1999 Imbolc Issue

6. The Winter of Their Joy - Selene 
7. Lavender - Dor 
8. Cats Corner - Sorcy

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9. Meagan's Imbolc - Kat Dyer 
10. Shopping Corner - Dor 
11. Events List - Selene

6. The Winter of Their Joy - Selene

Fiona and Julian rang in the new year with great anticipation for their time ahead. After the winter holidays were over, they took down their Yule decorations and carefully wrapped all her ornaments in tissue to be put away till next year. Fiona removed the Yule adornments from the altar and replaced them with a white cloth, silver candleholders with white candles, and a small vase holding a white flower, making it an homage to winter. Although the City kept the streets clear, icicles hung from window ledges and snow blanketed the top of Mount Komo. Fiona spent many hours on their roof, swaddled in warm clothes, staring out at the winter wonderland that lay outside the City. One Saturday in late January, Fiona decided that a sledding trip was in order. The City, in an attempt to utilize more of the area surrounding it, had set up a sled park on a hill just outside its borders. Fiona knew that Julian wasn't aware of the park, so she fixed a thermos of hot cocoa and bundled him up in a parka and scarf. "Where are we going dressed like this?" Julian wheedled, trying to get a hint. "You'll find out soon enough!" Fiona replied with a twinkle in her eye as she wrapped a scarf around his neck and took his hand. She led him down to the monorail station and they boarded the train. He at least knew which direction they were going, but he still had no idea where they were getting off. At every stop Fiona stood up, then sat back down just as the doors were about to close, to keep Julian in suspense. He continued to stare out his window when she stood up at the second to last stop, but she took his hand and pulled him onto his feet. He followed her out onto the platform and out of the station. Straight ahead was the sled park. Julian jumped with boyish glee and whirled Fiona into a big hug. He pressed his cold lips into hers, thanked her for bringing him there, and took off at a dead run for the top of the hill. Fiona watched him run for a moment, before following him up at a more leisurely pace, enjoying the feel of a beautiful winter day around her. Julian had a sled ready and waiting when she got to the top. She placed their thermos in the warming bin the City had set up for all the visitors and made her way over to Julian. She sat down on the sled and he sat behind her, his legs stretched out around hers. He pushed them off the end and they tore down the steep hill at breakneck speed, screaming with exhilaration as the frigid wind stripped away their adult personas and they became carousing five-year-olds again. The sled slowed to a stop as they reached the bottom of the hill and Fiona and Julian tumbled off the side. Fiona leaped to her feet and pulled Julian up, crying, "Again, again!" She threw her arms around Julian's neck, kissed him hard, then pulled away and pushed him up the hill with a shove. Laughing, Julian raced up the hill, dragging the sled behind him, with Fiona running to catch up. They got to the top and careened down the hill, over and over, until all the children in the park were watching Fiona and Julian and begging their parents to let them go that fast too. After several runs, Fiona and Julian went back up the hill and returned the sled. Fiona took their hot cocoa out of the warming bin and poured a mug of the piping chocolate nirvana. She took a long sip and sighed with contentment as she passed the cup over to Julian, who took a long pull from the cup and handed it back to her. They shared their cup of cocoa and cuddled as they watched other people go down the hill on the sled, in groupings of all kinds, and wondered when they would be able to do the same with their own children. As they sat there, an idea came to Julian, but he didn't let on to Fiona. He just sat there quietly plotting while Fiona enjoyed the day. About a week after the sledding trip, Fiona and Julian began preparing for Imbolc, their first official sabbat ritual since they had started studying Wicca formally. They decided that Fiona would make a corn dolly before the ritual and dress it as a bride to represent the Goddess. Julian would make a wand to represent the God. They also decided to make a loaf of braided bread for the ritual. A few nights later, Fiona was sitting in the living room watching the news and bending wet wheat into a corn dolly when she saw a teaser for an upcoming report and called Julian into the room to watch it. The newscaster announced that the leader of Sarah's cult had been arrested. The City had uncovered evidence that he had been planning to release tear gas inside the City Center during the upcoming Winter Festival that was being hosted by the City's Pagan Coalition. She assured viewers that the festivities would be held as planned on February 2nd, as no damage had yet been done by the cult. The newscaster went on to say that all members of the cult were being held until after the festival to prevent any of them from carrying out the leader's plan. Many had already been placed in counseling centers where they would be deprogrammed under the City's law prohibiting any activities that sought to hinder the beliefs or practices of any other City citizen. The cult had been deemed a hate group and the