A formal introduction seems appropriate so you’ll really get the feel for those who will be named incessantly.

Alegre: Queen Bee.  She doesn’t want anyone to know she really is a big goofball.  She puts on the stoic face and snooty attitude most of the time but sometimes when she thinks we’re not looking she will tear around the house like her tail is on fire.  She can move.  Only when she wants to, of course.

Gracie: Give her a neon green mouse and she goes bananas (don’t ask, they all have their preferences.  Chloe only likes the really old, moldy dark green mice from years ago).  I’ve never seen another animal without opposable thumbs- feline or not – toss an object so high into the air.  She is not afraid of anyone or anything.  Very bold and very outgoing.  Gracie wants to be everyone’s friend – even when she’s hissed and slapped at by Alegre, she’ll still sit by her and lick her face.  She’s the only cat in the trio that is like that.  Alegre and Chloe run and hide at the hint of the vacuum cleaner coming out.  A person?  That is WAY too much for them.

Chloe: Our love-bug.  But only Tim and mine.  She hides from everyone else.  She is one HUGE cat with fur everywhere.  She loves playing with that moldy green mouse I mentioned earlier.  She’ll hit it under a closed door (usually the pantry door in the kitchen) and then sit there, waiting for us to get it out.  Giving us this look like “pleeeaaaaassssee? It was an accident.”  When we rescue her beloved mouse from the dust bunnies and dark corners it goes right back under the door.  Mind games.

Madison (Maddie): Our canine who thinks she’s a cat.  But who can blame her when that is all she’s ever around?  She prefers the toys we have for the girls (Alegre, Chloe and Gracie – easier to say “the girls” than to shout out “Alegre, Chloe, Gracie!”).  Whenever she has one in her mouth she will walk around, tail wagging like crazy, thinking she’s got this amazing secret nobody will ever figure out.  Game’s up  Maddie.  We know.  Aside from her cat-like tendencies, she’s awesome.  The. best. dog. ever.  I’ve never had or seen a dog more loyal, loving and willing to please (the breed standard – how appropriate!).  She LOVES the water and loves her “tigger.”  She’s had it since she was a puppy when it was bigger than she was.  She puts tigger in his place now though.  If he gets out of line – watch out.  Poor tigger.  Taken into the maw of Death-Grip-Madison and shaken and smacked into walls and floors and couches.  Good thing he doesn’t have anything breakable inside.

 Alexis (Lexi): Our spur-of-the-moment addition who is slowly teaching Maddie how lifting a paw isn’t “playing” – it’s wimpy. She’s already taken the house by storm but hasn’t quite learned the rules…like chewing and digging and peeing on the floor are all highly undesirable activities.  She loves staring at you with her sad, “who, me?” eyes whenever she snatches a leaf off the ground or fills her mouth with pine straw. Yes, we’re still learning that “drop” means PUT IT DOWN! We’re waiting for her to get bigger than Maddie…it’ll happen…it happened. And Maddie is fine with it…..but a big Lexi-puppy…exhausting.

We love our fur-family.  They make life comical.  And interesting.  And expensive. Very, very expensive.