If Cats Could Talk

Do you ever look at pictures of your parents and calculate how old they were in that picture and how old you are now?

I was looking for an old picture of a gathering at Harstene Island to muse on how difficult it is to date those pictures.

And, as is often the case, I found something else.

This picture of Gramps (Jim Barnes, Dennis' father) was posed under the direction of Ilana.  It's in the 1994 folder.  Often I guessed at the dates; that would put Ilana as 8 years old. Could have been a few years later.   In their townhouse just a few blocks from us.  Ilana used the picture for Reflections (the PTA arts competition) entry entitled "If cats could talk."  She staged it as her grandfather talking to Frank, the cat.  Frank, one of our all time best cats, came to us as a stray.  He was looking around for a place with kids; he really liked children.  At that time, Susanna was a baby so he came to us in 1985.  One of those situations where you open the front door and the cat saunters in, "Hi, I'm your cat now, I live here so you might as well stock up on cat food. " In almost every picture of the kids when they are young, Frank was usually in the picture.  He loved kids and he felt like he had to watch over them.  One of those toddler cats who patiently let toddlers do anything what they want, stick their fingers in their ears, drag them around by their back feet, etc.  Later, when Danny's asthma worsened and we realized that he had a cat allergy, Frank found a new home at the grandparents' house down the street.  They loved him too.

So here Gramps is pretending to have a conversation with Frank and Frank is doing a good job listening.  Imagine doing that with our current cats?  As if!  As Ilana says, you can't even make suggestions to Starbaby, she is NOT interested in whatever you think should be happening.  Not one bit.  And George is such a semi-domesticated thug, he wouldn't go along; probably bite you.

Ilana loved Reflections, always entered, sometimes would get awards.  In kindergarten, she made a picture that she called 'a flower with a heart and a star' or something, as usual, taking her inspiration from the sky.  Fine.  Months later, on a winter evening, we get a call from my neighbor.

"Did you realize that the Reflections reception is tonight?  Like right now?"
"I did not know that"
"Did you know that Ilana won an Honorable Mention, which is a big deal?"
"I did not know that"
"Why aren't you here, you're supposed to be here!"

Of course, I hadn't heard a darn thing about it.  So I whip into action.  Naomi is two and it's January so guess what she's wearing?

If you are an experienced parent, you can get this one.

Her bathing suit, of course.  So somehow, I'm home with Danny and Naomi.  Where was Ilana and Susanna?  I don't remember.  I just remember finding everybody and changing directions fast.  I remember Danny taking his baby sister, peeling the bathing suit off and getting her dressed and we made it for the end of the reception.

Anyway, I'm not sure of the year.  Ilana's grandfather is going along with her scheme.  It it's 1994, he's 67 years old.

If cats could talk....