members were therefore subject to a minimum of twenty hours of deprogramming before they could be released back into society. After the report Fiona and Julian sat back, stunned by the news and wondering what that meant for Sarah. Julian told Fiona that he had received an e-mail from her a few weeks ago, but hadn't read it. He had noticed that, judging by the origination address, it had come from the cult's headquarters. They came to the conclusion that Sarah was probably one of the members being deprogrammed. Julian pulled Fiona into his arms. "Thank you for being nothing like Sarah," he said as he kissed her on the forehead. Fiona laughed lightly. "Um, you're welcome," she replied. "What about that Winter Festival, darling?" he asked. "Are we going to that?" "I'd love to, sweetie. We'll make a day of it and do our ritual after sunset on the night before, in the Celtic tradition. And on that note, we have baking to do." As they went into the kitchen, the report and all their ponderings about Sarah drifted away. First, Julian read the directions while Fiona mixed the batter; then Fiona prepared the bread pan as Julian kneaded the dough. He handed her the dough, which she rolled out into a long rope and folded over into a braid. Julian offered to put it in the oven and snuck a small object into the dough while Fiona went to the sink to start the dishes. When the bread was done, Julian removed it from the oven and made sure his surprise was hidden safely inside. He poked a tiny hole with a toothpick to mark the spot where it had settled and carefully wrapped the loaf in plastic wrap to keep it fresh until the ritual the next evening. Fiona and Julian spent the next day preparing for their ritual. First Fiona set up a temporary altar in the center of the room and decorated it with a white lace cloth and a bowl of white roses in full bloom floating in a crystal bowl. She removed the silver candlesticks from the permanent altar and placed them on either side of the flowers in the center of the new altar. She placed a silver candle in the holder on the left and a gold candle in the holder on the right to serve as her Goddess and God candles. She carefully arranged the tools they had collected thus far, including a small cauldron-shaped incense burner, Julian's athame, and a silver chalice embedded with cystals along with the dressed corn dolly and the wand Julian had made on the altar. She had also decorated a basket with lace and ribbon to serve as a bed for the Lord and Lady and placed that below the altar. After Fiona finished decorating the altar, she went into the kitchen to make a special Imbolc incense with sandalwood, cinnamon, and frankincense. Then she and Julian took turns taking ritual baths to prepare for the ritual. While Fiona was taking her bath, Julian poured mead into the chalice, set the braided bread on the offering plate, and placed them on the altar. He carefully arranged the bread so that her surprise would be on his side of the altar. Fiona emerged from the bathroom, disrobed, and joined Julian at the altar. They sat for a moment in quiet contemplation, grounding and centering, before Fiona lit the incense and Julian rose to cast the circle. He picked up his athame and walked around the circle, marking the boundary of the sacred circle. He returned to his place before the altar and set down the athame. Fiona stood and walked to the North where she lit the green candle and called the element of Earth. She repeated this in the East, South and West, then settled back beside Julian. She held the flame beside the silver candle and invoked the Goddess, "Lady, we call you on this winter eve to ask you to bring us your fire and awaken the earth." She handed the flame over to Julian and he held it beside the gold candle while he invoked the God. "Lord, join our Lady tonight in our circle and let the new growth begin." Fiona picked up the corn dolly and placed her in the basket that served as her maiden bed. Julian lifted the wand and lowered it into the bride's bed to ensure the mental and physical fertility of both Fiona and Julian in the coming year. Fiona took the loaf of braided bread off the altar and ripped off a small chunk. She handed it to Julian as she said, "May you never hunger." Julian placed the chunk in his mouth and reached for the bread. He found the toothpick mark and carefully pulled out a chunk around it. He placed it in Fiona's hand while repeating her words. Fiona put the morsel in her mouth and began to chew until her teeth met with something hard. She shot Julian a puzzled look and pulled it out of her mouth. She looked down at her hand and discovered an emerald ring. Julian took it from her, wiped it clean with a cloth he had hidden under the altar, and then took her hand as she stared at him wide-eyed. "Will you, Fiona Rowan, do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Fiona threw her arms around his neck and cried, "Yes! Of course! I love you." Julian pulled away a little and they moved in for a long, slow, wonderful kiss that expressed just how much they loved each other. Finally Fiona pulled away, laughing and smiling. "We still have to finish the ritual." She picked up the chalice and checked inside, tossing him a playful glance, to make sure there was nothing else awaiting her. She handed the chalice to him as she said, "May you never thirst." He took a sip of the delicious honey wine and handed the chalice back to her, again