The New Baby

  Ms. Ez is getting on up there in years.  She has been a good dog (on most days!) but is getting a tad fat and lazy as of late.  She misses the playtime she shared with her few other doggy friends, PJ and Sunny. When they are visiting the Bayou, she is like a young pup once again. The only other two critter "friends" (and I use the word loosely here) she has are Ms. Put and Ms. Nycto, the cats.  Their contact is usually very brief and very tense.  Neither cat wants a lot to do with a big, boisterous dog. So, Ms. Ez spends most of her days sleeping or chasing squirrels.

  Enter one wee critter named Salem.  Salem is a tiny kitten that my daughter and son-in-law are fostering.  She is here visiting the Little Bayou House and missed her critter friends back home.  I decided to attempt an introduction between Ms. Ez, the old Bayou dog and Salem, the tiny kitten.  I have to admit that I was not one hundred percent certain just how well this meeting was going to be but something needed to be done to ease the kitten's loneliness.  I eased Salem down to Ms. Ez's level.  After telling her to be easy, I asked her to come meet the baby. Ezzy was amazing!  She was almost giddy with the idea of "her" baby!  She very calmly nosed the little one and then nuzzled up close to her.  Salem sat almost motionless at first but then accepted Ms. Ez's attention.  This was so heartwarming!  The little kitten knew no fear of the big, lumbering dog and Ez tried to be as gentle as she could.  The two were soon fast friends!

  After watching the two play together, nuzzle each other and then snooze side by side, I figured that this was a match made in Heaven!  Ms. Ez has always had this motherly nurturing side to her whether it be this kitten, baby birds or a baby possum. She loves babies!  Since she has never had any of her own, perhaps that mother instinct has kicked in with the sight of this lonely, little kitten.  Whatever it is, she and Salem seem to truly love each other!  What a win/win situation!  The kitten found a friend and Ms. Ez has HER BABY!