Dear Pickle

One of the hardest things about having pets and really loving them is the realization that they, just like people, can get sick and not stay around forever. And so it goes with Pickle. She has been my very first cat.

Sure, I've always had cats growing up, so it does seem odd for me to say that. There was Ming, Tyler, Chuck, Caesar, and then even Miss Kitty. But when I really stop and think about it, these animals ended up being more of my "sibling figures" than my pets. I was the older sister who mostly loved them but occasionally pestered the tar out of them when the mood struck her. (One day I'll have to ask Mom for the photo of one Siamese Tyler adorned with an embarrassing amount of hair scrunchies on his ears and paws. This would've been what I've always imagined to be an annoying older sister moment.)

One day I grew up, got married, and inherited a black cat named Cookie. I loved her (and love her still) but she was, again, not really mine. A few winters later, Jim brought home a little, orange, and wild ball of nerves in a cardboard box. She was scared, starving, and frostbitten at that time and still very much in survival mode. Back in college I'd decided that one day I'd have a son named Jack and a cat named Pickle... so you can imagine, her name was easily bestowed. Welcome home, little cat. And again, I'll stick to that earlier statement: Pickle has been my first cat-- mine, and mine alone.

She can't be more than eight years old, and although it's been a rather short "cat life," I'm glad she's spent her time with me. Thank you, Pickle J, for loving me the most and letting me love you too. In the coming days, when you see a little white dog named Millie, bite her on the bottom. It'll be a fun game, I bet.

Days at Disney

This weekend brings us safely back from Orlando, FL where the Hoodenpyles experienced bigtime fun at Disney World. While visiting, we stayed at the Disney All-Star Movies resort and overdosed heavily on all things 101 Dalmatians -- the theme of our building. Riding the buses and/or monorail was great fun for Jack and, in hindsight, could've almost been passed off as yet another "ride" during our stay. The trip all-around was so much fun.

During our 4 and a half day stay at Disney World, we were able to experience three parks: the Magic Kingdom (two days), Animal Kingdom, and MGM studios. The natural favorite was the Magic Kingdom where Jim emerged as a master of the FastPass feature. Purely for our own entertainment, Jim and I would make frequent points to stop and ask Jack, "What have you liked the best?" at various times of the day(s). He was always consistently dependable with his answer in that he would list whatever attraction we had just visited in the last five minutes. He did them all, even the ones that required him to be "super brave," as he put it. Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and even MGM's Tower of Terror were big hits with Daddy alongside him. I think he would have enjoyed Space Mountain had he only been two inches taller to meet the 44 inch height requirement. Oh well. He says he'll do that one "when he's five."

Jim and I both think it's funny that the biggest hit for Jack was the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (or what Jim and I have always known to be the "People Mover") in the Magic Kingdom. Why are we surprised? I have no idea. We must've ridden it a dozen times as the escalator leading up to/down from and the moving platform that one had to negotiate while boarding a car (and preferably the front car) only sustained Jack's fun.

Jack is pictured here on the People Mover... again.

We were lucky enough to be pulled out of It's a Small World's line as "special guests" of the attraction. Here are Jack and I up in the control booth.

Above, Jim and Jack are displayed onscreen at the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor attraction. This was an interactive "show" where a few of the audience members are selected to participate in the jokes. It was a great surprise for Jack to see himself on "tv."

This is how each day of fun ended... a satiated Jack... passing out.