repeating her words." Julian turned back to the altar and lifted the candle snuffer. He held it before the gold candle while saying, "Lord, thank you for attending our circle. Farewell and blessed be." He extinguished the candle and handed the snuffer to Fiona who held it before the silver candle. "Lady, we thank you for attending our circle. Farewell and blessed be." She snuffed the candle and stood to release the quarters. She started at the West, thanking the element of air for attending the circle and then extinguishing its flame and moved on to the South, East and North. She returned to the center of the circle and sat beside Julian. He picked up the athame and walked counter-clockwise around the circle to release it. As he finished he said, "May the circle be open, but unbroken." Julian had scarcely made it back to his place beside Fiona before she jumped him and knocked him onto his back, devouring his lips with a deep, passionate kiss. He responded in kind and they made heady love on the floor in front of the altar. The next morning, Fiona and Julian woke up late and made themselves a large breakfast, finishing up the offering bread from the night before, then got ready for the Winter festival at the City Center. They arrived to find the center filled with people. Several non-Pagans had shown up to see what all the fuss was about thanks to the press garnered by the cult leader's attempt to stop the event. The Pagans fluttered from group to group explaining the meaning behind the celebration and pointing out the activites board. Lady Celeste approached as Fiona and Julian were reviewing the board and greeted them warmly. She couldn't help but notice the beautiful ring adorning Fiona's delicate hand. She looked at Julian, "Does this mean what I think it means?" "It certainly does," he replied. Lady Celeste hugged them again and offered her congratulations. "So have you chosen a date yet?" Fiona looked at Julian. "Well, I was thinking Beltane would be nice. And we would be honored if you would perform the ceremony." "I would be most honored," Lady Celeste cried in delight. "I know you have a lot to do today, so I'll e-mail you tomorrow about planning the ceremony. We're thinking of a Victorian handfasting." "Wonderful. Enjoy the festivities today." As Lady Celeste walked away, Julian turned to Fiona. "Can we really plan a wedding in three months?" Fiona smiled at him brightly, "Of course we can, we just need to start now!" Fiona's excitement was infectious as Julian swept her up into his arms and twirled her around. "Beltane it is, my love. I'll do it whenever you want as long as you promise to be mine!" Fiona laughed and kissed him. "I will. But for now, we have merrymaking to do." Julian set her back down and the two of them headed off hand in hand to the candle-making area where they would make spell candles for the coming year. They decided to make two of each of the colors offered, since they didn't know what their needs might be during the next twelve months. Julian had never made candles before and had a wonderful time dipping the wicks in hot wax and working them into six-inch tapers, the perfect size for spell work. Fiona hung their candles over the drying rack with a label bearing their name and they continued on to the feasting area to munch on the delicious goodies the Pagan Coalition members had provided. After they finished their snack, they wandered the festival grounds a little longer, watching children dress corn dollies and other people make candles, then went to check on their candles and found them cooled. Fiona took them down and turned to Julian. "There is a candle blessing ritual in ten minutes. Why don't we go do that and then go home and do a little celebrating on our own?" "Sweetie, you're a woman after my own heart! Lead the way." They made their way to the area of the City Center where an altar had been set up. There they found two members of Lady Celeste's coven preparing to lead the ritual. Fiona and Julian took a basket from beneath the altar and carefully arranged their candles inside, then set it back down under the altar. After a few minutes, more people had arrived at the altar and all the baskets were filled. The ritual was ready to begin. The coven members acted as priest and priestess and invoked Brid and her consort to join them in the blessing of the candles for the next year. The ritual was beautiful and each participant had a chance to energize their own candles as well as help energize the candles of the others in the circle. Once the circle was released, Fiona and Julian carefully wrapped their candles in tissue and made their goodbyes. They held hands tightly as they rode the subway home, both sure they had made the right choice in deciding to study Wicca more indepthly. Their stop came quickly and they bounced off the train and up to their building. Fiona wrapped herself around Julian in the elevator and moved in for a long kiss. They had scarcely made it into the apartment before their clothes were flying off and they were tumbling onto the couch where they made slow, passionate love. As they recovered, Julian reminded Fiona that they had just under three months to plan their handfasting. "I know my love. And tomorrow we'll get started... but for now, we need to celebrate our engagement again!" And with that, she pulled him down for another kiss and all thoughts of wedding planning left his mind for the rest of the evening.

