I Triple Dog Dare You....

I am going to share with you a little secret with you.....I cannot turn down a challenge.

I am one of those people that make even the simplest things in life about winning and losing. I want to be first. The best.

It's irritating really.

I have toned down quite a bit since my "younger" days, but it is still there. Still whispering, "I bet you can beat that person across the intersection when the light turns green," or "I can make the best birthday for my kids EVER, even without any money!".

For the past two months the girls have been earning money to get a kitten. I pay them a minimal wage once a week to do their chores, and as an additional incentive, I told them that they would get extra money if they did something to help out around the house without me having to ask them.

This caused some strange and random things to be done.

Maya trimmed the entire edge of the lawn with butcher scissors, for one.

They worked hard.

So, we went to the Tacoma Humane Society on Saturday to see what they had.

We viewed cats of all ages. One was a year old orange tabby - he was so incredibly loving and adorable - but he was also not neutered and I was not going to break my "no testicles in THIS house" rule.

Then there was the kitten. The employee felt that she needed to warn us ahead of actually visiting with the kitten that it was....well, a bit feral, as she put it. I grew up with true feral cats so I was expecting a spitting ball of fur and bones.

She brought in this little bundle of frightened kitten flesh, plopped her on the table.....

And she immediately started purring.

Truth be told, I was feeling as if the employee had challenged my cat bonding capability, so I was ready to prove her wrong by doing my best wild cat wrangling and impressing upon the Humane Society my great "cat whispering" ability.

There was no need. It was love at first sight for all of us.

Pepper is the new member of our family. Currently being accosted by two little girls, wrapped in a pink baby blanket, carried from room to room in a basket....and absolutely loving it.