Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship by Tom Ryan is published by William Morrow. It tells the story of my adventures with Atticus M. Finch, a little dog of some distinction. You can also find our column in the NorthCountry News.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Mount Moriah is Dedicated to Mittens

George Woundy is an old Newburyporter who has just left Newburyport. He's dedicated Mount Moriah to Mittens. I'll let George tell you about his friend.

Mittens was born a feral kitten somewhere in New Hampshire. My daughter, Jillian, picked her from a litter at the NHSPCA in Stratham, N.H. because she was "different" from the others. Suddenly I, an avowed "cat hater", was faced with a decision. At the time, Jillian lived with her mother and spent her weekends with me so it would have been easy for me to avoid the kitten, but of course I was asked, "Daddy. May I bring my kitty with me next weekend?” What was I to do? What the heck, it was only for the weekends. I could handle that."

Somewhere along the way that mean ol' cat hater began to miss his daughter and the kitten during the week. She's so darned cute. I couldn't stop myself. Eventually both Jillian and Mittens came to live with me full time and the rest, as they say, is history – at least for me. Mittens has been with us for 8 years and, now that I'm retired, she and I spend a lot of time together. She's a very spoiled, and very loved member of my family now. I think back on that cat hating part of my life now and I can't begin to imagine what the heck was wrong with me.

I mean . . . look at her . . . ain't she cute?

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