We gained a pint-size family member over the holidays. A sweet calico kitten with a tiger tail named.….that’s just it, we don’t know yet! Initially, I was thinking something Irish, Aoife (pronounced “eefa”), or something Japanese such as Keiko. She has a black fleur-de-lis on her back. Perhaps she should be named Fleur for the famous and beautiful French witch in Harry Potter’s Tri-wizard Tournament.
What kind of feline ethology might guide us? She came from a litter of four kittens. So, if we follow western European naming traditions, she should be named after my mother’s mother, my father’s mother, my mother, or my mother’s oldest sister, depending on birth order which we don’t know. If we follow the ethology thread of animal behavior character, that leads us to all the leaping and hopping. Maybe a frog-based name—Hyla (“heela”), the genus name for tree frogs or Rana, the genus name for green frogs. She does like water and enjoys perching on an island of knee in the bathtub.
Some native american traditions involve looking to the nearest water. In this case, that is the fish tank. How about Fighting-Fish-Stalker, as she is enthralled with the fish tank. Just kidding. Maybe she should name herself. This what emerged when she leapt from my lap to the keyboard…. gjmn,0pdddddddddddd. Gijmin Opped? Gidget? Sounds like a scat singing cat.
Our daughter has not been challenged with naming so far, given the following rapid name evolution. Cinderella (too Disney) turned into Snow (too Disney) turned into Flower (too Disney) turned into Christmas Ornament Flower. That’s more original. Then the flower got more specific. Christmas Ornament Daisy. Next came Daphne Daisy. Eventually that morphed into Daisy Mayhem, which suits her well. Daisy Mayhem she’s been for a few days now.
It’s been wildly entertaining having a curious, furry sprite scampering and leaping about. I have not laughed this hard this often in quite some time. Then, last night I heard a Buddy Holly tune on the radio. Could it be that our new kitten will be named Peggy Sue?!
What kind of feline ethology might guide us? She came from a litter of four kittens. So, if we follow western European naming traditions, she should be named after my mother’s mother, my father’s mother, my mother, or my mother’s oldest sister, depending on birth order which we don’t know. If we follow the ethology thread of animal behavior character, that leads us to all the leaping and hopping. Maybe a frog-based name—Hyla (“heela”), the genus name for tree frogs or Rana, the genus name for green frogs. She does like water and enjoys perching on an island of knee in the bathtub.
Some native american traditions involve looking to the nearest water. In this case, that is the fish tank. How about Fighting-Fish-Stalker, as she is enthralled with the fish tank. Just kidding. Maybe she should name herself. This what emerged when she leapt from my lap to the keyboard…. gjmn,0pdddddddddddd. Gijmin Opped? Gidget? Sounds like a scat singing cat.
Our daughter has not been challenged with naming so far, given the following rapid name evolution. Cinderella (too Disney) turned into Snow (too Disney) turned into Flower (too Disney) turned into Christmas Ornament Flower. That’s more original. Then the flower got more specific. Christmas Ornament Daisy. Next came Daphne Daisy. Eventually that morphed into Daisy Mayhem, which suits her well. Daisy Mayhem she’s been for a few days now.
It’s been wildly entertaining having a curious, furry sprite scampering and leaping about. I have not laughed this hard this often in quite some time. Then, last night I heard a Buddy Holly tune on the radio. Could it be that our new kitten will be named Peggy Sue?!
Hanging pictures in the new living room...then hanging them again...and yet again...yes, the same ones. 
Finding my great grandfather's beaver top hat circa ~1880 and my grandfather's bowler hat circa ~1910.
Toasting my parents with home made, home grown currant and raspberry liqueur.
Everyone laughing at photos in the memory album.
Wearing mom's velvet opera cape.
Outside the Hermit Club where mom and dad had their wedding reception, and featuring the black straw coat from Rome (middle).
Sweet little girls in velvet dresses.