?

Hermia: Mew. Mew. Mewwww. Reowrrr.

You get the picture.

We used to call her the Shelly Winters of cats. But now she’s more like the Jessica Tandy of cats.

Ok. I’m beginning to realize that I’m now devoting this blog post to my cat, which isn’t what I was planning to do; however, I do find it pretty amazing that she’s now 19 fricken years old, you know? Yes, she’s arthritic, cranky, poopy, skinny as a grasshopper, peeing everywhere, staring into space most of the time, but she’s actually pretty loving still, too. Sleeps right next to me, (well, um, in between me and Ted) and every once in a while let’s out a bit of a Meowrrr like the kitty I once knew.

Next post: my beanie cat collection!

Just kidding. Next post I’ll talk about writing/writers again. I promise.

a. Hermia, early 1990s

b. early 2000′s

c. mid-2000′s w/Betsy

d. today (check out that waist! most women would kill for that!!)

Been back from my residency in Vermont for two weeks now. Ooof, talk about withdrawal. Luckily, Ted made me dinners for the first two nights I was home (he was trying to ease me back into the real world; the world where three meals a day aren’t cooked for me and a world without continual access to a fully stocked salad bar).

It’s been a strange transition back. I had to jump into teaching again– though (sadly? happily?) only two classes. I guess sadly since It means less money. But I’ll be teaching a one night a week class for 5 weeks in March.

So I get back to teaching– two great classes, thank heavens. Get back to Ted. Get back to the kitties. Yes, Hermia is STILL alive–18 years 10 months, despite a few scares while I was gone and then one REALLY big scare last week involving too much insulin. Luckily she pulled through but not before I had said my teary goodbyes. A good dress rehearsal I suppose.

And now the writing. Getting back to it  has been tough. Mostly, I hope, because I’ve been so busy getting caught up with school. But there’s also just this whole transition back, out of that world where I had no responsibilities and could read for two hours and then write for two hours then read for two hours then write again.

Still, I came back with such incredible feedback and ideas about the book and more chapters. I’m ready to move forward with it. I also have decided i’m going to take a break every once in a while and write something short– a short story, an essay, a poem– in order to feel that sense of accomplishment more often. I miss that. I mean, I feel some sense of accomplishment when I finish a chapter or a really great scene or description or even line, but I miss the feeling of being done with something.

This week I revised a short story from several years ago; actually, I turned it into a short-short, in the hopes of sending it out to places. And i’ve got an idea for a short essay that I want to work on too– it involves this book, Shelley, Also Known As Shirley, a memoir by Shelley Winters (incidentally, it’s a book I first read when I was eleven. Do with that what you will…).

Is this procrastination? Is this going to keep me from my novel? Only time will tell, but I’m hoping not. I hope it will get me back into a regular routine of writing– like I had in Vermont. No make that a regular routine of CREATING.

I miss my Vermont friends. The snow. The fresh baked bread and chickpeas at the salad bar. But i’m glad to be home, too.

So much to say but my head is utterly pounding and the thoughts in my brain a-jumble — anxiety about travel tomorrow, the strange ritual of packing up after 5 weeks away, the  goodbyes to dozens of wonderful people. What is there to say? How to put it into words how important this residency was, how inspiring, how enlightening.

Some fragmented thoughts (Part 1):

I love snow (and it’s now snowing on our last night–yay!)

layering of clothes– forgot how fun it was to accessorize with a scarf–though I didn’t wear my hat as much as I should have (worried about bad hair)

learned so much about the characters in my book.

was inspired by the art and artists here: collage, painting, sculpture, jewelry, print making

decided I really want to buy a print-maker, print press (anybody have an old one they don’t want?)

felt pangs of jealousy that I wasn’t an artist making paintings or sculptures or other visual art

dance parties are fun again

in a pinch Jim Beam will do nicely

really worked on voice and language in my book

VSC has probably the nicest, funniest chef i’ve ever had the pleasure of working with (Go Mark!)–as well as everyone else in the kitchen.

Leni Zumas is my new favorite writer. If you haven’t read her, go out and get her book Farewell Navigator NOW.

People here were very interested in my book. WHEWWW!

I learned some new collage techniques, including ‘tearing.’

Learned the word Gesso. Also ‘underpainting.’

Ate a lot of salad while here.

Crashed into a ditch/snow bank but was rescued by friendly Vermonters.

Saw sled dogs up close and personal!

Twirled around in a black dress while having my picture taken.

Washed about 17, 294 dishes (ok, I just rinsed them).

Made photograms with Rachael!

Finally got good use of my duckboots!

Missed Ted.

Missed the kitties.

discovered Green Mountain organic distilled Vodka (awesome martinis)

the founders and employees of VSC are the greatest

**more about my work at VSC later…

Hope With Dick and Jane (postcard made by me, Nov. 2008)

Me and Ted, July 2008

And finally, my absolute favorite picture of the year: Ted and Betsy–Like Father, Like Daughter

Jackophobia:

The fear that somewhere,

somehow, Jack is watching you.

