It was my 43rd wedding anniversary out of May 6, 1973 and like most Irish husbands married more than a day I was upstairs in bed alone.

Just before duffing off to sleep under my old blankets in the dark I caught a slight disturbance on my left. It was the momcat Mister Mittens. She sniffed my face before flopping down with a rump thump into my left hip. She went to sleep and so did I.

In the middle of the night I woke up and had to pee and so I did. It was pitch black since I know my way around here after 38 years in the same house. Upon my return to bed the momcat was not thrilled with my waking her up. She made some kind of unhappy cat noise halfway between a hiss and a snarl. I got back into bed under my covers while she was over them but I grabbed a lap blanket down by my foot and threw it over her. She was on her left side and I made sure her head was not covered. She groaned and hissed and was pissed but went back to sleep.

By my digital clock I awoke at 7:06 this morning. My left hand was being held by the momcat's front paws (all soft pads, claws in) and she was staring at me. That's when I got out of bed to feed her well.

How dare you disturb Mr Mom before her waking hour!