7. Lavender - Dor

LAVENDER
by Baboo Kyra Finch

For a wish to manifest
Use lavender in pillow pressed,
And wish you to attract your love,
Your chances they will much improve.

Lavender will help you find
Visions on a ghostly kind,
Burned on Samhain it is best
To invite a ghostly guest.

If a nasty headache pain, you
Fill a sock with millet grain.
Add blossoms, oil or crushed leaf,
And lay on eyes for swift relief.

It's fragrant oils in your bath
Will help you walk a peaceful path;
Or simply place within a drawer,
To sweetly scent your underwear.

LAVENDER
By Dor

(Lavendula vera or Lavendula officinale)
Parts Used: fresh flowers, dried flowers or essential oil
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Magical Influences: Health, Love, Celibacy, Peace, Conscious mind

Hello friends, this issue we are visiting the wonderful and aromic herb Lavender. Lavender is used in purification baths and incenses and is often thrown into fires and at Midsummer is used as a tribute to the Gods and to bring visions and inspiration. Lavender is used in healing baths and as a sachet can be carried to attract men. The scent will also induce sleep. It is an excellent herb for bringing clarity and coherence to magickal workings and for focusing visualizations. Lavender is also used as a strewing herb on special occasions and festivals. Magical Uses:
For health: Just before stepping into your bath, add 9 drops of Lavender essential oil to the water while visualizing good health. Have a Lavender bath once daily for a week as a health maintaining ritual. For Love: Lavender has long been associated with spiritual love. It's ruling house being Mercury, the planet associated with the conscious mind, Lavender's effectiveness in promoting love appears to be in it's ability to change the way we think about love. Using Lavender in love drawing spells stimulates our emotional centers and reprograms our conscious minds. The inhaling of Lavender's scent during visualization causes us to send signals to others of our needs. For Health: The scent of Lavender brings peace and dissipatates depression. Smelling Lavender brings these effects or bathing the temples and forehead will also work wonders. It will also help to relieve headaches when used in this manner. For uncontroled and stormy emotional states, Lavender can bring us conscious control. The scent of Lavender brings balance to our emotions and lets us see rationally that our uncontrolled emotions just prolong our misery. The fragrance strengthens our conscious mind. In the opposite direction the fragrance of Lavender along with the proper visualization can be used to maintain celibacy. Although a complete lack of sexual thoughts and or activity is contrary to human nature, there may be times when this state is necessary. The scent of Lavender can be used to help fascilitate this precarious state. A tincture of Lavender called "Palsy Drops" was recognized in the "British Pharmacopocia" for more than 200 years. Until 1940, doctors used the Lavender tincture to relieve muscle spasms, nervousness and headaches. For headaches a compress soaked in Lavender water then placed on your forehead works wonders. Depending on individual tastes, the compress may be either hot or cold. If there isn't time for a compress just dab a small drop of Lavender essential oil on each temple. A relaxing hot bath with a few drops of Lavender essential oil will also work a wonder cure most headaches. The essential oil of lavender contains potent antifungal agents and have been used in fighting infections, colds and flu.