(Inspired by Gary Larson’s Far Side Cartoon)

I’ve got Cayenne Peppers ripening red. I’ve been researching (aka Googling) how to cook with Cayenne Peppers and came across some interesting ideas like this. But if anyone else has some good ideas for what to do with Fresh Grown Cayenne Peppers please let me know.

Here they are:

We’ve been eating the little teardrop yellow tomatoes– boy are they good.

My sister bought us a garden gnome.

We’ve also got Basil and Habanero peppers and Mint, but the Mint’s not doing so well.

Jack feels right at home among the vegetables.

Speaking of growth, our dear friends Sandi and Cheryl are getting married tonight in Corona, California and we’ll be there!

Sandi and I have been friends since High School. She was the shift leader at my very first job– at Weinerschnitzel– in the mid 80s.

(that’s me and a girl name Desiree–not Sandi–below in black and white–don’t you love the polyester visor?)

We’ve come a long way baby.

Sandi came out to NYC for mine and Ted’s wedding in Brooklyn in 2005 and we’ve been waiting for her and Cheryl to tie the knot.

Maid of honor is the wonderful Lolers, our Canadian friend. I’d like to think that it was us that brought Lolers and Sandi together– so they owe us big time! They met the weekend of our wedding (see the pic below of me and Lola) and have been inseparable (well except when they’re apart in Calif and Canada) ever since.

Can’t wait to see them and to celebrate their marriage! Their LEGAL marriage! Woo Hoo!

Amen.

Sleeping with cats is also what i’ve been doing the last two nights since Ted is in San Francisco for the weekend. With more space in the bed Betsy and Hermia have been flanking me– i’m terrified to roll over on one of them; no matter which way I roll they are right there.

I’ve also been doing some gardening. We don’t really have a yard, but we have a patio and i’ve been tending to the plants. About 6 weeks ago I bought some tomato plants. They were about six inches tall then, but now they are about two feet tall and one is growing a tomato!!! This is the first time i’ve ever grown a vegetable. I’m so exited. It’s called a patio tomato, and will hopefully turn red (it’s pea-green right now–see the pic on the left). I’ve also planted yellow tomatoes and peppers.

Friday I bought a lemon tree and re-potted it. I don’t know how long it will take to grow lemons (the guy who lives upstairs from us has a lemon tree in a big pot and it’s growing these huge lemons), but maybe by the time Ted and I move out of the apartment i’ll be able to plant the lemon tree in an actual yard.

I’ve also got a bougainvillea growing, several cacti and jade plants. You should have seen me out there, re-potting in my little green garden gloves, spraying for bugs, feeding the plants with Miracle-Gro, while Jack and Betsy sat in the sunshine. Here are some pictures of the cats in the ‘garden.’

Jack contemplates the tomatoes

sometimes Jack runs away from me and I have to chase him into other peopless’ patios– he’s especially partial to the patio belonging to the cute, blond, Scandinavian-looking surfer guy next door. Bad Jack! Bad!

Hermia thinks that rolling around in the dirt and grass and filth is detestable.

But she does miss Daddy.

I totally forgot it was Hermia’s Birthday today.

Two days of celebrations!She was born on April 15, 1991– which makes her 17 years old. But, according

to this website , she’s really 78 years old (in the human equivalent).

Here’s their chart:

Here’s a look at Hermia through the years:

1. (first picture) she’s just about a year old here.

2.  here, she’s about two.

3. this is hermia in the sink, from about 1997 or 98, when we lived in Arizona. She loves taking a bath.

4. in NYC, (hence the hard-wood floor) around 2000, so when she was about eight or nine. The lack of exercise took its toll on her once youthful, svelte figure.

5. this is around 2002 or 2003, b.c. (before the other cats), and shows a little of her cotton crotch

6. this is pretty much how she looked when we told her she was getting a little sister and brother.

7. this is the said –evil– step sister and step brother (jack and betsy).

8. she even asked us to send her back to Crate & Barrel, but they wouldn’t exchange her for a dish set no matter how hard we tried.

9. but now she’s learning to get along, sorta, with the other kids.

10. well, except jack. She’ll probably never accept jack (at least she’d never admit to it).

11. Did you know that last year Hermia had her portrait done? In oils. (by wonnnerful artist, Rachel Rifat).

12. for now, Hermia’s happy and content, if a little flabby and cranky, though she’s often quite lovable and never leaves my side at night.

13. except when she climbs down the ramp to eat or use the ladies room.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMIA!!

A Newbie’s Guide To Publishing. He has some pretty sage advice and words of wisdom, for example:

There’s a word for a writer who never gives up… published

and

Write when you can. Finish what your start. Edit what you finish. Submit what you’ve edited. Repeat.

So true.

I hit the 5, 504 word mark (20 pages; 2, 286  more words since Monday) on the new draft of my novel yesterday. Slow going but i’m feeling so much better about the revision of these first chapters.  I’m especially happy with the very first paragraph of the book now– ooof, how I struggled with the opening paragraph.

Oh, and Happy Easter from Jack!