Remember our two flying monkeys, Figaro and Mystic? They are not flying so high anymore! They are pussy-footin’ instead.

We had started a remodeling project last year that included a new laundry room and some changes to the old laundry room. What seemed like an easy project got wrapped up the whirlwind of our lives. We have finally gotten around to placing cabinets in the old laundry room.

Snell and his cousin Charles DeLoach installed the new cabinets. They are a beautiful snowy white and just brighten the room. Plus, I really need a place to hide cat food.

I have two old cupboards/pie safes from Mama’s parent’s home place in Eastman. One was built by my great-granddaddy around 1830 and the other by my granddaddy in the early 1900s. Each of them is made from long leaf heart pine with planks that are 18 inches wide.

I was keeping the dry cat food bags in the bottom of one of these cabinets. I never dreamed that animals without opposable thumbs could unhook the curtain that hides the contents of the cabinets.  Figaro and Mystic would wait until we were gone or asleep, unhook the curtain and climb inside. You guessed it! I have shredded bags of cat food and two cats in an overfed stupor. I hope the new cabinets will solve that problem.

We have a counter space between the upper and lower cabinets. I plan to place a basket to catch incoming mail and things. I know it is hopeless. Everything will still be spread all over the kitchen counter and table, but the basket will be cute there and give Mystic another place to sleep.

You know how curious cats are. Figaro and Mystic were in every drawer and every cabinet. Before I could put in liner paper, I had to rake out cat hair. I am pretty sure I got enough fur to make another cat.

I decided I wanted to use the tile from the floor as the counter top. I asked Snell and Charles if they would lay the tile.  I know how they are always willing to do anything that I ask. You believe that? They’ll do anything to keep me from whining and fussing.

They spread the glue on the counter top and went to accomplish other important tasks -- lunch. The glue had to dry to a specific consistency before the tiles could be placed. Simple. Be ready in an hour. Whoops!

Curiosity sticks the cat. I don’t know who was first on the counter top, but she slid from one end to the other in that glue.  Pussy foot prints were every where.  We could follow them into every room of the house.

You know cats shake their feet when they get wet? EIGHT feet going every which way, throwing globules of glue on the walls, on the floor, on the snowy white cabinets. We caught Figaro on my grandmother’s living room couch. Yes, permanently autographed with Figaro’s paw prints.

Nancy Smith Meek, a former teacher from Parkview High and Phoenix High schools, had dropped by the house. “Welcome to my house, first time visitor.  Hold this cat, paws out please. WE have to wash her.”

Nancy and I have been co-workers and friends for 35 years. I knew she could handle anything. I should know. I chose a lot of kids to go into her classes because she was an excellent teacher and related well to all kinds of students.  Nancy is a trouper and thought nothing of taking a very unhappy Mystic. James had Figaro.

I was soaking their feet in straight Dawn dishwashing liquid. I used 12 wash clothes to lather those eight sticky feet; 12 more to wash the soap off. They would spread their little toes, and I would scrub between each one and up their legs. I thought I would never get all the glue off. Straight Dawn really lathers well with warm water and a little friction. 

There we were with two very unhappy, sticky and soapy cats.  We finally got most of the soap and glue off. Then we attempted to dry them with more towels. Yeah, they weren’t thrilled then, either. James suggested we use the hair dryer. I told him we have been in the emergency room enough this year, thank you.

Once down on the floor they began dancing the Pussy Footin’ Hokey Pokey.  You put your left paw out and you shake it all about. At one time Figaro was doing the advanced "Dancing with the Stars" version — put your left front paw and your back right paw out and shake them all about. I really don’t know how she remained standing. Poor Mystic was dancing around, and she finally lay down on the rug with all four feet straight up in the air. She spread her toes and shook her feet.

I do not know where those kittens learned that language. It must have been from being thrown out around the Dumpster. I KNOW they didn’t learn any of that from us, but they certainly have an extensive vocabulary.

Do you know what happens when you wash kitty feet with Dawn and don’t get all the soap off? Well, James swore he saw soap suds in the potty box the next morning!