Candida Tincture:
1oz tincture of black walnut (must be fresh)
1/2 oz each tinctures of Lavender flowers, valerian root and pau d'arco
10 drops tea tree essential oil
** combine ingredients and shake well before using. Take 2 to 3 dropperfuls per day.

For coughs, sore throats and laryngitus, put 2 drops of Lavender essential oil into a pan of steaming water and inhale the vapors. A strong solution of essential oils may also be used to treat a lice infestation. Test the mixture on the inside of your arm before using. Leave it on for several hours and if there is no reaction than use it to get rid of the lice. Keep the treatment away from your eyes and shampoo it off at the first sign of irritation - especially with children. The oils will kill the lice but perhaps not all the eggs so repeat the treatment after a week. Remember to wash all bed linens, clothes and anything else that may have come in contact with your head and possibly be infested with lice.

Lice Treatment:
2 oz vegetable oil
20 drops tea tree essential oil
10 drops each essential oils of rosemary, lavender and lemon
** combine ingredients. Apply t dry hair and cover with a plastic bag or shower cap. Wrap the head in a towel. Leave on for 1 hour. Put shampoo on dry hair to help cut the oil. Work the shampoo into the hair, rinse and shampoo again and rinse.

Some essential oils are also known to stimulate estrogenlike activity and when used in massage oils wil go directly into the bloodstream through the skin. Lavender is a hormonal balancer that is traditionally used in European facial creams to reduce aging and wrinkles. Used as a rejuvenation cream applied inside the vagina, these oils can counter vaginal dryness.

Vaginal Rejuvenation Cream:
2oz almond oil or vegetable oil
6 drops each rose geranium and lavender essential oils
1,500 International Units vitamin E oil (in liquid or capsule form)
1 drop neroli essential oil (expensive so this is optional)
** combine ingredients. For the vitamin E, use either the liquid vitamin or pop open a couple of capsules and empty the contents into the mixture. Apply as needed inside the vagina.

Douche for Vaginal Infections:
3 drops each lavender and tea tree essential oils
3 cups warm water
2 heaping tablespoons yogurt
** combine ingredients in a douche bag. Slosh around to mix well. Use treatment once a day. If the problem doesn'' clear up in 5 days, consult your doctor.

Oil for Genital Infection/Irritation:
1/8 teaspoon each lavender and tea tree essential oils
1 oz vegetable oil
** combine ingredients. Apply to infected or irritated area at least twice a day

Dusting Powder for Fungal Infections:
4 oz cornstarch or powdered cosmetic clay
1/2 teaspoon each lavender and tea tree essential oils
** Place cornstarch in a plastic bag and add the essential oils one drop at a time, redistributing the cornstarch as you go to disperse the oils evenly. Break up any clumps with you fingers on the outside of the bag. Let sit for 2 days. Use a few times daily and always after bathing or swimming. Works on athletes foot too.

