This morning I participated in the Boulder walkathon for Multiple Sclerosis in honor of my mother who died of a related disease - ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in 1980 at the age of 49.  We had a morning that started out cool, but sunny and warmed up nicely.  The care stations along the route had water, sunscreen, fresh fruit and other encouraging enticements.  A good friend joined me for the walk and we caught up with family news along the route.

Early this morning, before the walkathon, I embroidered a shirt to wear that featured my mother’s loved forget-me-not flower (inspired my company logo) and the words “For Barbara”

I am pretty sure my mom was pleased at how I spent my morning.

I can’t brag as much about my daughter anymore.  She is 19 now and finds it most tiresome.  So I have myself a pair of Ragdoll cats.  Not only do they not mind being the center of attention, they seem to thrive on it.  Cats are like that — it is all about THEM!

But these cats are truly a delight.  If you have never experienced a Ragdoll, you are missing a world of love and the softest fur and brightest blue eyes in the animal world.

McCormick is my boy.  He was named after the McCormick tractor — a nod to my husband’s farming childhood.  McCormick is a big boy - he is about 14 pounds at one year and will keep growing until he is 4.  His grandfather is a 22 pound cat.

McCormick at 6 months old

Peaches is dainty by comparison.  She is about 1 1/2 now and is a breeder.  The cattery she came from is partnering with me and I get to be an accomplice to bringing some darling white fur balls into the world. 

As a point of interest, all Ragdolls are born completely white and get their color and markings as they mature.  So you never quite know what you have until after you know them for a while.  Of course, you can increase your chances by pairing the right two in the first place.

Peaches is a seal bi-color tortie.  Tortie’s carry a recessive gene that only appears in the female and manifests as a mottled pattern to the fur.  Here is Peaches:

Peaches the Ragdoll at 8 months