Last Saturday Jazz-min woke me by licking my nose. I don't know if she was just walking past my face and couldn't resist or if she figured that if she woke me gently, I'd pet her. With Jazz, it could be either.

Lately she's also developed a tendency to curl up on my feet in the morning when I'm standing in front of the sink brushing my teeth, etc. Especially if I'm wearing the plaid floor length nightgown that then becomes a cat tent.

Coupla weeks ago when Tom and I were eating supper on the deck for the first time this season, Jazz (who is now allowed to go outside without a chaperone) leaped about halfway up a good sized tree in the center of the turnaround. Evidently it was the first time she'd tried that because she couldn't figure out what to do next. I tried to tell her from a distance to back down but she wouldn't. (Cats don't listen.) So I went over there and stood underneath her with my arms outstretched (she was up higher than I could reach) and talked her down a little bit. As soon as I could, I put my hands around her tush. She then relaxed completely (wow! she must REALLY trust me!) and sort of "fell" into my hands and I put her on the ground. The next day after Tom came home from work and let her out, he noticed that she was leaping up on trees again -- and trying out different techniques to get back down. She was PRACTICING!!! And she finally figured out what works best for her.

And a lot brighter than a lot of felinities who have called this place home over the years.

Linn