Anti-inflammatory Prostate Oil
1/8 teaspoon each lavender and rosemary essential oils
4 drops Roman chamomile essential oil (optional)
2oz Saint-John's wort oil (see how to make below)
** combine ingredients. Rub on the skin under the scrotum once or twice a day

Lavender Chest Rub(for asthma - a muscle relaxant)
8 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops chamomile essential oil(optional-as an antihistamine for congestion)
1/4 cup olive (or other vegetable oil)
** combine ingredients. Rub on chest as needed, especially before bedtime. If you wish to add the chamomile as an antihistamine, replace 2 drops of the lavender with 2 drops of chamomile essential oil.

Cradle Cap Remedy:
1/4 cup aloe vera
3 drops each lavender and tea tree essential oils
** combine ingredients in a bottle and shake well to blend. Apply directly onto the skin a few times a day.

Bite and Sting Poultice:
1 tablespoon echinacea root tincture
1 tablespoon distilled water
1/8 teaspoon lavender essential oil
1 tablespoon bentonite clay
** combine the tincture, water and lavender essential oil. Add this mixture to the clay, stirring slowly as the liquid is absorbed. The resulting paste should be tacky enough to adhere to the skin. Apply directly to bite as needed. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid to prevent drying out. If it does dry out, stir in enough distilled water to turn it back into a paste.

Lavender Smelling Salts:
1/2 teaspoon rock salt
5 drops lavender essential oil
** place salt in a nonporous container. Add essential oil a drop at a time. The salt will readily absorb the oil. Carry your salts in a closed container . Open and sniff as needed for fainting or dizziness.

Anti-anxiety Fragrance: (aromatherapy)
4oz sweet almond oil
10 drops each lavender and orange essential oils
2 drops each marjoram and cedarwood essential oils
** combine ingredients and its done

Memory Stimulant: (aromatherapy)
4oz sweet almond oil
10 drops each lavender and lemon essential oils
5 drops rosemary essential oil
1 drop cinnamon essential oil
** combine ingredients

Aphrodisiac: (aromatherapy)
4oz sweet almond oil
10 drops each lavender and sandalwood essential oils
2 drops each ylang-ylang and vanilla essential oils
2 drop each cinnamon and jasmine essential oils
** combine ingredients. Lavender is not an aphrodisiac but is added to make the fragrance more mellow and uplifting/relaxing emotionally.

Menstrual Cramp Oil:
2 oz Saint-John's-wort oil
8 drops each lavender, marjoram and chamomile essential oils
** combine ingredients. Apply as often as needed by rubbing over the lower abdomen. This formula is also excellent for lower back or shoulder pain or any other type of muscle cramps. You can buy the Saint John's-wort oil premade or you can make it as below.

Body Oil:
2oz of dried herb
1 pint vegetable oil
** chop herbs very fine, place in a container and pour in just enough vegetable oil to cover. Stir to release air bubbles (avoid using powdered herbs as they absorb the oil like a sponge and clog the strainer. If powdered is all you have available, stir the powder every day to keep it from clumping) Heat herbs and oil for about 5 hours at about 85 degrees f. You can use a double boiler on top of the stove or an oven, or electric turkey cooker or a slow cooker set on the lowest setting. If your appliance doesn't have a low enough setting --- turn it off and on to regulate the temperature. Or you can put the mixture outside or in a sunny window on a hot day - the temperature of the oil in the jar will be about 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding air. When done, strain out the herbs with a fine kitchen strainer, pressing out the oil with the back of a spoon. If any herb particles come through the strainer, re-strain the oil through a coffee filter. The fine particles will irritate the skin when the oil is rub on if not gotten out. Store in a cool place. The oil will keep for several months and even longer is kept in the refrigerator.

Body Oil with Essential Oils:
4 oz vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon essential oil
**Combine ingredients and it is done

I hope you find the information about Lavender both enlightening and useful. Any questions or comments -- please e-mail me at: DOR41@aol.com.

