No it wasn't an 18-year-old girl looking from some action from an old Marine. At least I'd have given that a whirl.

In the last 8 days I have been a pin cushion at the VA - blood lab, CT scan with "contrast" and a different horror. Each time I got a bayonet shoved into an arm vein (three different times total). And I had a VA ophthamologist study my eyes in an exam that took almost two hours. That woman dilated my eyes with some Windex spray I believe. Driving to the VA Hospital is almost a 70-mile round trip and I did it twice. The VA clinic for a blood lab is closer. And then I was out for an eye exam in the private sector to catch new glasses.

I prefer my travels now to be a local run for my muffin, beer and groceries. I went to bed on Friday night with no cats in my bed. I was hoping to sleep in on Saturday until after daylight - maybe until 8 a.m. when by the clock one-third of the 24-hour day is gone.

Nope. In the dark before dawn on Saturday at 5:20 a.m. I had a momcat visitor to my bed. She woke me up. She hissed and fought for her life when I tried to strangle her in the dark but after a bit flopped next to me and I threw some blanket over her. She let me go back to sleep until some daylight appeared. And that's when I got up to feed some cats.

I dearly love the three house cats. I took on the responsibility to care for those cats when they came off the street and into my home. My wife and I have never failed them.

Siciaticia subsided and Mom cat reclaim her "bunk buddy"