Amidala speaking.

First, MaMA took me to the vet AGAIN. I’ve been scratching, and Youngest Grandson’s young eyes spotted a flea on me. MaMA was worried that I might have ingested a flea infected with something, so she took me — and a Certain Sample — to see Dr. Towsley. Sure enough, I have a minor flea problem and … well, it isn’t nice to talk about, but the first syllable is something you use to fasten packages closed and the second syllable is something that aerates the soil in your garden. No, I don’t have stringmoles.

So the vet gave me a shot that he said was “birth control for fleas” and is supposed to last for six months. I asked MaMA how birth control for fleas worked, and she said the syringe was filled with millions of tiny condoms. Science is amazing.

MaMA gave me a pill with the pill-shooter that she used to use with Munchkin. That made me miss my friend, but it was rather nice to share something with him after his passing. I have to take another pill in 21 days, and then my unwanted guests will all be gone.

MaMA takes good care of me.

Here’s another example: I was getting in trouble for crawling under the blanket MaMA put on the couch to protect me from people cooties.

So MaMA put another blanket over that one, and now I have a super snuggley snuggery.

Yes, that’s really me in there. See?

Happy New Year to you all, no matter how many paws you have, from MaMA, me, and all my temporary lodgers.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR ANIMALS: What’s your favorite snuggley place?

AA