8. CatCorner - Sharing Utilities - Sorcy SummerWind

Before I became a 'real' cat person - which is to say, went from ooing over the stray on the next block to cleaning my OWN litterboxes...three times a day - I had heard many stories of cats who learned how to use the toilet. I did not believe any of them. I mean, get real. They're animals, for crying out loud! Can you imagine? (I could, that's why I wanted no part of it. I tend to get up for a 'pit-stop' in the middled of the night. In the dark. Half asleep. Get the picture???)

When you keep adding cats to your collection, and end up with multiple litter boxes all over the house, you get used to the funny looks the clerks give you when you buy kitty litter in quantities of, say, dozends. After a few years, the prospect of easing that load does not sound all THAT crazy anymore. I began to perk up my ears when those stories were told, and I even learned that there are certain props available on the market to make it easier for them to learn. Kinda like baby seats with litter in them, then later the bottom comes out, until finally the whole structure can be removed. Somehow, I just never quiet believed it possible, so I did not actually BUY one of them things. And then out of the blue, my Siamese, with her natural attraction to water, figured it out all by herself and started trying. At first, I thought it would be a great idea to cut down litter costs, but as we went through the motions, I got smack back to my original point of view. No WAY!

First of all, one has to consider what could (and did) happen, what with my cats being so very sociable. But since I'm getting ahead of myself, let me back up and start at the beginning.....

During an evening on the couch, whenever nature called, they would companionably get up and pad along. It might have something to do with the fact that their dishes are also in the bathroom, which makes it a favorite hangout in the first place. However, as usual, the Siamese led the way. She just HAD to know what this was all about, and sitting on her hind quarters, paws up, she got the picture (ever had a cat nose you in the back, just then??). Needless to say, with orientals being so picky and clean, she was immediately fascinated with the very idea of never getting her paws icky again. So she would sit and watch the water flush with a dreamy expression in her eyes. I know it sounds a little funny, but she was so serious and scientific about it, that I just didn't have the heard to shoo her away. After a few weeks of observing the proccess (and obviously contemplating the best possible approach), she would try to wriggle up behind me, to be closer to the activity. One feels weird enough when one is faced with a cat fighting for balance in one's small of one's back, but YOU try to reach behind and extract the cat. Think you can grab her right so she WON'T start clawing about? Didn't think so....
Anyway, by then, she had the idea. The final watching of the flushing with paws up on the seat and head poked into the bowl (am I getting too graphic here?? Sowwy) was only the last bit of information that needed to be filed. After that, gods help everybody to remember to keep the seat DOWN. Which, when I thought it through, is just what I wanted to do, and never mind carrying litter by the whagon load. I've had enough. I had just imagined stumbling in at night or early morning, half asleep, just to be jerked wide awake when finding myself sitting on a cat. And quite frankly, I know she could learn to flush. But could she aim?

I have caught her a few times trying to get into position whenever someone forgot to put the seat down, so I know she has not completely given up on the idea. Of course it did not take her long to figure out how to stand on the flush button. She's done that with a passion for whole nights, and we had to install one of the pull-up buttons or try to sleep in the same house as Niagara falls. It might have won the battle, but surely not the war. Some days I find her sitting on the lid, staring at the pull-up button, as though she could force it to cooperate. I try to be careful not to be too obvious about using it, else I know she will copy it. After all, no cabinet is safe if she really wants to get in. I guess I've been just lucky so far. While it would usually turn out in the long run that I am (badly) mistaken, it serves to keep my peace of mind to tell myself she could NOT master a pull-up-button. A least, my conscious mind swallows that thought hook, line and sinker. My unconscious, however, knows it is only a matter of time...

In any event, the first time one of the kittens fell in trying to do what Auntie Minou does, that did it for me. Have you ever tried to get that blue cleaning stuff out of a CAT? Without question it qualifies as the worlds best coloring device, and who on earth has heard of a blue kitten??

By now I've found a wholesale store, and no one gives ME funny looks any more, loading up the trunk with bags over bags of fresh step :)
© Sorceress SummerWind - 1998

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