And the kitty lives to tell the tale

Last night on a quick walk around the block, Pooka and I came across a little marmalade kitty with a big meow and an apparent lack of fear. I might have called this a lack of good sense, given Pooka's propensity to chase with intent everything small and furry (or feathered) that crosses her path.

But this little kitty rolled on his back, stood upright and walked right up to us. I gave Pooka a little slack, which she used to sniff the kitty all over. As kitty slowly wandered up driveway, Pooka followed, sniffing along. She whined a little, which I interpreted as, "What the f---?" And didn't chase. Didn't snap. Didn't bite. Very interesting.

Of course, Miss P. still seems to regard every other small critter as a delicious snack. And when this little kitty wised up and dashed under the car, she still lunged. But it was a heartwarming moment, my little killer keeping it in check.

We're heading off on our first backpacking adventure this weekend. Trial runs with emtpy backpack have been positive so far. Stay tuned.