hello. kitty.

Mornings are still slow.

The chalkboard wall that declares chores done and breakfast served by 8:30 every a.m. is a chalky liar lately.

The culprits are obvious.

Sleepless nights.

Crowded beds.

The other morning was an anomaly tough.

A breakthrough.

“Rise and shine,” I’m whispering to the sleepers beside me – of which there are only two.

A small number, by comparison.

I hear sounds that prove more than the usual morning chore activity is taking place.

Some strong amounts of giggling.

A too-loud-for-pre-breakfast voice announcing, “Genius Professor Kitty approaching.”

Yes.

I admit.

I was mildly curious, but frankly, given our children’s propensity to dress up animals, I wasn’t overly surprised.

I popped back into the bed with the warm and cuddly two and waited patiently for the show – whatever that may be.

And then –

carried in with grand flourishes –

some grinning kids and this golden cat,

boldly purring,

wearing both

a sweater

and a teeny pair of glasses.

You guys.

It was so funny.

This cat – Theodore Roosevelt by name – suddenly looked as if he was earning his presidential title.

The kids were cracking up.

T. Roosevelt was content

and absolutely posing for his portrait.

And, I’m telling you, I think the feline is near-sighted because I really believe he was seeing more clearly.

The kids were laughing –

kind of waiting for me to order the glasses off and the cat outside.

Instead, I think I surprised them.

(It’s fun to do that sometimes, you know.)

“What else can he wear?”